Keep It In The Family: Dark Twists You Don't See Coming

I remember being in my book slump, which should be about the fourth book slump I've had this year alone, if not more, and so I came on Hive, and asked my fellow Bibliophiles for recommendations, and sweet @teknon recommended this book to me, which took me a minute to finish, but I’m glad I finally got to finish it today. This morning, in fact.

Keep It In The Family by John Marrs

So, Mia and Finn are a couple and are collectively nearing financial ruin when they decide to buy a derelict house off an auction event and renovate it, even though Finn’s parents originally wanted the house.

Anyway, they begin work on the house and along the line, Mia, who’s been trying for a baby, falls pregnant, howbeit unexpectedly, and at the worst possible time. With their newborn on the way, Finn and Mia are even more resolute to complete the house.

But then, just as the house is taking shape, Mia discovers a message on the wall, “I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC,” and she’s immediately spooked, and calls on her husband and her in-laws to check out the attic.

After a gruesome discovery, Mia comes to realize how very present the danger that looms over the house is, and with each passing day and discovery, she decides that she must get to the root of the mystery, and perhaps, save her family. Or so, she thinks.

My Thoughts and Rating

So, this book started off a bit slow in the beginning, but I kind of believe that they were trying to ease us into what was to come. The real drama starts towards the middle of the book, but before then, we’re already immersed in the mystery and eager to uncover everything.

I didn’t have any favourites. Everyone seemed off, and I didn’t even know who to align myself with. I’m guessing that’s what the author was going for. To see everyone at first in a neutral perspective, so that the blow feels even more devastating.

The plot was plotting in this book, I can’t even lie. So weird and spooky just how psychopaths operates, especially with what fuels and motivates them. This is not the first book I’ve read that’s like this, so I’ve come to understand that maybe this is just how all psychopaths operate.

That first off, they have this twisted belief about life that makes them feel like they're the victims or the saviours, depending on the situation, and they stick with it till the very end. And second, no matter how long it takes, the very few things they care about in their own twisted way will become the things that finally destroy them.

There were some things that I saw coming, to be honest. You can’t have read so many thriller and mystery books without being able to guess who’s possibly the danger. But the depth to which they took it, I was not prepared neither did I envisage just how evil certain characters were.

The ending was darkly beautiful. I didn’t see it coming, and I’m almost scared of what lies in store for the survivors as if they’re real people. And that’s just how you know that you’ve read a good book. You’re not just immersed, you end up caring. I didn’t care so much for the characters, but I most certainly wish them well, as I bid adieu to their most eerily unique story.

Altogether, “Keep It In The Family,” is a lovely book. I’m glad I got to read it, and I may just invest in another thriller to just keep the “spook buzz” going with me. 4.2/5 stars from me. If you see this, Wildflower, it’s your cue to send another tantalising book my way. XOXO.

Jhymi🖤

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