Super cool book! This gal and her daughter end up moving in with her well to do boyfriend and his family. Nothing is as it seems. Lots of twists!

📖I was a little torn on how to rate The Family Inside, but ultimately settled on 4 out of 5 stars. It’s a thriller that leans more into a slow-burn, family-drama vibe than nonstop action, so if you're expecting a fast-paced ride, just know this one takes its time unraveling its secrets—but I found that added to the tension rather than taking away from it. The story follows Iris and her teenage daughter as they move into a crumbling mansion owned by her new boyfriend’s mysterious family, and from there, things get eerie fast. There are heavy themes of grief, revenge, and the kind of secrets that can twist people in unexpected ways. I guessed a few of the twists, but others definitely threw me for a loop, which kept me engaged throughout.


🎧 The dual narration by Emily Lawrence and Ashley Klanac was excellent and really elevated the experience. Each narrator brought emotional depth to the characters they voiced, and both captured the rising panic and unease in the story perfectly. Their voices were distinct enough that I never got confused about who was speaking, and the pacing felt spot on—never too rushed, but never dragging, even in the slower parts of the plot. I appreciated how their performances helped differentiate sections and transitions, which can sometimes be tricky in audio format. No music or sound effects here, but honestly, it was not needed.

⏳ The audiobook flowed smoothly, and I never found myself lost in the timeline or confused about what was happening. Even with the secrets being slowly peeled back, the transition from chapter to chapter felt seamless thanks to the narrators’ delivery. The eerie tone of the mansion, the tension between family members, and the escalating sense of dread all came through clearly, making this a solid listen.

💭If you love thrillers that center around twisted family dynamics, buried secrets, and characters pushed to the edge by grief, this one will likely work for you. Fans of Lisa Jewell or Megan Miranda might find a similar appeal here. While it certainly works in print, I would actually recommend the audiobook format for this one—the dual narration adds an emotional layer that makes the story even more impactful.

Oh, my - I really enjoyed this book. It’s twisted and very suspenseful. This book is a must read. I highly recommend it.

This psychological thriller left me utterly drained (in the best way)! The eerie Ravencliff mansion, reminiscent of a decaying Biltmore Castle, oozed Gothic dread, and the audiobook narration amplified every chilling detail. Emily Lawrence and Ashley Klanac delivered bone-chilling performances, especially during the jaw-dropping twist; I rewound three times! Iris's grief and unraveling sanity felt visceral, while Ellory's teenage defiance added layers of tension. The Smoll family's secrets unfolded like a nightmare, each revelation more twisted than the last. Though the pacing dragged mid-way, the relentless twists kept me hooked. Iris's reckless choices frustrated me, but the atmospheric dread and unhinged family dynamics made this one I couldn't stop listening to. A 3.75/5-star listen for thriller fans who love Gothic chaos, dual POVs, and WTF moments.

You know those books that make you say WTF? That was The Family Inside by Katie Garner for me in a nutshell. For the longest time I didn't even know what was going on and now that I'm done, I feel like that was the whole point. The timeline was what confused me the most, so if that happens to you, I urge you to stick with it and it will all be worth it in the end. The twists in this book shook me to my core, and the family drama and creepy house against the backdrop of Iris’ dead husband and new love interest Hugh was nonstop action and head scratches. The number of secrets in the story were enough to fill up an ocean and I LOVED IT.

The audiobook for The Family Inside was nothing but pure perfection, and you will love Emily Lawrence & Ashley Klanac’s narration. They actually sounded pretty similar, so I did have times where it was a bit hard for me to tell them apart, but this honestly heightened my experience if anything. For the longest time I didn’t even know if I would LIKE this book, but once the big twist hit, I was thinking how on earth did I miss this?! Garner is a tricky one, and I definitely need to go back and read her debut now. My advice is to go in as blindly as possible, and don’t stop!

Read this if you are looking for gothic vibes, dysfunctional families, and unreliable narrators!

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I hate to say it-- but I was not a fan of this book. If I hadn't received it from NetGalley, it would have been added to my DNF piles for sure.

The interactions in this book just didn't work for me. The conversations were not realistic & a lot things were just weird. I didn't like a single character besides maybe Ellory but by the end of the book I was so tired of hearing her name I was over her too lol.

I just couldn't imagine what happened in this book ACTUALLY happening & it made it hard to care what happened. I will say that I did NOT see the twists coming at all-- but it took SO LONG to get to them that I really didn't even care which is a shame because there end up being really good twists.

Thanks so much NetGalley & The Hive for this book in exchange for an honest review. 2.5 rounded up

Read Completed 2/13/25 | 3 stars | Book #15 of 2025

I wasn’t super into this for most of the book, but I trusted that the twists were going to take me where I needed to be, and that was true! I did see one of them coming and it was actually exciting to see that particular piece slot into place. I didn’t have the whole thing right, so there was also still an element of surprise there. The ending also had another little gem for me, so I was happy to see another fun twist and reveal something I wasn’t expecting.

