The Other Family by Theo Baxter is a gripping and eerie psychological thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Fifteen-year-old Sam Cotton's world is turned upside down when her father experiences a mental breakdown following the death of her mother. Sam is placed with a new foster family, the Bradfords, who seem perfect at first — polite, religious, and seemingly wholesome. But as Sam settles into her new home, she begins to notice unsettling details that suggest something far darker lies beneath the surface.

From forbidden rooms and intrusive surveillance to the disappearance of previous foster children, the Bradfords' sinister secrets slowly unravel. As Sam uncovers more, the tension rises, creating a suspenseful atmosphere that heightens the sense of danger. Despite her young age, Sam proves to be both resourceful and determined as she faces the terrifying reality of the family she’s been placed with.

Baxter’s writing is tense and atmospheric, with well-developed characters and a plot full of twists and turns. Sam’s resilience and intelligence make her a compelling protagonist as she fights to uncover the truth and escape the nightmare she’s found herself in. The Other Family is a thrilling and chilling read, perfect for fans of dark suspense and psychological mysteries.

This novel is not for the faint of heart, as it explores deep themes of trust, manipulation, and survival, offering a page-turning experience with plenty of shocking moments.

I really enjoyed this book and the gripping and mysterious storyline. Sam is with a foster family - The Bradfords, things seem ok to begin with but once Sam settles in with the family she feels they start to act strangely and are keeping secrets, there are rooms in the house that seem to be locked. What secrets are the Bradfords keeping and what are they hiding? Will Sam find out?
These are the questions that had me intrigued throughout, I really enjoyed this story and it kept me hooked.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

When 15 year old Sam is removed from the care of her father and placed into foster care with the Bradfords things very quickly start to feel uncomfortable. The Bradfords foster three other girls, all of which abide by strict rules under the constant fear of punishment.

When Sam discovers that two other girls have previously disappeared from the couple's care; she does everything she can to raise the alarm via the limited communication she's allowed with her father and social services.

After a bit of a slow start this had me completely hooked and I read it in a couple of days. At times it was uncomfortable to read, definitely one of the darker thrillers I've read so far and my first by this author. I would recommend checking trigger warnings before starting as it probably won't be for everyone.

The Other Family was a very well written suspense thriller, that truly had moments that had me at the edge of my seat. I felt the intensity of some of the chapters through the words as the pages continued. There was huge character development, in which I love to see. It was paced very well, with enough back story to be pleased as the plot progressed.

The story follows Sam and her father Jesse, as they weave through the web of life together after Sam’s mother has passed. Jesse still battling from PTSD, has a mental lapse in judgement that causes him to loose custody of Sam and she is forced into temporary foster care. When Sam arrives at the Bradfords farm, it doesn’t take her long to discover that something very sinister is taking place there. With strict rules, monitored conversations, and limited alone time, Sam is faced with the challenge of surviving this nightmare that she has been forced in, as she secretly tries to figure out how to ask for help without being caught. There are also 3 other girls living there that she feels obliged to help. When Jesse finally reads between the lines and discovers that his daughter is in danger, he shows just how far a father would go to protect his child!

Highly recommend & definitely plan to check out more of Theo Baxter’s work.

Thank you Inkubator Books and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A psycological thriller which deals with sensitive subject but in a way that does not go into graphic detail. Sam Cotton world is turned upside down after her father has a mental breakdown after the death of her mother. Sam finds herself in foster care with very shady foster parents.

The story started off slow however once you get into it, the book is hard to put down.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGallery for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts on the work.

This was a thrill of a ride. What a great story. Very believable characters. Even the ones I didn’t like and there were a few. Totally necessary for the story. Theo Baxter did it again!

Baxter does write a good book or two doesn't he, The Other Family being my absolute favourite of his to date.

Things just got a whole lot darker and we're taken on a wild ride through what can only be described as hell for Samantha when she's sent to stay with the Bradfords, a God fearing family...with a revered Reverend at its helm...I'll say no more...

It's fast, frantic and extremely bingeable. Just like a tube of Pringles, once you pop (or in this case read the opening chapters) you can't stop!

Intense, intriguing and insanely good.

