Some questions are better left unasked.
Like whose blood is on the knife upstairs.
Kenzi Brannon’s life was turned upside down when she moved into her family’s abandoned home to raise her niece. Problems compound when her aging mother starts to remember things.
And clues the police find regarding the knife don’t match anything Kenzi knows about her family.
Things go from bad to worse when she … family.
Things go from bad to worse when she and her niece discover something horrifying in their house. But not even that compares to the strange ways her mom is acting.
Can they get to the bottom of it all, or will their house—a local legend that goes bump in the night—and the family secrets destroy them all?
Family Secrets is the second standalone in the Brannon House series, an exciting and hair-raising domestic thriller by USA Today bestselling author Stacy Claflin. To get the most enjoyment from the series, the books are best read in order. You can start with The Perfect Death if you haven’t read that yet. Or start here, if you prefer.
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Family Secrets – a review by Rosemary Kenny
Book 2 of The Brannon’s House Series by Stacy Claflin, is Family Secrets. Kenzie and niece Ember are still shaken by the murder of their sister/Mom, Claire, which was staged to look like suicide.
At her funeral, they’re getting more concerned about their Mom/grandmother, Regina, who appears to be suffering from dementia more than ever…is it an act or are they right to worry?
Detective Graham Felton brings news of some evidence found on the third floor at the family home – and it isn’t good.
Later Kenzie tells Ember about another family secret – why does it startle her?
The shocking revelations continue at a pace that is almost unbelievable – how many secrets can one family actually have? As Family Secrets continues, you can be sure you’ll want to get this and the rest of Stacy Claflin’s excellent Brannon House Series…don’t delay, it’s unputdownable!
Great characters who grab your attention from the start and hold on til the end. Kenzi n Ember learn more n more secrets inside n outside of their house, with Graham giving clues to add to the mix. Plus Regina is one interesting lady, I’m not sure I’d have Kenzie’s patience when dealing with her mom, learning all she’s done. I really want to know more about Ember’s paternity, with the info in her moms note, it does make one wonder, that poor girl has been through so much, not sure how much more she can take. Looking forward to the next book!
Kenzi and Ember are trying to come to terms with Claire’s death. They keep hearing weird noises in the house. Ember believes it is ghosts. Detective Felton gives her surprising news from what he found from the blood and knife from the third floor. She has a brother she never knew about and the knife has her mother’s prints.
Kenzi and Ember decide to try to get information from her mother. She has dementia or does she. The more questions than answers for the both of them. They will not stop until they can make sense of everything going on in their home.
This book was even better than the first, it was non stop action, you also have a two possible romantic interests for Kenzi. I really enjoyed how you get one answer and more questions, until the end when things feel into place. There is still so much more to the story, can’t wait for book 3. Stacy Claflin hit it out of the park again with this book
I received an ARC copy of this book, this is my honest review
Don’t read at night during a thunderstorm! I thought the first book in the Brannon House series was a deceptive page turner that drew me in, but this one is downright eerie and riveting! Kenzi Brannon is trying her best to bring up her niece, Ember, in the historical family home. The House is almost a living being, filled with secrets and scandals. Kenzi is also caring for her mother, who is grappling with dementia and a past filled with disappointment, sorrow, and even fear. Unfortunately, malice is afoot today as well. I enjoy how well drawn the characters are, a balance between strength and conflict. Clearly, a 5-star read!
Stacy Claflin’s way with words has drawn me in once again! I was already hooked with her Alex Mercer series, and such interest has once again been renewed with her Brannon House series! The first one, The Perfect Death, was a thrilling little change of pace, creep factor, and all. This second one, though, this second installment is something else entirely! While the characters are mostly the same and the scenery is mostly the same – Stacy has managed to up the creep factor and suspense immensely… which is saying a lot because I refused to read the first one at bedtime!
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Family Secrets was precisely my kind of book; non-stop action from start to finish! I loved how there was never a dead moment, each interaction led to the next, each chapter left me swiping for more! This is one of those reviews where I don’t want to say too much and accidentally give any of it away. This is one sequel that’s better left experienced firsthand!
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Rest assured, though, I have nothing but high praise for and cannot recommend Family Secrets enough! Stacy Claflin’s fans will enjoy, once again, being drawn into Kenzi’s and Ember’s life and “murder house”! If you haven’t already taken a few hours to read through this fast-paced domestic suspense, then stop what you’re doing and head on over to Amazon! I would suggest starting with the first one just for character familiarity, either way, you’re going to want to plunge right into the depths of the Brannon House!
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Many thanks go to the author, Stacy Claflin, for providing me with a complimentary copy of Family Secrets in exchange for an honest review.
Kenzi and Ember are still trying to settle in the old Brannon House while more mystery seems to unravel. Has Kenzi’s mother really dementia? Who is really Jack, Kenzi’s uncle? Who Is Ember father?
Talk about family secrets! This family has a bundle of them and each is a doozy. I don’t want to give anything away but this story will have you saying “Wow”. Volunteered to review a complimentary copy.
Granny goes gaga! Talk about secretive!
4.5-5stars
Exciting mystery full of secretive behavior, things that go bump in the night (or day) and heroine Kenzi dealing with the death of her sister, assuming responsibility for her teenage niece Ember, and a mother in the throes of dementia with a load of sly secrets. All revolving around a grand old house that hides far too much. It’s fast-moving, concisely written and full of twists, ghouly adventures and surprises, and they still have oodles of rooms in their inherited mausoleum of a mansion yet to explore.
I love author Stacy Claflin’s easy-to-read writing style and her ability to put together an excellent, clean thriller. She’s also great at pairing adults with brave youngsters raring to team up and solve the mystery or defeat the bad guy like in her Alex Mercer thriller series.
I can’t wait for more Brannon scandals to be uncovered and some threads pulled out in this tapestry of secrets to be tied off. Although some issues remain outstanding, I would not characterize this story’s conclusion as a cliffhanger.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.