Intriguing and captivating story with a strong female lead and a great mix of characters overall. The puzzle of this story had quite a few misleading pieces and that’s why I found myself at times not actually knowing or seeing where the story is moving forward. That being said, it didn’t deter me from enjoying it immensely.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

Someone has been killing women for decades, and the FBI wants Ivy to find out who. It’s someone she’s related to, but as an adoptee, she’s just starting to meet her blood relatives.

Ivy Hon was close with her adoptive parents and brother, but what would it be like to be really biologically related to someone? She hopes it would at least help her figure out her awful health flare-ups, that keep her trapped in her apartment so much of the time. A DNA test seems to be the way to start trying to locate someone with answers, but instead it quickly leads to more questions.

She’s determined to make the trip to visit her biological cousin, but the FBI gives her another reason - they want her to find out which of her biological relatives may be the Full Moon Killer. Someone is on to her task nearly as soon as she arrives. While she wants to know the truth, she’s not sure how much she may need to risk to find it.

This book was full of false leads and dangerous possibilities. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars and was genuinely surprised at some of the revelations (although they all seemed to work out, plot-wise). I’d recommend this book for those who like thrillers, and found-family stories. Ivy learning about the family she may have grown up with was bittersweet, while saying nothing negative about her adoptive family.

A real good page turner, kept me guessing the whole way through, twists at every corner, this author never disappoints ..

Strangers We Know
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 5/1/22
Author: Elle Marr
Publisher: Thomas and Mercer
Pages: 283
Goodreads Rating: 3.86

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Adopted when she was only days old, Ivy Hon knows little about her lineage. But when she’s stricken with a mystery illness, the results of a genetic test to identify the cause attract the FBI. According to Ivy’s DNA, she’s related to the Full Moon Killer, who has terrorized the Pacific Northwest for decades. Ivy is the FBI’s hope to stop the enigmatic predator from killing again. Discovering her mother’s tragic fate and her father’s disappearance is just the beginning. As Ivy ventures into a serial killer’s home territory, she realizes that she may be the next victim of poisonous blood ties.

My Thoughts: The story is mostly narrated by Ivy, with snippets of Ivy’s Birthmother (Tatum) from the 19080’s, and Samson (Mysterious Character until the very end). I absolutely get the serial killer part but the cult? There was just too much going on in this book and I typically like serial killer novels. The FBI did not have as big of a presence as I expected they would with a serial killer. I think if the book focused on Ivy being related to the serial killer, it would have been a great novel. Not that this was bad, just was not what I expected it to be. The ending did answer the millions of questions I had throughout, but I wanted more from this novel. The book builds up the tension throughout but the end feels really rushed. Again, not a bad book, I was just expecting more from it.

How would you like to take a DNA test only to find out you’re related to a serial killer who may strike again soon!?! My heart goes out to Ivy Hon who has lost her adoptive parents and is now suffering from a mysterious illness. She desperately needs some answers but not all answers will be good answers.

I liked this story. I felt it was well written (however, I did find one content error), paced well, and had just enough thrill. There were several parts that had me turning pages in a rush to find out what would happen. There were a few parts where I said "that's a bit far-fetched" but overall it was good and I enjoyed.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy to read and review!

This has a ripped from the headlines feel that will draw you in from the start. Marr takes on the idea of genetic testing and adoption in a new and fresh way. A must read if you like complicated issues.

Elle Marr is back with another thriller, and you know that I had to dive in headfirst (seriously, I didn't even read the description before starting!). Strangers We Know is perfect for those that loved The Missing Sister and Lies We Bury.

Ivy Hon is adopted, a fact that she has always known. She doesn't know much about her biological family – it was a closed adoption when she was only a few days old. It wasn't until she got sick that this became a concern.

Her illness forced her to have a genetic test run. That is eventful enough without having the FBI show up on her door. Her DNA indicates that she is related to the Full Moon Killer, meaning that she is now one of the FBI's few leads.

I feel like the entire basis of Strangers We Know stems from a dark fear many people have. I'm talking about that creeping suspicion that rises anytime somebody talks about one of those DNA/Ancestry tests. You never know what they're going to find, right?

Granted, I think what happens to Ivy is far worse than even our worst fears, or it goes in a different direction. That made for an exciting (and terrifying) read. If I'm being honest, one that was very difficult to put down.

I'll admit that there are a few issues with Strangers We Know. First, it doesn't do a great job sucking readers into the story. The first chapter could have used another round of editing (with maybe a sensitivity reader?).

