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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The Marriage Act by John Marrs

The Marriage Act by John Marrs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 432

Publisher - Pan MacMillan

Source - Netgalley & bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Britain. The near-future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills — the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.

But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives — monitoring every word, every minor disagreement — and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honor and obey.


My Review

We really like Marrs books and I had put this one off for a bit because of the whole government/Act even though that is the premise for the book. That part put me off as I don't usually do politics (although I have taken more of an interest as I get older) and the whole idea of it & being a Marrs I picked it up. He has a knack for writing characters you want more of (whether you like them or not) and writing about subjects you normally wouldn't be drawn to. The characters though, how he writes them and draws you in you get interested and invested where you struggle to put them down, same case here.

The Marriage Act is set in place by the government where you get all kinds of benefits for signing up, better homes, better perks, healthcare, you have all the mod cons that periodically record in your home. If they pick up issues in your marriage you get put on a level one and a relationship adviser type comes to your home. They help or you can go to next level, if things go bad it can end up going to court and you getting divorced whether you want it or not. Whilst the Marriage Act brings many good things it can also bring a lot of unhappiness if you end up on the wrong side.

The book centres around a few main characters, Roxi - obsessed with social media and finally finding her niche to be an influencer and getting the buzz online that makes up for the dullness of wife and motherhood. Jeremy - when you are highlighted as having relationship issues you are assigned a counsellor type, relationship responder - that is Jeremy but dear Jeremy isn't exactly what he seems and has his own interests at heart rather than yours. Anthony works for the man, a government employee who sees things us wee folks aren't meant to and is growing a conscience the more he is tasked to do. Corrine is part of a movement against the government and the unfairness of The Marriage Act and wants people held accountable. And lastly Arthur, elderly, happily married to June, age brings its own problems and Arthur is very aware they are being flagged for review, the last thing he wants. Because even though him and June are happy, the government also have things in place for partners who are dependent and June is fine she is just forgetful. The government has things in place for all issues in marriage, ailments, if a partner becomes a dependent or drain on society and Arthur doesn't want them coming to his home assessing them.

Oooft guys, so most of us have Alexa's, smart watches, laptops etc and in a similar fashion the Government use these to make sure marriages are happy, healthy and compatible. They can and do put tips to you via your devices and any issues you go onto the level 1. As much as the Marriage Act gives positives and financial benefits, as the book goes on we see just how bad things can be. If you go against the government, if you get a little power, what happens when things are threatened or removed.

It has very dystopian vibes but the truly scary thing is it isn't too far a stretch to seeing this happen. We already see people obsessed with social media, followers, the power of influencers and how some folk do abandon or put their social media above their family and actual real life.

The book has some real shady horrible characters, like jaw dropping at some points because dear lord what is wrong with these folks! However it only shone a light on just how lovely Arthur was, uck Arthur was a total scone and my absolute fave character in this one.

I also love that Marrs has nods to his other storylines in this, I LOVE reading Master King's books and when that happens being delighted. Same happening in this one and it is no mean feet to be fair. I think I have a couple of Marrs to catch up on and I will be firing them up the tbrm, even when your brain is toast and struggling to read I still managed to envelope myself in this, 4.5/5.

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The One by John Marrs

The One by John Marrs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 418

Publisher - Del Rey

Source - friend sent me

Blurb from Goodreads

How far would you go to find The One?

A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner the one you are genetically made for.

That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love.

Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…

A word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom, The One is a fascinating novel that shows how even the simplest discoveries can have complicated consequences.



My Review

Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Nick and Ellie are our main characters and we alternate bouncing between them and chapters. The One is around everyone being able to swab and send off your DNA and you are notified when they find The One, you exact DNA match. You have to pay to get their details and there have been mixed reactions. Happy couples split up, families torn apart and your match isn't always your matched gender. We see the book follow the stories of the five main characters and how taking the test & finding their The One impacts on their lives.

So if that wasn't enough to wet your whistle one of them is a murderer, serial killer, brutally murders women purely for his own kicks, the women doesn't even get names because it is their routine/accessibility that matters to him so he can fulfil his sick urges.

The book centres around relationships and how finding your "The One" can impact your life, some get their happy ever after, some will never be the same and how would something like this impact on a sociopathic serial killer.

My reading mojo is a bit up and down, I read this in one day, I do like Marrs writing, he makes some of the most shocking characters, shady people and scenarios, car crash style you struggle to look away from. I am super nosey so when I get interested in a story line I just want to sink into it and see where it goes. Short chapters too which always makes me happy especially if you are struggling with your concentration, 4/5.

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When You Disappeared by John Marrs

When You Disappeared by John Marrs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 350

Publisher - Thomas & Mercer

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

When Catherine wakes up alone one morning, she thinks her husband has gone for a run before work. But Simon never makes it to the office. His running shoes are by the front door. Nothing is missing - except him.

Catherine knows Simon must be in trouble. He wouldn't just leave her. He wouldn't leave the children.

