The Family Tree

Written by Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry

Narrated by Stephanie Pezolano

⭐”Keeps the shocks coming right up to the climatic end…” Lisa Gardner⭐

The DNA results are back. And there’s a serial killer in her family tree…

Liz Catalano is shocked when an ancestry kit reveals she’s adopted. But she could never have imagined connecting with her unknown family would plunge her into an FBI investigation of a notorious serial killer…

The Tri-State Killer has been abducting pairs of women for forty years, leaving no clues behind – only bodies.

Can Liz figure out who the killer in her new family is? And can she save his newest victims before it’s too late?

A gripping, original thriller for fans of My Lovely Wife, Netflix’s Making a Murderer, and anyone who’s ever wondered what their family tree might be hiding…

Praise for The Family Tree:

“A very original take on the serial killer theme with plenty of jaw-dropping moments.” Alex Pine

“A fresh, inventive take on the thriller. Brilliant and deliciously dark until the very last page.” Jeneva Rose

“Pacey and compellingly creepy.” Sharon Dempsey

“This twisted and twisty thriller is sure to keep you up at night – either because you can’t stop reading, or because you’re too afraid to sleep.” Megan Collins

“A fast-paced thrill ride, with dark twists and clever plotting that had me triple-checking the locks before I could finally fall asleep” Andrea Bartz

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Jun 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9780008461263

Steph Mullin

Steph Mullin is a creative director and Nicole Mabry works in the photography department for a television network. They met as co-workers in New York City in 2012, discovering a shared passion for writing and true crime. After Steph relocated to Charlotte, NC in 2018, they continued to collaborate. Separated by five states, they spend hours scheming via FaceTime and editing in real time on Google Docs. The Family Tree is the duo’s first crime novel.

Reviews for The Family Tree

[Eedge Eeva · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Family Tree by Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry was a mad journey. It started nice and steady and for a while it felt like two completely different stories. Then they merge together and then somehow the main character becomes completely brainless. I was so mad that I already was ready to take one star away as it was just so stupid! Completely out of any logic! And some things didn't add up and it wasn't picked up by the FBI... probably the end twist made me stick to the originally planned 5 ⭐ as the plot was original, never read anything like this and minus the stupidity all together it was a good psychological thriller.
When Liz finds out she is adopted after taking a DNA test she is dedicated to finding out who her biological family is. This leads to new discovery - someone in the family is the serial killer. The question is who and how will this affect her life?

There is a good potential for the sequel.

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is definitely Chick Lit which I knew going in. Again, I liked her previous books much better. So, it could be me but just not one of my favorites.

[Reymond Martinez · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

If I could rate it 0 I would . On my death bed, I’ll regret wasting 12 hours here

[alphawoman_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I never read chick lit so once I realized what I was doing I was sucked in, damn it.a very quick read about a girl with a magical touch. anything she becomes involved with is instantly turned into gold!! her senior thesis? even before it was graded it was picked up by a fledgling FoodNetwork type channel and an instant hit! When she has to pick up the broken pieces of her life and start all over...piece of cake! Become an instant hit on Internet!!! Have another bigger network make an ever better lucrative deal!!remember that 55 gallon bourbon barrel she filled with maple syrup 10 years ago? another sensation that becomes featured in O magazine and has a plug on the Today show!!what's a girl to do with her Midas touch?why go into a coma that brings her family together. she manages to reunite her parents who have been divorced/estranged for 20 years! then gets the last laugh on her nefarious ex-husband who divorced her while she was in the coma!there was so much unrealistic b.s. in this novel I could have easily been at a Trump rally. for instance, her mother changed the "children's " name to her maiden name after the divorce. the oldest was his son....18 years of age! apparently the father (now divorced ) liked the maiden name so much he also took it!! named his diving business after his wife's maiden. trust me...makes little sense. then who gets into Harvard Law school with a pre law degree ftom the Internet? I don't care how high you score on your LSAT'and it took him 3 years to get his Dad a settlement when a faulty equipment design cost him his leg. yet when faulty equipment falls on her and puts her into a year coma her hubs has settled and stolen her money before she woken up from her deep sleep!!I could go on and on about the craziness of the plot!!I know it's only chick lit and I kinda like it.

[susan0316 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Annie Rush is the producer of a very successful cooking show starring her husband. They are in love and deliously happy. When she rushes to the set, to tell him that she's just found out she's pregnant, she finds out that their happy marriage was a sham. An accident on the set, puts her in a coma for over a year. When she goes home to Vermont to recover, she finds her life completely changed. Will the town she grew up in, her family and her high school boyfriend be able to help her heal?I have always enjoyed Susan Wiggs books and I thought that this was one of her best. This was a wonderful romance and a fantastic story of recovery from the major changes in life. I highly recommend this novel - it was a great story with real characters that the Reader can really care about.

[pennykaplan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Annie Rush has it all, a Hollywood career as a producer, a handsome husband.....until it all collapses literally on her head when a scaffolding on the set falls. Her recovery back in Vermont shows her fame and fortune is not all.

