"The Family Plot"---by Megan Collins--when a family obsessed with true crime gathers to bury their patriarch, horrifying secrets are exposed upon the discovery of another body in his grave in this chilling novel from the author of "Behind the Red Door" and 'The Winter Sister"

  

The Family Plot

At twenty-six, Dahlia Lighthouse has a lot to learn when it comes to the real world. Raised in a secluded island mansion deep in the woods and kept isolated by her true crime-obsessed parents, she has spent the last several years living on her own, but unable to move beyond her past—especially the disappearance of her twin brother Andy when they were sixteen.

With her father’s death, Dahlia returns to the house she has avoided for years. But as the rest of the Lighthouse family arrives for the memorial, a gruesome discovery is made: buried in the reserved plot is another body—Andy’s, his skull split open with an ax.

Each member of the family handles the revelation in unusual ways. Her brother Charlie pours his energy into creating a family memorial museum, highlighting their research into the lives of famous murder victims; her sister Tate forges ahead with her popular dioramas portraying crime scenes; and their mother affects a cheerfully domestic façade, becoming unrecognizable as the woman who performed murder reenactments for her children. As Dahlia grapples with her own grief and horror, she realizes that her eccentric family, and the mansion itself, may hold the answers to what happened to her twin.

Reviews

 

“A masterpiece of gothic suspense and horror, filled with dark family secrets and stunning twists. Not to be missed.”—Michele Campbell, internationally bestselling author of It's Always the Husband 

"Gorgeously wrought and deliciously creepy, The Family Plot is a twisted delight. Evocative prose and skillful misdirection propel the reader through the story, keeping them glued right up to the shocking conclusion. Perfect for true crime fans—and anyone looking for a gripping, vividly drawn suspense novel!" —Kathleen Barber, author of Truth Be Told and Follow Me

"The Family Plot has one of the most original, twisted, genius storylines I've ever read. Megan Collins has created an astonishing, creepy suspense about escaping the bonds and betrayals of family. It's brilliant and bone-chilling, and you won't be able to look away for a secon—Samantha M. Bailey, internationally bestselling author of Woman on the Edge

"The Family Plot is true crime meets house of horrors with incredibly twisted & fascinating characters. All the complicated family dynamics and vivid writing you expect from a Megan Collins thriller, but with a true crime twist. I could not put it down!"—Vanessa Lillie, author of Little Voices and For the Best

"A gripping thriller with a gothic edge so sharp it's practically a switchblade, Megan Collins delivers a fiendish and compulsive read in The Family Plot. As the dark, murder-obsessed world of the Lighthouse Family unravels one deadly secret at a time — and the truth draws closer with each turned page — nothing will prepare you for Collins's shocking finale. Read this book. Now." —P. J. Vernon, author of Bath Haus and When You Find Me

 

 

Megan Collins

 

 

 

Megan Collins is the author of BEHIND THE RED DOOR and THE WINTER SISTER. She has taught creative writing at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts and Central Connecticut State University, and she is the managing editor of 3Elements Review. A Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, her work has appeared in many print and online journals, including Off the Coast, Spillway, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, and Rattle. She lives in Connecticut.

https://www.megancollins.com