Lots of conflicting feelings about this book. Initially, my first challenge was pushing through because the narrator was not my cup of tea. She was nasally and annoying. I'm pretty sure I've heard her narrate some other books I've listened to bc I thought, "Oh no. Not her!" But after a while the story picked up enough that it did not matter as much.

This story really took off about 1/4 of the way in. Prepare to suspend disbelief. If you can do that then you are going for a fun ride. I don't like summarizing plots because you can get that on the back of the book and really, who wants to know too much going in?

It was a fun listen. I listened with my partner and multiple times I turned it off so we could ask each other what the heck is going on and how is this going to tie all together. There are lots of easter eggs and we recognized them as such and yet still could not figure it out. It is highly unpredictable. Full of twists. And definitely kept us on our toes. Yes, it was a little too neat in how everything came together but sometimes you have to forgive that in exchange for a great ride. If I have any criticism it's maybe just one too many twists. Spoiler alert. Just when I felt like it was done (the audio said it was 99% done with 5 minutes left and there was almost an hour left in actuality) it went on about the kidnapping. It might have been fatigue but I felt like the story had wrapped up and it was just one too many things asking me to suspend my disbelief.

Oh my goodness, there was so much going on in this story - it really did keep me on the edge of my seat. I felt like Katie Garner did a great job of capturing my attention from the start, and the story just kept bringing more and more crazy twists! It was a really fun, really engaging book with absolutely excellent pacing. I felt like I was watching a car crash and couldn't look away!

It’s a thriller - why not move in with the suave architect you’ve been seeing for 3mo when you lose your job and your house? 🤍

Things I loved:
🥨 twists
🏚️ spooky manor vibes
⏰ the POVs

I listened to this whole story in a day (super rare for me). The pacing was great, everyone was a terrible person, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. 📖

The Family Inside by Katie Garner
.
Since her husband’s death Iris and her daughter have been struggling. Now she has lost her job and is losing their home. Her new boyfriend offers for her to come stay with him….in his family’s home…..where they are ALL currently living.
.
What I liked:
-Holy secrets, Batman!
-I was on edge throughout this entire book.
-The twists at the end were good and I didn’t connect all of them.
-The end was good.
.
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A solid twisty thriller. A bit off the rails but don’t we all kind of like when thrillers go off the rails? The audio was excellent, the narrators really brought the characters to life.

This book starts and does not stop until the end. It is a no holds bar thrill ride, and I honestly did not know what was going to happen.

Often I believe there need to be almost two categories of mysteries/thrillers: believable and unbelievable. This would fall into the highly entertaining, but unbelievable category. But it was a super fun read, and I think if you want a page turner, this is the one for you.

I often struggle with predictability, tedious done before tropes, or paranormal (which isn't necessarily my thing *it depends*), and this book definitely goes above the norm and done before story lines.

I know some will struggle with the timeline in this book, along with the believability, but it is a quick "fun" read that will keep you engaged the entire time.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced audio copy of this book. I don't know if I would have given it a chance otherwise. And as always, all my opinions are my own.

This book was FULL of twists. At times it was almost confusing, but overall I enjoyed the narrative. For a while I couldn't tell if the narrator was reliable, and although I normally like that trope, this time I was looking for a bit more in terms of payoff. There were a few red herrings that were just tied up with someone reappearing (Camille). The book kept me invested, but overall I wasn't as satisfied with the end as I expected.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the STUPIDEST (yes that bad) thing I have ever read. Every single character sucked, I liked no one, and kind of just wanted everyone to spontaneously combust at the end. It would have been more satisfying.

I’m about to spoil this so if you don’t want to know, look away (like I should have with this book).

Everyone in the book has killed someone, except no one has killed whoever killed the dead husband (which maybe I overreacted, Jack didn’t suck he was chill, mostly because he was already dead and couldn’t piss me off). We have a widowed mother (Iris) of an 18-year-old (Everley) who is so broke she has to move into her 2 month long situationships (Hugh) mothers (Birdie) house (honestly here we go, buckle up) where his like 75 other “siblings” who are living with their mother in her house with blood stained walls(red flag girl). They get engaged a day later (flags galore at this point) and then her adult daughter “goes missing”. Not kidding.

