The Other Family by Theo Baxter follows a harrowing journey of survivalist father and daughter, Jesse and Sam, as Sam is removed from the care of Jesse and is placed in the care of Reverend Bradford and his wife. As Sam navigates and adjusts to her new home and fellow foster sisters, she discovers that darkness lies behind the smile of the religious family. Meanwhile, Jesse works on his personal demons in hopes to gain custody of Sam and save her from the house of horrors.

Can Sam use her survivalist skills to live in her new home? Will Jesse find a way to reunite himself with Sam?

Baxter effectively captures the desperation of a man struggling with mental health, and tackles weighty themes of family, trust and the abuse of power. Whilst the fast-paced plot and suspenseful atmosphere kept me engaged, I felt the writing could benefit from more sensory detail. For example, description of the surrounding environment, the characters physical sensations, and the distinct smells within the Bradford household could immerse the reader more.

Love the character building in this book. It really helps bring the storyline alive. I had to finish this book in one sitting as it got me hooked, line and sinker. Love the twists and turns in the book and the thrilling suspense. Highly recommend.

The Other Family by Theo Baxter, published by Inkubator Books, is an unputdownable thriller of its finest. Twisty and full of unexpected turns that had me guessing till the last page, this book tells Samantha and Jesse's story. Complex, complicated, intriguing. This author is amasterful wordsmith, beautifully writing flawed characters and their stories that'll stay with the reader.
I recommend the book, 5 stars.
Blurb: This is one family you don’t want to join.
Things haven’t been easy for fifteen-year-old Sam Cotton. She’s just recovering from the death of her mother when her father Jesse has a mental breakdown.
She’s taken out of his care and given to a foster family, the Bradfords. The Bradfords live in the middle of nowhere and seem like pious, God-fearing people.
But Sam soon notices some disturbing things. The forbidden rooms. The strict rules. The cameras that track her every move.
When Sam discovers that two girls previously fostered by the Bradfords have disappeared without trace, she realises she may be in grave danger.
Sam is smart and resourceful. And she’ll need to be - because the Bradfords have a dark secret. A secret which will thrust Sam into a terrifying nightmare from which she may never wake.

Really enjoyed this book and will be buying it for my collection… not as many twists but the story kept me guessing and interested

It started out slow, didn’t really love the inner monologue from the 2 main characters but as it read on, it got kinda better. I couldn’t put it down, wanting to figure out what’s gonna happen next. Overall it’s an interesting read albeit a little predictable

The dual perspectives are very well done in this book, which is no mean feat when seeking to realistically present a teenage girl and her father. The pace picks up towards the end of the book as the depths of the horror are revealed. It is all the more troubling because it could so easily be non-fiction.

I am so happy and proud to say that I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC reader. As an ARC reader, I am given the honor of reading books before they are published and creating a review of the book gifted. Theo Baxter has been one of my favorite authors and every time I get to read one of his books, I am always excited! This book shows what can happen when a child leaves a terrible family, only to be sent to an even worse one. It is a story of tragedy and sadness. But it is so worth the read. An easy recommendation from me to you…you will love this new novel from Theo Baxter!

A chilling and emotional thriller that keeps you turning the pages. Lots of shocks and a great ending. A very good read!

Sam is taken from one awful family into an even worse one.
My word this book is so dark and tense but i couldn't put it down.
A proper thriller that left me with a racing heart.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

This is one family you don’t want to join. Things haven’t been easy for fifteen-year-old Sam Cotton. She’s just recovering from the death of her mother when her father Jesse has a mental breakdown. She’s taken out of his care and given to a foster family, the Bradfords. The Bradfords live in the middle of nowhere and seem like pious, God-fearing people. But Sam soon notices some disturbing things. The forbidden rooms. The strict rules. The cameras that track her every move! Great read! This book definitely has you thinking about a lot of different aspects of life! It had great suspense, intriguing, action, murder, mystery, child abuse, and some wild twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This is one of the first thrillers I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. The premise was intriguing and kept my interest. I was hooked!