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The Family Man

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He stalked their homes. He slaughtered their families. But he let the mothers live.

The Family Man died twenty years ago, cheating DCI John Drake of the chance to bring him to justice. But when a mother is found with her entire family brutally murdered at an isolated house in Yorkshire, the grim discovery bears all the hallmarks of the dead serial killer’s work.

Haunted by what he’d witnessed during the original investigation, Drake knows his experience makes him the obvious choice to head the specialist team investigating these latest killings. But as the deaths move ever closer to home and the killer taunts him with sly reminders of the earlier murders, Drake’s forced to contemplate the

Are these latest murders the work of a copycat? Or twenty years ago, did Drake make the biggest mistake of his career?

420 pages, ebook

Published October 12, 2023

506 people are currently reading
519 people want to read

About the author

M. R. Armitage

6 books41 followers
M. R. Armitage is a writer based in Reading, England.

His work includes the first three books in the DCI John Drake dark crime thriller series: The Family Man, The Ties That Bind, and Blood Lines, along with a prequel short story, Drake.

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5 stars
285 (49%)
4 stars
205 (35%)
3 stars
67 (11%)
2 stars
18 (3%)
1 star
6 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for John Morris.
1,011 reviews80 followers
March 10, 2024
Darkness gets a whole new meaning!

DCI Drake of the murder squad is a troubled man with family issues, he tends to put his job above the needs of his wife and daughter. Twenty years before he had come within an ace of securing the conviction of a seriously deranged serial killer. However, the culprit died before the case could come to court. Now, twenty years on a spate of identical murders were being committed. Had DCI Drake apprehended the wrong man twenty years before, even though the suspect had admitted to the crimes? Was there a copy cat reenacting the the original murders or was there more than one killer from twenty years ago? This was a very dark and disturbing story, full of twists and turns. It was more than your average police procedural thriller, it was the story of nightmares.
110 reviews2 followers
November 23, 2023
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review:
I very much liked this book, the storyline and pace (apart from the dead families, of course - very disturbing). I liked Ellie’s character the most, and found her to be relatable in personality and behaviour in many ways.
This was a “hard to put down” kind of book, that kept moving so you wanted to keep following. Very suspenseful and had my heart racing.
Only true flaw would be the ending (or “reveal”) and how things played out… just not necessarily what I expected or hoped for, but not “bad” either!
2 reviews1 follower
October 15, 2023
The Family Man is a dark thriller with vivid, “feel like you are in the room” crime scenes.

“The Man” will take you on twists and grisly turns throughout this well written book. Drake is hot on his trail and yet can’t seem to catch him. The reader will root for Drake, his partner and his family every step of the way.
The crime scenes are so well written, you feel like you are looking at them through Drake’s eyes. I thoroughly enjoyed this dark story and look forward to more Drake adventures!

I was an ARC reader and this is my honest opinion. I loved it so much, I purchased a final copy. Definitely recommend!
Profile Image for Lorna Segger.
168 reviews
July 23, 2025
What a read and what an ending!! Very dark thriller, felt like you were in the crime scene with them!

Cant wait to see what the next book brings, left on a cliffhanger!
Profile Image for Pheadra.
1,062 reviews56 followers
October 17, 2023
I read an advance copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love a good detective story. This one centers around DCI Drake who twenty years earlier failed to bring a serial killer to justice. The perpetrator would enter family homes, and murder all the family members except for the mothers. Now, he appears to be back and moving ever and ever closer to Drake's turf. Will Drake get his man? Following personal stresses Drake's been dealing with less demanding work lately, with lesscdemanding hours but given his history investigating the older crimes, he is the best man for the job. 

Is this current criminal the same man as two decades earlier or a copycat?

I did feel this was somewhat drawn-out but there was an element of authenticity to the way crime scenes were described as they were very detailed, which may or may not appeal to every reader. 4 and a half stars.
41 reviews1 follower
May 22, 2024
Wow what a story

