Overview
Not a Happy Family (2021) by Shari Lapena is a psychological thriller about a rich couple who are killed, leaving their fractious and paranoid grown children as the major suspects. Not a Happy Family, like Lapena’s previous seven mysteries, became an instant international best-seller, praised for its clever manipulation of murder mystery themes reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s great works.
Plot Synopsis
On Easter Sunday, the Merton family gathers for dinner at their spacious family home. Fred, a retired corporate executive, and his wife, Sheila, welcome their three children: Catherine, a dermatologist, and her husband, Ted, a dentist; Dan, who was once heir to the family business but is now unemployed, and his wife, Lisa; and Jenna, an aspiring artist, and free spirit, and her current boyfriend, Jake.
Fred surprises his family at dinner by saying that he and Sheila have decided to sell the house because none of the children deserve it. The statement shocks the siblings, especially Catherine, who had expected the house would be hers. Dinner comes to an abrupt conclusion.
Jenna remains after the others have left. Later, it is revealed that Fred informed her that he had decided to modify his will and leave half of his estate to his sister, Audrey Stancik.
Dan is unable to sleep and, as is his custom, goes for a lengthy drive to soothe his worries. Catherine decides to return home because her mother wanted to speak with her during dinner but never had the opportunity. Her parents have been brutally killed, her mother strangled by an electrical cord and her father stabbed several times. She decides not to notify the police since she suspects her brother Dan is to blame. However, before she leaves, she steals her mother’s earrings from her body.
Irena Dabrowski, the long-term housekeeper, arrives at her usual hour on Tuesday and discovers both bodies. In order to protect the siblings, she cleans the bloodied knife and returns it to the kitchen before calling the police.
Given the ransacked home, the cops initially suspect a heist gone wrong. However, the brutality of the killings shows that this may have been a planned killing. As the case progresses, the investigators realize that each member of the family had a motive. Fred, who emotionally assaulted them, was disliked by all. Dan was in financial trouble as a result of Fred’s nasty choice to sell the company six months before. Catherine was agitated by the announcement that they were selling the house, and video surveillance shows that Catherine returned to the house despite telling the police she had not. Then a neighbor reported seeing a bizarre truck painted with fire in the area. Nothing makes sense.
Audrey informs the family that Fred intended to amend his will and leave her half of his $26 million assets. The siblings are outraged and stunned. Audrey believes the money is long overdue to her, as she has kept their father’s murder a secret for years. However, lawyers confirm that Fred did not have enough time to modify his will. Audrey is given the cold shoulder by the siblings, but Audrey enraged at the loss of her money, undertakes her own investigation, desperate to locate Fred’s killer.
Fred had severe pancreatic cancer and only had a few months to live, according to the autopsy. The family lawyer then reveals that Fred had a kid with a former coworker, Ellen Cutter. Rose, that child, is mentioned in the will. She is now a high-profile attorney involved in a major scheme that duped investors, including Dan, out of millions of dollars.
Dan emerges as the most likely suspect. A search warrant permits the police to discover a box of disposable coveralls in his garage, which he claims are from a recent restoration project. The owner of the mystery vehicle, a small-time drug dealer, informs authorities that he saw a car with Irena’s name on the vanity plate in the Merton driveway late Easter night. Irena, on the other hand, has a good alibi; she points out that all of the Merton kids know where she keeps her spare keys.
A strand of Jenna’s hair is discovered in Irena’s automobile by police. Jenna rejects it, claiming that the hair was transferred to Irena during their Easter dinner hug.
Readers are then told what happened on Easter night: Jenna plotted to murder her parents after a disagreement with her father about money. She stole the coveralls, stole Irena’s car, returned home, and brutally murdered her parents. She ransacked the house to make it look like a robbery, then hid the evidence in the foundation of a friend’s farm building, just before a new concrete floor was to be installed. Jenna even poisoned Audrey by placing antifreeze in her iced tea in order to put an end to Audrey’s investigation.
However, the detectives are perplexed. They lack evidence, and the case is closed. Audrey is suspicious of Jenna and follows her every step. When Audrey notices Jenna pause to speak with the farm’s owner, she too pauses to learn about the new concrete floor. The police do not have enough proof to carry out a warrant to have the floor dug up. A year has passed. Catherine has a kid and moves into the family home with Ted. Audrey receives her inheritance and discovers that the property is for sale. She makes an offer, presumably to dig up the floor and retrieve the evidence bag.