But Simon knows the truth - about why he left and what he's done. He knows things about his marriage that it would kill Catherine to find out. The memories she holds onto are lies.

While Catherine faces a dark new reality at home, Simon's halfway around the world, alive and thriving. He's doing whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of the truth.

But he can't hide forever, and when he reappears twenty-five years later, Catherine will finally learn who he is.

And wish she'd stayed in the dark.




My Review

Split between Catherine's POV, then & Simon's. Simon disappears, feared for dead because there is no way he would walk out on Catherine and the kids, would he? Twenty Five years later Simon comes home (not a spoiler cos it is in the blurb) and we, Catherine and the reader, start to slowly find out where the heck he has been!

I can't say they are likable characters but that makes for more compelling reading a details are teased out as we go along. Simon needed a way out - everything is Catherine's fault and when he finally comes home he aims to let her know exactly why. Years apart, very different paths and dark secrets that neither are prepared for. The book covers so many themes, abuse, violence, suicide, murder, infidelity, abandonment, self discovery, relationships and personal growth to touch on just some of it! The pace is different, there is suspense, drama, shady shocking behaviour and moments you just think I can't believe X did/said that, ooft.

I hadn't realised this was his debut, I have read a few of Marr's now, each are very different and he has gone from strength to strength, 3.5/5 for me this time. At time of posting the ebook is 99p and the treebook version is £4.99, snap a bargain guys.

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What Lies Between Us by John Marrs

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 367

Publisher - Thomas and Mercer

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

Nina can never forgive Maggie for what she did. And she can never let her leave.

They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past.

Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.

But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.

Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.





My Review

When I started this I wasn't too sure what was going on, what the relationship between the two main characters, the chills creep in pretty much from the get go. The chapters alternate between the two, Nina and Maggie. Nina sorts the meals, keeps house and Maggie is living vicariously through everything/everyone she sees through the window, of her bedroom where she is kept. What is the deal with these two, they dine together, they house together yet they seem to hate each other.

As we flip characters we learn a bit more about each lady, what their relationship is and pulled into their weird situation. As we delve deeper we start to get a bit of understanding of how they come to their current situation, flipping back to the past and some genuinely breath taking moments. You dislike or even hate one character and feel sorry for the other then BAM the author pulls the rug and you feel yourself switching and starting to understand a bit where the other is coming from.

It is a hell of a mind trip, emotive and some seriously shocking themes and choices/behaviours of the characters. More so once you start to seep into the heart of the story, I was pulled in pretty much from the get go & have found this with the previous books I have read by this author, 4.5/5 for me this time. I have more of his works on my tbrm, I need to bump them up the list. Prepare to lose your day and be rocked by some utterly shocking characters!

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The Passengers by John Marrs

The Passengers by John Marrs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - Ebury Digital

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

Eight self-drive cars set on a collision course. Who lives, who dies? You decide.

When someone hacks into the systems of eight self-drive cars, their passengers are set on a fatal collision course.

The passengers are: a TV star, a pregnant young woman, a disabled war hero, an abused wife fleeing her husband, an illegal immigrant, a husband and wife - and parents of two - who are travelling in separate vehicles and a suicidal man. Now the public have to judge who should survive but are the passengers all that they first seem?


My Review

A jury, carefully selected with a government official and members of the public having to take their turn to "vote" on who is at fault in car accident. Set in the not to distance future we have level five cars, they control everything and the driver can just relax, as a passenger. When one of the meetings is interrupted by a hacker who has taken control of eight of these cars and advising in two and a half hours they will die. Tempers flare, emotions are high, the public will get a say in the votes, eight seemingly innocent people's lives hang by a madman's decision, who will survive.

So we hear a wee bit about the passengers, the government official is warned there will be consequences for failure to comply. The public and watching and voting, the poor people are trapped in their cars and chapter after chapter the tension is building. Just when you think you have it sussed where the book is gone the author flings a curve ball, you know nothing, only what the hacker chooses.

Corruption, lack of morality, trial by public, life and death, lies, destruction, love and absolute anarchy. The tension builds up quickly and keeps you hooked, you just want to see what is coming next, who will be next, will anyone survive. The book also lets you look at the darker side of humanity, yes it is a fiction book but go onto almost any social media and look at the comments. You could easily see this being a reality and I think that is what is scary about this book, the potential. We see how dark humans can go, how fast technology is developing and how much humans rely on it, but when it goes wrong.....fantastic read. This wasn't my first by Marrs and it won't be my last 4/5 for me this time.

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Blog tour - The Good Samaritan by John Marrs

Today is my turn on the blog tour for John Marrs new book, The Good Samaritan, you can read my review HERE. Also featuring today on the tour is the lovely Emma R from Screen Wipe, TV, MOVIE and BOOK review blog, stop by for a visit here! You can see the rest of the blog tour below, be sure to have a nosey as everyone will be sharing different content/reviews/features.





