One of the Family

by Mark Edwards

One of the family is dead.
One of the family is missing.
And one of the family might just be the killer...

The outstanding new psychological thriller from the 5 million copy-bestselling author of Here to Stay and The Magpies

*****
Patrick couldn’t believe his luck when Holly fell for him. She’s wickedly funny, beautiful, and with an intimidatingly successful father, Charles.

So when she invites him to Charles’ mansion for a New Year’s break in Scotland, all he’s hoping is that they’ll accept him as one of the family.

But everything feels a little off. Whispers in hallways. Rumours of a body that got found nearby the previous year. And something very strange about Charles’ new girlfriend.

Every family has secrets, and Patrick tells himself all he needs to do is survive the next few days.

But then the first body is found, and Patrick realises that all he needs to do is survive the next few days…

*****

Praise for Mark Edwards

'The plot swerves in an entirely unpredictable direction , providing an intriguing mystery that turns on their mentor's work on the behaviour of psychopaths' Sunday Times
‘I loved this... So clever and fresh with a wild and incredibly satisfying twist’ Lisa Jewell
'I devoured it in two compulsive sittings. 'Gripped' doesn't even come close!!' Marian Keyes
'A fast-paced thriller, full of twists upon twists. Hugely enjoyable' Alex Michaelides
'Twisty, clever, often funny, always inventive' Elly Griffiths

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Fiction, Scotland, Suspense

349 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 4, 2026

About the author

Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people.

He loves hearing from readers and always responds. Mark can be contacted in the following ways:
Email: mark@markedwardsauthor.com
Twitter @mredwards
Facebook/Instagram: @markedwardsauthor

You can download a free box set of 'Short Sharp Shockers' by visiting www.markedwardsauthor.com/free

Mark has sold over 5 million books since his first solo novel, The Magpies, was published in 2013 and has topped the bestseller lists numerous times. His other novels include Follow You Home, Here To Stay and The Psychopath Next Door. He has also published six books co-authored with Louise Voss. His next novel, The Wasp Trap, will be published in the UK/Australia in July 2025 and the US/Canada in September 2025.

Mark lives in the West Midlands, England, with his wife, their three children, two cats and a golden retriever.

Reviews

[Shelley's Book Nook · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Book Review Crew Blog


⭐⭐⭐1/2
One of the Family
Mark Edwards
Publication Date: August 4th, 2026
Atria Books
336 Pages
Amazon | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers

This book wasn't bad at all. It's a psychological thriller set in the Scottish Highlands about Patrick, just a normal guy with a wealthy girlfriend named Holly. Patrick heads to Holly's family estate for the holiday season to meet her family, but things quickly go sideways.

Holly's dad, Charles, is a widower who arrives at the home with his new fiancée, Jasmine. Charles' family isn't impressed—Jasmine is much younger than Charles and closer in age to his kids than to him. Another thing the kids aren't too happy about? Just how much Jasmine looks like their late mother. Worried that Jasmine is simply after their dad's money, the children get hostile, ready to do anything to keep their family secrets safe. And every single member of this family has something to hide.

What I liked about this story was the fast pacing and claustrophobic setting. The constant tension and madness among the family members kept me turning pages. What should have been a normal, if nervous, visit to a girlfriend's family home quickly turns into a nightmare for one unsuspecting boyfriend. The whole time I was reading, I kept thinking: poor Patrick, stuck with this toxic family for New Years.

It was a quick, fun read for the most part, filled with characters you love to hate. However, as much as I loved the atmosphere and tension, the family is so unlikable that I was hoping at least one of them would have some redeeming qualities. The only person I was rooting for was Patrick. I was able to spot most of the twists before they happened, though that's probably just because I've been reading this genre forever.