Chapter 12 Analysis
The first four chapters establish four points: the Mertons are wealthy; familial relationships are strained; the parents have been murdered; and the children are delighted. Given the first panoramic sweep of the Mertons’ neighborhood, these chapters establish The Dysfunction of Wealthy Families, demonstrating that money has not brought them happiness or joy. The introduction of the siblings—and, for that matter, their parents—reveals a family long bound together by the dark energy of grudges, resentments, and boiling hatred. Each of the siblings dreads what they know will be another uncomfortable evening with a father they despise, a mother they love but do not respect, and siblings they neither like nor trust. Jenna and Jake use marijuana to self-medicate. Dan just attends the dinner to try to extort money from his father, even though he knows Fred will refuse. The first chapters indicate that even $30 million will not satisfy these people.
This subject is also linked to The Pull of Greed, which is most evident in Dan and Catherine. On the night of the meal, Irena notices Catherine “luxuriating in the fine china and crystal and the glint of the silver”, demonstrating Catherine’s passion for money. Dan is deeply in debt; when he learns of his father’s death, he is ecstatic because it means he will receive his inheritance money. Audrey’s backstory is linked to money, however, she has only appeared briefly thus far. Furthermore, the police infer that the children are all motivated by inheritance; the robbery crime scene, whether genuine or contrived, further links wealth to the murder.
These chapters also lay the groundwork for The Toxic Effects of Secrets and Lies. Any murder mystery story is propelled forward by the discovery of lies and the exposure of secrets. Detectives Reyes and Barr are introduced in the novel as the narrative’s agents of truth, trying to discover what truly happened the night Sheila and Fred were murdered. Their inquiry will reveal the lies and secrets that have long been crucial to the Merton clan.
The Merton family is deceitful. Their default strategy is to avoid the truth. Dan has not informed his wife that they are in financial trouble as a result of his reckless investment of their portfolio funds. Since his unscrupulous father kicked him out of the family business, he has been lying to her about job interviews. Sheila, who appears calm and collected, has been taking anti-anxiety medicine, which she has not disclosed to anyone. The most egregious example of the Merton family’s deception is when Catherine refuses to tell the detectives about her return to her parent’s house after Easter dinner—she even advises her husband not to mention it, and provides no justification for her secrecy, which implicates her in the killings. Shari Lapena exploits traditional murder mystery strategies, making characters appear guilty and innocent at various points throughout the plot. Later chapters will disclose even more lies and secrets as the inquiry unfolds and other personalities come under scrutiny.
However, even truth is no remedy for the Mertons. The Easter dinner exposes that truth is toxic, corrosive, and weaponized in this family. Fred’s harsh remarks at the dinner table are an example of this. He dismisses Catherine with contempt because she has failed to provide him with grandkids. He informs Dan that he has sold the family firm due to Dan’s incompetence. He states, “I am a businessman first and foremost” , indicating that he does not interact with his children in the manner of a parent. He rejects Jenna’s art as the amateurish work of a novice. In this context, the narrator’s “Happy Easter to all” is brutally sarcastic. In theory, family gatherings should be pleasant, loving reunions; for the Mertons, there is nothing “happy” about being with their father, who does not hesitate to weaponize the truth against them.
As the children return to their current homes, they all confront the loss of their old home in ways that anticipate The Dark Logic of Violence. Catherine can’t stop crying at first, and when she does, she rushes back to her parent’s house, curiously leaving her cell phone behind. When she lies to the investigators about visiting her parents after dinner, this becomes suspicious. Dan goes to booze and internalizes his rage, fantasizing about punching his vindictive father. He also walks away, telling Lisa, who has grown accustomed to such behavior, that he has to calm down. Dan’s rage implicates him in the savage murders, particularly when combined with his falsehoods to Lisa and his glee at learning of his father’s death. The reader is only given Jenna’s reaction to her father’s dinner announcement; this is a subtle hint that the free-spirited Jenna may be the darkest and most troublesome of the Merton children.
Chapters 13 – 25 Analysis
These pivotal chapters set in motion a contrapuntal narrative: two energies functioning under opposing assumptions colliding in an unpleasant dynamic. The chapters alternate between scenes with the Merton children, in which they concoct new and more sophisticated falsehoods, and scenes with the investigators, who investigate with thoroughness and professionalism. The investigators follow the Mertons the more they invent. Because only the reader sees all sides of the story, that rhythm involves the reader in the struggle to unravel the mystery.
