**The Family Home** by L.H. Stacey is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of family dynamics, secrets, and betrayal. With a sharp focus on emotional tension and the darker sides of familial relationships, Stacey crafts a narrative that keeps readers on edge, blending mystery with deep psychological insight. The novel explores how deeply buried secrets can disrupt the seemingly perfect facade of a family, ultimately unearthing unsettling truths.

### Plot Overview:
The novel centers on **Emma**, a woman who has recently inherited her childhood home, a grand estate that holds many memories of her complicated upbringing. She returns to the house with her family—her husband, **Daniel**, and their young daughter—hoping for a fresh start and a chance to reconnect with her past. However, the house holds more than just memories. As Emma and her family settle in, unsettling things begin to happen. Strange occurrences make her question her own perceptions, and the deeper she digs into the history of the home, the more secrets she uncovers about her family’s past.

As Emma tries to make sense of these strange events, she begins to unravel long-held family secrets that suggest the house itself is tied to much darker events. The story unfolds through multiple perspectives, mainly Emma’s, but also those of other key characters, and the narrative becomes a slow burn of suspense, building towards a dramatic revelation. Each character’s backstory contributes to the overall sense of dread and tension as Emma uncovers the hidden truths that could tear her family apart.

### Character Development:
L.H. Stacey excels at creating multidimensional characters, and Emma, the protagonist, is both relatable and complex. She is a woman caught between her desire to heal old wounds and her fear of confronting the darkness in her family’s history. Throughout the novel, Emma undergoes significant emotional and psychological growth as she begins to piece together the fragmented truths about her family. Her internal conflict—between loyalty to her family and the need for personal liberation—is portrayed with emotional depth.

**Daniel**, Emma’s husband, adds another layer of tension to the story. His skepticism about the events happening around them, combined with his own personal issues, complicates Emma’s journey. The relationship between Emma and Daniel is tested as Emma’s suspicions grow, and their differing responses to the house’s mysteries create friction and unease.

The other characters, including Emma’s parents and some extended family members, each bring their own perspectives and contribute to the unraveling mystery. These secondary characters are not merely plot devices but are well-developed, and each plays a role in adding layers to the central mystery.

### Writing Style:
L.H. Stacey’s writing is atmospheric and evocative. The author has a talent for creating tension through subtle, unsettling details, whether it’s a mysterious noise in the night or a seemingly innocent comment that takes on a sinister tone. The prose is smooth, with a clear focus on building suspense while maintaining emotional depth.

Stacey’s pacing is one of the novel’s strengths. While the plot is slow-burning, it never feels tedious. Instead, the gradual build-up creates a palpable sense of dread. The chapters are filled with suspenseful moments that push the reader to keep turning the pages, eager to learn more about the dark secrets lurking in the family’s past.

The shifting perspectives also allow the reader to see different aspects of the mystery, enhancing the story’s depth. The author switches between Emma’s first-person narration and third-person sections from the perspective of other key characters, which adds richness and complexity to the narrative. The alternating viewpoints keep the reader engaged, and the suspense remains high throughout.

### Themes:
1. **Family Secrets**: The heart of *The Family Home* lies in the exploration of family secrets—how they fester, how they can destroy relationships, and how they shape the lives of the people involved. Emma’s return to her childhood home forces her to confront the lies her family has kept hidden for years. As the truth begins to surface, the novel examines how deeply secrets can damage a family, especially when trust is broken.

2. **Perception vs. Reality**: Another central theme is the unreliable nature of perception. Emma’s own sanity and understanding of what’s happening around her are questioned throughout the novel, and the reader is kept guessing about what is real and what is imagined. This theme of blurred lines between perception and reality is a hallmark of psychological thrillers and is handled effectively by Stacey.

3. **The Weight of the Past**: The novel deals with the idea that the past is never truly gone—it lingers, influencing present-day decisions and relationships. Emma’s attempt to rebuild her life is constantly haunted by her childhood experiences and the history of the house. The past has a way of resurfacing, no matter how hard one tries to bury it.

4. **Trust and Betrayal**: As the story progresses, the theme of trust—and its erosion—becomes more pronounced. Emma’s journey is filled with emotional betrayal, not only from others but also from herself. The revelation of long-hidden family secrets forces her to question everything she thought she knew about her family and her own life.

### Emotional Impact:
*The Family Home* is a tense and emotionally charged read. As the novel unravels, it brings to light uncomfortable truths, and the emotional stakes for the characters continue to rise. The tension between Emma and her husband, as well as Emma’s internal struggle with the past, creates a layered and emotional narrative.