If you're a parent who finds sensitive topics related to children difficult to read, I strongly recommend reviewing the trigger warnings for this book. Once I began reading, I found it nearly impossible to put down. The story is told through the eyes of a young girl grappling with the loss of her mother, while also trying to cope with her father’s struggles. Her journey takes her to a foster home where the family is nothing short of terrible, and the emotional and mental toll is overwhelming. However, rather than giving in to despair, Sam proves herself to be a resilient fighter. This entire narrative is a tense, edge-of-your-seat experience that kept me on high alert throughout.

What is perhaps the most unsettling aspect of this book is that these painful and harrowing situations are not just fictional—they happen in real life.

The second half of the book was great, it picked up traction and has a lot of suspense and thrills. The first half was a little slow paced and was hard to grasp my attention. It felt a little more YA, which is totally okay! Just not as thrilling as I generally reach for.

There’s a lot of mention of PTSD, mental health and a few other trigger warnings but it was written well and was educational in those aspects in my opinion.

Overall I enjoyed it!

Theo Baxter does it again. Another great read that is hard to put down, grips you from the very first page.

I really enjoyed the format of this book. The chapters were short and changed perspective between a dad and a daughter. I felt like the ending was rushed but also slow to get there, somehow? Either way, I read it very quickly and would read more by this author.

Theo Baxter’s The Other Family is a chilling psychological thriller that grips readers from the very first page and doesn’t let go. The story follows fifteen-year-old Sam Cotton, who, after losing her mother and witnessing her father’s mental breakdown, is placed in the care of the seemingly devout Bradford family. However, what initially appears to be a fresh start soon unravels into a terrifying ordeal as Sam begins to uncover the sinister reality lurking beneath the Bradfords’ wholesome exterior.

Baxter does an excellent job of building suspense through Sam’s growing unease. The isolated setting, the constant surveillance, and the eerie sense of control the Bradfords exert over her create an atmosphere of creeping dread. The novel skillfully balances psychological tension with fast-paced action as Sam pieces together the unsettling truth—two other foster girls have mysteriously vanished, and she might be next.

Sam is a well-crafted protagonist, whose intelligence and resilience make her a character to root for. Her inner strength and determination to escape the Bradfords’ grasp add depth to the story, making her struggle all the more compelling. The Bradfords themselves are unsettling antagonists, with their outward kindness masking something far more menacing beneath.

Baxter’s writing is sharp and immersive, with a steady escalation of suspense that keeps the reader eagerly turning pages. Twists and revelations are delivered at just the right moments, and the final act is both harrowing and satisfying, ensuring the story lingers long after the last page.

Overall, The Other Family is a thrilling and unsettling read that explores themes of trust, survival, and the darkness that can hide behind a façade of normalcy. Fans of psychological thrillers and domestic suspense will find it a gripping and disturbing tale that keeps them guessing until the very end.

I really didn't enjoy this book as much as I had anticipated. The story itself is good but the style of writing seems flat and stilted. The first of the book drags and then after about 60% of the way through the author speeds things up and hurries to get.it all in. There a lot of nefarious things happening and some seem a little far fetched. Lots of triggers here, suicide, abuse, alcoholism, and violence so be warned. All in all just not my cup of tea but I'm sure some folks will like it.
Thanks to Ner Galley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

It was my first book by Theo Baxter. in general, I like the story. I really like the character Sam and how she was defiant and smart. the family itself is crazy lunatics. I'm really glad how they ended up their lives. The book has two povs, Sam's and her dad's. it was quite easy to read.

Samantha Cotton, age 15, not only has had to cope with the death of her mother, but also with the depression and alcoholism of her survivalist father. Things reach a critical point when, in a drunken state, he puts a gun to his head in front of Sam. She gets the gun away from him, but authorities learn of his behavior and remove Sam from the family's home. She is fostered on an isolated farm with a cultish religious family and finds herself in great danger. While trying to work out a plan to rejoin her father, she learns of the nightmarish secrets in the house, and the horrible abuse her foster sisters have had to endure. She is determined to do whatever it takes to keep from becoming a victim as well.

