The Good Sister is a nice pick if you’re looking for a quick, easy read this spring or summer. Although it’s marketed as a domestic thriller, the twists and turns are mild and predictable. The storyline, overall, didn’t interest me much. However, I was quite invested in the main character, Fern, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder. I liked following her day-to-day life in the library and the little breaks she’d take in her secret nook to decompress from the stimulation of a bustling environment. Fern is a wonderful woman with a full life (of course!) and I appreciate how the author handled her career, dating life, family life, work colleague friendships, etc. in addition to acknowledging the challenges. More of this representation, please!

I think it’s best to go into this one knowing as little as possible to avoid spoilers so I’ll skip over the synopsis.

I expected a domestic thriller but I actually felt it read more like a family drama. This is my second book by this author and she has a real talent for writing characters that pull you in to a story instantly. I absolutely loved the characters of both Fern and Wally and found them, particular Fern, so refreshing and they were definitely the highlight of the book for me.

However, I’ll be honest, I felt the storyline itself was quite predictable. I guessed really early on where the story was going and I wasn’t wrong so while I did enjoy it, for me, it was lacking the suspense and tension that would have made it a five star read.

There’s also a diabetic character in the book and in a couple of instances there are statements which do not make much sense in terms of her diabetes. This is something I found rather infuriating as some very basic research would have rectified this.

A good, quick, enjoyable read but I did much prefer the author’s previous book, The Mother In Law.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

The Good Sister is the first book that I have read by Sally Hepworth and it definitely won’t be the last one. The story is narrated through the eyes of Fern Castle and it also uses the journal pages of her twin sister Rose to add a different perspective.

I have to admit that I absolutely loved Fern from the very beginning. Fern is really different from other characters that I have seen before and I found that to be very refreshing. I found Rose to be controlling, shady and very smothering. There was something about her that made me not want to connect with her on any level whatsoever.

Oh my gosh there was so much drama, betrayal, suspense and so many secrets. I never predicted anything that happened and I found myself totally gobsmacked. This was a very intense and emotional roller coaster ride that I would willing ride again.

I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.

Twisted and thrilling, I couldn't put it down. Everything you thought you knew at the beginning of the book will be questioned by the end, and you'll wonder just which sister is the good sister?

**received a netgalley by the publisher**

Fantastic read! Sally Hepworth is able to write amazing suspense/thrillers that will keep you glued to your seat until the very last page. Fabulously written with great characterizations. This one might keep you up at night!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this ebook!

This book follows Fern and Rose, who are twin sisters. Fern has Autism and Rose is very protective of her throughout her childhood and adulthood. I don’t want to give too much away, but this domestic thriller is about the lengths one sister ultimately goes to to get what she wants, while being a destructive tornado in the process. Jealousy, low self esteem and narcissism take control for a wild ride throughout the book.

As a parent of a child with Autism, I really understood and sympathized with Fern’s character and her struggles, some of which my family also deal with on a daily basis. I felt her character was well developed and Autism was well understood/researched to portray her character. I think that says a lot coming from me, as sometimes I pass on books that can hit too close to home. I really applaud Sally Hepworth as an author for her book, research on Autism, and the awareness that she is helping to spread by writing a character with this narrative.

The book has twists and turns that kept me engaged and wanting to know what was going to happen next. If you like domestic, psychological thrillers, I highly recommend reading this. Having read and enjoyed “The Mother In Law” by Sally Hepworth, I was excited to read this book as well and it did not disappoint.

An incredible domestic thriller about twin sisters who share a terrible secret from their past. I thought had this one figured out quite early, but the unreliable narrator had me guessing and then double guessing what I thought I knew!

The character development was top knotch, the story full of twists and turns and of course, Sally’s writing is absolutely incredible.

Definitely different from anything I've read in awhile. It will keep you wondering the who and the what and then...what you think you know you don't. Characters are strange, the story is strange, but it is very good. Read the cover blurb for info. Sorry, I can't give spoilers and I can't think of a thing to write without giving one. Read and enjoy.
I was provided an advanced reader copy of this book but was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

Fern and Rose Castle are twins, but they are very different. Fern is quiet, working at the library and keeping mostly to herself. As someone who struggles with sensory issues, she tries to control as much of her life as she can, to help mitigate painful meltdowns. Rose is far more outgoing, enjoying time with friends and coworkers. She’s married to Owen, and she wants to have a baby.

