The Perfect Family

Someone bears a grudge against the Adler family, but is it against all four of them or just one? Could it be the father, Thomas, a real estate agent who has something to hide after an indiscretion at a bucks’ night? Or is it against his interior designer wife, Viv, who’s a kleptomaniac? Their son, Eli, refuses to say why he suddenly dropped out of university and his underage sister, Tarryn, is running a risky online business. Told in four personal narratives, none of them know each other’s secrets.
 
It starts out innocently enough with what seems to be childish vandalism with eggs thrown at their house under cover of darkness but soon escalates into more serious damage to their property, including fire. The police are of little help so the family are left to investigate in their own way.
 
The characters are clearly defined. Thomas and Viv are all about appearances and success and so are at odds with the less-driven Eli and Tarryn, who is an edgy, cynical teenager.
 
This is a smooth, binge-worthy read for anyone who likes a rapid-fire thriller. With each family member having something to hide that is only revealed to one another as the novel unfolds, it works well for the most part. Not everything is fully resolved and the conclusion leaves a few unanswered questions which may appeal to some readers but not those who like all the loose ends in their novels tidied up.
 
This is the first Robyn Harding book I’ve read and will definitely look out for more of her titles. Recommended as a great reading alternative when you’ve exhausted all the thrillers on television!
 
(Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the ARC.)
 
4 stars.

 
Amazon.com.au

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