A regular customer to sabrina's bookstore offers her a saving grace when they want to her to help them on their estate in their own library. Winner. And someone offer me this job anytime please!
But all is not as it seems. And as soon as she enters this families world the uncertainty begins.

The vibes were slowwwwly ramped up as the pages turned. I didn't see the conclusions coming which was great as I was really involved in the story and how it would all fit together. And to have all the pieces fit together so seamlessly was a shocker. But a great one.
It's one of those books that builds and builds perfectly.

Just when Sabrina thought her luck had turned around after landing a job as a librarian for the wealthy Dorsey family, something feels off the moment she arrives at their lavish estate. The house is riddled with cameras, and the third floor is strictly off-limits, a rule enforced by the stern housekeeper, Mrs. Manning. As Sabrina begins to uncover unsettling details, she learns of the recent disappearance of a local woman and the mysterious death of another from years ago—both seemingly connected to her charming employer, Theo Dorsey. When she discovers that the previous librarian vanished without a trace, Sabrina is left with mounting fear and a growing list of unanswered questions.

Though the book starts off slowly, it gains momentum and becomes more engaging halfway through. However, there are numerous side plots that feel unnecessary and fail to tie back to the main story. The premise is promising, complementing the dark and suspenseful atmosphere of the family, but there are a few over-the-top moments that undermine the overall impact. While I enjoyed parts of the book, its execution was inconsistent.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for ARC in exchange of a honest review.

The prose of the book is very well written, multiple pov are done excellently well. Twists are good. But after majority of the book was done like 75% it suddenly turned from a regular thriller into a very movie-ish twists and everything. Even with adequate suspension of disbelief I did not like the end part.

The Family Lies is quite the adventure. I was intrigued by the blurb and was looking for a good old-fashioned mystery. I literally blew through the first half and loved all the different POVs that offered up enough perspective to help a novice detective like myself try and put together this complicated puzzle. With the Dorsey estate the main focus of this book, when a new librarian is brought in to organize and catalogue the vast private library within the walls of the mansion, Sabrina Adams finds herself smack dab in the middle of a very odd family dynamic that only gets more bizarre by the minute.

For the most part, I liked these characters. Even those, like Mrs. Manning, who was a bit off-kilter and cold. The premise that Theo Dorsey, CEO of Dorsey Snacks might be a serial killer is a big part of this book. But he came off quite normal imo and despite all the clues and people's opinions of what a diabolical person he might be, I liked him and his kindness towards Sabrina. Not to mention the fact that he was raising his goddaughter, Luca.

The author does her best to put us off the scent as to who might be the actual villain with various tangents and for me, the shorter chapters, each from a different character's perspective made the book that much more exciting and easy to digest. With the mansion clearly full of its own secrets, Sabrina can't help but explore the large home as well as the grounds as she continues to get caught up in the wild web of lies and secrets. She plays detective well, however, and I knew it was only a matter of time when she would undoubtedly figure out who was responsible for the many disappearances in Harper's Ferry, hopefully clearing Theo's name for good.

I feel as if the author, however, threw a bit too much extra in the latter half of the book that simply didn't need to be there. I felt as if the overall mystery was enough of a storyline and the extra issues concerning Sabrina and her sister Cami came out of left field and then weren't addressed properly. Not to mention how the book concluded with Theo and Sabrina finding a new normal almost too easily. A bit more intrigue and lingering questions would have made the ending that much more enjoyable for me. I also felt the confusion wrt Mrs. Manning and her own reveal together with using the same name for an important part of this book was handled poorly and again, was almost too easily swept under the rug.

I would, though, try another book from this author should the opportunity arise. She has the talent to create a good mystery but just needs a bit more so it doesn't somewhat stall out in the end.

3.5 stars.

The Family Lies was filled with twists and turns. I honestly had a hard time putting it down. I would recommend it to all those who enjoy a fast paced thriller.

Many thanks for my gifted copy.

Thank you Net Galley & Storm Publishing for the ARC!

This was my first book of 2025 and it set the year up for success.

This story follows Sabrina as she takes on a new job after a desperate time in her life. Mystery after mystery builds.

I thought this story was set at a great pace and it drew me right in. It made for a quick read and I enjoyed it throughout. I did find near the end, it did became a little over the top. It felt like ‘how many twists can we throw in, in a short bit’. Nonetheless, it was a great read!

3.5 stars! I honestly enjoyed this book but knocked it down a star for some slow-moving points in the plot. I love the tropes and felt like this book was a fun, easy read!

A young librarian is hired to tend to the private library at the Dorsey estate. When she arrives, she meets Theo (wealthy, tall, dark, & handsome) and Mrs. Manning (the overly controlling housemaid).

As she settles in, she starts to question the crazy rules (and what the heck is on the third floor…) As bodies start piling up, she has to dig up some dangerous family secrets.

