One Big Happy Family

by Sam Vickery

Watching my beautiful rosy-cheeked baby Ava play in the sand, I can’t believe how much joy she’s brought me. I look at the gentle waves of the ocean sparkling in the sun. But when I turn back, Ava is gone…

Everyone rushes to the beach to help search for Ava, but there’s no trace of her anywhere nearby. My ex-husband Jimmy is just as terrified as I am. But I get an odd feeling from his new girlfriend, Leah. As she cradles my other two children, she doesn’t seem as panicked as Jimmy and me. How can she be so calm?

Then they show me footage of Ava on a bus, held tightly by an elderly woman who looks just like Leah’s mother. Leah couldn’t have anything to do with Ava’s disappearance, could she?

I’ve seen the way Leah clings tightly to Jimmy, how she has moulded herself into the perfect housewife, never letting him lift a finger and cooking my children’s favourite meals every day.

Then the police officer in charge fixes me with a cold stare as he asks me why I wasn’t paying attention to my daughter. Suggesting it’s my fault she’s gone… That my older two would be safer in Leah’s care.

Should I share my suspicions? What if the police are looking in the wrong place? Time is running out to find Ava, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back, but are my accusations about to tear my whole family apart?

Fans of Liane Moriarty, Jodi Picoult and Linda Green will be completely gripped by this jaw-dropping page-turner filled with heart-stopping, emotional twists.

What readers are saying about Sam

‘WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW… If I could rate this above 5, believe me I would!!… Wow… A true page-turner… The twists, the turns, had me holding my breath… HONESTLY the plot twist in this book you just won’t see it coming!!... Truly an amazing book!!’ whatsarahreads.x, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What an amazing unputdownable story! I started reading this book just before bed last night and the next thing I knew it was the early hours and I’d finished it. I couldn’t stop reading, I just had to know how it would end… My heart broke… I was on the edge of my seat… One that will stick with me forever!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow!!… Absolutely breathtaking and heart-stopping… Just completely blew me away... It sucked me in from page one.’ Bookworm 86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I can’t get over what I just read, my head is spinning, my mind is reeling, my heart is beating way too fast!… Completely gripping.’ live_love_read_review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow!… Fantastic in EVERY way!… Literally NO WAY of working out what’s actually happened until the end… Literally had me holding my breath and I just couldn’t stop reading until the end – I had to know!’ Sharon Valler, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow just wow!!! I’m gonna need a minute… absolutely amazing.

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 28, 2025

Reviews

[Rachel the Page-Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts with a lovely day at the beach. Carrie had some rare time off from her job as an emergency doctor to take her kids Tommy, Maisy and Ava out for the day, and things were going great…with the girls. She and Tommy had gotten into an argument earlier in the day, and he is spending his time with his friends instead of his family. Carrie took a moment from watching Maisy and Ava play by the shore to see what Tommy and his friends were doing, and when she looked back, Ava was gone and Maisy was in shock. Carrie jumped in the ocean, tried to find her toddler, but she was soon pulled out as the police and coast guard arrived to start searching.

Eventually, the police made her go home. Without her youngest child. Tommy is angry, blaming his mother for not watching his sisters more closely. Maisy is almost catatonic, unable to speak or react to what happened. Carrie is wishing her husband Jimmy was there, but they are in the middle of a divorce, and he now lives with his much younger fiancée, Leah - and Leah is quite the character. She is only 24, but still excited to be a stepmother and raise Carrie’s children as her own.

The rest of the story is of course about finding Ava, but this isn’t your typical missing child thriller. This dove much deeper into the dynamics of these two women, and how much pain they intentionally cause each other. Carrie doesn’t care that Jimmy wasn’t faithful - he never had been, and she’d made her peace with that. She DOES care that Jimmy actually left her for one of his mistresses, and that are already engaged and living together. Being a single mom with a high-pressure job is difficult. Being a single mom with a high-pressure job and a missing child is impossible.

This book was definitely a page turner; I wasn’t able to finish it in one sitting, and I was dying to get back to it as soon as I could! I also liked that this didn’t follow the clichés of a missing child book. I did figure out the ending, but there were many ways it could have gone, so reading it was still exciting. There were also several surprises throughout the book that made it quite suspenseful, and the ending was really good. 4.5 stars, rounded up.

(Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me on this book’s tour! “One Big Happy Family” is slated to be released on May 28, 2025.)

