The Good Sister is the latest by Sally Hepworth and has been on my TBR for a while. I finally decided to dig into it yesterday and finished it in just a few hours, so a quick read. This is about twin sisters Rose and Fern. Fern appears to be somewhere on the spectrum, possibly Asperger’s, because she is hypersensitive to lights, sounds, crowds, and some smells, as well as, she has a very straightforward personality completely void of sarcasm. She works in a library, avoids social situations, but truly enjoys helping others find a new book to read. Rose appears to be put together and the caretaker in the relationship. Her husband has seemingly left her and moved to another country and all Rose wants is to have a baby. Rose is seeing a therapist who suggests that she write in a journal to help work on her past/childhood traumas, so her POV is through the journal.

Very early on the author plants the seed that Fern has some serious issues and has committed a horrible crime when they were younger. Rose is painted as the “good sister” that always took the blame for any wrongdoings and has always protected Fern. But it didn’t take me too long to wonder if that was really the case. Things about Rose seemed sort of off from time to time, and I found it odd that her childhood memories were completely different than Fern’s. Granted, my brother and I discover discrepancies in our memories all the time, but not to this point.

When Fern realizes that Rose and her husband Owen want a baby (husband that has moved from Australia to London seemingly for his job). Fern begins researching various ways to provide Rose a baby and decides that she will get pregnant and give her the baby when it’s born. But then she meets Wally, whom she truly develops affection for, and sort of forgets all about her plan. As Fern and Wally get closer and Fern keeps traveling a bit outside of her comfort zone, Rose transitions from protective sister to crazy controlling, eventually changing everything between them and completely shattering what Fern thought was real.

Fern and Wally were both absolutely amazing characters and they completely made this book for me. I love characters that are quirky and unique, which perfectly describes both of them. I completely disliked Rose from the beginning, although I think I was supposed to like her. But something about her just rubbed me the wrong way. When I picked this book up, I was expecting a thriller of sorts, which it is not. I was a bit disappointed because I was in the mood for something suspenseful, but luckily there a few surprises scattered in the ending. I kind of wish all of the revelations at the end would have been explained more as far as why they happened, but overall, this was an entertaining read with a satisfying ending. I will certainly read more from this author in the future!

*Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The good sister is a psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes until the very end. Fern and Rose are twins who have always had each other. Rose is the responsible one who has always looked out for Fern.

Fern has trouble reading social situations, doesn’t like loud noises, and makes dangerous mistakes all the time.

Rose’s most important job was protecting Fern from their crazy mother. When Fern decides to have a baby for Rose, secrets start to come out. This one will keep you guessing until the end and even then, you’ll be thinking about this book.

I’ve noticed that I reach for a thriller more and more like I don’t have enough thrill in my life...
I already have a few favorite authors in this genre. Sally Hepworth is one of them. I like her writing style, how she develops characters and how she brings them to life. Her prose keeps me on edge, I keep turning the pages until I know who is the villain.

The Good Sister was not an exception. It was brilliantly written from the perspective of both sisters. Fern keeps her own narrative while Rose has a journal. Each sister has her own voice, her own style. Both sisters are wonderfully developed - they both feel alive and dynamic.

Plot-wise The Good Sister is compelling, twists and turns every other page, however, it is quite easy to follow. Hepworth keeps the reader engaged by creating suspenseful and exciting atmosphere. I became emotionally involved with the story, all thanks to the author.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin Press and Sally Hepworth for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Twin sisters with mental issues and a past which led to possible murder set the scene for this domestic suspense. Mixed perceptions of their childhood experiences lend an added layer of interest but I found the story predictable and know I've read similar stories before. Generally, good escapism and suitable for book clubs.

The Good Sister is the story of Fern and Rose, fraternal twin sisters and as you can imagine from the title, you’re going to have a time figuring out who is the good sister.

Fern is a unique character, probably on the spectrum with sensory processing issues. She has to pay attention to what people are saying to pick up on any implications or emotions. Too much noise and too much stimulus can cause her to have a meltdown. Luckily she has Rose to always step in and help her.

We learn bits and pieces of their childhood, where we find that Fern did a bad thing. Again, luckily Rose is there to help her overcome this.

