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The Other Family: A Chilling Psychological Thriller Where Unsolved Murder and Dark Secrets from a Past Tragedy Haunt a Fresh Start
One of PopSugar's Most Anticipated Books! One of Bibliofile's Most Anticipated Mystery/Thriller Books! “Great psychological suspense with a wallop of a twist.” —Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub makes her trade paperback debut with a fast-paced thriller in the vein of Lisa Jewell’s The Family Upstairs and Megan Collins’ The Winter Sister. Here, a family making a fresh start moves into a house which was the site of an unsolved triple homicide—and are watched by an unknown person... The watcher sees who you are...and knows what you did. It’s the perfect home for the perfect pretty Nora Howell, her handsome husband, their two teenage daughters, and lovable dog. As California transplants making a fresh start in Brooklyn, they expected to live in a shoebox, but the brownstone has a huge kitchen, lots of light, and a backyard. The its previous residents were victims of a grisly triple homicide that remains unsolved. Soon, peculiar things begin happening. The pug is nosing around like a bloodhound. Nora unearths a long-hidden rusty box in the flowerbed. Oldest daughter Stacey, obsessed with the family murdered in their house, pokes into the bloody past and becomes convinced that a stranger is watching the house. Watching them . She’s right. But one of the Howells will recognize his face. Because one of them has a secret that will blindside the others with a truth that lies shockingly close to home—and to this one’s terrifying history.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 18, 2022
758 people are currently reading
25205 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Corsi Staub
81 books1,891 followersNew York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than ninety novels, best known for the single title psychological suspense novels she writes under her own name. Those books and the women’s fiction written under the pseudonym Wendy Markham have also appeared on the USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookscan bestseller lists.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,047 reviews
May 18, 2023
This book left me speechless. It started as between 3 to 4 starred psychological thriller but a few chapters later I was absolutely drawn into mystery, flawed, unreliable characters, big secrets, lies, mob connections and the short and fast paced chapters ending with cliffhangers increased the tension. I kept reading by canceling everything in my life! There were so many intriguing elements mashed up triggering subjects such as abuse, drug addiction, mental health, manipulation, gaslighting.
But when I reached the end: I thought I received the wrong copy : there might have more chapters and more pages to conclude the entire story properly.
I’m still curious why the author chose to finish this book so abruptly because after the bomb landed on the family’s room, I expected more confrontations. This is not open ended conclusion: this was truly half ending ! We need an epilogue and Stacey’s additional POV!
The plot was spooky, interesting, mysterious: a happy family of four moves to 104 Glover Street Brooklyn/ NYC from LA because of Keith’s job but at least they still have hope to return back to West Coast in one year!
But when the house they chose is a haunted place where unsolved triple homicide have been committed 25 years ago and a 1800’s bizarre portrait of family posing with their corpse daughter hanged on their living room give enough vibe to scare the daylights of the family.
Nora in her mid forties, introvert, ex horticulturist, stay at home mom and wife startles when her entire family finds out the ugly past of the house during their dinner with new family of four they’ve meet! But their new friends ( Heather- in marketing business married with musician Jules who is recovering addict, their children Lennon, Courtney are at same of Nora’s girls : Stacey and Piper) are too nosy and ultra friendly to intrude into their lives. And Lennon might be too interested in Nora’s socially distanced daughter Stacey!
As soon as they learn the truth about the house they’ve moved: Stacey who is addicted to read about true crime novels becomes obsessed about last inhabitants of the place: family of three who has been possibly targeted by mobsters. And their killers have never been found. Could they still target Stacey’s family?
Poor girl catches a shadow watching out their house through binoculars. Her mother already thinks she’s delusional and her new boyfriend Lennon believes that their house are haunted by ghosts of people who have been killed there!
One of the family members keep more secrets that hold the key of entire events! But who and why?
I’m shutting up before not giving so much away!
I liked the blurred vision the unreliable characters created for us! I enjoyed twists and surprising revelations. I was so close to give five stars but sudden ending with too many unanswered plot holes made me disappointed.
I’m still rounding up 3.5 stars 4 because till the last chapter the book kept me on my toes! It was truly disturbing! I hope the author decides to add a few chapters at the end to give better closure to the characters!
Special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
But when I reached the end: I thought I received the wrong copy : there might have more chapters and more pages to conclude the entire story properly.
I’m still curious why the author chose to finish this book so abruptly because after the bomb landed on the family’s room, I expected more confrontations. This is not open ended conclusion: this was truly half ending ! We need an epilogue and Stacey’s additional POV!
The plot was spooky, interesting, mysterious: a happy family of four moves to 104 Glover Street Brooklyn/ NYC from LA because of Keith’s job but at least they still have hope to return back to West Coast in one year!
But when the house they chose is a haunted place where unsolved triple homicide have been committed 25 years ago and a 1800’s bizarre portrait of family posing with their corpse daughter hanged on their living room give enough vibe to scare the daylights of the family.
Nora in her mid forties, introvert, ex horticulturist, stay at home mom and wife startles when her entire family finds out the ugly past of the house during their dinner with new family of four they’ve meet! But their new friends ( Heather- in marketing business married with musician Jules who is recovering addict, their children Lennon, Courtney are at same of Nora’s girls : Stacey and Piper) are too nosy and ultra friendly to intrude into their lives. And Lennon might be too interested in Nora’s socially distanced daughter Stacey!
As soon as they learn the truth about the house they’ve moved: Stacey who is addicted to read about true crime novels becomes obsessed about last inhabitants of the place: family of three who has been possibly targeted by mobsters. And their killers have never been found. Could they still target Stacey’s family?
Poor girl catches a shadow watching out their house through binoculars. Her mother already thinks she’s delusional and her new boyfriend Lennon believes that their house are haunted by ghosts of people who have been killed there!
One of the family members keep more secrets that hold the key of entire events! But who and why?
I’m shutting up before not giving so much away!
I liked the blurred vision the unreliable characters created for us! I enjoyed twists and surprising revelations. I was so close to give five stars but sudden ending with too many unanswered plot holes made me disappointed.
