3.5 stars! I honestly enjoyed this book but knocked it down a star for some slow-moving points in the plot. I love the tropes and felt like this book was a fun, easy read!

A young librarian is hired to tend to the private library at the Dorsey estate. When she arrives, she meets Theo (wealthy, tall, dark, & handsome) and Mrs. Manning (the overly controlling housemaid).

As she settles in, she starts to question the crazy rules (and what the heck is on the third floor…) As bodies start piling up, she has to dig up some dangerous family secrets.

The Family Lies by Angela Henry, Sabrina Adams thinks she’s found the perfect job a two-year contract to get a private library together for the Darcy family with room and board included. she’s so happy to be away from her leering brother-in-law, critical sister and Have a good income at a nice home in the profession She loves. She even has a handsome boss. She can’t help but feel attracted to, but unfortunately on the first night the cook housekeeper ruins any happiness. Sabrina feels about her job with a specific list of rules she must follow, with more rules to come. before the first week is up, however Sabrina has broken all of them or at least most of them, including do not go to the third floor. Do not leave the house after midnight. Do not get drunk in the house, etc she’s already been warned about the woman that was found dead on the road behind the Darcy mansion, but while living there, another woman goes missing, and that is just the beginning of the strange events Sabrina comes across in and out of the house. Soon she is being stocked and even sees the man looking through the windows of the mansion she knows the housekeeper is keeping secrets and so much more.? they say curiosity killed the cat, but in this case, it almost kills Sabrina and when she learns what’s really going on to say it is mind blowing is an absolute understatement. I really enjoyed this book, but I did think Sabrina was very nosy went places she had no business being asked questions. She had no business asking and should’ve just kept quiet and done her job and that whole thing with her sister and brother-in-law, I was so shocked by that I felt like it came out of left field, which it probably did but having said that I still enjoyed the book found it interesting and couldn’t wait to see what happened with the whole other POV. I do want to mention I thought the whole thing with teenager living. There could’ve been left out because didn’t feel as if she brought much to the story. I mean she did bring some stuff to the story but that could’ve been done by someone else she seemed like a non-entity because she was supposed to be so close to Theo and yet they only had one scene in the room together throughout the whole book. my favorite thing about this book is that the main family was a black influential family, but they did have other people in the book that weren’t black, but it wasn’t made a big deal of. It was just as if they got on to get on and didn’t make a humongous deal of the race or it’s differences. I love that. Because at the end of the day, we’re all just people anyway.#NetGalley, #AngelaHenry, #TheFamilyLies,#StormPublishing,

Sabrina Adam's life has been built on a web of lies. Her dishonesty lands her a job at the library, but when the truth comes out, she gets fired. Enter Theo Dorsey, a millionaire heir to the Dorsey snacks fortune. He offers Sabrina a chance to redeem herself by moving into his home to restore his late mother's forgotten library filled with valuable books.

Sabrina jumps at the opportunity and finds herself in Theo’s mansion. There, she encounters the stern housekeeper, Mrs. Manning, who imposes strict rules. Undeterred, Sabrina remains focused on her job until inexplicable events start to unfold, leaving her questioning her own sanity.

One night, Sabrina witnesses Theo with a mysterious woman, who vanishes and is later found dead. As Sabrina delves deeper, she discovers links to another woman's death near the mansion. Determined to uncover the truth, Sabrina races against time to solve the mysteries and avoid becoming the next victim.

This psychological thriller masterfully explores themes of hidden family secrets, deceptions, and the descent into madness. Each character harbours their own agenda and will go to any lengths to protect their secrets.

The story is packed with twists and turns that will leave you in awe. It’s a gripping read, perfect for those who enjoy being kept on the edge of their seat, and you will be genuinely shocked by the ending. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read and review this arc copy. It blew my mind!

There is something dark going on inside the Dorsey mansion, or so it appears. Wow - liar does even begin to describe some of these characters.

Sabrina Adams is overjoyed when she is asked by Theo Dorsey to come into his family's mansion and get his mother's library in good order. This is a two year project, so we are not talking about a small library. I kept getting a vision of the giant library in Beauty and the Beast. Once she arrives she is met with the intimidating Ms. Manning with her long list of rules, one of which is lock your bedroom door at night. I started getting creepy vibes immediately after this conversation. Trust me when I say the creepiness is just getting started. I thought I had everything figured out, but this author took me on a ride that I never expected to go on.

This is a build up thriller/mystery, so if you are looking for a quick ending, you are going to have to wait. But trust me when I say that when the curveballs start coming, you will be glad you kept reading. The secrets oozing out of this family will shock you to your core and leave you wondering what just happened. That final reveal was more than a little unexpected and maybe a little out there. However, that is the fun of reading a fictional book, the author can take you anywhere, even a little crazy town.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book had me from the first page. What a great psychological thriller this one is. I suspected everybody and was wrong about them all. I could not put this down! This was a 4 1/2 star read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to read this book when I first read the blurb. It had such an intriguing premise, and I was eager to dive into the story. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. While the premise had so much potential, I struggled to connect with the main character, mainly because I found her boring and extremely annoying, which made it hard for me to fully invest in the narrative.

