Family Ties

by Krista Beckwith

In the quiet town of Fairfield, Janelle finds her world unraveling after the unexpected, tragic death of her husband, Percy. As she deals with the grief of losing her partner, shocking revelations emerge about his secret interactions with an older woman from his job at FCI Fairfield. Struggling to reconcile the image of her faithful husband with these newfound connections, Janelle embarks on a heart-wrenching journey with her best friend to uncover the truth.

Haunted by the possibility of infidelity and betrayal, Janelle's pursuit takes an unexpected turn, revealing a web of secrets and lies that shatter the foundations of the life she thought she knew. As she delves deeper into the mystery surrounding her husband's relationships, Janelle discovers that the ties between him, her and the older woman may have deeper roots than she could have ever imagined.

162 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2023

About the author

Krista, an avid, reader since childhood, has always dreamed of writing her own books. In 2022, she successfully accomplished that with the release of her debut children’s book titled, “I’m Not Difficult… You Just Don’t Understand”, a story about life with Sensory Processing Disorder. She is a single mom of three amazing children and previously operated a craft business, KJB Kreations, in Southeast Alabama. Today, she enjoys spending time making memories with close family and friends.

Reviews

[JazzReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok

2.5 ⭐️ This book was interesting and my first read by this author. I do feel like some parts of this story became repeated especially with the female main character talks about her pregnancy. Over this book was ok. This book is my first thriller of the year. I found this to be very interesting in the beginning but by 50% lose me .

[Bianca Inez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read

There was so little character development that it was difficult to care about the confusing twists at the end. It was a very quick read and I enjoyed the dialogue between the characters. I just felt like the book overall was missing substance. I would totally give this author another shot though.

[Ashley Walmach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a thriller and this one was IT! Kept me on the edge of my seat! I couldn’t put it down and was held to the story through every page. The book was unlike others I’ve read before and it kept me coming back to find out what was next. Highly recommend!

[Tiara Lashae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family Ties by Krista Beckwith started off strong and had all the ingredients for a solid thriller. The beginning immediately pulled me in—there was mystery, emotion, and just enough suspense to keep the pages turning.

The middle held up well too. I stayed engaged as the story unfolded and secrets were slowly revealed. Janelle’s grief and determination felt believable, and I appreciated the emotional undertone layered within the thriller elements.

However, the ending felt incredibly rushed. New characters were introduced late in the game, and everything wrapped up too quickly without the depth or development the story deserved. At only 153 pages, I felt like this book had so much more potential if it had been expanded a bit further.

Also, I was able to guess the ending around page 70, which made the final twist feel a little predictable for me. While it wasn’t a bad read by any means, it left me wanting more—more buildup, more twists, more time with the characters.

Still, if you’re looking for a fast-paced, emotionally charged thriller you can finish in a single sitting, this might be a good pick for you!

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a short read, but it was good. The storyline did move fast. I know there were gripes about the character development, however, I think the mystery behind the characters’ past make it mysterious enough to bring it all together in the end.

I did feel as though there were too many characters towards the end and hard to keep track of as well as the ending being so abrupt. Regardless, I still recommend this book as it kept me engaged and I am a fan of mysteries.

[Bernita Beckwith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good book. I didn’t want to put it down until I got to the end. Good story and so realistic This book had me on the edge of my seat, and wondering what’s gonna happen next.

[Aricksha Wilshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good quick read. There were a lot of characters towards the end that could have been developed better throughout the book. There also seemed to be some typos in the book. But overall a good story. I downloaded this book as part of the BRAE stuff your kindle event. Would definitely read another book by the author who seems to be off to a good start.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Quick Read

Great read. I was hooked from the beginning, I don't remember breathing much for the last 3 chapters, but apparently I did 🤭. I can't wait to read this authors next thriller.

[Toni Larue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

This is a Brae read and my first time reading the author's work.

The writing is sharp and the character's felt authentic. While seasoned thriller readers might see where it's headed, the author’s strong pacing still makes it an entertaining read. The tension builds nicely, even when you know what's coming. A good weekend read, especially for readers new to thrillers, that earns 4 stars for its polished execution, though I wish it had thrown in a few more surprises to keep me guessing.

[Ruby Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family Tiea

I have truly enjoyed this book. I read it in a matter of 2 days. It was definitely a thriller!

[The Honest Review · Rating 1 out of 5]

Short book but it never really developed. The first part was good but the ending was so poorly written I couldn’t keep up with it. Done let the cover fool you, this book was terrible!!

[Dainty · Rating 3 out of 5]

3, I just could not get with the writing. By the end of the story I had no connection to any of the characters. I should have been screaming and jumping up with all the craziness going on but I didn’t care because no connection was there. So much happened at the end I had to re read some parts to make sure I was following…lot of potential with the creativity but felt rushed towards the end. I wanted to add that I would read this author again do to her creativity.

[Tatiana Washington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great story! I love how I went from loving to hating Anthony in a matter of a few chapters! That was such a surprising twist. I do feel like the ending of the story was a tad rushed. I also feel like it wasn’t explained who the character Sharon was. I went back to see if maybe I missed her relationship to one Ros (one of the other characters), but I couldn’t find it. Overall, I enjoyed this read!

[Tara Donaldson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted a little more elaboration for the last part of the story . I feel like that would have made this a solid 5 for me but it came in more like a 4.5 for me . I adored how real the characters were . Story was a little fluffy / wordy in a few of the backstory parts but most everything became relevant in the end . I hope this author puts out more to read .

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

..

This is a short quick read but not good. The story line is easy to figure out and the writing was adolescent. I felt like I was reading a teenagers story for a writing class. I would not recommend wasting time on this one

[Kissed by Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really felt like this book should have been a one star, but the only reason why I’m giving it two stars is because the ending was entertaining. I also notice that throughout the entire book the story seemed rush, and it was VERY predictable.

[Jory Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

family ties review

It was a great read.. kind of figured Anthony was up to no good when the psychic was having bad vibes from him.. predictable but I ain’t mad at it

[Tanesh Buckner · Rating 1 out of 5]

that was awful

[Chatema Gaddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have liked to hear more from Anthony/DeMetrius. The plot wasn't exactly clear.

[BeautifullyRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was not expecting the turns in this read. I was SO MAD at the MC then happy for her. Very enjoyable