The book is the ideal example of why thrillers will always be my favorite genre. It has everything a thriller should have, and then more. The characters in this book keep you wondering what the hell is actually going on, and the storyline twists and suspense keep you guessing. The ending of this novel just blew me away. I was surprised to learn that a chapter just needed one word to convey its meaning to readers, but John Marrs's writing in Chapter 39 was a chef’s kiss and showcased his talent. ( )

3.5 stars

I went into this book blind, because I know if it's a John Marrs book, it's going to be awesome and I don't even need to know what it's about! This book doesn't have the usual shocking twists that a lot of his other books have (though there ARE definitely lots of surprises throughout the book!), but it may be his darkest one yet. The prologue will immediately grip you and you won't want to put this book down! Another fantastic book by John Marrs! ( )

Mia and Finn are buying their dream house. Unknown to them their new home soon becomes a house of horrors.

I've read books by John Marrs before and I always enjoy his thrillers more than the books he writes set in the near future.

This book is told from the pov of Mia, Finn and his parents Dave and Debbie. I have to say this book did hold my interest and I did want to see a positive outcome with what was going on. The plot has a lot of twists and surprises but I did feel towards the end the story had maybe one too many twists and was venturing into thrillerland.

What I didn't enjoy was the subject matter. The crime involves the abduction and murder of children. This I didn't enjoy and yes I finished the book and overall enjoyed it but found the subject hard to read.

John Marrs is a good author and I still have some of his books to read in the future. ( )

Wow, what a rollercoaster ride this book was. I found it really compelling reading. It's intense and intricately plotted, with everyday life slotting in with secrets from the past and present perfectly. Bravo John Marrs!

Mia and Finn buy a house that needs a lot of work doing to it and they set about it with the help of Finn's parents. As the renovation works progress the couple find some macabre discoveries in the house. Pregnant at the time, Mia then goes on to become obsessed with the findings to the detriment of all else, including her baby. The discoveries are shocking, the stuff of nightmares, and it's as Mia delves deeper that more revelations are revealed.

This is such a brilliant book. The current day storyline is interspersed with chapters from the past which fill in blanks but also add a lot of flesh to the story and provide very important background information. Just when it seemed as though all the revelations were done with…bam….bam….have a few more. The prologue chilled me to the bone and those chills just kept coming throughout the book. It's a reminder of how evil walks among us and how the scariest things are those that can happen in real life, not in horror films.

A story of family, manipulation, and the age-old question of nature vs nurture, Keep it in the Family is very dark and extremely twisted. It made me uncomfortable and transfixed in equal measures. I don't think I'd want to live in John Marrs' head!! A tense domestic thriller with a very sharp edge, I thought it was sensational. ( )