I had read another book by this author so I was a little surprised by this book at first. I was feeling like I had misunderstood the genre of this book. I ended up really enjoying this read!! I enjoyed the characters and the twist that I didn’t see coming! Great job, I will definitely recommend this book to others!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Two sisters that are totally different from each other. Rose is a career woman with her husband that has left for London. Fern works in the library and is a little bit different from the rest of society. She meets a guy she thinks is homeless and she calls him Wally from the Where’s Waldo? books.
I kept hearing about this psychological thriller and people are right it is great. Now I admit it started a little slow but then it took off and I could not put it down.

Rose and Fern are fraternal twin sisters. Raised by their single mother after their father left, their memories of their mother and their upbringing are completely different. The story is told primarily from the viewpoint of Fern, with excerpts from Rose's journal interspersed every few chapters. We don't learn as much about Rose's current life except that she is believed to be married, have a good job, and takes credit for taking care of her sister for most of their lives.
Fern has completed college and is a well liked librarian, but is considered to be a little "different". She has oddities of speech and perception, and is most likely on the autism spectrum. She, also, gives credit to Rose for always being there for her and helping her through life.
The story of their current lives is a very good one. The interception of perceptions and reality is told slowly, with amazing revelations of the truth. This is an excellent, well written story which I enjoyed reading immensely. I found myself liking and rooting for Fern throughout, and was very happy about how things turned out for her. The revelations about Rose were more than I expected, but very believable.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for a chance to read it. This review is an honest and freely given.

In THE GOOD SISTER by Sally Hepworth twin sisters, Fern and Rose, grapple with the results their unpalatable early life with an unstable mother who currently resides in a nursing home after a failed suicide attempt.

Sister Fern, a librarian who suffers from a form of autism has somewhat adjusted to her lot in life and even has fallen in love while Rose is attempting to save her failing marriage by having a baby.

Ms. Hepworth brings magic to the seemingly mundane as she alternates her tale between Ferns current experiences and Rose’s diary entries building layer upon layer of clues (like pastry and butter in the best croissants) luring the reader in with a false sense of familiarity only to reveal something else entirely.

Ultimately the author has her readers examining their own relationships and posing the question “Do we really understand the perspective of others and how words and actions have a different meaning to each individual”.

I have been a fan of Sally Hepworth since I read "The Mother-in Law". This is a story about twin sisters and their complicated relationship. It takes turns being told from each sister's point of view. The story is very compelling and there are some twists and turns to the plot. I couldn't put it down and I highly recommend it.

Review of The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book. If I could give more than five stars I would. This book is everything. A mystery yes. A thriller yes. But, to me, it was mostly a book about neurodiversity. As many of you know by now, I have a son with level three autism. He is nonverbal. He needs me for everything. He has sensory processing disorder. Fern, one of the main characters, is verbal, but clearly on the spectrum and with major sensory issues. Sally Hepworth, you wrote this character to PERFECTION. There are no words to describe how you NAILED THIS. The best depiction I’ve read since I became very educated on the topic both through my son and some with my job.

Fern and Rose are twins. Rose always looks after Fern. They had a very difficult upbringing with their single mother. In adulthood they have their own struggles. Rose is in a struggling marriage due to infertility concerns. Fern is a librarian who struggles to remember important things and she has problems with coworker interactions and sensory concerns. But then Fern meets “Wally” AKA Rocco, and their problems all collectively improve. The relationship between these two literally melted my heart. Melted. We all need a Wally. Then the mystery and thriller part kicks in. My jaw dropped. The twists and turns were crazy. Nothing is as it seems. I don’t want to give away details but it was mindblowing.

This book has so much. You can’t put it into one box or genre. This is almost certainly my book of the year for 2021. So please go now and buy it.

OMG!!!! This is as good as everyone is shouting about!! This is a story of two fraternal twin sisters, Rose and Fern, who share a dark secret and lose their mom at young age. At the core it is about sisterly love, loyalty and betrayal of epic proportions. Obviously I love it even more because Fern is a librarian and the quotidian details of life working in a library are captured so accurately! I also really love that Sally Hepworth has written a neuro diverse main character (Fern and her boyfriend are both on the spectrum and have sensory processing disorders) and she shows so beautifully that they can live fulfilling, productive and happy lives just like anyone else. It's VERY hard to talk about this book without giving away too much but it is a deep dive into pathological manipulation to the EXTREME! I am also in love with the very last line - it is the best mic drop line I've read in such a long time. RUN to get your hands on this book, you will be on the edge of your seat to the very end especially if you love a gripping psychological thriller! Thanks NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

TW: sexual assault/molestation/rape of a minor

Sally Hepworth just gets better and better. THE GOOD SISTER, was so good I love Fern. Would make a great movie as well.
Thanks Netgalley.

Wow, this book was a page turner. For those wanting the recommendation up front, I will say that I loved the story and would highly recommend reading this book. The author does an awesome job drawing you into the lives of these twin sisters. She keeps you guessing about who is good and really if any of the characters are. The author does a terrific job building these characters fully. You will identify and sympathize with the twists and turns their lives present. The following summary attempts to avoid spoilers.