At first I had trouble getting into the book. It didn't take long and I couldn't put it down. Looking forward to breading the next one.
Profile Image for Monica Mil-Homens.
534 reviews22 followers
November 5, 2023
Opinião: Começo já por dizer que é importante que este livro acaba num cliffhanger, o que é excelente porque pode ser que venham aí mais. Faria todo o sentido. Foi uma experiência de leitura incrível, é efetivamente um Thriller Policial com cenas bastante gráficas, e um serial Killer, The Family Man, com claros traços de psicopatia e crueldade infinitas. Mas a estória é bem escrita, as personagens são muito cativantes e o Inspetor John Drake, passados vinte anos após as ultimas mortes vê-se a braços com um novo assassinato de uma família inteira e tem que decidir se volta a por em jogo a sua própria família e relações familiares e tenta desvendar este caso que o atormenta ou se deixa que outros façam isso. É que supostamente o Family Man está morto, então quem é que anda a matar de novo? Esta estória é contada em boa parte através de dois POV e a dois tempos, que se acabam por cruzar inevitavelmente e somos brindados com um final cheio de emoção, e muita ação, onde as vidas pessoais de quem tenta apanhar este assassino nunca mais serão as mesmas. Também aborda temas como saúde mental, racismo e abuso parental. Recomendo bastante, e quero ver mais do inspector Drake e da sua colega Ellie, uma colega nova que muito enaltece a estória e pelo meio e pelas reviravoltas, deixa passar uma mensagem do que ainda é muito a mentalidade de muitas localidades rurais por este Mundo fora.

ENG REVIEW: I'll start by saying that this book ends with a cliffhanger, which is excellent because there may be more to come soon. It would make perfect sense. It was an incredible reading experience, it is effectively a Thriller with very graphic scenes, and a Serial Killer, The Family Man, with clear traces of psychopathy and infinite cruelty. But the story is well written, the characters are very captivating and Inspector John Drake, twenty years after the last deaths, finds himself faced with a new murder of an entire family and has to decide whether to put his family at risk again. and family relationships and try to unravel this case that torments him or let others do it. It's just that the Family Man is supposedly dead, so who's killing again? This story is told largely through two POVs and in two times, which inevitably end up crossing paths and we are treated to an ending full of emotion, and a lot of action, where the personal lives of those trying to catch this killer will never be the same again. same. It also addresses topics such as mental health, racism and parental abuse. I highly recommend it, and I want to see more from Inspector Drake and his colleague Ellie, a new pair of eyes who greatly enhances the story and, through its twists and turns, returns a message about what is still very much the mentality of many rural locations around the world. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

@bibliotecamil_insta /bibliotecamil.wordpress.com
Profile Image for janine.
784 reviews10 followers
November 3, 2023
Wow... just wow!

This has easily got to be one of my top reads this year! An exceptional dark thriller that gives you everything you want, expect and need from this genre.

This is the first in the DCI Drake series and if its it's anything to go by, this is going to be one hell of a series.

20 years ago after numerous gruesome slayings the 'Family Man' was apprehended *no spoilers* but now another family have been killed in the exact same way. How can that be? Is there a copycat killer or did the original investigation miss something?

I absolutely loved the writing style, the crime scenes are written amazingly well to the point you can feel the darkness radiating from the pages. The authors descriptive style is phenomenal.

The characters are relatable and some likeable and the unlikeable ones are SO unlikeable it makes your skin crawl. I must admit that I loved the character of Ellie, the newbie Detective, all guns blazing but with a yound, fresh perspective really made me smile.

The twists and turns had me second and then third guessing constantly and I was still shocked by the ending.

This had me hooked from the very beginning and didn't loosen its grip until the very end.

I honestly could not recommend this enough. I cannot wait for book #2.

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Profile Image for Tina Lincoln.
460 reviews5 followers
October 19, 2023
This will keep you awake at night...
Who wouldn't want a new start in a new city with their family after life comes at you and you just need a fresh start. Things start like a nice, kind town, with the girl starting school, makes a new friend, and her Dad is a detective. She had her over before, but she acted a little different when her mom seamed to be starting to have one of her episodes, but she thought she would try it again, she really likes her. Her Father, DCI Drake, is a very busy man, and then it starts again... it seams that the murderer dubbed 'The Family Man' has started killing again after 20 years... and his death back then too! So, is this a copycat? did they get the wrong guy back then? Drake is going round and round with this, and when he gets home and talks to his wife, she gives him the reins to do this, but when it is over, he has to make a choice... her, or his job. No Pressure There!
What a play on words... 'The Family Man'. I started reading this, thinking it might be a little scary... boy was I wrong! I believe this will be haunting my mind for a very long time!
Thank you M.R. Armitage for a Truly Wonder-Scary Story! Perfect timing for Halloween...
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.
336 reviews96 followers
November 12, 2023
This is a book that I really enjoyed reading. It is a well written fast moving thriller.

DCI Drake is the investigator here, an interestingly drawn character.

Twenty years earlier after a spate of horrendous killings a murderer dubbed the 'Family Man' was arrested. A further family has now been slain in the same way. Is it a copy cat killing? Or was there a flaw in the earlier investigation? Is there a copycat killer, or did the original investigation miss something and was the wrong man initially apprehended?

The characters are convincing and well drawn. Armitage has powerful descriptive powers. There’s a new detective on the investigation called Ellie who comes across as a likeable character.

