Almost every family has them--dark secrets that no one talks about because they might alter the family status quo. Novelists often base novel on the dramatic uncovering of a family's secrets to great success. The novels below all feature a "secret" while also exploring social issues e.g., racial identity, the pressures of parental expectations, psychological manipulation, and generational trauma.
Brit Bennet. Vanishing Half.
Celeste Ng. Everything I Never Told You.
Lisa Jewel. The Family Upstairs.
Kim Edwards. Memory Keeper's Daughter.
Min Jin Lee. Pachinko.
Non-fictional memoirs that hinge on dark secrets are equally mesmerizing.
Dorothy Allred Solomon. Daughter of the Saints.
Anna LeBaron. Polygamist's Daughter.
Dani Shapiro's gripping memoir, Inheritance, details the repercussions of taking a simple DNA test.
Anyone interested in family secrets should watch John Baime's notable documentary, Filling in the Blanks.