“A Beautiful Family,” by Jennifer Trevelyan, Doubleday, 320 pages, June 24, 2025.

Alix, 10, is on a vacation with her parents and sister, Vanessa, 15, at a beach town a few hours from their home in Wellington, New Zealand. She makes a friend, Kahu, a Māori boy who is the same age.

Together they try to solve a mystery of what happened to Charlotte, 9, who disappeared from the same place two years earlier. Authorities presume that Charlotte drowned.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family is going their separate ways. Vanessa is interested in a lifeguard. The mother has her own reason for wanting to go on the trip, while the father wants to watch cricket.

While the setting is good, the plot is disjointed and multiple threads go unresolved. The parents are clueless about many things. This one was difficult to get through.

I rate it three out of five stars.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Told through the eyes of 10-year-old Alix, this slow-burn mystery is steeped in '80s nostalgia and a vivid beach-town vibe. While the coming-of-age elements were strong, the lack of resolution left me wanting more.

This year their family vacation at the seaside will be different

A New Zealand family of four have usually spent their summer holidays in remote, relatively unpopulated places but this year (1985) they have rented a house in a popular coastal town. Alix is 10, almost 11, years old while her sister Vanessa is 15 and is no longer happy to play alongside her younger sister. Their mother seems distracted, perhaps by the book she is trying to write, and goes for solitary walks each day while their father stays at the house watching cricket and drinking beer. Alix becomes friendly with Kahu, a Maori boy staying with his uncle and extended family nearby, while Vanessa is spending time with Crystal, a girl vacationing in the same town who lives in their neighborhood back in Wellington but with whom Vanessa has not previously spent time. Kahu tells Alix about Charlotte, a nine year old girl who went missing from the area where they are staying two years earlier. and has never been found; many assume she was swept out to sea, but no body has ever turned up. While Kahu and Alix run about looking for clues to what happened to Charlotte (or maybe even a body part or two), Vanessa is under Crystal's thrall, which starts with shoplifting from the local chemist and expands to drinking on the beach and hanging around with older boys. Things feel very unsettled this summer, and Alix doesn't exactly know why, she just knows that her parents don't seem terribly happy and Vanessa and Crystal are talking about things that she doesn't understand but knows they aren't good. There's also a creepy guy who lives in the house next door who always seems to be watching them. Events are getting out of control, and what should be a happy family vacation instead begins to feel quite dangerous.
A Beautiful Family is a thriller that blends Alix's coming of age with her family's dynamics and a slowly unfolding mystery. Alix is hovering between childhood and adolescence, and is observing the happenings around her without fully understanding what they are (but the reader is able to see what she cannot), Her relationship with Vanessa rings true, the snippy behavior of adolescent sisters everywhere that hides an underlying loyalty. Having been a teen in the 80's myself (though not in New Zealand), the many references to that time (the coolness of a Walkman, cassette tapes, music from Split Enz) touched a chord for me as well. As Alix begins to realize that all is not as it should be with her family, that there may be a distinct reason for her mother's unusual behavior and that friendship with Crystal is not doing Vanessa any favors, the innocence of childhood is falling away. With richly developed characters, nuanced relationships and a slow-burn mystery which starts out as a game for Alix and Kahu but becomes deadly serious, the story is a gripping read that snared my attention from the very beginning and kept me turning pages till the end. Readers who enjoy mysteries that are interwoven with sensitive insights as well as fans of Celeste Ng, Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult. should give this debut from Jennifer Trevelyan their attention. My thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for allowing me access to this addictive read in exchange for my honest review.

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for an advanced copy of A Beautiful Family.

A family takes a trip during the summer in the 1980s. A young girl named Alix just wants to go to the beach all day. Her mom is trying to write a book, her dad wants to watch cricket and her older sister wants to hang out with anyone but her. But she is more observant than her family thinks and she sees what is really going on around her.

I really enjoyed the setting of the book but the story felt very disjointed. I also feel like not much got resolved on the end.

Quiet atmospheric book set in 1985 New Zealand over the summer holiday, follows 10 year old Alix. Her observations of her parents, teenage sister and an adventurous friend trying to uncover clues to a child’s disappearance two years earlier. Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for an advance copy for an honest review.

A mystery and family drama during a beach vacation in 1985 New Zealand. It's the first year that two year old Alix's mom actually picked a place for the family to summer and the reason for this will hover over them until it becomes painfully clear. Alix meets eleven year old Kahu who wraps her into his search for Charlotte, a young girl who went missing. Her fifteen year old sister Vanessa runs into a school friend and meets a boy. And there's a critical trip to a local shop. A creepy neighbor watches all. This meanders a bit as the summer moves along but keep your eye out because there are small explosions along the way. Trevelyan does a great job with Alix's voice and how Alix hears and sees things. She's an engaging kid but she never comes off as either immature or too old for her years. The beach atmospherics are great (and it's fun to see how universal they are) but it's the family dynamics that make this. No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is beautifully written and the storytelling is strong. Great read.