[Craig and Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thanks to Bookouture for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
One Big Happy Family is an emotionally intense read with splashes of thriller.
My first book by this author and I will definitely seek out more.
Dr Carrie Gold, recently divorced, takes her three children to the beach.
It turns into a nightmare when Ava her youngest goes missing.
Her ex husband Jimmy and new girlfriend Leah know nothing.
But Carrie is suspicious.
As the investigation begins, everyone is a suspect and some are hiding more the others are……
A family melodrama with secrets and hidden agendas.
Plot twists, tense atmosphere and sneaky characters, all give this storyline a thumbs up.
I look forward to the next book Sam brings to the table.

[Namita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a tense, fast-paced read that had me hooked from the start. When Carrie’s young daughter goes missing at the beach, suspicion quickly falls on everyone—her ex, his new fiancée, and even extended family.

Told from alternating perspectives, you’re never quite sure who to trust. The characters are flawed, sometimes frustrating, but always compelling. I loved the twists, the emotional tension, and the way the truth slowly unraveled.

A great domestic thriller that keeps you guessing till the very end!

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this absolutely amazing book. Addictive and unputdownable. A thrilling rollercoaster of a read. I very highly recommend this one.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure a lot of people have experienced the heart stopping moment when you realise your child has gone missing but fortunately they are usually found very quickly. However Carrie Gold is not as fortunate when her two year old daughter disappears from the beach. Carrie is divorced from her husband Jimmy and shares custody of the children with him. Jimmy is now living with his girlfriend Leah who, in Carrie's eyes, is becoming far too close to the children and seems keen on having them live with her and their father. After Ava disappears footage emerges of an older woman on a bus with a child that looks like Ava. Carrie is convinced that this is Leah's mother and that she has something to do with the disappearance.
This is an enjoyable read with alternating chapters from Carrie and Leah's perspectives. You are never quite sure who is telling the truth as both women seem to have secrets and Jimmy is less than useless!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity of reading an advanced copy of this book.

[Kelly (aka jsybookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 3rd book by Sam Vickery and this one was just a good read as the last two I have read by her.

When Carrie takes her three children, Tommy, Maisy and Ava to the beach after school to enjoy the last of a warm March day she hopes it will be a nice activity to bring the family together. It’s been a difficult few months after Carrie’s husband and the children’s father, Jimmy, announced he was leaving her and moving in with his mistress, Leah. Since then both Carrie and the children have had to deal with shared custody with Jimmy and Leah, which has been difficult and unsettling for all of them. Jimmy has proposed to Leah, and she is ecstatic, at not only getting the man she wanted, but to be a stepmother to Jimmy’s three children, who despite not knowing them for very long, she already loves them very much. To Carrie’s dismay the children are starting to bond with Leah, especially Tommy, her eldest. Whilst at the beach, Carrie only takes her eyes off 2 year old Ava briefly to seek out 12 year old Tommy, when she looks back, she suddenly she finds Ava gone. Despite the police being called and a search initiated, the little girl seems to have disappeared into thin air and Carrie is beside herself with guilt. With the police investigating every single person who was connected to Ava and the family, everyone is desperate to find the little girl. However, Carrie has secrets to hide as does Leah and Jimmy. Can they find Ava whilst keeping their secrets or will everything have to come out to find their missing little girl?!

This certainly was a twisted tale that I really enjoyed! I have to admit I didn’t like any of the main characters; I couldn’t really understand why both Carrie and Leah were fighting so hard to win the affection of nothing more than a cheat; Jimmy certainly wasn’t a prize for sure! However, I still really enjoyed the story despite not liking the three main characters. I also felt Leah was living a little in Cloud Cuckoo Land, she obviously never heard the phrase, “ if he will cheat WITH you, he will go on to cheat ON you!”. I did try really quite hard to figure out what happened to Ava and was as baffled as the police were, so the twist was just brilliant, I always love it when I don’t see the twist coming, so great job from Sam Vickery.

Overall, a well deserved 4 stars for this story. I would definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys the psychological thriller genre, and I look forward to seeing what Sam Vickery writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sam Vickery and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Out now.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I was riveted to this book, and was surprised that I was so riveted!

Carrie is an ER doctor and is separated from her husband, Jimmy, but she still wants him back. They have three kids and she has a visceral reaction whenever his new squeeze, Leah, joins him in picking up the kids for their visits. Leah loves the kids as if they were her own which irks Carrie even more. Carrie is finding that her oldest child, Tommy, who is 12, has been sullen, quiet, and wanting to spend most of his time with his dad and Leah. She has taken the three kids to the beach for the afternoon. After settling in Maisy (9) and Ava (2) on their beach towels, she turns to watch Tommy with his friends, musing about his behavior and wondering why it went so wrong.