This is a very engaging and engrossing read, with many twists in the tale. Suspense was created well. You wouldn’t readily work out the solution to the mystery at all.

I highly recommend this gripping and entertaining read to others

I received an ARC from BookSirens, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
93 reviews4 followers
October 31, 2023
After reading the initial chapter of “The Family Man”, I was looking forward to a twisty, dark serial killer ride and that is what I found. But it was a patchy ride….Some parts seemed to flow really well, others seemed rushed or drawn out.

DCI Drake and his offside Ellie are investigating horrific multiple murders similar to those Drake thought he had solved twenty years prior. When it seems he may have had it wrong, his family are put at risk and the local community find themselves again under suspicion. We are presented with several suspects and introduced to a newly arrived family with a psychologically disturbed wife/mother. However I feel that none of these are really shown to have a motive, or maybe true evil doesn’t need explaining.

I will follow DCI Drake to his next case. I received an ARC for free from Book Sirens and this is my honest review.
289 reviews2 followers
May 4, 2025
The Family Man is the first book in the DCI John Drake series by M R Armitage.
In short, The Family Man died twenty years ago, cheating DCI John Drake of the chance to bring him to justice. But when a mother is found with her entire family brutally murdered at an isolated house in Yorkshire, the grim discovery bears all the hallmarks of the dead serial killer’s work. Haunted by the murders Drake is back on the case & forced to contemplate the unthinkable: Are these latest murders the work of a copycat? Or twenty years ago, did Drake make the biggest mistake of his career?
The Family Man is a dark & gruesome read, definitely not for the feint hearted! There’s plenty of tension in the gripping storyline with the expected twists of a good thriller and with an ending that’s not stopping there! I’m off to read the next instalment.

39 reviews
November 29, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this book. I love the crime/mystery genre and enjoy trying to guess “whodunnit”. I found this book quite convoluted with a few likeable and unlikeable characters plus some unbelievable ones (lack of intervention for a wife with a mental health disorder). To be fair, this is a complicated book involving an apparently previously solved serial murder story that rears its ugly head again 20 years later with more serial murders. My interest was piqued at the beginning however I got lost as the book progressed with the ongoing stories of the different suspects. The cliffhanger ending was a surprise but I don’t think I’ll move on to the next in the series. Not for me. I received an ARC for free via Book Sirens and this is a voluntary review.
Profile Image for Ryan.
48 reviews4 followers
July 17, 2024
I had trouble getting into the book, it was a weirdly slow read for me. The initial chapter was intriguing, depicting murders in such a gruesome way that I had to keep reading!

I felt the book was a bit slow until about 2/3 of the way through. Whilst the connections started tying together nearer the end, I was confused with the different characters and their storylines, wondering when they'd connect and how it would work. It was great to see how they did in the end, however.

This was a different type of murder that I'm used to reading about, and was so well described that the story itself had me hooked despite my aforementioned concerns. I'll be reading the sequel to this in the near future!
Profile Image for Donna.
86 reviews1 follower
March 15, 2024
Wow!

I was captured from the blurb. This was a fast-paced thriller that took you along for the ride. Who could be the one responsible for these brutal killings? Why were the mother’s the only ones left behind? Lots of questions, a big gap to cause confusion, a reappearance and familiar crime scenes. Will they ever capture who is doing this? It really took you on the journey of the main characters, how they worked and how personal it becomes. There seems to be no hint of any fresh leads to help them find the killer. That is until there is a slip by someone. Is this nightmare going to end? Loved it!!!
Profile Image for Cecilia dos Santos.
10 reviews
May 24, 2025
What a story. I just finished and I can’t wait for the next one. I read some reviews of people saying that the change in narrators was annoying (first person/third person). On the contrary, it helps the reader to understand different characters and their viewpoint. I also read it was predictable. Well, one of the characters had to be the killer so I guess it was predictable that someone was the one to be blamed. And it made total sense. But that ending, oh my goodness, amazing cliffhanger. I am glad the author didn’t come up with a nonsensical explanation for the killings, because that would’ve been a much worse outcome. Looking forward to whatever else he writes.
1 review
August 27, 2025
I came across this author, read the blurb/ plot line and purchased the set of 3.
Not knowing what to expect I started The Family Man and by around page 50 I was comfortable with the characters and had a good grasp on who was who.
There should have been an imaginary drum roll or warning bell as Drake & Ellie entered the crime scene because I hollered out loud at the scene. His writing style draws you in as if you are there and the story runs through my minds eye with perfect clarity. My black heart skipped a beat in shameless delight at how this story unfolded (as shocking as it was)
10/10 for shock factor!
I went straight into the 2nd book..
843 reviews10 followers
October 19, 2023
I love serial killers. DCI John Drake was investigating The Family Man who killed families in front of their mothers. The Family Man died 20 years ago so the case was closed. Apparently not. The killings started again and Drake was on the case again. I love police procedural books. I love seeing how they get all the clues together and move step by step through the case. The murderer takes him around a bit as Drake tries to get to him. The book is well written and very descriptive. I loved it. I received an ARC copy from the author and this is my honest review.
335 reviews7 followers
November 15, 2023
Oh My Goodness! The Family Man DCI John Drake: Book 1 by M. R. Armitage is an unbelievable rollercoaster ride filled with twists and turn! The world building is creditable. Families ruined when murder cases consume the detective who are attempting to solve serial killers cases. With that being said, I found the characters’ reactions and emotions to be convincing.

