MY KILLER FAMILY REUNION, by Dinesh Thiru, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Aug. 11, 2026, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult, ages 14 and up)
An Indian American teen’s family reunion falls into chaos after her grandma is attacked in My Killer Family Reunion, by Dinesh Thiru.
Nothings brings family together like attempted murder.
There are three things Jayshree Devi can count on happening at her annual family reunion: 1) her cousins will forget she exists, 2) her aunts will try to set her up, and 3) her uncles will get into a fight. What she doesn’t expect? An accident that lands her grandmother in a coma, throwing the family—and their matriarch’s sizeable fortune—into chaos.
When Jay discovers Grand Mom’s “accident” might not have been so accidental after all, she’ll have to dig through decades of secrets to find the truth. With the help of her (annoyingly perky) cousins and one of their (annoyingly hot) friends, Jay finds herself knee-deep in a mystery that’s even more tangled than her family tree.
But the closer Jay gets to answers, the closer she gets to finding her place amongst the relatives who once felt so distant. With Grand Mom’s life and fortune hanging in the balance, can Jay save her family and maybe hook up with a hottie while she’s at it? —Synopsis provided by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
My Killer Family Reunion is one of the most enjoyable YA reads I’ve encountered this year.
The story is told from the first-person viewpoint of Jay. Jay’s used to disappearing. People often don’t notice she’s in the room. But when you’re “invisible” you see things others might miss, and Jay is really good at puzzling things out. You might even call her a sleuth.
Jay is a likeable character. She’s secure in who she is, but is also willing to push herself beyond status quo. And when she does that, she discovers she’s more powerful than anyone thought.
In My Killer Family Reunion, author Dinesh Thiru has crafted a dynamic cast of characters that are full of life. And when they’re all together, it’s a bit chaotic. But Thiru has done such a great job of constructing this family, that it feels organic. The interplay between characters and the heartfelt emotion — ranging from laughter to great distress — truly makes this book something more than just a mystery.
My Killer Family Reunion is a delight to read from beginning to end. I highly recommend it.
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