[bookchickdi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pair a terrific family story with food, and you can bet it's a book I will be reading. Susan Wiggs' Family Tree tells the tale of Annie Rush, who grew up on a family-owned maple farm in Vermont, and dreams of moving away to pursue a life making documentaries about food.Annie becomes a big success when she makes a documentary about Martin, a handsome man who owns a food truck in New York City. Her documentary becomes a viral sensation, and Annie ends up producing a hugely popular food show with Martin as the star.They have a busy, happy life in Los Angeles until a tragedy hits, and Annie ends up back in Switchback, Vermont having to start all over again. The story moves back and forth in time, as we see Annie as a teenage girl, working long hours during maple syrup season, cooking with her beloved Gran, and falling in love with a transfer student.Wiggs writes such intriguing, real characters, I felt like I knew them as friends. Annie's high school love, Fletcher, is such a great guy. He lives with his single dad, and more often than not is the adult in that family, even more so when his dad faces a traumatic event.We learn so much in this book too. Wiggs shows the reader how a maple farm works, and how whiskey is distilled (through Annie's friend's family business). I found that endlessly fascinating.The scenes set in the hospital and rehabilitation center were so well done, as we see how the daily challenges of relearning everything we take for granted can be so stressful. I love descriptions of food, and there are plenty in here to savor. Annie's rustic cheddar, apple and beer soup that she made in a high school competition had me salivating. Gran's Cabot grated cheese sandwich with spring onions, radishes and mayo on thick bread would be perfect with that. The description of the Thanksgiving feast that Annie brought to Fletcher and his dad had my stomach grumbling- "free range, organic chicken roasted in sage butter, homemade sweet potato hush puppies with sriracha ketchup, dressing with wild mushrooms and walnuts, garlic mashed potatoes and gravy, brandied cranberry compote and pumpkin pie in a maple pecan shell." Oh my goodness.Annie's story touched my heart. She is an ambitious, determined, smart woman who loves her family, and when she needed them most, they were there for her. I didn't want to put Family Tree down, and I stayed up way too late last night finishing it. I didn't want it to end, and hope that Susan Wiggs brings us more of Annie's story. If you like the television show This Is Us, then put Family Tree on your TBR list.

[livelylady · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

OK novel of cooking show producer who finds her husband with the co-host the day she finds out she is pregnant. A traumatic incident occurs and she returns home to Vermont, to her roots, and finds comfort in her "family tree." Plot kind of formulaeic. I enjoyed the description of the family's maple sugar business, whiskey making, and other food descriptions.

[jcgirl-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Annie Rush has it all, a wonderful husband and career and a great house in Los Angeles, all the things any producer of a TV show would want. Tragedy strikes and her world becomes upside down. Now living in her hometown of Switchback, Vermont she must start her life over again. I love Susan Wiggs books, and Family Tree is her best one yet. I could not put it down and read it in one sitting.

[readinggeek451 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Annie Rush is living the good life, with a husband she loves and her dream job producing their cooking show. When she has a devastating accident immediately after discovering that he is having an affair with his costar, her life is shattered in an instant. Now she must rebuild her life while reconnecting with her past, including her high school boyfriend Fletcher, now a judge. Their timing has always been bad, but now they have another chance. Can Annie overcome her fear of commitment without losing herself and her lifelong dream?A charming, heartwarming romance with very real characters.

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is my first book by Ms. Wiggs but I am sure it will not be my last. As I’ve noted, I’m stepping outside of my usual reading box these days; I have not read many family dramas. Heck – I don’t read many books that take place in the 20ieth century let alone the 21st! I think it’s good that I’m bringing my reading into the modern world.Annie grows up in a small town in Vermont where the family has a sugaring business. Her parents are divorced; her father left to pursue a dream and her mother was left to raise the children and maintain the family business. Due to this she makes sure that Annie leaves to pursue her dreams even though Annie has fallen in love. But Annie views her relationship through her mother’s experience and doesn’t trust it. She heads off to film school to follow her dreams.She meets a man and together they seem to have it all. A hit TV show, a happy marriage and Annie just learns of some more good news. As she rushes to share it disaster strikes and her world explodes. Annie ends up in a coma and is sent home to her family. It is a long recovery after she wakes up and she is not sure what she wants. She is not sure who she is! As she remembers and learns friends and family remind her of what is truly important.The book goes back and forth in time as Annie recovers and remembers. I generally don’t care for that in a book but it’s used to good effect here. In fact, I think it’s almost necessary due to the construct of the book. The characters are defined and I enjoyed their individual stories. It’s a very sweet story as one might expect from a tale circling around the making of maple syrup but it was one I enjoyed. It was a perfect book to read while sitting in the sun with a nice glass of lemonade. I thoroughly enjoyed my foray into Annie’s world even with it’s ups and downs.

[verushka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the case thoroughly, but couldnt but be disteacted by the over-exagerrated narration. Liz sounded like a 12 year old

[carla · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Yuck, yuck, yuck! The relationships in this book are completely gag worthy. The cousin’s voice is annoying, and the dialogue childish. The ambiance of the chapters between the killer and the protagonist ruins everything, there is an abundance of useless information thrown at you for no reason; other than to take up space and time. And the protagonist quest for another family when she claims hers is the best just made me dislike her. I couldn’t sympathize, because of the way she cam across! Just yuck… skip this one