4.5 stars rounded to 5

Super twisty, so many twists the plot was in knots. There was so much going on here but the was engrossed and able to keep up with all of the action. Iris, a recent widow, and her daughter, Ellory, are about to be evicted from their house and become homeless after Iris loses her waitressing job. But luckily, Iris meets Hugh Smoll and really hits it off with him. Soon he is asking Iris and Elllory to move in with him.

But the house is big and old and creepy, and Hugh failed to mention that his family lives there as well. There’s his mother, his sister Rebecca, his brother Gabe and Gabe’s wife Camille. And so it begins . . .

I really enjoyed this audiobook. In the huge sea of mystery and suspense novels published yearly, very few of them rise to this level. Yet The Family Inside kept me interested and invested in the plot, and rewarded my interest with all of the twists and turns. The author, Katie Garner, also did a great job developing the characters and fleshing out a back story for them. Their actions made sense and their motives were clear. Garner also really set a sense of place. That house was creepy, and I could feel the creepiness in the air as I listened.

I can’t say too much because I don’t want to spoil the story. But if you give one mystery/suspense novels published a chance this year, make it this one. It’s well worth the time invested in and thoughts about it will swirl around in your head even after you have finished it and tried to move on to a new book.

The Family Inside was a gripping gothic-inspired thriller. I enjoyed the narrator’s performance. I thought Emily Lawrence and Ashley Klanac did an excellent job with characterization of the book’s many charcters. I was a little confused by the ending, but I think it would have been easier to follow for me if I was reading the physical copy. The setting and the tension between the characters made for an entertaining read.

Unfortunately, I could not engage in the characters or the plot of The Family Inside. I found the storyline to be a bit far-fetched and the characters lacked substance. The narration was well done.

**What Worked:**
- An eerie, atmospheric setting with a classic gothic feel
- Some genuinely surprising plot twists
- A compelling mystery that kept me reading despite frustrations

This book had all the right ingredients for a gripping thriller—an old, ominous mansion, a grieving protagonist, and a seemingly perfect new love interest hiding secrets. The premise immediately drew me in, and for the first half, I was invested in the mystery. However, as the story progressed, suspending disbelief became nearly impossible. The characters repeatedly ignored glaring red flags, and the twists, while intriguing, required such a leap in logic that they lost their impact.

My biggest struggle was with the dialogue. Conversations felt stilted and unnatural, making interactions between characters frustrating to read. There were moments where they would completely ignore each other or fail to react in a way that felt remotely realistic. This disjointed communication made it hard to connect with anyone in the story, leaving the emotional stakes feeling hollow.

While the final twists added some depth to the plot, they weren’t enough to redeem the overall experience. If you love gothic thrillers and can overlook awkward dialogue and implausible choices, *The Family Inside* might still be an interesting read. For me, it just didn’t fully deliver.

4 stars! 🌟 A huge thanks to Harlequin Audio & NetGalley for the ALC! 💌

WHEW. This book took me on a wild ride. The twists?? The drama?? The jaw-drop at 81% (or part 62 in audio)—I had to rewind three times just to process what I had just heard. 🤯 I was about to slap on 5 stars just for that moment alone. But then… it dragged. And dragged. 💤 And then twisted itself into even more twists until I was just mentally exhausted trying to keep up. 🧠💥 And that last twist? SUCH a letdown. 😮‍💨 I expected something better, something that would make me go OH. MY. GOD. instead of “Wait… that’s it?” 😕

Iris and her daughter Ellory move into her seemingly perfect boyfriend Hugh’s creepy Gothic mansion, thinking they’re getting a fresh start. 🏚️ HA. Nope. 🚨 The family inside? Unhinged. 👀 The house? Straight-up haunted vibes. 👻 And the secrets? Never-ending. 🔥 Every time I thought I had things figured out—BOOM—another twist. 😵‍💫 I was on my toes the entire time trying to separate fact from fiction, good from bad, and WHO was actually the most messed up in this family (spoiler: it’s all of them). 😬

But let’s talk about Iris for a second. Because HONESTLY, she frustrated me to no end. 🤦‍♀️ Girl, instead of getting in everyone’s face screaming, “I’M CALLING THE POLICE!!”—just play along. 🎭 Pretend to agree. Act like you’re on their side. Then make your move. ♟️ You would think she’d know what to do, especially since she’s been through a similar situation before. But nope, she went straight to panic mode, making everything ten times worse. 🚨 If she had just kept her cool, so much could have been avoided. Well, at least now I know exactly what NOT to do if I’m ever in her place.

