3.5 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a pretty good epistolary mystery written exclusively as if reading a movie script. In December 2003, Luke Ryder, the stepfather of acclaimed filmmaker Guy Howard (then aged 10), was found dead in the garden of their suburban family home. Luke was babysitting Guy. Luke's two teenage step-daughters found him dead in the back yard, while Guy slept in his room. The children's mother was a suspect but she was at a party that night with a solid alibi. His murder remains unsolved.

Guy is now directing a new Netflix series Infamous, dedicated to investigating--and perhaps solving--the case. The production team and a panel of experts will re-examine testimony, re-interview witnesses, and scour the evidence again to see if anything was missed. As we read, each episode ends on a cliff hanger as more evidence is discovered.

I like reading epistolary books. I think they are a unique way to tell a story. This one was pretty good. I liked all of the twists and turns and "new evidence" discovered, even if most of them led us down a rabbit hole that led nowhere. The reason I marked the rating down was because it was quite evident, at least to me, who the killer was. That took some of the fun out of the book, but i enjoyed reading all of the twists.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks. All opinions are my own.

Confusing at times. Weird format. Lots of characters. Some good twists and turns. Overall I was invested but didn’t love.

Top Pick - 4.5 Stars ⭐️

Guy Howard is a filmmaker working with Nick Vincent to compile a group of experts to look into an unsolved murder case from 20 years ago for a true crime TV series. Surprisingly, the case he picks involves his own stepfather, who was killed when Guy was only ten years old. Guy hopes a fresh look at the case will finally give his family some closure. His sisters, however, have doubts, which the reader sees through text messages they send to each other.

Murder in the Family is a fast-paced, twisty thriller told through press releases, emails, text messages, voicemail transcripts, posts to a true crime forum, and other methods. I love books written in this type of format because, for me, it makes them fast-paced and engaging. I am always amazed when such an intriguing mystery can be told in this way. Before the book progresses too far, it becomes evident that some of the experts working on the case have their own secrets and agendas. This leads to several shocking plot twists. Getting to see what was going on behind the scenes and on camera in this fictional true crime documentary, I wished it was one I could actually watch!

There are several characters in the book, but I think there could have been deeper character development for a few of the main players. That would have made this great book even better. I didn’t feel like I got to know all of the key characters of the book. However, the format and the twists made up for it, and I loved this clever, entertaining book.

~ Christine

This was a clever concept that so many readers seemed to love, but it just didn't work for me. Perhaps in a print format it would have, but trying to read all the text messages and news articles proved to be a little clunky on a Kindle. Truthfully, I felt overwhelmed by the number of characters and the massive amounts of info dumping.

I was able to finish it, and I enjoyed some parts, but I would have preferred a more traditionally written story perhaps with dual timelines.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the review copy.

Murder in the Family.

Ok, y’all. This is the coolest book I’ve read in a while. I had never read a collection of artifacts and narratives like this!

We get texts, transcripts, director notes, asides, all of the things.

It read like a really good show on Netflix (hence the premise), and I am here for it!

I literally couldn’t stop reading.

For its ingenuity alone, it’s a 5.

Excuse me while I’m off to check out more by the author. Wow!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I adore a cleverly told mystery, and this one, told through the transcripts of the streaming series they are creating (with Reddit posts, emails, etc. adding to the story), is definitely that. Twist after twist, I'd have definitely binged this as a series as quickly as I did a read- it's a major page turner. It's definitely a plotty book versus character driven- there's little in the way of character development, and in some ways it almost feels like a game of Clue. It's smart and enjoyable to read.

A highly inventive murder mystery told as episodes of a television show. A very fresh take on the thriller genre. Can't recommend it highly enough.

Can The Reader Solve a Cold Case?

This cleverly formatted book is not quite Agatha Christie where the possible murderers are presented to you, and then exposed at the end. There are six experts trying to solve the case

This is a cold case, remember the TV series totally devoted to cold cases? Luke Ryder is murdered; his body is found outside of his home. In the house are his wife and two stepdaughters. It is a true story. The murder occurred in December, 2003. Is this the new murder mysteries?

This British murder is a novel in itself. However, it is set up like a screenplay. I never was sold on this technique, but when the series hits the small screen, I hope each episode ends with a retrospect opinion.

Like any good thrillers, it can keep the reader guessing who is (or are) the killer(s). The irony here is that a British filmmaker, Guy Howard, age 10 at the time, is the victim’s stepson.

To reduce some of the confusion, I returned to the beginning and re-learned the cast of characters who remain the experts in the present.

My gratitude to Net Galley and William Morrow for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was such an intriguing and unique read! I, personally, love books written in more of a “media” format, such as interviews, emails, newspaper articles, etc. and I cannot imagine just how much time and thought was put into this one to create such an entertaining and interactive read 🔎

This is the perfect book for all my Nancy Drew lovers and True Crime fans who enjoy putting their brain to work! I can’t recommend it enough 🕵️‍♀️

What a fun and wholly original format! This reads as a podcast script. I loved all the newspaper articles and phone messages scattered throughout. I’ve never read a book like this before! It kept me guessing all the way to the end. Lots of twists and family drama as the truth is slowly and expertly revealed.

I love suspense books. and even more so when it's a good thriller like this one. I enjoyed the concept of being part of the investigation and trying to find out who the murderer is. This book brought out my detective side and that's why I give it 5 Stars.

Thanks NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Wow! Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter is a very original book. A man was murdered in an exclusive London neighborhood twenty years ago, and the case has remained unsolved. A television “true crime” show focuses on the case, and all kinds of information is reviewed, including voice mails, texts, and maps. The reader feels as if they are part of the investigative team! This book had me from page 1, and I really enjoyed it!

