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    A Family of Strangers
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    A Family of Strangers
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    A Family of Strangers
    Ebook531 pages9 hours

    A Family of Strangers

    By Emilie Richards

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Could a lifetime of memories…be a lifetime of lies?

    All her life Ryan Gracey watched her perfect older sister from afar. Knowing she could never top Wendy’s achievements, she didn’t even try. Instead Ryan forged her own path while her family barely seemed to notice.

    Now Wendy shares two little girls with her perfect husband while Ryan mourns the man she lost after a nearly fatal mistake in judgment. The sisters’ choices have taken them in different directions, which is why Ryan is stunned when Wendy calls, begging for her help. There’s been a murder—and Wendy believes she’ll be wrongfully accused.

    While Wendy lies low, Ryan moves back to their hometown to care for the nieces she hardly knows. The sleuthing skills she’s refined as a true-crime podcaster quickly rise to the surface as she digs for answers with the help of an unexpected ally. Yet the trail of clues Wendy’s left behind lead to nothing but questions. Blood may be thicker than water, but what does Ryan owe a sister who, with every revelation, becomes more and more a stranger?

    Is Wendy, who always seemed so perfect, just a perfect liar—or worse?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin MIRA
    Release dateJun 25, 2019
    ISBN9781488096570

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    Reviews for A Family of Strangers

    4.5/5

    32 ratings8 reviews

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    • 5/5
      4.25 ⭐
      okay so I should stop saying I don't like thrillers anymore cuz this is the second thriller I read in the past month that I liked .. let's start with the amazing writing style the author held my attention at all mundane life details Rayn was going through , the fact that I kept screaming at my reader at a point or another was enough indication that I was in too deep with this book , the story was intense .

      why not 5⭐ ? the romance in the book wasn't my kind of romance , there was so much build up to a meh conclusion , and the fact that everyone was blind to all the lies didn't make sense , a phenomenal read nonetheless ♥️
    • 5/5
      A Family of Strangers by Emilie RichardsI ended up really liking this book, At first I wondered if I would be able to wade through nearly five hundred pages and what there could be to write about BUT it all flowed easily and was a delight to read. Ryan Rose Gracey receives an unexpected call for help from her older sister. Being on a break between true crime podcast seasons she is available to go take care of her sister’s daughters until her sister returns. It is a bit of a daunting task since she doesn’t know the six and eight year old and they, at first, are not easy. As she begins to research the situation that her sister mentioned in the phone call she unearths a number of secrets and stumbles on some mysteries. While her sister stays away from home Ryan becomes invested in her nieces, rekindles a relationship that ended four years previously and gets to know her family in an entirely new light. This is a complex, well-plotted, intense story that kept me invested from beginning to end. If there is anything I might have liked that was not in the book is an epilogue...I would love to know how the characters fare a few years in the future. What I liked: * Ryan Rose’s tenacity and big heart* Teo Santiago – what a wonderful book boyfriend he was* Sophie – the woman that works with Ryan, is her sounding board and good friend* The Gracey parents – they grew on me as the story unfolded* Noelle and Holly – I loved them, felt for them and hoped their lives would all work out eventually* The relationship between Ryan and Teo* Bismark – Biz was a WONDERFUL dog!What I did not like: * The secrets kept within the family * The evil person I was meant to dislikeDid I like this book? YesWould I read more by this author? YesThank you to NetGalley and Harlequin-Mira for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars
    • 5/5
      A Family of Strangers by Emilie Richards is a family drama and a murder mystery all rolled into one very dysfunctional family. The Graceys have two daughters: Wendy who is married with two daughters and Ryan, the much-younger sister who is single and hosts a true-crime podcast. Out of the blue, Wendy contacts Ryan asking her to move back to her hometown to take care of her two young daughters until further notice because she has gone into hiding. Ryan, using her crime investigation skills, sets off to find out why her sister disappeared. This is when the Gracey family begins to realize that they all have secrets. And those secrets will change the Graceys forever and may pull them apart. At almost 500 pages, this is a long read but the suspense never fails to keep the reader fascinated. Highly recommended. Thank you to Harlequin-Mira and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      I have read all of Emilie Richards books and even though this is a slight change from her normal genre, it's fantastic and my favorite of all of her books. Her past books have been women's fiction but her new book has a central mystery that keeps you guessing until the end.Though Ryan and Wendy are sisters, they were never close because there were so many years between them. Wendy was ready to start college when Ryan was born. Wendy was a successful business woman who helped her dad run the family business. She was married to a military person who was gone for long periods of time in submarines and they had 2 young daughters. Ryan had a successful podcast about cold cases. Out of the blue, Wendy calls Ryan and says she can't come home because she may be accused of a murder and asks Ryan to move into her home (4 hours away) and take care of her daughters until she can get home. That is all she tells her! Ryan has to try to keep the truth from her mother and her father who is recovering from a heart attack without worrying them. The two little girls are not overly friendly to Ryan and as she tries to win them over, she is spending most of her time trying to figure out what is really going on with her sister. The more she learns, the stranger things get! Blood may be thicker than water, but what does Ryan owe a sister who, with every revelation, becomes more and more a stranger?This is an excellent family drama with a central mystery that affects the entire family. Even though Ryan is the sister who didn't feel like she was part of the family, she stepped up when she was asked for help from her sister. I thought that she was a very strong and resilient character who went well beyond to help her family. I enjoyed her scenes with her nieces as she tried to pull them out of their shells. There is also some romance for Ryan when she meets up with her old boyfriend. This is a wonderful story about love and family and how far people will go to protect the ones they love.Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book I’ve read by Emilie Richards and I really enjoyed it. I thought it crossed several genres, such as women’s and contemporary fiction, romance, mystery and a bit of suspense. I spent most of my time reading this poolside, so I’m recommending this as great summer read.The story is about the relationship between two sisters, Ryan and Wendy. Ryan is quite a bit younger than Wendy and has grown up thinking she is the perfect older sister. Due to the age difference, Ryan doesn’t know Wendy as well as most siblings know each other.When Wendy unexpectedly calls Ryan asking for help with a big problem, Ryan doesn’t hesitate. Ryan produces a podcast on unsolved crimes and between her and her staff members, they have the skills to try and help with Wendy’s problem.In the meantime, Ryan is back in her old hometown where some major life events occurred for both sisters. As Ryan tries to get the bottom of what is going on with Wendy, she discovers quite a treasure trove of old secrets that will ultimately change everything about her opinion of Wendy.I enjoyed trying to guess at all the secrets. Some I predicted but others were not so easy and it was fun following along with Ryan as she discovered all the clues to revealing what Wendy’s life was like. Also, I especially loved the addition of the police dog, Biz.Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin-Mira for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
    • 5/5
      The book is exactly up my alley - a mystery page turner that I couldn't put down until I finished it. I liked the main character, a pretty strong woman to be able to get through all of it and not fall completedly apart. The end didn't disappoint even if it was in some ways predictable.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      4.5 stars.

