Under One Roof

by Lisa Underwood

FAMILIES CAN BE THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED LIARS OF ALL.

When Catherine Bridewell is found dead in her own front yard, her wealthy lakeside family becomes a collection of Could it be her aimless son, recently cut out of the family fortune? Perhaps her wild-child, newly pregnant daughter with a shocking fiancé? Or was it her eldest daughter, whose life is cracking at the seams? Even Catherine’s own brother has secret ambitions of his own…

As Detective Melissa Abner investigates, she discovers that Catherine’s death may be connected to a final, explosive family dinner. The deeper Melissa digs, the more she uncovers two Bridewell families—the one they choose to show the world, and the one they keep hidden behind closed doors.

Under One Roof weaves a tense mystery into the heart of a family, where loyalty and betrayal live side by side. Perfect for fans of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson and Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose.

Genres: Christmas

294 pages, Paperback

Published August 22, 2025

Reviews

[Ellie Witch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not terrible, it was an interesting enough read.

It was somehow both too slow and too rushed at the same time? Way too many side plots that added up to literally nothing. Like why do I care that Melissa is hung up on a specific case that amounts to nothing, is never mentioned again, and isn't life changing for the characters. Same thing with why was the whole thing with Ryan and Leah played out so long, when they ended up not being together and it was literally just for drama, in a book that already had a lot of drama in the main plot. Why does it matter that Holly and Henry had a thing, other than for drama, why did Holly give out her number (and why was it mentioned to the police?), why did Holly change overnight with no indication that she would?. But then the killer is caught within 6 days of the crime? Not to say that isn't possible, of course it is, but have such an insanely long lead up, it felt far too quick.

Melissa sucked, I just didn't like her. She is supposed to be this amazing detective, but she also almost breaks into her exes house??? She misses the security camera at said property??? She is borderline stalking her ex??? This lady needs help, and I hated her perspective.

I will say that Catherine was a really good villain, and I think that she was written well, and relatively realistically in the "she likes to stir the pot" kind of way.

Overall, way too much was happening, and I was confused, lost, and stopped caring maybe halfway through. By the time we got to the end, the murder didn't really matter, so the killer reveal just didn't register as important in my head.

[Fariza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSirens for providing an advanced copy of Under One Roof by Lisa Underwood.

I ended up really enjoying this domestic suspense novel. What stood out most to me was how well Lisa Underwood handled a large cast of characters. Big-family stories can easily become confusing, but here each of the main characters felt distinct, layered, and memorable. I found myself genuinely invested in their dynamics and how their relationships shifted as the story unfolded.

The book kept my attention from start to finish, and there were several moments that surprised me in a satisfying way. I also appreciated the steady tension and the emotional undercurrents running through the story—it made the reading experience feel immersive.

My only constructive critique is around the genre categorization. While the book does contain suspense and some sharp twists, the core of the story feels more like a family drama than a traditional thriller. If it had leaned a bit more into the thriller elements—either through a tighter sense of danger or higher stakes—I likely would have given it a full five stars.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Overall, Under One Roof is a compelling, character-driven read with great emotional depth. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys domestic stories with secrets, tension, and a strong ensemble cast.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This time of year, I’m all about snuggles, stories, and festive films — a book in one hand, hot cocoa in the other. I love Christmas, and mystery/thriller/suspense books are my favorite genre — so this book was the perfect combination of both - what's not to love! The story kicks off with a murder, then jumps back in time to show how events unfolded, building tension every step of the way. It’s about a family gathering for the holidays, and during the week, two people die at the family property. If you enjoy dysfunctional families, this one’s for you.

The author does a fantastic job bringing the characters to life and painting the setting. I loved getting glimpses into each character’s life — it added depth and made the story even more engaging. All told, this cozy mystery kept me hooked from start to finish, and I’d definitely suggest giving it a read.

I received an advanced copy from BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Nichole Montanez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buckle up & enjoy the ride.

Under One Roof is a well written, entertaining story about a family that lives somewhere between love and hate.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am wanted to leave this review voluntarily.

At the center of the story is the mom. A total queen bee. Her philosophy is you better get in line or lose access to the royal purse. Let’s just say she knows how to keep her adult kids on a tight leash.

