I received an ARC of this powerful story. Amazing tale of twin sisters who are so very different. I was pulled into this book and was totally unprepared for the direction it took. I found myself immersed in the drama. It's so well written and not at all what I expected. Absolutely worth reading!

Fern and Rose are twins. Fern is quirky, with sensory issues and she’s extremely literal. She loves her job as a librarian, relies on her routines, and leans heavily on Rose for anything and everything.

Rose thrives in her position as Fern’s “person,” often taking advantage of her sister for her own needs. Her husband has taken a job out of town, and when Fern comes across pre-natal vitamins, Rose tells her she’s been having difficulty getting pregnant. Fern decides the way for her to repay Rose for all she’s done for her is to have a baby and give it to Rose.

When an American comes into the library wearing a red striped beanie, Fern dubs him Wally, as in Where’s Wally (note: this book takes place in Australia, and the character is only called Waldo in the US and Canada). She asks him out, intending for him to be the father of her future baby, but Fern and Wally (she refuses to call him by his real name) hit it off and she finds she wants more than just a sperm donor.

Fern’s story is told in first-person, but Rose’s is in the form of journal entries, including flashbacks to their childhood with their abusive mother. But as the story progresses it’s not clear whose version of events is true, as Fern has very different memories of their mother.

I loved Fern. I liked her straightforward manner, attempts to understand social cues, and personal growth, and the character reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant. I enjoyed her library colleagues as well, who didn’t always understand her but were sympathetic, and her relationship with Wally is very sweet.

The Good Sister starts out a little slow but picks up speed and by the end I couldn’t put it down.

Just when I thought Hepworth couldn’t get any better, she creates this delightful page turning novel of humor, deceit and family drama. When Fern, an absolute perfectly written and charming character, finds out that her sister Rose wants a baby but is unable to conceive, she decides to have one for her. As we traverse between past and present and unravel the truth, who is really The Good Sister?

Holy smokes! 😱 To say that The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth is a page turner is an understatement. I could not put it down and was almost frantically turning pages to see how it ended. Twisty and intense, this isn’t one to be missed.

I loved this. Sally Hepworth books draw me in and hold me there. I loved most of the characters in this book. Quick read that held my attention.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth when I read it two years ago, and I was stoked for this book and it blew me away. I don't normally rave about thrillers. I enjoy them but rarely do they get a loved rating from me. But I adored this book. Hepworth writes thrillers that are less about the plot and more about the characters and geez oh man can she write some characters! I kept thinking I had all the complexities of this story figured out but then she introduces a little tweak and I would once again be questioning everything. Fern is one of my favorite characters in a long time and I was rooting for her against all odds. I don't want you to read anymore about this book, because I think the less you know the even better the reading experience will be. Even those people who don't love mystery/thrillers and are more literary fiction inclined will like this book.

Also, Barrie Kreinik is a gem of a narrator and I hope she always narrates Sally's books.

Content Warning: Emotional Abuse, Child Abuse, Death, Ableism

I was invested in this book from the start!
A domestic mystery featuring twin sister’s Fern & Rose and their family drama through past & present.
Fern (the quirky twin) without a doubt is my favourite character. She’s unique and I absolutely loved being immersed into her world. I love that she is a librarian and her love of books is infectious.
Rose (the protector) always one step ahead of Fern making sure she is ok from the time they were young. Mostly from their mother, a true sociopath who hid her ways from the world, and only Rose could see it.
The tension builds in the sister bond as secrets are being exposed with Rose realizing that maybe Fern’s choices will mean that their mother might have the last word impacting the future of all.

First by this author and won't be my last!

I guess we are supposed to wonder which sister is the "good" sister and which is, by default, the "not good" sister. Well, it is a pretty easy guess and we read and wait to find out why we are right. Fern has sensory issues and is very reliant on both her own schedules and her sister Rose. The reader is lead to rely on Rose to solve Fern's problems and be the guiding sister. I do love the development of the characters through the book and the introduction of other people in Fern's world. I wish we had gotten a better look at Rose as she was seen mostly through Fern or in flashbacks through a diary. And, as frequently seems to be the case, I did not need the chapter at the end that went back over everything and confirmed all the lose ends. It was redundant and I continue to wonder why authors feel the need. The book was complete and I was a happy reader without it.

