Going into this the writing style really threw me off, however I grew to like the quirky style clearly meant to come from a teen POV. This novel did a really good job of having you slowly piece things together until ultimately all the twists come together. It mentions Enola Holmes and it really truly does have those vibes. Overall this was a f̆̈ŭ̈n̆̈ read and a great choice for YA readers! Thank you random house children’s books and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Kate Emery does a fantastic job in writing this whodunnit book, I enjoyed that it had that humor element to it and still was suspenseful in this. It had that feel that I was looking for and enjoyed that each suspect was a relative to the main character. I was hooked from the first page and thought it was a strong mystery to it and had me guessing until the end. I enjoyed the way Kate Emery wrote this and had that character development that I was wanting.

This was a fun read but man there were a lot of characters and it took a while for me to figure out who was who. Ruth along with her hot not cousin Dylan are trying to figure out what happened to her step GG and figure out which of her family members might be the culprit. In the midst of investigating, they uncover some family secrets that GG had as well as discovering that everyone might have had a motive to kill GG. This was very fast paced and Ruth of course does a stupid thing when she figures out what actually happens and confronts someone alone with her not cousin and almost gets hurt but it all works out in the end.
Thanks to Random House Children’s Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

The Dysfunctional Family’s Guide to Murder is a quirky and clever mystery filled with chaotic charm and unforgettable characters. Ruth, the 14-year-old narrator, brings a cheeky, insightful voice to the story—dropping hints, keeping secrets, and keeping things fun from start to finish. The eccentric family dynamics made me laugh, and I especially enjoyed watching the relationship between Ruth and Dylan begin to grow.

This was such an enjoyable read, and I’d love to spend more time with these characters in future books!

quirky and fun book that i would definitely think of as kinda similar to Good Girl's Guide to Murder: the settings, the ties, all of that feel vaguely similar, but it all also feels new and great. 5 stars. tsym for the arc.

A hilarious, twisty, and totally offbeat YA mystery!
Ruth is 14, obsessed with Agatha Christie, and stuck on a remote family vacation with a house full of relatives she mostly can't stand. When her sharp-tongued step-grandmother is murdered—by a typewriter, no less—Ruth decides it’s up to her to crack the case. With a notebook full of clues, a maybe-cute/maybe-cousin sidekick, and enough family drama to fuel a reality show, Ruth dives into her very own whodunit.

This book is fast, funny, and full of heart. Ruth’s voice is chef’s kiss—awkward, smart, and very relatable. If you love A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Truly Devious, or just messy families with murder sprinkled in, you’ll eat this up.

🔍 Murder mystery
😂 Dark comedy
🧠 Smart, awkward teen sleuth
📖 Total binge-read

Set against the bucolic backdrop of rural Western Australia, this deftly constructed young adult mystery novel offers a delightful fusion of comedy and crime. The narrative unfolds at a secluded farmhouse, where 14-year-old Ruth finds herself ensnared in an unexpected homicide investigation following the sudden death of her step-grandmother, known simply as GG. What was intended to be a brief family gathering swiftly devolves into a locked-room-style mystery, complicated by the arrival of unannounced visitors, contradictory alibis, and buried family secrets.

The novel positions Ruth—an ardent admirer of Agatha Christie and self-styled detective—as its central investigative force. Though still an adolescent, Ruth proves to be a remarkably perceptive and quick-witted narrator. Her incisive commentary, delivered with a youthful blend of snark and sincerity, anchors the narrative with both levity and intelligence. The prose convincingly captures the interiority of a teenage girl navigating not only the complexities of crime-solving but the awkward terrain of familial relationships. Ruth is joined by her half-cousin Dylan, who, though initially reluctant, assumes the Watson role with charm and understated humor.

From a structural standpoint, the novel adheres to classic mystery conventions—an isolated setting, a finite suspect pool, concealed motives, and a series of red herrings—while also subverting them through comedic timing and the uniquely adolescent lens of its protagonist. The tone, while consistently light-hearted, does not shy away from the emotional resonance of grief and the disillusionment that can accompany familial revelations. The author balances these tonal shifts with admirable precision.

