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The Secret Van Tams
What if your mum's ghost Dutch family aren't ghosts, after all? Is your mum hiding them for her sake, or for yours?
Twenty-one-year-old Remi wants nothing more than a family. She's an only child who feels suffocated by her wealthy, over-bearing mother and haunted by the story of how her grandmother, Johanna, died - a death described as grisly and unfortunate.
But when she learns that Johanna is alive, and that her mother is now missing, so begins a quest for the Van Tams and the uncovering of toxic secrets that will leave her wondering whether family was what she wanted after all.
A gripping and emotionally-charged family saga set across the UK and the Netherlands... full of twists that you don't see coming.
Who doesn't love a story about a dysfunctional, multigenerational family? Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Liane Moriarty.
Twenty-one-year-old Remi wants nothing more than a family. She's an only child who feels suffocated by her wealthy, over-bearing mother and haunted by the story of how her grandmother, Johanna, died - a death described as grisly and unfortunate.
But when she learns that Johanna is alive, and that her mother is now missing, so begins a quest for the Van Tams and the uncovering of toxic secrets that will leave her wondering whether family was what she wanted after all.
A gripping and emotionally-charged family saga set across the UK and the Netherlands... full of twists that you don't see coming.
Who doesn't love a story about a dysfunctional, multigenerational family? Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Liane Moriarty.
307 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 24, 2025
4 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 5, 2025
The Secret VanTams
Excellent!!! Loved the twist at the end, author made me feel as though I was Remi. Loved it Great job
Excellent!!! Loved the twist at the end, author made me feel as though I was Remi. Loved it Great job
October 5, 2025
Remi Van Tam and her mum Elise are the only family members each other has. Or so it seems, until a stranger arrives asking for forgiveness. With this, and revelations from some nosey neighbours, Remi embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about her family. Suddenly she is unsure who she can trust.
This book does not read like a debut novel. There are many complex twists and turns and, although I had my suspicions, I was kept guessing until the end. I loved the cover of the book, the vibrant colours are beautiful. I loved the contents too - dark, multi layered, multi directional and consistently intriguing. I also loved the character Luke - who wouldn’t want a loyal Luke in their life. I really hope there is a sequel to this book. I would definitely read it.
This book does not read like a debut novel. There are many complex twists and turns and, although I had my suspicions, I was kept guessing until the end. I loved the cover of the book, the vibrant colours are beautiful. I loved the contents too - dark, multi layered, multi directional and consistently intriguing. I also loved the character Luke - who wouldn’t want a loyal Luke in their life. I really hope there is a sequel to this book. I would definitely read it.
July 23, 2025
4.5/5⭐
Carly Bishop’s The Secret Van Tams starts like a quiet, introspective family drama but slowly unravels into something far more haunting. At its center is Remi, a 21-year-old woman who’s just trying to make her mother proud...no easy task when your mum is equal parts perfectionist, paramedic, and walking mystery.
Remi’s voice is what pulled me in right away...honest, smart, often funny in that dry, self-aware way that feels so real. But beneath her words is a growing weight, the kind you only feel when something’s been off in your family for years and no one dares to name it. And when an unexpected visitor shows up asking about Remi’s supposedly dead grandmother, the careful world Remi and her mother built begins to crack.
What I loved most about this book is how humane it is. The characters aren’t perfect...far from it...but they’re layered, flawed, and completely believable. You feel the tension in every whispered Dutch proverb, every silenced question. The trauma runs deep here, but so does the love...twisted, messy, sometimes suffocating, but love nonetheless.
And the suspense? Subtle, yes...but constantly growing. You won’t be able to put it down once the pieces start to come tlogether. It’s the kind of story that lingers long after you’ve finished, leaving you wondering how much we really know about the people we love.
Carly Bishop’s The Secret Van Tams starts like a quiet, introspective family drama but slowly unravels into something far more haunting. At its center is Remi, a 21-year-old woman who’s just trying to make her mother proud...no easy task when your mum is equal parts perfectionist, paramedic, and walking mystery.
