Keep It in the Family

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of child death, graphic violence, and mental illness.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel immediately establishes an ominous tone with its chilling prologue, featuring an unidentified narrator observing a child’s death. How did this opening shape your expectations for the rest of the book, and which revelations about the narrator’s identity surprised you most?

2. “Keep It in the Family” explores the darkest aspects of family dynamics and psychological manipulation. How did your perception of the Hunter family evolve from your first impression to the final epilogue?

3. John Marrs uses multiple first-person perspectives to tell this story, similar to his approach in The One. How did switching between Finn, Mia, Dave, Debbie, and the anonymous narrator affect your reading experience? Which character’s viewpoint most influenced your understanding of events?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Mia struggles with her identity as a new mother while coping with trauma and postpartum depression. How does her journey reflect or challenge your understanding of the pressures new parents face when dealing with unexpected crises?

2. Throughout the novel, characters justify harmful actions by rationalizing that they’re protecting their family. What examples of this self-deception stood out to you? Where have you observed similar reasoning in less extreme circumstances?

3. The Hunter family maintains secrets from one another, which ultimately leads to devastating consequences. How do you navigate the balance between privacy and necessary transparency in your close relationships?

4. Mia feels caught between her own parents’ detached parenting style and what she perceives as the overinvolved approach of Finn’s parents. How has your experience with different family dynamics shaped your views on healthy boundaries?

5. When confronted with evidence about Dave and Debbie, Finn initially refuses to acknowledge the truth about his parents. Have you ever been in a situation where you are forced to confront painful truths about your loved ones? How did you deal with the situation, and how did it change your perception of them?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The novel explores how childhood trauma can perpetuate cycles of violence and psychological damage across generations. How effectively does Marrs portray this cycle, and what social interventions might help break such patterns in reality?

2. Media sensationalism plays a role in the story, particularly when journalists exploit the Hunter family’s tragedy. How does this reflect current trends in true crime reporting and public fascination with cases involving family violence?

3. Mental health treatment appears in the novel through Mia’s therapy and Debbie’s commitment to a psychiatric hospital. How does the book portray the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for trauma survivors versus those with more severe psychological disorders?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The message “I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC” serves as both a literal clue and a symbol of Debbie’s distorted savior complex. How does the meaning of this phrase evolve throughout the novel, and what does it ultimately reveal about human capacity for self-deception?

2. Marrs uses dramatic irony extensively, particularly when revealing Debbie as the serial killer while the other characters remain unaware. Consider examples of dramatic irony in the book. How does this technique build tension and complicate readers’ emotional responses to the characters?

3. The suitcases function as a powerful symbol throughout the novel. Analyze how this object transitions from a simple container to a representation of generational trauma and murderous compulsion.

4. The novel employs several narrative techniques including flashbacks, documentary excerpts, and newspaper headlines. How do these structural choices enhance the psychological thriller aspects of the story?

5. The epilogue reveals Finn’s true nature, suggesting that the cycle of violence will continue through Sonny. What is the effect of this ending, and how does it alter your understanding of Finn’s earlier behavior and motivations?

6. Both Keep It in the Family and Marrs’s novel What Lies Between Us explore themes of deception within intimate relationships. How do these works differ in their exploration of family secrets and psychological manipulation?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Write scenes for each of the main characters in which they attend a therapy session. What would they discuss? What is the atmosphere and tone of the session? Consider which psychological interventions might have helped break the cycle of trauma and violence.

2. The house in the novel holds decades of dark secrets and trauma. Write a description of the house as if it were a character with its own personality, memories, and emotions.

3. Imagine you are producing a true crime documentary about the Hunter family’s case. What ethical questions would arise during its creation, and how would you approach them?

Need more inspiration for your next meeting? Browse all of our Book Club Resources