Two major developments in these chapters are around The Dark Pull of Greed. First, Audrey, Fred’s sister, reveals that her brother modified his will soon before his death. Audrey is later found to be not wholly astonished by the news because she reasoned years ago that her brother owed her a large sum of money for keeping the secret of how Fred murdered their father. The revelation, however, has a considerably greater impact on each of the Merton children than their parents’ murder. Then the news is inverted, and Audrey is left to deal with her fury and sadness at being denied her rightful share of the fortune. All of those associated with the Merton estate are so consumed by greed that when Detective Reyes greets Dan in for his interview with “I’m so sorry about your loss”, Dan originally believes he is referring to the fortune. Each of the Merton children believes their siblings and Aunt Audrey are extremely greedy, and Audrey believes the same.
The news that Fred had a fourth kid, Catherine’s friend Rose Cutter, is the second shock in these chapters. This revelation highlights the pernicious nature of Secrets and Lies once more. Rose is also shown as a suspicious figure: Catherine clearly has no idea how envious Rose is of her wealth and prestige. She also alluded to something she did that must be kept private. Later, it is revealed that she is the one who devastated Dan’s finances by convincing him to spend approximately $500,000 on a fake investment plan. Walter, the family lawyer, is reluctant to inform the Merton siblings that their money will be divided four ways rather than three, as he understands The Pull of Greed.
Audrey begins to emerge as another agent of truth in this poisoned environment. This positions her as an ironic counterpoint to Reyes and Barr. The detectives seek the truth because it is their responsibility, whereas Audrey is motivated solely by The Pull of Greed. When she realizes the will was never amended, her perseverance in following her nieces and nephew demonstrates not so much her drive to locate her brother’s killer as it does the corrosive effect of avarice. She is after her money. Whoever murdered her brother and sister-in-law, whichever of the Merton children did it, cost her millions—and they will pay.
These chapters conclude with Audrey traveling to the Hudson River to conduct her own investigation. The Merton siblings are cunning and suspicious, and their spouses—along with Irena—are all determined to dispel the detectives’ suspicions. They’re all working together against the investigators. Audrey, on the other hand, is a loose cannon. She is not constrained by the law in the same way that the detectives are. She also has knowledge of the family secrets, which the cops constantly deny. As a result, even though she has been excluded from the family and the will, she has the best opportunity of discovering the truth.
Finally, these chapters delve more into The Dysfunction of Wealthy Families. The siblings claim unequivocally that they do not trust one another. While they are all on the same page—they all think the detectives should not know about their problems with Fred and they all want to protect Irena—they are also skeptical of one another. They work together to keep Audrey out, but they also lie to each other. Walter’s wife adds another piece to the Merton family puzzle: Fred being “mean” and “a psychopath.” This suggests family violence and sadism, confounding the murderer’s likely motive even further. More secrets will be revealed as the novel progresses, as will the scope of the family’s instability.
Chapters 26-38 Analysis
The Dysfunction of Wealthy Families is shown in Chapter 29 as Ted struggles with the notion that Catherine saw her parents’ lifeless bodies and did nothing. Ted, despite being married to Catherine for nearly ten years, struggles to comprehend the depth of his wife’s villainy. Ted can’t understand how his wife could be so cold, how she could discover her parents brutally killed at eleven o’clock and be asleep by midnight. The reality challenges every assumption he had about the moral integrity of a wife he thought he knew, a wife with whom he is attempting to have a child.
Ted, not being a Merton, has the moral conscience to be shocked by Catherine’s actions, and her inability to experience emotions that normal people would feel in those stressful circumstances. Ted is in for an even bigger surprise when he discovers she couldn’t stop herself from stealing the earrings off her own mother’s corpse. For the time being, proof of Catherine’s “dysfunctional” attitude continues to emerge in other, minor ways, aside from lying about seeing the bodies: She is mostly concerned with looks and reputation, thus she is terrified by Dan’s funeral address, which will be widely publicized.
Dan, for one, is hell-bent on establishing his innocence. He is willing to throw everyone else under the bus to do so, even if it means revealing to a whole congregation that his father was abusive or publicly challenging Jenna’s alibi. Dan is so focused on clearing his name, so angry over his siblings “betraying” him, that he is completely unaware that his actions make him appear “disturbed” to everyone else. Dan reveals to the world his potential motive for murdering his father, only to deny it—this makes sense to him and only him.
