Hattie hasn’t been home in over nine years. She’s headed home now to hear her Mom’s dying words.
This was an intense thriller. It has some twists and turns. Lots of secrets in this book.

This book started out well but sadly didn't improve too much, in my opinion. Long winded, not very likeable characters who never seemed to be getting anywhere and doing some stupid, unfathomable things!!
Book could and should have been half the length as it was rather obvious as to who had done what. Sorry, all my own opinions and this book was such a let down as other books by this author have been so good!
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and publishers for allowing me to read and review this book

Wow!
This books was quite a psychological thriller with a rather eye opening ending!
Long ago dark family secrets have a way of reappearing when you least expect it.
So many twists and turns…
So many secrets…
This certainly was a very suspenseful read!

Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I will start off by saying that this book has a beautiful cover! Unfortunately, the inside of the book was not as good as the outside. The story itself isn't bad, but it wasn't very thrilling or exciting. It was pretty obvious where things were heading. It was heard to stay engaged because I knew what was going to happen.

The characters were very unlikeable and not developed well at all. It was long-winded and there were some loose ends left.

Hattie has not been home for nine years, the night took her father and left her mother fighting for her life. Her mother, Imogen, wants to talk to her three children as she is close to death, she has secrets to tell. But she dies before she can explain it all. The siblings, Hattie, Adam and Luke decide they want to find out the truth, but their lives are about to be turned upside down..

Imogen Gibly has not spoken since the night she was badly beaten and her husband was murdered.But now she wants to reveal what happened that night. The story has a dual timeline and it's told in the past and present day. None of the characters were likeable. There were secrets, betrayal and grief. Snippets are slowly revealed to us. The pace was steady, and it's told mainly from Hattie's point of view.There were parts where I had to suspend my beliefs.

Published 27th November 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #LHStacey for my ARC of #TheFamilyHome

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy of The Family Home.

Hattie receives a call that her mother does not have much longer to live so she goes back home to see her. She has not been home in almost a decade since her father had been murdered and her mother left for dead. She and her brothers go to see their mother because she needs to confess the truth to them. She tries to explain but they do not understand and then she passes away. They try to figure out what she wanted to tell them but they may be better off not knowing.

This book was way too long and way too overly descriptive. I did not like any of the characters and the way the story jumped around was confusing. Plus it was way too rushed at the end. I was not a fan.

The Family Home by L.H. Stacey is a slow-burning mystery filled with secrets, family drama, and haunting memories. The story alternates between the present day and events from nine years ago, weaving a tale of betrayal, grief, and long-buried truths.

Hattie, the protagonist, is summoned back to her family home after years of estrangement. Her mother, Imogen, on her deathbed, has something important to share—a revelation that will unravel the dark events surrounding the night Hattie's father was killed and her mother was gravely injured. As Hattie reunites with her brothers, Adam and Luke, and cousin, Louisa, tensions rise, and the family’s fractured dynamics come to the surface.

The book starts with a gripping scene and builds an atmosphere of suspense as secrets are slowly revealed. However, the pacing is uneven, with long stretches that feel more focused on character interactions than advancing the plot. While the alternating timelines serve to fill in the backstory, they can sometimes disrupt the flow, making it harder to stay fully immersed in the mystery.

The characters are complex, though not particularly likable. Hattie, in particular, is a character you may struggle to root for, as her decisions and attitudes often come across as frustrating. Despite this, her pain and inner conflict are palpable, and her journey to confront the past is compelling enough to keep the pages turning.

The twists in the story are somewhat predictable, but the tension builds nicely toward the climax, with a couple of surprises to keep things interesting. The atmospheric writing and chilling setting enhance the reading experience, even if the mystery itself doesn't break new ground.

If you enjoy family-centered mysteries with a focus on emotional drama and secrets, The Family Home may be worth adding to your TBR pile. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

There is a real mission at the moment in some books to get trip up twists and big wallops of keep you guessing characters. And done well, great.
But equally it's nice to just read a good psychological thriller. It might not keep you guessing or try twist after twist becuase you might just guess them along the way. But the thrill is just from good suspension writing
And I really felt this book has all that.
The characters were flawed and with their own agendas. I was quite sure what I felt about some of them at times!

I was searching for a psychological thriller and this book was perfect. The story buiding was linear and a bit predictible at times. I can't say I enjoyed the characters. I liked the creepy vibes of the ending.

