Wow what a story! I’m just speechless. I couldn’t magi enough one of my family members doing this. I highly recommend.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: September 1, 2020
Jeff’s mother, Carol, was 24 years old when she passed away after months of a debilitating illness. None of her doctors could (or would) identify what killed her and for years, Jeff and his siblings lived with unanswered questions. Finally, while searching through his grandfathers’ papers after his death, Jeff’s suspicions come to light- his mother was poisoned, and his father was responsible. Due to his years of public service for the government, Jeff’s father was never charged for his mother’s murder, and Jeff discovered many, many layers of governmental cover-ups that kept his father’s secret.
George Blackstock was a diplomat who served across the world, as a representative of Canada. The story starts in Argentina, where young Carol dies. The Blackstock’s are wealthy, well-known and respected throughout the ex-pat and diplomatic community, especially George with his charisma and charm. When Jeff turns to some of George’s friends for answers about Carol’s death, they clam up, hinting at a much wider group of people who knew about Carol’s death and kept it quiet.
A government cover-up is not really surprising (although as a Canadian it is disappointing, it’s not particularly unexpected), regardless of the country. But to think that they went to such lengths to cover up the death of a young woman is appalling. Jeff focused a lot on the government positions, the various figures in government at the time, and all of the high-society gatherings and socials. I would’ve liked more on George as a person, and less on the government functions. I wanted more psychopathology, and less Canadian history.
The chapters were long, each taking place at a different location or time in the narrative, but still particularly entertaining. The ending did not serve justice, in my opinion, but it is a sad and realistic truth. I want to know more about George, from his perspective (although George was unwilling to share what really happened with Jeff, even at the very end so I don’t see that ever happening). I am glad that Blackstock found the answers to his mothers’ strange illness and subsequent death, but I can only imagine the frustration that not being able to get justice would cause. Why Blackstock works in the same field as his father, among the very same departments that chose to cover up his mother’s death, is another question I’d field to the author. Overall, “Murder in the Family” was a tale of government corruption and a father’s secrets that will leave you disturbed and heartbroken.

This book was interesting and intriguing. Cover ups, denial and heartbreak for the adult children to deal with it.
I highly recommend this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.