The vast majority of foster parents are kind and gracious people who have a heart to love the children placed with them. The foster parents depicted in this book are the exact opposite, using the girls as free labor and exploiting them in other ways, while it seems that CPS and the police are complicit. The reader will anxiously cheer Sam on as she seeks to save herself and the other girls. Though I enjoyed the book, I felt that the survivalist aspect of the Cotton family, and the deep distrust of every government institution, was a bit overplayed.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Other Family by Theo Baxter is a tense psychological thriller that deals with sensitive subjects such as pedophilia, sexual abuse, and suicide. The way Baxter handles these topics is very well written and does not go into graphic detail.
Samantha Cotton is 15 years old and already has been through loss and pain. She has had to deal with the death of her mother and now her father Jesse is in a mental health spiral exacerbated by alcohol. As survivalists Sam and Jesse are self-reliant but when Sam just barely stops her father from shooting himself, they realize the authorities are bound to get involved. After her dad loses custody of her, Sam is sent to live with Reverend Gareth Bradford and his wife on a remote farm. The Bradfords are ultra religious and are also fostering three other young girls. Soon Sam realizes that the Bradfords have something to hide. Why are there cameras everywhere tracking their every move? What is up with the locked doors? And where does her roommate Grace get taken to every night? Can Sam find out the secrets of the house and be able to be reunited with her father? Or will she never be allowed to leave again?
This book was well written. I have not read anything else by Theo Baxter before so I'm not sure what I expected. The first part of the book was a little slow but it was necessary to build up the tension. The characters are well written and I especially liked watching Sam grow from grief stricken and helpless to empowered. Another thing I commend Baxter for is the way he handled the sensitive topics. He so delicately showed us the inner workings of faith, abuse and the misuse of power while not going too in-depth into these subjects.
Thank you to NetGalley, Theo Baxter and Inkubator Books for this ARC. Expected release date is January 26th 2025.

When Sam’s dad Jesse has a mental breakdown, she is forced to live with a foster family. But although they seem nice and God-fearing, Sam finds locked doors, strict rules and cameras.
I really enjoyed this book!
Release date January 24, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley

Holy cow! Where has Theo Baxter been and why am I only just hearing about this author?!? This book was so good! A suspenseful thriller about foster kids living with a monster. TW: pedophilia, rape, murder, abuse

This book is great, it starts off dark and keeps going!
After her mothers death Samantha is sent to live with the Bradfords and straight away the house doesn't seem right. The couple she goes to live with seem like good citizens, but a bit too good to be true!
The twists and turns show your the terrible way the couple treat not only Samantha but also other children who have been in their care. It takes
you on so many twists and turns with forbidden rooms, cctv psychological and emotional manipulation at its best.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Inkubator Books in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sam and her father, Jesse, are survivalists. Sam is trying to juggle navigating teenage life without her late mother and dealing with her father’s depression, PTSD, and suicidal tendencies. Meanwhile, Jesse is trying to quell the dark thoughts yet ensure Sam has a good upbringing, but this becomes too much. After Jesse’s episode, Sam is clutched by the harrowing claws of social services and forced to live with the Bradfords. This is one family you don’t want to join.

This was my first read by Theo Baxter, so I was a bit dubious at first, but all my worries subsided when I started reading. Although this book started off a little slow, it was necessary as we got to understand the father/daughter relationship that was monumental to the story. Once the pace picked up and the Bradfords released their brutal suppression, I couldn’t stop reading.

Told from dual POV’s (Sam and Jesse’s) over one timeline, we come to understand each character and their mindsets individually, all whilst being propelled into this turbulent storyline. I’d definitely recommend looking into the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book as this is an emotional ride. Baxter touches base on some VERY perturbing and heartbreaking topics as respectfully as possible, shedding light on those gruesome realities that, unfortunately, still exist today. The subjects were covered with enough for us to know what was happening without having to read about it in detail.

Suspense and dread were amplified at certain points of the story which kept me on edge and wanting to know more, but I wouldn’t say this was overly ‘thrilling’. I also found myself questioning certain characters behaviour, but maybe this was more of a ‘me problem’, or I was reading too much into it instead of letting the story flow.

All in all, I did really enjoy the book despite guessing where it was going to go. Everything was wrapped up nicely, which you all know I like from an ending, and I was left feeling satisfied yet emotional.