I love it when the blurb of a book sounds right up my street, and this is exactly what this book promised. We meet Liz who lives with her cousin Andie (along with Travis, who is Andie's boyfriend but doesn't live with them).

Liz takes a DNA test alongside Andie and the results show that they are not related. Liz queries this and it is confirmed by her parents that she is in fact adopted. Obviously being in her late 20s she is upset and confused. To make matters worse she then learns that her actual mother was a young addict and is no longer alive. To top all of this off, poor Liz is then told she has the same DNA as a serial killer. This then opens up the main part of the book and it makes for an interesting read. I found it quite slow paced to start with as I wanted to get to the nitty gritty narrative of this book and I did find I was skim reading to find out more details. The story does soon pick up and it is great. Each chapter switches between Liz and then the serial killer who gives us a gruesome back story of their killings.

A great read and thanks to the authors, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A book very hard to put down.
Contains spoilers
Liz is given a DNA test as a birthday present from her cousin and best friend, then she discovers she is adopted and finds a great uncle and a distant cousin alive, she meets her great uncle and his wife and likes them very much meeting them regularly.
Then the FBI get in touch to say her DNA is connected to a serial killer that has been abducting girls in pairs for over 40yr so it must be one of her relatives but they don`t know which one, Liz ignores the advice from the FBI and tries to find out who it is herself.

Only thing I couldn`t understand was why send a DNA test to your own cousin as you know family history, and why did Liz`s great uncle have his DNA in the data base as he knew only one more family existed, this wasn`t explained.
The only other male member in the family had a police record but was not in the DNA register.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

I could not put this book down. It's been a while since I was on the edge of my seat wondering whodunit and didn't have it figured out before the reveal.

The Family Tree by Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry follows Lizzie Catalano as she takes a 23 and Me DNA test only to discover a shocking truth. The DNA results is the gift that keeps on giving when the FBI come a calling because she's a familial match to the only DNA ever left behind by the Tri-State Killer. Can Lizzie overcome betrayal and a possible serial killer family member or will her own curiosity get the best of her?

If I wasn't reading this book, I wanted to be. I couldn't stop thinking about it. Lizzie drove me a little crazy. I dislike when main characters act so brazenly stupid and ignore any advice or instructions by people in authority or just people who care about them in general. I wanted to shake her a few times. I loved the back and forth between the present day, and the chapters from the TSK's victims point of view. I also thought the way the victims storylines picked up where the last ones left off was very smart and intriguing and left you wondering what exactly he did to the victims. The ending was a bit of a surprise and I like the setup for a potential second novel. I highly recommend this book if you're into thrillers with true crime vibes.

This book was simply amazing.
I devoured The Family Tree.
The suspense building up was great and had me hanging on the edge of my seat.
The writing was outstanding. Beautiful. Engaging. Wonderful. Exciting!

I can't thank Harper 360 and NetGalley enough for this awesome ebook.

I absolutely ADORED this book! Gripping, terrifying, SO clever and just brilliant. I am going to put it out there as the absolute thriller of the summer.

4.5 stars that I quickly rounded up to 5 after that jaw dropping ending that I did not see coming.

The Family Tree is a dark but thrilling read as Liz gets the results of a DNA Kit that not only shows she was adopted but she is related to The Tri State Serial Killer.

Liz starts to investigate.

What could go wrong?

Oh Liz you take so many chances. I loved it.

Liz is suspicious of her new family as she has been warned by the FBI

The pages fly by as you meet the victims and follow Liz as she investigates. I yelled at Liz, cheered with her and cried with Liz.

Put The Family Tree on your TBR pile at the top , you won't be disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a fascinating page turning read.

Oh those DNA test surprises! Liz had no idea she was adopted but there's more shocking news ahead- someone in her family is the Tri-State Killer who abducts and kills young women- in pairs. Whew. The FBI wants her help and she commits to assisting. This shifts POV between Liz and the victims, which works well. There might be a few plot holes but it's a satisfying read with a good character in Liz (and her cousin Addie). The chapters are shot which makes it easy to decide to read just one more when you really should put the book down . Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

A great read that kept me on my toes throughout, it was an excellent page turner which I thoroughly enjoyed with good characters.