If you don't take your thrillers too seriously, this is a fun choice. I enjoyed the dysfunctional family dynamic and stayed entertained throughout. Edwards did a great job keeping me engaged with a constant sense that something was about to go wrong, and the large cast of characters keeps you guessing everyone's motives. I always enjoy a thriller with a bit of darkness and a crazy family.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Lady MacDeath 🌒🌕🌘 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick has been invited to spend New Year’s Eve (Hogmanay) at his girlfriend Holly’s holiday mansion, in the Scottish Highlands, in the middle of nowhere. Holly’s dad Charles Grant is a millionaire, owning a computer tech company called Gravitas. This is a first for Patrick, as he’s never met the family before, and Charles is introducing his new fiancée Jasmine to the family. The week long stay is a disaster from start to finish, with missing family members, murder and secrets being revealed.

This was full of twists, turns, and suspense, mixed with freezing weather conditions, blinding snowstorms, and set in an isolated area in the Scottish Highlands, which all added to the reading experience, and which I couldn’t put down. I’ve never read anything by Mark Edwards before, but will definitely be adding more to my reading list.

4 ⭐️

Thanks to Mark Edwards, Penguin, and NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.

Available: 18 June 2026

[Laura Lovesreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS AUTHOR’S WORK

One of the family is dead.
One of the family is missing.
And one of the family might just be the killer...

One thing I really enjoy about Mark’s books is how much he really reels you in in the drama and the nonsensical madness of it all.

The book was giving all the atmospheric vibes, and I could really picture the Scottish sceneries. There is a lot of characters to build up that whodunnit suspect list and everyone was acting shady.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrators did a great job bringing the story to life.

I will say that this book is very embellished and quite farfetched, so it was very much tipping into the popcorn thriller category.

But all in all, I had a good time with it and I cant wait to see what he releases next.






----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pre read
Here to Stay is what made me love this authors work
I feel like this newest release is going to be so good
Time to devour it!
🤍❤️💙❤️

[Venne · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the Family is an exceptionally intelligent psychological thriller that blends emotional depth with relentless suspense. Mark Edwards delivers a novel that is not only gripping, but psychologically perceptive and thematically layered.

🖤 Atmosphere:
The tension in this book is masterfully sustained from beginning to end. Edwards creates a persistent sense of unease where every interaction feels significant and every revelation subtly shifts the reader’s perception. The atmosphere is claustrophobic, unsettling, and deeply immersive.

🧠 Psychological Depth:
I really loved how grounded the suspense felt in human behavior and family dynamics. The manipulation, emotional conflict, and blurred lines between love, loyalty, and control made this feel much deeper than your average thriller.

📖 The Writing & Pacing:
Mark Edwards has such an addictive writing style. The pacing was incredibly well done, steady, intentional, and constantly building tension without ever feeling rushed. Every chapter revealed just enough to keep me fully invested while still maintaining the mystery and psychological unease.

🎭 The Characters:
The characters felt believable, flawed, and emotionally complex. Nobody felt one dimensional, which made the paranoia and tension even stronger because I genuinely didn’t know who to trust.

📚 Overall:
This was intelligent, unsettling, and ridiculously hard to put down. If you enjoy psychological thrillers filled with tension, layered family dynamics, emotional manipulation, and twists that genuinely keep you engaged, I absolutely recommend this one.

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4⭐️ I am endlessly impressed with the way Mark Edwards writes his gritty, moody, atmospheric thrillers. They start with just a simmer, something dark bubbling up just below the surface. But before you know what has happened, tensions have gone sky high.

Similarly to fellow British author Lisa Jewell, Mark Edwards turns the seemingly mundane into the stuff nightmares are made of (his book Here to Stay still lives rent-free). In this case, an invite to join his girlfriend and her family in the Scottish Highlands turns to disaster as one family member goes missing, one turns up dead— the k!ller must likely be one of them. Perhaps it should have been a sign when the opening chapter begins with the question, “Are you scared?”