Fern meets “Wally” an interesting character himself when he comes in to use the shower at the library where Fern works. As Fern develops a relationship with Wally and her employees, she finds that she can turn to other people, not just Rose and that’s a good thing.

Plenty of plot twists, good character development.

Coping with their complicated childhood, Fern and Rose became the closest of sisters. Fern would do anything for Rose and Rose wants to protect Fern at all costs. While I feel like this was more about the dynamic relationships and would probably consider it a slow burn domestic thriller, I still enjoyed the storyline. Fern was a very likable character and seeing her grow throughout the story was great. Rose’s diary entries were the other POV and it was definitely interesting to go back with her to their childhood. I don’t want to give too much away, but it was dramatic and dark and sinister at times. Could definitely see it as a great vacation thriller read.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martins Press and the author for my ARC of The Good Sister!

Absolutely brilliant! Great story! Great characters!
This book had me hooked and never let me go. Sally Hepworth, thank you for this masterpiece.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read and review this title!.

The Good Sister is another knockout hit from Sally Hepworth. Rose and Fern, twins who were first raised by their mom and then in the foster care system, are each other's person. Fern is a librarian and leads a very structured, regimented life. Rose is an interior decorator, beautiful and seemingly has it all-except a baby. Fern would love nothing more than help give Rose the one thing she doesn't have-after all she owes Rose for taking care of her for all these years and protecting her...doesn't she? Told from Rose's journal and Fern's perspective, with alternating flashbacks, The Good Sister is a delicious novel with unreliable narrators and twists where nothing is as it seems. Pick this one up!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Do you have a sister? Did you always want one? Well, you might just change your mind after reading this book! This is a thriller that is sure to be a great summer beach read. Fast and fun with the most lovable quirky main character Fern, this is one not to pass up! 4/5 star read for me.

Thank you ever so much to #NetGalley, #St.MartinsPress and the talented twin ripping thriller author Sally Hepworth for an electronic ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion. My full review to be posted on my blog http://OceansOfBooks.com as well as retail outlets.

I just really enjoy this author's writing style. She pulls you in right away with something major and I find myself needed to know more, the suspense building. Along the way, you really get to know the characters, in this case, twin daughters, Rose and Fern. The story is told through present day, Fern, and through flashbacks, Rose and their alternating points of view and the circumstances that shaped their childhood. Of course you know how this one turns out, sure you do! The audible narration was very well done and a quick easy listen. Fans of suspense/thrillers won't be disappointed.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#thegoodsister
#sallyhepworth
#psychologicalthriller
#fiction
#NetGalley publishing date 4/13/2021

Wow! Just wow! This pulled me in from the very beginning. 2 POVs. Almost 2 timelines. One in current time. One as a journal of the twin sister's past.

The main character is a very quirky librarian, Fern. We are to assume that she is a high functioning autistic woman in her late 20's. We get to see how tough it is for her to get through life with her super disrupting sensory processing disorder. (My one kid has a mild case. Wow, we got lucky! Comparative to how bad it can get.) She realizes that her sister, Rose, can't get pregnant so she hatches a plan to be surrogate for her. Rose has helped Fern her whole life. While Rose is away, she puts her plan in action and she meets a guy.

As all of this present day stuff happens, we find out what her life has been like growing up. And then when she finally has the baby. All of the secrets of come out.

Just so well done! I am going to seek out the other books in Sally Hepworth's collection!

#bookstagram #booknerds #bookworm #booklover #bookdragon #readalot #ilovereading #inkdrinker #librarymouse #booknerdbookreviews #bookaddict #bookaholic #bookrecommendation #bookreview #booknerdigan #bookish

I was drawn to this book by the stellar reviews but could not get into it. I am the odd one out here. May just not have been for me.

Fern and Rose are twin sisters who are complete opposites. Rose is very protective of Fern and Fern is willing to do anything for Rose, but not everything is what it seems. This was a good psychological thriller and will mess with your mind. Characters were written very well, as I came to really despise one of them something fierce. The ending definitely leaves it open for a possible 2nd book.

This novels keeps you hooked even past the end! A real page turner with a classic unreliable narrator, it was a very good thriller

Wow, I read this book in just over a day. I've really enjoyed Sally Hepworth's books in the past and this one did not disappoint. The Good Sister hit all the marks that keep me engaged in a thriller.