We have a dual timeline that abruptly runs into the current timeline and while I think it was supposed to be a shock (it was, I didn’t figure this out or see it coming) it was lost on me because of how STUPID the rest of the book was. Turns out Hugh’s mom is 1) not his birth mom and 2) is actually the mom of Everley’s biological mom, Paige. Who she took because she watched Paige be buried alive by her bf.
 What are the odds? Well, Lemme tell you, high. Because Birdie went a little nutso and started picking off people from grief groups and convinced them all to seek revenge on who brought their grief upon them, and they wanted to recruit our mc into seeking revenge after whoever killed her precious Jack.

But Iris has a secret of her own. She somehow found her adopted daughter’s bio dad on a dating app and her daughter and her friend plan his murder as well. She was never missing but happily hanging out with her mom’s business partner eating pastries and staging her biologicals dad’s apartment to look like she was kidnapped.

There is honestly more but it’s so pointless to keep going. I honestly don’t even want to rate this a 1.

2.5 stars.

Sometimes, when a book is a total mindf*ck, it is awesome and you want to talk to your friends about it immediately. Other times, you just feel jerked around by the author who tried to do too many tricks. This story struck me as the latter.

First of all, I got really frustrated with the horrible decisions made by the female characters. They were damaged and had a lot of inner turmoil, but they had very little sense of self-preservation. It was like watching a horror movie and the story goes down classic trap tropes that have you wanting to yell at them for being stupid.

Second, the sheer number of twists that you get hit with in the end will leave you with whiplash, trying to refigure out everything in the story. There was barely enough time to process all the shifting before another hit you. And the first big twist is there just to confuse you. There was absolutely no reason for all that extra drama and it had no payoff.

Third, the secondary characters were awful. No one in "the family" was likable, and one of Iris' friends was decent, but her role is sparse.

I listened to this on audiobook at 2x speed to get through it faster. It's 90% "wtf is going to happen now that's going to piss me off about these people?" and 10% just "wtf?!!" Not fun. Not something I'll recommend to friends, but I can see how it will appeal to people who try to figure things out before the big reveal at the end, because I don't think they'll see this coming and they'll enjoy the shocks.

I found this story to be unbelievable; there were too many plot points going on at once and a lot of incredible things happen to one person. Ellory's plotline was unnecessary and could have been cut from the story. All of the twists were ridiculous. It wasn't badly written, it just had too many ideas. I would have DNFed this one if it wasn't an ALC.

While I didn't enjoy this book, I think this would be a great read for someone who likes fantastical tales. If you don't get caught up by details and enjoy a wild ride, this book may be for you.

Thank you for the review copy to the publishing team and Harlequin audio, this is a bingeworthy thriller with solid twists and turns, perfect for readers who really like stories that rev up into that roller coaster ride feeling as the plot unfolds more and more later in the book (you know that kind of oh here we go now moment? those are in this one). I found the start a little slow, unsure I could get into the decisions being made (kind of a don't go in the basement, don't trust this person feeling) but I also knew that this was going to go dark and twisty and when it did, my suspense loving self was all in for Garner's storytelling. This beat was more a win for me on audio, I thought the story was easier to get into and engage with through the audio performance!

Iris is broke. She's just lost her job, and then next thing she knows she's lost her house too, the house where she and her deceased husband raised their daughter Ellory. With nowhere to turn in swoops her handsome boyfriend, Hugh, who invites both Iris and Ellory to live with him in his family's run down mansion while he helps fix it up. But soon Ellory goes missing, and Iris starts to notice strange things about Hugh's welcoming family, and no one is truly who they seem.

Not gonna lie, this was wild. To enjoy this book one needs a GIGANTIC suspension of disbelief. On more than one occasion, I found myself wondering "what even?" This book is really slow in the beginning and then throws a deluge of stuff at you at the end, so suffice to say I struggled with the pacing. There were a few twists, some I definitely didn't see coming. I liked Iris, even though she made some dumb decisions most of the time. In the end, I didn't hate this book, but didn't love it either.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Emily Lawrence and Ashley Klanac were great narrators and really brought the story to life.

"It takes a special family to turn a home into a nightmare."

OK WTF was this book? Looking at the reviews, there seems to be a divide between people who love this book or hate it. I'm still trying to recover from all the twists, turns, and nonsense within. There were a lot of coincidences, tangled threads, and just straight up goofiness in this book. Not in a cool Freida McFadden kind of way, just a weird and unsatisfying way.