I will say, this book is action-packed, and as such, you get a little less of the emotional drama a book featuring such an intense family would suggest. But as someone who eats family dramas for breakfast, I’ll always want more of the raw emotional component. There is also an interesting tech element to this story that I really enjoyed and found myself wanting more of, though I think it was woven in well. All in all, a solid domestic suspense that makes for a fun summer read.

🎧 I went back and forth between the physical book and the audio and enjoyed both. With a full cast of narrators, it was very easy to distinguish character from character. However, given the larger ensemble cast, I think an immersive read combining book and audio is best.

Read if you like:
▪️atmospheric settings
▪️dual timelines
▪️family secrets
▪️ensemble casts
▪️speculative elements
▪️cold cases

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Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥

Thank you Atria Books and Simon Audio for the advanced copies.

[Sara G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 ⭐🍿

One of the Family was my first novel by Mark Edwards, and I'm genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Patrick is meeting his girlfriend Holly’s family for the first time and spending New Year’s with them at their remote Scottish mansion. First impressions aren’t the only thing he should be worried about — this family has dark, long‑buried secrets that are about to surface, and Patrick will have to make some tough decisions.

This was such a fast‑paced, atmospheric thriller. I was instantly hooked by the chaotic, toxic family dynamic and flew through it. Most of the characters are completely unlikeable, but that just added to the friction between them. I also absolutely loved the setting — the cold, bleak Scottish winter adds the perfect layer of tension and makes the whole story feel even more unsettling. There were moments when it leaned a little soap‑opera‑ish, but honestly, I didn’t mind; it only made the drama more fun.

The mystery unravels perfectly at the end, delivering a few entertaining final twists. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys twisty domestic thrillers, isolated‑setting mysteries, and fast‑paced family‑drama suspense. I’m excited to pick up more from Mark Edwards.

Available Now! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sooooo happy to win this on Goodreads!
One of the Family, a mystery/thriller, centers around main character Patrick. Patrick is just a regular city guy who is dating Holly-who just so happens to be from the very wealthy Grant family. He is invited to join her and her family for a holiday at their family’s mansion in the rural Scottish Highlands and his life is changed forever.
I’m not exaggerating when I say One of the Family is full and twists and turns-it is full of secrets, murder, and a lot of family drama. The characters are well-developed (though most are unlikable), and the book’s pacing is fast-paced. I absolutely loved the surprise ending, no spoilers! Highly recommended to fans that like mystery/thriller books.
Thank you to the publisher and Goodreads for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick Tolhurst has been invited to spend the Hogmanay holiday with his girlfriend Holly and her family in the Scottish Highlands and he's justifiably nervous to meet them as they make their way to a remote peninsula on the coast. Holly's father is Charles Grant, owner of Gravitas, a computer hardware company, and he has announced he's going to marry a much-younger woman named Jasmine, a hotel clerk whom he met on a recent trip to Miami. His adult children are not pleased by this news but they are especially shocked when they lay eyes on Jasmine and she's the spitting image of their beloved mother who died young from cancer. Jasmine is the woman's doppelgänger. What are the odds?

'Family is everything,' their mother always said but these three siblings and one brother-in-law hardly get along. In fact, they are downright nasty to each other, as only siblings can be. Dad's big concern has always been the family's reputation so he has tended to bail his kids out of whatever bad situation they've gotten themselves into. So it's not surprising that they are not well liked by the local townspeople, is it? Patrick begins to sense secrets, lies and broken promises are part of their history. Does he really want to be 'one of the family?'

The setting on the Scottish coast is lovely but the story turns into a locked-room mystery as a winter storm hits the peninsula and cuts them off from any outside help. Murder and mayhem with plenty of plot twists make for an absorbing, page-turning read. This is a good one!