The dialogue, at times, felt a bit forced and info dumpy/unnecessary. There were moments when the interactions between characters felt a little cringey, and I found myself skim reading through some parts..

Overall, The Family Lies didn’t resonate with me as much as I hoped, but I do think it would make a great TV show or movie. The premise could translate well to the screen—it just didn’t quite work for me in the format of a book.

Publish date: January 22, 2025

You won’t put this one down until it’s finished!

Sabrina is a librarian that meets an attractive man while working at a bookstore. She finds out he’s from a wealthy family that owns a factory in town. He hires her to clean, catalog, and appraise his late mother’s private library - an absolute dream job for Sabrina. A higher salary with included room and board is enough for her to overlook the housekeeper Mrs. Manning’s odd house rules and the attitude of Luca, the introverted teenager the Dorsey’s took in.

Only once she settles in she realizes the Dorsey’s have a reputation and it’s not great. There’s a few too many missing people connected to the Dorsey’s to ignore. Sabrina gets caught up in the whisperings of the townspeople and begins to question everything she knows about Theo Dorsey and his family including his incapacitated sister, legally blind family doctor, strict housekeeper, and peculiar teenager. The question is at the forefront of her mind- Is Sabrina next?

This wild ride will have you flipping through pages guessing who’s lying and who’s telling the truth. I had a few possibilities in mind for what the twist would be and I still didn’t predict it.

Thank you Storm Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is my first read by Angela Henry and I definitely want to read more after this one. An addictive thriller that I kept reading well into early morning to complete. This book takes a complete u turn the moment you feel you have things figured out. Who's lying and who's telling the truth? The book managed to successfully keep me on my toes.

I liked the multiple perspectives and the theme. Also how some of the little things mattered towards the end. The characters are well written and so are the red herrings. The mystery house and location are well described and add to the chills. Some of the scenes are absolute thrills. Recommend!

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

Sabrina gets hired by the Dorseys, a wealthy family in town, as a home librarian. She thinks she is finally getting through a rough patch, only to find that her boss was involved in a death of a woman a few years ago. Now, as she is living with the Dorseys, her boss is involved around another woman disappearance, she begins to question if she is safe in that house.

The book kept me in my toes the entire time, I was eager to find out how all the disappearances connected to one another. Every time I was sure I need what happened, I had to discard my theory. I really enjoyed how the book captures the audience and helps navigate to the mystery Sabrina and the Dorseys are. The twists are never ending and the truth is more shocking than I initially anticipated.

Totally recommend to read this book if you are into very twisty mysteries, like Verity or The Wife Upstairs. just be mindful that it will be hard to put down.

Thanks Netgalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read the ARC of the book.

THE FAMILY LIES - Interesting with some good twists and unexpected secrets. Good characters. Good story lines. Goos misdirection. Intriguing and easy to immerse one's self in the pages. Source: Netgalley. 4*

I was kept guessing until the very end! Perfect example of a psychological thriller. Twists and turns at every page and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

4.5/5⭐️

This was a fantastic read for my new year! The plot twists were twisting and my guesses kept me guessing.

Sabrina Adams loses her job at a local library and is hired to work at the Dorsey Estate. The housekeeper, Mrs. Manning gives a list of seemingly ridiculous rules to follow, such as no leaving bedrooms after midnight. Strange things begin happening and Sabrina unravels a huge web of lies that you may or may not see coming.

Highly recommend this for a quick thriller to read. Can't wait to read more from Angela Henry!

A domestic thriller, The Family Lies (2025) by Angela Henry finds librarian Sabrina becoming a live-in archivist for the wealthy Dorsey family. She has two years to catalogue and restore their library with its extensive range of books. When she moves into the mansion, Sabrina has strict rules to follow, including locking her door and not leaving her room after midnight. Then, a stranger approaches Sabrina for information about her boss and his possible involvement in a recent suspicious death. An average slow burn of a thriller, which is light on for suspense, until the final rush of a climax that is all too neat and makes for a three star read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement. With thanks to Rocky Mountain Press and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

Wow. This one had me tied up in knots.

We meet Sabrina as she works in a book store and is living with her sister and brother-in-law after losing her librarian job. One day, a regular customer who she’s been crushing on makes her an offer she can’t refuse: come live in his mansion and catalog his private library collection (as a bookseller myself, I can tell you this never happens IRL). Eager to escape her living situation, she takes the job. When she arrives at the house of her attractive host, the library is spectacular, but the assorted residents are a mystery. The housekeeper runs a strict house and some of the rules seem a bit strange—certain parts of the house are off-limits—but Sabrina is grateful for the work. However, the longer she stays, the weirder and wilder things get.