I can definitely recommend this book and thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for allowing me to read this book.

Our main protagonist Liz receives a 23 And Me DNA test kit for her birthday from her best friend and cousin Addie. Unfortunately when she gets back her results, the pair of them are left shocked and upset when it becomes apparent that Liz is actually adopted.

Obviously Liz wants to know more about her biological family and it's this curiosity that leads her down a seemingly dark path.

What would you do if you discovered that you were related to a murderer, a serial killer no less?

The dangerous and illusive Tri-State killer has lain dormant for a few years now but when two college girls vanish, it begs the question, is this killer back? Will he strike again?

Chapters go back and forth between the points of view of both Liz and the victims of the Tri-State Killer.

His Modus Operandi has always been to kidnap two young women at the same time, these woman are roommates, and dare I say good looking. Pretending to check their gas he would quickly turn from mr nice guy into your worst nightmare.

The idea of this novel is unique, with a fresh plot and fast paced chapters, this story offers secrets and scandal.

For a lot of the story I was worried for Liz and Andie, would they become the next victims?

And whilst I did enjoy the premise along with the twists in the tale that certainly flipped the narrative, there was something that didn't sit quite right with me.

Dialogue.

For me it didn't quite flow, it felt false, too light and airy for such a disturbing, gritty tale. I didn't feel the intensity from either Liz or the victims themselves.

I wanted the fear to be palpable.

However, I think if done right, it could translate well on to the big screen.

Over all, The Family Tree is a creepy, calculated tale.

And that ending! Talk about surprises. I'd say it's left it open for another book to be written if the author so wishes.

An unusual and really enjoyable story, where the main character Liz Catalano undergoes a genetics test in order to try and find out more about her family history. She is dealt a body blow when the test reveals that she has been adopted - but worse than that, having agreed to share the results to the FBI cold case database, she discovers a familial link to a serial killer. We follow the story of Liz - as she tries to find out which relation is the killer; and, in alternate chapters, we hear more about the killer and his killings. This story has good character development, is very believable and is full of suspense. There are twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end and this book is highly recommended Many thanks to Avon Books (UK) and Netgalley for my ARC. .

When cousins, Liz and Andie get their ancestry results by using a DNA test kit, they are shocked to find that they aren't cousins after all. Liz is adopted - a fact her adoptive parents never told her.

She starts looking for her biological family, looking to make up for all the years of not knowing them. But then, she comes across a devastating information - someone with matching DNA might be a serial killer.

The said serial killer (nicknamed the Tri-State Killer) is notorious for abducting young women in pairs and torturing and murdering them brutally for over 40 years.

The killer has taken two girls now and it is a race against time for Liz to find who the killer is before he murders the girls.

The book is told from the viewpoints of Liz and the abducted girls.

I liked:
- the abducted girls' stories. All are well-written and chilling. They basically take the same route but it doesn't feel repetitive. The struggles of the girls are disturbing.

- the internal struggles of Liz. It takes a lot of strength to come to terms with the fact that everything you thought you knew about your family was basically a lie. Liz's struggles to accept the injustice is covered well.

- Andie. I loved Andie and her dynamics with Travis as well.

- Liz's adoptive family. They are the best, even if they intentionally hid the truth from Liz.

Spoilers ahead.......


I didn't like:
- Liz's stupidity. Even when she knows her life is in danger, she goes headlong to the cabin where she thinks the end of the mystery might lie. She is also surprisingly cavalier about her adoptive parents and cousin once she knows that she is adopted. She doesn't care how she hurts them and frequently lies or hides stuff from them. Suddenly, the new family is more important to her than the one who has brought her up and has given her so much love. She also routinely disregards multiple people, including the FBI, telling her to be careful and does what she wants.