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc via NetGalley. This is my first taste of Mark Edwards' books and I look forward to reading more.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick’s girlfriend Holly invites him to spend New Years at her family’s vacation home in Scotland so that she can introduce him to her family.
What sounds like a relaxing holiday turns into pure hell for Patrick.
He meets Miranda, Holly’s bitchy older sister, her odd and cold husband, Zack, and Holly’s brother, Lewis.
Then Charle’s, Holly’s self-made millionaire father arrives with his new fiance, Jasmine, who happens to be two years younger than Holly.
To make things even more odd, Jasmine looks nearly identical to Elizabeth, Holly’s deceased mother (the term “doppelgänger” was used a few times in the book).

This book felt like what you’d get if you combined Meet The Parents with Succession and thew it into a remote town in Scotland with some frigid and snowy weather.

There are some extremely unlikable characters in this book and screwed up family dynamics that will definitely make your family seem normal at Thanksgiving this year.

Like many thrillers, the last 20% of the book is without a doubt the best part.
As I was reading along I was thinking to myself that it was going to be pretty predictable based on its description (and some parts were), but there were enough twists and surprises towards the end to satisfy my need to be surprised in books like this.

One thing I can tell you is that not everyone who you meet in this book will make it to the end alive.

This was my first book by Mark Edwards and it definitely won’t be my last!

Thanks to Atria Books and Mark Edwards for proving me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Pub Date: August 4, 2026

[Sarah Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy of One of the Family by Mark Edwards.

This was my first experience reading Mark Edwards, and it certainly won’t be my last. From the very first chapter, the story is saturated with lies, deception, and relentless twists that keep the tension dialled high throughout. Just when I thought I had a handle on where the plot was heading, another turn completely shifted my perspective.
What stood out most was the character development. Edwards crafts a cast that feels layered and unpredictable — I found myself loving, hating, tolerating, and even adoring different characters as they evolved across the narrative. My loyalties constantly shifted, which made the reading experience even more immersive.
A gripping psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the final pages. Highly recommended for fans of dark domestic suspense

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not his best

[Liana Gold]

Scottish Highlands, luxury holiday with the girlfriend turns into a week in paradise..but with a family from hell.



Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author, Mark Edwards for sending me an early ARC.

Publication date: August 4th, 2026

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succession goes to Scotland in this rich people behaving badly story by Mark Edwards.

I have only read a couple of books by him, but what I especially appreciate is his creativity. His writing is immersive and I felt fully entrenched in the Scotland countryside.

The characters, being rich and spoiled, are absolutely vile in the best way. Patrick, the outsider, is a great MC and I loved having someone to cheer for.

The characters are well developed, flawed, and full of backage with secrets that kept surprising me. This is a propulsive story and the short chapters made it completely bingeable.

The audiobook narration was superb. I loved the full cast narrated by Anna Burnett, Kirsty Strain, Peter Caulfield, Sarah Slimani, and Thomas Judd. They really brought a unique voice to the characters and it was the perfect production of this multi POV story.

[Simone (mysterypageturners) Ketchum · Rating 5 out of 5]

‼️‼️🚨 5 STAR ALERT 🚨 ‼️‼️

📖BOOK REVIEW 📖

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me this gifted ARC! Thank you to NetGalley and author Mark Edwards.


📚Book: One Of The Family
✍🏻Author: Mark Edwards
🌀Genre: Psychological Thriller
📃Pages: 336


One Of The Family by Mark Edwards is a psychological thriller novel.
A week in paradise—with the family from hell. When Patrick is invited by his girlfriend to join her and her family on a luxury holiday in a remote and beautiful part of Scotland, he has no idea that he is about to be plunged into a nightmare of a family, sinister behavior…and a plot to murder the patriarch’s younger fiancée, Jasmine, who—in her thirties—is around the same age as the three siblings. Perhaps more than one person won’t escape this family of snakes…



💜What I Loved:
👀Multiple POV’s
🌪️BIG Twists
⏱️Dual timelines
📕Unputdownable
💨Fast paced
🧐Not predictable
🤪Toxic family


💔What Didn’t Work For Me:
👍🏻 Nothing


📖 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

👩🏼‍⚖️Final Word:

‼️‼️🚨 5 STAR ALERT 🚨 ‼️‼️
WOW, this book is on 🔥🔥
Do you think you have a toxic family or in-laws⁉️⁉️ Well, I’m pretty sure they are no where close to the toxicity of the Grants!!! I love this book!! It’s fast paced and so twisty, I never saw the twists coming! Those characters… some you love and some you love to hate!! One Of The Family is on my list for one of the best books from 2026!! If you like twisty reads, toxic family drama, secrets, lies and shocking storylines, this book is for you!!!! Bravo 👏🏻 👏🏻👏🏻

[Karen Chong · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 / 5.0

Didn’t expect to finish this book in one sitting, but it was a great read from start to finish. My only bone to pick was just how excessive the number of twists were revealed near the end of the book, but also how pointless the end of the book is? I can describe this book as a rollercoaster, where the ending was just non stop drops, twists and turns. I found the build up ok, it wasn’t going too slow by Edward found ways to stall in ways that wasn’t obvious. But slowly the book becomes predictable to a point where you can almost guess what happens, then Bam - another twist which you don’t see coming.

The book centres around Patrick and Holly. Her father is an intimidatingly successful father, known as Charles grant. She invited him over to Charles’ mansion for a new year break up north in Inverness. Patrick is hoping that they will accept him as part of her family. But from the start, something doesn’t feel right. Reports of a body was found nearby the previous year, and there’s something going on with Charles girlfriend. Patrick tells himself that every family has a secret and all he has to do is make it through the holiday. But things turn when one of the family is killed, and another one goes missing. Patrick then realises it might be one of the family who is the killer? But who?

Overall it’s not a bad read, I’d say it’s thrilling enough to keep me glued to my seat and finish in one day. But the twists feel like a neck breaker on this one.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the Family by Mark Edwards. Thanks to atria for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Patrick is visiting his girlfriend’s wealthy family for the first time in the Scottish Highlands. It’s remote and beautiful, but he’s pulled into a web of secrets and deceit.

I liked the narrator was a male character going home to meet the girlfriend’s wealthy family. Usually that trope is a female main character, so it was a refreshing change. There were a few surprises, some of which involved business developments, which I normally would not find interesting but I did! There were some slower moments for me, mostly the past timeline and the past mystery, but the atmosphere and rich people behaving poorly kept me going.

“If you want to be part of this family, you need to learn to keep your nose out and your mouth shut.”

Read if you like:
-Wealthy families
-Meet the in-laws tropes
-Atmospheric thrillers

One of the Family comes out 8/4.

[Stephanielikesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An atmospheric domestic suspense read about rich, entitled people (the Grant family) behaving badly. There were so many secrets, lies and betrayals in the Grant family. And into this walks Patrick, Holly Grant’s unsuspecting boyfriend, to spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s at the family’s remote mansion in the Scottish Highlands. And he’s not the only one as the family has gathered to meet their father’s much younger new fiancée. With so many unlikable, narcissistic, toxic people with secrets to hide, what could go wrong? Only several murders!

I enjoyed the bleak, claustrophobic and isolating setting in a small, insular town in the Scottish Highlands during the freezing, snowy winter. I could feel the cold and ice as I was reading the novel.

As the story unfolded in two timelines, secrets were revealed with several unexpected twists and reveals. Few of the characters were likeable so the epilogue was very satisfying.

This is my second book by this author and I’m looking forward to his next one!

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary physical and digital copies. All opinions are my own.

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although it was easy to read and entertaining in places it just seemed to be plot twist after plot twist instead of a coherent plot.

The end was picking up but the end was convoluted and took away some of the shock

[Diane Dachota · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge Mark Edwards fan, but I generally prefer his work that is darker in nature or has a paranormal touch. This is a good popcorn thriller, perfect for a read on the beach (which is where I read it in one day). Patrick is a delivery driver who also wants to be a documentary director. His girlfriend Holly comes from a wealthy family and is bringing Patrick for a holiday celebration in the family's isolated Scottish castle.