It's a no from me, unfortunately!

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

The Family Inside is a twisty, over the top, popcorn thriller. It is highly bingeable, full of secrets, drama, twists and turns. It did start off a little slow, but once the twists started pouring in I was absolutely hooked. The storyline was gripping, yes sometimes a little out there, but ultimately so entertaining.

The characters are all so toxic and crazy. I loved it. They are chaotic, untrustworthy and just impossible to look away from. The vibes were immaculate, the eerie atmosphere, the creepy house, all added to the enjoyment of this book. Such a crazy ride!

Overall, this is a crazy, unputdownable, twisty thriller. The crazy family dynamics, the toxicity of it all, the secrets, the lies, made for a truly epic ride!

🎧 The narration by Emily Lawrence & Ashley Klanac was great. I really enjoyed their voices. They played the characters very well. Brought the suspense and built it constantly. Very good performance.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @harlequinaudio & @katiegardner for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Family Inside is a masterclass in suspense, keeping me on edge with every chapter. The pacing was relentless, making it impossible to put down. The characters were layered and unpredictable, adding depth to the tension. Just when you think you have it all figured out, Garner delivers a few jaw-dropping curveballs that leave you reeling and questioning everything. If you love thrillers that keep you guessing until the very last page, this one is a must-read!

WOW! There were so many twists and turns in The Family Inside. Just when I think I can take a breath or have something figured out Katie Garner throws me for another loop.

Emily Lawrence & Ashley Klanac did an excellent job with the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Audio for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hold onto your boots, it's going to be a bumpy ride! A fast-paced, dark and chilling tale of family secrets, murder, and revenge, this one had so many twists and turns I had a hard time keeping up. With a full cast of mostly unlikeable characters, I felt unmoored, unsure of who I was supposed to be rooting for. The secrets and lies were so convoluted that just when I thought I had it figured out another revelation punched me in the face. The narrator of the audio version did an excellent job.

This was a wild ride with one bonkers family! Iris' husband was murdered and after finally having some grief clear, she meets and falls in love with Hugh. As a single mother with a daughter that is an angsty teen, when Iris falls on hard times financially she jumps at the chance to move into Hugh's family's gothic mansion.

The things that happen in the mansion are not normal. Iris and her daughter Ellory both feel something is amiss. Iris' instincts keep telling her that something isn't as it seems. This book is SO twisty that I fear I'd give too much away with more information.

Read it!

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the two female narrators on this book! It would’ve been nice to also have a male to cover those voices but the two girls have terrific range. The story itself is full of twist and turn and unreliable narrators galore! Every time I felt like I know the direction it was heading, it changed it up and went a completely different way! But I enjoy not knowing what’s coming next and loved the setting and premise. I would recommend to anyone who likes mysteries and psychological thrillers about family!

Thank you Netgalley for an ALC of The Family Inside by Katie Garner! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Interesting plot - I found myself confused throughout a lot of this book but I know that was the point of the writing looking back on it. Cleverly written, I flew through this one while alternating between audiobook and eBook, but couldn't help but feel like I've read so many thrillers with a similar trope in the past few years. I loved the clever ending and am looking forward to seeing what Katie Garner comes up with next!

This book left me mentally exhausted in the best way! The twists and turns never stop!

Iris and her daughter, Ellory’s lives have been turned upside down. Their husband/ father was murdered, Iris lost her job and now they’ve lost their home. At the end of her rope, Iris agrees to move in with her architect boyfriend, Hugh, in his Mom’s old gothic mansion he is renovating. What she didn’t know was she would also be living with family members he’s never mentioned to Iris. The fresh start Iris thought she was giving Ellory turns into a nightmare when secrets are revealed and the truth comes out about why they were really invited to move in…

This is not one of those mindless, easy reads. You need a well caffeinated brain and it’s undivided attention to keep up with all the craziness that ensues! From the dark, twisted plot to the dysfunctional family and totally creepy setting, this book will take you on a ride!

The audiobook is phenomenal! The narrators did such a great job of setting the tone for this phychological thriller! Emily Lawrence and Ashley Klanac killed it with the creepy vibes!! I totally recommend listening to the audiobook if you have the chance!