I’m still rounding up 3.5 stars 4 because till the last chapter the book kept me on my toes! It was truly disturbing! I hope the author decides to add a few chapters at the end to give better closure to the characters!
Special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
December 3, 2024
Spoiler alert, I guess, I don't think there are spoilers but some people seem to think so
I really wanted to like this one much more than I did. It has such an intriguing premise, but for 384 pages it didn't deliver nearly enough drama to propel the story forward for that long. I wanted more secrets, more lies, more uncovering of the truth. But there are just a couple of surprises (both of which were completely obvious by the time they were revealed) and the ending totally and completely fell flat for me.
I didn't like or identify with any of the characters. And again, despite the setup--NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS. I wanted there to be hidden secrets galore, but nope. It's told from the point of view of three different characters. This doesn't help the narrative at all. So the daughter Stacey has a boyfriend who is a neighbor. This goes nowhere despite teasing us that something more sinister could be going on. The mom Nora has a secret, which is completely obvious and takes over 300 pages and some stupid red herrings for it to come out. The secret side character with his own POV ends up being a total dud as well, it felt like wasted pages getting to the point of him and then...
Overall this was just a huge disappointment for me. Don't waste your time.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
I really wanted to like this one much more than I did. It has such an intriguing premise, but for 384 pages it didn't deliver nearly enough drama to propel the story forward for that long. I wanted more secrets, more lies, more uncovering of the truth. But there are just a couple of surprises (both of which were completely obvious by the time they were revealed) and the ending totally and completely fell flat for me.
I didn't like or identify with any of the characters. And again, despite the setup--NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS. I wanted there to be hidden secrets galore, but nope. It's told from the point of view of three different characters. This doesn't help the narrative at all. So the daughter Stacey has a boyfriend who is a neighbor. This goes nowhere despite teasing us that something more sinister could be going on. The mom Nora has a secret, which is completely obvious and takes over 300 pages and some stupid red herrings for it to come out. The secret side character with his own POV ends up being a total dud as well, it felt like wasted pages getting to the point of him and then...
Overall this was just a huge disappointment for me. Don't waste your time.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 6, 2022
The Other Family by Wendy Corsi Staub is a thriller novel. The story in The Other Family is one that is told by changing the point of view between a few of the characters to give different sides of the story.
Nora Howell and her husband, Keith, have made the decision to pack up their family and move to Brooklyn, NY. The Howell family arrive at their new home and quickly settle in with the two teenagers daughters making their way to their new schools making a fresh start for the whole family.
Nora makes friends with a neighbor rather quickly and soon the family learns that their new home has a ominous past. The house they choose was once the setting for a triple murder which fascinates oldest daughter who is a fan of true crime. As the family settles in though someone out there begins watching them as secrets of the past come to the present.
I have actually read and enjoyed other books by Wendy Corsi Staub so I was excited to dive into The Other Family. The story quickly pulled me in and moved at a quick pace with the short chapters and changing viewpoints. I loved that I couldn’t trust a soul as I waited to find out what would happen as it unfolded. The ending to this one however seemed a bit abrupt and not totally satisfying so that left me to rate this at three and a half stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Nora Howell and her husband, Keith, have made the decision to pack up their family and move to Brooklyn, NY. The Howell family arrive at their new home and quickly settle in with the two teenagers daughters making their way to their new schools making a fresh start for the whole family.
Nora makes friends with a neighbor rather quickly and soon the family learns that their new home has a ominous past. The house they choose was once the setting for a triple murder which fascinates oldest daughter who is a fan of true crime. As the family settles in though someone out there begins watching them as secrets of the past come to the present.
I have actually read and enjoyed other books by Wendy Corsi Staub so I was excited to dive into The Other Family. The story quickly pulled me in and moved at a quick pace with the short chapters and changing viewpoints. I loved that I couldn’t trust a soul as I waited to find out what would happen as it unfolded. The ending to this one however seemed a bit abrupt and not totally satisfying so that left me to rate this at three and a half stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
March 17, 2022
What just happened? 'The Other Family' is definitely not the novel I had anticipated. However, narrator Hillary Huber did an exceptional job - she is just so amazingly talented - and why I stuck it out.
January 7, 2022
Nora and her family have just moved from a huge home in Los Angeles to a small apartment in New York City. Nora's husband job transfer is temporary only for a year so they will just have to get used to hustle and the bustle of the crowded city. Nora's hope for a fresh start dissolved overnight when her daughters discovered their home had been the scene of a triple murder thirty years ago. Stacey the older daughter feels someone watching her and following her but she is afraid she won't be believed by her parents so she says nothing. Nora also has been keeping secrets and wonders if this move was a terrible mistake. The family's harmony is quickly breaking down. The girl's are changing and and not being truthful, Nora is disconnected more and more from her family, her husband is also suspicious of Nora's aloofness and the new neighbors have become way too friendly, almost smothering at times. Nora promised herself not to trust anyone or let anyone get too close but everything safe and secure seems to be crumbling apart day by day. Why oh why did she think this would be the perfect time and place to confront her fears when she has spent her whole life running away from her past. Nora will soon learn that she has compromised the safety of daughter Stacey while trying to face the demons of her own past and if she doesn't act quickly it may be too late for either of them.
I have always been a fan of Wendi Corsi Staub's books so I was so excited to read this new ARC. The writing drew me in from the first page and I just couldn't stop reading. The plot twist were inconclusive and unexpected although somewhat outlandish for what I'm used to with enjoying her books. Nora's character was not too likeable, warm or motherly to her children and just a cold and distant person in general, if this was the author's intention she hit the nail on the head otherwise it was a complete miss. The storyline itself was exciting and extremely mysterious so it was a fast read but I just didn't feel that the book was written by the same writer that I was always used to so I was left feeling puzzled and somewhat disappointed. So, with that said, I'm still a WCS fan and am looking forward to her next book while recognizing that all books can't realistically meet my expectations 100% of the time.