Fern and Rose are twin sisters but very different from one another. They were raised by a not-so-great mom and Rose has always tried to protect Fern even into their adult years. Rose wants a baby more than anything and Fern decides she can help as Rose has always helped her. Be ready for lies, secrets, and a page-turning story.

I loved Fern’s character. She’s on the autism spectrum, and I think the author does a good job of portraying her character’s sensory issues without it seeming to take over the story.

This was a page-turner intertwining Fern’s life and Rose’s diary. The short chapters will cause you to keep saying “just one more chapter” and keep you up way too late. It wasn’t full of shocking twists but was so satisfying that I’d recommend to anyone that loves thrillers or family dramas.

Many thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this digital copy!

3.5 Rounded Up

I received a reviewer copy of The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth from the publisher St. Martin’s Press from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Manipulation, Murder, Neurodiverse Characters (the author is not neurodiverse, so not own voices, but she has neurodiverse children), Infertility.

What It’s About: Fern and Rose are twin sisters who depend on one another. Fern Castle is dependent on routine and has significant sensitivity to overstimulation like bright lights or loud noises. She works at the library which has always been her happy place. Yet, the sister’s share a hidden secret and challenging life, their mother overdosed when they were young and one day when Fern was trying to be helpful she made a devastating mistake and Rose protected her. So when Rose is struggling to get pregnant, Fern immediately wants to have a baby for Rose, all she need is a man. And so it begins and things are not what they seem.

What I Loved: I loved Sally Hepworth’s last book the Mother In-Law and it was fabulous. As someone who likes family sagas and more literary fiction, Sally Hepworth’s mysteries (or slow moving thrillers) are really ideal because the ‘who did it’ is only an aspect of the story, the majority of the story plays with family and character dynamics. Sally Hepworth is excellent at this and here is no difference. This book explores family dynamics and sister dynamics as well as a character trying to process a world where she misses a lot of subtlety. Honestly, what Sally Hepworth accomplished here is a feat.

What I Didn't Like So Much: To be honest, I appreciate the literary method for sure and to weave this story is skill. That said, the unreliable narrator doesn’t often work for me because I get frustrated and this book definitely has it. One of the biggest problems I had with the book was I thought that Hepworth was making her neurodivergent character a villain and so reading it made me cringe because I wasn’t supportive of this. That said, Sally Hepworth delivers and I should have trust her but my discomfort with where I thought it was going made me so annoyed, it kind of wrecked my experience to an extent.

Who Should Read This: People who love ‘slow burn thrillers (I know that’s not a thriller by definition but ya know)’. People who have loved Sally Hepworth in the past. People who love an unreliable narrator.

Quick Summary: A story of two sisters who have gone to hell and back together and are making another trip.

Although I felt like it started slow, it got to the point where I couldn’t put it down. I had a feeling Rose wasn’t going to be the “good sister,” but had no idea it would turn out the way it did. A good, quick mystery that I surprisingly enjoyed.

I was given at advance copy of the book from NetGalley.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth is the first book I read of hers, but it will not be the last.

It appeared Fern and Rose are as close as twin sisters can be. In reality, their relationship is much different. Rose is the responsible, pragmatic sister who always looks out for Fern. Fern is the quirky one who always sees the good in everyone. People do not realize Rose looks out for Fern because of her publicly perfect mother, who in secret is a sociopath, and because of what Fern did when she was younger.

The book is much more than I thought it would be. It is a psychological thriller that explores how people with high-functioning autism are treated and how they view everyday occurrences. It is also a family drama, a dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless.

Hepworth builds the main characters and the people surrounding them well. She describes their world well enough to be in their world but without too much detail slowing down the story. Her storytelling and the story made Sally Hepworth an author. I want to read more of her work.

On Goodreads, Hepworth is the #1 most followed author in Australia.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com.

This was by far the epitome of a psychological thriller.
Chapters alternate between the fraternal twin sisters and their lives growing up in a dysfunctional single parent home with their Mother.
Even though the chapters didn't run into each other it still makes for a well written page turner.
Who is the good Sister you ask? Well you'll have to read to the end to find out.!
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and the Author, Sally Hepworth for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.