- the FBI's involvement. The officers from the FBI just 'drop in' to fill her up on inner details on the investigation? Why would they do that? And Liz blatantly lies/hides facts from them, yet they're not able to realise it. Doesn't say much about their detecting. And they have been working on the case since many years, yet Liz manages to crack the case using internet searches and social media?

- the final reveal. I hate, hate, hate this when it happens. You basically think a person is dead or know next to nothing about them and suddenly they are the killer. There is no mention of Frank's "controlling attitude" until the very end. And Jack in the epilogue literally was mentioned for the first time right there.

- loose ends. What was up with Adam? Why was he so creepy? Why did Cris look at Rosie like he was the controlling partner?

End of spoilers.......

Overall, I can say I enjoyed the book but not as much as I would have liked. It was certainly fast-paced and the sections of the kidnapped girls were excellent.

Thanks to Netgalley, Avon Books, and authors Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry for the ARC.

This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Liz takes a DNA test from 23andme as a present from her cousin, she never dreamed where the results would lead her. Liz finds out there is a serial killer in her family who has been abducting and killing women for over 40 years. Liz wants to connect with her biological family but there are 2 women missing and she can't help but feel guilty when all the evidence points to the person she is getting close to as being the killer.
This story was told from Liz's prospective and alternates with the 25 victims of the Tri-State Killer. I really enjoyed the way this is written. Tells the story of the first abduction and works its way through the months of captivity and ultimately the murders. This book really kept me wondering until the end who the killer was, and then there is a little bit of a "gasp" moment in the prologue. I would recommend this to everyone.

This is quite simply a brilliant read!

Liz Catalano, a twenty something ordinary New York girl has a DNA test as a gift. What emerges from this teat is a family secret - that she is adopted. This leads Liz (and her 'sounding board' flat mate Andrea) to start searching for her birth family,

Out of the blue Liz is contacted by FBI as her DNA links her to the Tri State Killer, a serial killer active for last 40 years. Liz embarks on this quest energetically with various twists as to the actual identity of this serial killer.

Whilst the book could have described the killings in more detail, Liz's DNAstory moves along effortlessly and is very enjoyable - and well written.

Thanks to Net Galley.and Harper Collins for the chance to read and review.

Liz and Andie are cousins - or so they thought. They have both done DNA tests but when Liz's results come back they are not a match with Andie. She then finds out from her parents, that she is adopted.
Her next step is to find out about her parents and she allows her DNA to be put into several websites.
Out of the blue she is contacted by the FBI in relation to a murder. Not just any murder - its connected to the Tri State Killer who has been abducting pairs of women for forty years.
Which of Liz's new relations could be the killer? Will she be able to figure it out before the FBI but at what cost?
Watch out for the twist at the end!!

This is a fascinating and absorbing read. The story is unusual and very well crafted. It is written to keep the reader on board. Liz in her late twenties living with her female cousin, Andie, suddenly discovers she was adopted at birth but never told. She begins to track down her biological family with astonishing results. Parallel to that storyline is the detail of the victims of a long term serial killer of young women, two at a time. They are captured, held for nine months, then murdered. The case has never been solved. The focus if this book is when the two storylines come together. That leads to a satisfactory ending but not what you’ll be expecting! Then the epilogue gives the reader another surprise. This has all you want in a book, originality, no unnecessary description, believable characters and real suspense. I recommend it.

Sending off your DNA and learning you were adopted would be a shock for anyone. But when you’re contacted by the FBI because your DNA matches someone in their files...that would haunt you.
Liz is our main character here, and when she gets this news she is - understandably - reeling. She wants answers about her family and, of course, we want to know what the connection is.
What Liz gets told is that her DNA is a match for the person they think is the Tri-State killer, a person of interest for over forty years. He takes pairs of young women, keeps them for nine months and then kills them. According to the FBI the results hint strongly at a link between Liz’s family and this person.
Getting to know someone you’ve only just met is tough at the best of times. Knowing you were adopted because your mother was a drug addict makes it harder to ask questions. When you suspect your kindly new uncle might be responsible for over twenty murders...what do you do?
There were moments in this that were genuinely terrifying. Reading about the girls taken leant a chilling personal element to the story...and I was ready for all manner of bizarre occurrences to allow this to play out.
What I wasn’t remotely prepared for was the ending! Talk about a surprise. That creeping ominous sense that this was not over had the hairs on the back of my neck prickling...
I’m hugely grateful to NetGalley for granting me access to this before publication.

