This book was a little confusing. It jumped around a lot and I wasn’t sure how all of the different stories would end up coming together but it did! It reads like YA which I don’t usually enjoy but this book kept pulling me in. I wasn’t sure I would finish it, it seemed to start a little slow but then something else would happen and I couldn’t put it down. I gave it 5 stars because it is a good story and kept me guessing.

Garner has quickly become an auto read author for me. Her first book absolutely knocked my socks off and this one was no different. I actually messaged the author on instagram (we’re mutuals) to tell her how shocked I was by it. Highly recommend

Title: The Family Inside
Author: Katie Garner
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing – MIRA
Pub Date: January 28, 2025
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 336

Iris Blodgett a grieving widow and is trying to support herself as well as her eighteen year old e daughter Ellory. The struggle is real and her is debt is mounting since she is recently and unemployment and ends up living in her car.
Hugh Smoll is an architect who cares about her. He suggests she and Ellory stay in his mother’s old mansion Ravencliff that is in need of renovation. Since she is homeless it sounds better than her current situation.
When Iris and Ellory arrive at Ravencliff, it appears Hugh’s siblings are also living there.
The old mansion seems to be filled with secret rooms as well as family secrets.
Additionally Ellory has a secret as she is seeing a mysterious boyfriend.

I started to really struggle with this story as it became so disjointed.
However, I read enough thrillers that I know to hang in there that all will be resolved.

True the ending clarified it but it truly was bizarre.
When I finished I said out loud - "Author Katie Garner certain is a clever writer!!"

Want to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 28, 2025.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC! This is a decently paced thriller regarding the twists and turns in the life of Iris Bloggett after the murder of her husband and subsequent eviction from her home. This was a good read with several unexpected turns. I will definitely be reading this author again

I couldn’t get enough of this book! Iris Blodgett’s life is already falling apart after her husband’s unsolved murder, and just when she thinks moving into her boyfriend Hugh’s old mansion might be the perfect escape, things take a dark and creepy turn. The suspense builds slowly as Iris and her daughter Ellory uncover one terrifying secret after another about the house and Hugh’s strange family.

The atmosphere was so eerie, and I loved how the mansion itself became almost like a character in the story. The twists were spine-chilling, and every time I thought I had things figured out, a new dark revelation pulled me back in. It’s definitely one of those reads that keeps you on edge until the very end!

You wanna talk about a twisted ending! You will never see it coming. Every twist and turn I thought I knew what was happening and I was thrown for a loop every time! Great book!

Katie Garner’s "The Family Inside" is a gripping psychological suspense novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Told through the alternating perspectives of Iris and her daughter Ellory, the story dives into the unsettling dynamics of their new life.

Iris, struggling with significant debt following her husband’s death, makes the decision to move in with her affluent architect boyfriend, Hugh Smoll. Their new home is a grand, gothic manor that, while initially promising a fresh start, soon becomes a source of escalating tension. Iris and Ellory quickly discover that Hugh’s family also resides in the manor, adding layers of complexity to their new living situation.

As they settle into their new environment, strange and disturbing events begin to unfold. Ellory and Hugh’s sister-in-law go missing, deepening the sense of unease and mystery that permeates the manor. Garner masterfully layers the narrative with unexpected twists and turns, each revelation complicating the plot further and challenging the reader’s assumptions.

"The Family Inside" excels at maintaining suspense and intrigue, with its well-crafted plot twists ensuring that just when you think you have the mystery figured out, something new emerges to keep you guessing. Garner’s skillful storytelling makes this novel a captivating read, and I’m eagerly looking forward to exploring more of her work.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to snag this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great read! I was completely captivated with this story from the beginning. I kept coming back to it and saying “one more chapter.” Although I wanted more from the ending, I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for a advanced readers copy of this book! I don't want to say much about this one because I feel like the less you know going in the better.. I did enjoy it! It is super creepy and pretty graphic. Really good story but I will admit I did get a little scared. I highly recommend this one to all of those enjoy mysteries and thrillers!

I love books with twists and turns that you can never quite figure out. Some books can be so predictable but this definitely was not! I enjoyed the writing and the characters but did feel it dragged on at a few points. Aside from that, I absolutely loved it!

I honestly don't know where to start with this novel. I guess, I just didn't like the main character. She was always so fearful & scared of what seemed to be EVERYTHING. Also, she continuously repeats herself and says the same things over and over again. I mean, the premise was good. The twists were there... I just really couldn't stand behind Iris-- or any of the characters for that matter. I LOVE a good psych thriller but this one just was not for me.

