Reviews with content warning for Car accident - Murder in the Family

Reviews tagging 'Car accident'

Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter

27 reviews

fengxin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

i adore books in an unusual formatting and this one delivered at every turn. the characterization was incredible and with a cast this wide it's a testament to the author's talent that they all managed to feel so real. i felt like i was watching an actual tv show, the way the forums and even spoiler free review articles were included made it even more so. the plot wasn't the greatest but the twists and the way they each were presented kept me absolutely hooked. i couldn't put this book down.

the way the entire team was connected in some way to the story, i was losing my mind every time a new link was revealed. mitchell being a pedophile? god that one hurt i really liked him; and laila with the "did she love you?" pissed me off so bad. she was 15, he was 21, he should be in prison. as for the big reveal, i thought it was one of the sisters but for it to be guy? i was baffled.

overall, a good book.

Content Warnings

amira22's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.75

The mixed media was interesting in the beginning, but after a while it became annoying. I found most of the twists and turn predictable. On top of that, a relationship between a 15 year old en someone who is 21, and after a couple pages thats it? No consequences?

*Note: English isn't my first language, so if there are any grammer mistakes or wrong use of words, that's why :)

Content Warnings

monicalaurette's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This story intrigued me from the first time I heard the concept, following along with a true crime show and trying to find the killer first? I love it. I also love mix media books so it was a fun little read.

Following along with the case and all its turns almost gave me whiplash and I can safely say I was not able to find out the killer before the experts did.

..but then again they learned at the same time as me so they didn't really win either

I was so sure it was one of the sisters...never suspected it wasn't them once it was all coming to a close but it made so much sense

REBECCA NO lmao

Content Warnings

infjkiki's review against another edition

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mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Content Warnings

beccaand's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

minimicropup's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

The Energy: Accusatory, dogmatic, sensationalized

The Scene: 🇬🇧 Campden Hill neighbourhood and filming studio in London, UK

The POVs: The investigators cast by the true crime streaming docuseries, the producers and staff on the show, and the family and interviewees of people connected to the featured cold case.

🎬 Tale-Telling: No chapters, everything is presented as a screenplay/transcript of the show. It was structured almost like a movie or play, since each time someone spoke, we first got their name and any expressions or body language, as if directing an actor (even when they were filming and it wasn’t the edited episode). I enjoyed the more intimate peeks via email, texts, and articles.

👥 Characters: With this story-telling method I recommend a notebook nearby (not just for the clues). We are introduced to the investogators via their photo and CV/resumes, and that’s all we get to start. And no pictures for the producers, staff, or family, even as they appear on camera. It made those characters feel half-established. I didn’t get a sense for any of the characters because they all read the same, so I needed those headlines to know who was speaking and it affected the pacing for me.

🤓 Reader Role: Audience member Googling during the ad breaks. Since we are privy to non-Googleable insider evidence like text messages and emails, we usually have slightly more information than the cast or viewers.

🗺️ Ambiance: The book mimics a show, which I usually love, but it felt awkward and stilted for me. Title screens and occasional floor plans or autopsy reports (just listing what the investigators already said) were included but it made me more frustrated than if it had been excluded. The characters were discussing things I couldn't wait to see but we never get to!

🔥 Fuel: The mystery of who killed the stepfather drives the plot, introducing twists about suspects with each new clue and new theories. As the story unfolds, the investigator drama takes over.

🚙 Journey: Adjusting to the novel’s format took a moment, but once I got used to it and remembered who was who, it was an interesting story. I gave it my undivided attention, but it ended up feeling like I was watching a TV show with volume off, closed-captions on, on the worst internet connection. It started off feeling like a real Netflix or Discovery+ show, but by the end I felt like this show would have been cancelled if it wasn’t marketed properly.

----

🐺 Growls: The screenplay format should have been a tail wag. But it failed in the visuals. The author teased us by discussing documents and images I really want to see but instead we literally got things like a basic map of Canada. It felt half-assed in terms of the documentation and photos that were prepared for readers.

🐕 Howls: I had one prediction for the killer early on and was correct. The reverse red herring strategy made it obvious, as well as the epistolary ‘hints’, and the melodramatic distraction about people connected to the case that felt contrived (though I didn’t predict that). During the story I was curious, but by the end I felt disappointed.

🐩 Tail Wags: The investigatory pace and finding clues police could miss was an engaging way to build a story without diluting the mystery with unnecessary details.

----

Mood Reading Match-Up:

Metafiction true crime meets reality TV docuseries melodrama
Whodunnit cold case puzzle, sleuthing alongside investigators
Screenplay style writing where we are watching a TV show via novel
Light themes around secrets, true crime, family dynamics, money can’t buy happiness, ambition, and conceit

Content Heads-Up: Suicide (implied; off page). Murder. Violence (bludgeoning). Adult/minor relationship (recalled; off page). Theft (identity, money). Car accident (hit and run; brief recall, off page). Infidelity (recall, off page).

Rep: Heterosexual relationships. Black and White Brits and Americans. Cisgender.

👀 Format: Kindle

“Reviews are my musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶 refined by my AI bookworm bestie ✨”

Content Warnings

judassilver's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

hematthews's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

mikaiten's review

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

Content Warnings

brandilovesbooks's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

If I was rating Murder in the Family based on the mystery. It would be 4 stars. A reality TV series delving into the 20-year-old case of who killed Luke Ryder. The producer of the show is the murder victim's step‐ son who'd been 10 at the time of the murder. The panel of experts brought in to dig into the case include a reporter, a retired NYPD police officer, a retired Metropolitan Police member, a criminal attorney, a crime scene investigator, and a forensic psychologist. There are tons of plot twists. The ending was unexpected.

The reason I only rated it 3 stars was the unconventional format. Murder in the Family does not read like a normal story. Each "chapter" is a transcription of a broadcast of the show "Infamous- Who Killed Luke Ryder?" There are also e-mails between people involved on the show, voice-mail message transcriptions, screenshots of a reddit group discussing each episode, and text messages.

I read books for all of the stuff that goes on between the dialogue. For the point of view that allows insight into thoughts, feelings, observations, and memories. This book didn't have that. You were forced to read between the lines. Cara Hunter did a great job with this chosen format, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

Recommended for people who like true crime and people who don't mind the unconventional format.

My content warnings include - cursing, murder, and graphic detail of the body.

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