The Good Sister is a deft and enjoyable thriller. It doesn't break any new ground but it is well paced and has a keen eye for relationships, especially sibling relationships. I was a little nervous going into this one simply because I've read so many mystery/thrillers this year, but The Good Sister was very well written and I really enjoyed what it had to say about family and perception. Recommended.

Martha Blackwater is trying very hard to juggle a newborn baby, Layla, with her career. Her sister, Becky, agrees to take the role of nanny to help Martha and her husband. While both are away on business, Becky is left to care for the child. One morning she finds Layla dead. Becky is devastated. Then, she’s arrested for the child’s murder. The family, especially Martha, is beyond shocked.

Almost a year later, Becky’s trial begins. Neither sister can believe what is happening. Becky swears her innocence, but nobody knows what to think. Martha is especially confused and plans to do a bit of investigating on her own. She just can’t accept that her sister would have done this horrible thing.

This is an emotional, intense novel. The subject matter might not be for everyone. It’s always difficult to read about a child’s death. The book basically concentrated on the aftermath of this tragedy.

This is a very well written, riveting novel. I kept trying to figure out how it would all end. I didn’t find the characters particularly likeable or sympathetic though. I just kept thinking about Layla. I don’t want to give anything away. I’ll just say it’s a captivating, suspenseful novel that makes you think.

She has the same walk. I shouldn't be pleased to see it, but I am. You expect people will change utterly since the night of, but they don't. It has been nine and a half months since it happened, and nine months since we last saw each other. We were prohibited from speaking from the moment she was charged. We became opposing witnesses. Me for the prosecution and she for the defense. Two sisters, carved in two by the justice system.

Martha and Becky are sisters whose lives have been changed when Becky suggested that she would nanny Martha's daughter Layla. The narration goes back and forth between the sisters with the trial of Becky as the back drop. The relationship between the sisters before Layla and during the trial. A two-fold prose on the relationships of the two sister's families and how did Layla die under the care of her aunt. Layla's crying constantly was that what led to her death or something accidental or sinister? The thriller goes in many directions has witnesses take the stand and a time table is set. The relationship between sisters, children and spouses become the driven force of this thriller.

A Special Thank you to Penguin Group Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

There is no love greater than the love a parent has for a child; no grief stronger than if that child dies. Perhaps that’s why thrillers so often focus on a dead or missing child; nothing draws in a reader faster than the parent’s worst nightmare, spelled out on the page.

British author Gillian McAllister’s latest thriller raises the ante on the dead baby thriller by adding another twist: The accused is the baby’s mother's younger sister. As such, the novel is more than a paint-by-numbers mystery; the relationship between the two sisters, and how they view themselves and each other, is just as important as what happened to baby Layla that October night.

Click on the link below to read the entire review:

The Good Sister is a courtroom drama that pits sister against sister after a tragic event. The expert witnesses' facts show what really happened so this is a cut and dry case. Or is it?

Gillian McAllister's story is told from the perspectives of sisters Martha and Becky, other family members and assorted witnesses over the course of the trial. I had this case solved - a few times. I was so sure and then I wasn't.

I was drawn into the novel because I could sympathize with both sisters in how they dealt with caring for a baby who cried almost constantly. Their guilty feelings over that and other individual issues added emotional layers to the story. Despite that, I didn't quite connect to the characters. They seemed a bit flat. I don't read many courtroom dramas so I don't know how this fits in the realm for readers who do but I can say The Good Sister was a fast read that kept me invested to the very end when all was revealed

I'm giving this 3.5 stars. I guessed the ending right away - as soon as the characters were all introduced, but I enjoyed the authors handling of the trial, the relationship of the sisters, the unique voices of the sisters and the handling of the ending. You could definitely do worse than this courtroom drama/family saga.

Stevie‘s review of The Good Sister by Gillian McAllister
Women’s Psychological Fiction published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons 11 Jun 19

I’m always intrigued by stories that set family members at odds with one another, particularly when a legal element is involved. This novel particularly caught my attention, because there’s also a mystery to be investigated, with a tragic death at its heart. Told from the point of view of both sides: the accused and the mother of the victim – now a witness for the prosecution – this novel also shows how difficult it is for families to stay together when two family members are equally in need of support, but when helping one may imply a rejection of the other.


Becky and Martha are sisters, whose lives have followed very different paths. Older sister Martha’s life has followed a very conventional path: university, job, husband and then a new baby, whereas Becky had an unplanned pregnancy that led to her dropping out of university and taking on a series of jobs she doesn’t enjoy, although she stayed with her son’s father until they became estranged around the time of Martha’s pregnancy. When Martha makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to set up a charity for migrant children on Kos, she fully expects to be able to juggle new motherhood with making management decisions. Baby Layla, however, is a far less contented-seeming baby than anyone remembers Becky’s son being, and soon Martha is forced to turn to her sister for help.