Jennifer Trevelyan’s debut, A Beautiful Family, is a haunting, slow-burn novel that captures the disquieting undercurrents of a seemingly idyllic summer holiday. Set on New Zealand’s Kapiti Coast in the 1980s, the story unfolds through the eyes of a ten-year-old girl whose innocence becomes the lens through which we witness the unraveling of her family—and the community around them.

The narrator, unnamed until the novel’s final pages, is observant but not yet equipped to interpret the adult world’s complexities. Her older sister Vanessa is slipping into teenage rebellion, their mother is distracted and secretive, and their father is emotionally adrift. When the narrator befriends Kahu, a local boy, the two begin investigating the disappearance of a girl named Charlotte, presumed drowned years earlier. What begins as a child’s game soon reveals darker truths, both about the past and the fragile present.

Trevelyan’s writing is evocative and restrained, allowing tension to build through atmosphere rather than action. The novel’s strength lies in its ability to evoke dread through the ordinary: a neighbor’s lingering gaze, a parent’s silence, a sibling’s sudden mood shift. The 1980s setting is richly rendered, from Walkmans and sunburns to the casual racism and gender dynamics that simmer beneath the surface.

What makes A Beautiful Family especially compelling is its emotional layering. The child narrator’s limited understanding forces the reader to read between the lines, piecing together the adult betrayals, grief, and longing that shape the story. It’s a novel about what children see—and what they’re shielded from—and how memory distorts and preserves in equal measure.

While some readers may find the ending ambiguous, it feels thematically consistent with the novel’s exploration of unresolved trauma and the elusiveness of truth. Trevelyan doesn’t tie everything up neatly, but she leaves us with a lingering sense of unease and empathy.

Thank you for the ARC for my honest review. This story is told through the eyes and mind of the child. So it’s important to remember that as you are reading the book. The book was slow and crept along although it did pick up some. It was quite the mysterious story.

Trevelyan’s debut is set in the 1980s as a family of four spends an eventful summer vacation in a New Zealand coastal town. Interestingly, the story is narrated from the point of view of Alix, who at 10 years old, is too young to grasp the things that begin happening around her. After Alix meets a 12 yr old boy, also a vacationer, the two spend their time searching for clues of a young girl named Charlotte who disappeared, presumably drowned, two years earlier. In looking for clues, Alix exposes more than she ever realizes, not aware of the implications of the secrets she’s uncovered.
There are also noticeable changes Alex sees in her parents and older sister. She also spots an older man who seems to be watching her.
I really liked how this explores a mix of family drama, coming-of-age, teenage rebellion, and sister relationships with deep undertones of intrigue, mystery and psychological suspense. And not once did the story lose my attention by having a young narrator. I did feel Alix’s naivety - it did not affect my enjoyment, only enhanced it as I feel it was supposed to do. I also appreciated all the fun 80s nostalgia. The only thing was how the story seemed to end too soon leaving me feeling maybe I missed something? 4 stars — Pub. 6/24/25

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Set over New Years 1986, A Beautiful Family tells the story of a family of four as they vacation in a small coastal town in New Zealand. The story is narrated primarily from the point of view of Alix, who at 10 years old, is the youngest in the family. Alix meets a boy her age who is also visiting and spends her time searching for clues to the disappearance of a young girl named Charlotte who disappeared 2 years earlier.

Its unusual to read an adult fiction book that is narrated by a child character. Alix's naivete is apparent and she doesn't pick up on much of the nuance that adult readers will catch. It was an interesting way to experience a story. So much of the drama is happening to the other characters and is spinning around Alix that she is somewhat oblivious to. She just knows that this vacation is not going the way it was planned. I liked the story overall but I wish the ending were different. I understand why it ends the way it does, but I wanted more resolution.

*Review to publish to my account on June 16, 2025*

Thank you to net galley and Doubleday publishing fir this ARC book. This book is about a family who goes away for the summer. There’s romance, mystery and some family drama! It kept me on my toes to find out what was going to happen!

This was one that I finished, but wondered why I bothered.

Storyline: Family goes on vacation to a new place. Usually mom picks a random place on the globe and they venture out, but this year mom says she wants people around and picks a place. Mom spends her days supposedly supervising the younger daughter at the beach, but goes on long walks with the notebook she uses to write her book. Hmmm..... more to this than meets the eye.

Dad is kind of a non entity. Older daughter is a moody (or typical?) teenager and sneaks out with friends.

Younger daughter finds a neighborhood boy who is consumed with trying to find a girl missing from previous years.

Neighborhood man seems overly interested in kids.