Normally, I’m not a fan of books told from multiple perspectives but here it worked. I could literally see each character in my head, picture the scenes, and with that level of character development it made the book easy to follow.

Was it full of shocking twists? Not really. But it didn’t need to be. The story flowed well, and the storyline kept me turning pages.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy superb writing and entertaining characters.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a whodunnit amongst a dysfunctional family at Christmas time. Initially I found the majority of the characters to be unlikeable and could see any of them as the murderer. The story is told from multiple POV's and as you get to know the characters you see a different side to them and I really enjoyed the character development. Interestingly, one character who I liked and thought of as the "good guy" makes a choice at the end that's not exactly moral and I ended up disliking this character for it. Catherine, the victim, is an awful person and it's difficult to work out who the murderer is as so many people have a strong motive. I didn't work out who the murderer was so I enjoyed the surprise of the reveal.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Esme Merrily · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are dreading Christmas gatherings with your family - all this boring small talk, awful jokes, badly masqueraded envy/smugness from your cousin Jack and SIL Barbie; inappropriate questions about money, weight, marriage and potential kids - aunt Corinne's forte - and this one uncle not able to hold his liquor - I suggest to have this book handy to read in moments of elevated stress.

You will probably see your family in a much more favorable light in comparison to the Bridewells.
I mean, I am not surprised Catherine Bridewell was murdered, I'm surprised it happened so late!

I recommend this book as an observant portrait of a truly dysfunctional family with a pinch of festive flavour and an unexpectedly satisfying ending.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like stories about dysfunctional families, this will be a fun read for you. The matriarch, Catherine, enjoys playing psychological mind games with her children. They are torn between pleasing her to keep the financial support she provides and building a life they love. Catherine is also a businesswoman. Catherine is not likeable. Her children are struggling in life. At Christmas, they all gather for a week in the family home with their uncle, cousin and the cousin’s wife. The story begins with a murder but then the timeline shifts to the past.
It was well done and I would recommend.

I received an advanced digital copy from BookSirens and leave this review voluntarily.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Under One Roof is a new mystery by Lisa Underwood. Christmas holidays and murder go hand in hand in this new book. Detective Melissa rushes to her Aunt Brenda when her neighbor, Catherine, is found murdered in her front yard. There are lots of questions and where money is involved, family is suspect. The story has great characters with twist and turns and this author throws the conclusion right out the window with a complete surprise! The book is excellent. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Gales Tales70 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under One Roof Is a murder mystery about a dysfunctional family who’ve all come together over the Christmas periods then there were 2 deaths….

The story has some great characters all with their own little life problems. The mother, Catherine is a total control freak and head of the family and the Bridewell company. That’s until….

On Christmas morning there is a murder, then we step back in time to just before Christmas. Lots of twists and turns with a totally unexpected ending

Fab all round read and thanks to Booksirens and the author for the early ARC

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

The family get together for Christmas they are all supported but the mother until she announced that she will be changing her will after Christmas and cutting them all out but the morning after she is found by a neighbour Brenda outside the house stabbed, Brenda's neice is the Detective on the case and all the family is suspected of the murder.
Some great twists so unexpected.
Thanks to Book sirens for the ARC and I give my honest review.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was totally invested in this. The murdered woman was a vicious, nasty and downright cruel person who treats all her family with disdain so there's no shortage of suspects. I loved the whole disfunctional family aspect. There's a lot going on and all I can say is, wow, what a twist at the end just when you think everything was done and dusted.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tracy Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a minute to get into this book, but that’s mainly because life got in the way. Once I started really reading, I couldn’t stop.

The development of the characters was very well written. It was the perfect Christmas mystery in my opinion.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Meghan Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Under One Roof was my first book by Lisa Underwood was my first book by this author and its a perfect mystery as the weather changes. A mystery at the holidays where everyone has their secrets. Sounds like a perfect time. Can they figure out who done it? A great mystery.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lorelei Tomlinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. The story is about a family that gets together over Christmas, and during the holiday season, two people die at the property where the family are staying.

The author did an excellent job with the character development and describing the surroundings. This book described what was going on in the characters' lives which added to the understanding of the situation. It was a good murder mystery which held my interest throughout the book.

I received a free advance review copy of the book. The opinion that I express here is my own.