The Lighthouse siblings... don’t come from your average family. Homeschooled on crime scenes and serial killers in an attempt to prepare them for the outside world (gee, thanks mom 🙄) could anyone be surprised when they all run as far as possible from their childhood home? The siblings return for dads funeral: well most of them. Andy, the youngest son, disappeared 10 years prior leaving only a mysterious runaway note. However, when prepping Dads plot for the burial, a body is found. 😳 who is it? Why are they buried in the plot destined for Daniel Lighthouse? And where the eff is Andy?!

Friends, I devoured this book. I PERSONALLY accused at least 7 different characters of awful, awful crimes (sorry Fritz). The twists in this story were wonderful; some I expected but others shocked me. The way the author weaves in real life victims, that any Crime Junkie or Murderino would recognize, was exciting and fun. (Have you ever called a book about murder “fun”? 😂)

Overall, I highly recommend if you love a goooood, dark thriller. Releases on August 17, 2021.

WOW. This mystery, full of suspense and an underlying sense of unease, was truly excellent. I love when a mystery goes a little more in depth into backstory or family dynamics - and this did both, perfectly. Dahlia and all of her family members were captivating in their own ways, and each uniquely haunted by their unusual upbringing and the horrors that had happened so close to their home. I've found myself thinking about each of the characters (though I have to admit, I've though of Dahlia and Charlie the most) in the days since I finished the story. I can't stop thinking about how well this story was written, and how masterfully the author weaved the twists in among the Lighthouse family and its drama.

Megan Collins has written a suspenseful mystery that reads much like the Addams Family. The children are schooled in murder lore and live on a island in a house dubbed the Murder House by the locals. Very ookey and spooky.

A good read except that the twist was revealed much too early causing the story is drag near the end. Reading the book did spark an intense internet search spree on the murders included in the story.

I do appreciate the opportunity to read this early. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The true crime aspect of this novel really drew me in initially. I very much appreciated the sinister and unsettling plot and setting. The family dynamic was masterfully presented, but the twist was revealed much too early and severely jumped the gun.

Following this disclosure, I struggled to continue and sadly found the remainder of the book to be a bit underwhelming.

I rate it 3.5 stars but also acknowledge that many other reviewers absolutely loved this book. I recommend giving it a read for yourself.

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This will be in stores on August 17, and you’re going to want to grab your own copy.

I enjoyed this book. It kept me coming back for more—I finished it in two sessions. I did find the family dynamics a bit unrealistic, but on the whole that didn’t keep me from needing to know what would happen next.

Dahlia and her family have never been normal. Her mother surrounded them with murder victims, and raised them to become experts in everything having to do with murderers. Dahlia, her twin brother Andy, and her older brother and sister were homeschooled in their creaky old home, kept away from the locals with only each other for company. They had all been named for murder victims, while their mother’s murder curriculum had them memorizing death poses and serial killer facts. Everything in their lives revolved around real murders and murderers. Dahlia felt she had a special closeness with Andy because he was her twin, so was devastated when he ran away the day they turned sixteen. She spent three years waiting for him before she moved off the island.

Though it had been 10 years since she’d left, Dahlia had never given up searching for Andy. When her father died unexpectedly, the siblings reunited. When their father’s plot was opened everyone was shocked to find Andy’s bones in the gravesite, murdered by an ax wound to the head. Dahlia is desperate to find out who killed him but, the more she searches for suspects, the more mysteries she uncovers.

As Dahlia works her way through her memories and a list of suspects, it becomes clear that many people could have killed Andy. She also begins to realize she didn’t know Andy as well as she’d thought, because he’d kept his own set of secrets. Collins carefully doled out secrets for each page of this whodunit. I was shocked when his killer was finally revealed, because I did NOT see it coming!

Recommended for Adults.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Lighthouse family lives on Blackburn Island. The four children were named after murder victims and were homeschooled with a crime curriculum.

This sets the stage for this novel. It was written well enough to keep me reading to see where it was going, but the story just wasn't for me. I appreciate the fact that it is a unique read, but it was very weird. All the characters were strange and all had issues.

I appreciate Netgalley and Atria for allowing me to read and review this book.

I want to preface this review by saying Charlie is one of my favorite characters ever - only because his sarcasm and dark humor reminded me soooo much of David Rose from Schitt’s Creek. It was a dark and serious book, but anything from Charlie made me smirk. I’d be happy to hear more from his loud and messed up life.

That being said, Megan Collins does it again. I have read all of her books, and each one has been this deliciously gothic atmospheric beauty. I can always find myself in the environment she creates, and it adds so much to the story.

