The Family Secret by Kiersten Modglin

Thank you to @netgalley, @dreamscapemedia, & @kierstenmodglinauthor for the opportunity to listen to this #arcaudiobook in exchange for my honest review! This is available for purchase now as well as on #kindleunlimited.

Recently engaged couple Austyn Murphy and Lowell Bass spring into action when they receive word that Lowell’s parents and heirs to the massive family fortune have passed away unexpectedly. Austyn accompanies Lowell back to his parents’ home mansion. Once Austyn arrives at the Bass mansion she is caught up not only in the grandeur of the home and how it differs from her own life and upbringing but also by its mystique. Will Austyn’s digging land her in trouble she can’t find her way out of?

I couldn’t put this down! I listened on audiobook and I recommend it for those who enjoy audiobooks. I would describe this as The Inheritance Games meets The Family Game. This had the right amount of intrigue, suspense, and payoff. Loved how the intricate web came down all the way back to the spider. Highly recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 - 4.5/5

*2-2.5 stars*

This book was very difficult to get into. I remember looking down at my phone around the first actual plot point and it was 41% of the way through the book. Sure, that's not a long time for a book that's barely 6 hours long, but it felt like an eternity. I actually got busy and had to step away from this book for a little bit and had to re-read the synopsis to even remember anything about it. Ultimately, that's the best description I can come up with for this book: forgettable.

The ending wasn't bad, but the setup was severely lacking. The first 40% of the book centered around the main couple, one of them losing both of their parents, the family house and the family business. I remember wondering repeatedly where the actual story was going to start because so much of the book was setup. The ending was entertaining and fast paced, but also not well directed to for those readers that enjoy piecing things together along the way. All in all, this book felt very 'Lifetime Movie'-esque while trying poorly to be viewed as a blockbuster hit.

This is my second book from this author and I'm pretty sure that she is not an author for me.

This is the first book I have read by Kiersten Modglin, and it had me entertained the whole way through.

Lowell and Austyn are engaged couple when Lowell suddenly loses both of his parents in an accident, which brought them back to his childhood, home, known as “the pond” (because their last name is Bass). Austyn is meeting his family for the first time and is thrown into their world. This is when she stumbles across some skeletons in the family’s closet.

Austyn’s best friend, Emily, has a crisis of her own and comes to stay at The Pond with Austyn. Austyn soon realizes not everything is as it seems, and is trying to piece together a mystery.

This book was very fast paced, which I liked. However, I did find it hard to keep track of certain characters and how they fit into the story. It was very confusing at times.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who was looking for a fun read, with the caveat that you really have to pay CLOSE attention, and it may be helpful to keep a written list of who people are in the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape media for allowing me to listen to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review

I was on the edge of my seat throughout this mystery. For the longest time I wasn’t sure what was going to happen and the suspense kept me going. I listened to this within 24 hours because I didn’t want to stop!

I was pleased with the big reveal and with the events leading to the ending.

I received an advanced audio copy. All thoughts are my own.

Newly engaged austyn and lowell go to Lowell's family estate after receiving news that his parents have died. While there, Austyn receives a call from her best friend Emily, who has some devastating news herself. When Emily comes to spend time at the estate, things go crazy. Everyone seems to be holding onto some pretty deep secrets, and Austyn has to clue who to trust...if anyone.

In true Modglin fashion, this is another fun, fast paced and twisty book that you can easily finish in just a couple of sittings.

My fave of hers is The Arrangement, but this one is a close second!

I listened to this as an audiobook.
There are times I felt the narrator was kind of mehhh… not saying it was bad but just mehh okay, but the story was engaging.
It isn’t as complex as other domestic thrillers but it has a plot that keeps you curious.
It was a fast paced book, Coz I was listening on this one while having a slow day at work and little did I know it was done.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars

Quick audio book but found the last 30 minutes too much for me.

Narration was well done.

4⭐️ 1🌶️

Another twisty, turny win for KMod. She always keeps me guessing right until the end and as usual, I was hooked from the very beginning. Trying to guess the bad guys in a house full of professional liars is never an easy task and when you enter the mind of KMod, all bets are off. Nothing is ever as it seems in her world and while my original theories of course did not pan out, they were replaced by even crazier things that had me gasping and screaming. The ultimate resolution was so well played out and I loved the little flash forward we got to show the direction all our characters were going following the major climax of the book.