There’s a LOT going on in this book. The narration switches between first person (Sabrina) and third person (an assortment of other characters). Sabrina alternates between sympathetic and unlikable. She works hard to make her situation better after getting laid off, but she lied about her credentials to get that job, and doubles down when approached by the handsome Theo to catalog his library. Many of the characters are not what they seem, and the various histories are tangled up like a ball of yarn your new kitten got into with all of her littermates. Every time I thought I had a handle on what was going on, something would happen to prove me wrong.

There were a few too many plot twists and turns for me, but if you love untangling very complicated family histories, this book is for you.

This is an honest review based on the book provided by NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

“The Family Lies” by Angela Henry is a gripping 5-star read brimming with lies, deception, and suspense! Set in Harper’s Ferry, Ohio, the story follows Sabrina, a bookstore employee who lands her dream job working in a private library. However, the house she’ll be working in has a dark history of misfortune for outsiders. Will she truly be safe there?

The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, primarily Sabrina’s, as we learn how she found herself in her current circumstances. The story also delves into the lives of Belle, who is struggling with her own unique circumstances, and Jared, a police detective. Each character is richly developed, including Theo, the millionaire son who now heads his late father’s company.

As the title suggests, this family—and every character in the story—is entangled in a web of lies. The pacing is masterfully executed, gradually building suspense and delivering twists and turns that keep you hooked until the very end.

This is the second book I’ve read by Angela Henry, and I enjoyed it as much as the first. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thanks to Storm Publishing, Angela Henry, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

What a wild ride. The twists are twisting. This hooked me from the beginning and didn’t let up until the last page. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angela Henry for the advance reader copy of The Family Lies.

If you're a fan of Colleen Hoover's Verity, this thriller gave me all the vibes!
The Family Lie kept me guessing the whole way through. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another twist completely threw me off. The story is gripping and full of surprises, making it well worth the read. While it didn't blow me away completely, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. A solid, twisty thriller that keeps you on your toes! 3.5⭐️

Tha family lies by Angela Henry was an okay novel that started promising but to me lost itself along the way, The main Character Sabrina hates living at home with her ex army sister and her layabout husband and whilst working at a bookshop, the charming and wealthy Theo Dorsey offers her the job of a life time archiving his mothers library and it's a live in position so she jumps at the chance but once she's there things are not what they seem.
Tha tale is told over multiple timelines and has a gothc edge to it but I did find my interest waning as I progressed through the book and it had a predictable edge and the final twist was far fetched.

The Family Lies by Angela Henry is a twisty, atmospheric mystery that keeps readers guessing as layers of deception and dark family secrets unravel. Set against the eerie opulence of the Dorsey estate, the novel is a slow-burn suspense with Gothic undertones that evoke classic "house of secrets" narratives. While there’s plenty of intrigue to draw you in, some of the story’s momentum is slowed by familiar tropes and underdeveloped side characters.

Sabrina Adams is an engaging protagonist with a relatable mix of curiosity and skepticism. Her excitement at the rare opportunity to restore the Dorsey library is palpable, but her instincts immediately tell her that something about the Dorsey family doesn’t add up. Henry does a great job balancing Sabrina’s professionalism with her increasing unease, making her gradual descent into suspicion feel organic rather than overly dramatic. Her isolation in the vast, locked-up mansion heightens the tension, especially as she realizes that trusting the wrong person could be deadly.

The Dorsey family itself is a puzzle with sharp edges. Theo Dorsey is particularly compelling as the charming but enigmatic employer who seems too good to be true. His warmth and vulnerability make it easy to understand why Sabrina initially wants to believe in his innocence. However, as secrets from his past emerge, Henry masterfully tightens the noose of doubt, making Sabrina—and the reader—question everything.

The estate itself plays an almost character-like role in the story. From the locked rooms to the housekeeper’s rigid rules, the house pulses with a quiet menace. Henry’s descriptive writing builds a sense of dread as Sabrina uncovers clues that point to a sinister history, not just within the walls of the estate but in the Dorsey family itself.

The novel’s central mystery—centered around the missing woman and Theo’s murky involvement—builds effectively, but there are moments when the pacing drags. Some of the secondary characters, particularly Mrs. Manning and other household staff, feel underutilized despite their potential to add richer dimensions to the story. Additionally, certain revelations feel telegraphed early, softening the impact of the final twists. That said, Henry still delivers some satisfying surprises that highlight the dangers of ignoring the past.

The thematic undercurrents of wealth, privilege, and justice give the story additional weight. Sabrina’s outsider status makes her uniquely positioned to question the Dorseys’ air of untouchability, and her determination to seek the truth, even at great personal risk, underscores the novel’s exploration of power dynamics and moral gray areas.

While The Family Lies doesn’t reinvent the Gothic suspense genre, it offers a compelling take on familiar elements, with just enough paranoia and peril to keep readers invested. The novel’s strength lies in its eerie setting, well-constructed suspense, and the slow realization that everyone, even those closest to you, might be hiding something.

For readers who enjoy an unsettling house mystery with a morally ambiguous cast and steadily mounting tension, this one delivers plenty of chills and questions that linger long after the final page.

This book had a good premise and started off well but slowed pace around the middle. The last 10% was unrealistic for me. All in all just an ok read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.