Oh wow! Cara Hunter's new book, Murder in the Family, is crazy good!

Why? Well, first up is the style used in telling the tale. It's an epistolary novel - not bits of it, but all of it!

The book is setup as a true crime show with six experts determined to solve a twenty year old cold case. Police reports, emails, memos, online chat rooms, interviews, memories, newspaper clippings, texts, messages, old photos, suppositions, clues and more are all there for the reader to see.

But - can you determine who the culprit is? I couldn't! Which is absolutely fine with me. I truly enjoy being unable to solve a mystery book. Hunter makes it very difficult to solve, with multiple twists and turns that change the direction of the investigation. Fantastic!

There is a large cast of characters in Murder in the Family. There's a detailed bio for each of the prime characters at the beginning of the book. I had to refer to it at first, but I came to 'know' them all as the book progressed. There's a wide variety of personalities. Some will rub you the wrong way, others are know-it-all, some are secretive and more....

Murder in the Family was a treat to read. Addictive, clever and unique. Loved it.

Filmmaker and director Guy Howard was only 10 years old when his stepfather Luke Ryder was murdered in the posh garden of his London home. The police were never able to solve the crime. Now 20 years later, hoping to gain closure, Guy decides to shed new light on the case in a true crime docuseries.

Talk about a truly clever and fantastic novel 🤯 I loved the Netflix documentary style of the story as each “episode” reveals a new twist. You become part of the investigation as you pick up clues in news articles, texts and voicemails, and online forums. Everyone has their secrets, including some of the experts, and the drama leaves you reeling. You’ll absolutely want to binge this one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Phenomenal and highly original!

I am a natural skeptic of books that tend to have a "gimmick" and once again I am made the fool by it. Cara Hunter's absolute mastery of a plethora of moving parts and characters is at play in this novel. I was blown away by the exquisite and precise attention to detail. No space is wasted and each small inclusion is necessary for the big and little picture throughout the novel. Part behind-the-scenes, part documentary, part whirlwind mystery, this novel held me and my brain tight and refused to let go.

As an avid mystery/thriller reader, this novel is exclusive in its writing. I felt like a part of the detective team, catching each word, tone, and little morsel of evidence trying to come to my own conclusions and reading endlessly to see if I was right. It's like playing Clue! I had so much fun reading it!

Even with my enjoyment, I did have to stop reading at some points because the constant dialogue can feel a bit bogged down, especially with how the "chapters" are separated. Each has a lot of information (obviously) which, while understandable and not a big problem, required breaks in reading from me. That being the only drawback, this novel is 100% worth a read if you're even the slightest fan of mystery!

Follow the clues, watch your back, and see if you can catch the murderer by the end!

3.5 ⭐ rounded up. I gotta say that I think this book is best read with a physical copy. I do think the epistolary format was good BUT sometimes got a bit tedious. Being that I read it on my Kindle it was sometimes hard to keep track of things, and I was wanting to flip back to re-read parts. Other than that, I enjoyed this one. I really liked the idea of a Netflix documentary re-examining a cold case murder.

In 2003, the stepfather, Luke Ryder, of Guy Howard (acclaimed filmmaker, age 10 at the time) was murdered in his home. Guy's mother and two step sisters were in the house at the time and all swear that they saw nothing. After all of the police investigations and media attention, the case was never solved. Now, Netflix is running a series called INFAMOUS. They will do a deep dive into the case. The production team re-examines the evidence and testimony, and re-interview the witnesses. The family speaks and the key players are reunited on camera. They will get to the bottom of what happened that fateful night.

Out NOW.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. . All opinions are my own.

This was such a fun, unique murder mystery. It is told through episodes of a true crime documentary, interspersed with voicemails, emails, newspaper articles, and other sources of media. It plays out just like a documentary would. I could visualize everything because of the way it’s laid out in the book. It was a fun ride, for sure.

I would recommend the physical copy because unless you can enlarge the pictures in your e-reader, the mixed media can be very hard to read. While I didn’t listen to the audio I think things would get lost in translation in that format.

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Read if you like:
Books featuring mixed media
The Jinx
True crime

Murder in the family is a twisty story. I love reading a book that’s set up like a pod cast. Guy wants to find out who murder his step dad Luke. 23 years have past and Luke’s killer was never found. Everyone’s got secrets . I feel like like
This was a great story a little drawn out but totally worth the read.,

Thanks to William Morrow for the eARC.
What an absolutely fun book this was. I really liked mixed media books, and this one is written as a TV show trying to figure out who killed Luke Ryder twenty years ago. I found the script, texts, voicemails, and emails all to be such a unique way to tell a murder mystery story. It was easy to get caught up in the plot, too, because Hunter timed her reveals so well that I had to keep turning the pages to see what would happen. I don't want to say too much though because this is one that should be on your TBR and you should want to be surprised right along with the characters. Definitely one of the most memorable books I've read this year - and I applaud her planning and storytelling.

I think this is a 4 star story, but I am giving an extra start because for me, the style elevates the book. However, I do see how the script-like feel could sway readers in the other direction, purely based on personal preference. I love the contemporary true crime Netflix show feel. I loved all the visuals like maps and Reddit threads. It really makes the novel unique and makes me feel like I am solving the crime right along side the experts. I did guess the culprit, but I really enjoyed every twist along the way to get to the murderer. I think the very end is fantastic, and I can’t wait for others to read this book so I can discuss it with someone.