The Family Inside is a wild ride. This book really kept me guessing about what was going on. I had so many theories throughout the book and only one ended up being right. I really enjoyed the two different narrators for Iris and Ellory. It really added to the story and helped from getting the two characters confused.

I thought that the beginning of the book started off a little bit slow but once I started to see the twists unfolding I was hooked. This book really kept me guessing as to what was real and what people wanted you to think was real.

I'm a sucker for an unreliable narrator and this book delivered. At points, I wondered if everything that was happening was just in Iris's mind. This book also had some great villains. I could see why they were the way they were and the motives behind their actions.

The one thing that I didn't enjoy about the story is there was no resolution to her first husband's murder. I thought that was going to be an aspect of the story.

If you like books filled with dark family secrets that keep you guessing you're going to love The Family Inside.

The Family Inside
Katie Garner
4⭐️

Pub Date: 1/28/2025
Genre: thriller

Murder from the get go! This was a great read and I finished it in 2 sittings. Intriguing from the start and really easy to just slip into binging it.

It revolves around Iris who had to move into her new boyfriend's house with her daughter. Having just lost her job and her home, in addition addition meeting her boyfriend's family, she's in a lot of stress. It seemed like a normal thriller for me and I made some guesses. I was very suspicious and also frustrated with some of the characters, which indicates good writing. But this is not normal at all. There were so many twists and revelations that I didn't expect at all. There were parts where I got completely lost on because of all the reveals- someone's alive, someone's dead, someone's "changed"! And those are only on Iris' side of the story. There were things from Hugh's family and that's even crazier. It gets a little dialogue-ey and slow in certain parts but it all comes together well. Very much an enjoyable read.

Thank you HTP and Netgalley for a gifted e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an okay read. Not very memorable or stand-out-ish but I got through it fairly quickly. If an author is going to attempt an unreliable narrator, especially in first person, it has to be done very well. I'm not a fan of the twists that turn out to be tricks or lies. I prefer a thriller or mystery to be on the page, so that I had a chance of figuring out the ending. Call me traditional, but otherwise I feel like I'm being tricked. When a first person narrator completely blatantly lies to the reader throughout the book and then at the end suddenly retells the entire story with "the truth" - what was the point of the beginning of the book? Why lie to the reader in the first place if you're just going to admit the truth at the end anyway? To me, this is a bit lazy from a plot stand point. This book also had my other annoying new trope - dual timelines that aren't labeled as dual timelines - again to trick the reader. And again, the entire book is basically retold in the last few chapters.
Overall, this was a fast read and I did get through the entire thing. The house was creepy, the family equally so. I didn't find the relationship between the main character and her fiance all that believable. And I didn't really care all that much about any of the characters.
Readers who aren't annoyed by the two trends mentioned above will probably enjoy this story as they read it even if it isn't super memorable in the long run.
2.5 rounded up.

Fairly generic unfortunately. A pretty trope-y domestic thriller, and I feel like I've read way too many to care anymore. I need something unique.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my copy and to Katie Garner making my head spin.

Talk about family secrets! The Family Inside is definitely not your ordinary family. The lies, the ties between characters, the what did I just read moments are non-stop. What a great book full of twists and moments you just don't see coming. I can't tell you how many times I gasped - there were a lot.
Starts out simple, Iris whose husband was murdered and her daughter Ellory are about to become homeless and then Hugh, Iris's boyfriend invites them to come live with him and his family in this really old creepy house full of secrets. Iris agrees because well, where else are they going to go? Ellory, not so much on board with it but she's 18 and you know doesn't have a job and depends on mom so she goes along with it but then decides to runaway and oh my gosh the pages from then on are filled with shocking surprises. There are moments when I thought Iris was a little naïve and too trusting but she's keeping a secret too and oh my gosh, it's a big one. When all the secrets start to reveal themselves pay close attention because you're going to ask, What? And then, you'll go back and read it again to make sure you read it right.
If you love twists and jaw dropping secrets, then you have to read this.

4.5 stars rounded up. Thank you HTP for an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
This book blew my socks off. Absolutely loved it.

