Rose and Fern are fraternal twins who have been through a lot together—an unstable childhood, a manipulative mother, and a buried secret in their past, among other things. As adults, Fern has issues with sensory overload, and Rose has always looked out for her and made things better. When Rose and her husband Owen have trouble conceiving, Fern thinks maybe she can finally do something for her sister for a change. She concocts a plan to meet someone and get pregnant in order to give her sister the child she so desperately wants. But when Fern meets Wally and implements her plan, things don’t go as she had envisioned. In fact, with alternating POVs from Fern’s present and Rose’s past journal, we realize that maybe things aren’t what they seem at all.

Sally Hepworth is quickly becoming a must-read author for me. She is an expert at weaving family drama into masterful storylines, and honestly, I just can’t get enough. Fern is truly one of my favorite characters in recent memory. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

The Good Sister is a gripping, new thriller with twin sisters who share a dark secret. Told in alternating POV's with Rose's Diary entries and Fern's present day, The Good Sister will have you questioning what is happening up until the bitter end.

Rose and Fern have been on their own for a long time. Rose takes care of Fern, who is different and has had difficulty with navigating the world. Their mother was abusive according to Rose's diary entries, where she details the abuse, neglect, and mistreatment before her overdose left her impaired. Fern is a librarian who loves her job, routine, and Rose. But, Fern did something terrible a long time ago and they keep this secret in order to protect her. But when Fern decides to have a baby to help Rose, she begins to see some of the secrets Rose is keeping even from her.

I flew through this thriller so quickly, it was so easy to read. It even had a romance built in, which I firmly believe every thriller should have now. I loved reading about Fern as a librarian and seeing life through her eyes. The Good Sister brings many twists and turns, without being too confusing or hard to follow. The writing flowed well and was paced very evenly, in my opinion. I enjoyed the setting being in Australia and the subtle differences in style and vocabulary.

I highly recommend The Good Sister for all thriller lovers out there, you won't be disappointed!

**Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

This book had me captivated from the start and ended up being so much more than I thought it would be! We get to read the story from alternating perspectives- one from Fern's point of view and one from Rose's diary she kept from her childhood.

Fern is on the spectrum and her life revolves around routine. She has a time and place for everything and doesn't like surprises. Her life is turned upside down when she meets a man she assumes is homeless while working her job at the library.

Rose is Fern's protector and has been since they were born. The two are twin sisters that couldn't have been more different if they tried. Some kind of tragic event happened when the twins were younger. Rose constantly reminds Fern of this horrific event and uses it to manipulate Fern with threats of exposure if she doesn't do as she's told.

This is one of those books that if I say too much it will ruin the experience of reading for the first time. It's a book of family secrets and drama. It has a romantic twist with suspense and surprises sprinkled throughout.

The character development was superb and I even felt highly invested in the characters I seemed to hate. The storyline moved seamlessly from past to present and the pace of the mystery gave just enough to keep me interested but not too much that I could guess the ending.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me an egalley to read and give my honest review! It was my first book by the author but I look forward to reading past and future books!

"The Good Sister" is set to be released here in the U.S. on April 13, 2021 so pre-order now! It was a 5 star read for me and I know you'll love it too!

Happy Reading!

Sally Hepworth's newest book, The Good Sister, is a riveting thriller that you don't want to miss. After finishing this one, I had to check out what else she has written, as I am now a fan. Definitely recommend this one, if you like twists and turns. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC ebook version of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second novel I have read by Sally Hepworth and it’s pretty safe to say I just love her writing!

Fern and Rose, fraternal twin sisters who are complete opposites, are at the center of this sordid story.

For the record, Fern is probably the best character I’ve read in a while. I loved her completely (probably because she is very similar to my son). Her quirks made me smile throughout the whole novel. She’s wonderful! Wally/Rocco is just as delightful, I might add.

I won’t go into too much detail on the story to avoid spoilers, but just when I thought it was going one way, it pulled a 180 on me! I did guess the twists, but it didn’t make it any less interesting. This was a quick, fun read. I’ll be reading many more Hepworth novels in the future.

She did it again! The verdict is in. I’ll be honest and say that I didn’t know if she would pull it off. I couldn’t put The Mother-in-Law down when I read it last summer, and it ended up being one of my Top Ten reads of 2020, which set the bar high. But Sally Hepworth wins again. Queen of Domestic Suspense, hands down. Read this when you are in the mood for a slow-burn mystery that is the perfect backdrop to a character study of two sisters. It is Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman meets The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. Best paired with sausages and corn on the cob cooked on a little camping stove. XO, Tara

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the early gifted copy of The Good Sister by @sallyhepworth. It publishes on April 13, 2021!