The story’s slow reveal of secrets ensures that the emotional payoff is both satisfying and heartbreaking. Readers will likely find themselves reflecting on their own family dynamics and the impact of secrets, making the book resonate long after the final page is turned. Emma’s emotional journey—of rediscovering her strength and her sense of identity in the face of betrayal—adds depth to the story and gives the book a heartfelt undercurrent amid the thriller elements.

### Final Thoughts:
*The Family Home* by L.H. Stacey is a deeply atmospheric and gripping psychological thriller that skillfully combines suspense with emotional depth. With its well-developed characters, slow-burning tension, and exploration of complex family dynamics, the novel keeps the reader hooked until the very end.

Stacey’s writing style and pacing make the book a compelling read for fans of domestic thrillers and psychological suspense. If you enjoy stories about family secrets, emotional turmoil, and a slow unraveling of mystery, *The Family Home* is definitely worth picking up.

For readers who appreciate psychological thrillers with a strong emotional core and an exploration of the impact of family history, *The Family Home* is a captivating and satisfying read. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of the lengths people will go to protect their loved ones, and the painful consequences of keeping the truth buried.

The family home was a good book. The story follows Hattie who has stayed away from her family since a fateful night that her mom stopped talking and her father was killed. The book was fast paced and kept me engaged. Would definitely recommend.

Thank you Netgalley, Boldwood Books and L H Stacey for the eArc of The Family Home.

The Family Home is a well paced, psychological thriller surrounding a tragic accident that happened to Hattie 3 years previously. Having putting distance between her and her family home. Hattie must return to face what happened. This domestic thriller is told on a multiple POV throughout the book. Each character has their own individual voice which made it easier to follow. There is some great foreshadowing and twists which leads to a satisfying ending.

This is the first of L H Stacey's books and having enjoyed this one, Ill be looking for more of her work.


4 stars

That Lake. This house. His friends. They all know what happened to my boy. I know they do. And you… you have to help me find the truth.

Ten years ago, Lizzie was deeply in love with Thomas Kirkwood and believed they had a future together. But everything changed on the night of their graduation. Amidst a haze of alcohol and drugs, Thomas’s lifeless body was found floating in the Kirkwood family lake. That tragedy shattered Lizzie’s world, and she vowed never to set foot at Kirkwood Manor again.

Now, a decade later, Lizzie—now preferring to go by Elizabeth—receives an unexpected invitation. Ada, Thomas’s grieving mother, is hosting a memorial weekend at Kirkwood Manor, bringing together all of Thomas’s old friends who attended the fateful party. But this is no ordinary gathering; it’s a carefully orchestrated reunion to uncover the truth about Thomas’s death. Ada is determined to catch the killer, and Elizabeth fears she might be at the top of Ada’s list.

This gripping novel combines the allure of a locked-room mystery with the chilling atmosphere of a psychological thriller. The tension is palpable as the narrative unfolds, drawing readers into the secrets and lies that surround Kirkwood Manor. The characters are layered with complex motivations, and the eerie backdrop of the lake serves as a haunting reminder of past events.

The pacing is spot-on, with each chapter unravelling new clues and keeping the reader guessing until the very end. The author expertly weaves past and present, exploring themes of guilt, grief, and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets.

If you enjoy suspenseful, character-driven mysteries with a dark and atmospheric setting, That Lake will not disappoint. With its twist-filled plot and captivating narrative, this is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. Highly recommended!

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I really enjoyed this book and I was able to keep track of the multiple points of view, I read this book quite quickly and I look forward to more books by this author.

I’ve read a number of books by L. H. Stacey, so I have come to expect a story that strips away the civilised facade of family life that most people present to the world and takes a peek at the less shiny truth that lies behind. Despite this prior knowledge, this book took me to some unexpectedly dark places.

The book starts with a horrifying event that befell the Gilby family nine years ago in their family home, and we find out that it has had a very negative effect on the daughter of the family, Hattie, who has not been back to the house since. Almost estranged from her brothers and only occasionally visited her hospitalised mother, who has never been the same since that night, a crisis finally brings Hattie back to face her demons – and what demons they turn out to be.