The pacing was another issue. I usually love it when a book switches perspectives, but there were times when it seemed to slow down the story more than push it along. And trust me, I hate saying that.

I still think Strangers We Know is worth reading, especially for those that love DNA thrillers/horrors. It hits those tones perfectly.

*Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Elle Marr, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Ivy Hon is sitting in a cafe when she is approached by Special Agent Ballo of the FBI. She had used a site online to upload her DNA, as she has been sick for a long time. Ivy is adopted and when asked about her medical history by doctors, she does not know. When Agent Ballo approaches her, it is because her DNA has matched that of a serial killer on the loose in Washington state called the Full Moon Killer, who has terrorized Washington residents for over 30 years.

When Ivy checks the DNA site, she realizes she has a cousin named Lottie. She contacts her and Lottie invites her to Washington to get to know the family she never knew she had. Now that Ivy knows she is related to the Full Moon Killer, she wonders if every person they introduce her to is the murderer. She knows her birth mother, Tatum, is dead. But what she didn't know was that Tatum was another victim of this serial killer.

There are so many elements to this unique storyline. A nefarious cult, a murderous hitchhiker, a jaded and vindictive reporter, and many characters or are not who they seem to be. The characterisations were excellent and every time you thought you knew what was happening; you are thrown another curveball.

I was glued to this book from beginning to end. The action just never stops and Ivy is a very likable character, only searching for the truth.

Strangers We Know by Elle Marr is a mystery for the best of us. I was on the seat of my chair for the whole story.

Will Ivy find out her family's medical history? Will she find that the Full Moon Killer is also part of her family?

Ivy Hon
Ivy was adopted when she was just two days old. Now, both of her adoptive parents are gone and all she has is questions and a brother that she is estranged from. I was rooting for Ivy from the beginning. However, all she could see were her weaknesses and none of her strengths. She isolates herself because she feels unworthy of love. Then she gets the results from her DNA search and she finds a cousin in Washington and Ivy begins to change. She has quite a bit of growth in the couple of weeks that she is in the Pacific Northwest.

However, there is still the fact that the FBI thinks that one of her birth family members is the Full Moon Killer that has been plaguing the area for over thirty years. Who could it be and who could kill her mom as she is believed to be murdered by the Full Moon Killer too? Ivy asks her newly found family some really hard questions and she loses her welcome status. Now she is in the sights of the Full Moon Killer and she has nowhere to run.

The Mystery
We have multiple points of view. Some of them in the past, some in the present. From each point of view, we learn more about the Full Moon Killer's victims. Or do we, they share what is happening to them in those moments but do they know who the Full Moon Killer is? Oh, and the victims are numerous. There are lots of suspects too, but the actual Full Moon Killer caught me completely off guard. I clearly wasn't suspecting it.

Five Stars
My rating for Strangers We Know by Elle Marr is five stars. I was so engrossed in the characters, the plot, and the settings that I couldn't put the book down, and when I did it was in my thoughts constantly. I had to know what happened to Ivy's birth mom Tatum. If you love a good thriller this is one for you. I highly recommend Strangers We Know by Elle Marr.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Strangers We Know by Elle Marr.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

As soon as I picked up this book I thought it was going to be a hit for me because it started off great but I was a little disappointed that the momentum did not continue. At times I did have trouble finishing this book because I felt it dragged out too much. There were several twists which did keep me reading which I am thankful for, but the ending was not very realistic in my opinion. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the copy.

The blurb drew me in but this book was so much more than I expected and I loved it. The characters are complex and compelling. The mystery is twisted and kept me guessing. Some parts are dark and gritty. It's not just a suspense or mystery. It's not just a psychological thriller. It's also a story about family and the ties that bind. It's an excellent read with a great ending. This author is going on my must read list.

Actually I give it a 3.5. I enjoyed Elle Marrs writing style which made it a very easy book to read, but I did feel like the plot got a little convoluted. I'm still trying to get it all straight in my head! I plan on reading more from this author.

Ivy is having medical issues. No doctor can figure out what it is, so she decides to take a DNA test to try to get some answers about her health. An FBI agent finds her and tells her she may be related to a serial killer that has haunted a town for years, and he needs her help.

But then she gets a match, a woman named Lottie, who she seems to be related to. Ivy was adopted when she was two days old, she had no connection to her past, and decides to visit Lottie to try and investigate her families medical history. When she arrives, Ivy realizes she might’ve made a mistake, the Full Moon Killer is active again and someone there wants her to leave. Ivy feels the need to investigate the full moon killings and try to figure out who exactly committed the crimes, because she might just be related to them.