Despite her separation from the family, Audrey exhibits behavior that causes concern and criticism among those around her. Audrey, enraged by the loss of her money, tries hard to discredit the Merton siblings, speaking to detectives and the media in an attempt to portray the family as “psychopaths” and killers. Despite blaming the Merton siblings for their falsehoods and deceptions, Audrey’s actions are not dissimilar.
Those around the Mertons contrast with them. Lisa is Dan’s “functional” counterpart, just as Ted is to Catherine. She attempts to talk him out of speaking at the funeral and is generally the one who keeps Dan calm and grounded. Both she and Ted have reservations about their husbands, and while they are willing to cover for them, they are uneasy with the developing lies. Similarly, Ellen encourages Audrey to temper her rage, pointing out that Audrey has no proof that the Merton children murdered their parents.
As the Mertons and their counterparts navigate the ever-changing case, the Toxic Effects of Secrets and Lies emerge. More lies and secrets are discovered with each one disclosed. Catherine admits to discovering her parents’ bodies, admitting that she lied about seeing her mother; Dan wears disposable coveralls, calling his alibi into question; and Audrey hints at much larger family secrets that have yet to be revealed. The siblings are all aware that their significant others’ statements are meaningless, as Lisa and Ted are both proven liars—as is Jake, though this is not well known. The group is beginning to feel the effects of the lies and secrets, as Ted and Lisa become increasingly anxious about covering for their spouses, and the Merton siblings begin to turn on each other.
No one in the narrative tries harder than Irena to accept the Mertons. Her second interview with the detectives lays the stage for the novel’s discussion of The Dark Logic of Violence. When forensic evidence indicates that she tampered with the crime scene, Irena feels obligated to express her deepest fears with the detectives: These are not your typical kids. They pose a threat as a result of the corrupting impact of immense riches. Her tearful confession begins the novel’s second half: “Because, as much as I love each of them, I know what they’re like.” They are cunning, selfish, and greedy, and they are the offspring of a psychopath”. That word introduces the novel’s main theme: Did Fred Merton have psychopathic tendencies? His life was dominated by a lack of sympathy and a compulsion to control others. Was he more than an abusive father, a neglected spouse, a ruthless business boss, and an emotionally inaccessible brother? And, more significantly, might he have passed on this propensity to his children?
Most significantly, Jenna remains unnoticed in these chapters. In the few scenes in which she appears, she is violent and a liar, just like her siblings; similarly, Jake lied for her, just as Ted and Lisa did for Catherine and Dan. These are clues Lapena leaves for readers building up to the revelation that Jenna murdered Sheila and Fred; they are inconspicuous now when Dan and Catherine are the most popular suspects, but they will stand out after the truth is revealed.
Chapters 39-50 Analysis
The novel is reset when Audrey reveals the truth she has concealed for decades. Fred Merton had previously been established as an insensitive, abusive father, a cunning businessman, and an adulterous husband. These chapters, on the other hand, give him The Dark Logic of Violence. Fred believed that murdering his violent father was the best way to deal with him, which is especially startling given his young age at the time. The murder method shows that Fred did not lash out in self-defense or fury; similarly, his assumption that Audrey wants to ask him how he killed their father reflects his evil thinking. Unlike the machinations behind the killings of Fred and Sheila, this event does not involve large sums of money. The Pull of Greed does not motivate young Fred. At the age of 13, Fred Merton uses violence to solve a problem. Fred is desensitized to it due to his father’s harsh behaviors and dispenses him without regret or emotion. Charming, clever Fred Merton murdered without remorse, without sorrow, and with the most flimsy of motives. The fact that he, too, became an abusive father and was possibly murdered by a family member suggests a cycle of violence in the Merton family.
The comparable killings support Audrey’s theory that all of the Merton children inherited Fred’s psychopathic traits, implying that The Dysfunction of Wealthy Families—particularly this one—is caused by factors other than wealth. This notion is supported in a variety of ways. Catherine is always cold; she dislikes Ted’s surprise and alarm at her desire to move into the family home. Dan has a history of stalking and still sees nothing wrong with his activities. Catherine has a history of stealing, albeit it has yet to be established that she stole Sheila’s earrings from her body. Even Audrey, who believes she is not like the other Mertons, is depicted as an untrustworthy narrator, with several characters suspecting she poisoned herself to further her own purpose.