Very complicated domestic thriller concerns a young woman, down on her luck, who, with her 18-year-old daughter, agrees to stay at the spooky old house occupied by her boyfriend’s family, while they are all in residence. Many characters to keep track of, and many twists and turns fill out the action, though it’s easy to become bogged down with the overloaded plot.

The Family Inside by Katie Garner was crazy in the best way. I was reading so fast, turning those pages eager to see WTF was going on because there is no one you can trust in this story.

When Iris loses her job and gets evicted, her new boyfriend Hugh immediately offers her and her daughter a place to stay at his family's old gothic crumbling mansion. Even though the place (and his family) creeps Iris and her daughter out, they agree to move in. Iris's 18-year-old daughter quickly goes missing, so Iris is trying to figure out what happened to her while attempting to get along with Hugh's family.

Its just bonkers from there. The first half was slower than the second half, which took off and had me reading as quickly as my little eyes could move.

It was a solid read and I look forward to more from this author!

The Family Inside by Katie Garner follows Iris and her daughter Ellory. After Jack, Ellory's dad, gets murdered Iris works hard at her job but has a hard time making ends meet. Their house is being foreclosed and when Iris loses her job she thinks her and her daughter will be homeless. The one good thing in Iris' life is her new boyfriend Hugh, or so she thinks. Hugh, who owned his own architectural firm sweeps in and saves the day, saying that Iris and of course Ellory too can come live with him and his mom while he helps renovate her house. Once Iris arrives at her new home, she quickly begins to see that things aren't what she thought.

I found the main character Iris, to be annoying. Her husband was murdered and she seemed to quickly jump into another relationship with very little care for her daughter. When she moves in and begins to see huge red flags, she just goes with my it and seems to ignore them. Overall the book was an easy read, was just a bit far fetched for my liking.

Thank you Katie Garner and Harlequin Trade Publishing for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Far-fetched plot lines, contrived characters and derivative storytelling. Oh, and the main character is pathetic. But other than that...
Thanks to #netgalley and #MIRA for this #arc of #thefamilyinside in exchange for an honest review.

Well... if you like twisty thrillers, then you won't find many with as many twists as this one!

I have to admit that I was absolutely engrossed in this story, though truth be told, I can see that for many readers it might have been 'a twist too far'. The writing had me gripped despite the fact that suspension of disbelief was required on more than one occasion.

Iris Blodgett's life has had several devastating turns of events in recent years. First, her husband was murdered. Then she lost her job. She was unable to make the mortgage payments so she lost her family home as well. Tragic for both her and her teenage daughter, Ellory.

Recently she has met Hugh Smoll, a man who she is quite attracted to. He is handsome, seems kind to her and her daughter, and he works as an architect, so seems financially secure. When she tells him that she now has nowhere to live, he insists that she and Ellory move in to his mother's house as he is living there now to supervise some much needed renovations. With the alternative of living in her car, Iris accepts his generous offer.

Without spoiling the story for you, all I can say is that this decision was a calamitous mistake! Hugh's family, especially his mother, are an odd bunch to be sure. The house itself is dilapidated and creepy. Ellory doesn't like it there and runs away.

With themes of revenge and vigilantism this novel was a real page turner. Though, as I said earlier, some of the twists were over the top. Secrets and lies abound. Coincidences permeate the plot.

If you're up for a suspense-filled thriller with serpentine twists, then you'll likely enjoy this one. Be prepared to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride.

I loved everything about this book!! It was twisty and mysterious while remaining entertaining throughout. I was intrigued by Iris' story from the beginning and had to keep reading. I couldn't stop! I love multiple POVs and this one takes the cake! This is my first Katie Garner book so I can't wait to check out her other books.It has the perfect thriller elements
-unsolved murder
-unraveled life experiences
-unhinged family
and an addictive story line. I listened to the audiobook as well. The narrators nailed the performance!

Thank you @htpbooks @htphive for the free digital arc!

Iris and her daughter move in with her fiancée and his family, but everyone has secrets and nothing is as it seems…

This was an entertaining thriller with twists that had my head spinning! The beginning is a slow build but once that first plot twist hit, I could not put it down! The dual timelines were so cleverly written and the creepy house added so much atmosphere.

Rating 4⭐️

OMG another fantastic book by Mrs Garner, I don't think I have read a book by her that I dislike. I could not have guessed the ending. This book will draw you in and not let you put it down. I just absolutely loved it.