This is a solid thriller about a family whose homeschool curriculum is based on the expansive history of serial killers. It’s a neat perspective. We all like to armchair sleuth, but getting to read about a family who honors slain victims is a unique perspective.

I HIGHLY recommend this one. For such a dark subject matter, it was a fun read. I realize that sounds morbid, but you’d be lying if you told me you never looked up crime scene photos. Okay, maybe not a liar, just a little too normal lol. Read this!

This book was incredibly creepy and a thriller I could not put down - will definitely be recommending it to library patrons!

To be honest, there wasn’t much expectation riding on this. I didn’t even request it originally when it came up on Netgalley. I read the author’s previous book Winter Sister and found it thoroughly mediocre. But then the publisher sent the direct link and I was like, oh why not, it is, after all, such a nice cover. And what do you know…second time’s the charm. This book was a dramatic improvement upon its predecessor. The writing, the plotting, the character development…all so many levels up, you’d think you were in a different video game altogether. I certainly wouldn’t have attributed both books to the same author without knowing that to be the case. I mean, maybe the overly emotional ending showed some similarities, but that’s about it.
So, here’s something new and original to set this book above the homogeneous sea of same sort of thriller. This is a story of a family obsessed with true crime. And sure, true crime is a national obsession, even SNL just spoofed the neverending murder docuseries trend, but this family is extra crazy about it. It’s really their mother’s obsession, but since she’s the one with the finances to raise her family in a sort of minicult of six on a secluded island in an isolated mansion, that’s exactly what she did. People with money, right…Anyway, so this (let’s call it like it is, the book doesn’t seem to) lunatic of a woman marries a man of her dreams who seems to do nothing but hunt and they make four babies, two close in age older siblings and a younger set of twins. Their place that looks like a giant shrine to murder victims, the kids are all named after famous murder victims and they live on an island that has famously had a never apprehended serial killer. Not quite normal, is it…no small surprise the kids bail out as soon as they become of age and get their inheritance. But one of them has never come back. And his devastated twin has spent the last decade trying to find him.
Now their father’s death brings the family together once again and a body is found in the family plot. And with those bones, many tragic and ugly secrets from the past get unburied also. Slowly, but inexorably, the Lighthouses, the family who lived for so long in the dark and ritualistically worshipped it from a safe distance, will find just how close the darkness has always been.
This worked well on many levels. From an authentically creepy original premise to excellent representation of the variously mentally scarred characters (and it stands to mention again how normalized the mother was in this novel, considering, WTF) to the expertly sustained suspense. For a while there were several credible culprits and you really had to work to try to figure it out.
The things that didn’t work perfectly were few. The main reveal comes (not too surprisingly) at about 75%, which is pretty early on and creates for a too long of a denouement. Although there was one last great twist thrown in in the last 25% to make it worth it. The ending did get slightly too sentimental, considering how messed up the rest of the story is, but it worked. I liked the way it played around in the morally grey zone, instead of confirming to the rigidity of black and white moral presets.
So yeah, good, almost great even. This novel goes as dark as you’d want from a work of psychological fiction, with a positively gothic scenery and a clever commentary on the national obsession. It was entertaining, exciting and fun. I enjoyed it very much. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

This book was unique and different and I liked that about it. The characters were interesting and I do like the way the author pulled the story together at the ending.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I was invited by netgalley to read this book and leave a review. Wow this was a really good suspenseful mystery. Talk about a dysfunctional family!!! I had a hard time putting this one down. Most of the characters creeped me out, and the storyline was quite disturbing but it was a definite page turner! I highly recommend this one if you like mystery/thriller books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Please visit my Goodreads or Instagram account to read more of my reviews.
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the_book.look
THE FAMILY PLOT by Megan Collins
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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Mini synopsis: Who is the Blackburn serial killer? This book takes you on a crazy journey of one strange, murder - obsessed family's desire to find the killer in their small town. And he/she might be closer than they think.
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This book is for fans of true crime and the Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered podcast! True murderinos, this is for you! I liked the action and details in this plot! Also, the family drama, dynamics, and batty characters are an added bonus.
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Overall, I felt like this book didn't fully develop. I was waiting for a big twist and plot development that just didn't happen. This book was disappointingly predictable, yet the quirky family stuff helped compensate. This wasn't a heart-stopping thriller for me, but still worth the recommendation.
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Check this one out this August! Thanks @netgalley for my copy!

Twisty and maybe a little predictable but an enjoyable read.

This story is a little disturbing but crazy. There are so many ways to tell you to read this story but be weary of some aspects that are questionable. I guess there are people that live like they do in the book. Then again there are people who love way worse lives.

