What do you think?
Rate this book
Perfect Family: A Psychological Thriller
A perfect family doesn’t stay perfect by accident.
It stays perfect because someone makes sure the story never changes.
Brigit thought she knew her husband’s past—at least the version he’d lived with all his life. But when she finds an altered medical record tied to his childhood, one detail refuses to sit still. And once she notices it, she can’t unsee it.
She does the simplest thing in the she asks a question.
That’s when the answers stop coming. Files go missing. Messages don’t land. “Official” explanations appear fully formed, as if the system has been waiting for her to speak. And the harder she pushes, the more she realizes she isn’t arguing with one person.
She’s arguing with a machine.
Because this isn’t just about what happened back then. It’s about what happens now—when reputations are protected, narratives are rewritten, and the truth becomes something you can be disciplined for.
Someone is watching the story unfold.
Someone is shaping what’s allowed to be true.
And if Brigit keeps digging, she may learn the worst rule of
In a perfect family, the truth is the first thing you’re not allowed to touch.
Perfect Family is a psychological thriller about control, silence, and the quiet violence of being rewritten—where love becomes leverage, institutions become weapons, and the most dangerous lies are the ones that look official.
Ideal for readers who
Psychological & domestic suspense
Gaslighting and “who controls the narrative?” tension
Evidence trails, missing records, and institutional pressure
Slow-burn dread that escalates into relentless momentum
It stays perfect because someone makes sure the story never changes.
Brigit thought she knew her husband’s past—at least the version he’d lived with all his life. But when she finds an altered medical record tied to his childhood, one detail refuses to sit still. And once she notices it, she can’t unsee it.
She does the simplest thing in the she asks a question.
That’s when the answers stop coming. Files go missing. Messages don’t land. “Official” explanations appear fully formed, as if the system has been waiting for her to speak. And the harder she pushes, the more she realizes she isn’t arguing with one person.
She’s arguing with a machine.
Because this isn’t just about what happened back then. It’s about what happens now—when reputations are protected, narratives are rewritten, and the truth becomes something you can be disciplined for.
Someone is watching the story unfold.
Someone is shaping what’s allowed to be true.
And if Brigit keeps digging, she may learn the worst rule of
In a perfect family, the truth is the first thing you’re not allowed to touch.
Perfect Family is a psychological thriller about control, silence, and the quiet violence of being rewritten—where love becomes leverage, institutions become weapons, and the most dangerous lies are the ones that look official.
Ideal for readers who
Psychological & domestic suspense
Gaslighting and “who controls the narrative?” tension
Evidence trails, missing records, and institutional pressure
Slow-burn dread that escalates into relentless momentum
491 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 26, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 10, 2026
A psychological thriller of control, silence, and family secrets. I was hooked after a few pages and could not put it down. How far will a family go to keep their secrets?
My only complaint was the couple have 2 children that are mentioned a few times but through most of the story the parents are out together or apart searching for the truth and at those times the question for me was, "where are the children?" Also, on several occasions they would be together then all of a sudden they'd be apart.
Thanks again to Book Sirens for this ARC book and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
My only complaint was the couple have 2 children that are mentioned a few times but through most of the story the parents are out together or apart searching for the truth and at those times the question for me was, "where are the children?" Also, on several occasions they would be together then all of a sudden they'd be apart.
Thanks again to Book Sirens for this ARC book and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
March 8, 2026
Received as a review copy from Booksirens, this an honest review.
Author Paulius Kajokas psychological thriller Perfect Family is a breathtaking, haunting and immersive dark story that paints that what we view of any family could in fact a carefully, crafted illusion that a darker story behind it. Right from the start, through the POVs of married couple Johnson and Bridgit; the author doesn't mince words of clearly showing the Johnson's family ( Harold, Rebecca and James Smith ), artfully manage "family" dinners like a grand performance of well trained illusionist. YOU see WHAT they wanted you to see... and nothing more. DON'T ask questions and most definitely DON'T challenge this family's idea of the truth. When Bridgit discovers an old hospital record concerning Johnson and what's happened as a child, she cannot ignore the troubling information that record clearly displays. But as Bridgit tries to unravel the truth of what caused her husbands "accident"; she finds herself comforting a family where his secret they fight tooth and nail to keep Bridgit from knowing the answer by destroying her career and personal sanity. Even Johnson, is roped in to plead on his parents' behalf to leave the past buried as it had been "accepted". As the real truth and a very sinister version of it clash and crash around each other; a darker portrait emerges that even Johnson realizes his childhood was beyond manipulated and without the love hey should have had. Winning this layered war against seasoned soldiers, means taking back personal identify and discovering that finally be able to say enough to their bullshit is like emerging out of the darkness and back into the light.
Highly recommended.