Book Review: The Family Inside
Rating: ⭐⭐ (2 out of 5 stars)

I picked up The Family Inside hoping for an engaging mystery, but unfortunately, the plot left me more confused than captivated. The storyline felt disjointed, and by the end, the initial mystery that hooked me was left unanswered, which was pretty disappointing. It seemed like there were too many loose ends and not enough explanation to tie everything together.

That being said, if you’re looking for a quick read that doesn’t require much thought, this book might fit the bill. The pacing is fast, and it’s easy to get through in one sitting. However, if you’re craving a well-developed mystery with satisfying conclusions, this one might leave you wanting more.

Thank you HTP Hive and Harlequin Audio for the complimentary DRC + ALC

1.5 stars

Unfortunately, this did not work for me at all. The main character consistently overlooks obvious red flags and makes the worst decisions, which made it hard for me to care or root for her. Disaster seemed to follow her relentlessly in a very short space of time, so everything felt sudden and overly dramatic. While there were several twists in the plot, only one felt well-executed and took me by surprise, while the others, particularly the final twist, seemed extremely far-fetched.

That said, the narrators, Emily Lawrence and Ashley Klanac, did a great job with their performances. Unfortunately, despite that, I just couldn’t fully get into this story.

Iris Blodgett is having a rough day. Not only are she and her daughter being evicted from their house, but she also gets fired from her waitressing job on the same day. When her new boyfriend Hugh hears about her predicament, he insists that they move into his mother's house with him. He's staying with her and helping to renovate the crumbling mansion. With no other options, Iris accepts his offer. When they arrive, they discover that Hugh's two siblings (and one sister-in-law) are also living there. Hugh is loving and attentive, but Iris immediately gets off on the wrong foot with his brother, convinced he's an abusive husband. When Iris's 18-year-old daughter Ellory goes missing, she begins a frantic search while also uncovering some strange and scary things about Hugh and his family. The story of Ellory is also woven in, showing how she ran away with her boyfriend, only to be trapped when his unsavory friends come along for the ride.

The story was a bit hard for me to get into at the beginning, but I'm glad I stuck with it, because the twists and turns came thick and fast toward the end! Of course, Iris ended up with a broken cell phone and a debilitating ankle injury, making her sense of being trapped all the more real. I didn't see the big twist that happened, nor could I guess where it was all leading! This book had plenty of surprises and was an addictive read.

When Iris loses her home, she has no choice to move in with her boyfriend and bring her 18 year old daughter along. Hugh, Iris’s boyfriend, is currently living with his mother to help fix up the house. His brother with his wife and his sister are also staying in the house. This book was a super fun read for me and I enjoyed the quick pace and twists.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Gripping and Unforgettable!

This slow burn had me thinking I had it all figured out—until the twists hit, and my jaw was on the floor! The eerie atmosphere, unsettling family dynamics, and dark secrets of Ravencliff kept me hooked. It took several turns that I never saw coming, making it impossible to put down.

I’m shocked at some of the lower reviews—while some parts seemed unbelievable, they fit this story perfectly as everything came together in the end. A must-read for thriller fans!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed this book, though I definitely had to suspend my disbelief at times. The story centers on Iris, who is down on her luck after her husband died a few years back. She meets rich and charming Hugh, who swoops right in as she is losing her house and her job and asks if she and her teenage daughter Ellory want to move in with him. When she gets to the creepy house that Hugh is fixing up for his mother, she realizes that there might be more to Hugh (and his family) that she expected. You also get a dual timeline told by another character, and the author does a good job at tying these timelines together.

The mystery in the book was sound, and I felt like the house was suitably creepy and the plotline twisty. I did struggle a bit with Iris herself as a character, and about the short-sighted decisions that she made. I had trouble believing that a real person would be as gullible as her and also do some of the things that she did. There was also time given to her internal monologue, which unfortunately didn't endear her to me further. I thought the major twist in the book was really good, and was surprised that I didn't see it coming. I thought the end of the book was good and worked well with the rest of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book despite my lack of connection with the protagonist. Though I had to suspend my disbelief, I enjoyed the plot twists and thought this was a quick read overall. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.