The Family Lies by Angela Henry, Sabrina Adams thinks she’s found the perfect job a two-year contract to get a private library together for the Darcy family with room and board included. she’s so happy to be away from her leering brother-in-law, critical sister and Have a good income at a nice home in the profession She loves. She even has a handsome boss. She can’t help but feel attracted to, but unfortunately on the first night the cook housekeeper ruins any happiness. Sabrina feels about her job with a specific list of rules she must follow, with more rules to come. before the first week is up, however Sabrina has broken all of them or at least most of them, including do not go to the third floor. Do not leave the house after midnight. Do not get drunk in the house, etc she’s already been warned about the woman that was found dead on the road behind the Darcy mansion, but while living there, another woman goes missing, and that is just the beginning of the strange events Sabrina comes across in and out of the house. Soon she is being stocked and even sees the man looking through the windows of the mansion she knows the housekeeper is keeping secrets and so much more.? they say curiosity killed the cat, but in this case, it almost kills Sabrina and when she learns what’s really going on to say it is mind blowing is an absolute understatement. I really enjoyed this book, but I did think Sabrina was very nosy went places she had no business being asked questions. She had no business asking and should’ve just kept quiet and done her job and that whole thing with her sister and brother-in-law, I was so shocked by that I felt like it came out of left field, which it probably did but having said that I still enjoyed the book found it interesting and couldn’t wait to see what happened with the whole other POV. I do want to mention I thought the whole thing with teenager living. There could’ve been left out because didn’t feel as if she brought much to the story. I mean she did bring some stuff to the story but that could’ve been done by someone else she seemed like a non-entity because she was supposed to be so close to Theo and yet they only had one scene in the room together throughout the whole book. my favorite thing about this book is that the main family was a black influential family, but they did have other people in the book that weren’t black, but it wasn’t made a big deal of. It was just as if they got on to get on and didn’t make a humongous deal of the race or it’s differences. I love that. Because at the end of the day, we’re all just people anyway.#NetGalley, #AngelaHenry, #TheFamilyLies,#StormPublishing,

Sabrina Adam's life has been built on a web of lies. Her dishonesty lands her a job at the library, but when the truth comes out, she gets fired. Enter Theo Dorsey, a millionaire heir to the Dorsey snacks fortune. He offers Sabrina a chance to redeem herself by moving into his home to restore his late mother's forgotten library filled with valuable books.

Sabrina jumps at the opportunity and finds herself in Theo’s mansion. There, she encounters the stern housekeeper, Mrs. Manning, who imposes strict rules. Undeterred, Sabrina remains focused on her job until inexplicable events start to unfold, leaving her questioning her own sanity.

One night, Sabrina witnesses Theo with a mysterious woman, who vanishes and is later found dead. As Sabrina delves deeper, she discovers links to another woman's death near the mansion. Determined to uncover the truth, Sabrina races against time to solve the mysteries and avoid becoming the next victim.

This psychological thriller masterfully explores themes of hidden family secrets, deceptions, and the descent into madness. Each character harbours their own agenda and will go to any lengths to protect their secrets.

The story is packed with twists and turns that will leave you in awe. It’s a gripping read, perfect for those who enjoy being kept on the edge of their seat, and you will be genuinely shocked by the ending. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read and review this arc copy. It blew my mind!

There is something dark going on inside the Dorsey mansion, or so it appears. Wow - liar does even begin to describe some of these characters.

Sabrina Adams is overjoyed when she is asked by Theo Dorsey to come into his family's mansion and get his mother's library in good order. This is a two year project, so we are not talking about a small library. I kept getting a vision of the giant library in Beauty and the Beast. Once she arrives she is met with the intimidating Ms. Manning with her long list of rules, one of which is lock your bedroom door at night. I started getting creepy vibes immediately after this conversation. Trust me when I say the creepiness is just getting started. I thought I had everything figured out, but this author took me on a ride that I never expected to go on.

This is a build up thriller/mystery, so if you are looking for a quick ending, you are going to have to wait. But trust me when I say that when the curveballs start coming, you will be glad you kept reading. The secrets oozing out of this family will shock you to your core and leave you wondering what just happened. That final reveal was more than a little unexpected and maybe a little out there. However, that is the fun of reading a fictional book, the author can take you anywhere, even a little crazy town.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book had me from the first page. What a great psychological thriller this one is. I suspected everybody and was wrong about them all. I could not put this down! This was a 4 1/2 star read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to read this book when I first read the blurb. It had such an intriguing premise, and I was eager to dive into the story. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. While the premise had so much potential, I struggled to connect with the main character, mainly because I found her boring and extremely annoying, which made it hard for me to fully invest in the narrative.

The dialogue, at times, felt a bit forced and info dumpy/unnecessary. There were moments when the interactions between characters felt a little cringey, and I found myself skim reading through some parts..

Overall, The Family Lies didn’t resonate with me as much as I hoped, but I do think it would make a great TV show or movie. The premise could translate well to the screen—it just didn’t quite work for me in the format of a book.

