Not a Happy Family - by Shari Lapena

Book Synopsis

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

"A quintessential 'beach read, ' I half expected sand to fall out of it. This one brings lurid family mayhem to the Hudson Valley [and] plausible suspects. With her cascading short chapters and teasers by the dozen, you stick with Lapena eagerly." --The Washington Post

"Lapena is a master of manipulation. With her latest page-turning thriller, Not a Happy Family, she is once again at the top of her game." --USA Today

The new domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and The End of Her who has sold more than seven million copies of her books worldwide

In this family, everyone is keeping secrets--even the dead.

Brecken Hill in upstate New York is an expensive place to live. You have to be rich to have a house there, and Fred and Sheila Merton certainly are rich. But even all their money can't protect them when a killer comes to call. The Mertons are brutally murdered after a fraught Easter dinner with their three adult kids. Who, of course, are devastated.

Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of the siblings is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you'd know.

Wouldn't you?

Review Quotes

"Who wouldn't be drawn to a book called Not a Happy Family? . . . Like [her] earlier best sellers. . . Not a Happy Family splashes into a stew of nightmares."
--The New York Times

"Lapena is a master of manipulation. With her latest page-turning thriller, . . . she is once again at the top of her game. . . Lapena does what she does best, so much so that trying to put the book down is futile. Once you start reading, you won't want to stop."
--USA Today

"A quintessential 'beach read, ' I half expected sand to fall out of it. This one brings lurid family mayhem to the Hudson Valley [and] plausible suspects. With her cascading short chapters and teasers by the dozen, you stick with Lapena eagerly."
--The Washington Post

"In this fast-paced, twisted family saga, Shari Lapena keeps you guessing until the very last page..."
--Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train

"Another edge-of-the-seat ride that left me breathless."
--Fiona Barton, New York Times bestselling author of The Suspect

"Domestic thriller fans rejoice! Shari Lapena is back with another book that will make you question everything you think you know about your partner."
--Book Riot

"[A] fast-paced whodunit. . . Not a Happy Family works well as a crime novel, and there are some fun surprises. Overall, Lapena has produced another engaging and entertaining read."
--Bookreporter.com

Praise for The End of Her

"Shari Lapena's latest thriller The End of Her will keep you guessing right up to the end . . . And so begins a nonstop page-turning that has become a hallmark of Lapena's work. . . Be sure to carve out enough time, because once you pick it up, you will not want to put it down."
--USA Today

"The fast pace will keep those fond of mischief and murder in suburbia turning the pages."
--Publishers Weekly

"A novel of domestic suspense with shifting POVs, The End of Her will have you questioning who to believe right up until the end."
--BuzzFeed

The queen of the one-sit read.
--Linwood Barclay, New York Times bestselling author of Elevator Pitch

I read the cracking The End of Her in one sitting. All hail the Mistress of the Page Turner.
--Fiona Barton, New York Times bestselling author of The Suspect

I absolutely adore Shari Lapena's compulsive thrillers and her new novel is her best yet. More twists than a roller coaster.
--John Boyne, New York Times bestselling author of My Brother's Name Is Jessica

I tore through it. It kept me on my toes throughout and the ending was just fantastic. Really tense!
--Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange

The End of Her is a slippery eel of a novel - just when you think you have it in your grasp, it slithers away on a new current. I consumed it in a day. . . . Unputdownable.
--Louise Candlish, bestselling author of Our House

Shari Lapena is one of the best thriller writers in the business.
--Steve Cavanagh, bestselling author of Thirteen

Gripping, compelling, thoroughly entertaining and devilishly clever.
--Liz Nugent, bestselling author of Lying in Wait

Another unputdownable suburban thriller with the finest love-to-hate characters and a wickedly paced mystery.
--Elizabeth Kay, author of Seven Lies

Praise for Someone We Know:

"Poised and chilling."
--The Wall Street Journal

"Clever."
--USA Today

"No-one does suburban paranoia like Shari Lapena--this slowly unfurling nightmare will have you biting your nails until the end."
--Ruth Ware, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One by One

"Slyly plotted . . . Lapena skillfully maximizes suspense with her dual story lines that eventually collide, as well as some deft misdirection . . . many fans of domestic suspense will be satisfied."
--Publishers Weekly

"Highly suspenseful . . . Sure to delight fans of Liane Moriarty and Louise Candlish."
--Booklist

"This book is non-stop twists and turns. Shari Lapena will leave your head spinning as you try and make sense of the lies surrounding the families in this neighborhood. And just when you think you've figured it out, you're probably wrong. Absolutely recommend!"
--Suspense Magazine