Twin sisters Rose and Fern have spend their lives always together. Even as adults, they have specifics nights the dine together, other errands they do together and shared rituals. Rose greatest desire is to have children and when it becomes definitely not a possibility for her, she struggles to deal with it. Fern lives her life in a very logical way and makes decisions with a cloud of past mistakes in mind. Circumstances begin to evolve into life choices that could be family bliss or a complete disaster.

From the beginning you wonder if this sister bond is healthy or not. The twins alternately narrate this story about what is happening in their present lives. The story focuses on what seems like attempts to flourish but things aren’t always what they seem.

A story of two lives entwined and tangled together. A mother who played mind games with her twin daughters,often trying to separate their loyalties. A mother one sister refuses to visit not that she is incapacitated. One sister Fern is on the autism spectrum and offer misses cues given. The other sister Rose may not be married very soon, her husband has accepted a job far away and taken legal measures to end their union. Rose the protector, wants a child that it appears she cannot have due to the neglect of their mother. Fern who chooses to give her sister the one thing she wants engages a young man she mistakes for homeless and an alliance is formed. The story has significant flashbacks to underline the narrative but still does not prepare us for what unfolds. Happy Reading

The Good Sister is billed as a thriller, but it's really not. It's more of a domestic drama with most of the tension between twin sisters Rose and Fern. They each recall their childhood differently, Rose's through diary entries and Fern through talking about it. Fern has sensory processing disorder and seems to potentially be on the spectrum as well. She doesn't understand sarcasm, facial expressions or literary expressions. She works as a librarian and is excellent at her job. As a character, she was excellent. She was well-developed and flawed, but perfectly.

Rose is only developed through her diary entries. She talks about their childhood and how their mother treated them. She talks about her marriage and her desire for a child. She talks about Fern and how she's always had to protect her because of her issues. She's looked out for her sister all her life and is worried about her.

I figured out the "twist" in this book early on, which took away a little bit from it. However, the storyline was still well done and I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen and how the book was going to end. Everything was resolved, and I did appreciate that. I guess my main criticism was that I figured out a lot of "mystery" as I read through.

I enjoyed this book . . . until I didn't. When it all came together in the end, I felt as if I had been lied to (because I had). I am a big fan of the unreliable narrator; I am not a big fan of the narrator as liar. Because of this, I dropped it a star.

I did like that the author kept me guessing. At one point, I thought Fern had killed Rose which is why we were reading Rose's story via her diary; at another point, I thought Rose had killed Owen, so I was clearly all over the map. I *thought* the author's description of a character with a sensory processing disorder was accurate, but perhaps those who have personal experience feel differently. I really enjoyed the library setting and, as someone who has worked in a public library, I can tell you NO ONE ever wants to deal with the printer. EVER.

I own other books by this author but haven't read them yet. I loved this book, and will move her other books up my TBR list.
I don't have a sister, but always wanted one, although I'd heard plenty of bad with the good perks of having a sister from my friends. These twin sisters put a whole new twist on the ups and downs of sisterhood!
My favorite character in the mix is Waldo (Rocco.) He's lovable, patient, kind, smart, and yes, you envision "Where's Waldo." The story plays out well, even though you have an idea of how it may end, so many things are woven into the story and the author does an excellent job of slowly peeling away the layers to give us a glimpse into the adult sister's past, their personalities, and how they perceive themselves and life.
Thanks much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this great read!

A diabolical and compelling read filled with emotional drama that tugs at the heartstrings and entertains with its twists and turns.

Twenty-eight-year-old twin sisters Rose and Fern are completely different in both looks and personality. Fern works as a librarian. She's not your typical librarian. She wears her hair like Princess Leia (it’s practical!) and she’s partial to bright and sparkly clothing adorned with things like rainbows and unicorns. Fern takes her job VERY seriously. However, if a patron needs assistance with the photocopiers she’ll do almost anything she can to avoid them. Rose is married and works as an interior designer. She’s quick to point out that she’s the type “who designs office spaces, not the type who chooses scatter cushions.”

The sisters spend a lot of time together. Fern has dinner at Rose’s house at least three times a week.

Rose’s husband, Owen has been in London working for the last three months. Rose was not able to accompany him. She needed to stay to help Fern. Rose has always felt the need to protect her sister. They had a difficult childhood with a very manipulative mother. Something happened when they were twelve years old that changed their lives forever. Only Rose and Fern know what really happened that day. It’s a secret they have both kept all these years.

Some people find Fern very peculiar. She has sensory issues and gets overloaded easily by bright lights, loud noises, large groups of people, and more. She also has difficulty reading social cues. These things can make life difficult for Fern. Rose understands all of this tries to make things easier for her. Fern appreciates how much her sister does for her. That’s one of the reasons why she wants to help Rose fulfill her lifelong dream.

“This could be my chance to pay Rose back for everything she’s always done for me.”

