In this book, 2 women are murdered so there’s an investigation going on right from the get-go. Aisling is a mom of 2 who is looking for her long lost father through DNA testing and the police tell her she COULD be connected to the Bonfire Killer. It was S-L-O-W throughout but I still enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. To be published August 2023.

This book was a slow paced book. It is part of a series but I believe can be read as a standalone. I could not get into this story.

Thanks @netgalley for read 52 of 2023. I had some school and course commitments this week, which meant it took longer to finish this book than usual. There are a lot of characters and plot lines to keep track of here, so I wonder if it would’ve been easier to remember all of the details if I read this book over fewer days. I did enjoy the writing though and the shorter chapters. There were lots of cliffhangers and a few twists along the way. I did not predict how things would end up. There was quite the cliphanger at the very end and I kind of wish the things wrapped up a little bit neater. Still a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read in my books.

I've always been fascinated by the stories that come from submitting you DNA for analysis and then what the company does with your DNA results. When I read the synopsis I knew this would be a good one!

Aisling Cooley uploads her DNA online in search of her father. What she gets instead is a detective showing up at her door to notify her that her DNA matches closely with that of a recent serial "bonfire killer". Two women on different occasions have been found killed and burned in a bonfire recently in the area. One of the scenes had some blood left and that DNA matches closely to that of Aisling. Aisling and the police each set out on their own endeavors to try to solve this mystery.

I didn't realize this book was a part of a series and this is the first one I've read. I struggled a bit with the characters not being well developed. This may be because the previous books have taken care of that. Otherwise it was a great read with lots of twists and turns and an unpredictable ending.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Random House Trade Paperbacks for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is about a killer who leaves multiple victims dead. Women are frightened to go out. One woman is seeking her father and posts the results of her dna test. It is not her father that answers - it is a detective.

It appears that their is a killer in her family - just what does a family do to hide a killer?

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I debated requesting this, because I wasn't so keen on the last two in this series. This instalment however, is excellent. I like the characterization of the various police officers: the messy Domnall, the inscrutable but vulnerable Ben, and so on. I thought Jonah was strangely absent here - mainly musing on how good it is that his partner Michelle is going out every night getting drunk while he works late and their nanny (whom I hope they are paying double) raises their daughter.

The actual mystery was also excellent - twisty and turny in a logical way, although the DNA ramifications and the inter-relatedness (or not) of the characters made my brain hurt at times. I liked the relationships Aisling had with her sons - it felt real. The ending was sad but satisfying.

A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge starts out with a murder of two women. DI Hansen and DCI Jonah Sheens are investigating the Bonfire Killer and have little to go on except a small amount of DNA left at the scene.
Aisling Cooley is a mom of two, who is searching for her long lost father so she uploads her DNA to an ancestry website. When she is contacted by the police and told that her DNA is a familar match to the Bonfire Killer, her world gets turned upside down. Is her father the killer or her sons?
I was drawn into this story from the first page. It was interesting seeing how they used the DNA database to track their killer. I felt empathetic towards Aisling as she struggled through her doubts. I was surprised how it all turned out.
If you enjoy mysteries or police procedurals you will enjoy this thriller. It makes you want to keep reading and it is hard to put down once you start.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

When I first requested this I was not aware that this is fifth in a series. I don’t feel like I was missing anything but I do want to read the previous stories now. This story grabbed me right from the start. I love the short chapters! There was so much mystery and intrigue that kept me glued to the story. I liked that even though there’s a slew of characters we got to know each of them as the story went on.

I'm bummed. I really really liked the first book in this series. but they all seem to have fallen short for me since then. I had higher hopes for this one. It didn't do it for me. I didn't even finish it.

I honestly can’t get enough of the Jonah Sheens series! What makes this twisty, intelligent, heart-throbbing psychological thriller series so unique is the way Gytha Lodge delves into deep layers of characters, allowing us not only to connect with each of them but also become a part of their world.