Sadly, though, Rose is not able to have a baby.

Fern found this out when she discovered some prenatal vitamins in Rose’s bag. She asked Rose if she was pregnant, and Rose explained that she had been taking the vitamins in the hopes of having a baby, but she had since found out that she wasn’t able to get pregnant. Fern didn’t think she could be trusted to raise a child, but as far as she knew she could have a baby. She decided to have a baby and give it to Rose and Owen, so that they could have the baby of their dreams.

After all, Rose had done so much for Fern her whole life. Rose had always been watching out for her. They both had bracelets, given to them from their mother when they were young, and when Fern wasn’t sure what to do, Rose could tap her bracelet to Fern’s, to let her know to stay quiet. Rose took care of Fern when they were too young for school and their mother would leave them at the library for hours. And when the incident happened on the camping trip when they were almost teenagers, when their friend Billy drowned, it was Rose who told Fern what to do and what to say to stay out of trouble.

That’s how Fern knows that she can’t take care of an infant, but that Rose would be a really good mother. Just like she’s a good sister.

But is that the truth?

Fern does find herself a boyfriend, and she does get pregnant, but as the months go by, she starts to question the things that Rose is telling her. Actually, Fern starts to question everything she’s ever known. All she wants is for her baby to have a god life, to be safe, to be loved. But who is really the best sister for the job?

Sally Hepworth’s The Good Sister is a compelling, twisty story of secrets and lies, of finding the truth and making a way for yourself in a challenging world. The family relationships in this chilling book make you question everything you thought you knew and take a closer look at everything you’ve ever been told. Written in alternating perspectives, you get to see life through Fern’s eyes in real time and see the past though the pages of Rose’s diary. It’s enlightening, to say the least.

I really loved The Good Sister, particularly the character of Fern. She clearly feels small and like she’s a burden to those around her because of her sensory issues and social quirks (the word “autism” isn’t used specifically, but there are clearly non-neurotypical characteristics to Fern that are both annoying and endearing), but watching her open up to those around her and finding out that they are willing to adapt to make her life easier is truly heart-warming. This book is mostly her story, and her story is fascinating. Anyone wanting to better understand the thoughts of someone who is not neurotypical will find Fern enlightening, and anyone who loves a good family thriller will be so happy with this new novel from Sally Hepworth.

Egalleys for The Good Sister were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

So just for the record, I just want to say unreliable narrators are my JAM! I especially enjoy it, when there are two in one story. I love not knowing whose story I should believe or not. This was definitely one of my most compelling reads this year. Especially since I have been in a reading slump for months!! I was surprised how quick I sped through it. Hepworth definitely has a way for character development. I found myself rooting for Fern the whole time, even when I was lead away from her. I’d like to say I am a well-seasoned mystery/thriller reader and I shockingly did not guess the ending at all. A must read though, especially if you have sister(s)!

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth is her latest novel focused on a pair of twin sisters, Fern and Rose, who have been inseparable since kids. Fern is a thin, willowy blonde who is on the spectrum while Rose is a plump brunette struggling with her past. The book alternates between Fern's point of view and Rose's journal entries where we learn more about their present and their dark childhood. As we move through the novel we learn how co-dependent their lives are making it difficult for anyone or anything to permeate.

This was a compelling novel that gripped me from the beginning. I loved the dual perspectives and found myself flipping through my Kindle pages to figure out what was going to happen next! The beginning of the novel starts off almost positive and happy in town, feeling more like a women's fiction novel. However as we learn more about their past from flashbacks the tension ramps steadily, creating an unsettling atmosphere. I loved that it was difficult to tell who was the unreliable narrator in this novel, even right towards the end. However I also appreciated that this book did not treat being on the spectrum as being indicative of being unreliable. I really enjoyed Fern's perspective on the world and it was so interesting to how she interacted with the world. Fern was a riot and I loved the scene about Wally's name, which had me chuckling out loud. For a mystery/thriller, this was not as plot-heavy as others in the genre which I think made this book so fantastic due to the strong character development. My only critique is I thought the ending was wrapped up a little too cleanly that I wanted just a little bit more from it somehow. Regardless this was a fantastic read and I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fascinating mystery-thriller.

