Loved this family mystery with Agatha Christie and Knives Out overtones. I'm very intrigued by the protagonist's journey and even though the mystery in this book is solved, the back story of our protagonist continues and it felt like a cliff hanger ending despite knowing "whodunnit."

Huge fan of Tessa Wegert and so thankful she also sent this great book to me for a tangible copy. Great cast of characters, and loved the premise! Couldnt put it down.

This felt very Agatha Christie-y. Two police officers are called out to a family's island to investigate a missing person and probable murder. The horrible weather becomes a character as we figure out "who done it". The family is obviously hiding something and isn't' too keen on being found out. Definitely recommended.

Right from the start I knew I was in good hands with Tessa Wegert. Her writing style just feels comfortable, intelligent, and intriguing. She introduced all the characters in this, essentially, locked room (locked house?) murder mystery carefully and slowly, as opposed to lumping them together all at once. This allowed you to really enter the world and be able to distinguish between everyone from the get go. I loved the classic trappings of characters trapped in a beautiful, fading mansion on a small island isolated by a raging storm; nothing makes me want to pull the covers up and dive in more! Our hero, Shana, has just the right amount of smarts and damage to make her intriguing and engaging. Not all of her damage is explained yet, which is why I suppose this book is listed as #1 in a series. I will be right on top of #2 to see what really happened to Shana and Bram...

A Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert is a 2020 Berkley publication.

Fantastic locked room mystery with a dark edge!

The premise for this novel sounded good- just the kind of mystery I like. But I was in for a huge surprise when this book turned out to be one of my favorite mysteries of the year so far!

Shana Merchant has moved to upstate New York, to her fiance’s hometown, after a traumatic close call with a serial killer, while working as a detective with the NYPD.

Now working in a smaller territory, with her partner, Tim Wellington, a call comes in that a man has gone missing on a private island. Upon arrival, Shana and Tim find blood on the scene and are welcomed by the wealthy and nervous, Sinclair family. Yet, Tim is not really alarmed, suspecting a runaway case. But Shana thinks there is something far more sinister going on and that the Sinclair family may have a lot to answer for.

As Shauna works to uncover the truth, she also begins to face some hard truths in her own life...


It was a dark and stormy night...

No, this setup never grows old for me. As a pure mystery lover, locked room mysteries are my favorite- if they are done right.

Despite the comparisons to Agatha Christie, which are hard to ignore, this book is much edgier and atmospheric. Once I started it, I did not want to put in down. Everyone is a suspect- and I do mean everyone- which means the only person Shauna can depend on is herself. But, after her experience in New York, her confidence has taken a huge hit.

Even Shauna's fiance is less than supportive or encouraging, continually pushing for her dependence on him, rather than on herself, planting seeds of doubt. But she must rise to the occasion, and I enjoyed watching her character development, becoming stronger and wiser, while gradually revealing a complexity that was not evident at first.

The pacing is spot on, the suspense taut, and guessing game works the way a great mystery should- by keeping me guessing and on my toes! A few surprise revelations don't hurt either- and this book just happens to have a nice little last minute addition that will leave you wanting more, and eagerly anticipating the next book in the series!!

5 stars!

This book reads like a good old fashion whodunnit!

A bloody bed, but no body. This is what investigators Shanna and Tim are facing on a remote island during a vicious storm that will only impede their ability to solve this mystery.

Just about everyone is a viable suspect and would benefit in one way or another from Jasper being dead. Shana and Tim have their hands full keeping the family from interacting with one another and off of their cell phones if they are going to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Lead detective Shana Merchant is an interesting character! She is smart, flawed, and unpredictable. Her past is slowly unveiled to us as the story unfolds and intensifies until just about everyone is at their breaking point.

This book is a good start to what I feel could be a great series!

I just finished ‘Death in the Family’ by Tessa Weggert and it was so good!

It started like a normal mystery novel and then around the middle I wasn’t sure I liked where the story was going. I started disliking the main character and her view on things. But then something clicks and it ends up being really great.

 Give it some time when you reach that weird part of the book. There’s a reason why it’s there. When everything fell into place, I finally understood so many things and the resolution of the mystery felt like one of the classics in the genre. 

This is Wegert’s first novel and the first book in this series. I cannot wait to read more!

Murder, millions and family strife are present in the core mystery of this novel. That isn’t the best part, though. The protagonist, Shana, is a New York City detective, who has upended her life to move to upstate New York to work a lower profile job in an area that is known for its low crime rate. She has been through the trauma of being drugged, kidnapped, and imprisoned by a serial killer. That backstory is hinted at, and finally recapped later on in the story. The primary mystery at the core of this book takes place a little over a year later. 

Shana, and her partner, Tim, are sent to a private island to investigate the disappearance and possible murder of Jasper Sinclair. This mystery has a few twists, and it reminded me of an old fashioned whodunnit. However, what makes it exciting is Shana’s past that has scarred her. She doesn’t trust her instincts, and things go awry during her investigation. She seems to be on the verge of a breakdown. The author gives Shana such a rich inner voice, that, as the reader, you start to doubt Shana’s instincts, too. This makes it such a twisty, thrilling read. I was on edge. I began and finished this book in less than a day. 

The fact that the bulk of the story is based on a private, secluded island, during a nor’easter lends itself to giving this story a rich, gothic atmosphere. There is no way off the island during this storm. That, alone, makes it an almost claustrophobic experience. This is a must read.

Talk about family secrets! This is a great who done it murder mystery. In a small town in upstate New York Shana thought her hunting a killer days were over. Till they get a call that someone has gone missing on a private island in the middle of a terrible storm. However the house if full with family and friends of sorts. So getting to the bottom of it is a challenge.

I am loved this book and am excited to see what’s to come with the next!

It's been a long time since I've read a good locked-room mystery, and to be honest, I suppose I had gotten away from them for a while. It's mostly because I so rarely find one to hold my ever-changing interests, but every once in a while, one comes along that makes me sit up and take notice. Death in the Family is such a mystery, and I get the added bonus of knowing there will me more to come. Rather than go into story details and risk spoiling it, I'll just tell you how much I enjoyed this one. It's very well written, and while Shana certainly has her share of things to work through, she's still a strong character, which goes a long way toward convincing me to want more of her in future books, The book does leave some questions unanswered, and I'm guessing that those will part of a continuing storyline as the series moves forward. I will add that if you're looking for an in your face, breakneck pace type of story, this is not it. Think more along the lines of Agatha Christie style - maybe a bit more grit than Christie, but the style is reminiscent. What it boils down to is if you enjoy crime fiction, and like me, you've been waiting for a strong female character to lead a series in the genre, this one is well worth checking out. I know I'll be watching for whatever comes next for Shana Marchant.

I have selected this book for the mystery book club at my library. It has a fascinating cast of characters enclosed in a single setting together- reminded me a bit of Agatha Christie or Knives Out. Eerie setting, and great twists and turns make this a compelling read. I'd definitely check out the next Shana Merchant book.

I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley exchange for an honest review.

This book is perfect for mystery lovers who enjoy a locked in style “who dunit”. One where everyone is a suspect and you can’t trust anyone.

The story is a bit of a slow burn, but is done in a way where the reader is still engaged and doesn’t lose interest. I usually like my mysteries fast paced, but this one really worked for me.

My favorite aspect of the book was Shana’s character (the detective on the case). She is a complex character with an intriguing back story. This book is going to be a series that follows Shana and I’m definitely looking forward to learning more about her and the future cases she investigates.

3.5 Stars

After a traumatic case, former NYPD Detective Shana Merchant is now a detective in upstate New York. She and her colleague Tim Wellington are called to the scene of a missing person. Jasper Sinclair was spending the weekend with several family members on their private island and disappeared from the bedroom he was sharing with his girlfriend. Tim thinks Jasper left on his own, but Shana is convinced the wealthy young man was murdered. When a brutal rain storm prevents backup from arriving to help Shana and Tim, it’s up to the two of them to investigate on their own. In spite of their different opinions on the case, Shana and Tim are working well together until events from Shana’s past threaten the partnership and may place Shana in danger.

I had high hopes for this book which sounded like an updated Agatha Christie mystery. It starts out that way especially when Shana and Tim become stranded on the island with all of the suspects. The author does a good job of describing the isolation of being on an island in a storm, cut off from everyone else. Unfortunately, almost all of the members of the Sinclair family and their spouses and significant others are very unlikable. Nobody is trustworthy, including Shana, her fiance, and Tim. This makes the solution of the mystery hard to guess, but since I couldn’t connect with the characters, I wasn’t as invested in the story as I would have been if there were more people to root for. I don’t want to spoil the story, but there is one character who stands out as a truly good person by the end of the book and that was nice to see. Others may have been innocent of murder, but were still hard to take.

The book is hard to categorize. In spite of the Christie-like set-up, this is not a cozy mystery. It’s more of a procedural with some elements of suspense. There are clues to what really occurred, but the story gets too complicated to be able to figure out the solution. In addition to what is going on at the Sinclair compound, Shana is dealing with the traumatic incident in her past. Parts of this come to light throughout the story as Shana remembers things that happened to her. By the end of the book, the reader has a better idea of what happened to Shana but there are a lot of unanswered questions which I assume will be addressed in future books. There are some interesting tense moments in the book, but I feel there was a lot of unrealized potential with the book.

~ Christine

Loved this one! A perfect atmospheric, Agatha style book. Clue meets Mr Poirot on an island with a storm brewing behind the windows. 

The two small town police officers are called in to a private island, where one of a rich family members has disapeared leaving only a pool of blood. There's a lot of family issues brewing, secrets that need to be unveiled, with lots of interesting characters. Even the main character Shana isn't your typical cop with great deductive skills. Being swayed by people around her, as well as her past seems to be hindering her way in solving this disappearance. 

Loved the pace, and every twist and turn of the plot. The dysfunctional family with very selfish, unlikable and untrustworthy members added to the tangled web that this story was. I appreciated the style that was so reminiscent of Agatha Christie and Clue. I kept waiting for that big reveal at the end, and it all made sense. 

Can't wait for more of Shana, with that last tidbit in the end I need to know what she did.

Loved this Christie-esque locked room (it's an island, but for all intents and purposes, it's a locked room) mystery. I really liked Shana and Tim and can't wait to read more books featuring the team in the future.
There are a couple of clunky parts such as all of the accusations of people "It was YOU!" only to have them disproved over and over got a little old. Also I thought Shana's fiance was a bit over the top and didn't like that story thread at all.
Overall the mystery is clever and well plotted, and I am super intrigued to find out more about Shana's past kidnapping and find out WHY it happened! What secrets is she hiding? Will definitely read more books in this series.

Death in the Family is a thoroughly enjoyable mystery. I found myself thinking of Agatha Christie while reading this. I truly enjoyed the flawed main character Shana Merchant and look forward to future books and learning more about her.

**I received an electronic ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

It’s hard to believe this intense thriller is the author’s debut novel! I am very impressed with this locked-room type of mystery. The setting is creepy, the mystery and suspects are chilling, and the lead investigator has a past that is revealed bit by bit, flashback by flashback. The characters are described well, and there are just the right amount of details. It wasn’t long before I was hooked and had a hard time putting the novel down. Death in the Family gives Tessa Wegert a solid foothold in this genre.

Shana is a senior investigator in New York’s Thousand Islands after leaving behind her career as a homicide detective in New York City. She is technically Tim’s superior, even though he has been an investigator in Alexandria Bay for several years. While Sheriff Maureen McIntyre knows of her past, Tim does not. When working on a series of murders in New York, Shana had been kidnapped and held hostage by the killer for over a week, the only one of his victims that he didn’t kill.

Shana and her fiancé, Carson, originally from Alexandria Bay, move there so she can be in a quiet place to recover from her ordeal and he will open a new practice there. Against his wishes, she joined the local police force; A-Bay is known for being free from major crimes.

Until Saturday. A nor’easter came in on Friday. The phone call came from Tern Island, reporting the murder of Jasper Sinclair, one of the grandsons of Camilla Sinclair, owner of the island. Even though they did not find a body, his side of the bed shared with his fiancée was covered in blood. Tim and Shana went to the mansion on the three-acre island in the police boat.

