So good! I was a little lost at first since this was the 5th book in a series but I caught up quickly and this was a great, twisty thriller with a fascinating cast of characters. The DNA genealogy was clever, the setting interesting, and police procedural elements compelling. Released earlier this month. Now to go and read the 1st in Lodge’s series!

Single mother of two teen boys, Aisling Cooley, is haunted by the disappearance of her father who abandoned her and her mother years ago. Looking to connect with him now she takes to a genealogy website. But instead of him showing up with the answers she’s been longing for, it’s local DCI Jonah Sheen at her doorstep.

He and his team are on the hunt for a serial killer dubbed the Bonfire Killer, who is killing women in the area by burning them on funeral pyres. Eventually a killer will make a mistake and in this case it’s just a single drop of blood. Shockingly it’s linked to a close relative of Aisling. Could it be her elusive father, or possibly even one of her own sons? Faced with the cold hard facts, what lengths would you go to to protect your family and its secrets?

It was a slow burn with detailed characters that kept me guessing and second-guessing, making it not only an excellent police procedural but a mind blowing thriller. I also think it’s a great launch for discussion on how our DNA is used (I know there are plenty of theories out there) and how it could become a useful tool in solving cold cases.

And the ending?! I couldn’t believe Lodge left us hanging like that! Considering this is book 5 in the series and I hadn’t read any of her work before, I’m rushing to go back and devour the others in hopes the next one is already in the works.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced review copy of A Killer in the Family.

Wow. More twists and turns and hills than driving through San Francisco. I'm usually good at guessing the whodunit, but not this time. The author provided clues along the way, but deftly worked them in such a way as to throw me off track more than once.

While some things were a bit too coincidental, it all works out. This book is well-worth a read.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for a review. This was a fun premise! A woman uploads her DNA online only to be connected to a murder investigation. The search for her long lost father has just become horrifying. This was a fun read; a bit of a slow burn at first but once it took off, it was great!

I was so torn on how to rate this one. I didn’t know that it was part of a series, so I think that messed things up for me a little bit. I felt kind of lost in the beginning, and there are a lot of characters to keep track of. I kept mixing them up throughout the entire book, and that was frustrating.

I found that the first half was super dull. It took me forever to get through it and I felt that the plot was being dragged out. Fortunately, the second half was a lot more interesting. Things started to pick up and reveals were finally happening, so I loved that. I also thought the ending was pretty cool, especially for someone who plans to keep reading the series.

The characters were a bit annoying for me. They felt very one-dimensional, and Aisling drove me absolutely nuts. I felt like overall, it was a pretty standard police procedural.

I probably won’t continue the series, but I recommend you check it out if you’re a big fan of police procedurals.

Thank you to Random House for my gifted copy!

Had me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed this read. Only thing, and this is a totally on me, but I definitely didn’t realize it was part of a series. Since I didn’t know the character, I thought the detective was dumb. Maybe I’ve read too many mysteries but I find it hard to believe a detective could just not think HA. Anyway, good idea, great cover, decent execution.

I didn't realize this was the fifth in a police procedural series, but I liked it enough that I will try to find the prior books in the series.

A Killer in the Family is a DNA-themed mystery. When a series of burned bodies are found in Southampton (UK) the police are able to gather some DNA from one of the bodies. They gain the help of an American forensic genealogist, who narrows the DNA down to a trio of men, all related to one woman, who is a narrator.

I liked the almost locked room/limited suspect feel of this one and the story really kept me guessing about which man was the guilty one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I didn’t enjoy the writing style, and was bored by the story. I don’t think this is a bad book, it was just not the book for me.

Really fun book!! I really liked the concept of the book and it was very interesting!! Its such a fast read, everyone should read it!!

A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge is my first book by her, despite this book being part of a series. It was great. This is made up of anyone’s worst nightmare when it comes to doing genetic testing. The characters were engaging and the twists made the ending payoff totally worth it.

This honest review is being written in exchange for an advanced reader copy of this book.

So many different plots all woven into one fast paced, intriguing book. I could not stop reading and never wanted it to end. The characters are well developed and I felt as if I knew the entire family. Some family members made me mad and others made me feel like I wanted to comfort them.

This book is worth reading. I loved the intrigue and many turns the story took until the truth was revealed.

Well written,

This was my first read by Gytha Lodge and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed this one so much and I can’t wait to read more by the author.

I really enjoyed this one! It has a ton of twists and turns! I figured out the twist towards the end. Very clever!! Chapters are shorter so makes for a quick read. I felt like it could’ve been shorter. Some of the story lines weren’t needed.

A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge - 4/5
General Fiction (adult) - Mystery & Thrillers
Publication: August 8, 2023

For starters the cover of this book is simple yet eye catching and 100% made me stop and read the synopsis.
After sending off her DNA to find some family, Ainsley a single mom, was greeted with more than she set out to find. Having DNA that matches to an active serial killer, the Bonfire Killer, is anything but the warm, inviting family she was looking for. I did enjoy the authors writing style, interesting premise, and the characters were fun to following along with. This book really makes your stop and think what kind of family members we all have out there in the world.

Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC.

I was really excited to read this book but was a bit disappointed. I thought there would be much more about the science and procedure of familiar DNA matching, but found that to be glossed over. Other than that, strong story with a tightly woven web that kept me from figuring out ahead of time exactly who the serial murderer was.

Went into this book not realizing that it was the fifth book in a series but I will say it was easy to follow along without having to read any of the past books.

Felt like this books had a good steady pace with a good story/plot. Overall really enjoyed the story but it wasn't anything I would recommend because is not something I usually read but maybe if I was asked about a detective series, I can point them in this direct. After reading this, I may go back and start with the first book.

Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Random House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Just when you think a town can’t get smaller, it does. After two murders with similarities occur, investigators begin trying to put the pieces together using a blood sample found at one of the scenes until truths come out one by one.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series, but it was written so could easily be read independently without confusion since I hadn’t read any others. I enjoyed the varying character storylines until they all reach the end. I also the detail used when describing the investigation because I could picture what was being done and the little details can make a difference.

A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge is the 5th book in a series, my first and I can’t wait to go back and read the first 4.
DCI Jonah Sheens and his team are trying to track down a serial killer, dubbed the ‘bonfire killer.’ The area of South Hampton is on edge, women are being murdered.
Aisling Cooley is a single mother of 2 boys. Her father left her when she was younger, so she decides to do a DNA test in hopes of finding him. This DNA was compiled via a UK-based ancestry website. Aisling DNA was the key and it led investigators right to her door.
Everything that happen next will leave investigators and Aisling scratching their heads. For Aisling, it’s too close to home and may not be what she expected when she set out to find her father. Could there be a killer in the family?
I felt so bad for Aisling bc she went through so much in her life, but I do love the relationship she has with her sons. The investigators did such a great handling the investigation, Gytha did such a great job at writing their parts and not rushing it. I really loved the relationship between Ben and Juliette. I enjoyed that I couldn’t figure out who it was until the end. I also learned a little about DNA. I want to say more but I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC for my honest review. I give it 4.5 stars.

A Killer in the Family sounded really familiar. I swear I've read this book before. The Bonfire Killer terrorized a community. There soon is the familiar "don't walk alone if you are female" reaction to his kills. Then a DNA test links one woman to the killer and a detective visits. The rest was a little over the top, but not unexpected. A good read if you don't want anything serious.

A Killer in the Family is the fifth in Gytha Lodge’s Jonah Sheens police series set in Southampton, but my first experience of the books and characters. I didn’t find it difficult to drop into their lives and a new, dangerous case that has the earmarks of a possible serial killer. The various police officers have ongoing back stories that add to their humanity and their work.

The case itself involves the apparently connected deaths of two local women, both in their 40s, found on pyres of wood, leading the prospective killer to be dubbed the “Bonfire Killer.” In a case that involves multiple levels of investigation, including eventual DNA evidence, there are twists and turns aplenty. And some points where I had to keep reading to know the answer. It’s interesting, complex, requires your attention, and has many sympathetic characters, throughout the wide cast.

Recommended for those who read police procedurals and mysteries.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.