Member Reviews

Another gripping thriller from Angela Henry! The first half of the books had me absolutely hooked, I couldn’t put it down. While the last half if im honest didn’t hit quite as hard, it was still a fun, twisty ride. Some of the plot felt a bit far-fetched, but it only added to the drama and suspense.

Sabrina Adams shows more bravery than I’d ever muster staying in a house full of unsettling “rules” and secrets! But her determination, paired with the Dorsey family’s dark past, made for a thrilling story full of twists, lies, and unexpected revelations. Sabrina has her own skeletons, which only added to the intrigue.

Was this review helpful?

I really need to stop reading Angela Henry because her books don't hit for me. I requested this ARC because the premise sounded interesting and I wanted to give the author a second chance.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed in every single way. The mystery was meh, the romance subpar, the dialogue juvenile and the character development non-existent. There was a twist at the end that doesn't make sense and is an obvious plot hole.

I do like reading about non-white characters but must we shove in racism especially when it doesn't make sense and is committed by a character who doesn't add anything to the plot and we never see again.

Honestly, I think I'm done with thrillers, at least for a while. I'm tired of being disappointed every single time.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I was super excited about this book-it started off great but lost interest until around 85 percent. I appreciate that the author ended with a bang, this isn’t a timid or weak ending but I found it too chaotic and messy.

Sabrina and Theo didn’t have chemistry for me which impacted how invested I felt about the book.

Was this review helpful?

Sabrina Adams is a librarian in Ohio, laid off from her library job, when she is offered a job at the Dorsey estate’s private library. What could possibly go wrong? This is a good story with good pacing, told from multiple points of view. This is a good rainy weekend or beach read.

Was this review helpful?

The Family Lies is a bit of a slow-burn, but well worth the read. I really enjoyed the characters in this story, and couldn't figure out who Sabrina could really trust as she tries to settle into her new job. It only gets harder from there as you get to know each character, and question all of their motives. And that ending twist, woahhhhhh!!!! I did not see it coming, and always appreciate when that happens. Angela Henry tells a compelling story and I look forward to reading more of her work.

#NetGalley #TheFamilyLies

Was this review helpful?

This was a nail biter that left me on the edge of my seat! Chapter after chapter kept me turning the pages for more and I did not put this down until I was finished!

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book a tremendous amount. I did not see the ending coming. I would definitely recommend it to psychological thriller seekers and domestic thriller seekers alike.

Was this review helpful?

Warning - The Family Lies will mess up your sleep schedule! Cancel your plans, put your phone in silent, tell everyone you're unavailable... you will read this in one sitting!! This book is seriously addictive.

The family lies follows Sabrina after she accepts her dream job restoring the private collection of the wealthy Dorsey family, but Sabrina is about to find out the hard way that indeed, not all that glitters is gold.

The tension is all in the little details: the creeping unease, the secrets nobody wants to talk about, and the way the twists hit you right when you think you’ve got it all figured out. This one blindsided me in the best way.

Was this review helpful?

The Family Lies is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me on edge from the very first page. With its eerie estate setting, mysterious family dynamics, and shocking twists, this book delivers a tale full of suspense perfect for fans of Verity and The Housemaid.
Sabrina Adams is an easy character to root for—a relatable, everyday woman thrust into a web of secrets and lies she never saw coming. Hired as a librarian for the wealthy yet enigmatic Dorsey family, Sabrina’s growing unease mirrors the reader’s as she uncovers unsettling details about the family and their history. The forbidding house rules, the ever-present surveillance cameras, and the tension-filled atmosphere of the Dorsey estate are expertly crafted to create a sense of dread that steadily builds throughout the book.
The Dorseys themselves are fascinating in their complexity. Theo Dorsey, in particular, is the kind of charming yet unsettling character who keeps you questioning his true motives. As revelations about missing women and dark family secrets begin to surface, the plot twists become impossible to predict.
The story shines in its ability to maintain a sense of claustrophobic tension. The house itself feels like a character—its forbidden third floor, mysterious woods, and suffocating surveillance.
The ending is shocking and satisfying, leaving readers questioning how far they would go to uncover the truth—or stay safe from it.
If you love psychological thrillers that combine family secrets, unreliable characters, and a steady undercurrent of suspense, The Family Lies is an absolute must-read.

Was this review helpful?

This book was pretty good, not the best but not the worst I’ve read.
Maybe it’s me but sometimes I felt the story was going nowhere and made it a bit boring, but at the end I really enjoyed how things turned out.

Was this review helpful?

This is my first book that I’ve read by Angela Henry and I must say, I thoroughly enjoy it.
Her style of writing is easy to read, and I sailed through the chapters. The chapters were at perfect lengths too, I kept going on and on until the early hours.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters at the beginning. The twist and turns were fantastic, I thought I guessed who done around 4 times, then another plot twist came and I was back to square one.

Thank you for the early access to read this book, it’s a must read for any reader who looks a good who dunnit book 👏

Was this review helpful?