This book took me on an emotional ride as I empathized with the characters that were well-crafted and multifaceted with different personalities being revealed as the story progressed. The book held me as each went on a painful quest for the truth. The surprises kept coming throughout with a huge jaw-dropper at the end. Nine years after her father is murdered and her mother is left for dead, Hattie is called to return to the family home because her mother is dying. As Hattie and her two brothers search for the truth of what happened all those years ago they find that nothing is what it seems to be and no one is to be trusted. This is not your typical family. Recommend it. Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this advance copy. Release date: 11/27/2024. #TheFamilyHome #NetGalley #boldwoodbooks

A good overall read that I did enjoy. It was a bit slow and essentially not an awful lot happens. It's fairly obvious why Hattie's parents were attacked/killed. I did really like Hattie as a character. The ending was a bit contrived but not totally unsatisfactory. I would definitely give this author another go.

Get ready for an unexpected adventure! This quick read will keep you on the edge of your seat with its thrilling twists and turns. It dives into a world of family secrets and drama, making it perfect for fans of psychological thrillers. If you love stories that keep you guessing, you won't want to miss this one!

I was invited to review this book and am leaving an honest review.
This book had a lot of potential. The author is skilled at creating intriguing characters with their own backstories and agendas.
I felt the story was very predictable and essentially centred on the characters merely confirming their suspicions, rather than revealing anything new. There was no twist at the end or a moment that surprised me and, as a result, I felt quite disappointed.
The author's writing is engaging and smooth, so it wasn't a hardship to read. It did, however, feel like not a lot happened.
That being said, there was a lot to like about the book and I'm sure someone who enjoys light sleuthing stories will enjoy this.
Thank you for the chance to read and review this book.

This book started a little slow in my opinion, but soon started speeding up as the plot unfolded. I had partially guessed part of the secret quite early on as it seemed obvious (garden is all I will say about that). I didn't guess all the rest, especially who was responsible for a murder until it was about to be revealed. The characters were well written and there were enough twists that I didn't guess everything. A good book

This book was such a thrilling read! It had my goosebumps having goosebumps! What goes on behind closed doors....You will never know!

The intriguing cast of characters added so much depth and complexity to the plot, it made for a truly gripping read.
It felt like I was immersed in the plot of a TV Crime Drama. Nothing is as it seems.

The Family Home by L H Stacey is a recommended mystery.

Nine years ago Hattie Gilby's father was killed and her mother, Imogen, was seriously injured and has been under constant care ever since. At that time Hattie left her home and hasn't been back since. Now she has received calls from her brothers Adam and Luke, and her cousin Louisa, telling her that her mother is in hospice care and has something she wants to say to her children while they are all there. Imogen hasn't talked for years as it was a struggle so it has to be important. Hattie returns home to face her brothers and hear what her mother has to say.

After an attention grabbing opening, the pace evens out until the end. The narrative alternates between events from nine years ago and the present day and are mainly from Hattie's point-of-view with a few chapters from Sophie, the wife of a former boyfriend/neighbor, and an ending chapter from another character. The alternating timeline serves a purpose, but wasn't entirely successful as the information and background could have covered the events it needed to with fewer chapters.

None of the characters are fully realized as unique individuals and they are all unlikable. Actually, Hattie became more disagreeable as the novel continued. It would have been nice to actually care about one of the characters as the ending approached.

While the plot did keep me reading, I predicted the direction the story was taking early on and was disappointed that I was correct. There are several times you need to suspend disbelief while reading. Thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Nothing is a perfect as it seems…

That couldn’t be more true when it comes to L.H. Stacey’s The Family Home. This book was all the emotions tucked into one phenomenal book. The twists and turns it took was well written and so incredibly exciting to read. This is my first time reading L.H. Stacey and I guarantee it will not be my last. I recommend this one completely.
Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books and of course L.H. Stacey for the eARC.

The Family Home by L. H. Stacey crackles with atmosphere, chills, tension, and mystery. One family has an unusually high number of secrets and skeletons in their closets. Some avoid the past, others dig to find answers.

Hattie has a history and both painful and wonderful memories. When the call comes to visit her mom on her deathbed, she freezes in fear. But she decides to return home to face her brothers and lurking shadows. Imogen tells her children truths which are difficult to process, changing their lives. And then there are Finn, Sophie and Lottie...and a code of sorts.

The ending yanked me by the collar which I appreciate. Though the characters are unlikeable, the plot and writing trumped negative characteristics. Besides. Sometimes such characters drive the story.

The Family Home caused me to think about the layers of deceit amongst the family members. They thought they knew each other...but did they truly?

My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this engrossing novel.

The Family Home-
A suspenseful & thrilling psychological mystery!
Hattie Gilby returns to her family home to face her brothers and to hear her mother’s dying words. It’s time to find out the truth about what really happened that night. So many secrets and lies!
This captivating book will keep your heart racing!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy.