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The truth is, they're all so much better off now that their parents have been murdered.

The Mertons gather for Easter dinner, and it's a dreadful experience for almost everyone involved. The only one having fun is patriarch Fred Merton, who particularly enjoys bullying every member of his family, including his wife and his three grown children. So when Fred and his wife are gruesomely murdered later that night, no one is really surprised. Any of his children would gladly have done it, or was it someone else altogether who hates their father even more?

This story had me hooked from the very first page. I love Lapena's writing style here, which is sparse and to the point. It doesn't contain any unnecessary fluff or overwrought musings, so it jives well with the genre, enabling the action to take the front seat. Every page contains some crucial new development, so I always feel compelled to read just a few more pages.

The characters are unlikable but relatable. After all, who hasn't occasionally indulged in a bit of fantasy wishing an irksome relative would just go away. (No one? Oh, how awkward.) The contradiction between their complicated emotions—happiness that their father is out of their lives, shock that one of their siblings might be a murderer, and frightened of what the police would find out—creates this tension in the story that is both uncomfortable and entertaining.

The mystery proceeds like a whodunnit, with clues slowly uncovered and red herrings galore. If you've read mysteries before, the big reveal at the end probably won't shock you. For me, though, the highlight is all the little twists and turns leading up to it. They were so deliciously fun, and kept the pacing taut and brisk. Just when I think I've got it all figured out, a new surprise has me reconsidering everything.

I've read quite a few Shari Lapena books now, and I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with them. I think I've finally figured out that I adore her mysteries (someone is killed and there are multiple suspects), while I don't like her domestic thrillers (husband or wife could be lying, so are they or aren't they). This mystery definitely goes onto my list of favorites from her.

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See also, my thoughts on:
Someone We Know
Everyone Here Is Lying
The Couple Next Door
An Unwanted Guest
The End of Her
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