Sabrina Adams was thrilled when Theo Dorsey hired her as his private estate librarian. But soon after she moved in, she was suddenly faced with the fact that all wasn’t what it seemed upfront. When the mansion housekeeper presented her with the rules she must follow while in residence, she suddenly feared she had made a terrible mistake in taking the job. The cameras were constantly watching her throughout the estate and someone was mysteriously watching the house from the surrounding woods.
She soon learned that Theo Dorsey was being questioned by the police when a local woman disappeared, and he was the last person to see her alive. He insisted he was innocent, and Sabrina wanted to believe him, but when he was soon tied to another woman’s death, she began to fear for the job she had so desperately needed. When she discovered the previous librarian who worked for Dorsey was missing, she began to fear for her own life.

Was this review helpful?

This was an incredibly captivating story, filled with numerous haunting and chilling moments that lingered long after I finished reading. The atmosphere was dense with suspense, pulling me in with every page. I absolutely loved it and can't wait to purchase a copy to share with my friends,.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Net Galley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I enjoyed this twisty thriller. It kept me guessing until the end. When librarian Sabrina Adams is hired to restore the private library of the rich Dorsey family, some things just don't seem right. What does her employee Theo Dorsey know about the murders of two women? Why does the housekeeper Mrs. Manning insist on all the doors being locked and everyone in their room by midnight? It was fun to read this book and find out all the answers. Highly recommend to all thriller readers!

Was this review helpful?

The Family Lies is an addictively creepy thriller following Sabrina, a book lover looking for a fresh start in the wake of the loss of her job and mother. When she is offered an opportunity restoring the library of a local wealthy family she thinks she may have found just what she was looking for. Instead she is thrown into the middle of a mystery surrounding the family and the suspicious death and disappearance of local women.

I stayed up into the night following the various dead ends and rabbit holes in this mystery and just could not stop turning pages. When it comes to plot twists in thrillers I typically feel like, “I should have seen that coming.” Not this one! I was legitimately blindsided by some of the wild twists in this book, which made it even more addictive because you had no idea what to expect next.

I also seriously appreciate an author who can write an entertaining suspenseful thriller without all of the shock factor of graphic scenes or triggers. Angela Henry did this expertly!

My only dislike was the arrangement of the ending. I personally wish the bit from her past was revealed before the update from the present. I think it just made the ending feel a bit out of place.

Overall an incredibly entertaining and deliciously dark and twisty thriller that I will absolutely recommend!

Was this review helpful?

I enjoy Angela Henry's writing and this was no exception.

Initially there is a fairly standard 'woman in peril' vibe going on, this does develop into something darker.

There are a lot of characters to remember and place in this novel, some more developed than others.

The writing is descriptive and held my attention on the whole. I did find however I needed to suspend belief as the final acts came into play, it felt like a little overkill in my opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm publishing for this ARC which was very much appreciated.

Was this review helpful?

The Family Lies by Angela Henry has more twists and turns than any thriller I've read in a long time. Just when you think you've seen through the lies and misdirection, Henry turns the story on its head and leaves your head spinning.
The title is apt, as lies play a massive role in the storyline; yet with each one that is revealed, you're left shaking your head in surprise. Henry is indeed a master of the thriller, and her machinations keep you turning the pages to the very end - and the very last stunning reveal.
This book is apt to be one of the best thrillers of the year.
I feel fortunate to have been given an ARC of #TheFamilyLies from #StormPublishing through #NetGalley.

Was this review helpful?

4.25 stars. This had elements that reminded me of Riley Sager and Freida McFadden books (which is a positive for me!). Young woman goes to work at a wealthy estate as their private librarian. As a book nerd, I really liked the book restoration/cataloging angle. Of course, there are mysteries and questions surrounding this family. There were a lot of moving pieces, but not too hard to follow.

The end had some twists I did not predict, but honestly the last twist (and a half?) were unnecessary to me and put things over the top.

Will definitely check out more books from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Expected date of publication: January 22, 2025.

Was this review helpful?

Sabrina acaba de ser despedida de su trabajo en la biblioteca, justo cuando pensaba dejar de vivir con su hermana y su cuñado. Sin embargo, su situación cambia cuando Theo Dorsey, cabeza de una de las familias más importantes de la ciudad, le ofrece un empleo por dos años. Sabrina no duda en aceptarlo, pensando que todo irá bien. Pero, de repente, se da cuenta de que los Dorsey podrían estar involucrados en las muertes de algunas mujeres.


Dos de los tres descubrimientos finales no me los esperaba, sobre todo el último, que no lo vi venir.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

4.5. This was really, really good. It had a ton of layers (although I feel like we could've done without 1-2 side stories, or Sabrina's family story in particular maybe?), and the first 85% of the book was so well paced, with such good writing. There was a chapter toward the end where I had to reread twice, like ... wait, wtf. That twist was interesting, but felt so abrupt, and the rest of the story didn't match the steady pace that the rest of the book had. But the characters were so interesting, it was twisty in a good way, and none of the story felt like filler. This was wonderful!

Was this review helpful?