The Family Plot
A Novel
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3.9 • 64 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A family obsessed with true crime gathers to bury their patriarch—only to find another body already in his grave in this “moody and atmospheric” (USA TODAY) thriller.
Raised in a secluded island mansion deep in the woods and kept isolated by her true crime-obsessed parents, twenty-six-year-old Dahlia Lighthouse is still haunted by her twin brother Andy’s disappearance a decade ago.
After several years away and following her father’s death, Dahlia returns home, where the family makes a gruesome discovery: buried in their father’s plot is another body—Andy’s, his skull split open with an ax.
Dahlia is quick to blame Andy’s murder on the serial killer who terrorized the island for decades, while the rest of her family reacts to the revelation in unsettling ways. Her brother, Charlie, pours his energy into creating a family memorial museum, highlighting their research into the lives of famous murder victims; her sister, Tate, forges ahead with her popular dioramas portraying crime scenes; and their mother affects a cheerfully domestic facade, becoming unrecognizable as the woman who performed murder reenactments for her children. As Dahlia grapples with her own grief and horror, she realizes that her eccentric family, and the mansion itself, may hold the answers to what happened to her twin in this “gorgeously wrought and deliciously creepy…twisted delight” (Kathleen Barber, author of Follow Me).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Dahlia Lighthouse, the narrator of this atmospheric psychological thriller from Collins (The Winter Sister), has returned to her family's secluded mansion on Blackburn Island for the funeral of her father, Daniel, as have her older brother, Charlie, and her sister, Tate. She's hoping they'll be joined by her twin brother, Andy, whom she hasn't seen since he disappeared a decade earlier on their 16th birthday, leaving behind a note that read: "The only way out is to never come back." Then Andy's badly decomposed body—its skull fractured by a blow from an axe—is found in the grave that was destined for Daniel. The Lighthouses have always been a source of speculation for the islanders, and Andy's murder leads to suspicions that his death is connected in some way to the Blackburn Killer, who murdered seven women over two decades and was never caught. In investigating Andy's death, Dahlia must revisit her haunted childhood. Plausible suspects and complex characters match the well-crafted plot. This is an entertaining as well as chilling tale of family secrets, lies, and primordial fears.
Customer Reviews
Cool story line
Enjoyed this book. Definitely has some plot twists and it kept me reading. Was expecting a little more of an adrenaline rush however never ready another story with the same story line idea.
It was ok
I wasn’t a fan of any of the characters, so didn’t have anyone to root for, which made me apathetic as I read. The author needs to do some fact checking about confidentiality, and what therapist can and cannot keep confidential that a client discloses. Sad, but interesting, that 3 out of 4 main characters are unemployed. The author could have developed this more and made a statement about inheritances and bad behavior, possibly. Another missed opportunity is the arrested development that occurs when abuse begins or trauma happens. These plot arcs could have helped some characters be more likable. The book left me feeling weary and dirty.