Cover Image: The Other Family

The Other Family

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Member Reviews

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. SPOILERS.

I LOVE a book without a resolution and this one sure packs a punch.

Nora’s husband Keith is being transferred to New York for work but only temporarily so it’s important they find the perfect apartment for them and their two daughters, Stacey and Piper. 104 Glover is a beautiful Brooklyn brownstone, fully furnished, and just right for the Howells. Until their neighbors break the news: their house was once the site of a grisly triple murder. The entire Toska family had been wiped out, presumably by a contract killer who was never caught and now the Howells are living in a house that has stood empty for over 25 years, since the day the family was annihilated.

The move to New York was supposed to be a fresh start for Nora and her husband Keith but now their eldest daughter, typically quiet and anxious, is claiming that someone is watching her from the roof of the shed across the way, a pair of binoculars trained on Stacey’s window which once belonged to the youngest member of the Toska family, daughter Anna. It’s also bringing up memories for Nora, memories of an ill advised trip to Mexico about which she lied to her husband, and memories of what’s left of her family.

It isn’t long before it becomes clear that this isn’t the first time Nora has been inside 104 Glover. In fact she knows the house far better than she has ever let on. Digging up a metal box in the backyard filled with mementos of who the Toska family once were: Nora’s real family.

I don’t know if Wendy Corsi Staub is setting us up for a sequel where more will be revealed, but for the moment the lack of resolution and mess of loose ends is delicious and unexpected in such a fantastic way.

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The Other Family is a good premise that just didn't quite connect with me. Nora and her family just moved to New York and soon learn that their home was the location of a triple murder. It bounces around in POV quite a bit and weirdly I had a hard time keeping up with all the characters. I thought the thriller element was good but left some unanswered questions.

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Oh, I liked this one!

Major family drama mixed with so much suspense.

I have to admit that I kind of hated some of the characters, but their secrets weren't exactly what I expected and that was a nice surprise.

The overall secret thing became obvious a bit before the author intended, I think, but was still handled well.

A fun beach read!

*ARC via Publisher

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I've been a huge fan of Wendy Corsi Staub's work for years, so when I saw The Other Family was available for request, I smashed that request button--rightfully so. From the intriguing synopsis to the eerie cover, this had Perfect Spooky Season read written all over it, and I was thrilled to be approved.

When Nora moves from California to Brooklyn with her handsome husband, two daughters, and dog, she's ready for a new chapter. They seem to have a beautiful life, but there's a darkness beneath the surface, and as they get settled into their new home, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep it at bay. Nora unearths a mysterious box. Stacy becomes obsessed with an old murder, and someone is watching them.

I loved this book.

From page one, this is a gripping story. The narrative voices were distinct and well-executed, and while I didn't have a favorite, I appreciated the POV changes because each chapter added depth to the characters and maintained the subtle tension strung out beneath the unraveling events. Unreliable in a quiet way, each POV gives us a reason to question what exactly is going on with this family, a masterful portrayal of unnerving conflict. You don't get blood and guts and in-your-face murder, but that doesn't make the prose any less unsettling, and I think many readers will be engrossed by the voyeuristic, edge-of-your-seat structure.

Full of twists and wrought with secrets, The Other Family is definitely going to be a 2022 must-read. Add it to your TBRs now and thank me later.

Big thanks to William Morrow and Custom House for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration,

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When Nora's husband's job takes him to New York for year, they decide to move the entire family. It'll be good for the kids to have an experience outside of Los Angeles, right? But the house they rent holds dark secrets, and someone is watching. Great for fans of psychological suspense and unreliable narrators.

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Sadly, this just didn't do much for me. And the ending only led to more questions. Half the characters felt like fillers who the reader was maybe supposed to "suspect"? But really they served absolutely no purpose. Not horrible writing, just wasn't a great plot and then characters were very flat.

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Great psychological thriller with a twist! This books was one of my favorite reads so far. Wonderful haunting thriller that stays with you even after you finish it. Thanks to netgalley and HarperCollins for an ARC.

