Murder in the Family

Finished: March 2024
Book Source: Library
Book Publication Date: September 2023

A shocking thriller about a cold case, a fictional true crime series, and the family caught in the middle.

SIX EPISODES. ONE KILLER.

It was a case that gripped the nation. In December 2003, Luke Ryder, the stepfather of acclaimed filmmaker Guy Howard (then aged 10), was found dead in the garden of their suburban family home.

Luke Ryder’s murder has never been solved. Guy Howard’s mother and two half-sisters were in the house at the time of the murder–but all swear they saw nothing. Despite a high-profile police investigation and endless media attention, no suspect was ever charged.

But some murder cases are simply too big to forget…

Now comes the sensational new Netflix series Infamous, dedicated to investigating–and perhaps cracking–this famous cold case. The production team will re-examine testimony, re-interview witnesses, and once again scour the evidence. The family will speak. The key players will be reunited–on camera. The truth will come out.

Are you ready to see it?

Characters

• Luke Ryder – murdered one evening outside of his home many years ago, cold case
• Caroline – Luke’s wife at the tie
• Nick – producer of the show
• Alan Carrick – On the show
• Mitchell Clarke – on the show
• Hugh Fraiser – on the show
• Laila – psychiatrist, on the show
• Bill Serafini – On the show
• JJ Norton – On the show
• Ian Wilson – Luke Ryder’s cousin
• Guy – wanted the show to happen, he was a kid at the time of Luke’s murder; he had witnessed his biological father’s death by heart attack
• Maura and Amelia – Guy’s half sisters

My Review

The plot was like a maze with so many twists and turns, I felt like I was chasing red herrings left and right. Listening to the audiobook was a real treat! It was like attending a live performance – the different voices really brought the story to life. Although it took a bit to get used to the script format, once you’re in, you’re in.

Onto the characters – there’s a bunch of them, and you don’t really dive deep into any of them. But hey, with so many suspects in the mix, it’s understandable. What’s impressive is how the author masterfully weaves together all these potential motives — she had to have put a ton of work into keeping everything straight!

The big reveal of the murderer was a tad underwhelming BUT there’s a sneaky little twist waiting for you at the end that’ll leave you satisfied. Overall, a solid four-star read – perfect for mystery lovers looking for a tangled web of suspects and surprises.

Spoilers/Summary

SPOILERS BELOW. Stop here if you do not want to read spoilers.

Who is Luke Ryder? Luke Ryder is actually Jonah McKenna – a man from Canada that fakes his death when he was caught having an affair with an older woman. He was a serial identity thief. He also became Eric, an identity he took after the real Eric was murdered in NYC, likely a hate crime for being gay. He became Luke Ryder when he was in Beirut and the real Luke Ryder died in a bus bombing that he was also a victim of.

What are connection/possible motives for each of the show guests?

• Alan Carrick – His sister was swindled by Luke Ryder when he was a previous identity
• Mitchell Clarke – reporter that was at the scene of the crime; however, he was dating Maura… which was a secret since she was a minor and he was older
• Hugh Fraiser – had an affair with Caroline at the time of the murder, may be the father of her first child
• Laila – psychiatrist, on the show; has the same surname as a person that died in a hit and run accident that happened to be her brother. The original though was the real Luke Ryder may have hit him with a car and that’s why he fled to Beirut
• Bill Serafini – NYPD officer that was previously on fake Luke’s trail
• JJ Norton – Possibly the first child of Caroline
• Ian Wilson – the real Luke Ryder’s cousin was the sole inheritor of their grandma’s fortune until Luke surfaced

Who killed Luke Ryder? Young Guy killed Luke Ryder. Laila believes the he had a dissociative episode when he saw Luke bleeding that triggered the feelings he felt when his real dad died in front of his eyes.

Guy dies of an ‘overdose’ the day after a nurse that matches the description of Jonah’s sister is seen going into his house.