Book Review: Keep It in the Family by T.J. McCarthy
I was intrigued by T.J. McCarthy’s Keep It in the Family ever since I caught wind of its premise: a young couple, Mia and Finn, invest everything they have into a fixer-upper, only to find that their new dream home is haunted by secrets—both past and present. As a lover of psychological thrillers that toy with family dynamics and relationships, this sounded like a perfect fit for my reading list. However, what started as an exciting journey had a few unexpected bumps along the way.
From the very first chapter, McCarthy presents an atmosphere filled with suspense and questions, piquing my curiosity about what lay ahead. However, the narrative quickly became a labyrinth of perspectives — six characters sharing their point of view, sometimes jumping through different timelines. While I appreciate ambitious storytelling, I found myself overwhelmed, ultimately giving up on tracking the years altogether midway. The story’s structure, while intriguing in theory, felt convoluted in practice, making it difficult to piece together what everyone was concealing.
The characters are a mixed bag, with Mia being the standout. Her journey resonates as she uncovers the chilling secrets of her home and navigates her unexpected pregnancy. Yet, aside from her, the rest of the cast falls into the “unlikable” spectrum, which can work well in thrillers, but here felt a bit exhausting. I kept wishing for a deeper dive into the characters’ motivations, which might have added layers to their otherwise opaque personalities. I did enjoy DC Mark, the detective, but his brief appearance left me wanting more depth to his characterization.
One of the major aspects that struck me was the writing style. While McCarthy’s prose was accessible, it lacked the tension and urgency one often craves in a thriller. The reveals didn’t pack the punch I anticipated; when they finally came around the 63% mark, the twists felt repetitive rather than revelatory. I often like trying to guess the incoming twists, but in this case, it became tiresome, and the storytelling lost its spark for me.
Moreover, while the pacing allowed me to speed-read without losing track, I couldn’t help but feel that a more focused narrative could have elevated the stakes and tension significantly. The title itself, Keep It in the Family, clearly hints at the central theme, which felt like a missed opportunity to surprise readers—it’s hard to savor a twist when you can see it coming from miles away.
In summary, while Keep It in the Family had the foundation of a thrilling story, it ultimately felt underwhelming. That said, if you enjoy psychological thrillers that touch on family secrets and complex relationships, you might still find something worthwhile here, albeit with some patience. McCarthy has penned other fantastic works, so I’m excited to explore those next!
I’d recommend this to those who appreciate unraveling family dramas with a side of suspense but be prepared for some triggers. It’s a mixed bag, but perhaps you might enjoy it more than I did. Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK, for the eARC. I appreciate the chance to share my honest take on this.
Happy reading, everyone!
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