This book was filled with thrills, easter eggs and suspense. I liked this read and thought the plot was refreshing and original. I would recommend it to others, but I’m unsure if I’d personally read it again. It was interesting, but it’s one of those books that once you know the whole picture, it’s hard to read again knowing it all.

"They welcomed you in. And now you're trapped"

...

My recent reading seems to have been almost exclusively made up of this style of domestic psychological thriller, where the many strands of the story don't dovetail together until almost the very final page of the book. They also almost always feature a cast of characters I can't fail to dislike and distrust. 'The Wrong Family' caters for both of those scenarios in spades and if this is my first Ellery Kane novel, then it most definitely won't be my last!

Even in beginning to give a taster of this twisted storyline, it is going to be difficult to avoid spoilers, so here goes nothing...

...

Hallie Sherman, is a twenty-eight-year-old waitress, living hand to mouth in a rundown apartment in Sacramento. Her life so far hasn't been easy, as she never knew her birth father, only his name and the fact that her mother told her he was no good and didn't want them. Her mother had suffered with various addictions, making her an unreliable parent. So, following a horrific car accident in which she had been killed and Hallie herself had faced life changing injuries, a nine-year-old Hallie had spent the remainder of her childhood in the care system, pushed from foster home to foster home, where she lied, cheated and stole in a desperate attempt to fit in. Her dream to become a chef was shattered when her meagre reserves of cash ran out before her training had really begun, so waiting on table in a two-bit diner, with the occasional cover for kitchen staff absences, looked set to be her life. That is until Hallie, determined not to have her boss bullied and frightened by an irate customer, loses her cool, her job and probably her freedom should she be captured!

An insecure Hallie has, however, been trying to trace her father through a company called Family Ties who have been DNA matching for potential candidates, with Hallie herself having written over one hundred letters to every Robert Thompson she could find listed, who fitted her father's description. She is therefore amazed and elated when one email from a particular Robert Thompson reaches her when she is at her lowest ebb, with him purporting to be her father and inviting her to visit himself and his family at their home on the shores of the lovely Lake Tahoe, where they own and manage an upmarket lakeside restaurant. Hallie uses much of her ill-gotten gains to buy some designer clothes and accessories, which she hopes, together with the elaborate tissue of lies she has prepared, will help her fit in to the lofty circles the Thompson family seem to circulate in.

From the time Hallie arrives on the outskirts of Incline Village, it is not clear where truth and lies meet and overlap, from both Hallie's perspective and that of her new found family, who seem all too keen to accept that she is their long-lost daughter, step-daughter and step-sister, without question. Then, little by little, things begin to unravel spectacularly, as everyone begins to reveal themselves in their true colours and Hallie fast comes to realise that she is not the only one who is hiding huge secrets, telling lies of cringeworthy proportions and might well find themselves on the wrong side of a prison cell door, if the truth ever came out!

Bad, dangerous and potentially deadly things begin to happen, which at first appear to be coincidental random accidents, escalating out of proportion into terrible acts of familial jealousy, but which eventually the family, with the exception of her father, are all too quick to blame on Hallie, doing little to ease the underlying latent tension with which their false aura of domestic bliss is imbued. Hallie can't work out who, if anyone, she can trust, especially when Family Ties contact her with news she hadn't ever expected to receive. She believes she has an ally in Nick, the chef at the family restaurant, however he is the only person who knows just about all of her secrets (well, almost all!), so how much can she really rely on his silence and his professed belief in her? And what about Jay, the homeless youth who is hiding in the wooded area behind the restaurant, whom Hallie, recognising him as a kindred spirit, has befriended, perhaps too quickly, too trustingly and too deeply?

...

How multi-layered, intense and claustrophobic can one storyline become and still appear credible? Author Ellery Kane pushes things right to the very limit, where I was beginning to wonder just how many more incidents could happen to, and be instigated by, one family, without reaching and passing the limits of incredulity. Her timing however, is perfection and the way in which the many twisted strands of the storyline are drawn together, yet little is truly revealed until the last couple of chapters, is tantalisingly frustrating.

The many chapters of this well constructed, multi-layered storyline are short and well-signposted, narrated in the third person and interspersed with several email communications from Hallie's contact at Family Ties, together with a few of the rejection replies she had received in response to the several dozen letters she had written to the many Robert Thompsons she had tracked down. The narrative is punchy, although there is throughout, a tense atmosphere which threatens to overwhelm and suffocate just about anyone Hallie, or her new found family, come into contact with.

