New Release Review: The Perfect Family by Robyn Harding
About the Book
The bestselling author of the The Swap explores what happens when a seemingly perfect family is pushed to the edge... and beyond in this “propulsive, constantly surprising” (Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here) thriller.
Thomas and Viv Adler are the envy of their neighbors: attractive, successful, with well-mannered children and a beautifully restored home.
Until one morning, when they wake up to find their porch has been pelted with eggs. It’s a prank, Thomas insists; the work of a few out-of-control kids. But when a smoke bomb is tossed on their front lawn, and their car’s tires are punctured, the family begins to worry. Surveillance cameras show nothing but grainy images of shadowy figures in hoodies. And the police dismiss the attacks, insisting they’re just the work of bored teenagers. Unable to identify the perpetrators, the Adlers are helpless as the assaults escalate into violence, and worse. And each new violation brings with it a growing fear. Because everyone in the Adler family is keeping a secret—not just from the outside world, but from each other. And secrets can be very dangerous….
This twisty, addictively page-turning suspense novel about a perfect family’s perfect façade will keep you turning pages until its explosive ending.
Review
The Perfect Family was an engaging thriller.
In the book we met the Adler family- Viv, Thomas, Eli, and Tarryn. While they might be perceived as "perfect" on the outside, their collective secrets told a very different story. They all had something to hide, and I liked that the author told the story in four alternating points of view.
In each member's POV, their secrets were revealed to the reader, but not each other.
As each secret was uncovered, the harassment and disturbances at the Adler family home continued to escalate and evolve. Harding weaved a good mystery, and I had fun trying to guess which persons wrongdoing had provoked the pranks and attacks.
Maybe one of them?
Maybe all of them?
The way it all came together and concluded was for the most part satisfying, though I felt it was missing a big dramatic "showdown" moment. The very last line had a good impact though! It gave that eerie feeling that things may not be as resolved as you may think.
All in all, I found The Perfect Family to be an entertaining, gripping read.
*TW/CW: Hazing; Assault; Drugs- dealing + addiction
**Complimentary copy for review provided by Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster Canada. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.
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About the Author
Robyn Harding is the author of numerous books, including the international bestseller, The Party, and The Swap, which was an instant #1 Globe and Mail (Toronto) and #1 Toronto Star bestseller. She has also written and executive produced an independent film. She lives in Vancouver, BC, with her family. Visit her at RobynHarding.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @RHardingWriter or Facebook @AuthorRobynHarding.
