The Perfect Family

By Robyn Harding

In The Perfect Family—which has received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Booklist—#1 bestselling author Robyn Harding explores what happens when a seemingly perfect family is pushed to the edge...and beyond.

Thomas and Viv Adler have a picture-perfect family. Affluent and attractive, with two well-mannered kids almost out of the nest, they live in a beautifully restored Craftsman house in a well-to-do neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. Their jobs are secure; their children are thriving; the world is their oyster.

Until one morning, when they wake up to find that their house and car have been pelted with eggs. Thomas dismisses it as the work of a few out-of-control kids, but when a smoke bomb is tossed on their front lawn, and the tires on their BMW are punctured, he begins to worry. The family installs surveillance cameras but they show nothing but grainy images of shadowy figures in hoodies. Unable to identify the perpetrators, they are helpless as the assaults escalate. The police assure them that this is just the work of bored teenagers. But no one in the Adler family believes it. After all, each of them has a secret—kept not only from the outside world but from each other.

Seventeen-year-old Tarryn is dabbling in a seedy online world; her older brother, Eli, has dropped out of college and refuses to tell his parents why; and Thomas and Viv have their own secrets that began as harmless fun and relief from the pressures of everyday life, but have grown into something darker and more dangerous. As the Adlers grapple with their guilt, fear, and shame, the assaults grow deadly. Their “perfect” façade is crumbling, and it may be too late for any of them to do anything about it in this addictive and twisty suspense novel that will keep you turning pages until its explosive ending.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Release date: Aug 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781982176884

Robyn Harding

Robyn Harding is the author of numerous international bestsellers, including The Party, The Arrangement and The Drowning Woman. She has also written and executive produced an independent film. She lives in Vancouver, BC, with her family and two cute but deadly rescue chihuahuas. Visit her at RobynHarding.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @RHardingWriter or Facebook @AuthorRobynHarding.

Reviews for The Perfect Family

[rayski_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A who done-it mystery that really is more about how the family that had everything, that seemed perfect to the outsider’s eye was really self destructive. Although there is a legal guilty party to the crime, the real culprit is the family who lives in their expected roles and never really communicates with each other or even really know each other.

[dinosaursayrawr_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pretty predictable but still an enjoyable, quick read.

[maryintexas39 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was very engaging and pulled me in right from the start. What I didn't like about it was I knew the outcome of the mystery right from the beginning of the book. Maybe the story wasn't meant to be a true mystery? A good read. I would recommend it.

[lissarbry · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I felt that the book was very predictable. I had figured out the entire plot and how the book would end by about the third chapter. Although the book changed narrators often, that was not enough to bring enough depth to the book. I also didn't feel like the author gave enough background information on Pony so there was a disconnect with her character, especially since she died so early in the book. I also felt like the author could not decide if she wanted William to be a good guy or bad guy when she was writing the book so it is hard to get a good read on that character as well. I did like how the author wrote the family as a not so perfect, perfect family. The family ties were tight yet there were total misconceptions by family members which you find so often in families. Overall, the book is an easy read and not too bad as long as you are not expecting too much from it. Although predictable, the book was just interesting enough to hold my interest until the end.

[ddirmeyer_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoy books where the characters are not perfect - yet they have some redeeming qualities. This book is masterful at that. Lewis takes what to most people would seem to be the perfect family - rich, old-money, beautiful - as exposes the secrets that show their numerous flaws. And secrets is a key component of this novel. Family secrets held for many years finally find their way to the surface with devastating results. Along the way we search along with the the characters for the answer to the age-old question of what exactly makes a family. This book was engaging to the last page.

[tinkerbellkk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found this to be a very quick read. It kept me engaged and wanting to know what was going to happen next. This family had a lot of secrets and they weren't very happy. But as a set of circumstances escalated and spiralled out of control they had to fess up and come to grips with their truth. Recommended for an entertaining read.

[dwcofer_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“The Perfect Family,” by Robyn Harding is hands down, the absolutely best thriller I have ever read. I read a lot of books and a lot of thrillers, and this one is second to none. I rarely give a 5-Star rating, but this book absolutely deserves it.Robyn Harding did a magnificent job keeping on the edge of my seat while reading. I did not ever once want to put the book down. It was fantastic.The story is of a family of four, Viv, her husband Thomas, son Eli, and daughter Tarryn. On the outside, the family looks picture perfect. Clean, neat, not even streaks on the windows. But inside, it’s a different story. Every character has their secret. I won’t reveal them here, but you will discover them soon enough. Each of their secrets ends up having devastating consequences.The author’s voice is great and easy to read. The chapters alternate from each character’s point of view and most end on a cliff hanger that made me want to skip ahead to the next chapter from that character’s POV. The characters are well developed. Overall, this is a well written book that will keep you engaged from page one. The ending was especially good. It certainly leaves open the possibility for a sequel, which I hope Harding writes. You can’t go wrong with this book. I will be checking out other books by Harding and hope they are just as good.