However, Dan emerges as the most logical suspect in Reyes and Barr’s inquiry. He appears defensive, cagey, and curiously paranoid. His explanation is vague. These chapters tell more about his circumstances, including how badly he was duped and how close he was to his parent’s house on the night of the murder. The more the detectives discover, the more desperate Dan appears, to the point where he might murder his parents to obtain his fortune. His motivation is straightforward to the detectives: Greed’s Pull.
Catherine is also a suspect for the same reasons. These chapters center on her desire for material wealth and the lengths she will go to obtain costly items. Despite their long relationship as friends, she instantly excludes Rose from the will and the family; she is also determined to have the family house. Lapena keeps the mystery alive by changing suspects: just as Dan appears to be the obvious murderer, fresh information arrives that makes Catherine suspicious as well.
Rose upends all of the Mertons’ plans. When the siblings confirm that Fred’s will included a child they were unaware of, the investigators begin to notice The Pull of Greed throughout the siblings, how almost every move they make is weighed against the influence on their financial situation. “The ice appears to have broken between Dan and the rest,” says Rose right away. The brothers and sisters are now united in their fight against a common foe, a usurper”. The siblings are driven by this hyper-dramatic, cutthroat mentality: they are about conquest, not cooperation. Rose is not their long-lost half-sister; she symbolizes a multimillion-dollar loss.
Part of this is due to how Fred reared them. The moments with Audrey and Irena show that Fred taught the children that they were each other’s adversaries, which definitely carried over into adulthood. Rose, on the other hand, is partially to blame. She is the one who defrauded Dan of his money only because of The Pull of Greed. The Merton children would have rejected her anyhow, but her crime prevents them from ever accepting her into the family. Ellen’s studies into psychopathy suggest that she and Rose may not be as far removed from the Merton family’s “dysfunction” as they appear.
Finally, Jenna’s chapters end on a foreboding note. She appears to be the least unpleasant of the Merton children at this stage. Jenna, on the other hand, is a proven liar, and Jake is the only one who knows the truth. When Jake demands an extravagant sum of money, ostensibly to settle rent, Jane recognizes that The Pull of Greed has begun to manifest. Jake is “asking for more than he needs,” she recognizes. He is requesting what he desires”. For the time being, this greed can be attributed to Jenna’s enormous fortune; nevertheless, after Jenna’s culpability is disclosed, it is evident that this also serves as hush money. If she does not pay up, Jake has the authority to reveal the facts. This relates to The Toxic Effects of Secrets and Lies; Jenna and Jake’s relationship has already begun to deteriorate as a result of what she has done. Jenna’s guilt will be revealed in the closing chapters, as will the truth about what transpired on the night of the murder.
Chapter 51 Epilogue
In a break from traditional mystery approaches, Lapena’s murderer walks free. Murder mysteries invariably, inexorably lead to revelation and resolution. After combing through evidence and accumulating information on a slew of suspects, the agent of truth—whether amateur or professional—at long last puts the intricate piece together. That discovery is enough to bring the murder mystery to a satisfying close: the perpetrator is arrested, and the cosmos returns to the glorious equilibrium that the murder had disrupted. Everything is in order.
Not a Happy Family, on the other hand, skewers that movement. The agents of truth—the detectives and Audrey—are frustrated in these last chapters. Dan, the most logical candidate, has an eyewitness who places him in a car away from the Merton house at the time of the murder. That car does not match the vehicles seen at the Mertons’ Easter celebration. Irena’s arrest is yet another dead end: She was at home, according to phone records. Jenna, on the other hand, cannot be reliably located at the crime scene. Jenna skates around the evidence just as the cops think they have a case. She points out that the hair found by the detectives could have gotten into Irena’s automobile by chance. Jenna refuses to be caught even with her siblings; she puts doubt on them, convinced that they have nothing on her. Jenna appears to get away with murder because to her secrets and lies.
Lapena gives readers—and only readers—the whole picture. She demonstrates The Dark Logic of Violence as Jenna plots her parents’ murders, enraged by the possible financial loss. Jenna recalls strangling her mother, stabbing her father, then methodically staging the crime scene and concealing the evidence. It is a “blur”, leaving her physically fatigued but morally unscathed; in fact, she is pleased with her efforts, feeling happy every time she passes the building that conceals her evidence. She smirks whenever she knows she won’t be caught, and she fantasizes about the damning evidence she has on her siblings. She is also revealed to be the perpetrator of Audrey’s poisoning, and she wishes Audrey had died as well.