The Family Man is not for those who are skittish. Crime scenes are graphic.
This is a great book!
I received an advance review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
195 reviews
July 31, 2024
Excellent book
Had me only the edge of my seat, scared my poor dog several times towards the end
DCI Drake and his Partner DC Wilkinson investigate a murder which has
The hallmarks of a serial killer from 20 years ago which Drake initially investigated
Is this a copy cat or has the killer raised fortune the dead? Or did they get the wrong man all those years ago?
Crime thriller is my go to, my comfort zone and boy this did not disappoint, just downloaded the next in the series
There are 3 altogether and I can not wait
Highly recommend and a 5 ⭐️ from me
Profile Image for Christina.
480 reviews8 followers
October 25, 2023
I'm so so happy I read this book and I have a new favorite dream team! DS Ellie Wilkinson and DCI Drake!

The story had everything : gruesome Murders, many weirdos / suspects, different POVs and most important you want more!

The characters were well written and they each had depth.

The end left me shattered - what a way to finish!! and this was Book 1 - so hopefully many more to come!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Chrisy.
160 reviews
March 10, 2024
Loved this book.

Enjoyed the background stories of the families and how they became entwined. The killings were particularly gruesome, shocking and disturbing. The descriptions of the suspects made you dislike each and every one of them. And due to what was discovered at the crime scenes you continually ask yourself questions throughout, trying to make sense of it. Definitely getting Book 2.
Profile Image for Letsreadagoodbook.
383 reviews8 followers
April 7, 2024
WOW!!

One heck of a read!!! Slow start but it sucks you right in!!

DCI Drake thought the killings was done! After 20 years the man! Is killing again!! Lots of twist and turns in this book! I wasn't expecting the whole family to be in on this but WOW!!! wish he could found out who he was before he lost his family!
This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat reading trying to figure out what's going to happen next, this was truly a good book!
Profile Image for Angela Soames.
17 reviews2 followers
October 25, 2023
I was gripped from the first word. I liked the main characters Drake and Ellie and how they worked together.

The book was fast paced, harrowing, shocking. I especially didn't see the ending coming and look forward to the next book to see where the story ends up.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
92 reviews3 followers
November 3, 2023
I really liked this book. I found the investigation into who the killer was very intriguing and I was on the edge of my seat. What I really enjoyed most was getting an in depth look into DCI Drake's family life. The author does a great job describing how Drake struggles with finding the balance between his family and his job. I received an ARC for free and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Vera Rodrigues.
249 reviews4 followers
November 3, 2023
I simply loved it, the plot and the author's writing. It's a dark thriller that keeps you up at night.

The characters are complex and the reading is so addictive, that I became upset every time I had to put the book down. Looking forward to more...
Profile Image for S McK.
289 reviews8 followers
January 12, 2024
Thrilling!

Well this was thrilling read that had me gripped from the start!!!
Loved it and the characters. Drake is great and Ellie has such potential.
Can't wait for the next one!
I would highly recommend this book and series.
23 reviews
March 6, 2024
I liked this book. It kind of dragged in the beginning. Then, it almost exploded near the end. It kept me wanting to finish reading...1:22 am, and I finally finished. It's worth maneuvering thru for the end! And the last minute twist...wow!
Profile Image for Emily Roberts.
16 reviews
March 12, 2024
Really enjoyed this book, and was totally taken with the characters.
I like the friendship between Drake and Ellie.
I did not guess who the killer was which made me enjoy the book even more.
Can't wait to read the sequel.
Profile Image for A M.
59 reviews1 follower
July 30, 2024
This is a story that will truly make you stay up all night to get to the end!! It is so hard to put down. You really get invested in the characters and the search to find this gruesome killer. It is fast paced and it just hits you in the gut at the end. Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews

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