This is definitely a thriller filled with twists and turns! While the story takes a bit before it picks up and becomes interesting (around 30% into it) I did find it to be a good read once things started happening. However, I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. For me there was a lot repetitive and ranting dialogue that over explains things we already know. I enjoyed that the story kept me guessing and the twists were well done. If you enjoy a good thriller I would say give this one a try.

Life has been difficult for Iris lately. Three years ago, she lost her husband. His murder remains unsolved. Now, she's lost her job and has no idea how she will pay her mortgage or provide for her teenage daughter, Ellory. Luckily, Iris' new boyfriend, Hugh, saves the day. On the brink of being homeless, Hugh offers Iris and Ellory a new home. The catch? It's his mother's home and a bunch of his siblings are staying there as well, to assist with much=needed renovations. Nonetheless, Iris is thrilled to move into the old mansion. Things quickly take a turn. Firstly, the house is creepy. And it seems that the family is burying secrets that they don't want Iris to find out. And what's the real reason that Iris and Ellory were invited to stay?

Wow, what a twisty read! I honestly was shocked with the turns that the story took. I love a book that makes my mind hurt when I realize what happened. One of those books that you will be thinking about after you are done.

This book is impossible to put down. Super well written and mind bending. The creepy house was the perfect backdrop for the story - it added an extra element of suspense. Well done, Katie Garner! This was my first read by her and I am beyond impressed!

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lots of crazy twists and turns in this thriller. Iris and her daughter Ellory find themselves in a spooky house that is the perfect setting. Also the peculiar family that live there make it known right away that things are going to go off the rails. I gave it three stars instead of four because sometimes it was all bit confusing. There were maybe too many characters and the different timelines got blurred. But overall a good spine tingling read!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

Iris Blodgett’s husband was murdered 3 years ago leaving behind Iris and her now 18-year-old daughter’s life in shambles. Since his unsolved murder, Iris has incurred an enormous amount of debt, having to start over, and daughter Ellory becoming increasingly unruly and hostile each day.
Iris’s home she shared with husband Jack and Ellory is now facing foreclosure and her new boyfriend of a few months, Hugh, surprisingly offers his family’s home since he recently moved back in to renovate it for his mother. Iris reluctantly accepts and she and Ellory arrive at the house only to discover several siblings living there as well in addition to Hugh’s mother.
Almost as soon as they move in, several unsettling events begin happening to and around Iris. She begins to wonder if this is a weird coincidence or is there something more sinister at play?
This was a 3.5*read, thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the E-Arc and the chance to review it!

This is my first book by this author and I am in awe! Are all of her books like this? Because if so I have to go read them all ASAP!

There were so many twists and turns in this book I almost couldn't keep up. When I would gather my thoughts on what was going on, she would send me reeling in another direction. Iris and Ellory are evicted from their home just a few short years after Iri's husband is murdered. She has found a new guy recently and he is so kind to offer them a place to stay at his mother's house while he helps with renovations. But the family within this is house is something she never would expect. But the family inside isn't the only family with secrets.

I couldn't put this book down, except for the moments my mind was blown with what was happening that I didn't see coming. This is a definite thriller you won't want to miss out on when it is released in January!

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed this short book, as it’s nice to take a break from long in depth books, with many character plots. It was enjoyable even with unrealistic situations, it’s a great distraction kinda book!

It had some great plot twists that I didn’t see coming and some others that I was left a little unsure about! Overall I think the author did a great job!

Thank you Katie Garner, Harlequin & NetGalley for allowing me to read this Arc.

This was an insane book! So many surprises and creepy characters. It was twist after twist after twist! Don’t even try to figure out what’s going on, just read and let the mystery unfold. Excellent book and I cannot wait to read more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I thought this was a really creative story with some very unexpected twists. Parts of the story were a little far out, so you really have to suspend belief with some of the plot twists.
I enjoyed putting all the pieces of the story together as I was reading, and how all of the characters connected.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy to read and review!

This was cheesy and very slow paced in the beginning. But I am glad I pushed through it was a good read. The book follows Iris and her daughter after the murder of her husband, evicted and left with noting but Iris' seemingly perfect boyfriend. He welcomes them into his perfect home he shares with his mother. But what all glitters isn't gold, the chaos and the mayhem and the twists kept me going at the very end. While it was slow going, it didn't turn around about half way through the book! I'm glad I powered through! I can't wait for it's release so I can recommend others read it too!