Title: Keep It In The Family
Author: John Marrs
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: October 18th 2022
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Finished reading: September 26th 2022
Pages: 382

“We’re only ever our true selves when we think we are alone.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

REVIEW

It’s no secret that I consider John Marrs to be one of my absolute favorite authors, and I always feel a little giddy inside whenever a new title becomes available. I knew that I simply HAD to read Keep It In The Family even before I knew what the story was going to be about… But once I learned about the house of horrors and serial killer angle, I was even more excited to read it. And I definitely liked what I found! True, it’s not my favorite story of his and there were a few things that niggled me, but there is no doubt that Keep It In The Family is a dark thriller that will chill you to the bone.

I’m going to keep this review short to avoid spoilers, because this is one of those thrillers where it’s best to go in blind for maximum impact. What I can say that Keep It In The Family most definitely tips its toe in the horror genre, and things will get very dark and twisted indeed before you reach that final page. The plot is build out of different layers, and each time you think you have the story all figured out, something new and equally shocking is revealed. True, I did guess some of the twists right, but somehow this didn’t influence the impact of the plot twists and you will be left with your jaw on the floor as you wonder how on earth all of that was actually happening for that long.

There is just something about the way John Marrs writes that is extremely engaging, and this story is no exception. I was hooked as soon as I started reading, and the story kept me on my toes as new information popped up. True, the flashback chapters going back to different points in time are a tad annoying to pinpoint without a name to connect them with… But then again, this is all due to one of the major twists. The story itself is hard to place into one neat little genre box; some parts are dark crime thriller, bordering on horror, while other sections of the story had a domestic thriller vibe instead… All packed with unreliable narrators and glimpses inside a serial killer’s head, and you are left wondering what is the truth behind it all and who the flashback chapters actually refer to.

I mentioned at the beginning of this review that there were a few things that niggled me, and that includes the main characters. They are not exactly likeable, and I’m not sure up to what point certain actions are exactly credible. They do play their roles in the plot well, but there was something about them in general that made me enjoy the story less than expected. And then I’m not even talking about the whole cheating/love triangle element, which put a bit of a damper on things… Still, the plot and plot twists themselves are cleverly developed, and I never guessed the full horrific truth behind it all.

All in all Keep It In The Family turned out to be a more than solid and engaging serial killer/domestic thriller hybrid, and the plot went so much further than I thought it would go. Recommended if you like your thrillers on the dark side.

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