Often is psychological thrillers, there are one or two suspicious characters that you can’t work out whether to trust or not. In this book, everyone is under suspicion. I can’t remember ever reading a book where the characters so threw me off course throughout, so I was never sure who I could trust and who I couldn’t, right from the very first page. Even one person who I thought was going to be the one person I could rely on for an objective view of the situation ended up with a perspective that was twisted so I wasn’t sure she was really objective. Everyone in this book has things to hide or grapple with.

It has become a bit of a standing joke that this type of book has a ‘twist you won’t see coming,’ which always flags up the twist and you see it a mile off. This book does not boast that, but I can honestly say that there were a number of things in the plot that really surprised and shocked me and were really unexpected. This book truly kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end and I raced through it in a short space of time because I needed to know what was going to happen, even though by the end I was deeply disturbed by the story. Even now, several days later, thinking about it is unsettling. That is a powerful testament to the writer.

If you like you domestic thrillers on the darker side, this one is one for you. A great example of the genre, but I do wonder if its why I have had trouble sleeping the last few days!

I usually enjoy a book about people going back home and wondering what they're going to find. The beginning chapters of this book really hooked me, with Imogen and what happened to her and her husband.

However, I soon felt lost about what was happening.

I lost interest and got very confused around halfway through. I felt that the characters weren't well developed and the writing was far too descriptive. Descriptive writing would usually make me want to continue, but it took me out of the story. There were not many visuals, so it was hard to stay immersed in it.

The plot went back-and-forth between the present moment and nine years before. The "nine years before" parts are all from Hattie's point of view. I wanted to get to know the characters more, but I found that I just didn't (not even Hattie).

I think the problem is that, for me, they aren't very well created right from the beginning. I wanted to feel for them and root for them but I couldn't.

This is my first book by L.H. Stacey, and I wanted to really enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me. The parts I did understand were predictable (except the beginning, which was gripping).

I really like thrillers and this was not a thriller as such. It was more like a mystery. Even then, I didn't find it mysterious and it was more confusing than anything.

Book 1 for Thankfully Reading 2024

2 stars

Thanks to Boldwood Books and L.H. Stacey for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
3 likes

This was my first LH Stacey book but definitely not my last. Exploring families, their homes and money. Fantastic characters that kept me flipping pages long into the night. Dark and disturbing with killer reveals. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley, LH Stacey and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Another enjoyable popcorn thriller and nail biter. Best one by the author yet imo. With dual time line and multiple POVs which will leave you guessing.

Prior to now I have read several books from this author and have found them all to be enjoyable, but The Family Home is definitely my favourite to date.

It's a fast paced read that's told across dual timeline and narrated from multiple POV. The twists and turns come thick and fast as the past is unveiled; dark secrets are revealed and family lies exposed.

Whilst I found I couldn't form any emotional attachments to the characters, this didn't distract from my enjoyment the book.

I found it a powerful story of loyalty and betrayal that had me hooked immediately, the suspense was killing me, I needed answers and I needed them now!

The Family Home is an interesting thriller. It was engaging right away and moved at a pace that kept me wanting to read. Even though there were some parts that I figured out quickly there were also twists that I did not see coming.

There were some grammar issues that I found distracting but other than that I enjoyed this and look forward to reading other things by this author.

A recommended read from me..easy to follow and excellent writing style.
I will recommend to my friends

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

I just finished reading this book (it actually made me late for work, as I just had to know how it ended) so this review will be a short one!

If you are a psychological thriller fan who is looking for a truly captivating read, rife with secrets and twists, this book was written for you.

The Family Home by L. H. Stacey is a gripping story of a family’s history and it is full of dark secrets that will keep you on the edge of your seat especially as it is full of great twists and turns throughout.

Hattie Gilby has not been back to her family home since the devastating events that took place there all those years ago. These events changed Hattie so much they continue to haunt her today. Then out of the blue, her phone rings and it displays a number she hasn't seen for years..........But this one phone call changes everything.

Now, Hattie is going back to her family home to face her brothers, Adam and Luke........The main thing to go back home is to hear the last words of her dying mother.

Imogen Gilby, hasn’t spoken a word since that night she was beaten almost to death and her husband was murdered. But now it’s time to reveal the truth about what happened that night and the dark secrets that almost destroyed her.

But, Hattie isn’t sure she wants to know the truth. It seems someone close to them will do anything to make sure the secrets stay hidden forever….......But Why?

I really enjoyed this book and I loved the way this author writes.

I highly recommend it. Great Holiday read.

Big Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books for my ARC.

