The Family Bones

By: Elle Marr

Narrated by: Jesse Vilinsky, Sura Siu, Jennifer Jill Araya, Arnell Powell

Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

What makes a psychopath? A young woman delves into her family’s shadowy legacy in a terrifying novel by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of Strangers We Know.

Psychology student Olivia Eriksen’s family is notorious among true-crime buffs. Faced with a legacy of psychopathy that spans generations, Olivia has spent much of her academic life trying to answer one chilling question: Nature or nurture?

Although she’s kept a safe distance from her blood relatives for years, Olivia agrees to attend a weekend reunion. After all, her fiancé is eager to meet his future in-laws, and the gathering may give her a chance to interview her elusive grandfather about the family traits.

But nothing is ever peaceful among the Eriksens for long. Olivia’s favorite cousin is found dead in a nearby lake. Then another family member disappears. As a violent storm isolates the group further, Olivia’s fears rise faster than the river.

And an uninvited guest is about to join the party. True-crime podcaster Birdie Tan has uncovered a disturbing mystery in her latest investigation—and she’s following it right to the Eriksens’ mountain resort. There’s a deadly twist in the family plot that even Olivia doesn’t see coming.

©2023 Elle Marr (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved

Critic reviews

“Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky, Sura Siu, Jennifer Jill Araya, and Arnell Powell, the full-cast recording is perfect for this fast-paced, time-hopping novel. Some may guess the surprise ending, but even so, Marr's (Strangers We Know) latest will keep listeners engrossed until the end. Highly recommended for fans of Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, and Gillian Flynn.”—Library Journal

“Marr expertly builds tension by alternating between the two narratives, which eventually merge and build to an explosive conclusion. Readers will be captivated from the very first page.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“With a fresh take on the locked-room mystery, Elle Marr weaves a perilous and pulse-pounding tale of nature versus nurture. The Family Bones is a clever, wild, riveting ride that amps up the tension until I couldn’t flip the page fast enough. The interconnected threads, subtle clues, and jaw-dropping twists lead to a whopper of an ending.”—Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge and Watch Out for Her

Okay

This story was a bit long and drawn out. Lots of characters to keep up with. Okay as a free listen.

Unrealistic mental health issues

This could have been a decent book but this was overkill. Yes there is a genetic component but what really hurt it was Olivia. Not only her betrayal to Howard but to the reader. That at least could have been a redemption.

Narrators did well with what they had.

Interesting at first, but…

Interesting at first, but way too drawn out with too many twists. Olivia was not a believable character, which was quite problematic to the the whole plot. It might make an I wonder interesting movie if a few of the characters are completely left out and others are more developed.

Lots of characters to follow

This is a fascinating story with many parts contributing to the overall story. It felt disjointed at times and a little hard to follow. Tough to keep track of all the confusing characters, especially in audio format. In the end it was overall enjoyable and had unexpected twists and turns making it a pretty great listen. Great narration.

Kept Me on My Toes

Loved the plot twists and psychological surprises. Also appreciated multiple narrators. A chilling read and marvelous distraction.

Wow - Loved this book. Excellent writing.

Twist and turns, interesting characters, and fast pace. Yes, please! I've really enjoyed Elle Marr's other books, so I was excited to pick this one up and listen. The nature vs. nurture aspect to psychopathy really intrigued me and the audiobook didn't disappoint. I loved the narration from different character's points of view, it really helped to keep the book's pace fun and dynamic. No spoilers here, but this book kept me guessing and I loved the twist in the end. Pick this up. It's definitely worth a listen.

Genuinely unexpected

I was enthralled by this tale of a dangerous family full of secrets deciding to have a reunion - for reasons fully and plausibly explained. I wish there had been more about Albert, but oh well - it definitely wasn’t needed, I just would have liked it. I started to see the final twist, but not until quite late, and it was handled perfectly. I’ll be looking for more by this author.

lots of twists and turns

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I listened to it all in one sitting.

#abrknpoet reviews The Family Bones

THE FAMILY BONES by ELLE MARR is a spine-tingling and intriguing thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The plot revolves around two women trying to uncover the truth about deadly family secrets amid an increasingly eerie setting. The atmosphere of the remote mountain resort where the highly-deranged Eriksen family has gathered for a reunion is chilling and adds to the suspense of the story.

The book is well-written with interconnected threads, subtle clues, and jaw-dropping twists that lead to a whopper of an ending. The characters are well-developed and the pacing is just right to keep you engaged throughout.

Overall, THE FAMILY BONES by ELLE MARR is a must-read for fans of thrillers and true crime. It’s an unsettling and interesting piece of work that will leave you thoroughly satisfied.


@stuartbrknjohns Twitter/Goodreads Author

Ok for free

This was an ok story. Felt like the writer took a short story and forced it to go longer. I don’t know if I would have liked it if I read it myself but the one person reading as the podcaster, her voice sounded like the automated voice when you call a business! I finished but had a really hard time listening to her.