Not a Happy Family: A Novel (Unabridged)
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3.9 • 590 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
Another thrilling domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door
“Lapena is a master of manipulation. With her latest page-turning thriller… she is once again at the top of her game.” —USA Today
“In this fast-paced, twisted family saga, Shari Lapena keeps you guessing until the very last page...” —Paula Hawkins
In this family, everyone is keeping secrets—even the dead.
Brecken Hill in upstate New York is an expensive place to live. You have to be rich to have a house there, and Fred and Sheila Merton certainly are rich. But even all their money can't protect them when a killer comes to call. The Mertons are brutally murdered after a fraught Easter dinner with their three adult kids. Who, of course, are devastated.
Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of the siblings is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you'd know.
Wouldn't you?
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In Shari Lapena’s mischievous mystery, everybody in the wealthy Merton clan is secretly delighted when a vicious crime hits the family. Nasty patriarch Fred has been lording his success over his three kids: high-achieving Catherine, floundering Dan, and rebellious Jenna. Meanwhile, the siblings’ spineless mom, Sheila, and watchful housekeeper Irena sit silently while vindictive aunt Audrey meddles behind the scenes. So when a double murder tears the family apart, everyone is a suspect. Not a Happy Family moves effortlessly between murder investigation and family melodrama, with Lapena letting the wild secrets and shocking revelations fly. Peppered with razor-sharp dialogue and one fantastically chaotic funeral scene, the novel kept us guessing, and Ellen Archer’s narration is perfect for the witty, Succession-like banter. This deliciously tart listen about rich-people problems is one of the most purely enjoyable mysteries we’ve heard in a minute.
Customer Reviews
Interesting twist
Entertaining
Not a single likeable character 😖
I really struggled with this book, mainly because I thoroughly disliked every single one of the many characters introduced. The plot centers around an unbelievably greedy and self-serving group of people. I ultimately didn’t care who the murderer turned out to be. I just wanted it to be over. The narrator’s style of reading didn’t help matters. I was cringing every time she did the Audrey voice. I’m rating the book a 2⭐️ because it did manage to keep me mildly distracted during a very boring 6-hour drive.
Super Good
Amazing book! Made me stop a book I was already reading! The suspense is mind blowing and doesn’t have any unnecessary parts about it!