Review: The Family Tree - Steph Mullins and Nicole Mabry

Review: The Family Tree - Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry - June 2021

Sometimes the biggest surprise in your family tree is the one you were never expecting to find!

Imagine deciding to do a DNA test for your birthday, perhaps as a bit of fun, only to discover that you were adopted. Now imagine that the family you never knew you had comes with an even darker secret: somewhere in your newly discovered family tree is a serial killer who has been evading the police for more than 40 years! Talk about a birthday surprise you won't forget in a hurry!

That's the intriguing premise behind The Family Tree by Steph Mullins and Nicole Mabry, and I have to say, it certainly grabbed my attention.

Meet Liz Catalano, who takes an ancestry DNA test as a bit of a joke, never imagining that the results will turn her entire world upside down. Not only does she discover that she was adopted, but her newfound biological connections place her right in the middle of an FBI investigation. Her DNA has potentially provided the missing link in the hunt for the notorious Tri-State Killer.

For four decades, this terrifying murderer has been abducting pairs of women, leaving behind very few clues and a trail of tragedy. Now, Liz is faced with the impossible task of helping investigators identify the killer within her newly discovered family. And with new victims potentially in danger, this is no longer simply about uncovering her past. It's a race against time.

What I particularly love about this premise is how something as ordinary as an ancestry test becomes the catalyst for an extraordinary and frightening chain of events. We often think of DNA testing as a way to discover our heritage, connect with distant relatives or fill in a few missing branches on the family tree. But what if those branches lead somewhere you'd rather not go?

I also love the personal dimension of Liz's predicament. Discovering that your entire understanding of your identity has been wrong is a huge emotional upheaval, without having to deal with the possibility that someone in your biological family is a monster.

Steph Mullins and Nicole Mabry have a wonderfully unsettling concept here, combining family secrets, forensic investigation, suspense and the chilling question of just how well we really know the people we're related to.

The Family Tree sounds like a gripping thriller that will have readers questioning their own family histories and perhaps looking at those DNA testing kits a little differently!

A fascinating premise, a disturbing family secret and a race against time. This is one family tree where you might want to think twice before following the branches!

Amazon: https://link.amazon/B00Yy43Or