🎭 Tropes & Vibes:
🏚️ Gothic mansion with dark secrets
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Dysfunctional rich family (so much drama)
🕵️‍♀️ Dual POV (Iris & Ellory’s perspectives)
🔄 Timeline jumps (confusing but WORTH IT)
🎢 Twists on twists on twists (some hit, some over the top)

The audiobook? PHENOMENAL. 🎧 Emily Lawrence and Ashley Klanac killed it with the eerie vibes. It made the book even creepier. 😨

If you love psychological thrillers with a touch of WTF is happening, this one’s for you. But be warned: it does. not. stop. twisting—so keep your brain fully caffeinated ☕ before diving in.

I tandem read and listened to this, while I absolutely loved the story itself, the audio wasn't my favorite. It wasn't bad but it also wasn't the greatest. I like when the audio helps bring the story to life and I felt like this audio was just lacking a little bit.

I think I have whiplash from the crazy twists in this book - all the gaslighting, mind games, and who’s who in this creepy family (?!) really keep you on your toes!! It took a while get into, but when it picked up it went full throttle.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Mira Books for the audiobook arc.

The synopsis of this book sounded great and it did start off great. It was suspenseful, mysterious, and creepy. I was very intrigued. Around the 60% mark the story started to drag and I was noticing the same phrases and descriptions over and over. Then the twist came and while it could’ve been a good twist, it was just confusing. I want to be shocked by a twist but this one was confusing and annoyed me. After that the story could’ve been wrapped up much sooner than it was. Instead it continued and got more unbelievable and irritating with each chapter.

3.75-star rating

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for the eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This one was jam packed with action from start to finish.
The story follows Iris Blodget and her daughter
Ellory. They have just lost everything and find themselves invited to live with Iris’s new boyfriend’s family. Things start to get haywire quickly with this family that’s absolutely unhinged.

Big fan of the plot twists (although one was quite predictable)
I found myself losing interest around the 90% mark, as there was just TOO much happening.
Not so sure about that ending either. I mean, it was good, but I feel like there were some plot holes...
Overall, this was a solid, bingeable thriller.

Having lost her husband, her job, and now her house, Iris Blodgett's life is quickly unraveling. She has no idea how she'll provide for her teenage daughter, Ellory. So when Iris's new boyfriend, Hugh, invites them to move into his family's estate with him while he renovates it, it seems like a lifeline.... but when they arrive at the estate, they're shocked to learn Hugh doesn't live there alone; his entire family is there and they all have something to hide.

Most of this book alternates between Iris's situation as she navigates her new family and Ellory's situation as she tries to run away from it. It did get off to a pretty slow start and had I not liked so many of the characters I might have put it down at some point but I'm glad I stuck with it because the twist is really good, I never saw it coming, and the back half of the book is phenomenal! The back half is full of twists and turns and was almost impossible to pause. I listened nearly straight through from the 50% mark to the end. As I was listening, I could picture the entire thing unfolding and kept thinking it would much a fantastic Netflix movie.

Highly recommend this one across the board- fans of domestic thrillers, mysteries, dual storylines, twisty stories, this one fires on all cylinders! Can't wait for more from this author!

Story Rating: 4.5/5⭐️
Audio Narration Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️

The Family Inside was an engaging psychological suspense novel. The narrators did an excellent job at drawing me in as a listener and setting the tone for an intense, twisted ride.

The pacing of the story development was slow, but my attention and interest did not waiver. I followed along, eager to learn what would happen next while simultaneously trying to make predictions on the side.

Spoiler alert: I was wrong!

I was surprised by the twists, and they made the story 10x creepier.

If you enjoy an eerie thriller chock-full of family secrets and drama, I'd recommend The Family Inside.

______
*Complimentary ALC for review provided by Harlequin Audio. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

This book was full of twists ! I enjoyed how fast paced it was and how, as the mystery unfolded, you kept having more questions until the grand reveal. The narration was great and overall, a solid thriller book. 🌲

Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this book early. I really appreciate it.

