A quick thriller with a main plot and a subplot. Several unpleasant characters and a few surprises sprinkled throughout. It all ties together with at the end.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

“…I look up at him and remember a lesson I’d learned long ago–people can be the scariest things on earth.”

Family secrets, lies, revenge, and justice.

OH MY GOSH…what a wild and crazy ride with so many twists and turns. I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling the book, but just trust me, if you love thrillers then you definitely need to read this book! My mind is blown and my heart is still pounding. I couldn’t get over the shock of one twist before another one came. And just when I thought there couldn’t possibly be another twist, then BAM here’s another one! The author did an incredible job with writing an unpredictable story, all of my predictions were so far off.

A thriller automatically gets 5 stars if it truly shocks me, makes me audibly gasp, and loudly say anything that makes my husband look at me like I’ve lost my mind, and/or if it makes me sit with my mouth open, chin on the floor, completely flabbergasted. This book did that MULTIPLE times. I will be processing the logistics of this book for a very long time. This is one of those books that I’ll be going back to reread to see all the things I missed the first time.

I read this in tandem with the audiobook. The narrators did a superb job with pacing, tone, and inflection which really helped set the mood and bring the story and characters to life. They delivered a flawless performance from start to finish.

Thank you @htpbooks, @htp_hive , @_mira_books_ , @harlequin_audio, @katiewritesmystery, and @netgalley for the #gifted ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The Family Inside was a slow burn for me. It took at least until I got to 60% on my kindle before I started to get into it. With that being said, it did pick up speed and it did have some creepy vibes to it but I found myself skimming so I could get through faster and I hate doing that. The ending was jaw dropping that’s for sure. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release.

Talk about ending a book with a bang. I loved how the final chapter had one last twist that also didn’t ruin the integrity of the book.

In the beginning of this book I wanted to shake our main character for putting herself and daughter in such a potentially dangerous situation. I was floored by her decisions but I understood her desperation. This was a convoluted web of lies and deceit spanning decades. Somehow our author still made it extremely easy to follow along. If you’re looking for a fast paced thriller, check this one out. I loved the reveal behind the motivation (I’m being vague to avoid spoilers). I wish that aspect was dissected a little more.

"The Family Inside" is a bingeworthy thriller full of drama, secrets, and suspense. Told from the perspectives of Iris and her teenage daughter Ellory, this atmospheric (and kinda creepy!) story will keep you guessing. It started off a little slow, but then the twists started coming and didn't stop. I couldn't stop reading because I had to know what happened next. This book definitely kept me on my toes, and my head is still spinning. It was a little over the top at times, but it is a popcorn thriller that you will not want to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fast paced thriller that kept me on the edge. I was so engulfed into this that I could not put it down. It had just enough scare in it that it kept me looking around my house and lots of thrills and secrets. Intriguing and Captivating until the end!

A nicely twisty thriller set in a Gothicly creepy (taxidermy!) house- Ravencliff. Told by Iris and her daughter Ellory, it's the story of what happens when Iris (against Ellory's wishes) takes her new boyfriend Hugh's offer of a house to live in when they become homeless. The deal, however, comes with Hugh's family and what a family it is! This is hard to review without spoilers but know that there are some very good surprises as well as a few that are implausible. You might think Iris is naive but you'll see her grow more shrewd as the story progresses. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.

Iris Blodgett’s life has unraveled since her husband's unsolved murder three years ago. Drowning in grief and buried in debt, she can’t pay her mortgage—and now that she’s lost her job. She has no idea how she’ll provide for her unruly teenage daughter, Ellory. Soon she was facing eviction and her new man has offered a solution--move in with him and his mother's old mansion that needed some repairs. Little did she know it was an old mansion full of secrets ---and his siblings.

I could not read this book fast enough. I knew from the description I was in for a ride but I was pleasantly surprised that it lived up to the hype. The twists kept coming and I did not see the ending coming at all. I cannot wait to read this author again. 4,5 stars.

Thanks to #NetGalley. and #Mira for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you love a story about creepy families living in even creepier houses, this is for you. Actually, no sure which is creepier. Iris is a single mom who is having terrible luck-losing her job, losing her house- until her too good to be true boyfriend offers her a place to stay. He and his family seem to welcome her in but they turn rather quickly on her. Her daughter thinks it a few years is too soon to move on from her murdered father and soon disappears. Iris is alone as things get weirder and weirder. In the end, everyone is unbelievably connected but it doesn't matter. It's a twisty tale that you just have to go along with to enjoy.

I really enjoyed this fast paced story. It definitely had some surprises along the way which I thought was fun. Overall, I can recommend grabbing this great story.

Many thanks for my gifted copy.