When Catherine and Dan discover Jenna’s culpability, the Dysfunction of Wealthy Families shows brightest. They agree to confront her but not to report her to the police. Catherine is especially glad when she discovers Jenna will not be apprehended—not because she wants to protect her sister, but because it means the media and the general public will lose interest in the tale. The family name will not be harmed further. Because Rose is in jail for fraud, the three siblings will receive their original portions of the inheritance, just as they had hoped. It’s an almost-perfect finish for Catherine. In the epilogue, Audrey finds that she and Ted have moved into the family home, despite the fact that Ted appears miserable. This suggests that The Toxic Effects of Secrets and Lies are still weighing on him; Jenna’s implication—that Catherine or Dan framed her—remains inside the family.
Audrey is the least pleased with the outcome of the incident. Even when the case is closed, she stubbornly pursues the truth. Her determination—or greed—is rewarded when she discovers the property, the exact location where Jenna concealed her damaging evidence. Audrey purchases the property at the end of the story, hinting that it is only a matter of time before she discovers the truth.
Catherine, most notably, has a child. According to Audrey’s theory and Ellen’s research, psychopathy can be handed down genetically. The evidence is evident in the Merton clan’s mercenary brutalities: Fred, who murders his father at the age of 13; Dan, who has disturbed thinking and a history of stalking; Catherine, who has a compulsive drive to steal; and, of course, Jenna, who murders her parents. Jenna also mentions that “t’s dark inside her head”, despite the fact that she accuses Dan and Catherine of their own proclivities. Catherine’s pregnancy indicates that the Merton proclivity for predatory violence will be handed down to the next generation.
Discussion Questions
Is the Merton family wealthy? What is the estimated value of the Merton estate upon the deaths of Fred and Sheila, and how will the wealth be distributed among the Merton siblings? Does immense wealth guarantee happiness within this family?
What are the implications of growing up in a world of boundless affluence for the Merton children? What are the potential consequences of individuals being unable to understand anything beyond their own privilege? How might this mindset impact their decision-making and actions? How does the father’s ruthless nature contribute to the establishment of his empire? In what ways does he pass on this mindset to his children? How does the competition among the children affect their relationships with each other? What does the teacher teach the students about the concept of a “winner” and the expectations placed on them as Mertons? According to Fred, did the students meet these expectations? How does the Mertons’ wealth impact their external relationships? What does the subplot of the friendship between Catherine Merton and Rose Cutter reveal about Catherine’s feelings towards Rose? What are the consequences of Rose being revealed as Fred’s secret daughter and entitled to a portion of his fortune in their relationship?
How does growing up with immense wealth impact the dynamics between siblings in terms of their attitude toward acquiring more wealth? How do the Merton children perceive the murders of their parents? Why do the characters in the story no longer have to tolerate Fred’s abuse? What is the main reason for their newfound fortunes? What impact does the ongoing investigation have on their ability to enjoy their inheritance? How do Audrey’s persistent snooping and Rose’s unexpected encroachment add to their challenges? How does growing up as millionaires shape the thoughts and behaviors of children, making their focus primarily on wealth and the actions they need to take to acquire it?
How does money impact the dynamics within a family, leading to feelings of paranoia and distrust? How does the development of competitive consumerism impact the emotional well-being of children as they grow? How might individuals be hindered from gaining a broader moral outlook that could help them recognize their own egotism? What are the different desires and ambitions of Catherine, Dan, and Jenna? What role does Jenna’s fear of losing financial support play in triggering the brutal murders? How do the siblings find comfort in the prospect of becoming wealthy once the murder investigation is over?
Does the novel suggest that being wealthy is inherently associated with dysfunction? How might Fred’s lack of empathy have contributed to his ability to build his empire? What are some characteristics that define him as a ruthless businessman? How does his sadistic and manipulative behavior manifest, particularly towards his children? Who is the most prominent face of Merton’s material greed and how does Catherine prioritize the family name and fortune over typical moral values? – What are the reasons behind her desire to live in the family home, despite the tragic events that occurred there? – How does she anticipate the impact of Dan’s speech, revealing the abuse they suffered, on its portrayal in the media? – What is the significance of her satisfaction in informing Audrey that the will was not altered in her favor? What are some concerning behaviors that Dan has exhibited, such as stalking and parking outside houses late at night? What evidence suggests that Jenna may be a murderer and exhibit psychopathic traits?