I really didn't care for the story.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

A summer family vacation set in New Zealand told from the perspective of 10 year old Alix. A lot of things are happening all around Alix that she’s too young to fully grasp. She feels like there is something going on with her parents, her sister is too busy with boys to be bothered with her, and she feels like something is not quite right with the man staying next door to them. The story is a slow burn where lots of things come to light and I was rather entertained throughout, but then the story just ended, leaving me to fill in a lot of blanks. Maybe that was the author’s intention for the reader to come up with their own ending.

Thank you to NetGalley & Doubleday Books for an advanced eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan is a very highly recommended family drama set in 1985 at a New Zealand beach town

Alix and her family decide to go on vacation at a beach town rather than the secluded places they normally chose for their holiday. Vanessa, 15, wants nothing to do with her family, Alix, 10 (but almost 11) plans to spend as much time as she can at the beach, their mother is going to finish writing her book, and their father wants to grill and watch cricket. Alix meets a boy, Kahu, 12, who is also in town on vacation and he tells her about Charlotte, 9, who disappeared, presumed drowned two years ago. Her body was never found so the two decide to conduct their own investigation.

While Alix and Kahu are looking all over at the beach for clues during the day, Alix is noticing other things going on with her family. Her parents seem to be fighting all the time. Her mother, who is supposed to be watching her, keeps disappearing. Her sister is sneaking out at night. There is also a creepy older man who is constantly watching her.

This well-written debut mixes a coming-of-age novel with a mystery that results in a compelling family drama. The pace moves quickly and held my complete attention throughout. With each chapter another twist is revealed and the tension increases. You will be waiting for something to happen. There is so much going on, but it is told through the eyes of a child.

The narrative is told through the point-of-view of Alix. She observes and takes note of what is going on around her, but her age and naivety means she doesn't always completely understand what she is seeing so she is unable to piece the clues together. She is a fully realize character, but is still a child. Readers will quickly realize what Alix is missing and sympathize with her.

Although the novel doesn't end with everything completely wrapped up, this resonates with me. It is the story of a specific time in a child's life. Think of Alix now, as an adult, looking back at this specific memorable vacation and telling the story of it, as she understood things at that time, with the full knowledge as an adult of all the little clues she missed and didn't put together at the time.

A Beautiful Family is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy coming-of-age family dramas. Thanks to Knopf Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

I just finished A Beautiful Family,a novel by Jennifer Trevelyan. I would have given it five stars but the ending was disappointing.I read it in three days because I found it interesting that the story was told through the naive eyes of a ten year old. A family of four,mom,dad,fifteen year old sister and her ten year old sibling telling the story.
They are on their yearly holiday vacation,a bit of a distance away from their home in Wellington,New South Wales,where they rented a small summer cottage.The parent’s marriage seems to be falling apart and the fifteen year old is a handful trying to act older and not listening to her parents. Typical teenager. There’s a creepy older neighbor next door who spys on the vacationing family much too often.There’s a young missing girl that happened in the past,a suicide of an Asian woman that’s never resolved and several more non-consensual events that happen.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher,Doubleday for the arc ebook.
On sale,June 24,2025

This is the kind of book that I love to read. It seems to be an average story about an average family on an average family vacation in 1980s New Zealand. And then it creeps up on you and suddenly one bomb drops after another, but they've been released so quietly and calmly you never saw it coming. I ate this up. Is it perfect? No, but I wouldn't expect that from a debut novel. Trevelyan creates such a strong sense of place that I could perfectly imagine the run down rental not quite on the beach, the lagoon with its secrets, and the beach with its charms and dangers. It is softly propulsively, expertly exploring all kinds of evils and dark secrets that can hide just below the surface in all of us, or in this case maybe next door...
One note, don't go into this book expecting everything to neatly tie up with a bow. If you do, I promise you will be disappointed. I, for my part, thought the looseness and abruptness of the ending was exactly right for this novel.

Ugh, not great. The story just didn't have momentum. I didn't mind the voice of the story in a child and thought it was insightful in moments, but the plot just did not move in the pace we needed.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my review. I really loved this little book. Such a great reset when I needed it.!!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Doubleday for the DRC of #ABeautifulFamily. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

This is a tension-filled family drama/mystery set in New Zealand. It explores the dichotomy of childhood, sisterhood, friendship and marriage. 10 year old Alix and her family have rented a house at the beach for the summer holiday. With her family distracted by other things, Alix and her new friend Kahu are free to explore. They decide to investigate what happened to Charlotte, a little girl who disappeared a few years ago. The clues indicate that the danger is closer than they think.

Overall, a really well-written debut novel with believable characters and great pacing, simmering with tension. Look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. I never wanted this book to end! Every single chapter was packed full of twists and thrills. It’s a mixture of a coming of age story told through the eyes of a 10 year old girl on vacation with her family at the beach but it also is a hair raising thriller that keeps you guessing at the outcome as you read. The domestic drama in it is very relatable and the way each scene is set and describes transports you right there yourself. This is one of those books for me that when I finished it I asked “what other books can I read that will be like that one?”