The pacing is brisk without feeling rushed, and the plot sustains its momentum through a series of cleverly plotted twists. Crucially, the resolution is both surprising and satisfying; readers are likely to find themselves misled in the best possible way, as the story plays fair with its clues while preserving the pleasure of a final reveal.

This novel is a rare accomplishment: a genuinely funny murder mystery that neither condescends to its young audience nor sacrifices narrative complexity. Its greatest strength lies in the voice of Ruth herself—a protagonist whose intelligence, humor, and emotional candor are sure to resonate with readers of all ages.

Recommended enthusiastically for readers of contemporary young adult fiction, classic detective narratives, and lighthearted crime novels alike.

What a fun book! This is my kind of YA mystery - a low-fear, funny whodunnit. It gave me "Lucy Clark Will Not Apologize" (by Margo Rabb) vibes, which is high praise!

The cast of characters in this book is perfect for a whodunnit. There's the serious dad; the quirky, hippie aunt; the clutzy (and mysteriously absent) aunt's boyfriend; the family friend who is actually a long-lost adopted sister; the long-lost aunt's cute son and her crazy boyfriend; the cute farmer next door; and the random surfer-turned-couch surfer. And the main character, who is a 14-year-old mystery story fan. All of whom are stuck at the step-grandmother's isolated rural farm while the police investigate the step-grandmother's murder. Whodunnit gold!

Truly the aspect of this book I enjoyed the most, aside from the zany characters, was the fact that it was funny and a great mystery, but there was no element of fear or intense danger. I was just able to read the story, try my darnedest to figure out who killed grandma, and enjoy myself. I also liked that the narrator - Ruth - kept "breaking the fourth wall" and speaking directly to us readers. After it had happened a few times, I was afraid it was a technique that would be overused and become annoying before the end of the book, but that didn't happen. The author used the direct address sparingly, often for foreshadowing or to point out clues we readers should have (but usually didn't) catch. Instead of being bored by the technique, I was always intrigued.

Additionally, props to the author because I did NOT figure out whodunnit before the big reveal; I didn't figure out any of the parts or pieces of the mystery. But once the answer was revealed, it was all plausible. There was no unknown killer who appeared in the story for the first time on page 300. True to the narrator's (and author's) word, a more careful reader than me could have pieced this together. And that's how a mystery should be.

My only critique of this book is the narrator's age. Ruth is 14. But, for one thing, this is a YA book. 14 years old feels a little young for a YA narrator. But my bigger issue is that the character of Ruth doesn't read (to me) as 14. Honestly, in my head, she was around 16 years old the whole time. It wasn't until I reread a blurb for the book that I was reminded that she's only 14. That's the only part of the story that just doesn't work for me. The character, as she's written, seems much more mature than that. Other than that, this book is a pure joy, and I highly recommend it to any and all YA mystery fans!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a 14 year old girl who loves mystery books. She finds herself thrown into her own mystery when she is on vacation with her family and her stepgrandmother is found murdered.

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. I might be too old for it but this book just felt very cringe to me. The narrator was trying to be funny but it just came across as cringe. I also found the mystery to be boring as well.

I hope others love this one.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is hands down the funniest murder mystery I've ever read. While Ruth is only fourteen, she embodies the slightly snarky investigator role perfectly, along with her back-up "Watson" Dylan.

Ruth is an aspiring investigator with a deep love of crime fiction, so when the body of her step-Grandma is suddenly discovered, it's the perfect opportunity for a real case - if only she weren't investigating her own family.

With mysterious wills, missing relatives, nosy neighbors, and a variety of family drama from serious to hilarious, there are a lot of twists and turns on the path to who-done-it.

Highly recommend for readers who enjoy murder mysteries, comedies, and light hearted investigations.

The Dysfunctional Family's Guide is a tongue in cheek book set in Australia and covers a closed door mystery where the perpetrator must be a member of the family. Things get going pretty quickly and the plot moves fast, with plenty of good twists. Unfortunately though I just wasn't a fan of the writing style - it just didn't keep me gripped like I hoped! Worth giving a try if you like a fun mystery though.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy.

