Every family has stories — the ones they tell over holiday dinners and on road trips, the ones grandparents passed down to their littles, the ones couples who are getting serious reveal to each other. And yes, certainly, some of those stories are true. But families repeat the stories they want repeated, don’t they? It’s a way of creating a family history, a history that serves the purpose they choose. And terrifyingly, that becomes the truth. No matter what really happened, no matter what secrets are being hidden, no matter what gaspingly shocking actions actually took place, the family story can paper over the cracks and soften the rough edges. And sometimes the stories we’re told are embellished and dramatized beyond the recognition of anyone who actually knows the truth.
When I was in college, I made up a game called Familial Pursuits. (So original.) Every question was about something that happened
in my family. For instance: “Who crashed Mom’s new car into the UPS truck, and why?” My sister had her answer for that. And my mom had a completely different answer. I did, too. In fact, everyone in our family had their own solid, pure belief in what had happened that day. And they were all different. Which one was true?
And when a family has a sordid secret, or a legacy that’s venomous, or parentage that’s questionable, or actions that are dubious, sometimes the ugliest of secrets stay buried. But often, in crime fiction at least, those buried family secrets — those family histories that aren’t quite reality — can be the beating heart of a fabulous story.
In my newest novel, All This Could Be Yours, main character Tessa has been told a story about what happened to her when she was 16. She has believed it, every word of it, and it has changed her life profoundly. But was that story true? Turns out, someone is using that story to ruin her life. In my upcoming novel, Mother Daughter Sister Stranger, the entire core belief that two sisters hold about the gruesome death of their parents might have been, essentially, a fairy tale. Leaving them in the crosshairs.
The family secrets of messy families, authors know, can make for powerful storytelling. Here’s proof.
Getting Away with Murder by Shari Lapena
Trust me, you are lucky that you are not related to Jill and Ted, the greedy and manipulative husband and wife in this provocative novel. How far they would go to get what they want is no farther than the next branch on the family tree. But there’s one emotion that’s more powerful than greed — and that is guilt. You can almost hear the telltale heart beating in this one; the fear is so palpable. Can someone get away with murder? Jill and Ted are trying.
What Happened Next by Edwin Hill
Edwin Hill’s main character Charlie was only a baby when the tragedy happened. And for the next 26 years, his belief in the “what happened at the lake house” story told by his family — what was left of it — was unshakable. But when offered the possibility of making a true crime podcast of what took place back then, his investigation leads to answers that he never expected. What happens when you are a character in your own story? And what if it’s fiction?
It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell
Family secrets are even more destructive when there’s more than one family. Especially when the families have no idea they’re connected. Yes, I am being circumspect here, because the gaslighting fabulousness of Jewell’s terrific novel will have you suspicious of every moment your significant other is out of your sight. Starring one of the most villainous villains I have ever encountered!
The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. And the women of Nikesha Elise Williams’ book — a debut! And perfect for your book club — prove the power of family and resilience. They believe there’s a mysterious curse that controls their destiny, and they will only give birth to daughters. Can that be true? This epic multi-generational saga reveals that the search for one family’s truth — no matter how dangerous — can change everyone’s life.
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
She has the perfect family, right? Natalie Heller Mills, with her rich, handsome husband and her adorable children and her supremely honed housewifely skills, has her life all figured out. And it’s way better than yours; just ask her. But if there’s ever a family you don’t want to be in, it is this one. Part hilarious satire, part terrifying cautionary tale, entirely riveting. I devoured this book by Caro Claire Burke, and I cannot stop thinking about it.
The Fourth Daughter by Lyn Liao Butler
Calling all book clubs. A woman’s husband gives away their baby girl during the martial law era of Taiwan, leaving her grieving for sixty-three years. And then: she sees her? Add in family secrets and a fatal betrayal, and you wonder: How can families so deeply hurt their own relatives — and what can ever heal those wounds? A thought-provoking and heartbreaking story about family bonds, family history and impossible decisions.
Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson
The cover of Joshilyn Jackson’s novel says “Revenge. It’s all relative.” And that is absolutely true. After the death of her twin sister, Penny becomes a police officer to set the world to rights again. And to protect what’s left of her family. Good luck with that. Jackson’s emotional psychological thriller — twisty and heartbreaking — will surprise you at every turn.
Oh, so you know. My brother crashed Mom’s car, and he finally admitted it. He was just a kid, so he was pretty instantly forgiven. If only all family secrets ended that amicably.
