Two sisters, a mysterious death and a murder plan.  Sounds pretty sinister, right?  

This was a very dark, ominous story and the dysfunction of this family was off the charts(And I do mean the whole entire family). Martin Monroe is the very controlling father who didn't seem to have many redeeming qualities.  We find out right away who the good and the bad sister are and the author did a great job with character development, but I struggled relating to either of them.

The story is told from the POV of the two sisters and alternates from their childhood days to present day.  A lot of family secrets and history is revealed, but I thought parts of the story moved a bit slow.  I did want to know how it would play out in the end which kept me reading on.

Recommend for those who enjoy a slow unraveling of secrets, lies, and a dark family tree.

The Other Sister delivers a dark, creepy, and twisted story about two sisters that are keeping a dangerous secret.

Geraldine is titled as the "bad sister" and ran away after the death of her mother. Marie on the other hand is known as the "good sister" who is raising her teenage son. Of course... as the web begins to unravel it's not all as it seems with the good sister and the bad sister.

The story is told from Geraldine and Marie's POV alternating between timelines. Geraldine and Marie are harboring this dangerous secret that ultimately reveals a family's dysfunctionality to its CORE.

Together Marie and Geraldine plot to kill their father Martin.... but why would the sisters want to kill their father?!

So.. I would recommend this to fans that enjoy a dark family story.. that continues to unravel the web. The author does any amazing job keeping you on the edge of your seat until the end... not being able to trust any of the characters.

So, why you ask only 3 stars? I just felt kind of meh when I finished it.... and was waiting for it to pick up as I was reading and just didn't feel that overall connection.

It was a tad slow for me... and felt mediocre upon finishing this thriller. Although, this was my first read by Sarah Zettel and would be interested in connecting with her future reads! :)

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Morgan, and Grand Central Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

Published to GR: 7/29/18
Expected publication date: 8/28/18

The Other Sister delivers a creepy, twisted and engaging story about two sisters, who share an explosive secret. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book initially, but I am glad, in hindsight, that the blurb was relatively vague, because it added to the uncertainty of this story. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the sense that you never really knew who to trust as a reader. I don't think I'll be quick to forget this story!

This is a good and harrowing tale of the Monroe family of The Rose House. I am not giving spoilers on this one but I can say that there is some very well done writing. I especially loved the excerpts of Geraldine's work and dissection of fairytales (can't post them from the ARC but I wish I could!). I highlighted quite a bit of those as they were not just clever but memorable. There's a good bit of wit amongst the dark, so points for that as well.

The story is told through various timelines through the POVs of sisters, Geraldine and Marie. They are the daughters of Martin & the departed Stacey. Geraldine is the outcast and Marie, the "good" sister. I felt Geraldine's POV chapters were best done as she had scars and a tanker's worth of problems but she didn't read as deranged and on the cusp of snapping, like Marie. Marie's chapters made me uncomfortable and did, about halfway through, feel like prolonged misery. I got exactly why she was as she was but it was more bloodletting than I was up for. By the time we reach the denouement, you know there's no way this family will ever be quite right but survival is its own victory.

Martin was so extreme, I'd wished he'd had POV chapters but then I wonder if reading such a thing would put a reader off the story. There are some heads you just don't want to inhabit because brain bleach isn't yet a thing. He's thoroughly grotesque and morally bankrupt. Grandmother Millicent was a strange one as well and seriously made me wonder just how many generations we needed to go back to find the initial source of the family weirdness. To be fair the Monroes weren't the only family trees here with flawed branches, theirs was just more spectacularly on display.

I would recommend this one to those who love a dark family tale. This is like King Lear or the Julians level family dysfunction so be advised. This one takes no prisoners and the summary doesn't even hint that this story goes so far down in the depths.

Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley.

WOW!! This book kept me up all night, even after I finished it I just kept thinking about it. Well written with believable characters and storyline. I can’t wait until the book is published so I can talk to friends who have read it. I will be ordering it for a few friends. Thank you for a great read

I recommend checking out this new thriller. It has a interesting plot and is well-written. I will be checking out more from this author in the future!

Two sister bound by one big secret. Geraldine has come home twenty-five years after her mother’s death for the high school graduation of her nephew. Always considered the uncooperative and uncaring sister, she’s also come to visit her sister Marie. Marie, the perfect sister who lives with her father and waits on him hand hand and foot. The sisters have a plan to get revenge for their years of suffering, but can they trust each other? This is a taut and twisted tale perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn

Unfortunately, I had a bit of trouble getting into this book. Not sure I would recommend it for that reason. I was not familiar with the author but thought it was worth an attempt.