What a fun book! Inclusive, caring, mysterious--it has it all. I especially loved the asides.
I laughed out loud multiple times reading this. A+++

🕵️‍♀️ Murder, Mayhem & Monologues 🖤

It is because of the 2-star review someone else gave this that I felt compelled to read it—and honestly? I’m so glad I did! Was the mystery a tangled mess of clues, red herrings, and “wait, who even is that again?” moments? Absolutely. Did I care? Not even a little. 😂

This book is pure YA cozy chaos, and I was here for every awkward crush, fourth-wall break, and dysfunctional family blow-up. Ruth is a 14-year-old mystery junkie with big Nancy Drew energy and a very sassy inner monologue—and she talks to the reader. Like, full-on Deadpool style. It’s weirdly delightful. 💀📚

The actual murder mystery part? Eh. Confusing. There were moments where I felt like I needed a corkboard and red string just to keep track of who was fighting with who and why. BUT it was so funny and so original that I forgave all of that.

My favorite parts:
✨ Murder by TYPEWRITER (yes, really)
✨ Hot-but-awkward sort-of cousin sidekick (don’t think too hard about it, I beg you)
✨ Big found-family meets murder-clue-madness vibes
✨ Ghosts? No. Weird tension and unresolved family drama? Absolutely.
✨ So. Many. Parentheticals. (Ruth really needs to tell you everything.)

Would I recommend it? Yes but not if you’re looking for a tight, Agatha Christie-style mystery. This is more like we're writing a mystery, wait, no we're not, oh yah, yes we are but can't remember what it was so i'll just start writing random mystery clues for no reason 😅

4.5 stars 🌟 because the Deadpool vibes were super fun even if the puzzle pieces didn’t make any sense. I’d 100% read more of Ruth’s chaotic sleuthing adventures!

A little less excitement/thrill/murder than I was hoping for, but it was still fun and a unique kind of mystery told from a 14y/o sleuth perspective

"Breaking the fourth wall" is a phrase kept thinking when reading this book.

Unexpectedly, the main character would 'talk' to the reader while interacting with the other characters. It worked.

What didn't work for me was following the characters. Multiple characters are often a given in mysteries but need distinctive characteristics and voices that imprint themselves in a readers' mind. Otherwise, the reader will need to either physically chart it out an (distracting) or flip back to prior chapters (disturbing flow of read) so found this to be a frustrating read.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, Random House Children's Books | Knopf Books for Young Readers, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


#TheDysfunctionalFamilysGuidetoMurder #NetGalley

First and foremost, I will read anything YA Thriller based in Australia, so maybe I am biased but this is a REALLY good book!

The characters alone will have you laughing out loud with their intricacies. The story starts with Ruth, a teen obsessed with mysteries, who has to spend the weekend on a remote farm visiting her GG who (let's be real) kinda sucks and she can't connect with the outside world (a crime when you're a teenager). However, GG suddenly dies and that gets Ruth's wheels spinning to crack the case.

Overall, this is a great book and I can't wait til my niece is a little older so I can gift her a copy!

──★ 4

this was a quirky, funky, little family story set in australia with a "nancy drew" esque main character and her cousin. a fun novel with a lot going on that technically was quite confusing and funky but i had a good time! nothing crazy at all. pick up for a light read.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖𓂃.☘︎ ݁˖

──★thanks to the publisher + netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

i sit up yesterday and read the hoole book because i couldn´t stop reading it.
I have a really great time, Ruth is a very funny main character.
it has a really good plot and the writting is really good.
The only. bad thing that i have to say is sometimes are things a little confusing.

What a great mystery. Told to us by Ruth, a 14 yr old mystery lover, her voice is what makes the story. The mystery is good with many twists and funny bits, but it is the cool setup of the narrator speaking to the reader directly that makes this so special.

This was a fun quick read with a narrator who is trying to figure out the motive and potential murderer of a family member on a short family vacation. The twists and turns were unexpected and the clues were pretty subtle. I loved the fourth wall breaks when the narrator would talk directly to the reader sometimes pointing out missed clues that made me want to go back and search for them. I had figured out some of the pieces to the mystery but not all and was left shocked at the final reveal.