The Family Inside by Katie Garner is a gripping and twisty thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The story follows Iris Blodgett, a struggling widow and single mother, who moves into her boyfriend Hugh's eerie family mansion, Ravencliff, after facing eviction. But things quickly spiral as secrets unravel, strange family dynamics surface, and the house itself seems to harbor dark mysteries.
Told through Iris and her teenage daughter Ellory’s perspectives, the book’s atmosphere is tense and chilling. The twists are plentiful—some predictable, but many completely shocking. The setting, a centuries-old mansion, adds an ominous backdrop that amplifies the suspense.
While some parts are a bit over-the-top, it’s all part of the fun. This fast-paced “popcorn thriller” is full of surprises, family drama, and creepy vibes. If you enjoy Lisa Jewell-style mysteries or tales of sinister houses, this book is a must-read!
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

“It takes a special family to turn a home into a nightmare.”

Since her husband's unsolved murder three years ago, Iris Blodgett's life has unraveled. Awash in grief and buried in debt, she can't pay her mortgage--and now that she's lost her job, she has no idea how she'll provide for her unruly teenage daughter, Ellory.

Facing eviction, Iris turns to her new beau, prominent architect Hugh Smoll, for a shoulder to cry on. But the seemingly perfect Hugh offers her something more: an invitation to move in to his mother's centuries-old mansion while he renovates the property.

It seems like the perfect solution, but when Iris and Ellory arrive at Ravencliff, the family inside isn't quite what they expected. Iris didn't even know Hugh had siblings, much less that they'd all be living together.

With repairs underway, the house gives up its dark secrets one by one. Before long, Iris unearths a chilling family history--and the terrifying reason she and Ellory were invited in the first place...

WHEW, THIS BOOK! This book has two POVs, Iris and Ellory, and let’s just say not everything meets the eye. This book roped me in and was very curious where it would take me. Once Iris and Ellory arrive at Ravencliff, the book gets creepy, and chilling, and you don’t know what’s real and what’s imaginary.

This book kept me on my toes and while some of the twists could’ve been predicted, not all of them are and let’s just say you’ll be shocked!

Iris Blodgett, having only dated Hugh Smoll for a couple of months, accepts his offer to move into his mother’s old mansion when she loses her job and home. Hugh, an architect, is renovating the mansion and currently resides there. Despite knowing it will upset her 18-year-old daughter Ellory, Iris accepts.

Iris knew they’d need to meet Hugh’s mother, but they weren’t prepared when she discovers his siblings also live there. Iris begins to feel out of place almost immediately. This is where the twists in this captivating story begin.

The invitation to Iris had an underlying purpose. As Iris and Ellory face what awaits them, the story reveals its intrigue. The way the author turns this into a dual timeline story, all while connecting the past with the present, makes this riveting story impossible to put down.

Many thanks to MIRA and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

WOW! There was so many twists and turns and so many lies and secrets in this thriller. This had me on the edge of my seat thru the whole book and just saying wow!.
Facing eviction, Iris turns to her new beau, prominent architect Hugh Smoll, for a shoulder to cry on. But the seemingly perfect Hugh offers her something more in an invitation to move into his mother’s centuries-old mansion while he renovates the property. Iris feels like this is the end of all her and her daughter, Ellory's problems. Can this really be true. Have they finally found the right person and the right home? Only time will tell and you won't believe what you read. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

.... what the 🤯

This is a book I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen from one moment to the next. Like had me trying to piece it all together so much it made my brain hurt, and I still had no clue what was actually going on. 😅 I'm usually really good at guessing what's coming, but man this threw me big time. Definitely recommend!

Thank you for allowing me to arc read!

The same review will be submitted to Amazon on release day. It has also been posted to Barnes & Noble and Books A Million already. Links not available at this time.

WOWZA! Give me a second while I recover from whiplash! What a twist filled, shocking, dramatic, and phenomenal book! Just when I thought I had this book all figured out, Katie Garner threw in another jaw dropping revelation which left me reeling!

Iris Blodget just can't seem to catch a break. After her husband was murdered three years ago, she and their daughter, Ellory, are left drowning in grief and debt. After losing not only her job but her home, Iris accepts an offer from her new boyfriend, Hugh, to come live with him in Ravencliff, his mother's crumbling mansion which he is renovating. There she will meet the family members Hugh never mentioned having and learn that secrets run deep in Hugh's family....

Holy Moly! This book was off the hook! I loved the pacing, the shocks, the revelations, the dread, the tension and don't get me started on the atmosphere. The home itself was a silent/not so silent character as well with its creaking floors, eerie rooms, and desperate need for repairs. Ravencliff is creepy and do not get me started on Hugh's family!

There was a lot going on in this book, but it never felt boggled down; instead, it made for a pulse pounding page turner! Katie Garner pulled the wool over my eyes, not once, not twice, but many times during this book! I fully invested and hung on for dear life during this wild ride of a book!

Gripping, shocking, well thought out, wonderfully written, and hard to put down!