John very kindly took time out of his vacation to answer some questions for us, much appreciated and I hope the rest of the holiday was fabulous.

Wow, the character Laura, just wow. How hard or easy did you find writing her?

She was so complex, one minute I hated her and the next I felt sympathetic towards her. I loved writing her bitchy comments and having listened to the audiobook recently and seeing how well they worked, I wish I’d made her a little funnier. But her dark side gave me sleepless nights. And making her an unreliable narrator enabled me to wrong foot the reader more than once. She is the most complex character I’ve written since Simon in When You Disappeared.


The book is very dark, for many reasons, did you find this more difficult than your previous books?

Yes. It took it out for me for a few reasons. It was the first book I wrote under contract and to a deadline, and writing in first person is always tougher than third person. I felt there was a lot of pressure on me but most of that came from myself. Then there’s the subject matter. Getting into the head of someone so alien to me, like Laura, was hard. And then trying to imagine how I’d feel if I lost a loved one to suicide was difficult. But I wanted both perspectives - to understand what drives people to do it and how those who are left behind try and deal with the aftermath. It is awful for all concerned and my heart goes out to anyone in that situation.


How much research did you have to undertake for the book? Did you enjoy it?

I interviewed my friend’s partner quite extensively about his volunteer work for a helpline charity and the dos and donts when speaking to someone. I also researched depression and having had friends that have suffered badly from it, they gave me an insight into their thinking. I also looked at websites dedicated to informing people how to end their lives. I found that the most shocking, it had never dawned on me that such places existed. So no, I didn’t enjoy the research process.


Now the book is complete, does any of it or the characters stay with you?

No, once I’m done with a book, it’s over for me. I tend to start thinking about the next one. I have to be careful not to take any character’s characteristics over to my next story though. I don’t want to keep repeating myself in each book.


I found the book kept me on my toes with so much unexpected turns, how hard is it to keep a story fresh and surprising?

It just happens when I’m writing. I’ll have a basic plot and storyline in mind but once I get started it can veer all over the place. When I read a book, I want to be kept on my toes. And I like to try and do that with the books I write. It’s a fine line though between keeping things a surprise and not making them sound unbelievable.


Some authors say they start with an ending and work from there, some know the whole story, how do you write?

I generally go in all directions with a story. I never write methodically. I do chapters here, there and everywhere, back to front and front to back. Then I’ll tie it all together. The thought of writing 110,000 words in order horrifies me.


For anyone who doesn’t know who she is lol, tell us about the woman behind your character “the masculine looking” Tracy Fenton

Ha! Tracy is a well-known reviewer and founder of THE book club on Facebook which has more than 7000 avid reader members. She messaged me on Goodreads after my first book came out and was key in introducing me to a whole new audience. Since then, we have become friends and she has popped up in my books as a lawyer and a talent show host. She’s like Where’s Wally? in my books now.


Do you think there will be another book revisiting any of the characters from this book?

I don’t have any plans to write a sequel. There are characters from all of my books that can dip in and out of future stories as guest appearances. But I’ve put so much effort into a book that once the last draft is over, that is generally it for me.


What are you working on now?

I am working on a story about two British detective is on the hunt for a killer in London. While it is not necessarily crime procedural, there are prime procedural elements to it. It’s the first time I’ve attempted a story like this. It won’t be out until next autumn.


11. Where do you prefer chatting with your fans?

Facebook johnmarrs.author
Twitter @johnmarrs1
Instagram @johnmarrsauthor
Website John Marrs author.com

Welcome To Wherever You Are by John Marrs

Welcome To Wherever You Are by John Marrs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 401

Publisher - Self published

Blurb from Goodreads

How far would you run to escape your past?

For eight strangers in a Los Angeles backpacking hostel, even the other side of the world isn’t far enough.

The craving for a new identity and the chance to start again is something they have in common. But the search for a fresh start isn't as easy as they'd imagined.

And they soon discover that it doesn't matter where you are or who you are - if you can't lay the past to rest, coincidence, fate and deception have a way of catching up with you when you least expect it.



My Review

Eight people, all running from something in their past end up in a backpacking hostel in Los Angeles. Coming from different backgrounds, trying to find or lose something and get to grips with who they are or where they are going in life. However, you can never truly outrun your past and as these guys find out, you need to deal with your demons before you can look to your future.

The story opens with men trying to capture a young woman and take her into a van, she is more than able for them and then the story begins. We are introduced to quite a few characters, Tommy, Nicole, Eric, Peyk, Ron and Savannah to name some in our tale. All big personalities and offering something different to the story, whilst they all seem unconnected, friendships will form, secrets and lies cannot always be hidden or kept and sometimes some liaisons can be dangerous.

This is my first time reading this author although it is his second novel. I thought the tale was really well done, with so many characters and merging time lines from their past to the present isn't an easy feat but Marrs managed it very well. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes crime, thrillers, secrets, travel and just an adventure to be honest. Really good and engaging book, 4/5 for me and I would read this author again.

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