Review of Not a Happy Family

Tolstoy said: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Someone in the (unhappy) Merton family killed Mr. and Mrs. Merton. Which member of this dysfunctional family did it? Check out my review of Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena.

Jen’s Quick Take on Not A Happy Family

• Knives Out feel
• Plenty of Dark Family Secrets
• An Evil Family vibe
• A fairly cozy feel with amateur detective, despite its dark premise
• Published on July 27, 2021 by Pamela Dornan Books.

If you’ve read this and you want to chat suspects, alibis, and theories, be sure to check out my Spoilers and Discussion Post for Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena!

Review of Not a Happy Family

Not a Happy Family was my first Shari Lapena book and it really kept me guessing. If you loved Knives Out, this has a very similar vibe.

One Easter Sunday, Fred and Sheila Merton host their three children for dinner. As always, the conversation turns to fights over money and favorite. Days later, the housekeeper finds Fred and Sheila dead in their home and all their squabbling, greedy family members are suspects.

If you’re looking for a fun, beachy mystery that keeps you turning pages, Not a Happy Family could be the book for you.

On the plus side, this really did keep me guessing. The information kept coming, and everyone – the Merton’s three children, their other relatives, the housekeeper — were plausible suspects.

The character development wasn’t amazing and this read a little like a cozy at times, with Mr. Merton’s sister serving as an amateur detective, trying to crack the case. But I had absolutely no idea who the killer was until the very last pages!

Have you read this? What did you think? Be sure to come to my spoiler discussion post for Not a Happy Family and let’s talk about our theories!

You can also check out my post: What’s the Best Book by Shari LaPena?

Looking for a similar book? Check out my post on Mysteries Featuring Evil Families. The Paper Palace is a bit darker and more literary but also explores family dysfunction.