The Perfect Family
By Robyn Harding
Gallery Books, 9781982169398, August 10, 2021, 352pp.
The Short of It:
An addictive read that you will read straight through.
The Rest of It:
Thomas and Viv Adler have a beautiful home. Manicured lawns and beautiful interiors. On the whole, a perfect family. It’s a comfortable way to live with their two nearly adult children, but then one morning they wake to their house being egged by pranksters.
But what starts off a juvenile prank quickly becomes something else. Tires are slashed and their home is set on fire. Security cameras show dark figures in hoodies. Why would someone target them? Why won’t it stop?
As Thomas and Viv begin to evaluate recent events of their own, ones which might cause someone to act out, they each keep their thoughts to themselves while turning to their son and daughter for answers. Could something have happened at school? Could they have enemies of their own? Their son returned from college, adamant that he is not going back. Could that have something to do with it?
I don’t know if there is an actual term for this type of fiction but I call it Domestic Suspense. I am obsessed with suburbia anything. I live in a suburb that is literally referred to as Awesometown and when the cracks appear in the facades we so carefully put up around us, things get real, fast. That is how this story is. This family is far from perfect. Everyone has a secret and as things escalate, I found myself returning to my Kindle over and over again to find out what happens next.
Each member of this family has a story to tell and it all comes together in a very satisfying way. This is THE perfect summer book. Toss it in your beach bag, be done with it by the afternoon. It will have you flipping through the pages and ignoring everything around you. Plus, as a suburban mom, I get nervous regularly about things going on in the neighborhood and Harding really zeros in on that subtle paranoia that surfaces when things at home are a little off. Ask me about the lady who keeps letting her pup use my lawn as her toilet.
I am a Harding fan. I find that she really nails the family dynamic, especially when it comes to teens or young adults. The Perfect Family will be on my fave list for the year.
The Perfect Family comes out tomorrow, August 10, 2021. Order yourself a copy.
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.
Book Chatter 
I’m sorry you feel nervous in your suburban life. And that woman! Isn’t it against the law to let one’s dog do that??
The book does sound edge-of-your-seat!
There’s something off with this woman and her dog. I have talked to her directly about it, even. It’s not against the law, apparently. I have my own dog and it just seems so weird to me that an owner would not take responsibility for their furry family member.
In the early days of the shutdown I felt like Mrs. Kravitz from Bewitched, always checking out the window. I probably dated myself with that reference.
I think I have this but I was thrill overload and too much suburban drama but, you make this sound so good. I’m sure I will read it before long LOL
We live in a large condo complex with beautifully manicured lawns and walkways and a strict “pick up after your dog rules or face fines yet, we notice now and then others who don’t live here walk their dogs through the complex and don’t pick up – so disgusting and disrespectful.
This dog poop issue was never a problem before the shutdown. But then again, no one was walking their dogs like they are now. These people, I’ve addressed them directly and they look at me like I am nuts. I put up a sign that I bought and now many other neighbors have signs too so these people are serial poopers. LOL. RUDE~
This sounds like such a good read, but I hadn’t heard of it. Thanks for the review!
Wow, this sounds like a suspenseful read.