Nothing in this world is more enticing than mystery. Be it the mystery of a movie, book, or a person’s past, we love a little bit of mystery and figuring or guessing things on our own. In this article we are going to read about the best mystery novels with dark family secrets – perhaps happy and normal at the beginning but as soon as the truth and past start revealing, you cannot leave the book without completing it.
Best Mystery Novels with Dark Family Secrets:
My Sister, The Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite
This is a very wild and clever novel focused on two sisters named Korede and Ayoola, one of them is a very indignant, yearning enabler, and the other one is a successive killer. Ayoola is possibly is a sociopath as for the third time in a row, she has wounded her boyfriend to death, allegedly in self-defense.
The Family Plot – Megan Collins
Even though Dahlia Lighthouse is 26, she has a lot to learn about the real world. She was raised in a secluded island deep in the woods and kept away from her crime-obsessed guardians – she has spent a lot of her life alone but was unable to move on from the past which involves the vanishing of Andy, her twin brother when they were only 16. When her father died Dahlia came back to the place she has been avoiding for years, and with the gathering of the family they discovered something more gruesome – Andy’s death.
The Turnout – Megan Abbott
Megan Abbott’s book follows the tale of two sisters named Dara and Marie, entirely devoured in ballet, who run the triumphant Durant School of Dance, which they inherited from their rigorous mother named Madame Durant. After the demise of their father, the sisters remained in the family house along with Charlie, Dara’s young husband. Marie soon became frustrated with their claustrophobic life and moved out to a place where their mother once spent time and accidentally lit Studio B on fire. They hired Derek to repair the damage and the story took a turn.
Murder in Old Bombay – Nev March
1892, Bombay is the primary spot of British India. Captain Jim Agnihotri comes across this case where two women fell from a busy university’s clock tower in daylight. Adi, the widower of one of the two victims is certain that his sister and wife did not commit suicide. Jim reaches out to this Parsee family and takes this investigation to find out what has happened that day.
The Talented Ribkins – Ladee Hubbard
Johnny Ribkins, at the age of 72 has problems that he is not supposed to have – he has only 7 days left to come up with the money that he stole from his mobster boss. What perhaps be beneficial or perhaps not be that benefit is that he is from an African-American family that has been gifted with extremely odd superpowers. As Johnny’s father is capable of seeing colors that no one else could see, his cousin could belch fire, and for Johnny, he has the power of making precise maps of any space no matter he has been there or not.
Mexican Gothic – Silvia Moreno-Garcia
This gothic horror novel published in 2020 by Canadian author Silvia Garcia has an excellent take on colonialism. It also includes themes and concepts of Mexican folklore with aspects of sacrifice, decay, rebirth, and more. What will certainly hold the reader’s attention despite containing horror and violence is the family curse and suspense covering the peculiar characters.
Home Before Dark – Riley Sager
This book by Sager alternates Stories from Maggie’s edgy homecoming at Baneberry Hall, an enormous mansion in the Vermont woods, and chapters from her father’s book, so it is two stories seen in a single book. It is the tale of a house that has secrets long covered in past and it focuses on the woman’s quest to uncover those secrets.
The Majesties – Tiffany Tsao
Gwendolyn and Estella have always remained as close as sisters. Growing up in a well-known, wealthy, and often dishonest family, they have always relied on each other for confidence and support. But now Gwendolyn is in a coma. With the struggle of regaining consciousness Gwendolyn, both the sisters go through things that change their life.
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