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I have been a huge fan of this author for quite some time. This story didn't have any shocks for me as I guessed the plot twists pretty easily. The writing for the most part was good but I didn't like how things ended abruptly with Lennon and Stacey, and I wasn't keen on how Juno was so pushy when it came to Nora. The plot was good with some legitimate twists but I didn't find the characters very likeable.

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Wow, this may be one of my top reads this year! Definitely one that pulls you in immediately and keeps you sitting on the edge of your seat, flipping pages, praying for the ending to come, but dreading the ending coming as well! Brilliantly written, with fantastic character development, and many underlying themes! Quite intense, thrilling, chilling, and shocking! A must read for those whom live psychological thrillers and all the components your crave! Definitely highly recommend! Think it’ll be a top seller when released!

Will make sure to buzz around platforms and use top Amazon reviewer number on release!

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Great story. Loved the build up and drama to the twist. Basic thriller but I enjoyed it and would recommend. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC copy!

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One of the best thrillers I've read lately, and definitely recommend purchasing this book!
The story is really unique and different, we follow the life of a new family who moved to New York to start a new life, but we don't know why. We know right away that wife has secrets and are left to wonder what is she hiding.
Twists were unexpected but not too surprising, I worked out the storyline in the middle of the book, minus little details.
The only thing that's missing, is an epilogue. I would love to know what happened to Nora and if she explained everything to the family. Also, the neighbors' storyline feels a bit cut off and I want to know more, why they are so pushy and how would it end with Lennon.

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First I’d like to thank NetGalley, @williammorrowbooks and @customhousebooks for the ARC of this book.

I read the premise and NEEDED to read this book, and I was not disappointed. If you’re into a family drama, different POV’s and a whole lot of mystery, this book is for you!

A family moves from LA, to NYC and finds this cute little house in the suburbs - what they soon realize is that their cute home was the crime scene of a triple homicide, 25 years ago.

Some things are meant to be found out and some things are meant to stay hidden.

I’m giving this book a 4.5 ⭐️ rating ONLY because some of the chapters were a little bit difficult to follow, I truly think that’s only because I read the e-book copy.

I wish the author didn’t end it so abruptly, but that leaves it open for a SEQUEL!?

Go get this book when it releases January 18, 2022!

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The Howell family has just moved into 104 Glover Street. They think this will be a fresh start in a beautiful new place. However, this house has a dark history. From the Victorian memento mori photograph hanging in the entryway to the triple murder 25 years ago, the families who have lived here have not received happy endings.
But one member of the family knew about the house's dark past before moving in and someone else has spent a lifetime watching the house. When all the long buried secrets about this house come to light, the Howells may just be its next victim.

I've been reading Wendi Corsi Staub since the 90s. Her books have always been a guilty pleasure of mine. And The Other Family reminds me why I love her so much. The story is told from the perspectives of Nora, her daughter Stacey and a strange man named Jacob who has been watching 104 Glover Street for the past 25 years. Right from the beginning, you know someone is off with these characters, but you can't quite put your finger on what. As more of the story unfolds, so does the unease with these characters.
I really liked how this played out. I found the ending to be a bit predictable, however, it that didn't deter my enjoyment of this book.

If you're a longtime fan of Staub or a Lisa Jewell fan, I definitely recommend this book.

Trigger Warning: There is some child abuse but nothing graphic.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I found this book to be very intriguing. I love a good mystery/thriller with a lot of twists and turns.

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WOW! Who doesnt love a thriller that you can not predict?

I knew early on the secrets and twists would be juicy but I don't think I could have ever anticipated it would be THAT JUICY!!!!!!!

I have always been a huge Wendy Corsi Staub, fan. She will forever be an auto-buy author for me. Although I was given the opportunity to read and review The Other Family, I will certainly be buying myself a copy when it publishes on January 18, 2022. This is the perfect novel to read with a book club as there is just SO much to talk about !!!

Stacy and Piper can not be more different but you can still see how much these two sisters love each other. I think I connected most with Stacy, although I typically gravitate toward characters that are similar to me (piper) . Stacy had so many layers, once you started peeling them back you realize the tough exterior is just a front and shes just a typical insecure high school senior looking for where she fits in.

Nora is a whole other story. I just didnt like her from the beginning. Even early on I knew she had secrets that could destroy her family.

Jacob straight up scared me. The stalkerish behavior had me looking over my shoulder.

This book is just so much more than a thriller. I would also say it is definitely a bit scary and has a horror feel to it (guys sitting on shacks with binoculars staring in a window at you)

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. I will be recommending this book for my book club as well as recommending it to anyone who will listen to me go on and on about how amazing this was and how i did not see the twist coming!

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I was really rooting for this book. I loved the Brooklyn setting and the descriptions of the house, but the story didn't match with my expectations from the summary. Multiple perspectives are tricky to pull off, and they didn't work for me in this case. However, there were a lot of great elements to this book, and I would definitely try something else by the author.

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Nora Howell, her husband, and two teenage daughters are leaving their home in California and moving to Brooklyn. Nora's husband's job required the move, but the whole family is looking forward to a fresh start. They find the perfect place to live...perfect except for the fact there was an unsolved triple homicide in the home years ago. As strange things start to happen in the house secrets begin to rise to the surface.

This book was very interesting. I enjoyed the characters and the overall mystery. The twists, turns, and alternating viewpoints kept me guessing until the end. The only thing I didn't care for were the characters that made up the family that lived down the street. They were all supremely annoying. I thought their overbearingness would eventually be of value to the plot, but as it turned out they added nothing to the story. That aside I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it for lovers of thrillers.

I was given this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for this ARC.

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This book is very intriguing. I love the dark spooky setting of New York with the park and the subways. I enjoyed reading about the family that moves into the house and how their lives intertwine with the other family. This mystery is told from several points of view and this keeps the reader guessing.

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This was an interesting story, though the ending fell a little short for me. It focuses on a family who moves into a home where another family was murdered 25 years prior. Nora and Keith, along with their 2 teenaged daughters, move from CA to NY for Keith's job. They are dealing with some marital drama and hope that the change of scenery will help them get back to a healthy place. The story is told from various POVs, alternating between Nora and oldest daughter Stacey, with some chapters narrated by a character named Jacob, whose backstory the reader does not yet know.

There is tension throughout the book, which makes it very fast paced. The chapters are short and I raced through them. You are trying to figure out what role Jacob plays, what secret Nora is keeping, and what is going on with Stacey's new boyfriend, Lennox, who is clingy and jealous. There were multiple red herrings and some good twists, the primary one in which I figured out early, but others that were a surprise. There were a couple things I found to be a bit unrealistic, but not enough to hinder my enjoyment.

The ending, however, didn't do it for me. It was abrupt and also left many questions still unanswered. I guess some of the tertiary storylines were written to detract attention from the primary story and provide the reader some uncertainty about what is really going on, but I found it unsatisfying that these loose ends were not tied up when the book ended. Until that point, I was pretty much all in.

All in all, I liked the book and found it to be a tense and fast-paced read; I just wished I liked the ending better. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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The Other Family by Wendy Corsi Staub
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Holy man . This book was absolutely brilliant.
My only complaint would be that I didn't feel satisfied with how Stacey ended it with Lennox ! I wish there was some closure on it. But other than that . I can confirm this is my first 5 star this #september2021

The story of a family who move across country, as if things arent hard enough, after this strenuous move. From California to New York. This is a whole new world . But then they meet their neighbors, and find out that their new beloved home isn't as perfect as they once thought. Now weird things are happening. Dark secrets are coming to light and no one is who you think they are. Remember. Trust NO ONE . In this fast paced , page turning novel .. you definitely can't trust anyone . But the secrets revealed will shock you . Thats my warning to you . DONT. TRUST. NO. ONE .

What and absolutely enthralling, captivating read . I will definitely be seeking out more from this author!
Thank you to @netgalley , @harpercollins and @wendycorsistaub for letting me read this #arccopy

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