Megan Collins

4.5 Stars - rounding up
First off, let's take a moment to appreciate this stunning cover! The vibrant colors are breathtaking! Now, let's dive into the premise—it's not just captivating, it's irresistible! Rosie receives a heart transplant and becomes enthralled with the widower of her donor. Is this a sweet romantic tale or a creepy delusion? Read this twisty thriller and decide for yourself!!

I wish I had read this one with a group because it's the kind of book that sparks lively show more discussions. I'm sure you'll feel the same way after reading it.

I was especially hooked by the online platform that facilitates anonymous connections between organ donors and recipients, and the exchanges between Rosie and Morgan bring an amusing twist to the narrative. Their dynamic dives deep into Rosie's thoughts and emotions and keeps you devouring the pages! It's pure gold!

Rosie discovers that her donor's widower is a local author. She becomes convinced their fates are intertwined, destined to be together through the heart she received. Things get complicated when she begins to hear rumors about Morgan. He may not be the perfect man she idolizes. Then the twists come--oh, the twists! Brace yourself for the unexpected, they come at you so fast you'll be left dizzy!

I've read all the author's works, but this one is hands down the best. That ending? It's so chilling and spot-on!

Thanks to the author and Simon & Schuster for providing this gifted ARC through NG and EW. All opinions are my own.

#CrossMyHeart #MeganCollins #NetGalley #Edelweiss #AtriaBooks #SimonSchuster show less

This book was a ton of fun. It started with some truly insufferable moments, but once I accepted the style for what it was, I found myself fully leaning in. Taylor Swift and Friends references will never win me over, but I have to admit, despite my skepticism, I enjoyed this. The swing from harmless daydreaming to full-blown obsession, the intrusive thoughts winning out, is something we all recognize. It isn’t deep, but it is universal. And honestly, It doesn’t need to be deep. show more Sometimes, a book can just be fun. The writing was sharp (minus the references), and every time I thought I figured it out, I’d get sideswiped by a new theory. As cliché as it sounds, it kept me guessing, and I couldn’t put it down. At first, Rosie was deeply unlikable, defining her entire existence through fixation on others, but by the end, she looped back to something authentic. If pop culture references aren’t your thing, this will chafe, but I couldn’t put it down. show less

I don’t do well with psychological thrillers and yet I persist - sometimes it is a god thing. Totally frustrated with the first part of the book I began to see and appreciate the brilliance of a very good writer and a well plotted story. Megan Collins had me tripping over all of my misconceptions and embarrassing me on each page. She really nailed it.

When a character imparts the words “I’d like for us to be honest with each other.” - Look out, run the other way and turn everything show more 180 degrees. Collins has done all this and more. Near perfection keeping what is coming hidden until it smacks you in the face. Really well done.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy. show less

The Family Plot by Megan Collins is a 2021 Atria Books publication.

The only way out is to never come back….

To say Dahlia Lighthouse had an unconventional childhood is a massive understatement. She and her siblings, including her twin, Andy, were homeschooled by parents obsessed with true crime. Along with geography they were taught about famous serial killers and their victims.
On Dahlia and Andy’s sixteenth birthday, Andy disappeared, leaving behind a cryptic note which implied he had show more left home… possibly for good. For years Dahlia has stuck close to home while her remaining siblings spread out, just in case Andy ever returned home.

When her father died, Dahlia and her siblings once more gather with their mother in the house they grew up in- only to make a horrifying discovery- one that answers some of their questions about Andy- but raises a plethora of other questions, about the Lighthouse family, their neighbors, local law enforcement, and the infamous the serial killer dubbed ‘The Blackburn Killer’….

It is rare that a book leaves me speechless. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. This is an odd- but imaginative thriller- certainly not what one normally encounters when reading mystery/thrillers. Despite that, I thought the story, insane as it was, was curiously addictive. I did pause to wonder if the set up was somewhat tongue in cheek due to the popularity of true crime right now- some of which is fairly extreme- as with True Crime conventions, etc. Still, the Lighthouse family takes it to an all new level of obsession.

I thought the atmosphere was very creepy, and edgy and had a tiny bit of a Gothic tone to it, as well. I’m not sure this one will work for everyone, as it is a little bit out there- but I thought was a unique and when one reads as much crime fiction as I do, that’s always a big selling point for me.

Overall, this turned out to be a surprising page turner for me. It was an easy, quick read for me- in part because it was dark, lurid, and creepy, and hypnotically engrossing. I just couldn’t bring myself to look away…

4 stars show less