Publish date: January 22, 2025

You won’t put this one down until it’s finished!

Sabrina is a librarian that meets an attractive man while working at a bookstore. She finds out he’s from a wealthy family that owns a factory in town. He hires her to clean, catalog, and appraise his late mother’s private library - an absolute dream job for Sabrina. A higher salary with included room and board is enough for her to overlook the housekeeper Mrs. Manning’s odd house rules and the attitude of Luca, the introverted teenager the Dorsey’s took in.

Only once she settles in she realizes the Dorsey’s have a reputation and it’s not great. There’s a few too many missing people connected to the Dorsey’s to ignore. Sabrina gets caught up in the whisperings of the townspeople and begins to question everything she knows about Theo Dorsey and his family including his incapacitated sister, legally blind family doctor, strict housekeeper, and peculiar teenager. The question is at the forefront of her mind- Is Sabrina next?

This wild ride will have you flipping through pages guessing who’s lying and who’s telling the truth. I had a few possibilities in mind for what the twist would be and I still didn’t predict it.

Thank you Storm Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is my first read by Angela Henry and I definitely want to read more after this one. An addictive thriller that I kept reading well into early morning to complete. This book takes a complete u turn the moment you feel you have things figured out. Who's lying and who's telling the truth? The book managed to successfully keep me on my toes.

I liked the multiple perspectives and the theme. Also how some of the little things mattered towards the end. The characters are well written and so are the red herrings. The mystery house and location are well described and add to the chills. Some of the scenes are absolute thrills. Recommend!

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

Sabrina gets hired by the Dorseys, a wealthy family in town, as a home librarian. She thinks she is finally getting through a rough patch, only to find that her boss was involved in a death of a woman a few years ago. Now, as she is living with the Dorseys, her boss is involved around another woman disappearance, she begins to question if she is safe in that house.

The book kept me in my toes the entire time, I was eager to find out how all the disappearances connected to one another. Every time I was sure I need what happened, I had to discard my theory. I really enjoyed how the book captures the audience and helps navigate to the mystery Sabrina and the Dorseys are. The twists are never ending and the truth is more shocking than I initially anticipated.

Totally recommend to read this book if you are into very twisty mysteries, like Verity or The Wife Upstairs. just be mindful that it will be hard to put down.

Thanks Netgalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read the ARC of the book.

THE FAMILY LIES - Interesting with some good twists and unexpected secrets. Good characters. Good story lines. Goos misdirection. Intriguing and easy to immerse one's self in the pages. Source: Netgalley. 4*

I was kept guessing until the very end! Perfect example of a psychological thriller. Twists and turns at every page and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

4.5/5⭐️

This was a fantastic read for my new year! The plot twists were twisting and my guesses kept me guessing.

Sabrina Adams loses her job at a local library and is hired to work at the Dorsey Estate. The housekeeper, Mrs. Manning gives a list of seemingly ridiculous rules to follow, such as no leaving bedrooms after midnight. Strange things begin happening and Sabrina unravels a huge web of lies that you may or may not see coming.

Highly recommend this for a quick thriller to read. Can't wait to read more from Angela Henry!

A domestic thriller, The Family Lies (2025) by Angela Henry finds librarian Sabrina becoming a live-in archivist for the wealthy Dorsey family. She has two years to catalogue and restore their library with its extensive range of books. When she moves into the mansion, Sabrina has strict rules to follow, including locking her door and not leaving her room after midnight. Then, a stranger approaches Sabrina for information about her boss and his possible involvement in a recent suspicious death. An average slow burn of a thriller, which is light on for suspense, until the final rush of a climax that is all too neat and makes for a three star read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement. With thanks to Rocky Mountain Press and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

Wow. This one had me tied up in knots.

We meet Sabrina as she works in a book store and is living with her sister and brother-in-law after losing her librarian job. One day, a regular customer who she’s been crushing on makes her an offer she can’t refuse: come live in his mansion and catalog his private library collection (as a bookseller myself, I can tell you this never happens IRL). Eager to escape her living situation, she takes the job. When she arrives at the house of her attractive host, the library is spectacular, but the assorted residents are a mystery. The housekeeper runs a strict house and some of the rules seem a bit strange—certain parts of the house are off-limits—but Sabrina is grateful for the work. However, the longer she stays, the weirder and wilder things get.

There’s a LOT going on in this book. The narration switches between first person (Sabrina) and third person (an assortment of other characters). Sabrina alternates between sympathetic and unlikable. She works hard to make her situation better after getting laid off, but she lied about her credentials to get that job, and doubles down when approached by the handsome Theo to catalog his library. Many of the characters are not what they seem, and the various histories are tangled up like a ball of yarn your new kitten got into with all of her littermates. Every time I thought I had a handle on what was going on, something would happen to prove me wrong.

There were a few too many plot twists and turns for me, but if you love untangling very complicated family histories, this book is for you.

This is an honest review based on the book provided by NetGalley and Storm Publishing.