      A Family of Strangers by Emilie Richards is an engrossing family-centric novel that is quite suspenseful.

      Ryan Gracey is the host of a successful cold case crime podcast and lives a few hours away from her family. The youngest in the family, she is not overly close to her much older sister Wendy Cartwright who is married with two young daughters, eight year old Holly and six year old Noelle. When Wendy phones her out of the blue, Ryan is expecting an update on their father who has recently undergone heart surgery. Instead, Wendy weaves a far-fetched tale of a murder in which she proclaims her innocence along with her fear the Sheriff will name her the chief suspect. She then requests Ryan's help in locating someone whom she believes will exonerate her.  Wendy also asks her sister to take care of her daughters because she is planning to disappear until her name is cleared. Although unsure whether to believe Wendy's story, Ryan nonetheless agrees to return home and stay with her nieces until her sister's return.  With the help of her best friend, Sophie, who also works on the podcast, Ryan begins investigating her sister's story. Will they uncover the identity of the victim? And will she locate the person whom Wendy insists will clear her of murder?

      Ryan loves her nieces but she has not spent much time with them.  She is a little troubled by their behavior but she is determined to make her time with them as fun and happy as possible. Little by little, Noelle comes out of her shell, but Holly is closed off and she initially resists Ryan's efforts to engage with her.  The closer Ryan gets to her nieces, the more certain she is that something is very wrong in Wendy's household. She is determine to uncover the mysteries surrounding her sister, but is she fully prepared for what she is about to learn about Wendy and their family?

      Ryan also reconnects with former K-9 police officer Mateo "Teo" Santiago. Their brief romance years earlier continues to haunt her and their fraught history leaves her very reluctant to talk to him. Finally deciding to take charge of this somewhat disturbing part of her life, Ryan is very surprised by Teo's reaction. Is there any chance she and Teo can overcome their painful past?

      A Family of Strangers is a multi-layered novel that features a compelling mystery, many secrets and a heartwarming romance. The characters are richly drawn with enviable strengths and relatable flaws. Despite her mixed emotions about returning home, Ryan puts her nieces' needs ahead of her own and she is surprised by her emotional reaction to the young girls. She is also drawn into the mystery surrounding Wendy but will she allow her family loyalty blind her to the truth? With plenty of intriguing twists and unexpected turns, Emilie Richards brings this absorbing mystery to a realistic conclusion that is also quite satisfying.  I highly recommend this marvelous novel.
    • 5/5
      When Ryan Gracey gets an unexpected phone call from her older sister, Wendy, who’s out of town, asking her for a huge favor, Ryan is alarmed. Something sinister has transpired and Wendy insists that Ryan travel to her home and care for her two young daughters until further notice, a tall order from her near-perfect sibling, the mother of her two nieces of whom Ryan knows very little about. Stunned and confused by her sister’s instructions, Ryan finally relents and heads to Florida where their mother is currently watching her nieces, Holly and Noelle. The girls are taciturn, odd little precocious children, and Ryan quickly realizes the enormity of her decision. As days turn into weeks with very little contact from Wendy, Ryan begins to put her sleuthing skills to work to find out what’s going on with the sister she hardly knows. When the pieces of the puzzle begin taking shape will Wendy turn out to be an innocent victim, or a mastermind of deception?Wowza!! I devoured this book. A Family of Strangers was like patiently awaiting a light rain transform into a thunderous storm. As the storm intensified I could feel the tension mounting and the mystery unfolding, relieving me of the unanswered questions that lurked in my mind. Why was Wendy refusing to come home? How would Ryan find out what happened to her? Was Wendy the golden girl everyone made her out to be, even her parents? Why were Ryan's nieces so peculiar? As the storyunfolded I got the answers to all of these questions and more.I connect easily with Emilie Richards’ writing voice. I love the dialog between characters, and the length of her books allows for excellent character development, which makes for a great story.There’s so much to love about A Family of Strangers; excellent character building, a thoroughly satisfying mystery, an enormous twist I didn’t see coming, intrigue, a little romance, an amazing dog and a couple of kids who eventually stole my heart. A great read.