Family secrets? Buried bodies? Subterfuge and lies? Stacy Johns' debut novel has it all.

If you enjoy a family drama with a strong crime element, you'll enjoy this exploration of the Rawlins family, a dysfunctional and tragic one at that. Johns uses multiple points of view to introduce us to her characters and to tell their story. These include the three children of the family matriarch, Sandra, Jon and Robby, who just passed away. Val's sister, Phil, has been looking after her and both were living in Teague House. But what will now happen to Teague House?

When a fresh grave is found in the back yard and the body inside is that of a local woman, mistrust is sown between the siblings. Even more so when more bodies are found in the grave. It seems more women have been murdered and buried in their backyard over the past few decades. Sandra remembers her father burying something when she was a child and soon after he committed suicide. Could the father they knew and loved have been a serial killer? But everyone has their secrets, including Aunt Phil.

Johns will have you wondering who the killer is and what the Rawling's family's secrets are right to the very end. In fact, the only criticism is that the novel could have been substantially shorter and punchier. It takes too long before it picks up the pace and readers may find that it drags a bit, especially as it clocks at over 400 pages. But, in general, an impressive feat for a first novel!

This book had some good bones but overall just fell short and felt so bland.

The best part of this book was the epilogue. The rest of the book was boring and I didn’t care about anyone in the story. No one left a lasting impression if you ask me about these characters tomorrow I’ll probably forget anything about them.

I wish the Val storyline was the main focus. There was no build up. It felt rushed. I am left with questions but not in a good way.

Genre: Thriller
APK: Ebook
Pages: 429
Rating: ⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

When family matriarch Val Rawlins unexpectedly dies, her three adult children, Jon, Sandra and Rob, must reunite to decide what to do with the family home, Teague House. Jon, Sandra and Rob have struggled mightily in their own ways, but it’s what lies underneath the surface of their family life that continues to haunt them. After a finger and then no less than five skeletons are found buried at Teague House, a private detective with her own motives must dig deep for the truth of the mystery.  A solid debut mystery/family drama that has some genuinely bone chilling moments.

Dark, layered, and emotionally charged, this family-centered mystery is both a gripping whodunit and a slow burn unraveling of generational trauma. The Rawlins siblings are richly drawn, each carrying their own burdens, suspicions, and fractured memories as they return to a home haunted by both literal and metaphorical ghosts.

The mystery builds with steady suspense—especially with the recent grave thrown into the mix—and private detective Maddie Reed adds another compelling thread as her personal motives intersect with the Rawlins' buried secrets. The writing captures both the chill of the unknown and the heat of long-held resentment.

While it leans heavily into character-driven drama at times, the payoff is satisfying and emotionally resonant. A great pick for fans of psychological thrillers that blur the lines between memory, trauma, and truth.

This book checks so many boxes for a well-rounded thriller and it was a treat to read how well the plot twists and literary elements worked together. I was at first worried about the multi POV making things too muddy, but I soon realized how much I appreciated the multitude of views about the family and the situation they found themselves in. Not only is there multi POV but there's also time jump from past to present which I really, really enjoyed. I found it interesting to see the sisters as they were younger and to present day.
The characters themselves were incredibly written. I loved how the family was messy and showed raw emotion> I especially liked that all the siblings were dealing with their personal issues which ended up bleeding into the main storyline, which only fostered the sense of confusion and thriller-esque attitude. I found myself cheering for them all and watching in awe as they unravel the dark history of their land and family.
The PI subplot was a welcomed addition, and it was done in a way that didn't feel over the top and only added to the layers of the plot. Overall my only gripe about the book is that the ending felt rushed and not fleshed out in the slightest. I felt that there was a large lack of the building of the why and I was craving some juicy history once it was discovered.

Looking to unravel some family secrets while discovering several bones remains in the backward? This slowburn thriller is for you.

This made me chill my bones from the start, even through it was not as fastpaced that i’m used to, I was hooked from the start. It was amazing to go through this gem. Literally I didn’t expect to have such a big twist at the end. My jaw was literally on the floor.

3 out of 5 stars
Interesting Premise, Uneven Execution

What Remains of Teague House starts off strong, pulling you into an atmospheric mystery with hints of psychological tension and family secrets. The writing is solid, and the characters are layered enough to keep you invested. However, the ending didn’t quite jibe with the rest of the story. What I expected to be a thrilling payoff turned into something that felt more like an extended family therapy session. It wasn’t bad, just not what the build-up seemed to promise. If you’re looking for a psychological thriller, this might fall short—but as a family drama with eerie undertones, it delivers in spades.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book sounded really intriguing, and I was excited to read it, but unfortunately, this was a letdown. The story felt overly drawn out, too long, and not very engaging. The beginning was intriguing, but as it went on, it started to drag..and drag..and drag. The writing was decent, but the plot just didn’t work for me. I wanted more from the story. The ending was disappointing and felt anticlimactic. I really think the story had a lot of potential, but it ended up being a disappointment.

'What Remains of Teague House' was a good mystery/family drama novel. It started off slowly, but finished fast. I also enjoyed the family tensions. I give this book a solid 4 star rating.

This is a dual timeline/multiple POV thriller. It is a very entertaining read, and it easily kept me hooked. I'm not a huge fan of the multiple POV, but it worked for this story. If you like thrillers about family secrets this should definitely be your next read! I will lastly say that in this story things are not always what they seem.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen for the copy of this ARC. Get your copy today!