Would the Merton children be less dysfunctional if they were not wealthy? To what extent are individuals products of their environment? To what extent does the Merton fortune shape the children’s identities and behaviors in Shari Lapena’s novel?
What are some factors that contribute to the pull of greed in individuals?
How does the book “Not a Happy Family” serve as a modern-day parable that criticizes the influence of greed? What role does the hunger for material satisfaction play in driving each character’s actions? What is the purpose of the Prologue in setting the scene? How does the narrative’s slow pan down into Aylesford contribute to the overall atmosphere of the scene? What does the description of the massive homes with manicured lawns and sturdy gates suggest about the residents of Aylesford? How does the author’s portrayal of children finishing off their chocolate bunnies and foil-wrapped eggs add to the sense of anticipation and competition among them? What characteristics define the Merton children, and how does their insatiable greed affect their relationships with their siblings? How do the Mertons view each other in terms of competition and what strategies do they employ to protect their share of the family’s wealth?
What is the factor that unites the Merton children and poses a risk to their shared fortune? How does Rose being a family friend complicate the situation where she cheated Dan out of his money? Is she considered an unexpected variable and an unplanned usurper of the inheritance? What actions might the siblings take to prevent the potential division of $26 million among four people instead of three? What role does Rose’s greed play in her decision to scam Dan, and how does her confidence in the stock market opportunity contribute to her lack of a backup plan?
How does Audrey, Fred’s sister, demonstrate acts of greed? Should she be entitled to half of her brother’s estate due to her silence about their father’s murder? What motivates the protagonist to relentlessly investigate the Merton children? How does her conviction about one of them being responsible for her brother’s murder impact her pursuit of justice? How does the presence of greed affect the secondary characters in the novel, particularly Jake, Jenna’s boyfriend? Why is Ellen, a character known for her moral compass, so pleased to discover that Rose will be receiving a portion of Fred’s wealth? What role does material greed play in the actions of the characters, and how does Irena’s behavior differ in this regard?
What are the possible motives behind Jenna’s decision to murder her parents after they threatened to change the will, potentially reducing her expected inheritance? How does her level of materialism compare to Catherine’s? Is she more or less desperate for cash than Dan? Despite these differences, why is she still angry with her parents? What are the possible motivations behind Jenna’s extreme reaction of resorting to murder when she feels angry or wronged, similar to a child who acts out when they are grounded? Does the novel explore Jenna’s decision to maintain her current lifestyle without making any improvements, such as moving into a nicer house or getting a nicer car? Was greed the main driving factor in Jenna’s behavior, or was there another primary motivation that made her actions even more chilling?
What are the potential negative consequences of keeping secrets and telling lies?
How have secrets and lies affected the Mertons throughout generations? How does Lapena demonstrate the destructive impact of secrets and lies on families through Fred’s murder of his father and Catherine’s theft of her deceased mother’s earrings?
What role do murders play in keeping secrets hidden? What are the implications of Fred and Audrey keeping the secret of Fred’s murder of his father for many years? What are the details surrounding Jenna’s murder of Fred and Sheila? What role does the concrete confirmation of Jenna’s guilt play in the story? How does the presence of meager DNA evidence affect the detectives’ investigation? How does Jenna’s claim of being framed create doubt within the family? How do the repeated instances of deception among the siblings and their partners impact their relationships with one another and with the detectives in the story? How does Lapena’s use of the Merton children’s behavior create a sense of uncertainty and mistrust among readers?
What other secrets do the Mertons have? How might the children’s reaction be influenced by the discovery of their father’s affair with a former employee and the inclusion of the child from that affair in his will? What are the consequences of Dan’s confession about investing his and Lisa’s money into Rose’s investment scheme? How does Rose’s forced confession about the fraud impact the situation? Was she forced to acknowledge that she had prior knowledge of being included in Fred’s will, even though her mother believed she was unaware? Why does Catherine refuse to confess to taking her mother’s earrings, even though Jenna is aware of her actions and seems to take pleasure in keeping it a secret? Does Jenna ever admit to committing the murders or poisoning Audrey?
How do the detectives in the novel contribute to the development of a counterplot that emphasizes the importance of accountability and transparency? What evidence do the detectives uncover about the Merton family’s inclination towards secrecy as they continue their investigation? What role does Audrey play as an agent of truth, and how does her motivation of selfishness and greed impact her actions? What does Audrey’s pursuit of the truth suggest about the potential for future justice in the story?