KMod usually writes characters that I absolutely love to hate but I did struggle a little bit with Austyn in this one. She was so naive and a lot of the plot was furthered by the miscommunication trope or her utter desire to keep herself in the dark which was a little frustrating to me. The rest of the characters absolutely sold the show though and our main villain was even more depraved than I could have initially imagined.

I listened to this one on audio and while I think it was narrated well overall, there were a few times that the MMC’s last name was pronounced incorrectly (Bass like the instrument rather than the fish, whom of course The Pond was named for), which was a little disappointing. Other than that, however, I think she did an excellent job and I would definitely listen to something she narrated again in the future.

I love this author and I really liked this book, but it just wasn't twisty enough for me and the garden shed sex scene sent me over the edge a bit. Just a bit nutty for my taste. I do think it was very entertaining and I was definitely waiting and anticipating all the family secrets that were uncovered.

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and the Publishers for this advanced reader's copy for an honest review.

The tale of a family that is recovering from trauma. Their trauma is multi layered and each layer leads to more trauma Lowell becomes head of the Bass family and with that comes the The Pond. The family estate is massive and filled with family secrets. Modglin is brilliant in the speed of her plot and the detail that fills this storyline. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc.

This book was underwhelming while also being ridiculously over-the-top dramatic. For the majority of the book it seemed like pretty standard domestic thriller with nothing really exceptional differentiating it. When the twists finally came, they were not very shocking. The climax of the book had me giggling and rolling my eyes rather than gasping in disbelief.

Another solid KM read. Seriously, her books are so good and she just keeps pumping them out.

I really loved all of the characters and instantly liked Dallas.

I also felt like my head was spinning right along with Austyn as she was trying to figure out what on earth was up with Lowell, the pond and Emily.

The Bass family is a force to be reckoned with…you don’t want to get on their bad side.

There were several twists that were fun to see play out and unravel.

This was a good time and I definitely recommend checking it out.

In the book The Family Secret, author Kiersten Modglin writes about Lowell Bass and his fiancee Austyn Murphy as they receive the news that Lowell’s parents suddenly died. The couple now travels to the Bass estate to handle the family affairs. And suddenly, family secrets and tension between Lowell and his brother and sister begin to come out. Now Austyn’s friend Emily calls with devastating news of her possible divorce. But what is really going on? And is Emily really a good friend? And who can Austyn trust in the family that is full of secrets?
This was a good story that kept you guessing till the end. There was a few holes in the story line but overall it was good. The audio-book narration was very good. I would recommend this book. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley & Dreamscape Media for providing me with The Family Secret audiobook!

Summary: This story follows Austyn. She is engaged to Lowell whose parents recently passed away. They go to the Bass estate (Lowell's parents) "The Pond" to review what happened and the inheritance with Lowell's other siblings. Lowell is to take over the family business and the estate, he wants Austyn to marry him to continue the Bass business and legacy. However, things are not what they seem.

What I liked: Kiersten's thrillers are quick and easy stories, this one I could listen to within a day or two.

What I disliked: The naming convention for this story is cheesy and distracting from the main story. The characters were a bit dramatic and unlikable with every action; it was odd some of the things they said and did at times....especially at the end with Lowell, Dallas, and Austyn. I thought the story would be more about what happened to the parents, but the direction changed a few times which is nice for twists but the direction the whole story went to in the end was off-point for me. The explanation of the family members going back generations could be confusing, especially in an audiobook.

Narration: This book is narrated by Jennifer Sun Bell. I felt like she did great for the most part. I only wished her pauses between sentences were not there. It could have been more fluid when speaking.

Overall I give this story 3 stars. It was a quick and simple story if you don't want something long.

Amazing audiobook it’s a domestic mystery that will keep you guessing. I had actually no idea what the secrets were until the very end when they revealed them! Lots of twists to keep you intrigued throughout the book. A chaotic family with a crazy history that you will never see coming. Loved the characters and loved that you didn’t know who to trust. Looking forward to reading another by the author! Keep up the good storytelling!