What Remains of Teague House is a dark tale of a very dysfunctional family. A newly wed couple with limited means is able to buy a big plot of land and there they build their dream home. Life is good until the moment that secrets they hold become so overwhelming that it's not possible to live with them anymore. The father kills himself, the mother never never talks again, the older children move out of town and rarely return home, the youngest one also leads a very troubled home life. Then the mother dies, her caretaker (her sister) leaves their home the day after the funeral, and dead people (old and new) are found in the property. How are the deaths linked to the family? Who is responsible for them? Why these people were killed? There are so many secrets held by each character in this story that the end seems too simple. It's an engaging and interesting read.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was an interesting, twist filled thriller. It was filled with family drama and murder. Told through multiple POVs, this is a slow burn thriller. However, I felt like this was almost a little too slow burn and it definitely took me a while to get into. The ending felt rushed and cobbled together, and it just didn't seem very satisfying to me.

3.5 Stars rounded up

I enjoyed the atmosphere of this book—it had a moody, slow-burn quality that worked really well with the setting. The multi-POV storytelling added depth and helped keep the narrative moving, giving insight into each character’s messy past and present. While the premise isn’t entirely new, it wasn’t so overdone that it ruined the experience for me. The twist was solid and kept me engaged, and I loved the epilogue—it delivered the kind of punch I wish the rest of the book had leaned into a bit more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

This was a doozy of a murder mystery. Told through multiple POVS and in dual timelines, this story was loaded with secrets, betrayal, and doubts about which characters were trustworthy and which were not. My favorite character was a private investigator named Maddie, who was trying to discover what happened to her missing friend. Fans of family secrets and murder mysteries will enjoy this book.

3.5 stars

3.5 stars rounded to 4

When a family member’s passing brings three siblings back to their childhood home, they find a something lurking beneath their memories and grief - a dark secret spanning decades.

What Remains of Teague House is an engaging murder mystery! I especially loved the family dynamics, which reminded me of Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House and The Fall of the House of Usher series; not in the horror but in the separate yet intertwined secrets each family member harbours in their lives.

🔪 Murder Mystery
🔪 Multiple POVs
🔪 Family Drama
🔪 Return to Family Home/Land

It took me a little while to get into the book, as it initially introduced multiple characters across two timelines. However, as the story progressed, I found myself getting more invested and intrigued by the plot. I was enjoying the book until I figured out the "twist," which, for me, made the story feel just average. While I’m usually a fan of an epilogue to tie everything together, this one felt a bit strange. Overall, it was just an average read, but I’d definitely be open to trying more of this author’s work in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a gifted ARC of this novel!

To me, this book is more of a whodunnit mystery than a thriller. The first chapter and the last 10% of this book is a roller coaster of a ride in terms of pacing. Otherwise, I do think this was a bit of a slow burn for me. I also had some difficulty relating to the characters throughout. I will say that I did not see mystery’s resolution coming; I had several guesses but none of them were correct. I see that this is a debut author, and I think this book is a solid release for a first novel! If you enjoy slow burn type mysteries, this would be a great book for you!

This debut was a really good mix of messy family drama with a mystery! I felt like each of the characters are suspicious in their own ways. Even though I correctly predicted the do-er relatively early, the writing, setting, characters (including multiple POV and a degree of unreliability in narration) and sprinkle of multiple timelines kept this a very entertaining and quick read!

The first chapter creeped me out and was eerie enough to really suck me in right away. After initially wondering how I was going to keep the cast of characters straight, the author fleshed them out well enough for me to simultaneously suspect multiple people, but also reasonably doubt their involvement.

Bonus points for an epilogue that gave me the chills…

What Remains of Teague House by Stacy Johns is a twisty and atmospheric thriller with a dual timeline and multiple POVs.

After their mother's death, the Rawlins siblings Robbie, Sandra and Jon all return to Teague House to make funeral arrangements and to sort through years of belongings. But one day when walking through the woods Sandra and Jon find a freshly dug grave. When the police are called out to investigate, they discover multiple remains on the property. As the investigation continues, dark family secrets come to light and repressed memories start to surface. Why were the bodies buried on their property? Did their parents know? And why is Aunt Phil, who had been their mother's caretaker, suddenly packing up to go on an indefinite vacation? What other dark secrets will come out of Teague House?

This was definitely an intriguing read full of drama, mystery, and hidden secrets!! This book is a bit of a slow burn but still interesting enough to keep with it. The multiple POVs and dual timeline really lets the reader explore the family's motivations behind the deception. Definitely kept me guessing until the last twist. All of the characters are well developed, even if some are more likable than others. I really enjoyed the atmospheric setting for the whole novel and the tension buildup was perfect. Definitely can't wait to see what Stacy Johns comes out with next!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Stacy Johns, and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!!! Publication date is April 8th 2025.

After the unexpected death of their mother, the Rawlin’s family return home to The Teague House just in time for the family secrets to be unearthed!

Local law enforcement are investigating a body discovered buried in the woods behind the family home. While processing the scene more bodies are discovered! Private Investigator Maddie Reed joins the investigation, looking to solve a missing persons case near and dear to her. 🚔

This dysfunctional family was bound to have a mystery afoot living so close to the Teague Woods and its pet cemetery.🪦 The siblings and Aunt Phil are left to pick up the pieces and solve the puzzle.

This is a dual story line, multi POV read with more than one mystery to solve. Can you dig in and find the clues of this family saga?
This was an intriguing read where things are not always what they seem. Enjoy this creepy, murder mystery soaked in family drama.

Thank you to the author,Stacy Johns, publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book. I received an epub and my review is being left voluntarily.