My son better be happy I’m not teaching him all about serial killers and their victims. I just have him watch all of the fiction and nonfiction crime drama/serial killer stuff I watch.

The Family Plot is an EXPLOSIVE and addicting read. From page one I was drawn in with the uniquie beginning. As most of us are, I am a serial killer aficionado, so they characters names were AMAZING. This book is creepy, dark, intense an absolutely enthralling read, that I found myself up until about 3am with the lights on. The family dynamic in this book is so insane, and the psychological thriller aspect of this read is uncanny, and Megan Collins is now an official autobuy author for me.

While the plot twist is revealded quite early I still enjoyed the book, as it does contain one more great twist that is artfully put together. The town thinks the whole family is weird, and there are rumors, and whispers about the whole family. Four siblings living in a secluded mansion in a town where an infamous serial killer has gone without being caught, and with their mom and da,d who are more interested in re-enacting death scenes, and studying crime scenes. The children are patiently waiting for their inheritance to leave the Island, and escape thr rumors. Dahlia was hesitant to leave, she has been waiting for Andy to return after he leaves when he and his father fall out.

When Andy's body is discovered where their dad is going to be buried, Dahlia is left reeling. Her twin, and her link is gone. Everyone is a suspect, and the answer will leave readers reeling!

The Family Plot is aa 5 star thriller, that will send a shiver down your spine, and make you look at your siblings a little closer.

Thank you to ATRIA books and Netgalley for the Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review!

Who is buried in the family plot?

Megan Collins always knows how to keep you turning the pages. This new book keeps you intrigued while using lots of references to serial killers and mass murderers.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc to review.

4.92 stars

The family plot follows Dahlia as she goes back home to bury her father. The lighthouses are not an ordinary family, they are eccentric, home schooled, lived isolated from the rest of the world and obsessed with true crime. The lighthouse children had no say in their upbringing, and it’s no surprise that they all have left home and kept out of touch for a decade.

Dahlia’s twin, Andy, ran away from home. At least that’s what they thought until they found his body, skull split open with an ax, when they dig the grave for the patriarch’s body. One last thing – The lighthouse’s island is also home to a serial killer who has never been found. Was Andy the last victim of the killer?

Megan Collins wrote not only a great mystery that appeals to any true crime, mystery and thriller lovers, but she really excelled in creating her characters. To me, this book almost read as a character study and/or contemporary at the same time that it read as a brilliant thriller.

The Lighthouse’s family dynamic was tense. As the events develop you can feel each character’s angst, hurt, anxiety, frustration, internal conflict. You can feel as they are slowly forced to breakdown all the lies they told themselves and each other.

I am a mother and I kept thinking of my son throughout the whole book, as the release date is his birthday. Not only that how can you not love a mystery/thriller book that entertains you AND makes you evaluate your own life? That’s a winner in my opinion. As a parent, you always make the decision you think it’s right for your children, and you’re so invested, you are unable to see when you’re actually causing more hard than good. I feel so much empathy for mama Lighthouse, my heart aches for her. I finished this book in tears and in deep thought. I think I was quiet for a good 5 mins.

I feel that Collins delivered a superb book with amazing characters, atmosphere, an original plot, a unique family, and a satisfying execution. After this book, I ordered Collins previous works, and I can’t wait to read them! This was a fictional true crime masterpiece.

I am so grateful to Megan Collins, Atria Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Family Plot ahead of its release in exchange for an honest review.

#thefamilyplot, #Netgalley,

Well another creepy and very disturbing family. Megan Collins really does have a way of making even the obvious story have enough of a twist that you're like "wait. What?!" I always feel slightly claustrophobic when I read her books and I know that's the intent. This one actually could've even been creepier given the premise. Fascinating that she rarely gets into the psychology of the predator but does focus on the victims instead.

I literally just finished this book. Ive read it in one sitting and im shook. Im utterly speechless. I am in live with this book and might be my favorite book of this year. It wowed me from thr vwry star and had me on the edge of my seat. I didnt see that climax coming at all. The plot is original and cant wait to read more from this author i would definitely recommend this to everyone.

I was drawn to this book by the mentions of a family that was raised with true crime, not just knowing about it, but literally raised on it. Named after it, home schooled on it, exiled because of it. Dahlia hasn't been home in years since her twin brother disappeared but returns home for her father's funeral. Her brother's body is discovered buried in the family plot. Was he a victim of the serial killer that haunted that area?
Well, I really wanted to like this book. But it was SO predictable. It was painful to finish it, it could have been better. Not often do I have a plot solved when I start a book, which is why I love mysteries - they keep me guessing. But this one didn't.