This book has been in my TBR pile for a few months now and so glad I chose to finally read it. The Winter Sister is the haunting debut novel by Megan Collins. It’s a story of two sisters, Persephone and Sylvie. Persephone was murdered when she was eighteen years old. After the murder, Sylvie’s mother shut down mentally and wasn’t able to care for her only remaining child. Persephone’s murder was never solved and her sister is now grown up.

Sylvie’s mother now has cancer and Sylvie comes back to town to care for her even though their relationship had fallen apart all those years ago. This is a book of secrets…everyone has them. Sylvie tries to unravel all the threads to this twisting and turning mystery. This is a book of relationships…relationships between teenage sisters, relationships between mother and daughter.

I really enjoyed this beautifully written debut novel. I was hooked from page one and my interest was held throughout. My favorite character was Sylvie. Her pain and guilt throughout the book was heart-wrenching. The author did a wonderful job portraying all that. The mother in the story was pitiful and I had mixed feelings about her. On one hand I felt sorry for her but at other times she made me angry for being so weak. The author did a fantastic job defining the complex family relationships. The characters were not only complex but also damaged by their traumatic experience. The tension and suspense builds up to the shocking conclusion.

Overall I was impressed with this dark, haunting debut. I would definitely read more by this author. Thanks so much to Megan Collins, Isabel DaSilva and Atria Books for sending me a copy to review. I’m giving this one 4 stars and I highly recommend it to all lovers of suspense.

New author for me but pleasantly surprised. Thank you for the approval and look forward to a book relationship with other reads in the future,

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this at the moment. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

This was a well written, enjoyably intriguing novel. Sylvie's older sister was slipping out their bedroom window every night to meet her boyfriend Ben, but one night she didn't come back. Her body is found in the snow a few days later and both Sylvie and her mother are plunged into the abyss of grief and guilt. The murderer is never found. Sixteen years later Sylvie returns to her mother's house to help care for her during her chemotherapy treatments. Things between them are strained and uncomfortable as they continue struggling with their pain. Sylvie encounters Ben at the hospital as she waits for her mother's therapy to be administered. Ben was always Sylvie's first choice as the murderer but the police did not find any evidence to bring charges against him. She confronts him and he does what he can to convince her that he is not the killer. Not wanting to give away any more info and spoil this for anyone planning to read it, I can say without reservation that I strongly recommend this book. A truly very good read.

I was given the opportunity to review this book by Netgalley and the publisher.

I was very excited about reading a talked about thriller from a new author. The synopsis of the story intrigued me. I really enjoyed this story. I felt Sylvie loved her sister so very much but also felt guilty for living her life after she was gone. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the novel also. No spoilers, but I did not like how the mother was portrayed and how she explained away her treatment of Persephone. I found it hard to believe that a mother would feel that way about one of their children. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and gladly give it 3.5 stars!

Still getting through my back catalogue of paperbacks and ARCs, I opened up this one last week. The Winter Sister is the debut thriller by American author Megan Collins and I was pleasantly surprised by it.

Here's what irked me about this novel:

Would I even say irked, really? Anyway, let's just get it out there. This is a story that's kind of been done. If you're a regular reader of female-centered thrillers then you may find this one familiar. A disappearance; a murdered teenage girl; a cold case; an assumed-guilty ex-boyfriend; a suspicious local weirdo; a narrative set in the present reflecting back; a protagonist (in this case the sister of said murdered girl) who must return to her hometown 16 years later and confront her past. That's it in a nutshell. Throw in some complicated family relationships and you're set.

And that's it - my only real criticism. Otherwise, this one is page-turner:

1. I liked that the protagonist isn't portrayed as an unreliable narrator. There's no drug or alcohol dependency; she is isn't emotionally unstable owing to a traumatic event. She's...normal.
2. I liked the setting. New England - beautiful. The murder happened in the winter and the author does a good job of capturing the atmosphere of the cold, harsh and bleak space.
3. I loved the relationship between Sylvie (our protagonist) and her mother. Their exchanges felt genuine and wrought with emotion and I thought the handling of Annie's cancer diagnosis and treatment was realistic.
4. Sylvie is a great character. She is fully-fledged and realistic, and she is both sympathetic and spunky!
5. Annie, Jill (Sylvie's Aunt), Ben (the dead sister's ex) and Tommy (the local weirdo) are also great characters - I only wished Tommy's weirdness had been developed further.
6. The tension grew steadily and built on itself perfectly; this was both a suspenseful and measured novel that was executed very well by Collins.
7. I didn't guess the end! Amazing! I thought this story was going one way when (view spoiler) but I was pleasantly surprised. So although the killer's name came into my mind at some point, I quickly shooed it back out thinking that couldn't be so. A welcome change in my reading of grip-lit of late!
8. And finally, the writing is great. There are some wonderful passages here; the narrative flows really well. It stays pretty much in the present and any flashbacks are presented through the eyes of the characters. Collins does a great job of settling the scene, presenting situations through vivid descriptions, sounds and smells. I was really taken in by it.