I want to thank the publisher "William Morrow Custom House" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this exciting advanced reading copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book a rating of MYSTERIOUS AND INTRIGUING 🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!
I have always been a fan of Wendi Corsi Staub's books so I was so excited to read this new ARC. The writing drew me in from the first page and I just couldn't stop reading. The plot twist were inconclusive and unexpected although somewhat outlandish for what I'm used to with enjoying her books. Nora's character was not too likeable, warm or motherly to her children and just a cold and distant person in general, if this was the author's intention she hit the nail on the head otherwise it was a complete miss. The storyline itself was exciting and extremely mysterious so it was a fast read but I just didn't feel that the book was written by the same writer that I was always used to so I was left feeling puzzled and somewhat disappointed. So, with that said, I'm still a WCS fan and am looking forward to her next book while recognizing that all books can't realistically meet my expectations 100% of the time.
I want to thank the publisher "William Morrow Custom House" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this exciting advanced reading copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book a rating of MYSTERIOUS AND INTRIGUING 🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!
February 8, 2022
I could not put this book down!!! Between the short chapters, alternating narrators, and building of suspense, I just couldn't flip the pages fast enough!
When Keith gets a year long promotion in NYC, his family picks up and leaves their LA home to start over. Once in Brooklyn, the family quickly settles and becomes friends with their neighbors down the street. Over dinner one night, the family learns about the sordid history of the home they now live in. A murder happened 25 years ago and an entire family was wiped out. The murderer was never found. With peeping Toms hiding in the shadows and their new neighbors becoming a little too friendly for comfort, the family worries the murderer may still be around.
This novel had so many elements that I love in a good mystery/thriller. From cheating spouses, mama drama, teen drama, a possessive boyfriend, controlling and manipulative friends to mafia ties and hitmen, there was just so much to love about this plot. There were lots of breadcrumbs and head scratching moments, I couldn't trust anyone, and I constantly questioned the reliability of the narrators.
While not totally unpredictable, even though I had a good idea where the story was going, I was impressed with how everything pieced together. There were some major loose ends and a dropped storyline that will likely bother some readers, but overall, I sort of liked that they existed to keep me guessing.
If you love a page turning mystery, this one is definitely for you!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.
When Keith gets a year long promotion in NYC, his family picks up and leaves their LA home to start over. Once in Brooklyn, the family quickly settles and becomes friends with their neighbors down the street. Over dinner one night, the family learns about the sordid history of the home they now live in. A murder happened 25 years ago and an entire family was wiped out. The murderer was never found. With peeping Toms hiding in the shadows and their new neighbors becoming a little too friendly for comfort, the family worries the murderer may still be around.
This novel had so many elements that I love in a good mystery/thriller. From cheating spouses, mama drama, teen drama, a possessive boyfriend, controlling and manipulative friends to mafia ties and hitmen, there was just so much to love about this plot. There were lots of breadcrumbs and head scratching moments, I couldn't trust anyone, and I constantly questioned the reliability of the narrators.
While not totally unpredictable, even though I had a good idea where the story was going, I was impressed with how everything pieced together. There were some major loose ends and a dropped storyline that will likely bother some readers, but overall, I sort of liked that they existed to keep me guessing.
If you love a page turning mystery, this one is definitely for you!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.
August 25, 2021
A twisty ride steeped in betrayal. The perfect winter read!
—J.D. Barker, NY Times bestselling author of A Caller's Game
—J.D. Barker, NY Times bestselling author of A Caller's Game
Want to read
April 25, 2022No rating
DNF at page 55
January 18, 2022
I like thriller mysteries and family drama and my interest level was high for a significant chunk of the story. But somewhere around the 3/4 mark I found myself going through the motions of reading, not caring one way or the other how everything would be wrapped up in the conclusion. Part of the issue was not feeling invested in the characters.
Nora Howell, her husband, and two teenage daughters have just moved to Brooklyn. It's supposed to be a fresh start for the family but this is a thriller so things are probably not going to be all hunky dory in their new home. The house was the scene of a triple murder years ago which makes for a bit of a creepy living situation. By the way, a member of the family is hoping their past doesn't catch up to them here in New York.
The chapters alternate between a few of the characters. The story hooked me from the beginning as I wanted to learn the details of the unsolved triple homicide case. I did have some interest in finding out the secrets of the family member as well. To be perfectly honest, when everything is revealed, it's pretty underwhelming in my opinion. It probably doesn't help I read this genre frequently so it's hard to wow me with any type of ending these days.
Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Nora Howell, her husband, and two teenage daughters have just moved to Brooklyn. It's supposed to be a fresh start for the family but this is a thriller so things are probably not going to be all hunky dory in their new home. The house was the scene of a triple murder years ago which makes for a bit of a creepy living situation. By the way, a member of the family is hoping their past doesn't catch up to them here in New York.
The chapters alternate between a few of the characters. The story hooked me from the beginning as I wanted to learn the details of the unsolved triple homicide case. I did have some interest in finding out the secrets of the family member as well. To be perfectly honest, when everything is revealed, it's pretty underwhelming in my opinion. It probably doesn't help I read this genre frequently so it's hard to wow me with any type of ending these days.
Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
March 2, 2022
Ahhhh, the curse of the house cover addiction . . . .
I don’t need to recognize the author’s name, I don’t need a blurb, I don’t need a synopsis. I just need to read all the things that have houses on the front. So that’s how this came to be. The premise was a good one – family gets a one year transfer to NYC and moves in to a Brooklyn brownstone (let me just take a moment to say brownstones/row houses really kick my house cover addiction up another notch) with a pretty notorious past. And then . . . . . well, pretty much NOTHING happens. The actual goings on were in-your-face obvious right from the beginning and there was some sort of red herring situation going on with the neighbor boy that was pretty much just a waste of a lot of pages. Not great, Bob!
I don’t need to recognize the author’s name, I don’t need a blurb, I don’t need a synopsis. I just need to read all the things that have houses on the front. So that’s how this came to be. The premise was a good one – family gets a one year transfer to NYC and moves in to a Brooklyn brownstone (let me just take a moment to say brownstones/row houses really kick my house cover addiction up another notch) with a pretty notorious past. And then . . . . . well, pretty much NOTHING happens. The actual goings on were in-your-face obvious right from the beginning and there was some sort of red herring situation going on with the neighbor boy that was pretty much just a waste of a lot of pages. Not great, Bob!
March 10, 2022
these cleverly layered multiple plots
include quirky invasive new neighbors,
a teen disturbingly abusive romance, a
girl obsessed about true crime living in
a murder house, and a family secret. ♡
include quirky invasive new neighbors,
a teen disturbingly abusive romance, a
girl obsessed about true crime living in
a murder house, and a family secret. ♡
February 13, 2022
I received a free ARC copy in the mail of this, I assume from the publisher but that's anybody's guess. I thank whoever thought of me as a potential reviewer of this book. I read a lot of this genre and can be difficult to please. 🥴
In the beginning chapters, I was very intrigued by the mysteries coming out. A family from California moves into a house in Brooklyn where decades before, three unsolved murders had taken place. Added to that, the wife/mother figure, in alternating chapters, is telling us she has many secrets that her husband is unaware of. And another of the three points of view is some creepy guy hanging around the house spying on the family. Ok, I'm in.
But then not much happens. They meet a neighboring family that seems to be a good match to them and their teenagers, but they're soon just annoying, nosy, and pushy. Any of their potential good qualities, if any, remain elusive.
Several chapters in, I had the mysteries all figured out. I am never sure if that means I'm smart or if the resolution was too easy. I won't say much on that to avoid spoilers, but I would rather not guess the ending. I would have liked more twists also. The final words of the book I assume were meant to be a shocker, but epic fail there. 2.5 stars rounded up.
In the beginning chapters, I was very intrigued by the mysteries coming out. A family from California moves into a house in Brooklyn where decades before, three unsolved murders had taken place. Added to that, the wife/mother figure, in alternating chapters, is telling us she has many secrets that her husband is unaware of. And another of the three points of view is some creepy guy hanging around the house spying on the family. Ok, I'm in.
But then not much happens. They meet a neighboring family that seems to be a good match to them and their teenagers, but they're soon just annoying, nosy, and pushy. Any of their potential good qualities, if any, remain elusive.
Several chapters in, I had the mysteries all figured out. I am never sure if that means I'm smart or if the resolution was too easy. I won't say much on that to avoid spoilers, but I would rather not guess the ending. I would have liked more twists also. The final words of the book I assume were meant to be a shocker, but epic fail there. 2.5 stars rounded up.
March 11, 2022
This story is completely preposterous. The beginning of the book really dragged. I finally skimmed to the last couple of chapters. Not good. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
December 13, 2021
Please note that I received this via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
The multiple POVs dragged the book's flow. And the mystery was not really one. The whole book was just not that interesting. And the reasoning behind some of Nora's decisions was baffling.
"The Other Family" follows Nora Howell and her family as they deal with a recent move from California to New York. Nora is hoping that the move helps her family. She and her husband have become a little distant due to an event that is referred to, but not spoken about. Her two daughters are like night and day and she worries over them. When the family hears about a triple murder that took place in their rental home more than 20 years ago, Nora starts to worry that someone is watching them.
This was all over the place. And it’s really easy to figure out what’s going on. The mystery of Teddy took longer. But other than that this was a pretty by the book (and boring) thriller. Nora is all over the place in this book and her reasoning behind some things makes zero sense. I didn't get the sense that Nora loved her family at all by the way. They just seemed to be there.
Stacey and her love of true crime started to get on my nerves. Probably because she acts like other true crime people out there and deciding to make linkages that don't work. I just started to get annoyed at the chapters showcasing her and started to read them quickly.
Jacob's POVs and the reveal about him and everything made no sense to me. I just felt like he was not written very well or consistently. He's used for a while to make the book move along and then just gets dumped out of the blue and I went so we are not going to wrap that little thing up? No? Okay.
The flow of this book was so slow. I kept checking my progress and wishing it go faster.
The setting of New York is not really present while reading. Most of the action takes place at the house. The house though doesn’t feel real enough while reading.
The ending was just an okay that happened. Very abrupt.
The multiple POVs dragged the book's flow. And the mystery was not really one. The whole book was just not that interesting. And the reasoning behind some of Nora's decisions was baffling.
"The Other Family" follows Nora Howell and her family as they deal with a recent move from California to New York. Nora is hoping that the move helps her family. She and her husband have become a little distant due to an event that is referred to, but not spoken about. Her two daughters are like night and day and she worries over them. When the family hears about a triple murder that took place in their rental home more than 20 years ago, Nora starts to worry that someone is watching them.
This was all over the place. And it’s really easy to figure out what’s going on. The mystery of Teddy took longer. But other than that this was a pretty by the book (and boring) thriller. Nora is all over the place in this book and her reasoning behind some things makes zero sense. I didn't get the sense that Nora loved her family at all by the way. They just seemed to be there.
Stacey and her love of true crime started to get on my nerves. Probably because she acts like other true crime people out there and deciding to make linkages that don't work. I just started to get annoyed at the chapters showcasing her and started to read them quickly.
Jacob's POVs and the reveal about him and everything made no sense to me. I just felt like he was not written very well or consistently. He's used for a while to make the book move along and then just gets dumped out of the blue and I went so we are not going to wrap that little thing up? No? Okay.
The flow of this book was so slow. I kept checking my progress and wishing it go faster.
The setting of New York is not really present while reading. Most of the action takes place at the house. The house though doesn’t feel real enough while reading.
The ending was just an okay that happened. Very abrupt.
March 2, 2022
You are moving us into a house where three brutal murders took place? How could you do that?
Moving from California to Brooklyn was a decision that not everyone in the family agreed with, but they did find a nicer and larger home than they had anticipated.
But...is it a nicer home? In terms of size, they were happy, but when they find out a family had been murdered in their rental they became worried.
One of the daughters is a true crime fan and loved the idea, but she kept seeing someone watching them. Was it her imagination or was someone watching the house?
It actually wasn't her imagination. The boyfriend of the young woman murdered in the house thinks Anna has come back to life and is the one watching.
Other things happen too - strange neighbors that barge right in the house, and the mother, Nora, finds a box buried in the back yard as she was doing some landscaping.
The contents of the box is a bit shocking and reveals a lot about the murdered family. Nora wonders, though, what all of this means especially the thousands of dollars inside.
We follow along as the weeks go by and each character is doing his or her own thing with some having secrets.
THE OTHER FAMILY is a bit slow at first, but it does pick up. There is a bit of paranormal in it, but not much.
The characters are not on the likable side, but they don’t take away from the story line. They actually make the story line a bit more chilling.
The surprises as the book was ending were definitely surprises.
If you enjoy creepy, but good, THE OTHER FAMILY will be a book you will want to read. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher for an honest review.
Moving from California to Brooklyn was a decision that not everyone in the family agreed with, but they did find a nicer and larger home than they had anticipated.
But...is it a nicer home? In terms of size, they were happy, but when they find out a family had been murdered in their rental they became worried.
One of the daughters is a true crime fan and loved the idea, but she kept seeing someone watching them. Was it her imagination or was someone watching the house?
It actually wasn't her imagination. The boyfriend of the young woman murdered in the house thinks Anna has come back to life and is the one watching.
Other things happen too - strange neighbors that barge right in the house, and the mother, Nora, finds a box buried in the back yard as she was doing some landscaping.
The contents of the box is a bit shocking and reveals a lot about the murdered family. Nora wonders, though, what all of this means especially the thousands of dollars inside.
We follow along as the weeks go by and each character is doing his or her own thing with some having secrets.
THE OTHER FAMILY is a bit slow at first, but it does pick up. There is a bit of paranormal in it, but not much.
The characters are not on the likable side, but they don’t take away from the story line. They actually make the story line a bit more chilling.
The surprises as the book was ending were definitely surprises.
If you enjoy creepy, but good, THE OTHER FAMILY will be a book you will want to read. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher for an honest review.
January 28, 2022
I received a free e-copy of The Other Family by Wendy Corsi Staub from NetGalley for my honest review.
A fast paced, psychological thriller! A Howell family move from California to New York for a job. Their luck just can't get any better when they find this beautiful, large rental home. This home, however, has secrets. Secrets from a family that previously lived there. Now, they are being watched by someone who is hanging around their home. Who and why is someone watching them and what secrets does this home hold?
A fast paced, psychological thriller! A Howell family move from California to New York for a job. Their luck just can't get any better when they find this beautiful, large rental home. This home, however, has secrets. Secrets from a family that previously lived there. Now, they are being watched by someone who is hanging around their home. Who and why is someone watching them and what secrets does this home hold?
November 21, 2022
In short, although I may be open to picking up future releases from this author, this one is mediocre... and isn't memorable. For comparison, Staub's writing style reminds me of Shari Lapena’s (though I prefer Lapena’s books, for their fun plots and copious red herrings). Unfortunately, Staub didn't make me care about the characters or get invested in the mystery.
Highlights: An unexpected reveal in the last chapter.
Lowlights: Although The Other Family begins with an intriguing premise, the plot lags in the book’s middle and derails in the end. The premise (a family of four moves into a home where the past homeowners had been murdered) had me anticipating a spooky “haunted house” vibe, but unfortunately, after the initial reveal (first 25%), the narrative shifts to focus on the main character’s teenage daughter’s somewhat abusive relationship with a boy living in their new neighborhood. Sorry, not interested. In addition to the main character’s and daughter’s POVs, readers also see the POV of a character named Jacob, who is a stalker… and boy, Jacob’s POV, which is few and far between anyway, is weird, felt somewhat heavy-handed, and is ultimately a waste of time (as is the case for books with a poorly-done unreliable narrator trope).
Highlights: An unexpected reveal in the last chapter.
Lowlights: Although The Other Family begins with an intriguing premise, the plot lags in the book’s middle and derails in the end. The premise (a family of four moves into a home where the past homeowners had been murdered) had me anticipating a spooky “haunted house” vibe, but unfortunately, after the initial reveal (first 25%), the narrative shifts to focus on the main character’s teenage daughter’s somewhat abusive relationship with a boy living in their new neighborhood. Sorry, not interested. In addition to the main character’s and daughter’s POVs, readers also see the POV of a character named Jacob, who is a stalker… and boy, Jacob’s POV, which is few and far between anyway, is weird, felt somewhat heavy-handed, and is ultimately a waste of time (as is the case for books with a poorly-done unreliable narrator trope).
December 31, 2021
I wanted to like this one so much! But there were so many characters and everyone had their own chapter, I didn’t like that at all. The book dragged. It took forever to get through.
A family intending to have a fresh start bring a lot more baggage with them than just their suitcases. Unbeknownst to them, their new residence was the site of a unsolved triple murder. 🙄 In addition there is a creeper watching the house and watching them. Add a few secrets, a couple of lies, some family drama, and everything pretty much unravels from there.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.
A family intending to have a fresh start bring a lot more baggage with them than just their suitcases. Unbeknownst to them, their new residence was the site of a unsolved triple murder. 🙄 In addition there is a creeper watching the house and watching them. Add a few secrets, a couple of lies, some family drama, and everything pretty much unravels from there.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.
December 6, 2021
A very quick, utterly forgettable read.
With flat characters (I mean, really none had texture to them) who all serve to orbit around the mother (Nora) the reader won’t understand how pointless it all was until the end. Then…the flat characters will become what they always were: stuffing.
Try as I might, I found none all that compelling. And with characters so lacking depth, I struggled to care about any of them.
Readers of thrillers will spot the twist early and will likely become annoyed at the pointlessness of the supporting cast.
With flat characters (I mean, really none had texture to them) who all serve to orbit around the mother (Nora) the reader won’t understand how pointless it all was until the end. Then…the flat characters will become what they always were: stuffing.
Try as I might, I found none all that compelling. And with characters so lacking depth, I struggled to care about any of them.
Readers of thrillers will spot the twist early and will likely become annoyed at the pointlessness of the supporting cast.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2022
This started out on a good note but by the time I got to the end I was very disappointed. It fell flat and was just not a good ending at all.
Maybe you will enjoy it but, It was just not a good one to me. I gave it 2.5 stars
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
Maybe you will enjoy it but, It was just not a good one to me. I gave it 2.5 stars
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
January 25, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
So, this is a hard one for me to rate/review for some reason. It is one of those books that had me hooked from page one, and I really liked the dark "a family was once murdered in this house" vibe it had going on, but then in the last third of the book too many things just didn't add up and the ending is just odd and disturbing.
Keith and Nora have moved from California to New York City with their two daughters, Stacey and Piper, and moved into a home, where unbeknownst to them, twenty-five years ago an entire family was murdered in their beds, and the murderer was never caught. Oldest daughter Stacey has an interest in true crimes - especially Lizzie Borden - and when she sees someone watching her from the neighbor’s shed roof and a man confronts her on the train, calling her "Anna," she is sure it is connected to the murders. Meanwhile, Nora is hiding something from her family; Keith is distant and doesn't trust Nora; Stacey and Piper are good at finding trouble; and their new neighbors are quite overwhelming in their attention to the family. Once the family secrets begin to come to light, the past rears its ugly head and threatens to expose the "perfect family" once and for all.
I think my biggest issue with this book is that Staub introduces several intriguing characters and plot points, but they never went anywhere i.e. Jules/Heather/Lennon. I don't want to say much more without giving things away, but it was just so odd. Everyone gave off creepy vibes, and I kept thinking things would all tie together, but they didn't. There were such ominous tones and I found myself on the edge of my seat waiting for something big to happen, but there was just a lot of watching/stalking and thrown in characters. I get using red herrings, but here they were just confusing and unnecessary. It all made for a meandering plot that goes all over the place and then wraps up in warp speed but still leaves you hanging due to some loose ends. And that ending?! It was like Staub wasn't sure whether to make a character a hero or a psychopath, so she just left it open ended, which is one of my pet peeves.
Overall, a bit disappointing as this book had all the indicators of being a wicked, twisty, suspenseful read with some crazy "wtf" moments, but it just sort of missed the mark. That being said, I still raced through it in record time and was wrong about one of my theories, so for that I bump up my rating from 3 to 4 stars.
So, this is a hard one for me to rate/review for some reason. It is one of those books that had me hooked from page one, and I really liked the dark "a family was once murdered in this house" vibe it had going on, but then in the last third of the book too many things just didn't add up and the ending is just odd and disturbing.
Keith and Nora have moved from California to New York City with their two daughters, Stacey and Piper, and moved into a home, where unbeknownst to them, twenty-five years ago an entire family was murdered in their beds, and the murderer was never caught. Oldest daughter Stacey has an interest in true crimes - especially Lizzie Borden - and when she sees someone watching her from the neighbor’s shed roof and a man confronts her on the train, calling her "Anna," she is sure it is connected to the murders. Meanwhile, Nora is hiding something from her family; Keith is distant and doesn't trust Nora; Stacey and Piper are good at finding trouble; and their new neighbors are quite overwhelming in their attention to the family. Once the family secrets begin to come to light, the past rears its ugly head and threatens to expose the "perfect family" once and for all.
I think my biggest issue with this book is that Staub introduces several intriguing characters and plot points, but they never went anywhere i.e. Jules/Heather/Lennon. I don't want to say much more without giving things away, but it was just so odd. Everyone gave off creepy vibes, and I kept thinking things would all tie together, but they didn't. There were such ominous tones and I found myself on the edge of my seat waiting for something big to happen, but there was just a lot of watching/stalking and thrown in characters. I get using red herrings, but here they were just confusing and unnecessary. It all made for a meandering plot that goes all over the place and then wraps up in warp speed but still leaves you hanging due to some loose ends. And that ending?! It was like Staub wasn't sure whether to make a character a hero or a psychopath, so she just left it open ended, which is one of my pet peeves.
Overall, a bit disappointing as this book had all the indicators of being a wicked, twisty, suspenseful read with some crazy "wtf" moments, but it just sort of missed the mark. That being said, I still raced through it in record time and was wrong about one of my theories, so for that I bump up my rating from 3 to 4 stars.
February 7, 2022
I'm between 3 and 4 stars on this one. It's a standalone thriller by Staub that keeps the heat on a slow-burn. Nora and Keith Howell rent an old fully-furnished row house in Brooklyn for a year while Keith helps open a NY office of the LA marketing firm for which he works. They are hoping the move from LA will help everyone in the family get a new start, including their two teen daughters, Stacey (17) and Piper (14).
While at a dinner party with the first neighbors they meet on the block, they learn that 25 years before there was a triple murder in the house in which they are living--a husband, wife and daughter were killed execution-style in their beds, a crime that was never solved. The Howells are shocked--why wasn't that revealed to them by the rental agent? Stacey, who is into true crime, starts digging into the details and learns she's probably living in the bedroom where the daughter was killed. Creepy! But now she also has the feeling she's being watched...
And maybe there is someone watching. Although most chapters of the story are told from Nora's pov, occasionally some are from a man named Jacob who knew the dead girl, Anna, 25 years ago and has convinced himself that she's back! A few chapters also belong to Stacey as she gets involved with the neighbor's son, Lennon, while trying to adjust to this new life in New York City. Will her family believe her when she claims a man is stalking her or just think she's the crazy daughter, acting out again?
The reading experience was fairly quick and absorbing. The row house with all the reminders of its past is a creepy, atmospheric setting. There are a few twists and turns to the story that are not all that shocking or hard to foresee. Of the characters portrayed, I liked Stacey the best because she seems to grow in strength. Nora, I'm not so sure about--can she clean up the mess she's made?
I received an arc of this new suspense novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.