This latest book in the series is well-crafted with perfect character analysis, polished structure, and a captivating storyline. Even with its slow burn, extra detailed descriptions portraying characters’ swinging moods, fears, flaws, hesitancy, the short chapters, and the twists leading you down different roads that take you on another journey, push you to make guesses about how things will wrap up. These are the main strengths of Lodge’s smart and incredible writing talent.

This time, the story revolves around Aisling Cooley, a single mom raising her two teenage sons in the sedate suburban of Southampton. Women are urged not to loiter alone on the streets when darkness comes. Aisling has a strong urge to find her long-lost father, so she uploads her DNA to an ancestry site. A few days later, someone knocks on her door, but unfortunately, the man who wants answers from her is not her father. It’s Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens who’s chasing the Bonfire Killer, who might be Aisling's father.

Overall, this is a dark, intense, and another well-written and unputdownable novel from the series that keeps growing on me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Random House Trade Paperbacks for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Aisling Cooleys DNA is matched to a serial killer’s in this Fifth book of the DCI Jonah Sheen series. This book kept me glued to my seat wondering who done it.
Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Random House for this ARC that will be released August 8, 2023!

I couldn't put this down. The " who did its" had me in a circle. I figured it out. I didn't. Had me baffled until the end. Ainsley is divorced with two sons. She is trying to hold onto her house. She is alone with both parents gone. One died and one just left. Would DNA testing find her father? It found more than she was looking to find. She is tied to a murder scene. Is it her father or sons who are guilty?
A good story with some dead ends and unexpected turns. With an ending that left me wanting more!
Another fantastic choice suggested by NetGalley and Random House. I need to read the rest of Gytha Lodges Jonas Sheen series.

Such a good read - I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
Wow! Action packed - you won't be able to put this down. And the twists you don't see coming? Oh my.
I love when an author weaves multiple plot lines without losing focus and without confusing the reader. Gytha Lodge does just that. The family theme hits home for each character, whether it's blood relative or found family. I love this series, I love the way she writes, I love these characters and the team atmosphere. These detectives care about each other, no more so than in this latest offering, and that ending??!! My goodness, it'll get your heart rate up. Now I can't wait to find out what happens to....(no spoiler!). I'll be thinking of that ending for a good long time. Well done. Would give this more than 5 stars.

I truly wanted to like this one. It started off, and I was interested. I was hooked. But then it trailed off. It was boring. It was lackadaisical. I just needed more.

this book started out great - by that i mean the prologue and chapter one. chapter dove promptly into complete boredom going on and on about a lady and her two teenage boys - excruciating detail - boring. That was enough for me. that said, it was well written - just not the "thriler" it was advertised to be.

The beginning pages suck you in immediately. There are several storylines going on and the author truly did a great job developing the characters and really allowing you to get to know each one of them. Although I did find it to be a bit slow at times, the chapters are short. Don't worry, there is plenty of mystery to keep you intrigued throughout. The last chapter really left me stunned. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and will be grabbing the previous books from the DCI Jonah Sheens Series.

I really liked the concept of this book, and but I was not a fan of the police procedural feel. I really liked the other perspectives in the story though, so I had to give it a five star.

A Killer In The Family by Gytha Lodge

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Random House, the author, and NetGalley for this ARC! 💫

I’ll start by saying that I very rarely read mysteries that have a good amount of police/DCI perspectives. I find them to be redundant and unrelatable. But the premise of this 5th installment of the DCI Jonah Sheens series was so intriguing I had to read it, and I’m SO glad I did!

I felt as though I was watching a well done mystery film. Each chapter was short, did not drag on, and had enough information and POV to feel as if I was alongside the detectives piecing together this crime. Every twist and turn lead down another road, and somehow all the roads came together in the end, making sense and leaving all questions answered. I’m already downloading the previous Jonah Sheens series books because of how well written this book was!! A solid 5-star read!

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.