Throughout the day, the storm worsens, keeping other investigators from joining them. This is the first homicide Shana has been on since being abducted and held by her tormenter. Carson, who had been her psychiatrist, is worried and wants her off the island and home. Having grown up in the area, he also warned her about Tim. Tim, the investigator who thinks they are merely dealing with a missing person case. As family members’ emotions escalate from hostile to volatile, Shana has flashbacks to her abduction, which could jeopardize her and everyone there. Then Shana and Tim discover that the police boat and the Sinclair skiff are gone, and another guest dies – this time with the body in evidence.

Shana and Tim meet a fascinating houseful of folks. First is the caretaker, Philip Norton. He makes frequent mention of the trapper who was there the day before trying to get rid of mink in the boathouse. Abby, Jasper’s girlfriend, is on the island for the first time to meet his family. She is from Canada, in NYC on a work visa.

Flynn is the oldest sibling, a muscular man who drinks too much. He is head of finance at Sinclair Fabrics, started by their grandfather many years earlier. Flynn’s younger boyfriend is present, also. Ned met Flynn when Jasper hired him to be the “face” of Sinclair Fabrics. Bebe is the middle sibling and CEO. Her distaste for having Shana and Tim there, and Abby, is clear. Her husband Miles, an attorney, is there with Jade, his teenage daughter from his first marriage. Camilla Sanders, who owns the island, is there, content that her family has joined her before the mansion is closed for the winter.

Jasper recently came to Sinclair Fabrics as director of marketing and PR to try to save the floundering company. In this family of secrets, who could have killed him? Abby, Jasper, and Ned were close friends outside work. Abby disclosed to Shana that the evening before, she saw Ned and Bebe together in the shed, shocked that he would go out on the volatile Flynn, especially with his sister. I am glad to see this is first in a series, as I want to find out more about Shana’s background, the only thing left shadowed at the end of the novel. She is an observant woman who doubts her abilities, especially since her fiancée still believes she isn’t ready to be at work and this kind of case could set her back to the beginning. I couldn’t imagine being in a huge home on a rugged island in a violent storm, unable to leave or get help to come in, with at least one killer. There is motive for at least a couple people on the island to want to kill Jasper, are there others that haven’t yet been raised? Tempers escalate to an explosive denouement in which Shana has to draw on everything she has to try to prevent another death, including her own. I highly recommend this incredible thriller by an amazing new novelist!

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Shana Merchant was abducted by a serial killer while working on a murder case in New York City.  After her escape, she decides to continue her work as a detective but relocates with her fiance to upstate New York. She is hoping the crime work there proves to be less stressful and further her recovery from the trauma. 

Shana and her partner, Tim, receive a call from the wealthy Sinclair family about the disappearance of Jasper Sinclair.  Because of an impending storm, they rush to the family estate to question the family and staff. Upon arrival, they find a considerable amount of blood in Jasper’s bed.  Shana now believes this to be a murder and must figure out who is responsible.

Death In The Family is a debut novel by Tessa Weigert. It is filled with interesting characters, suspense, mystery, and family dysfunction. I loved how the author weaved the protagonist's prior experiences into the current mystery. I am excited that another book in the series is slated for next year.

It has been a few days since I finished reading Tessa Wegert's "A Death in the Family" and I am still on the fence about if I liked it or not. The plot and the mystery itself were not bad, but I didn't really find anything in it that sets it apart from other police procedural/mystery-type books either.

Ah... the whodunit in an isolated place ala Clue style (kudos to the Clue nod within). This was a fun read. Quick paced, everyone is a suspect. A family where everyone is screwed up in some way... god they were some interesting characters! And let's not forget our main character - Shana Merchant. Dannnggggg. I loved getting a little bit of her background without it getting too detailed and convoluted. Tim as her partner was a good one to have as I think they cliqued well together.

Ok, so here's the thing. I could've done without the whole Carlton part. That's just me. Meh. Bye. And the process of elimination by basically calling everyone out got to be a bit tedious. When you end up going "well it was obvious...." … um, was it? Was it really? So while I devoured the majority of the read, towards the end I just wanted to know who it was already!

Will I continue this series. Yeah, I think I definitely will. I'm curious where we will go now. Will we learn a bit more about what exactly happened to Shana in the past? Will another crazy family need their help or underestimate them? I'm definitely curious and I like that Shana has a bit of a wtf streak happening. 

See ya for #2.