Keep It In The Family by John Marrs

Keep It in the Family by John Marrs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read -

Pages - 380

Publisher - Thomas and Mercer

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

In this chilling novel from bestselling author John Marrs, a young couple’s house hides terrible secrets—and not all of them are confined to the past.

Mia and Finn are busy turning a derelict house into their dream home when Mia unexpectedly falls pregnant. But just when they think the house is ready, Mia discovers a shocking message scored into a skirting board: I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC. Following the clue up into the eaves, the couple make a gruesome discovery: their home was once a real-life murder house, with the evidence still concealed within the four walls.

In the wake of their traumatic discovery, the baby arrives and Mia can’t shake her fixation with the monstrous crimes that happened right above them. Tormented by the terrible things she saw, she is desperate to dig into the past to find answers.

Secrecy shrouds the mystery of the attic, but when shards of a dark truth start to emerge, Mia realises the danger is terrifyingly present. She is prepared to do anything to protect her family—but will the previous tenants stop her from discovering their secret?


My Review

We open with the prologue thirty nine years earlier that quickly paints a dark picture and then we go to modern day. We flip between different characters point of views, mostly Mia and Finn with some news clip transcripts/podcast chat etc. Mia and Finn are together, Mia is pregnant and they have took a huge gamble on this house. When they discover the message "I will save them all" carved into the woodwork Mia does some digging and things get dark, very very dark.

The chapters are short and as is Marrs's way, always a very early hook and he creates characters you love to hate. I did gasp a wee bit and switched back and forth a bit of like/dislike and I love when a book does that, pull the rug our from under you.

So many themes and I don't want to give anything away cos we don't do spoilers obvs but martial issues, toxic relationships, kidnapping, murder, really dodgy people and you will never look at suitcases in the same light.

I am having horrific reading slumps and this has pulled me out and I have read most of his boks, just checked ad three left to go, I need to bump them up the list for sure. If you haven't read Marrs do it, this is a great place to start, 4/5.

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