Patrick arrives and meets Holly's brother and sister and finds out her father Charles is bringing his new girlfriend, a woman who is the same age as his children. The children are already upset at someone taking the place of their late mother but when Jasmine shows up, she is also a dead ringer for their mother. It turns out Charles' company has created software that can find doubles for people and that is how he found Jasmine. Patrick finds himself intrigued about story regarding a dead young man found frozen in the mountains and he also thinks Charles and the family are hiding some big secrets.

I thought Patrick seemed more like a reporter and less like a man in love with his girlfriend. Holly also seemed underdeveloped and I wondered why the daughter of a very rich man was working as a clerk in a woman's dress shop. There are a lot of twists and many of them were clever. I did like the isolated setting and the descriptions of the cold and snow. I liked this but didn't love it.

[Stevie Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tech wizard Samir Anand goes missing in a labyrinth of Scottish caves. When journalist/documentary maker Patrick goes to Scotland to meet his girlfriend Holly's family, her siblings and their partners, her rich father and her father's new wife Jasmine, he learns about Samir's disappearance when he visited nearby caves to see the 'Serpent Stone'. Patrick is interested and wants to find out more and make a documentary. However, as he begins to investigate, he encounters resistance from Holly's family as they prefer to keep secrets well hidden. Then Jasmine goes missing and Patrick joins in the search for her. Part of the search involves traversing the caves and narrow tunnels where Jasmine might have gone, which Patrick is not looking forward to. However, Holly's family encourage him to squeeze through the narrow tunnels to see the 'Serpent Stone', just as Samir had done.

I read the Kindle version, which I obtained from Amazon. I usually like Mark Edwards' psychological thrillers, but this one didn't grab me as much as his previous books. There were too many unlikeable characters in my opinion, too many twists and turns, and to me it all seemed rather too far-fetched.

[Barbara Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patrick is accompanying his girlfriend Holly to her family's remote Scottish estate for new Years. This will be his frst time meeting them so he wants to make a good impression. However, once he gets there, he quickly realizes that the Grants have lots of secrets, one of which is that their father has secretly remarried a young woman who looks uncannily like their recently deceased mother. As the days play out, the atmosphere among them becomes increasingly unhinged and things become dangerous.
Once again Mr. Edward's has written a very enjoyable popcorn thriller that was easy to read in one sitting because had to know how this was all going to play out. I loved the isolated Scottish castle setting which added to the unease because the characters couldnt just catch an uber and get out of there! The constant suspense and suspicion of each of the characters ramped up the tension and there were lots of twists to keep me entertained. Were some of them predictable? Of course. And some of the plot was predictable too. But that's what happens when you read so many thrillers! It didnt take away from my experience though, and I cant wait to see what he writes next.
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review

[mimi (catching up)]

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Kylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up.

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me. There weren’t any characters worth caring about. The dialogue was cheesy. The twists fell short.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I hope others like it more than I did!

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fast-paced but lacked a bit of depth in the characters for me. Predicted most of the plot twists. But I did enjoy it overall - an easy read

[Sarah Dacombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to NetGalley for the arc I received in exchange for my review.

This was definitely a fast paced read & I completed this in 3 days. There were a lot of characters to get to grips with & I didn’t feel like I really knew any of them enough, they weren’t described enough or it felt that way to me at least. Patrick is the main character, he heads up to Scotland to meet his girlfriend’s family & that’s where it all begins. There are a few twists & turns but in all honestly it didn’t wow me, it seemed like there was too much going on & I didn’t find the big reveal all that great! I didn’t see the twist at the end from Jasmines character but again that didn’t really wow me. That being said, this was my first read by this author & I would read another one if it came recommended.

[Esme Merrily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Guess I'm an outlier, but it was just OK-ish for me.

