A Perfectly Nice Family: A totally addictive and gripping psychological thriller

by Nicole Trope

Stephanie cradles her coffee and gazes out to the little house at the end of her garden. The family who just moved in seem perfectly nice, if a little odd. And it’s only now that Stephanie if she can see them, they can see everything inside her house, too…

Single mother Stephanie is more than happy to welcome the Kemps to her property. Tragically, they have just lost everything in a fire. The rent money means Stephanie can keep her children in this beautiful, rambling home – so expensive to run, since the divorce – all while helping the Kemps get back on their feet.

Jason Kemp is so handy, always offering to fix things. But his wife Cecelia finds a reason to knock on Stephanie’s door every day. Their teenage daughter is sullen and rude. Then one day, Cecelia says the strangest thing…

“You know what teenagers are like. I would have sworn that she set our house on fire in a fit of rage.”

It must be a joke. Stephanie smiles weakly. The Kemps have been through so much, she tells herself.

But when she opens her eyes in the middle of the night to the sound of unfamiliar footsteps on the staircase, Stephanie realises she has made a dangerous mistake. A mistake she may not survive…

An absolutely addictive and twisty psychological thriller where nothing is as it seems! Fans of Shari Lapena, Lisa Jewell and Noelle W. Ihli will be completely hooked.

Read what everyone’s saying about A Perfectly Nice Family:

‘Oh holy smokes!... amazing… I read this book in one sitting, it was impossible to put down… plenty of jaw dropping twists… Big 5 stars… Totally loved this one!’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Absolutely mind blowing… The plot twist had my jaw on the floor… I was absolutely hooked.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘I am still catching my breath after finishing this one!... impossible to put down… incredibly gripping.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Loved!!!... had me in such a chokehold. I was reading on the treadmill, at work, in bed, I couldn’t get enough… Loved the twists and turns. Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘WOW! This addictive thriller had me hooked from the beginning… so many twists… pulse pounding.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Gripping… twists and turns that'll keep you turning pages… impossible to put the book down… a MUST-READ.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Absolutely addictive… You will be completely hooked… it kept me on my toes.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Gripping… so twisty my head was spinning… had me flipping the pages as fast as I could… wow.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘I devoured this book in less than 24 hours… I loved every second of it. I could not stop turning the pages.’ Goodreads reviewer, 4 stars

‘Kept me guessing from start to finish… I genuinely couldn’t put it down… a fantastic read.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘I was hooked on this story from the very first page… I read this book in a day… amazing… I didn't want to put it down.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

286 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2026

About the author

Nicole Trope writes psychological thrillers about families in crisis and the secrets we keep from ourselves and others. She has always been fascinated by the stories behind the headlines and published her first novel in 2012. In 2026 she will publish her 20th novel with Bookouture. She is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS, Canada and Germany. Her books have been translated into German, Italian, Polish, Hungarian and French and Japanese.
She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children
Current Publication: What Have You Done?-October 17th 2025
Next publication: A Perfectly Nice Family: March 6th 2026

Reviews

[Suzan Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicole Trope does it again! What an intriguing story! Let’s move a family in to our granny house on our property to make a little extra money since the divorce has left us short. Fantastic idea, or at least until it isn’t! Loved this, it is so tense and twisted, what an awesome read. With very well defined characters that you are going to love or not like at all but are all necessary. Great book! I was very lucky to be an ARC reader!

[Liz Skipper · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Stephanie is now living alone with her two children Luke 16 and Avery aged 12 after the break up of her marriage. Her ex husband Christopher, a doctor, had an affair and is now living with the practice manager at his surgery, Vanessa. Stephanie is not finding it easy, she's juggling studying for her degree, a part time job and looking after her children. Finances are tight and Stephanie is in constant worry. The bills are mounting up and Christophers child support doesn't cover nearly enough.

One day her best friend Gail comes up with a possible solution. Stephanie could rent out the studio in her garden, it will bring in much needed income. She knows of a family who have recently lost their home in the fires that have devastated some areas. They are in desperate need of help as they were under insured. Stephanie agrees to let the Kemp family, Cecilia, Jason and teenage daughter Polly move in. But could this be the worst possible decision she could make...

A perfectly nice family is a slow burn psychological thriller. There is a creeping sense of dread and an uncomfortable feeling as the characters true motives are revealed. I do like Nicole Trope, her books are always enjoyable and this one is no exception.

[KKEC Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Perfectly Nice Family by Nicole Trope
This took some turns. I love how Nicole brings a story to life. She uses emotion and the human element to create such realistic chaos.

I liked Stephanie; she was a heartbroken mom who just wanted to give her kids a great life. She was relatable and a good mom.

Avery was a typical preteen, a bit moody and dramatic, but ultimately, she was struggling with transitions and changes, and her emotions helped bring that together.

Surprisingly, Cecelia was a strong character with a compelling storyline. She was strong, but also jaded. Her heart was often in the right place, but her methods weren’t the most beneficial. Her final chapter was truly a work of art.

I enjoyed this book. The plot flowed smoothly, and things only intensified toward the end. This was a deliciously twisted read.

Publication date: March 6, 2026
Publisher: Bookouture

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book, and full of strange characters with questionable motives.

When Stephanie, a recently divorced mother of two teens, has financial problems, her dear friend offers her an opportunity. Her friend has heard about a family, whose home burnt down, and needs a place to live. Stephanie is struggling to make ends meet, and the idea of renting out a small cottage, on her own property seems to be a windfall. Her friend has vetted the couple and their daughter, and soon enough, they move in.
It’s not long before the renters become very annoying and quite sketchy, and Stephanie starts to regret her decision . Her main priority is the safety of her own kids, mostly her 12 year old daughter.

There is much to unravel in this story, but the ending reveals all!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy in return for my honest opinion

[Kelsey Hickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a solid thriller! It kept me on my toes and the twists were unexpected. The book follows a mother, Stephanie, and her children struggling to make ends meet after a divorce. To supplement her income, Stephanie allows a a struggling family to move into the guest home in her yard. Unusual things start happening, and we spend the story trying to figure out why things are happening and who is behind them. I appreciate the opportunity to read an early release copy of this book from Netgalley.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this author and have enjoyed every one of her books. This one was brilliant! Intrigue, family secrets, suspense, twists - what's not to like? Just wow! Loved this book and would highly recommend.

[vicky H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story line & I appreciated the different POVs.
The twists were minimal and I found myself getting bored with some of this.
Nicole Trope was RIGHT THERE at this being a 4 star for me, but sadly fell short.

[Chris Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a Stephanie, recently divorced, decides to rent out a small in cottage in her backyard, she think it is the answer to her money problems. Little does she think, she is trading one small problem for a host of new and bigger problems. Intrigueing mystery that keep you guessing who to believe.