While Martha and her husband are away on separate business trips, Becky becomes exasperated at Layla’s persistent crying, and the next morning Layla is found dead in her cot. Nine and a half months later, Becky is on trial for Layla’s murder, and we watch the story unfold through a series of witness statements and flashbacks while Martha tries to make sense of what she’s hearing and puzzles over who out of the people who claim to have been there are telling the truth and who might be covering up for the real killer.

When the truth finally comes out, it sends shock waves through the whole extended family, and no one will ever be quite the same again.

I loved the way this book constantly made its readers question what they knew and how to interpret the evidence. Every so often I thought I knew what had really happened, but then the next chapter would tell a part of a story in ways that contradicted what we’d already been shown in a different recounting of the evidence. I worked out some of the minor plot threads before they became clear to the characters, but that didn’t affect my opinions of them, or my enjoyment of the novel as a whole. At some point I need to go back and reread this one carefully to see whether I can pick up on the pivotal piece of evidence a little earlier than I did on my first reading. An author I definitely want to see more of.

Grade: A

I enjoyed this book. The relationship between the two sisters torn apart by a horrendous event. I loved seeing how the trial played out, how Martha felt throughout the whole process, the glimpses of the strong bond between the two sisters, every witness testimony. It made me wonder what would I feel/think if this happened between me and my sister. A book I didn't want to put down as I read through to find out the truth - just like Martha. I recommend this book to people who enjoy psychological thrillers, legal thrillers, family drama, and suspense. So many interesting things going on in this novel!

Many thanks to NetGalley, GP Putnam's Sons, and Gillian McAllister for the opportunity to read her latest novel - loved it - 5 star read!

Martha and Becky are sisters and extremely close. Martha has a difficult newborn baby who cries constantly and is trying to run a charity organization. Becky has a young son, is separated from her husband, and is unhappy in her current work as a set designer. They decide that Becky would be the perfect part-time nanny for eight-week-old Layla. While in Greece for 2 days for her charity, Layla dies in Becky's custody. Was it crib death, an accident or murder?

The story is wonderfully written and we learn what happens through various witness testimony in court. Becky's parents and brother believe she is innocent but are also extremely sympathetic with Martha, who believes in Becky but is devastated and unsure.

This book brings out so many questions that would be wonderful to delve into in a book club - the stress of dealing with difficult newborns, the mother vs father working situation and how that's viewed in society, parental guilt. Highly recommended!

From the outside, Martha has it all together. She has the perfect marriage, the perfect flat, the perfect job and now the perfect infant daughter.

On the inside, she’s just trying to hang on. The charity that she runs is completely overwhelmed trying to help refugee children and most days she has no idea how to comfort her own crying child. She reaches out to the one person who she knows can help her in her time of need – her sister.

Becky was always the irresponsible one. She was pregnant at nineteen and jumped from one dead end job to another for years. So Martha’s suggestion that she leave her current position to become her nanny seems like the perfect solution to all of their problems.

Neither one could ever foresee the tragedy that is about to happen. One so devastating that it threatens to steal both sanity and freedom. One that will leave each their souls marked forever.

“My sister.
The woman who used to WhatsApp me first thing, every single day, without fail. The woman whose eyebrows I plucked on the eve of her wedding, both of us laughing as they became more and more uneven. The woman who painted my living room with me one Easter weekend. We didn’t stop chatting for the entire four days.
My sister. My best friend, Becky.
And now: Here we are.
Cot death, the defense says—unexplained.
Murder, the prosecution says.
I look across at my sister in the dock.
The woman accused of murdering my child.”

The Good Sister is a stunning family drama that packs an unforgettable emotional punch!

The characters are painfully real. Gillian masterfully reveals every vulnerability and flaw in a way that still allows a fragile kind of humanity to shine through.

It’s there in the way that Martha deals with the guilt that most modern mothers confront with when they try to strike a balance between their careers and their children. It’s there in the way that Becky struggles with a lifetime of feeling completely inadequate. And once again, it's there in the ending that left a tender ache in my chest out of hope that somehow peace would find them all…

I never knew I would like a courtroom drama but this had me hooked. I had a feeling I knew the who. I just didn't know the why, and how. This had several unexpected twists, turns, highs and lows. I really felt horrible for Martha well and for Becky I totally recommend to everyone this was a great read.

