Friday, November 11, 2022

Five top novels revolving around dysfunctional families

Lisa Unger is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author. Her books are published in 26 languages, with millions of copies sold worldwide. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations, an honor held by only a few writers including Agatha Christie. Her work has been named on "Best Book" lists from Today, People, GMA, EW, Amazon, IndieBound and many others. She has written for the NYT, WSJ, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Netflix is currently making her 2020 book Confessions on the 7:45 into a series starring Jessica Alba. She lives in Florida with her family.

[Q&A with Lisa Unger]

Unger's new novel is Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.

At CrimeReads she tagged five "novels that do a deep dive into the darkest family dynamics," including:
HE STARTED IT by Samantha Downing

Ah, the family road trip. What could be more nourishing than time in an enclosed space with your adult siblings? When the Morgan family takes to the road to fulfill their grandfather’s final wishes — and to secure their inheritance — dysfunction is pushed to the max. Twisted, diabolically clever, and with a colorful cast of characters, Downing’s riveting novel will have you wanting to punch your brother in the arm and pull your sister’s hair. She perfectly captures that tangle of love, anger, loyalty and rivalry that underpins the sibling dynamic. You’ll be laughing on one page and cringing on the next as Beth, Portia, Eddie and their significant others hurtle towards the stunning conclusion.
Read about another entry on the list.

He Started It is among Karen Hamilton's top twelve thrillers in a vacation setting, Megan Collins's eight thrillers featuring dysfunctional families and Hannah Mary McKinnon's ten top psychological thrillers featuring sibling rivalry.

The Page 69 Test: He Started It.

--Marshal Zeringue