Liz receives a 23 And Me DNA test kit from her best friend and cousin Addie. When her results come in they are both shocked when they realize Liz has been adopted. Liz then goes full throttle into finding out anything about her biological family when she is contacted by the FBI - She is related to the Tri-State Killer.

While the Tri-State killer has lain dormant for the last few years two college girls have recently disappeared making them wonder if he's back in action. His Modus Operandi has always been to kidnap two young women at the same time, usually roommates, and with a quick plunge of the needle in their necks their worlds turn black only to wake up in an actual nightmare.

Chapters go back and forth between Liz and the victims of the Tri-State Killer.

While I did find this premise unique, I especially liked hearing from the victims, this was kind of dull. There was no sitting on the edge of my seat in suspense. I found Liz to be a little too whiney and I hated the way she treated her loving adoptive parents. Honestly, she acted like a spoiled brat. The ending though is where this one really went off the rails. It felt like a cheat. (Rant spoiler below explaining why) The epilogue leads me to believe there will be a sequel. A sequel I will skip. 2 stars!

SPOILER BELOW! SPOILER BELOW! SPOILER BELOW!





[This is now the 2nd book I've read this month where the perpetrator is someone that has been dead during the entirety of the novel so of course you aren't going to assume them. And what happened to Adam? The creepy grand uncle? He just disappeared to never be heard from again. And now this Jack guy and his grandson Tyler are taking over where Frank left off after dying? These two only appear in the epilogue and are complete strangers to us readers. I got to be honest and say that's a whole lot of bullshit to swallow. (hide spoiler)]

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my copy.

That was an exhausting read as I couldn’t put The Family Tree down! The combination of a sideswiping DNA result and finding that in searching for your biological family thrusts you into an FBI investigation into a serial killer is a powerful one. But then add to the mix the revelation that you’re adopted and all the emotions that that fact conjures up you have a captivating and gripping storyline. Though I tend not to love dual timelines the alternating POVs of Liz, as she tries to come to terms with her adoptee status, and those of the serial killer’s victims really work in ramping up the tension. There is an inevitable degree of violence but thankfully it is more hinted at than explicit. The characterisation is spot on and I particularly warmed to Liz’s ebullient cousin Andie. As Liz turns detective and puts herself in incredible danger was the only time my belief in the storyline was a bit stretched. There are twists aplenty with the last one a real shocker. Anyone who loved Linwood Barclay’s Find You First will love this. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.

When Lizzie is gifted a DNA kit she isn't prepared for the news she receives . She learns her whole life as been a lie and she's adopted. Trying to find some relations to find out what her real family is like she isn't quite sure what to think when she is contacted by FBI who are investigating a old case of serial killings.
I was contacted to see if I'd be interested in reviewing this book and boy am I thankful I was. This is an intense read and I just didn't want to put it down. The story is told from two sides, one from Lizzie and the other from the set of victims.

Liz thought she knew who she was, until a gift of a DNA based ancestry kit came back with shocking results. She is adopted. Her head spinning, she sets out to trace her birth family. Only to have the FBI knock on her door and inform her that she is related to a serial killer, on her new family's side. Even more determined than before to find out all she can about her remaining family, she puts her analytical mind to work. Can she find out who this killer is before the FBI? While not dying in the process?

This book really hooked me. The switching of the point of view, from Liz, to the killer, to the victims kept you on your toes. Building a timeline to the present of the killer's actions built suspense, that really made you feel like it was an urgent race against the clock. Then just when you thought you had it all figured out, the curveball came. And came again. Well worth a read, gripping, gritty, and an eye opener into the darker side of human nature.

*I received this book from NetGalley for review but all opinions are my own.