I can always count on Sally Hepworth to deliver a totally binge-worthy book that I won't be able to put down! She crafts these characters that you can't help but get attached to and emotionally invested in their lives. Once I started reading The Good Sister, I didn't want to put it down, and in fact, I only did so to take care of my kids (lol). In this book, we meet Rose and Fern, who are twin sisters. Even though they are the same age, Rose has always taken care of Fern and acted as her "protector." When they were younger, Fern "did something bad," and ever since then, Rose has taken it upon herself to protect Fern from herself. Things get complicated when Fern meets a man and becomes pregnant. I don't want to give too much away, but man, this one was twisty! Hepworth leaves you in a state of suspense, as you try to figure out what Fern did that was so bad. When things start to unravel and the characters' true natures start to come to light, the suspense is ramped up in a way that will have you racing through the pages to find out what is going to happen next. This was a fun read from start to finish, and one that I would definitely recommend. I will be posting my review on my Instagram page @readingmama_reviews in the next few days before its pub day, which is next Tuesday, April 13. Thank you to St. Martins for both my digital copy and physical review copy!

4.5 stars!

Mind. Blown.

I’ve heard the hype for Hepworth’s books so I was a little nervous knowing how well-loved they are. But this exceeded every kind of thought I had! I was hooked from the get go not wanting to put it down. I finished in less than 24 hours because the audiobook was so easy to listen to. I followed along on my kindle, but I absolutely loved the narrator, Barrie Kreinik. Nonfiction is typically my audiobook genre, but if Hepworth and Kreinik can be considered their own genre, they’ve been added to my top audiobook favorites.

My emotions were pulled every which way for this story. This story was written from two POVs, one present day Fern, and the other was Rose’s journal entries. I absolutely adored Fern and felt so bad for Rose in the beginning.

The story starts explaining a story from childhood, and how Fern did something really bad. But it wasn’t touched on again for half the book or so! I was definitely questioning how it would come back into play. Have no fear, it impacts the story in a big way.

In the end, I really enjoyed this book. It's less about the plot and more about the character development so if you’re looking for a good page turner, I really think this would satisfy that.

Big thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book, and also LibroFM for the ALC of the audiobook!

Read this book. Don’t read the reviews. Don’t read the synopsis. Just clear out your Saturday afternoon, find a blanket, a cosy spot and get stuck in.

Sally Hepsworth is now an auto-buy author for me. That’s all I’m saying.

I had heard good things about both this author and this book so was looking forward to reading it. I wasn't sure at first if I liked it or not but once I was further into the book I really enjoyed it. I found I liked the characters and it had some good twists that I didn't see coming.
Based on this book I will definitely be reading more by Sally Hepworth in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC.

As the book description says it appears Rose and Fern are as close as twin sisters can be. But as Fern tells us with sisters it's often sunshine and lollipops and blood and guts. Rose is an interior designer, who is experiencing a separation in her marriage due to infertility issues. Fern is a librarian, who loves her job, her predictable routine, and has a sensory processing disorder. We learn through alternating chapters about their difficult childhood, their present day situations, and a big secret the sisters are keeping. Fern's chapters are told in her own voice as things happen. Rose has been instructed to keep a journal to work through her traumatic childhood. Fern tells us of learning Rose cannot have a baby and Fern's secret plan to help with that. However, when Fern meets "Wally", a man she assumes is homeless at first, things take a turn toward romance for her.

The story keeps you guessing about the facts that are being presented. Fern's memories of their childhood differ from Rose's, but Rose tells us Fern often forgets things or remembers things incorrectly. As the story progresses secrets are revealed and lies are unraveled. I do not want to give away any spoilers. I really enjoyed Fern. I also liked the relationships that develops between her and Wally. Definitely check this out if you enjoy a good story with unreliable narrators.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This is the story of twin sisters - Rose and Fern - whose childhood wasn't particularly happy. There was an incident - one I can't tell you about here - spoilers - but something that keeps being mentioned all the way through... A defining incident you could say.
Anyway... back in the present, and Rose is unhappily married - sort of - and struggling to conceive. She has been seeing a therapist and writes a diary. She is also extremely protective over Fern who she sees as very vulnerable. Anyway, long story short, Fern wants to repay Rose by giving her the one thing she could have that Rose can't achieve... and this is the story of what happened after she made that decision.
I'm being deliberately vague as I firmly believe that less is more going into this book. You really need to go in as blind as you can. So... stop reading reviews and just crack on!
Still with me? Need more convincing then? OK...
This story had me glued to my kindle. It gripped me from the off and held me captive throughout, only allowing me time out to do the things necessary for my ongoing survival and no, that didn't include sleeping.
The characters are cracking and I wish I could explain more here but even if I only hint at why I liked some of them rather than others could inject spoilers here and that's not happening. Suffice to say that they are, within their story arcs, wholly credible and I was well able to connect to each and every one - both positively and negatively as appropriate.
Plotting is tight and well executed. Pacing is darned near perfect and the injection of the past into the present happened at exactly the right moments for maximum impact. The action, intrigue and anticipation all ramp up nicely to the end and, after the final denouement, left me wholly satisfied.
I have already read the rest of the author's already impressive back catalogue so all that's left is to sit back and patiently await her next offering. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Sally Hepworth for this amazing novel!

