The Family Plot: A Novel
Written by Megan Collins
Narrated by Emily Tremaine
4/5
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About this audiobook
Raised in a secluded island mansion deep in the woods and kept isolated by her true crime-obsessed parents, twenty-six-year-old Dahlia Lighthouse is still haunted by her twin brother Andy’s disappearance a decade ago.
After several years away and following her father’s death, Dahlia returns home, where the family makes a gruesome discovery: buried in their father’s plot is another body—Andy’s, his skull split open with an ax.
Dahlia is quick to blame Andy’s murder on the serial killer who terrorized the island for decades, while the rest of her family reacts to the revelation in unsettling ways. Her brother, Charlie, pours his energy into creating a family memorial museum, highlighting their research into the lives of famous murder victims; her sister, Tate, forges ahead with her popular dioramas portraying crime scenes; and their mother affects a cheerfully domestic facade, becoming unrecognizable as the woman who performed murder reenactments for her children. As Dahlia grapples with her own grief and horror, she realizes that her eccentric family, and the mansion itself, may hold the answers to what happened to her twin in this “gorgeously wrought and deliciously creepy…twisted delight” (Kathleen Barber, author of Follow Me).
Megan Collins
Megan Collins is the author of Cross My Heart, Thicker Than Water, The Family Plot, Behind the Red Door, and The Winter Sister. She taught creative writing for many years at both the high school and college level and is the managing editor of 3Elements Literary Review. She lives in Connecticut, where she obsesses over dogs, miniatures, and cake.
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Reviews for The Family Plot
481 ratings21 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to have a good story line with a plot twist at the end. However, some reviewers found the premise far-fetched and the execution lacking. The writing style and narration were criticized for lacking emotion and making it difficult to connect with the characters. The plot was drawn out with repetitive fluff, and some characters were not likable. Despite these criticisms, there were positive reviews praising the book as entertaining, interesting, and with an unexpected ending. Overall, the book received mixed reviews but may appeal to true crime fans.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I was really looking forward to this one. Expected the storyline to hold my attention. Unfortunately, it was dragging but I am not sure how much of that is the writing (I suspect less) as opposed to the reader (most of it). Her affect is so flat and the cadence of her speech so regimented that I couldn't feel connected to the storyline at all. The reader is a huge part of engaging with the characters in an audio book. While her annunciation is clean and crisp, her general reading feels emotionless and makes it impossible to connect to the characters or storyline. Moving this one, sadly, to my DNF. May try again as a print read or would've loved a different narrator's read.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/54/16/2022 — finished the book. Tell me why I knew who the serial killer was not even 5 chapters into the book?!
4/6/2022 -- Family reunion gone wrong?! Also, why the obsession with "the twin" (Andy)?
Review:
The book itself was fine — balancing b/w 2.5-3 stars. The plot was predictable but it was still enjoyable enough (I mean I finished the book). It wasn’t suspenseful enough. It wasn’t police procedure, at least not in that pov. It wasn’t psychological, although — man, the trauma — that family is so fucked up ?.
The setting was very All Knives Out (you know the movie with grandpa-sweater Chris Evans). Middle of the woods, huge manor, whom the villagers call “Murder Manor”.
I had so many issues with the characters. The characters were flat throughout the story. They had no life to them. Dalia was annoying most of the time and pretty naive for a 26 year old & she’s the protagonist which made it worse — I hat MCs like that ???. Tate was obnoxious— I felt like the author tried to mimic a younger generation, which she wasn’t wrong about most of it. Charlie — what a dick. The mom (don’t remember her name) — man don’t even get me started on her — she reminds me of those old school female protagonists that would just wallow in self pity & guilt — like bro, get your shit together ??. Fritz, he didn’t get much page time, but I feel sorry for him — I mean he had to deal with that whole family. Daniel — ni se diga ?. Ruby, as she’s described, is intense, and it makes her feel creepy but then you pity her. Elijah, the detective, I honestly don’t know what his purpose was (like besides the obvious — him being a detective & all) like part of me wanting him to have a bigger role in the story. Finally, Andy — out of all the characters, he probably had the most “genuine” character development, which is sad (if you read it you’ll understand). Don’t get me wrong, the characters had some form of emotional growth, but they seemed forced, like “oh right, i forgot to add this, let me add it before the story ends (in the next 10 chapters ?)”.
The story had a great premise, but I definitely could have been more. I haven’t searched this author so I don’t know if this is a debut novel or not, but it definitely read like one.
Overall rating: 2.5 rounded up (because I’m nice)2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Interesting story. Listened quickly. I found it very entertaining. Thank you
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I liked the overall story. True crime fans will appreciate the many refrences.. great characters developed. Just came together odd for me. Seemed like some parts took longer to build that were not as important as the ones that moved the story along.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Predictable. Wasn’t thrilling enough and kind of bland writing. Really didn’t care for any of the characters.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Meh. It was ok. Characters not super developed, decent story
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Why did i push through to finish this? I didn't like it - i got bored after the first 30%. And the reason for that is that it built the climax of the story like 5 times. The author kept throwing suspects at us and then when those suspects didn't suit the story anymore, they were never mentioned again. What happened to the girl's father/grandpa? Nobody knows. He was a leading suspect up until some point, then you don't hear him mentioned.
And because we kept guessing who it could be, there were all of these useless details. I'll just say 1 word, the shed. Mentioned when it suited the story, then that narrative is never followed. I think the bad thing here is that the narratives aren't closed properly.
All in one, I don't understand the hype. It was poorly written. I gave it 2 stars, juat because the plot is kinda interesting if you don't have to read the entire story.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Interesting plot, although there are some red herrings that don’t anything to the story. One big correction (not a spoiler): therapists cannot tell law enforcement if you talk about crimes you’ve already committed. In today’s world research is too easy to make basic mistakes like that.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One of the best. Well written. You can feel the pain of the narrator.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good plot. The main character was a bit hard to relate to but overall it was a good story. Could have been shorter.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The premise was very far far fetched. I kept waiting for it to get better but it didn’t.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The plot was well thought out but e execution missed the mark. Very drawn out with repetitive fluff. None if the characters were really that likeable and has higher expectations when dealing with twins. I had to make myself finish so at least I accomplished something. Unfortunately tbis book is already forgotten and nothing staying with me.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Didn't see the ending coming. Great read. Highly recommend it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This has such a good story line and kept you wanting to read more to know what happens next. It had a plot twist at the end that made the story even more interesting. This is definitely a good story and would recommend reading it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This was a very good book but the names are insane dolleia and the lady name White House lol
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The plot line was creative and interesting, and I know it’s fiction, but it’s so unrealistic at times that it made it hard to get into? Some things were mentioned so casually and that was it! I liked it, I did not love it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Very interesting. Based on the reviews I had an idea of who was guilty but I wasn’t sure after that. Listen and decide for yourself…. It was compelling though… good read for me
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good read, great characters, and the plot line is intriguing.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Never read (or listened) to anything by this author ! She’s definitely on my radar
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/54.5 stars. All I can say is WOW. *a good WOW :)*
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I thought it did not have enough of a twist. Overall I did enjoy listening, I was never on edge though.