But things don’t always go the way we think they’ll go.

And sometimes, things aren’t always what they seem…

Will the secret the sisters are keeping finally come to light? And what if that isn’t the only secret being kept?

I loved this book!!

This was the perfect read to help me escape from reality for a while. Sally Hepworth writes about family drama in a way that’s often relatable. There were many endearing characters in this novel and the interactions between them had me laughing out loud at times.

The story alternates between Rose and Fern’s point of view and includes flashbacks to their childhood. Some things may seem obvious but I feel like the author intended it to be that way. So while I did figure out a few things early on, I was so engrossed and entertained that it didn’t bother me at all.

A clever story about family dynamics and dysfunction, manipulation, complicated relationships, and of course secrets!


I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This is my 2nd Sally Hepworth novel and she is now officially one of my must read authors.

Fern and Rose are twin sisters. Rose is the responsible one whereas Fern is the absent minded one. Rose has spent her life protecting Fern, taking the blame and getting punished to spare Fern from harm and discipline. Fern did something very bad at the age of 12 and Rose has kept that secret to keep Fern safe.

Now it's Fern's turn to repay Rose. You see, Rose is having trouble conceiving a child and Fern thinks she can finally be the one to help. But Fern starts to realize that Rose is harboring some secrets of her own.

This book is fantastic and so addictive. The characters are well developed and I especially liked Wally, a friend of Fern's. Their interactions were heartwarming at times and hilarious at others.

Thank you St Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my! Who is The Good Sister? Is it Rose or Fern? Twins Rose and Fern are total opposites. Rose has spent her life taking care of Fern, and Fern has needed Rose to help her function. Rose has always protected Fern growing up with their unstable mother, and even kept her secrets, especially Fern’s darkest secret. Fern is not good in social situations and gets overwhelmed easily. She also takes things literally and misses social cues, but she has a good job as a librarian and is excellent at figuring out what people need. Rose has a great job and a husband, but she is also diabetic and has recently found out that she cannot have children. Knowing she can never leave Fern; she and her husband are attempting a long-distance relationship when he gets a job in London. When Fern finds out Rose cannot have children, she realizes that the best way she can pay her sister back for everything is to have a baby for her. So, she puts her plan in motion, not expecting to meet the perfect man for her.
Told by alternating points of view between Rose’s journal (her therapist suggested she keep one to deal with her childhood trauma) and Fern’s present, we start to learn about each sister’s personality and how they see their relationship and view their past. Fern’s budding relationship with Wally (Rocco) brings more changes to the sister’s dynamic, especially when Fern finds out she is pregnant. What will happen next? The more you read the more you will wonder if either narrator is reliable. I enjoyed the character development and I found myself rooting for one sister.
I don’t want to give anything away but suffice to say that things started to niggle at my brain, and I started to wonder. Sally Hepworth’s THE GOOD SISTER kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn’t put it down.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#TheGoodSister #SallyHepworth #stmartinspress

Twins Fern and Rose could not be more different. Sweet Fern, who has struggles with too much stimuli and processing certain types of sensory information is also harboring a huge secret - a terrible thing she did in the past. Rose, fiercely protective of her sister, and her secret, is devoted to keeping her safe … but where does the line cross from responsibility to overprotective? And could Rose be harboring secrets of her own?⁣
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This was SUCH an engaging story and Fern is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise twisty and dramatically dark story. I mean, she’s a librarian - how can you not love her!? The sisterly relationship is frustrating as all get out - but as character development and plot intertwine you cannot get enough of this page-turning tale of family dysfunction.⁣

This story was enjoyable from start to finish. It is a little predictable however it keeps you interested in the outcome. The sister relationship dynamic is always interesting and the codependency explored in this story made it in a fast paced thriller. This is like a high stakes Eleanor oliphant is completely fine with more murder and more romance. It both warms your soul and then makes you deeply uncomfortable with the journey the main characters go through. Mental health is a big topic of conversation and it shows different aspects of living a different type of normal.

Sally Hepworth did it again. She has quickly moved to the top of my favorite authors list. Her stories are engaging, sneakily suspenseful and always so well written.

The Good Sister had me hooked from the beginning. What a delightful and truly openminded depiction of a grown woman living with sensory issues and her relationship with her supportive fraternal twin. I really enjoyed the character development and the desire to want to know what was going to happen next. Definitely recommend!

Sally Hepworth knows how to write a twisty psychological thriller! Rose are Fern are fraternal twin sisters but they are different in so many ways. Rose has always cared for Fern, even through their very difficult young life. Eventually Fern’s life starts to change and the balance of their relationship is thrown off. The chapters alternate between each sister’s perspective and it quickly becomes apparent that their perspectives on events are not matching up.

It’s hard to tell whose perception is reality that you start to question is either of them are seeing things clearly. This book is full of twists but even as the plot becomes apparent, you will be rushing to see how it all wraps up. This is a great, fast, fascinating read!

Thanks to Sally Hepworth, St. Martin Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.