Author Paulius Kajokas psychological thriller Perfect Family is a breathtaking, haunting and immersive dark story that paints that what we view of any family could in fact a carefully, crafted illusion that a darker story behind it. Right from the start, through the POVs of married couple Johnson and Bridgit; the author doesn't mince words of clearly showing the Johnson's family ( Harold, Rebecca and James Smith ), artfully manage "family" dinners like a grand performance of well trained illusionist. YOU see WHAT they wanted you to see... and nothing more. DON'T ask questions and most definitely DON'T challenge this family's idea of the truth. When Bridgit discovers an old hospital record concerning Johnson and what's happened as a child, she cannot ignore the troubling information that record clearly displays. But as Bridgit tries to unravel the truth of what caused her husbands "accident"; she finds herself comforting a family where his secret they fight tooth and nail to keep Bridgit from knowing the answer by destroying her career and personal sanity. Even Johnson, is roped in to plead on his parents' behalf to leave the past buried as it had been "accepted". As the real truth and a very sinister version of it clash and crash around each other; a darker portrait emerges that even Johnson realizes his childhood was beyond manipulated and without the love hey should have had. Winning this layered war against seasoned soldiers, means taking back personal identify and discovering that finally be able to say enough to their bullshit is like emerging out of the darkness and back into the light.
Highly recommended.
February 26, 2026
Thank you Book Sirens for an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Perfect Family by Paulius Kajokas.
This had potential but unfortunately fell flat for me. I think the story could have been told in at least half of time (it’s 595 pages!).
There was a lot of redundancy in the book and too much contrived intensity, especially at the end of each chapter.
In chapters 4 and 15 there were moments of POV changes midway through the chapter. As a reader this was confusing.
Johnson often thought things like “It was the voice she used with patients when she was trying not to show them how serious something was.” How would he know how she talks to patients?
Too many places smelled of lemon cleaner or stale coffee.
Brigit meets with Kessler in chapter 42 who refuses to be her lawyer. In chapter 62 she meets with Kessler, seemingly for the first time as the previous encounter is not mentioned, and he agrees to be her lawyer. There is a large portion of identical text which makes me think this was an editing error. See pages 279 and 428.
I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll just say I was waiting for a big reveal that never came. Somehow this both left me wanting less and wanting more. Would not recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This had potential but unfortunately fell flat for me. I think the story could have been told in at least half of time (it’s 595 pages!).
There was a lot of redundancy in the book and too much contrived intensity, especially at the end of each chapter.
In chapters 4 and 15 there were moments of POV changes midway through the chapter. As a reader this was confusing.
Johnson often thought things like “It was the voice she used with patients when she was trying not to show them how serious something was.” How would he know how she talks to patients?
Too many places smelled of lemon cleaner or stale coffee.
Brigit meets with Kessler in chapter 42 who refuses to be her lawyer. In chapter 62 she meets with Kessler, seemingly for the first time as the previous encounter is not mentioned, and he agrees to be her lawyer. There is a large portion of identical text which makes me think this was an editing error. See pages 279 and 428.
I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll just say I was waiting for a big reveal that never came. Somehow this both left me wanting less and wanting more. Would not recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 24, 2026
Perfect Family starts as a standard meal with in-laws but quickly turns into anything but standard as it dives into the elements of a psychological thriller where it truly makes its mark. Unlike others in the genre that wait until the end to reveal the twist or other shocking element, this story follows a family's journey to fight for the truth as facts change or disappear, keeping the tension in every chapter. There are no dull chapters in this book, with each ending on a cliffhanger that is immediately picked up in the next, leading to an intense page turner that is sure to keep your attention.
To note, in the advance copy, there was a chapter that appeared to be duplicated from around the middle of the book to closer to the end, but this was likely a symptom of editing for pacing, and I don't expect it to make it to the final published edition. Other than the unintended duplicated chapter, some other sections of this novel did feel a bit repetitive as the perspective shifted between the two main characters, but this was understandable for scenes in which both took part.
On a (hopefully) separate note, I had my original, finalised review disappear from my notes before I could post it, which only lent itself towards the immersion of this novel. Well played.
Reviewer's Note: This review was provided without compensation, other than a free advance reader copy.
To note, in the advance copy, there was a chapter that appeared to be duplicated from around the middle of the book to closer to the end, but this was likely a symptom of editing for pacing, and I don't expect it to make it to the final published edition. Other than the unintended duplicated chapter, some other sections of this novel did feel a bit repetitive as the perspective shifted between the two main characters, but this was understandable for scenes in which both took part.
On a (hopefully) separate note, I had my original, finalised review disappear from my notes before I could post it, which only lent itself towards the immersion of this novel. Well played.
Reviewer's Note: This review was provided without compensation, other than a free advance reader copy.
March 12, 2026
Unfortunately, Perfect Family by Paulius Kajokas didn't work for me at all. First of all, I struggled to understand the main issue the characters were dealing with. They built this massive drama around one lie that wasn't even important; I seriously could not understand why they treated it like such a huge deal! There is a specific kind of frustration that comes from a book that treats a "paper-cut" problem as if it were a "gaping wound."
I was hoping that by the end, we would be given a massive twist that made it all make sense, but no twist and no sense whatsoever. It felt like the author tried to write a "psychological study" on obsession, but forgot to give the obsession a reason to exist.
I don't even want to talk about the repetition in this book. At some point, it felt like the author was using "copy-paste" just to fill the gaps. This was truly a torture to get through—a nearly 500-page story about nothing, told in the same sentences over and over. Unfortunately, I can't give it more than 1 star because I can't find a single thing that I liked.
