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loujanae's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
1.0
An absolute drudgery to read. This is a horrible example of a first person POV. All tell. Didn't show a damn thing. Figured it out in the first chapter, so there was nothing thrilling about it. Repetitive as hell. Zero character development or even characteristics at all. Everyone was flat, and I felt nothing for a single one of them. Thought it would be an interesting critique of true crime, but that was not the case at ALL. I should have DNF'd right at the dedication page as Megan Collins dedicated the book to 'murderinos'.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Murder, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
jenn_reads's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow.
I knew who did it right away, but the story took a lot of twists and turns. It's really about a wildly dysfunctional family and not a straightforward murder mystery book.
I knew who did it right away, but the story took a lot of twists and turns. It's really about a wildly dysfunctional family and not a straightforward murder mystery book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent and Alcoholism
kyriannaj's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I guessed the main "who did it" pretty early in the book, but the author still did a good job of adding clues, piecing old clues together differently, and having suspicious character behavior where I did consider that maybe I hadn't figured it all out. The narrator was incredibly unreliable, which I thought was really interesting and wished there was a bit more to it. The characters all felt a little two dimensional and like there wasn't a lot to them, but in my opinion part of that was due to the family not knowing each other well enough, especially the narrator, to add depth. The build up was really interesting and the reveal at the 2/3 mark really shocked me, as I hadn't even thought too deeply about it. The last 1/3 played out roughly how I anticipated. I thought the ending was unique and appreciated that there was a bit of happiness. I kind of wish though that the ending was more ambiguous, as it would've fit your plot and vibe of the book. I'm still unsure if that book was in praise of our true crime culture, or criticizing it as the book went back and forth frequently.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Alcoholism and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
sleeson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I had no idea which character to trust in this audiobook. The author was really committed to mystery genre in my opinion. Throughout the whole book. I was not able to pinpoint whom was in cahoots with whom. I can’t wait to read another novel from this author. No sexual content.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, and Death
biancabuysbooks's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
I had a feeling I would enjoy The Family Plot by Megan Collins immediately after reading the dedication: "For the murderinos"
True crime lovers will find this one interesting as it mixes in a fictional family with real-life murder cases. The Lighthouse family had an unconventional upbringing, studying true crime intimately.
Dahlia Lighthouse was sixteen when her twin brother Andy disappeared. He left a note saying goodbye, but it has tortured Dahlia for the last decade, and she has spent all of her free time searching for him. She returns home for the first time in 10 years after the passing of her father. The family reunion that results brings back painful memories, dark secrets, mysteries, and lingering questions...
Read if you like creepy vibes and family secrets!
True crime lovers will find this one interesting as it mixes in a fictional family with real-life murder cases. The Lighthouse family had an unconventional upbringing, studying true crime intimately.
Dahlia Lighthouse was sixteen when her twin brother Andy disappeared. He left a note saying goodbye, but it has tortured Dahlia for the last decade, and she has spent all of her free time searching for him. She returns home for the first time in 10 years after the passing of her father. The family reunion that results brings back painful memories, dark secrets, mysteries, and lingering questions...
Read if you like creepy vibes and family secrets!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, and Murder
thrillofthepage's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for my early copy! The story had just the right amount of creepiness and family drama.
I can safely say that I’ve never read a book about this kind of murder family. A mother whose parents were murdered chooses to homeschool her kids, but instead of reading, math, and science we have murder, murderers, and victims. A little non-traditional education never hurt, right? I was fascinated by the Lighthouse family from page one and this kept me turning the pages.
This story was definitely one of a kind and I was intrigued throughout. I had several theories, all of which were plausible at some point during the book. I didn’t guess the ending until right when I was supposed to, which is a sign of a good thriller/mystery. I enjoyed the writing and thought Collins painted a perfect picture of the family, the murder house, and the dynamics between the siblings. This was my first book by this author and I will be picking The Winter Sister off my shelf very soon.
My one critique is that there was one character (I won’t name because I don’t want to spoil) I wanted more story from. The inclusion of this particular character, and the story as a whole, would have benefitted from a little more development. DM if you’ve read and we can chat!
If you’re looking for creepy vibes this fall season, but nothing too gory or scary, then I highly recommend this book!
I can safely say that I’ve never read a book about this kind of murder family. A mother whose parents were murdered chooses to homeschool her kids, but instead of reading, math, and science we have murder, murderers, and victims. A little non-traditional education never hurt, right? I was fascinated by the Lighthouse family from page one and this kept me turning the pages.
This story was definitely one of a kind and I was intrigued throughout. I had several theories, all of which were plausible at some point during the book. I didn’t guess the ending until right when I was supposed to, which is a sign of a good thriller/mystery. I enjoyed the writing and thought Collins painted a perfect picture of the family, the murder house, and the dynamics between the siblings. This was my first book by this author and I will be picking The Winter Sister off my shelf very soon.
My one critique is that there was one character (I won’t name because I don’t want to spoil) I wanted more story from. The inclusion of this particular character, and the story as a whole, would have benefitted from a little more development. DM if you’ve read and we can chat!
If you’re looking for creepy vibes this fall season, but nothing too gory or scary, then I highly recommend this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Grief, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence
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