Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Emily Shiner's "Meet The Parents" is a gripping murder mystery that keeps readers on their toes. The story follows Gina and Owen as they embark on a week-long stay at Owen's parents' house, but beneath the surface of this seemingly ordinary visit lies a sinister plot of revenge.

Shiner expertly builds tension throughout the narrative, creating an atmosphere of unease that permeates every interaction. The characters are well-developed, with Gina's complex motivations driving the plot forward in unexpected ways. The author's ability to blend the mundane aspects of family visits with the underlying current of danger is commendable.

While the premise is intriguing and the pacing generally good, there are moments where the plot feels slightly predictable. Some readers might find certain twists telegraphed too early, which can dampen the overall suspense.

Despite these minor drawbacks, "Meet The Parents" is an entertaining read that will appeal to fans of domestic thrillers. Shiner's writing style is engaging, and her exploration of family dynamics adds depth to the central mystery.

In conclusion, while not perfect, "Meet The Parents" is a solid entry in the murder mystery genre, offering enough intrigue and character development to keep readers invested until the final page.

I read this a bit ago and forgot to write the review. I loved it! I love this author. She really nailed the whole "boy mom" mindset here. It fun to guess the characters intentions.
I had a blast as always. I can't wait for the next one.

This book had me hooked from the start! Never knowing what was going to happen really pulled me in! The way the chapters ended with leaving you on a cliff was just so good! Amazing book! The back and forth narration really had me guessing good vs evil👏🏻! Great ending! Don’t skip it! Thank you net galley for this arc!

WHATTTTTTT did I just read?! This is my first Emily Shriner book and it won’t be my last. I was telling the whole time, put to me the book down, picking it back up. I couldn’t handle knowing more but I needed to know!!! Def recommend.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
4.5/5 (rounded down)!!

SYNOPSIS: “We’re so excited to have you in our home.” My boyfriend’s mother smiles at me a little too wide. His father’s eyes re hard at the edges. It’s like they’re hiding something. But of course, I already know that…

The mother: Stay-at-home mother Marta lives in her successful husband’s shadow, overlooked by him ever since her darling son Owen went to medical school. She’s not about to lose him to Gina… Marta will play nice, get Gina to trust her. And then she has a plan of her own.

The son: Owen is already certain he wants to marry the perfect Gina. Sure, his mom can be overprotective. But Owen knows why. He knows what she’s hiding.

The girlfriend: Ever since purposefully running into Dr. Owen Whitlock at the hospital, Gina has been playing the doting girlfriend. She didn’t mean to fall for his charm for real… now it’s finally time to meet his parents. Gina already knows all about the terrible secrets this family is covering up. And she’ll do anything to make sure they never find out who she really is.
By the end of the weekend, the Whitlock’s beautiful house will have burned to the ground. And someone won’t make it out alive…

MY REVIEW: I absolutely LOVED Meet the Parents by Emily Shiner… from prologue to explosive epilogue, truly all of the elements for a twisty thriller! The fast-paced plot is exceptionally crafted with so many psychological twists along the way. Not to mention the EPIC twist of an ending, no lie my jaw dropped to the floor!

We get the alternating perspective of Gina, Owen’s girlfriend, and Marta, the doting mother… need I say more? The webs Gina weaves throughout her visit to the Whitlock’s mini mansion had me cringing in fear and laughing along with her commentary. All characters were deliciously dark and intriguing; the secrets and lies kept by each of the characters are intense. I also love how the past meets the present here!

dual pov, timeline hops, murder, blackmail, family secrets + lies, deception, twists, family drama

I loved the setup for this story and found the characters fascinating, the plot intriguing. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and didn't see the twists coming. I've found a great new author!

SUPER TWISTY! I liked it. I remember reading the blurb but by the time I got to reading, I couldn't recall what it was about. So glad I didn't remember because this had me so entertained! If you haven't read the blurb, don't! I felt like the twists were even 'twistier'.

I hope they decide to convert it into an audiobook because I think it would do so well!