I was hoping that by the end, we would be given a massive twist that made it all make sense, but no twist and no sense whatsoever. It felt like the author tried to write a "psychological study" on obsession, but forgot to give the obsession a reason to exist.
I don't even want to talk about the repetition in this book. At some point, it felt like the author was using "copy-paste" just to fill the gaps. This was truly a torture to get through—a nearly 500-page story about nothing, told in the same sentences over and over. Unfortunately, I can't give it more than 1 star because I can't find a single thing that I liked.
March 28, 2026
For the most part, I found this book interesting. It explores how far one family will go to contain the past. The escalation in Brigit’s life is intense, and her husband’s Johnson’s role—particularly his enmeshment with his family and the ways he both helps and fails her—feels realistic and, at times, devastating.
However, I did find the emotional impact somewhat lacking. While the events surrounding Brigit and Johnson continue to escalate, it was difficult to fully feel their weight. I also struggled with Brigit’s initial motivation to become so deeply involved in uncovering the mystery, as it didn’t feel fully grounded.
Additionally, certain elements and even portions of chapters felt repetitive, which made it harder to stay engaged throughout.
Overall, the premise is compelling but the execution didn’t fully deliver.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
However, I did find the emotional impact somewhat lacking. While the events surrounding Brigit and Johnson continue to escalate, it was difficult to fully feel their weight. I also struggled with Brigit’s initial motivation to become so deeply involved in uncovering the mystery, as it didn’t feel fully grounded.
Additionally, certain elements and even portions of chapters felt repetitive, which made it harder to stay engaged throughout.
Overall, the premise is compelling but the execution didn’t fully deliver.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 23, 2026
This one pulled me in fast! Perfect Family by Paulius Kajokas had me hooked within the first few chapters and kept the suspense building the entire time.
The short chapters were a huge win for me — they kept the pacing tight and made it so easy to say “just one more chapter.” I also really appreciated how the multiple POVs were handled. Even with the perspective shifts, the story flowed smoothly and never felt confusing.
Overall, this is a gripping psychological thriller that really highlights the fallout when buried family secrets start to surface. If you enjoy fast-paced domestic thrillers, this is definitely worth the read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The short chapters were a huge win for me — they kept the pacing tight and made it so easy to say “just one more chapter.” I also really appreciated how the multiple POVs were handled. Even with the perspective shifts, the story flowed smoothly and never felt confusing.
Overall, this is a gripping psychological thriller that really highlights the fallout when buried family secrets start to surface. If you enjoy fast-paced domestic thrillers, this is definitely worth the read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 10, 2026
I don't DNF books, but this almost broke me to finish. And there wasn't any reason I should have kept going. I'm bummed.
I do not enjoy the writing, or the perspective the author is going for. I don't know how to explain it. I couldn't grasp why Brigit was so stuck on it.
Some parts felt tooooo descriptive. It was like the word count depended on the description of the environment, person, etc.
Johnson and Brigit's children kind of got lost in the mix. Like sometimes they were there...but then they weren't? Or they just up and left and no mention of what they did with the kids.
This was a story that I didn't understand the storyline of or want to by the end.
I wouldn't recommend.
Thank you BookSirens for this arc!
I do not enjoy the writing, or the perspective the author is going for. I don't know how to explain it. I couldn't grasp why Brigit was so stuck on it.
Some parts felt tooooo descriptive. It was like the word count depended on the description of the environment, person, etc.
Johnson and Brigit's children kind of got lost in the mix. Like sometimes they were there...but then they weren't? Or they just up and left and no mention of what they did with the kids.
This was a story that I didn't understand the storyline of or want to by the end.
I wouldn't recommend.
Thank you BookSirens for this arc!
March 26, 2026
Thank you for the opportunity to read this eARC. The emeshment this family had 🤯 insane. I think the best and worst part of this book is that things like this happen all the time. Our systems do not protect children as they should. Children fall through the cracks all the time due to failed systems. And don’t get me started on Johnson. I’m glad his perspective eventually changed but in the beginning, boy was he frustrating me like come on, SUPPORT YOUR WIFE! But to be fair I also understand trauma and know how hard it is to step out of your comfort zone, and push back against a system you thought was protecting you. I look forward to reading more from this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2026
An interesting concept of how manipulative some families can be to suit their agenda. It was clever the way words were used to change the narrative to keep Brigit under control and constantly on the back foot .
I did find it very repetitive which made it difficult to read. I found the ending a bit of an anti climax.
I did find it very repetitive which made it difficult to read. I found the ending a bit of an anti climax.
March 10, 2026
I liked the storyline behind this book. There were a few chapters that repeated instances where I thought they weren’t needed but it didn’t ruin the read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 19, 2026
Family story full of secrets. Brilliantly written. Luckily JOhnson has Brigit.
What kind of parents are Harold and Rebecca?
What makes James follow his father… I believe he is not happy.
Hope for a follow up.
What kind of parents are Harold and Rebecca?
What makes James follow his father… I believe he is not happy.
Hope for a follow up.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews