Not a Happy Family: The gripping Richard and Judy Book Club 2022 pick, from the #1 bestselling author of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR

Product Information

I still had fun reading this one and will always pick up a Lapena novel knowing pretty much what to expect.

I’ve read all of Shari Lapena’s suspense novels (except her last one, which I plan to make right soon), and I have loved all of them. I was anxious to see who the killer was and everyone seemed to have a past that couldn’t be overlooked. i noticed in another book i read by this author that the plot twists at the end aren’t very twisty and in both books it was pretty obvious who it was and it was like the author was trying to throw you off on who it was, with both books. With wholly unlikeable characters and a fast paced plot, this book will keep you guessing until the last page!The author does a nice job of showing how basic investigative work begins to unravel the Merton siblings’ alibis.

At dinner, Fred stuns his family by announcing he and Sheila have decided to sell the house because none of the children deserve it. You would think people on the edge of a financial windfall would be deliriously happy, or at least grateful in their security, but not these family members. He’s none of his parents’ favorite, left excluded and has every right to reflect years long boiled anger in different ways. The police are investigating the murder of Fred and Sheila Merton, a wealthy couple in their 60s with three grown children.This was my first novel by Lapena and I own The Couple Next Door so I am excited for that to be my next read by this author! In the large, bright kitchen at the back of the house, Fred Merton’s body lies sprawled on the floor in a dark and viscous pool of blood. The chapters are quick, jumping from one POV to another, and I liked the narration of the audiobook. This isn’t a new premise, but I loved how this story unraveled, including a few surprising twists and a surprise ending.

There’s a Porsche 911 convertible; Fred Merton likes to drive that one, but only in the summer, when he throws his golf clubs in the trunk. I prefer listening to this genre and the audiobook was narrated by Ellen Archer, who did an excellent job. The Merton family is troubled, dysfunctional and more than 'not happy,' yet Lapena offers no real insight into their lives, content instead to drop readers into this moment of violence and paranoia. She likes to put on one of her many colorful Hermès scarves, check her lipstick in the rearview mirror, and go out to meet friends.Certainly not enough for the family to act like they're the Rockefellers after one generation of wealth. Even though the plot of her books are always fast paced, the dialogue is stilted and when not invested in the characters it is very hard to really enjoy the story. You’ll love to hate the flawed, spoilt characters in this addictive, fast-paced drama… This is a well-plotted whodunnit with twists and turns in every chapter to keep readers on their toes. This deliciously tart read about rich-people problems is one of the most purely enjoyable mysteries we’ve read in a minute.