Book Review: The Perfect Family by Samantha King

The Perfect Family by Samantha King
Published by Kensington Publishing Company on June 26, 2018
Pages: 304
Genres: psychological thriller, suspense
Rating: 4 stars
Recommend to fans of: books with unreliable narrators, the genre, mothers who would do anything for their kids
Read with food: lollipops~ I have no idea why, but it popped into my head and just seems right

Synopsis:

Relentlessly twisting, Samantha King’s debut novel is a dark and brilliant slice of psychological suspense in which even the happiest family can awake to a nightmare . . .

Maddie Castle is broken. Ever since the tragedy that struck on her twins’ tenth birthday, she’s been trying to fit the pieces together, to get back to the life she led before. Maddie, her husband, Dom, and their children, Aidan and Annabel, lived in a comfortable home on a quiet street in a London suburb. Life was busy and satisfying. They were happy. Weren’t they?

Now, a disoriented and grieving Maddie floats like a ghost through each day, hardly sleeping, eating, or speaking. It’s easier to stay locked in her own head than to torment herself by reliving what happened. And yet, the harder Maddie tries to pin down her memories, the more they slip out of reach. Is her guilt and remorse justified? Is it Maddie’s fault that everything was ripped apart?

Or could it be that the real terror is still to come?

Review:
I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. Thank you to the publisher and author for a copy. As always, an honest review.
The book starts off with a terrible choice: someone asking a mother to choose between her two children. And the suspense doesn’t stop for the rest of the story. We, along with Maddie, try to figure out what really happened on that eventful day.
The writing basically encourages the reader to keep guessing along the way, almost begging me to. I found myself constantly “knowing” who did it, what had happened, and predicting what will happen. Sometimes I was right, sometimes I wasn’t. But it sure was fun to play along and be engaged in the book.
Also, the dramatic twists make the book so thrilling. I couldn’t put it down, literally. I read half of it in a few hours. The narrator has an unreliable quality to her, since she’s still trying to piece together what happened. I really enjoyed this, because it made the book so intriguing and unsettling.
My only critiques are that some content might be unsettling for some readers. Trigger warning! I don’t want to say for what, because it will give away some of the story. If you’re concerned, send me a message and I’ll be sure to tell you what to watch out for. Also some events happen a bit too coincidentally, at exactly the right time, to move the story forward.
Overall, I was completely captivated by this suspense filled psychological thriller that takes family life and turns it on its head.

 

Question for today:

What are your favorite genres to read in the summer?

 

Advertisement