This was such a great read. I fell in love with Fern and Wally. These delightfully quirky characters will stay with me for a long while. And I will picture them in noise cancelling headphones and swim goggles always.

This story is told from the perspectives of twin sisters, Fern and Rose. Rose tells the story of growing up with Fern and their single mother through therapist-suggested journal. Fern’s perspective is focused mostly on her present, quiet life as a librarian. Fern loves routine. She forgets things quickly and she has sensory processing disorder.

Fern relies on Rose and Rose protects Fern. Fern would do anything for her sister.
But there are secrets about their past that have been buried for years. What happens when they begin to surface again?

Fern and Rose are fraternal twins but that is where the similarities end.
Rose has always been the one who is the responsible one and Fern is the one with sensory problems.
Fern is haunted by a tragedy in their childhood. Rose always said it was an accident.
Fern has a very rigid schedule that helps her cope. One day she meets she Rocco, who she nicknames Wally because of his striped hat. Fern is letting her guard down and letting “Wally” in.
Rose is married but her husband is working away and they are desperate for a child which hasn’t happened.
Fern is finally becoming her own person and Rose is having problems accepting her independence.
This story is fast moving and suspenseful. It shows that everyone needs to trust their instincts.

Sally Hepworth has done it again! Another 5-star read for me and this time with a twist you won’t see coming! A story where nothing and no one is what it seems.
Great character development in this one featuring two sisters, Rose and Fern. I love how Hepworth built each of these characters and how she chose to tell their story - Rose by way of diary entries was interesting. You really become invested in theses two characters. This was much darker than Hepworth’s previous books but I was here for it. The darker the better, in terms of entertainment! A totally engaging read this was a one-sitting binge read for me because once it picked up steam, I could not put it down. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my early copy. Full review will be up on my blog closer to pub.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was soooo good. I think it's my only 2nd 5 star this year so far. From the moment I started this book I couldn't put it down. I feel like I need to go and buy everything she has written and read it now.

This is a psychological thriller about fraternal twins Rose and Fern, who are as close as twins can be. Fern is on the spectrum and Rose has always taken care of her and been there for her. The story starts out with Rose who is unable to conceive a child and you get the feeling that she is in a trouble marriage. Fern who wants to be a good sister and help Rose decides that she will get pregnant and have a baby to give to Rose. Once Rose is on the cusp of having everything she wants then starts the twists and turns. The family secrets start coming out. You are wondering just who is the good sister? Who is lying? Why do people die when they are around Fern?

I'd highly recommend this book to those that like psychological thrillers, mysteries, and romance. Yes there was romance!!

Happy Pub Day to THE GOOD SISTER by Sally Hepworth! I could not put this book down. The characters and plot will captivate you from the beginning.

The Story: Rose Castle has always been protective of her twin sister Fern. Rose is the responsible one with a good job and a good husband, while Fern is the opposite. Fern has sensory-processing issues which makes her highly sensitive to sound, light and touch, and her never changing routine also makes her social life almost non-existent. That's why the only person she could trust is Rose.

However, there is one thing that Rose truly desires but seems to be unattainable due to her health - a baby. Fern wants be a good sister and devises a plan to help Rose. But as Rose gets more involve in her plan, Fern begins to realize something is different with Rose and she may have been keeping the truth about the secret that binds them for so long.


My thoughts: This is my first book by Sally Hepworth and it won't be my last! In the first few pages of the book, we knew that Fern did something terrible when she was a kid and you just had to keep reading to find out what it was. I really loved that the mystery or the secret between the sisters in unraveled gradually through the POVs of Fern and especially Rose's journal entries. It was really well done! The writing grabbed and held my attention until the end. It was really good!

Can we just talk about how adorable Fern and Wally are?! I adored them so much! I love Fern of course and her personality shines the most in the story. She's a librarian, loves books, and so there was an instant connection with her character. As with other characters, I think they are well-developed and fit perfectly in the story.

However, I do wish for a messier ending and this is just my personal opinion. Overall, I enjoyed this story very much! Wonderfully twisty plot, endearing characters and absorbing writing - this is a book you don't want to miss out on!


Pub. date: April 13th 2021

***Thank you St. Martin's Press, author Sally Hepworth and NetGalley for this review copy to read and review.***