Elle Marr did a fantastic job telling Ivy’s story. I found myself wanting to keep reading and trying to figure out who the killer was along the way, but boy was I wrong. I loved all the turns this story took, and was satisfied with the way the story wrapped up. Definitely the type of story that keeps you wanting more!

This was a slow burn and I had to work hard to stay interested. The plot was a little too disjointed for me and I struggled with some of the plot points. I enjoyed the writing and found the premise interesting. Ultimately, the execution wasn't quite where I needed it to be to stay engaged and I found the story lacking.

This is a thriller about Ivy, an adopted woman who takes a DNA test to help solve a medical mystery and learns she's related to the Full Moon Killer, a serial killer who has reappeared after a thirteen year absence. She travels to the small town in Washington where these killings took place to meet a newly found cousin and uncover just who this killer may be.

This book follows three main viewpoints across multiple timelines, although one of these is completely unecessary and just there for the shock value of a twist that I thought was pretty obvious early on. Thankfully, there are several more twists and turns that surprised me.

It was easy to imagine everything happening in this book, and I could see it being a good television series or movie. I had trouble putting it down and couldn't wait to see what happened next. Overall, this was an entertaining thriller that I would recommend to anyone who looks books about serial killers and cults.

Strangers We know by Elle Marr. I must apologize but I unfortunately DNF'd 25 % through this book. The premise sounded intriguing. But the structure of the writing made it difficult to read. It starts out just the FBI agent of purchasing ivy. There's no setup or background information the characters. Therefore you're not invested in who these characters are and what's going to happen. I was particularly interested in it because there is a connection to the Pacific Northwest which is where I live. I love stories that connect to the area and the region. Especially Mysteries or suspense for backdrop. I really try to push myself with the book but I just couldn't. It's possible that this book isn't just for me. Some people seem to really enjoy it. But for me I just couldn't invest into the story or the characters. The writing was flat and repetitive. There's a saying in writing but I've heard through the years "don't tell me, show me". And I guess I felt like the story was just telling me rather than showing me. I like atmospheric type of writing where I can immerse myself into the story. I've never read this particular author so I would like to try to read some of her other books in the next couple months.

Thank you very much to netgalley and the author for providing me the opportunity to read this ARC. Most sincerely appreciate it.

The search for a serial killer leads a woman into the twisted tangle of her own family tree in a chilling novel by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Missing Sister and Lies We Bury.
Adopted when she was only days old, Ivy Hon knows little about her lineage. But when she’s stricken with a mystery illness, the results of a genetic test to identify the cause attract the FBI. According to Ivy’s DNA, she’s related to the Full Moon Killer, who has terrorized the Pacific Northwest for decades. Ivy is the FBI’s hope to stop the enigmatic predator from killing again.
When an online search connects Ivy with her younger cousin, she heads to rural Rock Island, Washington, to meet the woman. Motivated by a secret desire to unmask a murderous relative, Ivy reaches out to what’s left of a family of strangers.
Discovering her mother’s tragic fate and her father’s disappearance is just the beginning. As Ivy ventures into a serial killer’s home territory, she realizes that she may be the next victim of poisonous blood ties.

This is a brilliant twisty read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own hone\st voluntary review.

A quick read. I thought that was a perk. What I struggled with the lack of organization and things that made sense. The twists were just a let down, and I’m disappointed I didn’t love this book more. I do enjoy this author so try her other books if this one didn’t work for you because they’re great!

Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

PUBLICATION DAY: Available Now!!

Ivy has always known she’s adopted, so when she starts to suffer from a mysterious illness with no apparent cause, she enters her DNA in a family heritage site hoping to gain some insight into her health problems. But she gets a lot more than she bargained for when an FBI agent approaches her and warns her that saw her request and the results show that someone in her family may be a serial killer, the notorious Full Moon Killer. Unable to curtail her curiosity about her biological family, Ivy heads to Rock Island to find out more about her past, and to solve a decades old series of murders?? Anything’s possible!

PROS and CONS:
Really good!! I liked the character of Ivy (and I really like that name!) and her relationship with Lottie. Samson’s chapters are unsettling and mysterious in how they all fit into the story, as well as Tatum’s from the past. It’s a good slow build until the end which I thought wrapped everything up in a very believable way.

READ IT?
It’s a good, solid mystery - if you’re into that, you’ll enjoy it.

4 Stars