Many thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth is a mystery thriller that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Once I started reading, I did not want to put this one down. I had to know what happens next.

Happy Pub Day today to THE GOOD SISTER by @sallyhepworth. I devoured this book, you guys! It was so hard to put down. I've only read one other book by this author, and also loved it (The Mother in Law). Sally seems to write my kind of thriller - heavier on the domestic than the crime (though I do like the latter sometimes too, of course). 

On top of the quickly moving, intense, need-to-know plotline of this book, I also absolutely adored a few specific unique aspects of this book:

-The vivid and precarious sister relationship depicted which was so relatable at times 
-One of the main "settings" being a library workplace and all of the profound library love expressed
-A sweet and heartwarming little love story
-Themes of growth, nostalgia, and standing up for yourself while being true to who you are

These aspects might seem weird in this type of thriller novel, but ahhh it all just fit together perfectly and this story was so good. I loved (many of) the characters and felt the ending was perfect.

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
A complicated sister relationship. Deception. Secrets. Oh my! What a great read from start to finish!! I devoured this book and was hooked from the first page!
I absolutely loved Fern and Wally’s characters and their chemistry together!! I loved the character development and the audio was fantastic!!!!
I did catch on to the plot early on, but the book kept me guessing throughout and also kept me interested. It was an intense and quick read!

4/5 stars!!

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Sally Hepworth for my ARC in exchange for my own honest review.

A complicated sister relationship full of deviousness and secrets! ⁣
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I loved Sally’s previous book, The Mother-in-law, so this was a highly anticipated read for me and I’m happy to report that it did not disappoint! Sally knows how to write domestic suspense and familial relationships full of secrets and hidden agendas. ⁣
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Fern & Rose have what appears to be on the surface a very devoted sister relationship. As fraternal twins, they’ve always been close. Fern suffers from sensory issues and is on the spectrum. Rose has always been her protector, serving as a de facto mom. They are as close as sisters can be and would do anything for each other, or would they? As we read we begin to see that there are some troubling aspects to their relationship and not everyone/everything is as it appears to be. ⁣
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The story is told from Fern & Rose’s POVs and added insight is gained from journal entries (𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥!). Be forewarned - you can not read this book and not become enamored with Fern! What a special character!!! I absolutely adored the parts of her story and how she navigated the world, especially her relationship with Rocco/Wally. Hepworth does an amazing job of filtering everything through Fern’s lenses and it was one of my favorite aspects of the story. ⁣

Wow.... the end definitely had me questioning everything I’ve read over the last couple of days. It’s a twist I truly didn’t see coming at all. I’m blown away by this story!

When I first started reading this book I thought it was going to be the story about twin sisters, one with sensory issues, and how they manage their lives together. Well, this book has so much more. It's a definite read for the psychological thriller lover. It's a slow build and things you read aren't always as plain as they seem. Another winner from Sally Hepworth!

Unfortunately, I found this book to be a bit predictable.

I picked up on clues throughout that definitely had Rose as the “bad” sister. Her psychotic tendencies making Fern dependent on her, making her out to be the incompetent one, making sure the reader knew she was the “good” sister.

I really loved Fern’s character. She was SO well written and her character arc was phenomenal. She deserved happiness. She deserved Wally. She deserved Willow. She deserved the truth about everything.

I loved that this book was told from two different POV’s, but not directly. Rose’s journal was pretty brilliant, it definitely made the reader believe that she wasn’t the one who killed Billy, that she really was trying to protect her more vulnerable twin sister. She wasn’t, of course. She was psychotic the entire time. I don’t understand how Fern didn’t pick up on that throughout their childhood. But love blinds people, and it was very clear that Fern loved her sister. Even though her sister didn’t really reciprocate that. She used her, and played on Fern’s quirks like a true psychopath.

I will say, Sally Hepworth can write unlikeable characters extremely well. This book was no exception, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you so much, St Martins Press & Netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for this review!

Great read!
My first time reading Sally Hepworth and totally loved it. Thrilling to the point where I became anxious!
Two sisters who are twins though not identical in any way, shape or form. So many twists and turns and then the WOW factor.

Another good ready from Sally Hepworth! The ending wraps up nicely and doesn't leave much to the imagination. Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.