[kulmona · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Adlers : "Viv" and Thomas. Their children, Eli and Tarryn. Their life was perfect. They were perfect. They were envied by their neighbors who yearned to have what they had. If only they knew the truth behind the veneer. They would be grateful they didn't.There have been a few incidents. They seem to be benign acts of vandalism. Nuisances. Until... they escalate. But, who is responsible? And, exactly who are they targeting and why? Because all of the Adlers have secrets. From the public. From each other. Short chapters alternate between the perspective of each Adler, providing an in-depth look into their character. The voices, especially of the children, ring true. The dialogue and tone being typical of the age group. I have loved all of Hardings' books. Her topics are compelling and contemporary. Always page-turners that hook the reader from the first page to the last. Always with jaw-dropping twists. I enjoyed this one too. However, the ending left me with some unanswered questions.

[lorikboyd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

We all have a family in our neighborhood that seems perfect. Great couple, nice kids, they have it all together. But, in reality, no family is perfect and we never truly know what’s going on behind closed doors. The Adler Family is that family….Dad Thomas is a successful realtor. Mom Viv is a starting her t design business and stages houses. Eli is a college athlete, home for the summer and refusing to go back but will not say why. Tarryn is a sullen teenager, delving into the darker side of the internet. One summer night, eggs get tossed at the house and things escalate from there till the ending when things really come to a head. Told in each of the four voices, the chapters are short making this a fast read. Plus so much is happening in each chapter with the character, that you will not be able to put it down. I’m a fan of Ms. Harding’s previous books, especially The Party. I love her writing and her twists and turns, she seems to have her finger on the pulse of current issues facing families today. I must admit I am not a fan of ambiguous endings, I like an ending to end. I recommend this book, and would love to hear what others think of the ending. I can’t wait for Ms. Harding’s next book. Thanks to Ms. Harding, Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

[nikkicolee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book! I loved the characters, each and every one of them. I loved the way the chapters alternated between each of them and I loved the way each chapter ending left me hanging for more. I was so invested in this story and I’m sad it’s over! It would be amazing if there was a sequel coming!! Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[bookanonjeff · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"So Many Secrets. So Many Lies. And So Much Anger." Yes, the title of this review is a direct quote from the book. Yes, it is during the final 10%, when everything is being revealed and wrapped up. And yet you still have no idea what it actually refers to. ;) But that particular line really does sum the book up in and of itself. This is a four person family consisting of mom and dad who have been married for over 20 years, 20 yo college dropout son, and 17yo high school junior daughter - and *every single one of them* are keeping secrets from all the others and actively lying to both the other people and themselves. Harding does a tremendous job of showing flawed, nuanced characters just trying to do what they think is right with limited information... sometimes with tragic results. No one comes out looking squeaky clean, and yet no one comes out looking overly monstrous either. Great job of showing just how murky real life often is. Very much recommended.

[squirrelhead_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Adler family appears to have it all. A perfect family living in a beautiful home in a great neighborhood. Thomas is a successful real estate agent and his wife Viv has a successful business staging homes for sale by decorating. Their son Eli appears to be on the right track - he is an athletic soccer goalie at a prestigious college. Tarryn is a surly teenager. All four of them have a secrets which I can't reveal without spoilers. This is important to know because their home is the target of nightly attacks such as egg throwing, feces smeared on a porch hand rail, tires slashed and more. Who is behind this escalating vandalism and why would their family be targeted?Thomas, Viv, Eli and Tarryn begin to wonder if the attacks are a result of their secrets and the situations they are dealing with. I can say Thomas is being blackmailed and Eli was warned off by his soccer mates about a repulsive incident at college. That's not a spoiler.I was quite surprised by one of the culprits and found this to be an enjoyable quick read. This is my first experinence with the author Robyn Harding and I think I will keep her on my radar for her previous books.Publication date August 10, 2021 by Gallery Books. Genre: Mystery, Thrillers.Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

[porte01 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Run, don’t walk, to grab a copy of this perfect gem of a book! I picked up ,“The Perfect Family”one bleak and snowy afternoon and literally did not put it down until it was finished. Cocooned on the couch with my furry blanket, I consumed cup after cup of hot tea and gobbled up this book, losing myself completely to the intricate ever-widening pools of character and plot - swirling eddies that seemed to come out of nowhere, impossible to escape.The story involves a suburban family - mother, father, teenage daughter and collegial son - each of whom, we learn, is desperately working to hide deeply personal ugly and shameful secrets. The story unfolds alternately from each of the family members POV, with each character detailed and defined within their own beautifully drawn, self-contained world.As the story unfolds, we learn that someone has a grudge, a vendetta against the family, revealing itself as incidents that could be initially classified as vandalism escalate with ominous inevitability, drawing us before we know it into a world of creepy-crawly terror.4.5 “read this on the edge of your seat” stars.Watch facades tumble, carefully constructed high-gloss lives tarnish and curl as the author, almost gleefully, repeatedly topples the illusion of perfection and has us questioning everything we read. Right up until the terrific ending, which, no spoilers here, had me chuckling out loud.I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries, character-driven suspense, and twisty-turny (somewhat mischievous) plots.A big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, and the author for an advance review copy of this book. All thoughts presented here are my own.