What are the potential consequences of secrets and lies on families and their relationships? Do Ted and Lisa’s doubts about Catherine and Dan’s innocence intensify as the investigation progresses? How does this impact their relationships? Why do you think Jake decided to abandon Jenna as soon as the police started pressuring him? What could be the reasons behind his sudden change in behavior and cutting off all contact? What impact does Ellen’s devastation upon learning about Rose’s crimes have on her? How does this revelation make Ellen question whether Rose inherited Fred’s alleged psychopathy? How does Lapena suggest that Jenna inherited Fred’s violent tendencies, and how does she weaponize the toxicity of secrets before leaving her siblings? What are the implications of her statement that one of them framed her and how might it affect Lisa and Ted’s perception of their spouses’ innocence?
What are some possible explanations for the underlying reasons behind the dark logic of violence?
Does the book “Not a Happy Family” effectively explore the theme of violence as a resolution for intricate emotional issues, considering its classification as a domestic noir? What factors contribute to the Merton family’s sudden shift towards confrontation and violence? Why do they seem uninterested in mediation or compromise? What are the implications of Fred’s perspective on his father as a problem that can only be resolved through murder? What are the potential motivations behind Jenna’s belief that inheriting her parents’ wealth is a solution to her fear of losing financial security?
How does violence serve as a strategy for control for the Mertons, particularly Fred and Jenna, especially in moments when they feel vulnerable or helpless? What might be the reason for Fred misunderstanding Audrey’s question about their father’s murder and assuming she is asking about the method he used to commit the crime? What emotions or lack thereof does Jenna experience while carrying out the gruesome acts of strangling her mother and repeatedly stabbing her father? What are some potential factors that can contribute to the absence of thrill and adrenaline rush in certain situations? Is killing her father the only logical solution, considering the conditions he set out? How does Jenna handle her interactions with Audrey? Instead of giving her warnings or making threats, what extreme action does Jenna take to prevent Audrey from uncovering the truth?
What is the significance of individuals like Catherine, Dan, and Irena being able to understand the rationale behind the violence, despite their innocence? What is the level of awareness among all individuals about Fred’s personality, and do they agree that the family is objectively better off without him? What are the benefits that they understand they could gain from his death, and how does this influence Catherine’s decision to leave the house without reporting the murders? Additionally, why does Irena choose to clean the murder weapon before contacting the police? Why does Dan, who had no involvement in the murder, express the statement “We’re free” first? What does the statement “All of us, we’re free of him” imply about the speaker’s relationship with someone?
How does the revelation of Fred’s murder of his father impact the story? – What are the possible reasons for Jenna’s ability to avoid conviction and arrest? – How does the lack of disclosure about Fred’s crime and Jenna’s escape affect the overall narrative? Is the ending of the novel ambiguous? What implications does Lapena suggest about Audrey’s potential purchase of the farm building and its connection to Jenna’s evidence?
Reflection Essays
1. Psychopathology research findings that both support and criticize the hypothesis. Present a character reading centered on one of the Merton children’s culpability for their anti-social behavior. Are their tendencies inherited? Taught? Is there anything else?
2. Does Jenna have any culpability for the murder? With your response, consider the novel’s major themes.
3. Why does Shari Lapena make Dan the most suspect character? How does his past affect his character—the episode with Tina, the incident with Rose, and so on? Is Lapena comparable to Catherine and Jenna in any way? What is your reasoning?
4. Compare the detectives to Audrey. What similarities do these initiatives share? What distinguishes them? Make use of textual evidence.
5. How does the novel use Easter to establish the background for the Merton family’s villainy? Could Lapena have had the same impact on a different holiday?
6. Consider Lapena’s use of red herrings, which are false clues that mislead the reader and point to someone other than the murderer. What are some of the book’s significant red herrings? How does Lapena’s use of them influence the story’s pace and progression?
7. How does the narrative predict Jenna’s crime revelation? Make use of textual evidence.
8. Create a what-if scenario for the novel. What if Chapter 63, which describes Jenna’s murder of her parents, is cut? What effect would this have on the novel? What would happen if Jenna was arrested instead of getting away with murder?
9. Learn about the home noir genre. What distinguishes this genre from classic crime novels or traditional family novels? Use Lapena’s epigraph as a beginning point, which is the famous opening sentence from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
10. Audrey has kept Fred’s father’s death a secret for many years, but she is desperate to find Fred’s killer. Why? What does this tell about her moral character?