Dysfunctional Families In Literature

The Ludlows, the family at the center of my novel, LOYALTY, join a grand tradition of dysfunctional families. Fina Ludlow is the private investigator in the family's Boston law firm, and it's hard to know who causes her more trouble: the criminals she grapples with on a regular basis or her own family. Brash and opinionated, the Ludlows seem to tell it like it is, but as the story unfolds, we learn that even big mouths keep secrets.

Dysfunctional families in literature run the gamut from amusing to chilling, but they all have one thing in common: they keep the reader glued to the page. After all, as readers, we may like the occasional dose of normal, but it doesn't take long before we're craving a touch of betrayal or a hint of deceit. Dysfunctional families in literature let us peek into the dark shadows of the psyche while keeping a safe distance.