Oh, and Patrick, the protagonist, really should refrain from making true crime documentaries, especially when some sleuthing is required. He is a terrible detective and an even worse judge of character;)

[Leila Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT WERE THOSE TWISTS?! The author made me think one thing then another! I didn’t expect who the killers were until it was too late. The only thing that kept it from a better rating was the improbability of the app and another part later on that I you should read and get an opinion of your own. There were so many lines I want to quote but I can’t.

[Victoria Fensom · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the Family by Mark Edwards follows Patrick as he joins his girlfriend Holly for a New Year’s trip to her wealthy family’s remote Scottish estate. Wanting desperately to make a good impression, he quickly realises the Grant family is full of tension, secrets, and strange behaviour. As the holiday unfolds, the atmosphere becomes increasingly dark and dangerous.

This was an enjoyable domestic thriller with plenty of tension and a very readable writing style. The isolated Scottish setting added a strong sense of unease, and I found myself wanting to keep turning the pages to uncover what was really going on. I especially liked the exploration of toxic family dynamics, power, and trust. The constant suspicion between characters kept the story engaging, and there were enough twists to maintain the suspense throughout.

That said, some parts felt a little predictable, and I guessed a few of the twists before they were revealed. At times, the plot also felt somewhat far-fetched, which pulled me out of the story occasionally and made some of the characters’ decisions harder to believe.

Overall, this was a solid psychological thriller with an addictive atmosphere and plenty of drama, even if it didn’t completely wow me. Fans of twisty family thrillers and locked-room style suspense will likely still find a lot to enjoy here. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Savitri (IG: abookishcookie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟.💫/5
Audiobook: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Thank you Atria Books for the gifted book & Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook! Absolutely stellar job from the narrator cast of 5 narrators!!🎧
——

Patrick is nervous to meet the family of his girlfriend, Holly Grant, not just because it’s his first introduction but also because her dad happens to be a famous tech tycoon while Patrick is a delivery driver with filmmaking as a side hustle.

However Patrick’s qualms are set aside as Holly and her siblings are mortified when they all discover that their dad is about to get married to Jasmine, a woman their age, and to make matters even worse, the new woman is a doppelgänger of their mom. This news spirals the Grant family out of control and Patrick overhears a conversation that makes him believe Jasmine’s life is in danger. Poor Patrick is caught in the crosshairs and his curiosity gets the better of him, leading him to a path of no return.

Mark Edwards is a master storyteller of complicated family dynamics and almost all of his characters have skeletons upon skeletons in their closet. If you love a high speed family drama, especially the rich people drama, mixed with unreliable narrators full of past secrets, this book is a perfect fit for you! I flew through the book in two sittings and audibly GASPED at the several reveals peppered throughout the book!

The narrators @anna__burnett @kirstystrain @petercaulfield Sarah Slimani and @tjudderman were absolute perfection as they set the caustic tone of the family!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you Atria & Simon Audio for the gifted copies!

One of the Family
Mark Edwards
Publishing Date: August 4, 2026

🎧 Narrator: Anna Burnett, Kirsty Strain, Peter Caulfield, Sarah Slimani, & Thomas Judd 🎧

Patrick is going on holiday in Scotland with his new girlfriend, where he will meet her extremely rich family for the first time. What could go wrong?

If you like stories with characters in the upper 1% making a hot mess out of everything, this one is for you! It starts off reading very much like a family drama as Patrick meets everyone and their dazzling personalities start to shine. The family dynamics are complicated and the tensions are high. On top of that, Patrick, being an aspiring documentarian, can’t help himself but to poke around when he learns of a boy who went missing. Things start to come together, people go missing, and some don’t survive.

This book offers twists on twists on twists. There are secrets and then more secrets within the secrets. The twists and turns did feel a bit excessive at a certain point. Everyone has a past, but this family’s past is as dark as they come.

I flew through this one in a matter of two days. It was an easy listen and the narrators were enjoyable. The remote location made for an atmospheric and tense vibe. And these characters were ones you just love to hate.