The Perfect Family

By: Shalini Boland

Narrated by: Katie Villa

"Mummy, she’s gone...."

Gemma Ballantine is getting ready for work one morning when her eldest child comes running down the stairs saying the words every mother dreads.

The front door is open. And her six-year-old daughter has disappeared. Frantic with fear, Gemma starts a nail-biting search for her little girl.

After what feels like forever, her mother-in-law, Diane, finds Katie wandering lost a few streets away. Relieved to have her youngest child back in her arms, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair, Gemma thinks the nightmare is over.

But then her perfect family starts to fall apart.

And she realizes it’s only just beginning....

From the top ten best-selling author of The Secret Mother and The Child Next Door, this completely addictive psychological thriller of secrets, lies, and betrayal will make you gasp out loud at the heart-stopping final twist. If you loved Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train, and The Sister, this book is for you.

©2018 Shalini Boland (P)2018 Bookouture

Stick around for the epilogue

Strong narration, but to me the characters and storyline felt a bit flat. I might recommend it but would not read (or listen to) again.

Twists and turns

I loved this story, twists and turns, I honestly didn’t know what the endgame was until the very end, and the narration was perfect. I’ll be reading more from this author!

Perfect

The Perfect Family was really good. It kept me guessing until the very end. I listened to the entire book in two days. It usually takes me about a week and a half to finish books.The narrator was a plus.

Always a twist

Kind of expecting a twist at the end. But it’s intriguing to find what it is.

How much can you really trust the people you employ to take care of your children? How much background checking is enough?

My Thoughts

This is my 4th Shalini Boland book this month. With the exception of The School Reunion, they have all been audio books. Boland is the perfect author for an audio listen for two reasons. 1) Her books are fast-paced and engaging but also have a habit of repeating facts that have been presented already. This makes it easy to miss a few pages while listening but still be able to get the entirety of the plot and storyline. 2) she uses the same narrator for her books. Katie Villa has such a feel for the authors writing style that she is able to portray the characters perfectly as if she were them. She brings emotions and realism to the forefront, giving them each a life of their own.

I love how Boland uses situations that we can all relate to and gives them a dark twist. She brings the worst fears of womanhood to the brink of insanity without actually making the woman insane. They just seem it to everyone else. She does female character justice. They seem overprotective and overbearing when really they are the ones seeing things clearly. Women's intuition always plays a big role in all her writing, and I love that.

Gemma may not be the perfect wife, perfect mother, perfect daughter in law, but she is feirce and determined. Just wanting what is best for her family. She goes about everything she does and every choice she makes with eyes wide open. She looks at signs with an open mind and isn't afraid to say when she is wrong yet doesn't back down when she feels like she is right. She is the woman/mother I wish I was friends with. The quintessential FMC.

The story plays out over months yet still maintains the feel of a fast-paced thriller. The drama is heart rendering, breathholding, and anxiety riddled. I couldn't stop listening even though this was a reread/listen for me. Whether this is your first go through or your third, the book holds you in its grip. Nothing is predictable. It's not what you think.

Perfect for a stormy day to curl up with, coffee in hand. I definitely recommend it!