This had me totally hooked from page one! Imogen Gilby hasn’t really spoken much since an incident one night nine years previously that left her needing medical attention and her husband dead. It changed daughter Hattie and she hasn’t been back to the family home since ~ until now. After Hattie gets a phone call from brother Adam she returns to hear the last words of her dying mother and possible the truth about that night. Pacy, dark, twisty and totally riveting I found I couldn’t put this down. The characters, locations and events were brilliantly described and there was absolutely no way of guessing how it was all going to end! Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

A good read that uncovers a secret that left a family destroyed, dad killed and mum beaten so badly that she has not fully recovered

Hattie is forced to return to the family home and face her brothers Adam and Luke to hear the last words her dying mother will ever speak..What she is not expecting is to hear the truth of the tragic events that changed the lives off all involved

A thrilling read

The family home by LH Stacy, when the book begins we meet Hattie nine years before her father was murdered and now her mother lives in pretty much a vegetable state or as far as Abby knows she does because she hasn’t been home in nine years. So when she steps outside of work and sees that her cousin Lou and brother Luke have been trying to get in touch with her she fears the worst she calls her cousin Lou who tells her her mom has cancer and is soon going into hospice but before she passes away she has something to tell Hattie and her two younger brothers Adam and Luke. So finally Hattie is going home. This is just the first POV in the next one we meet Sophie she married but separated from Griffin who lives right next-door to Hattie’s childhood family home and where the atrocities happened. Sophie has moved away from her friends and family to be with him and she recently has given birth to baby Noah. She is OK with them being separated but when she sees the chemistry between her husband and new neighbor she isn’t happy about it at all. Hattie also has POV‘s remembering days and years before the tragedy that also include her crush on Fin a.k.a. Griffin. They also show cousin Lou is not always the best influence and also has a Darkside. When it’s time for the big reveal by imaging she opens the little box with all her secrets only to find it empty, so this means imaging isn’t the only one who knows their secret. This is when Hattie tries to figure it out for herself and unbeknownst to Hattie there’s someone on her trail for other reasons but like any good thriller they aren’t the only ones looking for long buried secrets and not exactly the same ones. I love a good book that keeps me up until the wee hours of the night wanting to know the ending and that is definitely The Family Home. I kind of guessed one twist but was ill prepared for all of the Wham! Bam thank you ma’am‘s at the end of this book. Except for a few overly dramatic moments this really came so close to being a five-star read. So freaking good! #NetGalley, #BoldWoodBooks, #LHStacy, #TheFamilyHome,

Wow! This book is dark! It starts off as a fast paced thriller in that you just know there are some secrets in that house. However, the story very quickly becomes very dark and the secrets revealed are truly shocking. Great story and packed full of authentic characters.

Every family and every house has a secret.so the blurb had me hooked. The way of telling the past mixed in between the present hooked me in as I was determined to find put what the big secret meant for today's characters. It was also useful to via the pov see the way the chatacters evolved and their perceptions on events. I loved the way you were taken on the journey with the characters as you and they discovered the truth. I was gripped and drip fed the truth. It was shocking but sadly likely to be a reality. I cared about the chatacters. The pov were limited yo the womsn I would have loved a final pov of the father to tie it all together. It was full of twists and turns. Well developed characters. The plot is about what happened on the night the world changed for ever.
I would highly recommended this to any thriller readers although on some level this has more elements of a mystery.. I waa engrossed. I felt the ending was good but I needed something more. A pwrfect 5 star . Thank you netgallery and publisher and author.

The Family Home by L.H. Stacey

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Nothing is as perfect as it seems…

Hattie Gilby has not been back to her family home since the devastating events that took place there years ago. Events that changed Hattie and which continue to haunt her today. But one phone call changes everything.

Now Hattie is going back to her family home to face her brothers, Adam and Luke and to hear the last words of her dying mother.

Imogen Gilby hasn’t spoken a word since the night she was beaten almost to death and her husband was murdered. But now it’s time to reveal the truth about what happened that night and the secrets that almost destroyed her.

Hattie isn’t sure she wants to know the truth. And it seems someone close to them will do anything to make sure the secrets stay hidden forever…

My Opinion

Well this was a fun thriller – definitely not what I expected. L.H. Stacey has written a fast-paced novel that I sat and read in one sitting. The events of nine years earlier have been told in some chapters, these are all clearly labelled and easy to follow. Whilst some of the twists were predictable there were definitely some I didn’t see coming. For me this was a great introduction to L.H. Stacey

Rating 4/5