When she turns back around to check on Maisy and Ava, she only sees Maisy. Ava is nowhere to be found.

This begins the long journey of trying to find Ava. Maisy becomes mute, a shell of herself, as if she blames herself for the disappearance of Ava. Tommy is even more angry at his mom and grows more distant. Meanwhile, Jimmy disappears for hours on end, refusing to answer his phone, lying about where he's been. Instead of Carrie and Jimmy becoming a united front in the search for Ava, he's out on his own, escaping from Leah as well.

Carrie and Leah are interesting characters. Both with their own secrets. Both with troubling childhoods that they don't want to impact their adulthoods.

I was riveted to the story, became invested in wondering what did happen to Ava. This could have been super frustrating because of the length, and I bet that some readers did get turned off because it seemed to go on and on and on while revealing very little. But the way it was written, the short and quick chapters helped, and I think it was well written, considering the subject matter.

I recommend it and now need to look for more by this author.

[Samadhee Ismail · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are fan of Jodi Piccoult or Kate Hewitt, then you need to check this book out.

Carrie Gold takes her three children to the beach before sending the children off to live with their father. While at the beach, Carrie's youngest Ava mysteriously disappears. Panicking, Carrie looks around and her middle daughter Maisie is traumatized by the whole situation that she remains silent. The next part goes on talking about how Carrie's ex-husband Jimmy and his new girlfriend Leah believes that Carrie has something to do with Ava's disappearance while Carrie believes that Leah maybe be responsible for Ava's disappearance.

You have POVs of two women Carrie and Leah who each tell their own version of the story. Carrie is a doctor but her divorce to Jimmy is traumatizing to her causing her to be almost unstable. Leah on the other hand believes that she would make a better mother than Carrie to the children. It's interesting how everyone pinpoints the blame particularly towards Carrie on Ava's disappearance. The writing was really great and I love how the author made the reader feel like they are a part of the story. I also like how people seem to be embroiled in the drama between Carrie and Jimmy. Carrie is trying to be a good mother to her children, even though her own children including her son Tommy believes she is not while Leah is determined to be a better mother than Carrie by making homemade muffins and dinner. The whole story seemed to be so realistic as if these things do happen in real lives. However, I actually liked the ending and the twist at th end was completely unexpected. And the ending went really well.

Overall I give this book a five star rating.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

[Els · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you go somewhere with young children, you should have eyes in the back of your head. A moment of distraction can have serious consequences. Something bad might happen to them, or someone could snatch them from right under your nose.

In either case, you'll end up blaming yourself and beating yourself up over that one moment of inattentiveness. But parents are only human and make mistakes, and it doesn't help if your ex-partner rubs your nose in it as if you don't already feel guilty enough!

I can't imagine what I would do in such a situation, and luckily, like so many others, I've never had to go through it—but unfortunately, it does happen. What I can imagine is how desperate and helpless I would feel, just like Carrie.

The author created very interesting characters, all of whom have something to hide, making it impossible as a reader to know who to trust. It’s like they’re in a competition to see who can throw whom under the bus the fastest, which makes it a very fun and thrilling book.

“The lie may be fast, but the truth will catch up with it” is a saying that fits this story perfectly, in my opinion. You might be able to hide the truth for a while, but eventually, everything comes to the surface.

Sometimes people try to discredit others by highlighting their negative sides, making themselves look better and pulling the spotlight toward themselves. This might work up to a certain point, but eventually, everything will come crashing down like a house of cards...

I really enjoyed searching for clues, but I could never have predicted this ending. I thought it was a fantastic book. 5 stars.

Thank you.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story, despite the fact that I thought all of the primary characters were varying degrees of horrible people. It centers on Carrie, whose young daughter Ava goes missing on a beach trip. Carrie's soon-to-be ex-husband Jimmy, and his new fiancée Leah are zero help and there is a lot of suspicion between this love triangle around what might have happened.

The author really makes you feel what these characters are feeling, even if you don't agree with them. I thought the mystery in the book was sound, though the police work seemed rather unbelievable. It is hard to say whether I disliked Jimmy or Leah more, but seems like those 2 were made for each other. I felt sorry for the kids for being stuck in the middle of the immature oneupmanship between the various parts of the family. I was surprised with the villain was revealed, though once it happened it all made complete sense. The author did a good job of making so many different characters suspicious that it was hard to separate what they might be capable of to what they really did, which I really enjoyed. I can't say I enjoyed the end of the book, but can't really say more without potentially spoiling.

Overall, this was a fast-paced and tense read with lots of mystery alongside believable red herrings. I would recommend to those who enjoy mysteries and domestic suspense. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review

[Bobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was wild. After taking her 3 kids to the beach, the unthinkable happens and while contemplating the complicated relationship she has with her oldest, Carrie finds her youngest, 2 year old Ava, disappears without a trace. From this inciting event, we are drawn into the life and dynamics of some very unlikable people. Was Ava's disappearance courtesy of Jimmy, Carrie's soon to be ex? Leah, the 20-something new fiancee, or Carrie herself?

This was a fast-paced book that kept me glued to it, wanting to see what would happen next. Everyone has secrets and suspects everyone else involved. The toxicity of these three took me back to those daytime talk shows of the 90s, unhinged and full of drama. I always try to guess the ending of thrillers because it makes me feel smart. I was able to guess who, but I was not ready for the why. Of course there are misdirections thrown in, but the clues are all there to find.

If you're the type of person who needs to like the MC to enjoy a story, this probably won't scratch that itch for you. If you're looking for something a little deeper that delves into the psychology of what made these people become this way, full send.

This was my first book by Sam Vickery, but definitely won't be my last. 4🌟

Thank you so much to the author, @bookouture, and @netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book for the purposes of review. My thoughts are, as always, my own and honest.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read by this author and I really enjoyed this book! The storyline and the writing was very engaging and captures your attention easily. Aside from the missing child, Vickery really focuses a lot on the dynamics between the two women, the soon to be ex wife and the soon to be wife. While wanting to find Ava, they also wanted to make sure they had Jimmy’s attention, even though he is a less than stellar guy. You begin to wonder, how much of this dynamic is the cause of what happened?

I didn’t LOVE the police in this book, but they were written that way on purpose (or at least that’s what I think). I don’t think that they did their job well at all, and I think the male police office was blinded by misogyny.

I had my suspicions about who could have been behind Ava’s kidnapping early on, and it turned out I was right. However, I didn’t know that I was right until it was revealed, so guessing correctly didn’t ruin the book for me at all! I may have guessed the who, but I had ZERO idea about the why. That was a nice twist. There was another reveal in there as well that I didn’t see coming AT ALL!!! But I guess….nah, I won’t say it because I always write spoiler free reviews. I especially loved the ending… it was the cherry on top.

This is out now, so make sure to get your hands on it!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carrie’s family day out turns into a nightmare when her daughter Ava disappears. Her ex husband Jimmy now lives with new girlfriend Leah and even though Jimmy seems terrified, Carrie has suspicions about Leah. Carrie knows she will do whatever she can to get Ava back.

This is my third book by this author and is another fantastic thriller. Sam Vickery has definitely become a go to author for me as every book I find myself gripped to the storyline and desperately wanting to see what will happen next. Even though missing children thrillers are a familiar trope, the author has managed to make this one stand out from the crowd and seem slightly different.

What was strong about this book were the characters, many getting under my skin due to how unlikeable they were, but this made it interesting and entertaining to read. I found that some characters redeemed themselves and went from frustrating to more likeable as the story went on. I enjoyed how the story turned out and although I guessed the main twist, it was still an enjoyable revelation. This was another fast paced, suspenseful domestic thriller overall and one to keep you guessing. I can’t wait for the next one! 4.5 stars rounded down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

[Nicole Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading in Between the Wines book review #55/125 for 2025:
Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: One Big Happy Family
Author: Sam Vickery
Available now!

Sipping thoughts: As scary as it is, I really enjoy reading books on missing kids. I, of course, hope it ends with a happy reuniting scene. But I think I enjoy the mystery of it all. The whodunit! It is always enticing to guess whether it is the mother, the father, the extended family, a family friend, etc. One Big Happy Family keeps you guessing with so many red herrings that all seem guilty and that all have something to gain with little Ava going missing. The kidnapper was not too much of a surprise to me, but the reason took me by surprise and oh the craziness that ensued afterward. This is my first Vickery book, but it will not be my last.

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley and @Bookouture for an advanced copy of @OneBigHappyFamily.