Gina has been dating Owen for less than two months but he decides it's time to introduce her as his future wife to his parents. Gina is delighted to be invited to meet his parents as she knows a secret about them involving an event 20 years ago which had a huge impact on her. However it seems that the parents, Grant and Marta, know exactly who she is and it was Grant who instigated Owen's meeting Gina. So begins a cat and mouse game, but who is the cat and who is the mouse?
The story is told from the viewpoints of Gina and Marta. I found Gina to be very naive bordering on stupid. . She's immediately snooping in every room in the house even with the other occupants within earshot, she lets herself become alone with Grant who she knows means her harm. Marta, on the other hand, is very unlikeable. She is obsessed with her son and treats him as if he's 5 and not 41 and a doctor. In fact, her obsession with Owen came across as practically incestuous. Grant is also a very unsavoury character constant eyeing Gina up and down making his intentions towards her very clear. There was a lot of repetition in the book and disbelief had to be suspended quite a lot. An unexpected ending though I did begin to suspect who the real culprit was..
Thanks to the NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this book.,

I enjoy psychological thrillers and read through them pretty quickly. I loved this book, literally couldn’t put it down, and read it in one day. I suspected some things, but loved trying to put all the pieces together and predict what was to come!

An excellent thriller that will be sure to reel in even the most skeptical of readers. This book has an excellent plot/storyline, full of embedded twists and excitement. If you are looking for a unique, brief thriller to add to your collection then I highly encourage you to check this one out!

Did I enjoy the book?
Yes, I was hooked from the beginning. The plot is not just good; it's gripping. If you've ever experienced or witnessed the complexities of in-law relationships, this book will keep you turning the pages and connected.

The plot was good; however, the ending had so many holes that I felt I only needed a friend to discuss it. Still, I would recommend the book. It was a fast read for me. It took me some time to organize my thoughts, but I did enjoy the reading journey. The ending is not the only part with a twist; therefore, the book keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Also, I enjoyed that this story has four active characters: Owen (the boyfriend), Marta (Owen's mom), Grant (Owen's dad), and Gina (the girlfriend). The other four characters are never active in conversation, so it's really easy to follow the narrative and plot.

I absolutely binged this book and finished it in just one sitting! I could not put it down! It is the definition of thrilling! I was completely hooked from the very beginning and I would highly recommend it! My first from this author but certainly not my last! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC

owen decides its ffinally time to introduce gina to his parents, grant and marta are the parents,he know his mother will be the hardest to impress. Owen is there only child and is his mothersis quite obsessed with him.and his mother sets out a plan to get rid of gina. great twist and turns .

This novel was very predictable and there was so much repetition. The prologue added absolutely zero value to the book.

2.5 stars

The beginning had an interesting premise, but it all felt weird reading Owen's mum chapters. All the characters had some secrets, and I was intrigued learning about them. When some secrets came out and we had the FMC who was making some dumb choices, this made no sense. Like, you were planning all these years and still put yourself in danger? It really did not make sense.
The ending though was unexpected and good.

When the story first began, I was curious as to why Owen's mum so badly wanted things to be about her and him only. It almost felt a bit incestuous. As the story goes on and Marta, Owen's mum talks of this plan her and her husband (Grant) had, I thought hmm... what are these two up to?
The story is told from two POVs - Gina's and Marta's which allowed us to get an insight into both character's thoughts.
With Gina, the story flashed back to when she was younger and her witnessing the death of her aunt. When the story returns back to present day, it makes sense as to why Gina is out for revenge. Her boyfriend's dad killed her aunt.
I felt as though the story could have moved on quicker and was a bit flat in parts. The action could've been moved on quicker for me.

There werr also repetitive phrases throughout. Yes, Owen loved Gina and vice versa. Yes, Gina wanted revenge. Yes, the mother only wanted a world where she had her son all to herself..
By the end, I was rather underwhelmed. The ending was somewhat predictable and the epilogue revealed a detail which I partly expected. Overall, the story was just okay.

Another brilliant read by Emily Shiner.
A page turner that is hard to put down once you start to read it.

Non-stop heart pounding unputdownable thriller! This book was just so intense from the very beginning. I absolutely could not believe the ending. Brilliant! Left me with goosebumps long after I finished reading.

Between Gina, her boyfriend Owen, and his parents Grant and Marta, something bad is going to happen at this house in the woods. These characters are just over the top, but that's what makes it juicy.

I definitely want to read another Emily Shriner book.

Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC.

Wow! What an amazing thriller this turned out to be! I was drawn in by the amazing cover and then intrigued by the blurb but I didn’t realise how good the twists and turns would be! I sped through all of the chapters enjoying the differing POVs. The ending was just perfect! Highly recommend for any lovers of a real psychological thriller which plays with your mind as you read.

I absolutely loved this book! Emily Shiner has nailed it with this one. It kept me guessing the whole time.