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anamikasaidwhat's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4/5 stars
Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter emerges as a captivating narrative, distinctively shining amidst the plethora of mystery thrillers with its fresh format. The book meticulously weaves a fictitious world of discussions and theoretical conjectures, perpetually keeping the reader on a precipice of suspense, engaged in relentless speculation.
The novel unfurls around a chilling murder case that seized national attention two decades prior. Luke Ryder, the stepfather to the renowned filmmaker Guy Howard, was discovered murdered in the garden of their suburban home. At the time, Howard's mother and two half-sisters were present within the household—yet all professed to have seen nothing. Despite the push of a high-profile police probe and the unyielding gaze of media scrutiny, the mystery persisted, unsolved. However, two decades on, Howard resurrects the case into the public eye through his crime documentary series. With a panel of seasoned experts scrutinizing every detail and piecing together new evidence, the question arises: Can this team unravel the mystery that has lain dormant for years?
Throughout the narrative, readers find their pulses racing. The entire story, written in the digital format of online forum discussions, television transcripts, emails and texts, gets significantly boosted through this refreshing storytelling format and makes the reader stick to the pages until the end. The author's prose weaves a tightrope of tension, masterfully unfolding each scene and episode to expose the vile underbelly of a case long buried with time. This format greatly impressed me as it is the first book I have read presented this way!
Murder in the Family is an exemplary work in the murder mystery genre. It will make you question the possibilities and theories circling its very plot. Standing at 4/5 stars, it is definitely worth a read for all the mystery fanatics.
Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter emerges as a captivating narrative, distinctively shining amidst the plethora of mystery thrillers with its fresh format. The book meticulously weaves a fictitious world of discussions and theoretical conjectures, perpetually keeping the reader on a precipice of suspense, engaged in relentless speculation.
The novel unfurls around a chilling murder case that seized national attention two decades prior. Luke Ryder, the stepfather to the renowned filmmaker Guy Howard, was discovered murdered in the garden of their suburban home. At the time, Howard's mother and two half-sisters were present within the household—yet all professed to have seen nothing. Despite the push of a high-profile police probe and the unyielding gaze of media scrutiny, the mystery persisted, unsolved. However, two decades on, Howard resurrects the case into the public eye through his crime documentary series. With a panel of seasoned experts scrutinizing every detail and piecing together new evidence, the question arises: Can this team unravel the mystery that has lain dormant for years?
Throughout the narrative, readers find their pulses racing. The entire story, written in the digital format of online forum discussions, television transcripts, emails and texts, gets significantly boosted through this refreshing storytelling format and makes the reader stick to the pages until the end. The author's prose weaves a tightrope of tension, masterfully unfolding each scene and episode to expose the vile underbelly of a case long buried with time. This format greatly impressed me as it is the first book I have read presented this way!
Murder in the Family is an exemplary work in the murder mystery genre. It will make you question the possibilities and theories circling its very plot. Standing at 4/5 stars, it is definitely worth a read for all the mystery fanatics.
heathreadsx's review
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fishinnett's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bekkimay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
kevinjwangler's review
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I was really put off by the format, but after just a short while, it really grew on me and I was hooked. Lots of twists. Could possibly have been a five star for me, but I didn't read it in one sitting and I wasn't able to keep track of the large cast of characters as well as I needed to in order for the ending to have the punch it would have otherwise had.
thriftedghost's review against another edition
2.0
disappointed as i’d heard a lot of good things but the book dragged quite a lot and the payoff wasn’t worth it. all the twists ended up just not being fun after a while
sillyperson's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mellow_rose's review
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Took so long to get interesting and ended unsatisfyingly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder