Keep It in the Family

In this thrilling novel from bestselling author John Marrs, a young couple's house hides terrible secrets--and not all of them are confined to the past.

Mia and Finn are busy turning a derelict house into their dream home when Mia unexpectedly falls pregnant. But just when they think the house is ready, Mia discovers a shocking message scored into a skirting board: I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC. Following the clue up into the eaves, the couple make a gruesome discovery: their home was once a real-life murder house, with the evidence still concealed within the four walls.

In the wake of their traumatic discovery, the baby arrives and Mia can't shake her fixation with the monstrous crimes that happened right above them. Tormented by the terrible things she saw, she is desperate to dig into the past to find answers.

Secrecy shrouds the mystery of the attic, but when shards of a dark truth start to emerge, Mia realises the danger is terrifyingly present. She is prepared to do anything to protect her family--but will the previous tenants stop her from discovering their secret?

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Published Oct 18, 2022

383 pages

Average rating: 7.59

482 RATINGS

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What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *Keep It in the Family* is a dark, twisty psychological thriller with multi-perspective storytelling across different timelines. Most agre...

Book Lover 1971
Sep 29, 2025
6/10 stars
I feel horrible for loving this book! Very morbid but OMG the twists!! I would have given in 3 and a half but this app wouldn't let me and it would have been a full 4 stats of or wasn't so morbid? Well written and enjoyed it...even though I feel guilty about that
KelBel
Jun 01, 2025
8/10 stars
Overall good book. Just when I thought I had it figured out there comes a twist. I did get a little confused as to the narrator when one wasn't specified, but that was the point. Early on I thought the "killer" could be a woman.. Just a feeling I had. But the misdirection made me question it. Also Finn, was he involved wasn't he?? Good fun figuring all that out.
Bookedanbusy
Dec 24, 2025
4/10 stars
This story was told in multiple perspectives, as well as different timelines. Mia was head strong and stubborn, Finn was caught in the middle of his wife and mom , Dave was passive, and Debbie was very overbearing. The more I read, none of these characters were all that likable. Finn did piss me off repeatedly dismissing his wife and her concerns. Mia was annoying as well, making a lot of things about her. As usual the chapters were short which kept me turning the pages. I was curious to see how everything would the together, and I was pleasantly surprised with the reveal. I thought I knew where the story was going, but I was wrong. This was a dark and disturbing read, but I couldn’t look away. Everyone in this family seemed like they were hiding something and no one could be trusted. Unlikeable characters aside, this was like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from. If you are looking for a disturbing, toxic family dynamic, I highly recommend this one!
WhitneyWyble
Jul 18, 2025
9/10 stars
could not put it down! Twists and turns every corner. It you think you know the answer it is probably wrong
kenzellwashington
Jul 02, 2025
8/10 stars
You ever want to feel nauseous for an entire book? If you do, this is for you! Riveting story, but holy shit what the fuck did I just read.

Only doing 4 stars because I cannot ever read this again

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