"Someone We Know is a tour de force of thriller writing. Shari Lapena proves yet again that she is the mistress of the pacy plot, cliff edge tension and menacing suburban claustrophobia. Fans will be delighted and if you haven't read her books yet, then why on earth not?"
--Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of The Nanny

Praise for An Unwanted Guest:

"A gripping mystery perfect for fans of Agatha Christie."
--Good Housekeeping

"Proving that time periods may change but people do not, Lapena delivers a solid whodunit with an ending that would make Dame Christie proud."
--USA Today

"Another nail-biter perfect for an all-nighter."
--Entertainment Weekly

"A new thriller that will give you serious Agatha Christie vibes . . . if you're one of the many people who counts [And Then There Were None] among their favorite books, you will love An Unwanted Guest. . . . A deftly crafted and expertly paced thriller that will keep readers guessing (and terrified) until the very end."
--Bustle

"This compelling and realistic modern take on the country-house mystery will gain new fans for the author and is definitely one to hand to devotees of Agatha Christie (and her modern interpreter, Sophie Hannah)."
--Booklist

"An intriguing cast, an isolated location, a raging storm and the threat of death in every dark corner: An Unwanted Guest reads like Agatha Christie with a shot of adrenalin. Clear your desk before you start it because you won't want to put it down."
--Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of I Know You Know

"Lapena has written a great whodunit, with a delicious Christie-like vibe. Fans of the author's first novel will want this, and anyone who savors a well-crafted murder mystery will gobble it up!"
--Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for A Stranger in the House:

"Lapena's A Stranger in the House will have you sleeping with the lights on for weeks."
--Bustle

"Smart and suspenseful . . . you'll never see the ending coming."
--PureWow

"So much suspense. So many twists. Good luck sleeping tonight."
--HelloGiggles

"So many dizzying twists you'd better not drive after reading!"
--Linwood Barclay, New York Times bestselling author of Parting Shot

"Smart, twisty and compulsive. Suspense and suspicion accumulate relentlessly, toying with your expectations and your emotions right up until the packs-a-punch ending. Don't miss it, and don't expect to be able to put it down."
--Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of I Know You Know

"A diverting page-turner.
--Publishers Weekly

Great suspense and lots of twists.
--The Toronto Star

Lapena keeps the well-developed twists churning, with each a surprise notch in this ever-evolving plot, and she continues this skillful storytelling until the stunning twist at the end . . . memorable.
--Associated Press

Praise for The Couple Next Door:

"Meticulously crafted and razor sharp. The Couple Next Door lingers long after you turn the final page."
--Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fool Me Once

"The twists come as fast as you can turn the pages."
--People

"Provocative and shocking. One crime, an entire neighborhood of suspects, secrets, and lies. How well do we ever know those around us? The Couple Next Door will keep you glued to the pages in search of the answer. Even then, you'll never guess the truth . . . until it's too late."
--Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Find Her

"I read this novel at one sitting, absolutely riveted by the story line. The suspense was beautifully rendered and unrelenting!"
--Sue Grafton, New York Times bestselling author of Y is for Yesterday

"Real men read women writers--because of books like this. Trust me."
--Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Make Me

"A twisty, utterly riveting tale that will send readers on a wild roller-coaster ride of emotions. Shocking revelations kept me turning the pages like a madwoman."
--Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Playing with Fire

"Expertly paced and finely crafted, The Couple Next Door is a gripping thriller of the highest order. I couldn't put it down."
--A. J. Banner, bestselling author of The Good Neighbor

"Gripped me from the very beginning to the very end!"
--Becky Masterman, author of Rage Against the Dying

"Brilliant! This utterly riveting psychological thriller hurtles along at breakneck speed, never giving you the opportunity to catch your breath. Twisty, turny, and unputdownable."
--C. L. Taylor, bestselling author of The Lie

"Exquisitely torturous tension."
--NPR.org

"Where did that baby go! It's hard not to read to the end to find out, and the twists waiting there are gratifyingly clever."
--USA Today

"The many never-saw-them-coming twists and questionable characters . . . will keep you on the edge of your seat. First-time novelist Lapena's writing is spare and tense, and it makes The Couple Next Door a compulsive read. The last line is absolutely a killer."
--Good Housekeeping

"[A] well-sculpted domestic thriller . . . highly suspenseful . . . Twists are subtly revealed with aplomb, taking the story to increasingly unpredictable levels."
--Associated Press

About the Author