Elle Marr is the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of “Strangers We Know,” “Lies We Bury,” and “The Missing Sister.” Originally from Sacramento, Elle graduated from UC San Diego before moving to France, where she earned a master’s degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris. She now writes and lives in Oregon with her family. In her new book “The Family Bones,” a young woman digs into her family’s shadowy legacy. (Amazon, 2023)

“The Family Bones” – Psychology student Olivia Eriksen’s family is notorious among true-crime buffs. Faced with a legacy of psychopathy that spans generations, Olivia has spent much of her academic life trying to answer one chilling question: Nature or nurture? The story begins with a brief news article about the chaotic events that took place at her family reunion. From there, it goes back two weeks with Olivia going through the 1945 trial recordings of her great uncle Calder Saffron Eriksen, who was charged with patricide, for her psychology dissertation. When she gets home she discovers the invitation to the Eriksen Family Reunion. Although she has kept a safe distance from her blood relatives for years, Olivia agrees to attend a weekend reunion. After all, her fiancé is eager to meet his future in-laws and the gathering may give her a chance to interview her elusive grandfather about the family traits, but nothing is ever peaceful among the Eriksens for long. First, Olivia’s favorite cousin is found dead in a nearby lake. Then another family member disappears. As a violent storm isolates the group further, Olivia’s fears rise faster than the river and an uninvited guest is about to join the party. True crime podcaster Birdie Tan has uncovered a disturbing mystery in her latest investigation—and she is following it right to the Eriksens’ mountain resort. No one, not even Olivia, will see the inevitable deadly twist coming.

Nature vs nurture is a frequent topic in stories that deal with psychology and in this case, Olivia is obsessed with her family history because she is nearing the age when most of her family members were diagnosed as “psychopaths” and she fears she may be next. It is fascinating to uncover the family secrets along with her. Halfway through, one begins to wonder if Olivia is the one responsible for the mayhem taking place at the reunion (she is not) and she just does not remember because she is experiencing disassociation from reality. When a book begins with a crowded family tree, you know the character list will be extensive and this one is no exception; it comes in handy as the story develops. It is narrated alternatively though the eyes of Olivia and the true crime podcaster Birdie Tan with newspaper articles filling in the details of the disturbing Eriksen family history. The references to the instances of animal cruelty perpetrated by family members in the past, though only hinted at, are rather cliché and add little substance to the story. Regardless, the language is easy to understand and beautifully descriptive: “moonlight washes the meadow in a white glow.” With relatable characters and a thrilling dialogue driven story that keeps readers guessing until the shocking ending, “The Family Bones” is a must read and recommended for fans of psychological thrillers with smart and multi layered female leads.

“A scream builds in my throat. It scratches at my shoulders, picking my collar. I should be wrestling with some deep-belly grief – the kind worthy of losing a loved one – but I stare at the wool material of the blanket until the urge to fall apart recedes. The precursors of hysteria slink back into the darkness.”

* The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.