The Good Sister is a women’s fiction novel with a domestic suspense twist. I’m always drawn to novels about sisters, so this one intrigued me as soon as it came across my radar. Fern and Rose are fraternal twins, and Rose has always been Fern’s protector. They didn’t have the best upbringing. Fern is neuroatypical, so Rose always needed to look out for her. The book is told in alternating POV by Fern in present day, and through journal entries written by Rose. The deeper into the novel you go, you find that appearances can be deceiving, and truths can be twisted. Family secrets slowly begin to surface, and you’ll question everything. I was so anxious to find out why Rose’s POV was told via journal entries. Let me tell you—it is worth the wait. Fern has such a likable, quirky personality; I loved her chapters so much! Just don’t ask her for help with the printer or photocopier.
Mark April 13 on your calendar, and go pick this up at your local or online book retailer!

Wow! Unputdownable!

Fern and Rose Castle are fraternal twins, each with their own unique personalities and health issues. Fern is the quirky and somewhat eccentric sister due in part by her sensory processing issues. Rose is the seemingly stable sister that has been taking care and protecting Fern since they were children. But is it really protection or is it exploitation?

The story unfolds from two points of view. Rose's viewpoints are in the form of a diary. Something that her therapist suggested. Fern's point of view is told in a first person's observation and feelings. It is from these different viewpoints that we learn of Fern's and Rose's childhood and how their childhood environment has shaped their adult lives.

Full of shocking surprises, The Good Sister is an unnerving psychological thriller worthy of recognition by fans and followers of V. C. Andrews. Five staggering stars.

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

My review is scheduled to post to my blog and other social media sites on April 6, 2021. Reviews on retail sites will occur upon the release or publication date of April 13, 2021.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a recipient of this author's books in the past, and this one again did not disappoint.

Fern and Rose are twins. Fern and Rose hold a secret from their childhood that they've never told anyone. However, the secret kept is not as it seems. Which sister is actually the guilty one?

Fast forward to adulthood: Rose and her husband are trying to have a baby; her husband is away for business, which is making it difficult even with treatments. Fern hatches a plan to get pregnant and be a surrogate for Rose. She befriends a man who often comes in to use the shower at the library she works at - he lives in his van - and they start to have a relationship. What will Fern do? Will she "use" this man to become pregnant? If so, will she be able to give the baby to Rose? What secrets is Rose holding of her own?

This one had a few twists and turns that came out of nowhere. Well done again Ms. Hepworth!

The Good Sister tells the tale of fraternal twins, Rose and Fern, raised by a single mother and torn apart by one sister’s jealousy and manipulation beginning during childhood. Fern suffers from sensory issues. I was blown away by how well author, Sally Hepworth, writes the story from the point-of-view of someone on the spectrum so masterfully. I was drawn into the story from the start and found it difficult to put down. I was intrigued until the end. This is my first read from this author but will not be my last!

For a genre that increasingly started to have books that largely resembles one another, I can see the appeal of this book. Each year, there is a theme that keeps repeating itself till exhaustion in the Mystery/thriller category. Last year it was the mother/daughter relationship (e.g. Darling Rose Gold, The Last Story of Mina Lee). This year the complexities of the bond between sisters/twins are in full swing not only in the mystery/thriller category but across many genres (check out the titles longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction for proof of this theme's popularity).

And Sally Hepworth's book is a refreshing addition to that particular sub-genre. It's an inventive twist on a theme I think we'll see a lot of. Rose and Fern are fraternal twins. Rose is the presumably responsible one. Fern is brought up to be reliant and rose. Fern suffers from sensory challenges. Rose suffers from diabetes. Both women have a very different relationship with their mother. Rose's diary tells tales of a bad mother; Fern's memory tells another story. Everything gets complicated, and later on, revealing, when Rose is diagnosed with premature ovarian ageing and Fern decides to have a baby in Rose's stead

Fern's character and challenges were well developed throughout the book, but I cannot say the same thing about either Rose or the mystery itself. When the book started to pick up speed in its last third or so, that is when the threads of the mystery started to come together, the details weren't as careful as Fern's characterization. Too obvious clues in the form of a too careless culprit are the enemy of any mystery. The last chapter, in particular, which was intended as a menacing message, was too ludicrous to believe because of the many plot holes that stand against that narrative.

Overall, I still see the appeal of this book to many mystery/thriller readers and it is well-earned.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for my eGalley of this book.

Please see my full review on my blog at thepickybookworm.com

I love Fern. She’s easily one of my very favorite book characters EVER. She is such a good person, and functions so well, that at times it’s easy to forget she has autism. At other times, she has a breakdown, that probably quite a few of us have considered at times, but Wally is so understanding when she can’t function, that the reader ends up loving him too.