#OneBigHappyFamily #SamVickery #Bookouture #NetGalley #ARC #advancedreader #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bokreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Sam Vickery, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Once again Sam Vickery brings us another incredibly emotional read in One Big Happy Family. This is a book where you will want to rush and hold your little loved ones close and not let go. Yes, this is a book that is every parent's worst nightmare come true! Oh Sam surely pulled on my heartstrings and thensome with this book.

Sam’s book was fast paced and immediately engulfed my attention into the story! I couldn’t imagine how this main character must have felt that day on that beach!! That scene I played in my mind like I was living it on the sidelines.

I had a heart for many of the characters and the situations they were put in during this story. However, Macey I think I felt for the most. She was Ana’s sister and there the day the incident happened. However, she was in total shock and had not get out of it. I wanted to reach out to that character. And reach into the book and give her a big hug.

Blown away by the climatic ending that you never saw coming!!

[DianeLikesToRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
As a mom of young kids, I totally felt Carrie’s pain. Imagine going to the beach with three kids. You turn to talk to your oldest child. You turn back around. Your two year old is gone!!!
Here are the main characters-
Carrie- A mother consumed by fear and determination to find her baby
Jimmy- Her ex-husband, also very upset
Leah- Jimmy’s fiance with a very calm demeanor- what is she hiding?
Ava- The missing child at the center of the mystery
This fast-paced story kept me guessing until the end about Ava's whereabouts. I went in different directions with “who done it” and the ending blew me away!
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#OneBigHappyFamily #SamVickery #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #SummerBooks #NewMystery #FamilyDynamics

[TheLisaD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Vickery’s One Big Happy Family is an emotionally charged domestic thriller that dives headfirst into the complexities of love, loyalty, and betrayal. What begins as a seemingly ordinary family drama quickly escalates into a tense and tangled web of secrets, with a love triangle at its explosive core.

Vickery expertly weaves together the personal and the psychological, crafting characters whose emotional depth and flawed choices keep the reader on edge. The twists come fast and without warning, each one more shocking than the last, building a sense of unease that lingers right up to the final page.

With its high-stakes family dynamics and relentless tension, One Big Happy Family is a gripping, fast-paced read that will appeal to fans of twist-filled thrillers. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and revelations—one that refuses to let go until the very end.

[Inspiredbypmdd Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what have I just read? I started this on a train from Berlin to Dusseldorf, I found myself gripped from the early pages. What do you get when you have the estranged wife and the estranged husband’s much younger new fiancé? I brilliant premise for friction and drama. Add to it, the new woman’s desire to lure her man’s kids into her life and slowly separate them from their mother by most means available.
Meet Carrie, her ex Jimmy and his fiancé Leah, who dotes on his kids in an alarming way, Shannon, Carrie’s ‘friend’ whom you can’t quite work out as she uncovers some secrets and lies. Then this mysterious old woman seen on a bus with a little girl?
Now, imagine adding Ava, whose gone missing. Her sister Maisy becoming mute and their older brother resenting his mother even more. Such a brilliant read, I was glued to it, suspenseful with omg moments. 5 shiny stars.

[Maja · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Things first, thanks Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC!

Another book with a plot revolving around a missing child.... I swear I have not planned this! But, I also do not regret it, either, seeing it was a pretty good read.

Even when I am no mother myself, I felt bad for Carrie Losing a child like this - losing a child in any way - is for sure the worst that could happen to anyone. And Tommy, her son, blames her for everything. And then there is also Leah, the new girlfriend of Carrie's ex-husband Jimmy, who is taking care of Carrie's children like they were her own. Pretty suspicious, if you ask me....

If you want to find out more, you if course need to go and read the book. I promise it is worth it. 4.5 stars from me for this one.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

My honest review: This book was everything I could ever ask for in a thriller. Filled with twists, turns, who done it's, mud slinging, emotional turmoil, and mystery...I absolutely could not put this book down. I don't give out 5 stars very often, but this book is a FIVE STAR! This book was an easy read for me as it held my interest the entire time. I could best describe it as an emotional rollercoaster that you think you have all figured out, but I promise you, you don't. The end will shock you while wrapping everything up the way it was supposed to be.

