The most recommended books about family secrets

While not your typical cut-and-dried cold case mystery—the first half of this suspense thriller centers around the present-day case of Maddie Lane, a 12-year-old girl who is either a runaway or abducted from her bedroom—the second half is set four years in the future, and in my opinion, this is where the book really comes into its own. I found the past/present structure—no back and forth, no fancy flashbacks—refreshing, and Mofina does a fine job detailing the scrutiny Maddie’s family faces in the aftermath of her disappearance, while slowly and methodically revealing not only their secrets but their feelings of guilt.

I expected great things from this wonderful writer and was not disappointed. This was my first-ever split-time novel, and I was hesitant to pick it up because historical fiction isn’t my favorite genre. But this beautiful tale of love, duty, honor, devotion, and second chances seamlessly wove together two remarkable love stories—one present day, one Civil-War era—in a lovely, lyrical tapestry that tugged at my heartstrings. And as you can see from my list, it opened me up to other stories that use the split-time technique to tell generational stories.

Alice Hoffman’s Magic Lessons is the last in her Practical Magic series that chronicles 200 years of dark secrets that each generation of the Owens family must grapple with. We follow protagonist Maria Owens from her childhood in England to the Caribbean, Massachusetts, and finally New York, carrying her legacy with her. The complexity of mother-daughter relationships, generational wounds, family secrets, plus a good dose of witchcraft and magic holds the tension throughout not only this book, but across the entire series. Part historical fiction, part magical realism, part family saga – Hoffman shows us that, in the end, it’s really all about love. 

It has a great plot and wonderful scenery and is definitely not as ‘twisted’ as the other four on the list. Saying that I had to mention it because the writing is so beautifully descriptive, and the mystery about the "eight dresses" got me hooked until the very end.

Set in 1950s Paris and London in 2017, the novel is as gorgeous as the exquisite dresses and an absolutely worthwhile read.

This was a captivating read. Not at all what I expected.

I thought it would be paranormal, but it was that and so much more. At times my heart was beating wildly. I was drawn to the author’s spun tale. It was so different, exciting, and became a page turner I found riveting. 

I cannot believe the twists and turns. When a large inheritance is involved, it is surprising what shadows will be lurking around every corner. Who do you trust, who do you love, who will win?

I love paranormal but this was something completely different in a fierce way. The story had a purpose that kept me wondering page after page and wanting more. I look forward to reading more from Kate Alice Marshall.

Nicki's obsessive internal monologue seems to trap her somewhere between fantasy and reality.

But isn't this a truth about life in general? How much do we rationalize our desires as we navigate the world outside our heads?

Her desires keep her from seeing key aspects of her own personality. As she argues with herself in meticulous detail, so do the police who suspect her of murder. The reader must figure out to what extent Nicki is a reliable narrator, as well as whether the police's logic is sound.

What I relate to in this book is that I've sometimes learned that friends and acquaintances have really been more locked into their internal worlds than being upfront about what's true for them. There's an almost obsessive amount of detail, especially in Nicki's inner monologue as we learn increasingly more about her, but it serves the story's purpose as well as constructs… show more.

We all have secrets. If you read that sentence and thought “not me!” then that’s likely because you’ve repressed something so dark and dangerous that your psyche let you unleash it from the depths of your unconscious into your working memory.

This book looks at the myriad ways that holding onto secrets can affect our relationships and day-to-day lives through an engaging blend of personal, creative, and scientific perspectives.

Peppered with both fun tidbits of information (the average person has thirteen secrets), as well as complex, deeper insights into the science of secrets, I found this fascinating both as a general reader and more specifically as someone who writes characters who are burdened with secrets and have to construct a false reality around them.

When it comes to Constance Greene, I hardly know where to begin.

She’s certainly the oldest and most deadly character in fiction writing today. I say she’s the oldest because she’s trapped in the body of a thirty-something-year-old woman even though she was born in 1873, long story.

She appears as a supporting character in multiple novels, as the love interest of Detective Aloysius Pendergast, but she is so much more than that. She’s eloquent, brilliant, and does not succumb to emotional distress under any threat of death.

In Blue Labyrinth, eight highly trained mercenaries pursue her and none of them live to tell the tale. At her most ruthless, she can kill with any tool at her disposal and she is loyal to the man she loves.

Although White Trash Warlock has fantastic world building and a fresh, unique take on supernatural people and creatures, it was the feels in this book that did it for me. I love a wounded protagonist, and the way Adam fights to live life on his own terms while still helping the family that doesn’t support his sexuality or his magic tugs on all my heartstrings. 

Miss Austen is Cassandra, sister of the more famous Jane, who takes centre stage in this story, though Jane is there, too, as the beloved missed sister, not the novelist. The year is 1840, Jane has been dead for twenty years, Cassandra is in her sixties and though frail is on a quest to find some missing letters which may reveal secrets about Jane and Cassandra which must not be known. It’s a mystery and we want to know if Cassandra will find those letters, but it is also a touching portrait of sisterly devotion. Cassandra makes an admirable heroine, determined and resourceful despite her frailty. It also tells much about the way in which spinsters, usually ignored by society, have a rich and complex inner life.