There are also many social mores and their potentially life-changing consequences, which come into play and are held up for scrutiny during the course of this story and which I felt author Ellery Kane dealt with sympathetically and with well considered empathy, whilst still laying things on the line truthfully, never sugar-coated, and always in the cold light of day. Perhaps I might have felt some keen sympathy with Hallie's plight during her formative years, when addiction leading to the death of a parent, a childhood spent in the care system and the lack of any moral support when that system was abruptly removed on attaining perceived adulthood, all contributed to the brash, fearless, but obviously vulnerable person she had become; added to which, how deeply she had become caught up in the DNA process to track down a father she desperately hopes is going to welcome her into his life with open arms. Or even that Nick found himself, through lack of funded social care, single-handedly trying to care for a parent with dementia, whilst holding down a demanding job with long and unsociable hours. However, that was where my interest in everyone's ills and woes, rather waned. The perceived tragedies of the Thompson family themselves, whilst many and sad, were of a much more self-induced and selfish nature, which bordered on the criminal, never really moved me and did not deserve my sympathy, although perhaps son Logan's desperate need to earn and receive his father's love and respect was to be pitied.

This quite large and disparate cast of characters really didn't endear themselves to me in any way, shape or form, so there was never a burning need for me to know what became of them going forward, as I'm sure they would have moved on and re-invented themselves, almost unscathed, leaving behind in their wake a trail of despair and sadness. The last time I met Robert, he came across as contrite and broken, sincere and penitent about the fate which had befallen Hallie, but how much of that was simply paying lip service to her situation, whilst milking his own self-pity, I still couldn't be certain.

Despite its real dual locations of Sacramento, California and Lake Tahoe, Nevada, the true distance covered in this story was actually quite limited. Although, as an avid armchair traveller, both were new to me places, so I enjoyed my trip and the visions which were conjured up for me. Particularly around the area of Incline Village on the beautifully picturesque shores of Lake Tahoe, where author Ellery Kane definitely took full advantage of the palette of words at her disposal to paint then bring to life, the essence of a place I could almost imagine myself stepping into, so much so that I even found myself checking out homes for sale in the area - as you do!

All Hallie wants is to find her father so she can finally know where she belongs. When she receives the DNA confirmation email, its timing couldn’t be better. She’s ready to meet her family and start a new life! But things are never that simple, are they? The Thompson family has lots of skeletons in their closets and Hallie is in for an interesting ride!

Wow what a book! I loved loved loved this one. Could not put it down. Five well deserved stars from me.

The Wrong Family started off slowly but picked up quite a bit. and ended up being a fairly entertaining read. It does not, however, have anything to do with being trapped as it states on the cover.

For the life of me I cannot understand why people do that, it is misleading and sets up expectations that are never met, leaving the reader a little confused. Not at any stage is Hallie trapped, indeed quite the opposite. Some of the characters in this story were really silly (looking at you, Nat), but for the most part well-drawn, and the plot was plausible although unlikely.

It is one of the more enjoyable thrillers I have read lately (although definitely not a psychological thriller as advertised). That's not to say it was my favorite or even close, but I enjoy Ellery Kane's books in general, albeit on the lighter side. I find that these days the same old tropes are being rehashed, and many thrillers are rather middle-of-the-road.

Running from her current situation Halle finds the father she never knew through an ancestry DNA test. But when she gets there odd things begin to occur and she keeps catching the blame. Seems some people in this family have secrets deeper than her own. Quick, easy and enjoyable. I enjoyed unraveling the mystery

When I read the synopsis I immediately knew I was going to like that book! This was my first book by Ellery Kane and it won’t be my last. I already bookmarked the next one :)

It was a great page turner and I would have read it within a day or 2 but unfortunately I have to work to afford my book addiction!

The end left a lot of questions so I wonder if there will be a sequel…? I would definitely buy it!

The tagline on the cover of the book caught my attention: “They welcomed you in. And now you’re trapped.” Unfortunately, I think that was pretty misleading in terms of what actually occurred in the story.

While I was intrigued most of the time, it seemed that no real developments happened until about 70% of the way in. Even though I didn’t predict the ending, I also wasn’t wowed by it.

I found the FMC to be very unlikeable and I often rooted against her. That being said, I did enjoy the scenes with the budding friendship/romance between the FMC and a male in the story.

Overall, I’m not mad I read the book, but I also don’t know that it will be one that stands out to me later on.

Hallie has been searching for her biological father and recently got a hit with a genetic testing company. She connects with her father and his family on to discover they aren’t all they claim to be.

This book was meh. I didn’t hate it. It don’t regret reading it. It just felt that the twists and turns fell flat. I did find the letters from all her perspective dads sprinkled throughout the book interesting, but got confused on how she was receiving them as no one knew where she was. 🤷‍♀️

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn't the biggest fan of this book. It was a very slow burner for me and at times I thought it dragged on too much.

This book was a slow burn for me! I really enjoyed the plot but I didn’t see where it was going at times, it sort of dragged. I didn’t see the ending coming which was a great twist!

Hallie Sherman has been on her own since she was nine years old. She's learned how to survive by any means necessary, trusting no one in order to protect herself from further hurt, but still she yearns for the sense of belonging that she believes would come from being part of a family. And so she sends out letters. All she knows about her father is that his name was Robert Thompson and he lived in the Pacific North West, so she writes to every Robert Thompson she can find, hoping for a connection. For years, all her mission brings her is disappointment, until the day she receives an email from an ancestry website telling her that they've found her father.

What follows is a soapy, readable thriller with enough twists to keep you guessing till the end and a protagonist you can't help but root for in spite of her flaws.

Hallie is your classic girl with a mysterious, troubled past that she can never quite outrun, but she is also likeable, empathetic and driven; the subplot about her dream of becoming a chef - she likes cooking because she can control the outcome - was an enjoyable sideline to the main series of events, and I really liked the warmth and subtlety with which the author portrayed Hallie's relationship with Nick, the executive chef at her father's upscale Lake Tahoe restaurant.

Some of the main plot felt rushed or contrived, and the characters of Hallie's two half siblings were unevenly written and not very original. Additionally, I found the exposition dumps about Hallie's past - and the pasts of her father and others - through conversations with various characters rather lazy writing; flashbacks or a dual timeline would have made the revelations feel more organic and more earned. However, overall this was an engaging mystery which held my interest to the end.

My final gripe is with the blurb - it was very frustrating that it dropped such a huge revelation on me before I had even begun reading. Surely there was a way to tantalise the reader without spoiling the biggest twist?

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

Hallie Sherman never knew her father and her mother never had anything good to say about him. But, after she died, Hallie wants to be part of a family and she finds her father through a DNA matching service. Excited to meet her half-siblings, she accepts his offer to spend some time at his home near Lake Tahoe.

The Wrong Family is an interesting story that has several twists. Some parts are aggravating and Hallie makes some head-shaking mistakes throughout the book. The characters are varied and some are truly hateful. But, in the end, I treated this book as a time-out sort of read. I enjoyed the story, the addition of the emails Hallie receives is a nice touch, the setting is great (Lake Tahoe…sigh) and the conclusion is good. I was looking for an entertaining, don’t have to think-too-hard, kind of book and Ms Kane delivered. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

I really liked this one! Halle was definitely one of those characters that quite clearly breaks the law, yet you can’t help but root for her. This was my first book by Ellery Kane but it won’t be my last.

It was a little less thriller and I little more “let’s sit back and watch this absolute car crash unfold!” - which isn’t a bad thing! I couldn’t stop reading. Definitely an intriguing read.

The Wrong Family is a slow burn that feels like a soapy lifetime drama. There are subtle twists and clues sprinkled throughout the winding plot. Mysterious events constantly occur that range from inconsequential to tragic. The big reveal was unexpected and wrapped up loose ends for a satisfying conclusion. Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy.

I thought this book had a somewhat weird plot but it was still enjoyable to read. I would give this author another chance.

3.75/4 (round up to 4)

This was a very pleasurable read!
Hallie, the main character is very relatable - wanting to be seen, valued and feel like she is a part of something, in this case, part of a family.

This was a quick read, one that I would suggest to those wanting to get back into reading or maybe a younger adult audience. The story grabs your attention right from the first few pages but then slows down a bit before speeding up, but is an easy read to follow throughout.

Will be reading more from this author for sure!

I love twisty novels, but this one didn't quite capture my interest. I think the story telling and the writing could have been tighter...for instance, we should doubt Hallie more subtly, more in an unreliablie narrator way.. That said, there are a lot of readers for this type of book and it will definitely have its audience. I liked the letters interspersed with the chapters. I thought that was strong storytelling and creative.

I really enjoyed this book. It definitely was a page turner. I liked how we go to see Hallie’s character kind of evolve has everything was happening. You could tell so much that she wanted everything to work out with Robert. At first, with the name of the title, I thought it would be similar to other books I’ve read but I really liked the way the plot happened. I haven’t read a book with a plot like this. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.

As usual Ellery Kane did an awesome job of telling a great story, that keeps you reading. I started and didn't put it down until the end. I loved the twists and turns that I never saw coming.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and mostly the author for the chance to read this advanced copy.