Publishers Weekly
02/05/2024
Secrets await when the late Laura Thomas’s adult children return to the rural community of Allen’s Grove, Wis., to settle her estate in the taut if occasionally far-fetched latest from bestseller Rose (You Shouldn’t Have Come Here). Dutiful eldest sibling Beth feels drained from juggling her factory job with caring for her cancer-stricken mother, whose husband disappeared seven years earlier. Meanwhile, strung-out middle child Nicole is fighting a losing battle with addiction, and Michael, the youngest, is a tech entrepreneur in California who wants as little as possible to do with the rest of his family. As the trio, who take turns narrating, sort through Laura’s belongings, they stumble across a smoking gun: a 1999 VHS tape showing their bloodied father, a dead body, and their distraught mother agreeing to help dispose of it. Unsure what to do about the discovery, the squabbling siblings agree that Beth and Nicole will start sleuthing, and they’ll formulate a decision based on their findings. In short order, someone breaks into the house, Laura’s diaries reveal a spate of chilling clues, and the siblings begin to see their parents in a new, unflattering light. Though a few of the plot twists strain credulity, Rose demonstrates a formidable command of character. The author’s fans will enjoy the ride. Agent: Sandy Lu, Book Wyrm. (Apr.)
internationally bestselling author of The Revenge Hannah Mary McKinnon
Secrets, lies, estranged siblings, and a decades-old mystery that’s clambering its way to the surface one victim at a time—Home Is Where the Bodies Are has it all and then some. This original, fast-paced, flawless thriller had me switching allegiances and theories about who- and whydunit as I frantically turned the pages to get to the truth. Jeneva Rose is a powerhouse of an author, and an exceptionally talented writer. Sign me up for whatever she comes up with next!”
internationally bestselling author of The Marsh Ki Karen Dionne
Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose is a tense and harrowing story of family tragedy, lifelong secrets, and unresolved childhood jealousies. Rose’s deep insight into the complexities of human nature and her gorgeous prose carried me along in a single breathless read. Deeply moving and utterly engaging, readers will love this book!”
author of Midnight Is the Darkest Hour Ashley Winstead
“Home is Where the Bodies Are is a master thriller writer’s deliciously f*cked-up answer to The Inheritance Games, pitting three flawed siblings against one another in the wake of their mother’s death and shocking will. Only, in true Jeneva Rose fashion, there’s a devious, life-changing twist: Mom and Dad may have committed murder, and the family inheritance is actually a legacy of violence that threatens to ensnare the siblings for good. Sharp writing, a breakneck pace, and a surprisingly tender heart make this story of familial loyalty, grief, and murder impossible to put down.”
#1 New York Times bestselling author of All Good P Ashley Flowers
It’s an odd feeling to read something that feels so nostalgic and relatable yet still surprises you at the turn of every page. Home Is Where the Bodies Are is fast-paced and fresh and will have you rushing to your parents’ attic to unearth your own dark family secrets.”
New York Times bestselling author of Local Woman M Mary Kubica
Home Is Where the Bodies Are is fast-paced and propulsive with characters you truly empathize with and an ending so surprising and satisfying, you’ll immediately recommend this book to all of your friends. This is Jeneva Rose at her best.”
AudioFile
This stellar cast of narrators captures the temperament of each character in this mystery…With its ‘90s nostalgia, characters listeners will love to hate, and realistic dialogue, this is a guaranteed bingeable mystery.”
Vulture
[A] breezy listen, benefiting from shifting character voices and time periods.”
New York Times bestselling author of The Kind Wort Peter Swanson
A gripping tale of buried secrets penned by one of the best. Plenty of lies, and plenty of sinister videotapes.”
New York Times bestselling author of Only if You&# Stacy Willingham
A dark and twisty take on grief, sibling rivalry, and the bodies, quite literally, buried in one family’s past, Home Is Where the Bodies Are is a wild ride filled with 90s nostalgia and knife-sharp observations that will make readers wonder just how well they know their own parents.”
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner
Shockingly clever! Jeneva Rose plumbs the depths of how well we know the people we love to new and terrifying effects. Will grip you till the climactic end.”
#1 New York Times bestselling author of None of Th Lisa Jewell
With atmospheric prose and a propulsive plot, Home Is Where the Bodies Are is an emotionally charged, twisty, and haunting thriller you won’t soon forget.”
MAY 2024 - AudioFile
This stellar cast of narrators captures the temperament of each character in this mystery. When Beth's mother dies, her last words are a warning: "Don't trust . . ." Beth is left grieving and wondering whom not to trust. Then her estranged brother and sister return home for the first time since their father's unexpected disappearance years ago. The story flows quickly as the three siblings' varied points of view alternate with their mother's old journal entries. The characters are easy to differentiate. After the discovery of a disturbing VHS tape from 1999, the tense and bitter dynamic between the siblings builds, leading to a big twist. With its '90s nostalgia, characters listeners will love to hate, and realistic dialogue, this is a guaranteed bingeable mystery. M.I.C. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2024-02-03
Three siblings on very different paths learn that their family home may be haunted by secrets.
Eldest daughter Beth is alone with her fading mother as she takes her final breath and says something about Beth’s long-departed brother and sister, who may not have disappeared forever. Beth is still reeling from the loss of her mother when her estranged siblings show up. Michael, the youngest, hasn’t been home since their father’s disappearance seven years ago. In the meantime, he’s outgrown his siblings, trading his share of the family troubles for a high-paying job in San Jose. Nicole, the middle child, has been overpowered by addiction and prioritized tuning out reality over any sense of responsibility, much to Beth’s disgust. Though their mother’s death marks an ending for the family, it’s also a beginning, as the three siblings realize when they find a disturbing videotape among their parents’ belongings. The video, from 1999, sheds suspicion on their father’s disappearance, linking it to a long-unsolved neighborhood mystery. Was it just a series of unfortunate circumstances that broke the family apart, or does something more sinister underlie the sadness they’ve all found in life? In chapters that rotate among the family’s first-person narratives, the siblings take turns digging up stories and secrets in their search for solace.
Answers are hard to come by in this twisting tale designed to trick and delight.
