I've been a huge fan of Wendy Corsi Staub's work for years, so when I saw The Other Family was available for request, I smashed that request button--rightfully so. From the intriguing synopsis to the eerie cover, this had Perfect Spooky Season read written all over it, and I was thrilled to be approved.
When Nora moves from California to Brooklyn with her handsome husband, two daughters, and dog, she's ready for a new chapter. They seem to have a beautiful life, but there's a darkness beneath the surface, and as they get settled into their new home, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep it at bay. Nora unearths a mysterious box. Stacy becomes obsessed with an old murder, and someone is watching them.
I loved this book.
From page one, this is a gripping story. The narrative voices were distinct and well-executed, and while I didn't have a favorite, I appreciated the POV changes because each chapter added depth to the characters and maintained the subtle tension strung out beneath the unraveling events. Unreliable in a quiet way, each POV gives us a reason to question what exactly is going on with this family, a masterful portrayal of unnerving conflict. You don't get blood and guts and in-your-face murder, but that doesn't make the prose any less unsettling, and I think many readers will be engrossed by the voyeuristic, edge-of-your-seat structure.
Full of twists and wrought with secrets, The Other Family is definitely going to be a 2022 must-read. Add it to your TBRs now and thank me later.
Big thanks to William Morrow and Custom House for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration,