The Family Plot

A work of fiction for true-crime lovers

This novel has four different paths that it addresses through the main character Dahlia: the serial killer of her family's island, the death of her father, the disappearance of her brother, and coming to terms with the way she and her siblings were raised. I know it seems like a lot, but Collins does a good job of winding them all together. Dahlia's parents are true-crime obsessed (naming all their children after the victims of crimes, having the kids write reports on crimes, and having their own family rituals to honor crime victims). As the children (minus the missing Andy) grow up they learn to cope with their upbringing in different ways: Charlie has found his place as an actor, Tate makes art pieces of the victims of the island's serial killer, and Dahlia searches for her missing brother. This novel had more twists than I was expecting - about halfway through I was sure I knew what happened, but I was horribly wrong. As someone who has read a lot of true-crime, it was interesting to see how this family had taken the lore of true-crime so deeply to heart.