Iris is a single mother who’s lost everything—her job, her home, and her stability. Her teenage daughter, Ellery, is spiraling, grieving her father, drinking, and pulling away. Then along comes Hugh, Ellory’s boyfriend of two months, with an offer that seems too good to be true. He invites them to move into his family’s massive, crumbling estate, a place in desperate need of repair. But once they arrive, things start to feel off. Hugh has siblings he never mentioned. Ellory doesn’t trust him. And Iris begins hearing noises in the attic, discovering things that make her question everything. The deeper she digs, the more dangerous the truth becomes.

This book had me from the start. The tension? Immediate. The pacing? Relentless. The sense of dread builds perfectly, keeping you completely engaged. If you love thrillers where the house itself feels like a character—full of secrets, history, and hidden horrors—you’ll eat this up.

That said, about three-fourths in, things got to be... A lot. The story within a story trope? Love it. A story within a story, within a story? Too much. It started feeling artificial, like the author was stacking twists just for the sake of it. The ending was twisty and wild, but I found myself re-listening to parts just to keep up.

One thing I really appreciated was the audiobook performance. The narrator did an excellent job bringing the characters to life—each voice felt distinct, making it easy to follow the twists and turns. The delivery was spot-on, creating a real sense of unease when it was needed. The characters were believable, and the pacing of the narration matched the tension of the story perfectly.

Still, the vibes were on point. If you’re into unreliable narrators, family secrets, good for her revenge arcs, and that creeping “is she crazy or is she not?” tension, this one’s worth a listen.

This was a WILDDDDDDD ride. There was so much going on at one time but I was thoroughly entertained from beginning to end. I was screaming at Iris to get away from these psychos and while I initially loved Hugh for her, it pissed me off that he didn’t have her back when it mattered the most. This was an insane family drama that I would love to see turned into a movie. It shows just how far some will go for the ones they love; even at the expense of innocent people.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for allowing me to listen to this ALC!
The Family Inside is a mystery book which was published a few days ago on January 28th. Desperate after losing her job and facing eviction, Iris Blodgett accepts an invitation to move into her new boyfriend Hugh’s family mansion with her teenage daughter, Ellory. But upon arriving at Ravencliff, she discovers Hugh’s mysterious siblings and a house hiding dark secrets. As the walls begin to reveal their chilling history, Iris realizes she and Ellory weren’t invited for shelter—but for something far more sinister.
Narration: I really like Emily Lawrence and Ashley Klanac's work on this. Very mesmerizing!

A fresh start. A picture-perfect new home. A family full of secrets. The Family Inside is a slow-burning, atmospheric thriller that builds unease with every page.

Since her husband’s unsolved murder, Iris has been struggling—financially, emotionally, and as a single mom to her rebellious teenage daughter, Ellory. When her charming new boyfriend, Hugh, offers them a place to stay in his family’s sprawling mansion while he renovates, it seems like the perfect solution. But from the moment they arrive, something feels off. Hugh’s family isn’t what they expected, and the house itself seems to hold dark secrets of its own. As Iris begins to uncover disturbing truths, she realizes she and Ellory may not have been invited in out of kindness—but for something far more sinister.

Katie Gardner does a fantastic job crafting a gothic, eerie atmosphere that keeps you on edge. The slow build allows tension to simmer, and the mystery surrounding Hugh’s family unravels in a satisfying (and chilling) way. While some parts felt a bit predictable, the unsettling mood and well-placed twists kept me hooked.

If you love psychological thrillers with a touch of gothic suspense, add this one to your TBR. It’s an unsettling, gripping read that reminds you—sometimes, an invitation is too good to be true.

This story was messed up! I was a little confused at the beginning of the story, but once i figured out who was who, the story took off.

Each time I thought I had this story figured out, another clue would drop and I would be back at the drawing board trying to figure out what I had missed. The ending was great and I am looking forward to reading more of Katie Garner's work in the future.

Emily Lawrence and Ashley Klanac did a great job narrating this story and I will look for more of their work in the future.

The pace was too slow for me. Chapter 8 and Iris teen daughter Ellory have lost everything and are moving into the family home of Hugh. His family has many secrets and are a bit strange. Ravencliff mansion houses Hugh’s widowed mother, his brother and wife and his sister. There was another sister, Page but she has passed away. It does have many good reviews, so I recommend it to read. Also I listened to it as an audio. Something that I get hung up on the readers voice.

Thanks for the ARC. This was a hard one for me. I had mixed thoughts and really had to push through this one. It started off too slow and the characters were a bit frustrating and distracting. It left me just trying to figure it all together.