Book Review: Keep It In The Family by John Marrs

“I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC”

Set to be released on 18th October, Keep It In The Family by John Marrs follows married couple Mia and Finn who are busy turning a derelict house into their dream home when Mia unexpectedly falls pregnant. But just when they think the house is ready, Mia discovers a chilling message scored into a skirting board: I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC. Following the clue up into the eaves, the couple make a gruesome discovery: their dream home was once a house of horrors.

In the wake of their traumatic discovery, the baby arrives and Mia can’t shake her fixation with the monstrous crimes that happened right above them. Haunted by the terrible things she saw and desperate to find answers, her obsession pulls her ever further from her husband. Secrecy shrouds the mystery of the attic, but when shards of a dark truth start to emerge, Mia realises the danger is terrifyingly present. She is prepared to do anything to protect her family — but is it already too late?

Rating:

Thank you to NetGalley for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Public announcement: I think we may have just found my new favourite book of 2022! And I’m so happy that it’s by the brilliant John Marrs, cementing his place as one of my favourite authors!

Disturbingly dark, deliciously sinister and intensely entertaining, Keep It In The Family is a twisted and compulsive dark psychological thriller that will leave you sleeping with the light on (and checking your skirting boards for hidden messages!).

This is exactly the kind of story that I love to devour. A chilling house, a family with secrets, a mysterious figure lurking behind closed doors. Give me more! Marrs gave so much detail and context into this decades-old story that I felt like it was true. And as soon as I finished it, I suddenly had the urge to find a true crime documentary based on the story to indulge in more.

The one thing I expect from a Marrs book is unpredictable twists and plenty of cliffhangers, and they are in abundance here. Yet again, I was absolutely hooked from the beginning, and I already want to go back to the beginning and enjoy it all over again!

This one will give you a serious hangover, but I know it’s going to be a standout read for many this year!