Iris Blodgett has struggled since the mysterious death of the husband three years ago. Struggling to make ends meet and worried about her daughter Ellory, she turns to her boyfriend Hugh who offers her the opportunity to move in with his family for the indefinite future. Upon their arrival, they quickly realize things are not what they seem.

This book is the definition of unhinged, but in the best way. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the author would throw in a huge twist that at times, had my jaw dropping. These characters were all a bit cray cray, albeit some way more than others. The house in this story feels larger than life, as does the property it sits on. The eeriness Iris feels definitely comes across loud and clear to the reader, and it’s that atmospheric nature that makes this one so fun.

Is it a little over the top at times? Yes. But was it hella fun? Definitely. This is the popcorn thriller you won’t want to put down. Even better, check out the audio helmed by Emily Lawrence and Ashley Klanac. Their narration took the creepy vibes up a notch or three.

Read if you like:
▪️fun twists
▪️multiple pov and timelines
▪️family dramas
▪️creepy houses
▪️Lisa Jewell’s The Family Upstairs

Thank you HTP for the gifted copies.

The Family Inside by Katie Garner, Iris is a widow and a single mother who is just lost her job on the same day her house was foreclosed on and auctioned off. Thankfully, she’s been dating architect Hugh, who invites her to live with him at his mother’s mansion. both Iris and daughter Ellery get a strange feeling when they arrive at the house. They meet Hughes brother Gabe, his wife and Hughes sister Rebecca. this totally surprises Iris because she didn’t even know Hugh had siblings, but this will not be the last strange thing Iris uncovers, but the first of many and some of them reached back to her long lost past. soon, however, daughter Ellery goes missing her friend is murdered and she thinks her brother-in-law is a killer so Iris has problems of her own, especially when she realizes her own life is in danger. this was definitely a convoluted twisty cluster crunch of a story that I found entertaining and although a tad bit unbelievable I still very much enjoyed it. I liked the author’s writing style and although I found Iris to be a complete idiot, it wasn’t to the point where she was unbearable. I mean, Iris should know sometimes it’s best to fake it until you make it, but in the end, it all worked out. I would definitely recommend this book although I wouldn’t call it a Gothic mystery not every story set in an old house is Gothic and this one definitely isn’t. I do recommended for those who like great mysteries and thrillers as I found this one to be a pretty freaking good one! #NetGalley, #KatieGardner, #TheFamilyInside,bb

This was a page turning thriller! It gets the readers attention from the beginning and makes you want to keep reading more and more to find out what happens next.

The story follows a widowed mother named Iris who finds herself in bad season of life. She is about to lose her home so she needs to figure out where she and her 18 year old daughter will live. Her boyfriend ,Hugh,of just two months offers for them to live with him but he does warn her that he is temporarily living with his mother to help with house renovations.

Once Iris and Ellory move in things take a turn. Things are not what Iris expected them to be considering she learns that not only will she be living with Hugh's mom but his siblings and their spouses live there too. She finds it odd but doesn't push Hugh for an explanation.
Things start to unravel quickly and Iris finds herself wondering if she is hearing and seeing things in this huge mansion or if it is all her imagination.

As the story progresses we learn that both Hugh and Iris have been holding onto secrets. Will this secrets be too for their relationship?

What I loved about this book is the twists and turns that it took. I loved the way the story unfolded in the end. It was definitely not what i was expecting!

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing. All opinions are my own.

Release: Jan 27, 2025
-Katie Garner
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing

Rating: 4.5★ 

The Family Inside by Katie Garner is an emotionally charged psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of family secrets, trauma, and the quest for truth. The story follows the journey of a woman named Riley, who is struggling with the mysterious and troubling disappearance of her sister, Grace, years ago. After receiving a cryptic message that suggests Grace may still be alive, Riley embarks on a tense and unpredictable search to uncover what really happened.
As Riley digs deeper, she is confronted with dark secrets about her family, hidden behind years of lies and manipulation. The narrative weaves between Riley’s present-day investigation and flashbacks that reveal key moments from the past. Through this structure, the reader gets a closer look at the emotional tension within the family and the psychological effects these events have had on each of its members.
What stands out in The Family Inside is Garner’s ability to create suspense and keep the reader engaged through constant twists and turns. The characters are well-developed, with complex motivations and reactions, making it difficult to fully trust anyone. The sense of paranoia and tension builds throughout the book, leading to a gripping conclusion that ties together the emotional and psychological arcs in a satisfying way.
Overall, The Family Inside is a thrilling, heart-pounding exploration of familial bonds, trust, and the trauma that can lie hidden beneath the surface. Garner has crafted a compelling and thought-provoking story that keeps you guessing until the very end. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with intricate plots and deep emotional undertones, this book will not disappoint.

Favorite Quote:
"we're more than a family. But it's not DNA that binds us."