Remi’s voice is what pulled me in right away...honest, smart, often funny in that dry, self-aware way that feels so real. But beneath her words is a growing weight, the kind you only feel when something’s been off in your family for years and no one dares to name it. And when an unexpected visitor shows up asking about Remi’s supposedly dead grandmother, the careful world Remi and her mother built begins to crack.
What I loved most about this book is how humane it is. The characters aren’t perfect...far from it...but they’re layered, flawed, and completely believable. You feel the tension in every whispered Dutch proverb, every silenced question. The trauma runs deep here, but so does the love...twisted, messy, sometimes suffocating, but love nonetheless.
And the suspense? Subtle, yes...but constantly growing. You won’t be able to put it down once the pieces start to come tlogether. It’s the kind of story that lingers long after you’ve finished, leaving you wondering how much we really know about the people we love.
July 27, 2025
Thank you to Novel Tours and Carly Bishop for an ARC copy of this book. *All thoughts and opinions are my own*
What if your mum's ghost Dutch family aren't ghosts, after all? Is your mum hiding them for her sake, or for yours?
This was a brilliant debut novel from Carly Bishop. This is a fun read, following a dysfunctional family saga that really made you relate to the FMC, Remi. The chapters are the perfect length and pull you in enough to keep you turning the pages, with no regards for how much time has passed since you said 'one more chapter'.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and if this is how Carly is beginning her writing career I cannot wait to read more!
What if your mum's ghost Dutch family aren't ghosts, after all? Is your mum hiding them for her sake, or for yours?
This was a brilliant debut novel from Carly Bishop. This is a fun read, following a dysfunctional family saga that really made you relate to the FMC, Remi. The chapters are the perfect length and pull you in enough to keep you turning the pages, with no regards for how much time has passed since you said 'one more chapter'.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and if this is how Carly is beginning her writing career I cannot wait to read more!
July 20, 2025
The Secret Van Tams took a bit to hook me, but once it did, I was all in. It follows a girl fed up with her controlling, wealthy mother’s lies who sets out to uncover the truth about her past.
The mystery, emotional twists and vivid setting kept me turning pages. Great characters and a strong plot, definitely worth the read!
The mystery, emotional twists and vivid setting kept me turning pages. Great characters and a strong plot, definitely worth the read!
August 17, 2025
Not my usual genre but it was recommended to me and I’m glad it was. Although it took me a little while to get into the book and the characters, by halfway through I was hooked and could not wait to see what happened in every next chapter. A solid debut novel.
July 26, 2025
Pretty easy read but I got a bit bored in the middle and I predicted the twist. This would be a good beach read but I was hoping for something a little meatier.
August 12, 2025
A fast paced family drama that’s hard to put down. Sprinkled with Dutch anecdotes it’s a great read.
December 10, 2025
Family saga meets psychological thriller in this pacy, compelling page-turner
July 21, 2025
I had a really fun time with this book! I didn't expect to finish it so quickly but once I started I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the twists throughout and had a blast trying to predict what would happen next. The fmc was hard to connect with at times because of some of the choices she was making but overall this was an enjoyable read. This is a bingeable book that keeps you guessing until the very end.
August 4, 2025
What a fun (if that’s the right word!) dysfunctional family saga. Full of sharp dialogue, tangled relationships, and just enough mystery to keep you guessing, this is the kind of book you race through in a couple of sittings.
The chapters are just the right length — short enough to tempt you into saying “just one more before bed”, and compelling enough to actually mean three more. The cast of characters is varied, unpredictable, and totally engaging.
If you’re after an easy-reading, page-turning mystery with heart, humour and just a hint of chaos, this is the perfect choice for your holiday reading pile.
The chapters are just the right length — short enough to tempt you into saying “just one more before bed”, and compelling enough to actually mean three more. The cast of characters is varied, unpredictable, and totally engaging.
If you’re after an easy-reading, page-turning mystery with heart, humour and just a hint of chaos, this is the perfect choice for your holiday reading pile.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews