A review by chapters_and_pages
Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter

dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I had heard good things about Cara Hunter’s books, so I was excited to delve into this one. Unfortunately, it kind of missed the mark for me. 

Twenty years ago, Luke Ryder was found dead in the garden of the family home, where he lived with his wife and three stepchildren. Years on, and still no one knows who is responsible for his brutal murder. Now, a group of experts are coming together to cover the case on a true-crime show, and they are determined to get to the bottom of it - no matter what. 

I really enjoy mystery/thrillers but I have to admit, this one isn’t very high up the list. I loved the fact that the story was told in a very unique way, episode by episode, almost like a script. While the idea of it was great, and the execution decent, I think it had a negative impact on the connection I felt to the characters.m, because unfortunately, there wasn’t really any. 

The killer was quite predictable in my opinion, but I think given the victim and crime, their wasn’t too many options. Also, I found the reasoning and motivation for the crime that be anticlimactic and disappointing. 

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book, however, it’s not one for me unfortunately. 
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