The Family Secret
Kiersten Modglin
Lowell Bass and Austyn Murphy have been dating for at least seven years and have recently become engaged. They live in Nashville where Austyn owns a bakery. When Lowell receives word of his parents unexpected death, he and Austyn head to The Pond (the name of the Bass estate) in California. Lowell is now the head of the family. The Bass family are not what Austyn was expecting. The house seems cold and unwelcoming. Lowell has two siblings, Dallas and Fallon. Fallon is married with children. Dallas and Austyn feel the physical connection from the first time they meet. Austyn receives a call from Emily, a friend from college; they haven’t seen each other in three years. Emily is asking for help. Lowell suggests they invite her to come to The Pond for a while. Austyn overhears something making her wonder if Emily and Lowell are having an affair. Lowell wants to move up the wedding date to about a month off and then wants to move it to the following weekend. Things are not as they seem in the Bass home. There are secrets that someone is determined will never see the light of day.
The plot of The Family Secret had some surprises. It took me a bit to figure out certain parts of the story line. The characters lack depth. The attraction between Dallas and Austyn was ridiculous; they acted more like they were fifteen years old than grown adults. There is a scene taking place in the woodshed (toward the end of the book) that was not well done at all! I found this book disappointing. It had great potential but fell short.

I am a big fan of Kiersten Modglin, and she continues to churn out engaging, fast paced thrillers that leave you guessing. I listened to the audio version of this book, and the voices alternating voices from narrator Jennifer Sun Bell does a very good job differentiating between who is talking. This story is full of family drama, and reads almost like a who dun it. There a couple of ways you think the story is going to go, and then Modglin completely rips that away from you and smacks you in the face with an even bigger twist.

I enjoyed this book although it had undertones of another psychological thriller that I have read before. I enjoyed the narrator and it was easy to follow along. A rather quick read. I would have also preferred less vulgar language, but that's just my preference. The twists at the end were pretty good.

I've read quite a few "looking back through someone's journal" mysteries in the past year, and am wondering if this is going to be a thing for a while now. I hope not, because while it might be a useful tool for the author, it can often be a tiresome thing for a reader. Writing a "found diary" so that it unfolds exactly what and when it needs to, while still sounding genuine, is something I have yet to find, not even here.

I love Kiersten Modglin's novels, because they are always fast, compelling and hold my interest. That is true with The Family Secret, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Did it get outrageous at times, completely dispelling my immersion in the drama? Sure, but I like riding that rollercoaster, even if it tosses me out sometimes. I'm here for the thrill, not necessarily the believability.

As for the narration, there were a couple mispronunciations, where the narrator clearly stumbled over the words she was trying to say. They really should be re-recorded, as time permits.

💰 A L C • R E V I E W 💰
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Title: The Family Secret 
Author: Kiersten Modglin 
Rating: 4.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Happy pub week to the audio release of Kmods newest release - The Family Secret!
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KMod never fails to grip me right from the start of one of her books. This was no different. I loved how this one was told from Austyn, the main characters POV, after returning to her fiances home after a sudden loss in the family. Immediately the vibes seemed off about the Bass family and I was hooked, I needed to know exactly what they were hiding. Loved the epistolary portion of this one (don’t want to say more without giving anything away).
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The Family Secret has the most perfect twists. I appreciated where she went with this one. The ending was pretty intense which is exactly how I prefer my endings. Never saw that ending coming though I had a bunch of different ideas as to what I thought was going on. Love that this kept me guessing throughout the entire book!
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Overall this one is enticing from the start, will keep you entertained and then have you panting by the end. With this fast paced thriller youll be able to binge read this in a matter of one or two sittings.
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Huge thank you to @kiersten @libro and @netgalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. The audio was just released this week, so if you’re looking for a quick bingeable thriller - look no further! 
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#netgalley #netgalleyalc #librofminfluencerprogram #alc #advancedlistenerscopy #kmod #kmodsquad #queenoftwists #familysecrets #missingjournal #whototrust #familyinheritance #thefamilysecret #kierstenmodglin