A compelling & original story told with skill by a gifted writer. Peopled with unique characters, with very complex relationships, this has more depth than many girl-gets-murdered thrillers and makes for a satisfying read.

Very enjoyable reading; written well and easy to follow. I was entertained by this book even though about 2/3 of the way through I figured out what was going on. Relationships between mother and daughter are complicated and this book exemplifies this. A great read.

Do you want a quick diversion from everyday life? This book will do it. One of those I had to stay with until the final paragraph. This could border on YA reading, but it’s very interesting and enthralling for us middle-aged folks.
Silvie lost her sister Persephone years earlier when Silvie was only 14. Persephone was sneaking out to date the evil and wretched Ben, son of the even eviler and more wretched dad Will Emory.
When Persephone was found murdered, their mother Annie, who was not very stable, to begin with, withdrew into a haze of depression fueled by alcohol and illegal drugs. Annie’s sister Jill is the only saving grace and firm grounding for Silvie, who, upon graduation, leaves her small town and its awful memories. This somewhat works for Silvie until Jill calls and insists that Silvie return home to her cancer-ridden mother and fulfill her duties as the sole heir, caretaking for her mom and the home.
As Silvie is coping with her estranged mother, her illness and her twisted attitude towards Silvie and her sister, she crosses paths with Ben and comes to realize all is not as she has perceived for all these years. Or is he simply playing folly with her heart and life just as he had with Persephone?
A twisted plot full of mean mothers, rich spoiled men, loving but flawed friends, “The Winter Sister” is an enthralling and enjoyable respite from our mundane lives.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Touchstone / Atria Books for making it available.)

After feeling pretty lukewarm about this story, then seeing all the 5 star ratings it has received, I know I am the outlier here. The whole story felt forced to me, had a very "young adult" vibe, and the solving of the murder of Persephone (Really? Persephone?) didn't make a lot of sense.

So I guess this just wasn't for me. It obviously is a hit with most readers, however. Thank you to Atria Books/Simon & Schuster for inviting me to read and review this through NetGalley.

This was interesting and I found the story compelling and unputdownable, but I started suspecting the killer really early on, and never really suspected anyone else - usually I’m surprised by mysteries and go back and am like “oh, yeah, there was this clue or that one” so I think this must’ve been pretty obvious, but I enjoyed watching it unfold.

4.5 Stars!

The Winter Sister is a stunning, suspense-filled, edge of your seat debut by Megan Collins! I was thoroughly captivated by this tale of domestic suspense and mystery surrounding the unsolved murder of a young girl and her younger sister determination to see justice served sixteen years later. Also, being a literature professor, I delighted in how Collins wrote such a passionate, discordant, disastrous family tragedy and so aptly named her murdered protagonist Persephone after the daughter of Zeus in Greek mythology to drive the storyline to its exhilarating and apt ending! It was quite clever and showed from the beginning the stark differences between the two daughters/sisters, who shared different fathers, one named Sylvie and the other named after the greatest of all the gods...

One sister's unsolved murder, another sister's misplaced guilt and compulsion to solve her sister's murder, and a mother's desperate, heartwrenching grief over a daughter's loss make this novel more than just a mystery. It's a novel about mother, daughter, and sister bonds, and the strengths, complexities, and fragilities of those relationships. Collins has written authentic, raw, and not always likable characters who have depth and substance, which is one reason I loved the book as much as I did since excellent and meticulous characterization is one of my top reasons for enjoying a novel.

The storyline is captivating from page one and although I guessed the mystery of Persephone's murder midway, that in no way detracts from the book because the characters and their struggles to come to terms not only with Persephone's murder but also with the pain and hurts they've caused one another since then and the guilt they've carried makes for an utterly spellbinding and heartwrenching read!

Can I say that I've already read some excellent suspense novels releasing in 2019, and The Winter Sister most definitely goes on that list?! I can already predict that 2019 is going to be an outstanding writing year for suspense and thrillers and am honestly thrilled to see so many debut authors already at the top of the list! Without a doubt, I'll be watching for everything Collins writes from now on because I know it will be superb!

Collins' debut is masterful, expressive writing and domestic suspense at its best. This is one novel you don't want to miss! The Winter Sister publishes February 5, 2019, so make sure you preorder your copy now!

**Thank you NetGalley and Isabel at Atria Books for the ARC to read in exchange for my fair and honest review.**

Guilt gripped the characters of The Winter Sister, the way the suspense of this psychological thriller gripped me. Well-written and almost seamless, the dialogue flowed from one scene of intrigue into the next. Flawed but interesting, the characters of this book were believably portrayed. The book’s aimless protagonist and her alcoholic mother had a complex, but realistically conveyed relationship. I wanted to know why these characters behaved the way they did. I was invested in the outcome. All the while I read, I wondered who murdered Persephone, but the answer was expertly concealed until the very end. The Greek tragedy about the death of the daughter of the mythical gods underscored this murder mystery in subtle and sophisticated ways. I could not put this book down!

Wholehearted thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy to read in exchange for my honest review. Those who love psychological thrillers and murder mysteries will enjoy this book. My only criticism is the romantic interlude between the protagonist and a murder suspect. It interrupted what was otherwise a smooth and compelling read. It seemed gratuitous and awkward. Without it, I was headed toward a perfect five stars. Even so, I give the book 4.75 stars. Reading The Winter Sister is time well spent in Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall.

This was a challenging book for me, because the alcoholic parent was a trigger for some things about my own upbringing. I thought the mystery was good, but I did find it difficult to connect with, and even like, many of the characters. I was surprised at the resolution of the mystery and I know there will be many readers who will like this story. I will certainly recommend it. It was just a bit of a challenge for me due to the stated reasons. Thanks for the e-galley and the opportunity to review it.