Overall, an engaging and enjoyable read about family, obsessive love, murder, abuse and confronting the past, and I am happy I got to it. 3.5 stars.

*4.5 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great debut for Megan Collins. I don't know why I didn't pick it up sooner. I was instantly hooked and intrigued by these characters, and wanted to find out what the real truth was. While the story does take a little while to get underway in the present, we do need that backstory of the past when Persephone goes missing, to help understand the story.

There are many different and intriguing characters in this book, and whilst I can't say I really connected with any of them, I really did want to know what had gone on, and what the truth to all these secrets was.

There were a fair few things I really did not see coming, and that's always the mark of a good mystery or thriller novel. I did enjoy watching this one play out, and I sped through it considering I wasn't too well at the time.

Definitely recommend this one, and look forward to more from this author.

This book starts in the past, when the narrators older sister goes missing. After a few days, the characters are changed forever, and relationships instantly change and fracture. The younger sister instantly suspects foul play from the boyfriend, who they have kept a secret from their protective mother. After the body of her sister is found, her murder goes unsolved for years.

Fast forward to the narrator’s adulthood, when life brings her back home after years of being disconnected. She falls into detective mode, and starts to investigate what really happened.

The main piece that I took away from this book was the various relationships, and their path through the story. While predictable at times, it never took away from my overall enjoyment of this book. I highly recommend!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This was an enjoyable thriller that I am grateful for the opportunity to have read. I liked the story and the plot as well as the characters. My only negatives were a bit of pacing issues and it was a little too predictable for me as far as thrillers go. That does not make me hesitate in recommending it or saying that I would choose it again. I will also look forward to further work by this author.

#TheWinterSister #NetGalley

I know I've read this story multiple time before....younger sibling estranged from her family after her older sibling's murder returns home to face her family's demons. Yada, yada, yada...

Sylvie loses her sister Persephone sixteen years ago, Persephone was forbidden from staying out or even see Ben Emory but she did it behind her mother's back and one night she never came home. Missing for three days before her body was found—and years later, her murder remains unsolved.

In the present day, Sylvie returns home to care for her mother, Annie, as she undergoes treatment for cancer. Annie has had unexplained “Dark Days” even before Persephone’s death- the current trip to be with her mother makes an uncomfortable reunion all these years later.
Also Persephone’s former boyfriend, Ben, is now a nurse at the cancer center where Annie is being treated. Sylvie has always believed Ben was responsible for the murder and had blamed him several times when she was questioned by the police, along with her own guilt about that night, guilt that traps her in the past while the world goes on around her.
All truth is revealed when Persephone tries tracking down as to what exactly happened that fateful night.
this was a 3-star read for me, wasn't as gripping as I thought it would, thanks to netgalley, Touchstone and Atria books for the ARC copy!

3.5
Sylvie has always had a difficult relationship with her Mom Annie. But when her sister Persephone went missing and then found dead 16 years ago, things really took a turn for the worse. Her murderer was never found. Now her Mom is sick with cancer and Sylvie has to come home to care for her. She has always felt the Persphone's boyfriend Ben was her sister's killer and nw that she is home, she is determined to find proof and bring him to justice.

This was a sad and somewhat dark story. Sylvie, Annie and Ben all hold secrets as to what happened the night Persephone disappeared. Each of them feels that something they did that night contributed to Persephone's murder. They have carried this burden for 16 years. But as Persephone searches for the truth, several other secrets come to light.

I like how this story unfolded. In many ways I felt sorry for Sylvie and Ben and wanted them to find some peace. Annie was much harder to like. She did have reasons for her behavior but it was harder to cut her any slack. I wouldn't call this a fast paced story, but it was still a page turner. It held my attention and was well written.

My thanks to Touchstone/Atria and Netgalley.

I love missing persons cases so this sounded right up my alley. When 18 year old Persephone doesn't return home after a night out with her boyfriend, her younger sister and mother are left distraught. Then her case turns into an unsolved murder and 16 years go by with no resolution. Her sister Sylvie ends up returning to take care of her mother and delves into her sister's murder case. What follows is family, bleak, depressive, and predictable. Avid mystery lovers will be hard pressed not to figure this out and while I found the writing highly readable, the plot wasn't mysterious or exciting.

Wow! This book was soooo good! It immediately grabbed my attention from the first page and held it until the very end. I found myself smiling at parts and even crying. Everything Persephone went through in such a short amount of time was heartbreaking. She was filled with so much life until she wasn’t.

I don’t think there was anything in this book that I didn’t like. Sylvie is a strong, reliable narrator even through her grief. Her and Persephone’s stories are captivating. You could feel the love and hate through the pages. I had so many emotions and I’m the end it was happiness and sadness mixed together.