This was a great first novel for me to read of this authors and I know it won't be the last.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Becky and Martha are incredibly close adult sisters until Becky is accused of smothering Martha’s baby to death. A court case ensues and all sorts of complicated family issues are revealed.

This book was the perfect blend of excellent writing, interesting, complex characters and heart pounding tension. The character development was outstanding and each character was realistic and relatable. On top of that, this was an absolute page-turner, wrought with suspense. Overall, the perfect formula for psychological fiction at its best. 5 stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley, G. P. Putnam’s Sons and Gillian McAllister for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I liked The Good Sister by Gillian McAllister. An interesting idea for a story that really pulls you in and the reader is invested in what is happening to the characters. I thought the author did an excellent job keeping the momentum going.

The scary thing is..this could happen in real life!

Martha and Becky Blackwater are more than sisters–they’re each other’s lifelines. When Martha finds herself struggling to balance early motherhood and her growing business, Becky steps in to babysit her niece, Layla, without a second thought, bringing the two women closer than ever. But when Layla is found dead one morning, at only eight weeks old, Becky is charged with the unthinkable: the murder of her sister’s child.

Nine months later, Becky is on trial and maintains her innocence–and so does Martha. Unable to shake the feeling that her sister couldn’t possibly be guilty, Martha sets out to uncover exactly what happened that night, and how things could have gone so wrong. As the trial progresses, fault lines between the sisters begin to show–revealing cracks deep in their relationship and threatening the family each has worked so hard to build. With incredible empathy and resounding emotional heft, The Good Sister is a powerhouse of a novel that will lead readers to question everything they know about motherhood, family, and the price of forgiveness

The story is emotional and well written, as everything unfolds, you cannot help but think about what you would do in the situation. Order the book here!

Unputdownable a book about sisters about the ties that bind a book about a horrific act. Infant mortality questions of guilt innocence .A book that drew me into an emotional read .Highly recommend,#netgalley#putnambooks.

I was so excited to receive the ARC for this book and this book was so good. I was completely hooked from the beginning. I enjoyed to dynamic for the relationship between the sisters and how different they where. I was literally holding my breathe the through the last few chapters of the book because it was so intense and the ending completely took me by surprise. I would highly recommend this book to my friends and followers.

I love the premise of The Good Sister. I was hooked after reading the synopsis. I particularly enjoy emotionally charged thrillers and could wait to read it. . I have not read any previous work by Gillian McAllister and I was not disappointed. A solid 3.5 star read. This psychological thriller will leave you guessing yourself and the facts until the very end. The subject matter may be highly triggering for some, dealing with infant mortality. While I enjoyed the story and stayed up late into the night reading, none of the characters were very likeable. They were all highly flawed and did not redeem themselves throughout the course of the story, despite dealing with gut wrenching, horrifying issues. As a result, I did not feel any empathy toward the family involved and I was not as invested in the outcome. The conclusion is unexpected and you will not see it coming.

The novel begins with the trial of Becky for the death of her niece. Becky was watching her eight-week-old niece while her sister and brother-in-law were out of town. Martha was doing work for her nonprofit and Scott was at a conference.

Martha knows her daughter, Layla, was a difficult baby who cried loudly all the time, but she desperately hopes her sister didn’t smother the child as Martha’s own lawyer contends. There are flashbacks and the points of view of the witnesses—neighbors, nurses, teachers—but primarily the narrative is between the two sisters, each of whom wants definitive answers to what happened that night.

What gets you turning pages is that you also want to know what happened that night. No matter what, it doesn’t have a happy ending because an eight-week-old baby died. The novel does delve into the complex relationships between mother and child and husband and wife and sisters.

I didn’t love this book, but it’s an OK read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this mystery, which RELEASES JUNE 11, 2019.

This is based on an ARC of the book... A chapter-by-chapter account of the trial for murder of the eight-week-old daughter and niece of the two sisters featured in the novel. The chapters vary between testimony of witnesses and the experiences of the sisters as they live through the moments before and during the trial. Well-written and emotional, though the ending is a little predictable for fans of this genre.

The Good Sister by Gillian McAllister. The book was slow paced and I couldn't really relate to any of the characters. Ms McAllister's will most likely enjoy the story just didn't work for me.


Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

An honest portrayal of a tragedy’s aftermath and a family with both the victims and the accused. Interesting how the chapters go from character to character while telling the tale of a baby who died. Was she murdered? Was it an accident? How does a woman cope with her loss while hoping it wasn’t her very close sister who is responsible? An ending that will shock you! Well done.