There's nothing too terribly surprising in the plot of THE WINTER SISTER, but as any romance reader will tell you, you don't need a surprising plot to make a good book. Sylvie O'Leary has spent the past sixteen years of her life thinking about her sister Persephone's murder and the culprit who went free--who she is sure is Persephone's then-boyfriend, Ben Emory. But for a case this cold, it's going to take a lot more than a few questions asked to solve the mystery...it's going to uproot lives.

While some things were utterly predictable (like a particular relationship I won't name by name but REALLY NOW) I still wasn't entirely sure of the answer until the very end. Not necessarily surprised by it, but not sure it was the right answer. There's some real depth to these characters, and they don't always (immediately) act how you expect them to. It's the little things that make the difference.

All in all, a good read, well worth the time spent on it. Would recommend.

This was creepy...I don't have many other words. LOL

Not as suspenseful as I had hoped, but a creepy premise all the same. Small town, with twisted relationships abound.

I read this thrilling book in one rainy afternoon. It completely engrossed me and I couldn't put it down. 16 years ago, Sylvie's sister was missing and found murdered. Sylvie returns home to take care of her mother who at best is a very difficult person. While Sylvie is home, she delves back into trying to find out what happened to her sister. This is a thrilling ride that takes a look at mother daughter relationships as well as sisterly love. There is many secrets that come to light. It was a thrilling ride that I enjoyed until the very last page. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Touchstone Atria Books. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Touchstone, I had the pleasure of reading the debut novel, The Winter Sister, by author Megan Collins. I find it hard to believe that this is her first book because it’s so well written. I absolutely loved this story! It completely held my interest and I was really disappointed every time I would have to set it down to do other tasks. I would classify its genre as a mystery/suspense. It was a family drama centered around the death of a teenage daughter with years of secrets and lies involved. The characters were very true and lifelike and easy to relate to. It was a heartbreaking story about a cold case that finally gets solved and brings closure to the surviving mother and daughter. I really enjoyed reading this story and would highly recommend it to others who enjoy books of this genre. I believe I’ll even buy a physical copy for myself upon release date to add to my own book collection. It was that good! I feel this author has a very promising future and I’m looking forward to reading whatever novel she writes next.

Despite promises of being "spellbinding and suspenseful", I found Megan Collins' The Winter Sister to be wholly average. There's a lack of a strong or unique voice here, which would've helped the book tremendously, and the protagonist is mostly uninteresting-- not because she is adrift, but because the writing doesn't deepen her character or even fully encompass it. Annie, her detached mother, offers a wealth of potential depth, but this opportunity is missed. Nothing is strikingly 'bad', but neither is there anything here that will stick with you past the final page. The romance that sort-of blossoms is expected, and the "twist" is given away far too early. That being said, there were a few moments where the otherwise-plain story would open up to reveal a beautiful turn of phrase, worthy of highlighting. Because of this, I think Collins shows promise in her debut, and I would be interested in following her career, to see how her writing evolves, and what sort of voice she adopts as she continues.

I really enjoyed the mystery/suspense aspect of this novel. Although I suspected the culprit from relatively early on, there were plenty of red herrings that made me doubt myself along the way. There were also smaller mysteries, such as the bruises and the Mom's dark days, that I didn't know the explanation behind until it was revealed. It's the kind of character-driven suspense that I most enjoy reading.

While I also enjoyed the complexity of the relationship between Sylvie and Persephone, Sylvie was not my favorite character. I found her somewhat immature and felt like she made a lot of poor decisions and did not appreciate the good relationships she did have. I also really did not like the mother. Though she and Sylvie both show some growth by the end of the story, not as much as I'd hoped.

I'm sorry, I tried on this one and even went back to it a couple of times but I can't make it past about 25%. It's too slow to keep my interest.

This was a great book that really did keep you guessing until the very end. I loved the complexity of the characters.
Great for a cozy afternoon read.

A great debut that I really enjoyed! Well written and suspenseful, I will be looking for all future books from this author!

Fast, enjoyable read that I recommend! 4 stars!

Thank you to Atria Books and Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to read this great debut!

I really enjoyed this book. The author kept me guessing and I couldn’t figure out the killer. The writing was very eloquent and I enjoyed the mythology elements. Very well written and well done. 4 stars.

This is by first book by Megan Collins that I have read. I really enjoyed the story line as well as the characters. This book tackles a lot of issues regarding abuse and love, forgiveness and most of all guilt. We get to know the two main characters Sylvie and Ben really good especially as Sylvie explores her sister's murder. Megan Collins does a good job of keeping us hooked until the end where the killer is revealed. I would recommend this book to readers of mystery novels.

Sylvie had always wondered who killed her sister as sixteen years ago when Sylvie was younger. Her sister Persephone left with her boyfriend and never returned home. Later her body was found. The police despite the family's pushings could never find any leads, and her case went on unsolved. That was until sixteen years later, Sylvie returns home as her mother is dying and her aunt is busy with her new grandchild. Being back home with her mother stirs up old memories of her sister Persephone. When Sylvie runs into Ben - her sister's boyfriend at the time of her disappearance and the last supposedly to see her alive. It sparks up Sylvie's passion for finally finding out the truth about what happened to Persephone that night. By doing so, Sylvie will also unravel the facts about Persephone's father and the reason why on the 15th of every month growing up her mother would lock herself in her bedroom and have what the girls called her "dark days." I did like the twists that The Winter Sister took and I have to admit I did not see that ending coming when it was revealed who the killer was. I quite enjoyed this book as I love the past/present stories where unsolved murder cases get solved years later.