This is an absolute must read. Set to be released May 28.2025, RUN to get your copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Sam Vickery for this eARC! What a thrilling ride!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read. We meet Carrie a nurse with three young children who is struggling to compete with her soon to be ex husband and his new much cooler girlfriend. When she tries to give the kids a lovely day out at the beach things take a dreadful turn when her youngest child goes missing. Did Ava go into the water or has someone taken her. As the days go on she finds her life falling apart but even those closest to her don’t believe she didn’t do something and her other daughter won’t speak of what happened will she ever see her baby again. This is a dark story which kept me on the edge of my seat.

[Sharon Valler: Live Love Read Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a busy hospital doctor and a single mum, Carrie is pulled in all directions. A rare day at the beach ends in disaster when she leaves her daughter, Maisy, watching her toddler to check on her son, for less than a minute, but it's enough. Her 2 year old, Ava, is gone and Maisy won't say a word.

There were several potential suspects and I could easily believe that any of them were guilty, at different points throughout the book. Carrie's ex, Jimmy, was particularly slippery!

The fast pace and the suspenseful writing kept me hooked throughout, although I did work out who the culprit was.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Sam Vickery and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Big Happy Family turns a day at the beach into tragedy for Carrie because when she turns around her baby girl Ava is gone. This is more than just a thriller it is a family drama with plenty of emotional turmoil and hidden agendas. I loved the plotted twists of which there are many but the biggest surprise twist was really a surprise for me because I had not predicted it. The characters are all too my eyes selfish making them unlikeable but it was exciting trying to work out the games they were playing with each other. A missing child is always a high adrenaline pumping read and in this book the author takes it beyond expectations!

[Miranda YEUNG · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Big Happy Family by Sam Vickery

A solid 4-star fiction. Fast-paced and relatable characters.

Carrie brought her three children to the beach. Her youngest two year-old girl Ava disappeared right under her eyes. When her ex-husband knew Ava's disappearance, he was panicked. However, her girlfriend Leah was calmer than expected. Was Leah related to this? And where was Ava?

The author once again successfully created the suspenseful storyplot. The characters under her pen were lively and relatable. I enjoyed reading Sam Vickerys books. Easy to read and lots to expect.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for my copy.

Pub date: May 28, 2025

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This read follows Carrie, a MD, recently divorced, mother of three and her journey to get her daughter back after an unfortunate day at the beach. We learn that Carrie, her ex husband as well has his new love interest each have their own secrets and love for the children. Throughout the read you may think you know where her daughter is but it will keep you guessing up until the very end. I was also very satisfied with the epilogue to see where the main characters ended up after the scary event occurred, it really wrapped up all the story lines.

[Sarah Rife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for the chance to read this book!!

& I'm so glad i did! This book had a tight grip on me the whole way through, I could NOT put it down, I think i read the whole thing in about 5 hours . I litterally could not put down my kindle reading this book, it grips you up in the first chapter and it does not let you go right up until the last word. I mean some of it is a bit predictable but it does not take away from the story at all! This was a REALLY great read! This is def in the top 3 of my favorites of 2025 so far! I will def be looking out for this author in the future

[Keishea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Twisty Psychological Thriller That Keeps You Guessing
One Big Happy family
Sam Vickery

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat, then this book is a must-read for you.
In summary, one big happy family is a brilliant psychological thriller filled with unexpected twists that will keep you guessing until the very last page. If you're looking for a book that combines suspense with psychological depth, be sure to pick this one up. You won’t regret it!

[Nethanja · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little girl is missing during a visit to the beach, has she drowned or is she taken, but by who, her ex, his new girlfriend or a random stranger?
She needs to find her but her other children are also devastated, how can she help them and gossip is going around. Can she be strong enough to survive?
What a great story with twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I really enjoyed reading this.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this, all opinions are my own.

[Lins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really struggled to put this down

Oh what a tangled web we weave.
I really struggled to put this down, I read it at every opportunity I had, even up to 3/4 times in the night, I was totally hooked. So many secrets and lies to keep you guessing. A mother's worst nightmare, your child goes missing and you don't know who to trust. The characters are so real and they draw you in deep. Such a brilliant storyline and a shocking ending. A must read. Highly recommended. Thank you Sam

[AGilden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read. It does make me think a lot of Nicole Trope books, which are more family drama than mystery-thriller. There was a mystery, "Who kidnapped the little girl?" and a tiny bit of thriller when she was retrieved. But most of the story placed us squarely in the middle of a dysfunctional family, difficult relationships between characters, secrets kept by everyone, and so on. And, while I usually prefer fast action thrillers, I loved the family drama in this case. The flawed characters and their trajectories through the story were so incredibly well done.