Rose is easy to dislike. Not because I think she’s deliberately malicious, but because she tends to manipulate Fern, and use Fern’s autism to her own advantage. I don’t like this about her. As the story progresses, and things come to light, the differences between the sisters become even more pronounced, and Fern becomes much easier to love.

One thing I love so much about this book, is that I’m well aware that the author has to have done her research. Either that, or she has someone in her life with Fern’s specific form of Autism. Just how she’s able to portray Fern so well is amazing. I learned so much reading this book, that when speaking with someone who is either neuro-divergent, or has spectrum disorder, I know a little more now, and am able to understand behaviors that I may not have understood before. This is something I never would have thought I could get from a fiction book.

Have I mentioned yet how much I love this book? I think everyone should read it. Seriously. If you haven’t yet, go buy it. Now. Trust me, you won’t regret it. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Wow!
What a twisty, engrossing family suspense!
I never saw that ending coming. I had some ideas but....wow!
I read this in one day.....couldn’t put it down.
Twin sisters telling their story of growing up.....sharing a devastating secret from when they were teenagers.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for providing me with the arc of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

At the beginning of this story, about fraternal twins Rose and Fern, the words that kept coming to mind were "quirky" and "charming." The character of Fern is incredibly endearing for her social awkwardness and rather obsessive compulsive characteristics. I loved the portrayal of Fern with the struggles she faced in interacting with people on a day-to-day basis along with her absolute devotion to Rose. I found Rose to be endearing for her incredible patience with Fern.

Soon into the story, we find the Rose is unable to bear children, and Fern comes to the decision to have a baby to give to Rose as she feels Rose will be a wonderful mother, and this act of giving Rose a child will in some way pay Rose back for all the support she has given to Fern. Along the way, we see Fern developing a friendship with a kind stranger, Rocco, and her interactions with this amazingly understanding man begin to pull her out of her insecurities. As the story progresses, we also see flashbacks from both sisters to their upbringing in a single mother household and how events in their past have shaped both of them.

The author was very adept at gradually introducing more sinister elements into the story, and I found myself sitting back wondering how she managed to turn what was a quirky story into a mind blowing look at perception and how it affects our actions. I would highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one day! I thought it was great, I loved the different points of view, and even though it was fairly predictable, I still would recommend for a light psychological thriller.

Sally Hepworth is a new to me author but The Good Sister definitely won't be the last thing I read by this author.. The Good Sister was definitely more sinister than I thought it would be, but I was here for the read! I loved the way the book rotated perspectives between the two sisters. Definitely would recommend to thriller lovers.

Oh my goodness... this book is FAN*freaking*TASTIC!

Rose and Fern are twin sisters with a rather unbreakable bond, but they are as different as they come; physically, emotionally, socially and mentally.

I fell head over heels in love with Fern and Wally. Their quirkiness and awkwardness felt genuine and honest and incredibly endearing.

The plot moves at the perfect pace, keeping you wanting to turn the pages. But I think one of my favorite things in this book are the relationship dynamics between these incredibly well developed characters.

I won't lie, I did have my suspicions about who the good sister was or wasn't from pretty early on, and about how some of it would pan out, but it never detracted from my interest in the story or my desire to continue reading.

Thank you, Sally Hepworth, for providing us with yet another exquisitely crafted novel! And huge thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

OH MY GOSH

This book was perfect. It was frustrating, yet satisfying. There were a couple times I had to put the book down to take a break from the characters. I then had to go right back to reading because I needed to know what happened! Sally Hepworth is so good at keeping you guessing! I truly had no idea what was going to happen.

This was easily a 5 ⭐️ read for me! It’s definitely going to stay with me for a while.

This book sucked me in from the beginning! The Good Sister is the only Sally Hepworth book I have read so far and if her other books are like this one - I will be reading those soon! The characters were interesting and I loved Fern's story. I had my thoughts and ideas about what was happening, and I was wrong! This book kept me on my toes and I found it hard to put down (especially since I was reading the last few chapters during school drop-off this morning!!). Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital arc of this title!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

where to start with this book...its difficult without giving away to many spoilers, but its based on twin girls and their mother and through roses diary we get a hint of what their lives were like growing up

rose and fern are twin sisters, with fern being special needs, which we learn more about as the story goes on and how rose looks after fern to the point of taking over in all aspects of her life, but life is easier for fern with rose in control


its a captivating storyline and once you are hooked you are there right to the end... how one sister will do all they can for the other

cant wait for the next book from this author