While at a dinner party with the first neighbors they meet on the block, they learn that 25 years before there was a triple murder in the house in which they are living--a husband, wife and daughter were killed execution-style in their beds, a crime that was never solved. The Howells are shocked--why wasn't that revealed to them by the rental agent? Stacey, who is into true crime, starts digging into the details and learns she's probably living in the bedroom where the daughter was killed. Creepy! But now she also has the feeling she's being watched...
And maybe there is someone watching. Although most chapters of the story are told from Nora's pov, occasionally some are from a man named Jacob who knew the dead girl, Anna, 25 years ago and has convinced himself that she's back! A few chapters also belong to Stacey as she gets involved with the neighbor's son, Lennon, while trying to adjust to this new life in New York City. Will her family believe her when she claims a man is stalking her or just think she's the crazy daughter, acting out again?
The reading experience was fairly quick and absorbing. The row house with all the reminders of its past is a creepy, atmospheric setting. There are a few twists and turns to the story that are not all that shocking or hard to foresee. Of the characters portrayed, I liked Stacey the best because she seems to grow in strength. Nora, I'm not so sure about--can she clean up the mess she's made?
I received an arc of this new suspense novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.
March 3, 2022
Domestic Thrillers
Publication Date: February 08, 2022
Nora, Keith and their teenage daughters Stacey and Piper move from California to New York City because of Keith's job. They move into their new home but they don't know, yet, that a family was murdered in the house years before and the murderer was never caught.. Who is that mysterious man who keep an eye on their home? What secrets their new home hide?
This story has short chapters that alternate between Nora, her daughter Stacey and mysterious stalker Jacob. Story moves on at a good pace at first but at some point I no longer enjoyed those rapidly alternating chapters nor the cliffhanger endings. Instead of enticing me to read on, I felt used by the author when nothing significant happened.
I felt the author's characterizations were superficial and lacked any depth. As the reader it was pretty difficult to identify with the characters. The mystery behind Nora's past was obvious but still I felt like I didn't really KNOW her or what made her tick. Perhaps it was a good thing considering how it all played out! The ending fell flat for me
I've read lots of books where the characters are fascinating, writing so vivid that characters and events seem to come to life, and the shocking secrets so expertly revealed that I'm left speachless by the clever twists. Sadly this story wasn't one of those. Not bad but not something I'd want to re-read.
Publication Date: February 08, 2022
Nora, Keith and their teenage daughters Stacey and Piper move from California to New York City because of Keith's job. They move into their new home but they don't know, yet, that a family was murdered in the house years before and the murderer was never caught.. Who is that mysterious man who keep an eye on their home? What secrets their new home hide?
This story has short chapters that alternate between Nora, her daughter Stacey and mysterious stalker Jacob. Story moves on at a good pace at first but at some point I no longer enjoyed those rapidly alternating chapters nor the cliffhanger endings. Instead of enticing me to read on, I felt used by the author when nothing significant happened.
I felt the author's characterizations were superficial and lacked any depth. As the reader it was pretty difficult to identify with the characters. The mystery behind Nora's past was obvious but still I felt like I didn't really KNOW her or what made her tick. Perhaps it was a good thing considering how it all played out! The ending fell flat for me
I've read lots of books where the characters are fascinating, writing so vivid that characters and events seem to come to life, and the shocking secrets so expertly revealed that I'm left speachless by the clever twists. Sadly this story wasn't one of those. Not bad but not something I'd want to re-read.
April 7, 2022
I am just coming off a month’s hiatus from reading/reviewing, and I’m slightly disappointed that this was the book that I picked to start back up with. I found myself pretty underwhelmed by the whole thing, and the writing was very different … usually when stories flip between characters, it’s written in first-person, but these chapters about each character are written in third-person. I just felt like it was a strange way to lay the story out.
As for the story itself, I was totally confused until the ending. In fact, I’m rounding this up only because of the ending; if not for it, I’d have walked away from this book wondering what on earth it was and why I wasted my time on it. A haunted house story? A murder story? A story about families, friends and secrets? The whole book was slightly disjointed, written oddly, and it was so vague that I just couldn’t get invested in it.
Then we get to the ending … there are answers with a couple of the main characters, but it did end quite abruptly and with no answers about some other characters. This left the whole thing feeling incomplete. Why write a story and involve major plot lines with characters whose stories never get finished? Were they just filler? This probably would have made a better short story or novella.
I think the only reason this kept my attention was because I was waiting for it to make sense. Unfortunately, it doesn’t start to come together until around the 80% mark. Then, because of a few clues and hints dropped earlier in the book, it became slightly predictable, which led to a less-than-shocking ending. There was a slight twist, but certainly nothing that made my jaw drop.
Overall, this just wasn’t the book for me. The writing was dry, the story was strange, and it dragged all the way to the end. I’m giving this two stars, rounded up to 2.5 because I didn’t totally hate it, but I was slightly annoyed that it wasn’t the book I thought it would be. I’m not sure that I would read this author again, if this is the typical writing style. Reviews from my Goodreads friends vary widely, so I guess it’s a personal preference, but it definitely wasn’t something that I loved.
(Thank you to Wendi Corsi Staub, William Morrow/Custom House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
As for the story itself, I was totally confused until the ending. In fact, I’m rounding this up only because of the ending; if not for it, I’d have walked away from this book wondering what on earth it was and why I wasted my time on it. A haunted house story? A murder story? A story about families, friends and secrets? The whole book was slightly disjointed, written oddly, and it was so vague that I just couldn’t get invested in it.
Then we get to the ending … there are answers with a couple of the main characters, but it did end quite abruptly and with no answers about some other characters. This left the whole thing feeling incomplete. Why write a story and involve major plot lines with characters whose stories never get finished? Were they just filler? This probably would have made a better short story or novella.
I think the only reason this kept my attention was because I was waiting for it to make sense. Unfortunately, it doesn’t start to come together until around the 80% mark. Then, because of a few clues and hints dropped earlier in the book, it became slightly predictable, which led to a less-than-shocking ending. There was a slight twist, but certainly nothing that made my jaw drop.
Overall, this just wasn’t the book for me. The writing was dry, the story was strange, and it dragged all the way to the end. I’m giving this two stars, rounded up to 2.5 because I didn’t totally hate it, but I was slightly annoyed that it wasn’t the book I thought it would be. I’m not sure that I would read this author again, if this is the typical writing style. Reviews from my Goodreads friends vary widely, so I guess it’s a personal preference, but it definitely wasn’t something that I loved.
(Thank you to Wendi Corsi Staub, William Morrow/Custom House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
March 14, 2022
Nora Howell and her husband Keith, have made the decision to move to Brooklyn, NY from California. The Howell family arrive at their new home surprised to see the large rowhouse in a well to do neighborhood for the price they can afford. The girls get into a good school and they begin to settle in. Nora quickly makes friends with a neighbor who invites them to dinner. It is at that dinner that they learn about their house. It was affordable because it has a history. It was once the setting for a triple murder which fascinates oldest daughter, Stacey, who is a fan of true crime and she begins to research the crime. As the family settles in there is someone out there watching them and it is creepy. Stacey also begins a relationship with an emotionally unstable boy who also causes some issues. As secrets are revealed, the house has its own story.
This is a standalone thriller by Wendy Corsi Staub that is a slow-burn. This suspenseful story was interesting and held my attention from beginning until the end. Most of the story is told from Nora's POV, but there are a few chapters from a man named Jacob who knew the dead girl, Anna, and Stacey as she gets involved with the neighbor's son, Lennon, while trying to adjust to her new life. The listening experience was enjoyable and a fairly quick listen with short chapters. The row house with its history is a creepy and atmospheric setting. There are some twists and turns that were a bit surprising, but could be predicted. I enjoyed getting to know Stacey and Nora seeing them develop and reveal their secrets. I loved that I couldn’t trust a soul as I waited to find out what would happen as it unfolded. The ending to this one however seemed a bit abrupt and not totally satisfying which caused me to lower my rating a bit. Hillary Huber narrated the story with a pleasing voice, but a mediocre performance. It was just an okay listening experience.
This is a standalone thriller by Wendy Corsi Staub that is a slow-burn. This suspenseful story was interesting and held my attention from beginning until the end. Most of the story is told from Nora's POV, but there are a few chapters from a man named Jacob who knew the dead girl, Anna, and Stacey as she gets involved with the neighbor's son, Lennon, while trying to adjust to her new life. The listening experience was enjoyable and a fairly quick listen with short chapters. The row house with its history is a creepy and atmospheric setting. There are some twists and turns that were a bit surprising, but could be predicted. I enjoyed getting to know Stacey and Nora seeing them develop and reveal their secrets. I loved that I couldn’t trust a soul as I waited to find out what would happen as it unfolded. The ending to this one however seemed a bit abrupt and not totally satisfying which caused me to lower my rating a bit. Hillary Huber narrated the story with a pleasing voice, but a mediocre performance. It was just an okay listening experience.
February 4, 2022
Thank you so much to William Morrow for my copy of this book. I love domestic thrillers so I was very excited to get this in the mail. The Other Family is about a family moving into a house where there was an unsolved triple homicide. This perfect family starts experiencing weird things and one of the daughters becomes convinced someone is watching the house...and them. It turns out she's right, and someone in the family even knows who it is, because one of them has a secret that no one else knows.
Thoughts: This plot was so intriguing and I was so excited to read this book. There is a lot of tension in this book and it's fun to try to figure out who the unknown narrator Jacob is. Right from the beginning you know there is more to this family than meets the eye, and you try to figure out what it was. There are lots of red herrings and I found the main twist to be predictable. My issue was the ending was wrapped up so fast and some things were pointless and didn't pan out at all. Nora was unlikable and then ending was very underwhelming. 3-stars
Thoughts: This plot was so intriguing and I was so excited to read this book. There is a lot of tension in this book and it's fun to try to figure out who the unknown narrator Jacob is. Right from the beginning you know there is more to this family than meets the eye, and you try to figure out what it was. There are lots of red herrings and I found the main twist to be predictable. My issue was the ending was wrapped up so fast and some things were pointless and didn't pan out at all. Nora was unlikable and then ending was very underwhelming. 3-stars
February 3, 2022
This book gets one star because it isn't finished. And I like open endings. This isn't an open ending. This is an unfinished book. It's missing the entire second act.
August 19, 2023
The mystery is nice. If not for some extra povs, it could've been great! 3.5 stars
Story of a family who moves to a new neighborhood. We get different people narrating the story of how something horrific happened in their newly acquired home.
Pros:
• A nice plot for a thrilling novel:
• The writing for a family shifting from LA into their Brooklyn Suburban home is quite relatable.
Con:
• I think the author wanted to add multiple narrators to sort of confuse the reader. I totally see that point. But, it took some time to get used to that part. If we got two povs, it would've been clearer. Plus, there were dual timelines as well.
Story of a family who moves to a new neighborhood. We get different people narrating the story of how something horrific happened in their newly acquired home.
Pros:
• A nice plot for a thrilling novel:
• The writing for a family shifting from LA into their Brooklyn Suburban home is quite relatable.
Con:
• I think the author wanted to add multiple narrators to sort of confuse the reader. I totally see that point. But, it took some time to get used to that part. If we got two povs, it would've been clearer. Plus, there were dual timelines as well.
January 3, 2022
This was a really good story that I definitely enjoyed reading. I received an ARC from the publisher and I was immediately drawn to the story because this is my favorite type of story. It's about a family and a house and the secrets that the woman is hiding and how they eventually come out and how she deals with them. Many twists and turns and surprising revelations. I kind of figured out what was going on but not completely. If you enjoy a good mystery, I definitely recommend. Will read more by this author.
July 16, 2022
This was a bit of a weird story. It went in a direction I wasn’t anticipating and the ending was VERY rushed. There was a discernible lack of a climax and we also never got closure regarding the clingy/smothery/creepy boyfriend.
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