A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge
Random House
Available Now!
5 stars

Imagine making a simple decision of taking a sample of your DNA and uploading in hopes of connecting with family you haven't met yet or those you haven't seen in forever. Now, imagine how going through with it changes your life from this point forward. Well, this happens to Aisling Cooley. She receives a match and has hope it is her father, but instead she is met with a detective who gives her unsettling news… her DNA is a close match for the Bonfire Killer.

"A Killer in the Family" is the fifth book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series. I haven't read any other books in the series as this is my first Gytha Lodge novel, but this can be read as a standalone. This book started off a bit slow, but that was just to build the foundation for the plot and the characters as the story moved forward. I thought the twists, turns, and secrets throughout the buildup to the big reveal were incredible. There were a few moments where I thought, "Okay, this has to be the mystery DNA person," or where me guessing it can be "this person," only to find out a chapter or two later it's not. And then once the reveal of the mystery DNA is known, it doesn't just end like that. There are a few more things that happens which amps it up a couple more notches.

With that being said, I will be checking out the rest of the DCI Jonah Sheens series!

Thank you, Netgalley, Random House, and Gytha Lodge, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

(A copy of my review will be posted on my Instagram page: bibliophiles_elite)

I normally don't care for police procederals at all. I chose this book solely on it's stunning cover. Upon further investigation, this book is a part of a series I've never read before. I was able to follow along and understand everything. Reading the prior books didnt seem pertinent to understanding this one. I know there are tons of people who partake in ancestors DNA sites. I myself have not. This book is a grand example of what horrible things could go wrong.. the poor main character was drug into a murder investigation because of her uploading her DNA to the website and showing relation to a murderer on the run. This book definitely kept me engaged throughout it's entirety. Over the plot and storyline we're all pretty amazing. Thank you for selecting me to read and then review.

My thanks to Random House, Gytha Lodge and Netgalley.
I have quickly become a fan of Ms. Lodge. She manages to write some really compelling stories.
This one reminded me of why I've been ignoring my own DNA thing. My mother sent me a test a few years ago because I was curious about my heritage. But,at the time I'd read so many news reports about found families that it scared the shit outta me! I'm not a big fan of my own family, so finding out what's been hiding out in the wood pile is a bit unnerving. Maybe I'll get around to it soon? Maybe.
This story was the bombdigitty.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book.

Another solid entry in the Jonah Sheens series. In this book, there's an insidious killer on the loose--one who kills women and then burns them on a bonfire. Following real-life murder investigations happening today, the team uses some DNA from a murder site to launch an inquiry into DNA ancestry sites to try to locate the killer--or family members of the killer.

The POV here is clever: we watch much of this unfold from the eyes of the woman the police track down as a close relative to the serial killer. What might that be like? How do you process that, especially if you have very few close relatives--and two of them are your children?

Overall, an interesting case and some good development with the series regular characters (and a cliff hanger that I really can't wait to see resolved in the next entry!). If you like this series, pick this one up.

I was pleasantly surprised by A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge, especially considering it's part of the DCI Jonah Sheens series. While I hadn't read the previous books, I still found it easy to dive into this gripping story. Although some background character development eluded me, it only piqued my interest in picking up the earlier works.

The plot itself was a rollercoaster of twists and turns, and that ending completely blindsided me! Lodge skillfully weaves a web of intrigue that had me guessing until the very last moment. I particularly enjoyed the heartwarming banter between Aisling and her boys, adding a touch of realism to the narrative. The story wraps up the main plotline beautifully and leaves no loose ends, which I appreciated. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series, especially after the tantalizing cliffhanger the detectives are left with. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House for granting me access to this advanced reader copy; it was a thrilling read.

I have a special interest in DNA so this book was very appealing to me. Lodge is a profound storyteller.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you like murder mysteries this is a good one!

The use of DNA/ Ancestry websites to solve murders was a great call out to current events.

I really enjoyed this book. I was left guessing on who the killer was and why up until the last 15% of the book

A Killer in the Family
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Gytha Lodge

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: When the police found the first body, left on a bonfire in the fields, they worried it had the hallmarks of a serial killer.

Now, as they find the second, they know for sure.

Panic about the "bonfire killer" quickly spreads through the sedate, suburban area of Southampton. Women are urged not to travel alone at night, and constant vigilance is encouraged among the local residents. But single mom Aisling Cooley has a lot to distract her: two beloved teenage sons and a quest to find her long-lost father, whom she hasn't seen since she was a teenager growing up in Ireland.

After much debate she decides to upload her DNA to an ancestry website, and when she gets a match she is filled with an anxious excitement, that her questions about her father's disappearance from her life might finally be answered.

But to her horror, it's not her father who's found her. It's a detective.

And they say her DNA is a close match for the bonfire killer...

My Thoughts: This is book no. 5 in the DCI Jonah Sheens mystery series. Aisling Cooley, a single mother, uploads her DNA to an ancestry site to locate her father, but what she finds is a detective knocking on her door advising that the DNA is closer related to a homicide he is working. The serial killer, the ‘Bonfire Killer’ is wreaking havoc on this small town in Southampton. Women are urged to not leave their homes in the evening, although the warning is not adhered to by everyone. These ancestry sites are very popular right now but one reason there are many holdbacks is that the DNA could fall into the hands of the government for their use how they please, other than the prices are crazy. A very unique premise for a police procedural novel that intrigued me from the beginning. When I requested this novel, I did not realize it was part of a series, however, I did not feel lost and felt the backstory was enough to follow along well. However, by reading the books in the series in order, you would get a greater sense of the character development and the relationships between the characters within the other novels. This novel tests the old adage what a parent would do for their child and lengths they would go to protect them.

In the beginning, it opens with a shocking prologue and then it is a typical slow burn police procedural thriller and some parts tend to get repetitive, at about 30-40% in, it really starts to heat up. The story is narrated by Aisling, Jonah, and some of the other police detectives, in their respective perspectives. The personal life of DCI Jonah bleeds over into the mystery, adding a level of sadness, which follows suit with the other detectives. The characters were well developed, mysterious, flawed, realistic, and intriguing. You could really relate to the characters and they were genuinely likable, for the most part. The author’s writing style was complex, twisty, suspenseful, multidimensional, mind bending, and brilliant. The characters are continued to be built up in this novel, with the plot being delivered into twisty layers. If you love cliffhangers, which I typically do not, you will love this one and it will be a doozy. I was yelling, screaming, and cursing. This really leaves the anticipation for book no. 6 VERY HIGH.

I will go back through the series and read the others. Generally, I only like romance series novels and not police procedural series or thriller series novels. However, Lodge has wedged her place in my mind to go back and read the series. This was a compelling, gripping, thought provoking, even poignant at times, police procedural thriller that will keep you guessing with some unpredictability. I highly recommend picking up this book and the others in the series.

Didn't realize this one was part of a series. Of I had known that I would have tried the previous installments first. Very little happened and the lack of character development has me assuming it's all been done in previous books.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge.

Whenever I see that Lodge has released another Jonah Sheens novel, I always know that I'm in for a good time. She never fails to disappoint to deliver a good detective drama, with fresh spins and a great cast. I like the continuing of the story lines with Jonah Sheens and his coworkers. To be honest, he was only lightly featured in this book at all, but it still really worked.

This started strong and ended STRONG, I am already chomping for the next one. It did get a bit muddy around the climax, but managed to redeem itself. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, buckle up!

this book had a pretty unique plot. i’m always interested in police procedures and what not. the investigation was interesting. however the characters annoyed me sometimes by making poor questionable decisions lol

I had no idea this book was part of a series! Luckily for me, it read like a stand alone. This book immediately hooked me in with the small, English side murder mystery. A serial killer is on the lose and a team of close knit, complex detectives must work all avenues to catch him/her. At the same time, we are introduced to Aisling and her two teenage sons. Soon, the investigation into the local murders comes right to Aisling's front door, all because of DNA testing. I really loved how inter-connected this mystery became and at every turn, wondering who the killer could be and how it would all come together. The story was very plot driven and the detail that went into describing the police work felt like I was right along for the ride as the reader. I ended up being invested in two of the detectives and I think I will read the next book to see where their stories pick up after this cliff hanger of an ending! Not the cliffhanger you would expect though.. All in all this was an excellent thriller that I couldn't put down.

A Killer in the Family is a fantastic thriller by Gytha Lodge.
I have read other books by this author, but I really think this one is my favorite so far.

The characters are well written, complex and well fleshed out.

This is an atmospheric thriller will leave you guessing until the very end.

I enjoyed this book. A bit predictable, but still a good quick read. I wish the police were not so dumb though. They should have figured out the killer way before they did.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.

DNF @ 15%
I kept trying to pick this one back up, but unfortunately I couldn't get into this one.

I picked this one up because I am very, very interested in genetic genealogy. The premise was so promising and the plot kept me engaged throughout, though I feel like this one was on the slow end of slow burns. My main problem with this was the nonsensical behavior of the police and some of the adults in the story, which was infuriating at times.

I loved it! thank you for the advanced copy- I will be purchasing to support the author. I loved the character development and never saw the ending coming

Aisling just wants to find her missing father, but instead a DNA match connects someone in her family to a serial killer. The police investigation focuses on Aisling’s two teenaged sons.

This is the fifth book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. The only carryover from previous books is the troubled personal lives of some of the police officers. Their issues do not approach the complexity of Aisling’s complicated history. Secrets keep getting revealed as the story progresses. This book is a pretty straightforward police procedural, with a little suspense at the end.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher

When the bodies start piling up the police know for sure that they have a serial killer on the loose. Since the victims are found in fires, they are dubbed the “Bonfire Killer”. Word gets out and women are urged to stay indoors after dark based the victimology.

Aisling decides to do a DNA ancestry kit to see if she can find her father. However, after the results come back, she is contacted by the police…her DNA is a close match for the Bonfire Killer.

As Aisling works with the police to find out who the killer is, she can’t help but wonder what secrets her family holds.

Nothing is more complex than family and this book highlights that. This police procedural was rather interesting and really made me think about not only family, but how we are all connected and have secrets. The mystery in this one was on point and kept me guessing until the very end – loved the twists. I did find this book to be rather slow, and very long. I think had the pacing been faster, or even if it were shorter, I would have enjoyed this more.

This is the fifth installment of the DCI Sheens series.

Despite my issues with pacing, this is still an interesting read, and I would recommend it for those looking for an interesting read.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing, Random House, for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a solid 3.5 star read for me.

I didn’t realize this was a part of a series when I requested this book, but even so I could only get through about 14 chapters before I called it quits. Nothing was happening! It was too repetitive for me! If this is a slow burn, it must be an extra slow one, yikes!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.