The disappearance of a young mother throws her family into a turmoil, which is further aggravated upon her return. Some secrets are truly better left way behind....A superb thriller!

A single mum lives near Cheltenham with her two children. All of a sudden her Mum, who walked out on her life back when she was a teenager, returns and moves in. Suddenly everything starts going wrong.

There’s an obvious answer isn’t there? But the woman spends pages and pages doubting herself and questioning how it could possibly be the case that a neighbour or a work colleague or a cleaner or a relative might be behind all these developments. Indeed, how could that possibly be the case and I’m afraid about half the book is taken up posing such pointless questions.

The book contains a few twists but even the biggest one is so heavily telegraphed that I saw it pretty much from the outset.

I did make it to the end just to confirm everything was exactly as I foresaw throughout. And it was. I liked the idea of the book but it definitely lacked both mystery and credibility.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for a fair review

I found this a good family drama which held my interest for most of the time, although Beth did get on my nerves after a while but perhaps that was the intention.

Overall it was a well written fast paced thriller which I can definitely recommend and thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins OMC for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

The last year has really taken a toll on my nerves. So did reading the Happy Family. I was living Beth’s worst nightmare right alongside her. I hated to turn the next page because I knew there was going to be a fresh new hell for her to encounter. What would you think if you’re long lost mother suddenly comes back into your life and your life begins to implode? Beth has a tragic secret from her past that haunts her as well. As nerve wracking of a read as this book was, it’s still a psychological twister. And then just when the calm occurs, there’s one last kicker. Read this book but buckle up for roller coaster ride.

Wow! One of those books that puts you on edge early on and you don’t quite know why! Beth is the practice manager at a surgery and lives with her two children having divorced her husband a while back. She has good friends and a good life and sees her father frequently. Her mother disappeared when she was little and she hasn't heard or seen from her since she was small. There is something in Beth's past to do with a girl called Lucy who when Beth thinks she is being followed wonders if this is what it's to do with- a secret only a few know. When there is a knock at the door and there stands Alice, her mother, Beth’s life suddenly changes- the mother she has always wondered what happened to and why she left. OMG one to put you in a spin and not want to put down- one I stayed up to finish as I just had to know where this was going. A cleverly thought out, and well planned plot and most certainly one to keep the grey matter active. One addictive read!

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The Happy Family was an ok read, but honestly it was difficult to believe that Beth wouldn’t question things. I know she was presented as someone who is insecure and believes she isn’t good enough for people to stay with her but I felt it was stretching things a bit.

This is the first novel I have read by Jackie Kabler. I was not sure when I first started if I would be able to finish it. I did end up finishing it though and I am so glad I did. I would say that this novel is a slow burn story. There is so much build up and it all just comes together at the end.

Without giving much away, it is about a long lost mother who comes home to her daughter after many years of her being gone. Everything for Beth seems to be going so well with her mother being home. That is, until it’s not and Beth’s perfect little life begins to crumble around her.

This story is one where you want to yell at the main character most of the story. But at the end of it all, you end up having sympathy for her and love her. This is such a well written story that has twists around every corner. At the end it is a story of acceptance and redemption.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the advanced read of this novel. All my thoughts and feelings are my own.

Wow!!
What a story. I love the way the author set this book out. Really well done! Well definitely be checking this author out on Amazon for more books

This was a fast-paced read, centered on divorced mom of two, Beth, whose mother walked out on her 30 years ago when she was just 10 years old. Beth lives a happy and fulfilled life, but always felt like something was missing due to the absence of her mother in her life. One day, out of the blue, her mother appears at her door.

Beth is overjoyed when her mother shows up and immediately invites her into her life, even staying with her at her house. However, strange things almost immediately start happening- Beth is misplacing things, becoming more forgetful, and questioning the allegiance of her close group of friends. Luckily, her mom is there to help her pick up the pieces as things start to fall apart.

There are a couple twists in this book. One I very clearly saw coming and wanted to throttle Beth for not seeing it herself, but the other totally stumped me and I could not for the life of me figure out what was really happening until it was revealed. That is hard to do with me and I enjoyed the surprise. There was a bit in the middle where the story dragged just slightly, as the same types of things kept happening and I was like "we get it, already", but the pacing picked up again after that.

