How Does Not A Happy Family Compare To Shari Lapena’S Earlier Novels?

I found the red herrings in this one to be particularly obvious. One character's secret felt planted just to distract, and it was easy to dismiss. In 'An Unwanted Guest', the red herrings felt more organic to the situation. Here, some plot threads seemed designed solely to mislead the reader, not to arise naturally from the characters' personalities. That made the mystery feel a bit more manufactured than some of her others, which slightly took me out of the story.

The marketing compared it to 'Knives Out,' and I see it, but only on a surface level—rich, terrible family, patriarch murdered. Lapena's version is much more a straight-ahead, contemporary domestic thriller without the quirky humor. If you're hoping for a Benoit Blanc-type character, you won't find him here. The detectives are fairly standard procedural figures.

Flip it! Read 'Not a Happy Family' first since you're excited for it, then go back to her debut. You'll see how her writing tightened up. Her early books have a more straightforward, almost procedural feel sometimes, while the later ones like 'Not a Happy Family' have more layered character suspicion. Going backwards lets you see the foundation she built upon. It's a cool study in how a popular thriller author hones their craft book over book, and you end on the one that started it all, 'The Couple Next Door,' which is still a solid read.

Shari Lapena has become one of my favorite thriller authors over the years—her books just suck me in! From what I've gathered, she's written around seven novels so far. Her debut, 'The Couple Next Door,' was a total page-turner, and she’s kept that momentum going with hits like 'A Stranger in the House' and 'The End of Her.' I love how she crafts these tight, suspenseful plots that make it impossible to put the book down. Her latest, 'Everyone Here Is Lying,' just came out last year, and I’ve already seen it popping up in book clubs everywhere. If you’re into psychological thrillers with twists that hit you like a freight train, her work is a must-read. What’s cool about Lapena is how consistent she is—every book delivers that same addictive quality. I’ve noticed her stories often revolve around ordinary people caught in extraordinary, terrifying situations, which makes them super relatable. She doesn’t overload her writing with unnecessary fluff, either; it’s all about the pacing and the 'oh no they didn’t' moments. I’d definitely recommend starting with 'The Couple Next Door' if you’re new to her work. It’s wild how she manages to keep each book fresh while staying true to her signature style.

The buzz around Shari Lapena’s next project has been swirling in bookish circles lately! I’ve been scouring her social media and interviews for crumbs, but she’s kept things pretty tight-lipped. Her last release, 'Everyone Here Is Lying,' was such a gripping ride—I tore through it in one weekend. Given her usual two-year gap between novels, a 2024 release seems plausible. Maybe she’s polishing up another suburban thriller with that signature twisty flair? Fingers crossed for an announcement soon—her books are my go-to for vacation reads. What’s wild is how her pacing reminds me of early Ruth Ware or Lisa Jewell, but with this unique, almost clinical dissection of domestic chaos. If she is working on something, I hope it leans into that eerie 'neighbors hiding secrets' vibe she nails so well. Until then, I’ll just rewatch her book tour Q&As and speculate endlessly.

My main criticism is that some of the supporting characters feel a bit thin, like plot devices to move the mystery along. The detective, for instance, is pretty generic. But since the core family is so vividly drawn, it's a forgivable flaw.

I love hunting for deals on books, especially thrillers like Shari Lapena's! For budget-friendly options, I always check out secondhand bookstores first—places like ThriftBooks or AbeBooks often have her paperbacks for under $5. Online marketplaces like eBay or Facebook Marketplace are goldmines too; I snagged 'The Couple Next Door' for $3 last month from a local seller clearing their shelf. Don’t overlook library sales or used-book apps like PangoBooks either. Libraries sometimes sell donated copies for pennies, and indie sellers on apps price competitively. If you’re okay with digital, Kindle deals or subscription services like Everand (formerly Scribd) often discount her ebooks. Patience pays off—I track prices with CamelCamelCamel for Amazon drops.

They're just better plotted. Sorry, not sorry! The early books are charming character studies, but they can feel a bit aimless, like life. The thrillers are meticulously constructed puzzles. Every character, every subplot, every thrown-away line in chapter three pays off by the end. It's immensely satisfying. You can tell she's become a master architect of plot, whereas before she was more of a delightful chronicler of character. The thrillers give you both—the deep characters AND the ingenious, watertight plot. That's a hard combo to beat.