The Winter Sister is a story of loss and betrayal. Of two sisters who are completely different but alike in so many ways. The love they had for each other and the demise of someone so precious you don’t exactly know how to move on. Of finding your true self. It’s suspenseful and riveting. I look forward to reading more books by Megan Collins.

This book was riveting and suspenseful! I couldn’t put it down!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

The description sounded soo promising and I am loath to leave anything below 3 stars, especially when it was a Netgalley ARC but I must. This book was PREDICTABLE and I felt like it was focused on fitting the "oooh big twist formula" that the big twist SCREAMED very early on.

Sylvie's sister Persephone was murdered 16 years ago when Sylvie was just 14. Sylvie is so sure it was Persephone's rich from the right side of the tracks boyfriend Ben that even when she ran away to college in part to escape the memories and the town chatter she was sure his privilege helped him stay free. She is forced to come 'home' due to circumstances beyond her control and must face her past. Her mother is a mess and part of why she must come home (not saying more to avoid spoilers). Sylvie must learn to understand her mother to move from the past but soon realizes everything she thought she knew was false. As we reach the climax and realize who killed Persephone I felt like I was watching a really bad Lifetime movie that was put on in the background as I cleaned because "WHO DID IT!?!?!" was blatantly obvious all along.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

They say love can heal all things, but it can be deadly too. For this family, secrets and lies are destructive forces that tear them apart, and leave one behind forever.
Great character development, the plot was sordid enough to keep my interest yet I could see holes of truth peaking through. I didn’t fully anticipate the conclusion and was surprised by much of what transpired as this twisted story unraveled.

.“ The Winter Sister” is the debut book by author Megan Collins. Sixteen years after her sister’s unsolved murder, Sylvie returns home to care for her estranged mother. This brings her closer to finding out what really happened to her sister.
The plot of this book is one that has been done quite often. Child leaves estranged family only to return home years later to confront the very reasons why they left in the first place. I’m happy to say that Megan made the plot her own with strong characters and an interesting storyline. The writing in itself was great. It was a heavy, sad read at times. So very sad. I’m not sure that I would classify this as a psychological thriller. Were there things that were revealed? Yes. Overall, this is a solid debut from Megan Collins, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future. I would rate it between 3.5 and 4 stars.

* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

I loved this book. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thriller, drama, love story or mystery. It was a captivating thriller I did not want to put down. There were plenty of twists and turns throughout the book.

I enjoyed the authors writing style. I especially liked the main character, Sylvie.

Several times I did not agree with the actions of one of the characters. As I continued to read, the author had a way of explaining the situation and making it believable.
Once the characters secrets are revealed the actions of the characters make more sense.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

Book blurb...
In this spellbinding and suspenseful debut, a young woman haunted by the past returns home to care for her ailing mother and begins to dig deeper into her sister’s unsolved murder.

Sixteen years ago, Sylvie’s sister Persephone never came home. Out too late with the boyfriend she was forbidden to see, Persephone was missing for three days before her body was found—and years later, her murder remains unsolved.

In the present day, Sylvie returns home to care for her estranged mother, Annie, as she undergoes treatment for cancer. Prone to unexplained “Dark Days” even before Persephone’s death, Annie’s once-close bond with Sylvie dissolved in the weeks after their loss, making for an uncomfortable reunion all these years later. Worse, Persephone’s former boyfriend, Ben, is now a nurse at the cancer center where Annie is being treated. Sylvie’s always believed Ben was responsible for the murder—but she carries her own guilt about that night, guilt that traps her in the past while the world goes on around her.

As she navigates the complicated relationship with her mother, Sylvie begins to uncover the secrets that fill their house—and what really happened the night Persephone died. As it turns out, the truth will set you free, once you can bear to look at it.

The Winter Sister is a mesmerizing portrayal of the complex bond between sisters, between mothers and daughters alike, and forces us to ask ourselves—how well do we know the people we love most?

My Thoughts…

A thought provoking novel, I was reminded how much heartache comes from the secrets we choose to keep.

Whilst not particularly fast-paced, the plot compelled me to keep reading and I did enjoy Sylvie’s journey as she searched for answers to her sisters death years earlier.

Unfortunately, and it’s a very personal comment, but I had a lot of trouble with the writer's choice of name - Persephone. I respect the detail author’s work so hard to include so I am a careful reader. I do not skim. For this reason, I stumbled over the name Persephone, which seemed to be on every second Kindle page! Perhaps the name is very dear to the author. But if it was chosen because it was different/uncommon (and some authors seem to look for the unusual) it did impact on my enjoyment. I ended up calling her Percy, which probably annoyed me more, but I simply couldn’t get my tongue around Persephone that many times.

Thank you for the opportunity to read The Winter Sister. I would definitely recommend this book.