Overall, this was a fun read and one that kept me up late into the night to see what would happen. I enjoyed the twists, even if one was more predictable than the other. I would recommend this book for those who enjoy psychological thrillers and domestic suspense. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When 40 year old Beth's estranged mother reappears in her life, she is ecstatic. Why at a time of happiness does her world seem to be turning upside down and her world spiraling out of control?

We travel along with Beth as she navigates her current world and friendships and also takes us back to a place she was as a hurt 10 year old whose mother has abandoned herself and her father.

I loved this book! It starts as a solid family drama and slowly builds up to a great psychological thriller. I highly recommend this one!

Wow, it’s been a long time since I last read a book in one sitting. I couldnt put this book down due to all of the twists, I just had to know what happened next. This was my first Jackie Kabler book and it definitely won’t be my last.

I really enjoyed reading an ARC of The Happy Family by Jackie Kabler. It was my first time reading a book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last. What I loved most about this book is the complex storyline of how past mistakes can effect the present. There were a fair amount of twists along the way, making it an enjoyable read. The reason I’m giving it a 4/5 stars is because I predicted the ending when I was about 1/3 of the way in. Overall, I really liked this book and will be recommending it.

10 year old Beth's young life was shattered when her mother walked out and never came back.
Now Beth is a grown woman, divorced and living with her two young children. She has a job she loves and everything seems wonderful in her life, but Beth has a secret, something she hopes no one will ever find out, something that happened when she was a young girl.
Then one day there is a knock on her door and there stands her mother. Beth is overjoyed to have Alice back in her life and her children have a grandmother who adores them. But all is not good as slowly Beth's friends seem to be avoiding her and even things in Beth's home go missing or seem to be moved.
I really enjoyed this book, even though I guessed the ending early on and I thank Netgalley, the author and publishers for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Brilliant!!! The plot to this story had me gripped from the start and I couldn’t put it down!!! It’s so so clever and I think that Jackie Kabler is going to be one to watch!!

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I was thrilled to receive approval to read this as Jackie Kabler is always on my list of favorite authors to read. She does not disappoint in this book! It has a lot of twists and turns that you will not see coming and will keep you in suspense until the very end. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good thriller!

I really enjoyed this book. The twists were great. I saw a few of them coming but still very entertaining.
This was a great psychological thriller. Beth was abandoned by her mother years ago and then she goes crazy from some stranger trying to hurt her from events that happened in her past.
I will definitely be recommending this one. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy.

This is the first book I have read by Jackie Kabler and I have to admit I am sold on it.

The premise is that Beth is a divorced women with two children, a boy and a girl. The relationship with her ex and his new partner is excellent and the children are happy to live with Beth and equally happy to spend time with Dad and Crystal. Her father is in a brilliant care home and she visits him regularly. She works as a practice manager for a doctors’ surgery. She is friendly, efficient and happy. She has good friends at work and two very good friends as neighbours. The only blot on her horizon is the nightmares that frequent her dreams. These she associates with the disappearance of her mother when she was very young. She can recall the unhappy woman and can almost understand why she left her father who was 40 years older than her. Still…

Than one day she just appears on Beth’s doorstep and introduces herself and ‘just like that’ – she is accepted, no, welcomed back into Beth’s life. How happy, how joyous. And then things start to go wrong.

Several big reveals, several big twists; one I guessed about half-way through, one I guessed shortly thereafter – but there was still one that did surprise me.

Brilliant book. Well written, well-constructed. Great characters. Just goes to show how easy it could be to de-rail someone’s life though – food for thought!

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

This was a very entertaining read , very fast paced . I did guess what was going on but this really didn't affect my enjoyment at all .
Beth is recently divorced with two children , a practise manager at the local GP surgery , she has lots of friends and a dad in a nursing home , one day her Mum that she hasn't seen for 30 years turns up on her doorstep and Beth feels that finally her life is complete . The one dark part , something from her youth that she would like to stay buried , though it seems someone knows and wants her to pay . Her friends start abandoning her , her colleagues are doubting her and even her ex husband is worried about her ability to look after her children . Beth really needs to get to the bottom of everything and it seems the only support she has is her Mum .
Really enjoyed this would recommend

Oo y’all this one was a good one! Definitely creepy all the way through because you knew the ending was going to be a surprise! Absolutely loved it and the writing was excellent.

I tried but I just couldn’t get on with this book. Not for me but that doesn’t mean it won’t be for you!

Three stars for fairness.