Her Perfect Family

Rating: 3.8/5This fast-paced thriller is the first novel I have read by Teresa Driscoll, but I have a strong feeling that it won't be the last. There is no slow burn to this novel as in the opening pages the reader witnesses a shocking shooting amid the pomp and ceremony of a university graduation in the local cathedral. Pandemonium ensues and we are launched into an oftentimes breathtaking mystery thriller that seldom lets up until the final page.The action predominantly takes place in the present time, but the author also makes use of regular flashbacks to earlier points in the lives of the key protagonists. The narrative is also delivered from the individual viewpoints of each of these key players. This can be a great literary mechanic when it is executed well and Teresa Driscoll makes a very effective job of giving each character a distinct and authentic voice.The central mystery relates to the identity of the person who carried out the shooting at the cathedral. There is plenty of well-handled misdirection, though seasoned readers of the genre may well work out the doer of the deed well before the end of the novel. Not that it really matters if you do, because there is not only much to admire about the way the story is drafted, but there are also plenty of subthemes that make this a worthwhile and enjoyable read. Yes, it is first and foremost an exciting suspense thriller with a dark premise, but it is also quite emotional at times and raises issues which may well prompt some inner reflection.A good read and easy to recommend.

Her Perfect Family by Teresa Driscoll will please her hordes of existing fans and no doubt make her plenty of new ones.Rachel and Ed Hartley are attending their daughter Gemma's graduation ceremony when she falls to the ground at the crucial moment. Despite the event taking place in a crowded Cathedral it turns out that Gemma has been shot and there's pandemonium as the crowd panic.Luckily Private Investigator Matthew Hill ,a former policeman, is passing and uses his skills to clear the exits and secure the safety of those left inside as the shooter is still on the loose.Hill's former colleague, D.L. Melanie Sanders is put in charge of the case and gets him employed by the police to help out.With Gemma in a coma the race is on to discover who shot her and why with things being made more complicated by the secrets the whole family have been keeping from each other.The story is told from several viewpoints and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting. I did guess the "perp" quite early on but then I spend far too much of my time reading thrillers and am an old hand at playing "guess the villain".I've read most of Teresa Driscoll's books, her books are a fairly light read that require a pinch of salt now again but are always entertaining....not least this one.If you've not read any of Teresa's books yet and you're a fan of Val McDermid ,Belinda Bauer, Nikki French, Denise Mina and similar authors give this one a try,and I suspect you'll become a fan.

This was a great, thrilling read that had me hooked from the beginning. With tense scenes at Gemma's graduation, what follows is a story that has the police trying to find the suspect. However, it also turns out that Gemma's family is far from perfect, with a web of hidden deceits under the surface.Driscoll has structured this narrative so that it shifts to different characters: Gemma, the parents and Matthew. This made for an interesting story because you get so many varied perspectives. In addition, some of the narrative is before the accident, giving readers a greater understanding of Gemma's past, along with her parents too.It's certainly a tragedy, watching Gemma's parents remain by the daughter's bedside, waiting for her to wake up from a coma. At the same time, I was fascinated by all the secrets that are gradually revealed; no one in the family is exempt from deception. The way we learn about Gemma's past is through essay titles that disguise her confessions, like a diary, and I found these most interesting. These snapshots provide subtle clues about the present circumstances and I loved being able to piece it all together.I knew this was going to be a great read from the beginning and, even though I guessed how some of the story would conclude, I enjoyed the buzz as the plot reached its climax. It is a race against time as police fear the attacker will strike again, versus the faint hope that Gemma may wake up from her coma. Driscoll cleverly reflects the adrenalin of the action onto the readers of the book and I really got caught up in the exciting chase for answers.This was another thrilling read from Driscoll that had me on the edge of my seat. I could not put the book down and the short chapters meant that I flew through this faster than I expected. I have read a book by this author before and was not disappointed. Reading this newest release makes me even more determined to check out Driscoll's other books in the future.

I have loved all Teresa Driscoll's thrillers and this was no exception. Clear your diary, bolt the doors, and get comfortable... but not too comfortable....!

Rather underwhelming really. I feel like I’ve been reading the book for ages. Too many unrealistic situations and police procedures which are, at best, flimsy. To imagine that only a Detective Inspector would be in charge of a shooting case, assisted by a private investigator- ex police or not- is not tenable.The majority of the characters are lacklustre and unremarkable; the storyline, itself, included too many convenient ‘red herrings’ which led to an annoying perpetrator- which actually made me cross because it was absurd, considering the background information given in the finale.Obviously other readers have highly praised the book but I can’t- it’s too weak.