The downside? Since there are only so many characters to choose from...I felt I could eliminate the 'obvious' suspects at about 60-70%. I had a very interesting ending in mind that I was hoping would somehow be accurate (and provide me with the crazy twisted ending I was looking for) but it didn't come to pass. Although, the book is a tad lengthy, I felt the story was continuously driven forward. I was anxious to see who the killer was and everyone seemed to have a past that couldn’t be overlooked. The family is nervous, anxious, untrusting. I don't believe any of them! They are all liars, maybe psychopaths too.

This was my first novel by Lapena and I own The Couple Next Door so I am excited for that to be my next read by this author! And their vindictive, extremely irritating auntie Audrey knows their secret, already pissed off to be excluded from half share of the wealth, smelling blood, coming after them. She thinks one of them killed her brother. Is she right?The cast played several different characters throughout the series with many recurring roles for the main cast including Milton Johns, Annette Badland and Elizabeth Estensen.

I loved how the lead detective thought everyone he interviewed was the killer. There is a lot of scrambling, a lot of lies, a lot of secrets, a lot of trying to protect others while protecting oneself. There are a lot of liars with their pants on fire in this book. Not all that glitters is gold. Sometimes those who look like they have it all don't have much in terms of common decency. Also the big family secret as to why her grandfather Ah Goong and father TC Li haven't spoken to each other in thirty years.Happy Families is a gentle family drama about three generations of a slightly dysfunctional Chinese family living in the small town of Cawsmenyn in Wales and the family run takeaway they own. The story opens with thirty-four-year-old Amy Li having returned from Cardiff to work in the takeaway and live in the flat upstairs with her grandfather, Ah Goong. Exactly why Amy has returned is not discussed but it’s clear that it’s a sensitive subject and one of several that are off limits within the family, although the declining health of Amy’s beloved grandfather is about to change all that. Until Amy’s recent return, her parents, Joan and TC, lived together with Joan’s father, Ah Goong, making the frosty silence between the two men that has lasted thirty years insane and left Joan acting as a go-between. When Ah Goong collapses in town it is a wake up call for the entire family and his health scare leaves Amy determined to uncover the source of the animosity and finally get both men to bury the hatchet. Amy’s older brother, Ray, is none the wiser on the source of tension and their mother is tight-lipped, but the return of her mother’s best-friend, Elaine, and a new supply teacher’s town history project starts to uncover a few home truths. The Mertons, a wealthy couple from upstate New York, are brutally murdered in their palatial home after hosting a contentious family Easter dinner. In The Secrets of Happy Families , New York Times bestselling author Bruce Feiler has drawn up a blueprint for modern families — a new approach to family dynamics, inspired by cutting-edge techniques gathered from experts in the disciplines of science, business, sports, and the military. Yes! Unfortunately knives are not out! Because the poor caretaker Irena already washed away the murder weapon, cleaning the traces of blood and fingertips of the murderer. She has good intentions. She literally raised those kids and she truly knows how they suffered from controlling monster a.k.a real psychopath father of the year with a big ugly secret.

Now everyone in the family is a suspect. They all had a motive. Most of them had an opportunity. Who done it? Mr Biff and Mr Bop are boxers and deadly rivals too. Mr Bop is fit and lean and Mr Biff . . . Well, Mr Biff likes a cream cake or two. Will he ever be able to toughen up in time for the annual charity match. Gulp!Described as ‘refreshing and original, perfect for fans of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Rosie Project and Gavin & Stacey' Julie Ma has written a novel set in a place you never really read about in fiction, a Chinese take-away. Julie Ma has had various careers since qualifying from Aberyswyth University before she finally ‘took up the helm at the family takeaway.’ This was her inspiration for Happy Families.

Master Money is a very rich little boy indeed. When he's only four years old, he finds buried treasure in his garden. When he's five, he finds buried treasure in the sandpit at school. And, at six, he finds buried treasure on the beach. But then Mister Creep the Crook finds him ... Going for a story where the focus is family, you'd expect it to end up somewhere with the reader realising the importance of family and acceptance etc, but that mark is missed by a long shot. When the family comes together for this particular Easter dinner, things get especially uncomfortable. Now available from Pamela Dorman Books. I thank my local library for providing me with a copy through the drive-up window. 🤣 The next audio collection from Allan Ahlberg stars more of his best loved characters, including Master Salt the Sailor's Son, Ms Cliff the Climber and Mrs Plug the Plumber.Mrs Vole the vet has one son, three daughters, three cats, four dogs and no husband. She works day and night curing rabbits and leopards and hamsters and elephants and every animal in between. But her children think she deserves some attention too, so they decide to help her find a boyfriend . Based on the classic 'Happy Families' card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg. 'The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' Children's Rights Workshop. Why Amy has left her job, and why Ah Goong and Amy's father TC Li haven't spoken to each other in 30 years, are two of the main secrets the story centres around. But are those kids only the ones to inherit the will, or are there other people who could be suspect of this killings? The book was written in third person and it followed too many perspectives. I think all of the characters got their POV at some point. I didn't really care about any of them, as they had no real depth or redeeming features to make them come alive.