Really, the writing of this one let me down. I wouldn’t say it felt like Freida McFadden, but I did have some similar feelings from when I’ve read her books. For a lot of people, that’s a good thing. For me, it was overly dramatic, I didn’t like the insinuation that things were almost horror like the constantly talking about how the house had feelings of its own — it’s not haunted, the house doesn’t have feelings. It’s a thriller, not a horror novel. There was a LOT going on. The pieces did all come together so I was happy that the author really did use every piece. I didn’t find it hard to follow because of how much was going on but it became less enjoyable. We didn’t get to spend a lot of time on some parts of the story and I could have felt a much bigger emotional impact.

This was a little over-the-top and I don’t mind that in some thrillers because they’re supposed to shock us, but this was just a tad much for me. If the writing was a little tighter, I might not have cared.

The Family Inside is a slow-building mystery that really picks up towards the end. Each chapter ends with a cliffhanger, making it hard to put the book down. The suspense grows with every page, and the twists keep you guessing.

What makes this book stand out is how it weaves together different layers of the story. What seems like a simple mystery at first turns into something much more complex, with secrets that slowly unfold. The plot is fresh and keeps you interested, especially as the story takes unexpected turns.

By the time you reach the end, everything comes together in a way that is both surprising and satisfying. The twists feel earned and make the conclusion all the more impactful.

In short, The Family Inside is a great read for mystery lovers. Its suspenseful pace, clever plot, and surprising twists will keep you hooked from start to finish.

This was an excellent Gothic thriller. I enjoyed the twists and turns. I really enjoyed the opening and the momentum continued. I didn't see how it all played out and I love that! I look forward to reading more from her.

Thank you to net galley for this audio arc. I really enjoyed it. It was suspenseful and twisted. I highly recommend it.

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.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for this ARC exchange for an honest review.

SPOILERS AHEAD



I enjoyed it at first…but once her daughter goes missing and the mother doesn’t seem to care didn’t read as realistic or relatable. In general I think the book is intriguing, and if you look past the frustrating main character, you will find a ton of secrets in this family. If you liked THE FAMILY GAME, you’d probably enjoy this book.

Overall, "The Family Inside" offers a gripping and twist-filled experience, making it a recommended read for fans of psychological thrillers.

This was so twisty. Stories within stories. It was a little challenging to follow until I hit that “ah ha” moment! Crazy messed up families and relationships a great read.

A 4.5/5 thriller!

I loved this! There is something about a twisty thriller on audiobook that makes time fly. I thought the narrator was great, the story was fast-paced, and the twists unpredictable. A perfect combo,

It took me awhile to write a review for this one because I wasn’t quite sure how I felt after I finished it. The book was interesting and had a ton of twists. I just felt like it was a bit too much by the time I got to the end. I definitely did not see the ending coming! Overall, I did enjoy listening to this audiobook. I suggest thriller fans give it a chance. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a woman who moves in with her new boyfriend in a creepy house because hers got foreclosed on. Things quickly turn weird and her daughter goes missing.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I feel like we had such annoying characters. I really couldn’t get into the story at all because I disliked the characters so much. There were also a lot of cliches and tropes that i see in a lot of mystery/thriller books.

I listened to the audiobook and i did like the narrator.

Overall, I was not a fan of this one but I did like the audiobook.

I received an ARC of the audiobook and I freaking loved it!!!!! I am a huge fan of thrillers and this was a super twisty one, that I did not want to stop listening to! This one had so many twists and turns, it was a wild ride but soooo worth it! I was obsessed with this story from the very beginning! Once the twists started to unravel, I honestly didn’t know when they were going to stop, there was a lot to unpack with this story! I highly recommend this one!! Whether you’re newer to thrillers or a thriller addict like me, you will thoroughly enjoy this story! I also highly recommend listening to the audiobook version of this one if you have a chance! The narrator’s were amazing and really brought the story to life and felt like I was watching a movie!!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this free audiobook.

What a journey this was! First off, the audio quality was excellent, and I really enjoyed the narrator's performance. However, the story took some time to fully capture my attention. It felt more like a drama centered around a wealthy family's secrets than a true thriller. The pacing was the biggest challenge for me—when the twists started unfolding later in the book, they were exciting, but then the momentum would slow down, making it feel a bit uneven. By the end, so much was happening that it became confusing, and I found myself needing to re-listen to parts. After the whirlwind of events, I was left feeling a bit disappointed by the conclusion. Overall, it wasn’t a bad read, but it was a bit too all over the place for my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this audiobook copy.

So many juicy twists in this book! Loved the characters and the dark setting of Ravencliff. (Centuries old mansion is the perfect setting for a thriller)
Excellent narration on this story, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next!