4.5 stars

When you have a book titled, The Good Sister, you have to imagine that there's also a bad sister, right?
So the question I had reading this was who was the good sister? It wasn't as clear as you think in this psychological thriller.

This story is told from two perspectives:
Fern Castle's POV and Rose Castle's diary. The story leads with one diary entry involving the tragic death of a young boy. In that entry, who is responsible for that death is revealed. Therefore, it would be fair to assume that that is the bad sister. Except my brain knew that assumptions made early in thrillers aren't always wise, so I kept an open mind.

On the surface, Rose is the pulled together sister. Caring for and protecting Fern from childhood to adulthood. Life wasn't always easy for her growing up, as it is clear she and her mother didn't get along. Then there were her mother's boyfriends, one who definitely took things too far. And I had to imagine, that sort of trauma isn't something that goes away with time.

Then you have Fern, who is a bit awkward in how she speaks and interacts with others. She wasn't diagnosed with any condition so I’m not going to speculate on anything. But I liked how she knew her limits and what she needed to deal with her sensory issues. She is also very forgetful and that gets her into some troubling situations. Despite all that, I really liked her character and her genuine love of books. I also liked the friendship she struck up with Rocco, or Wally as she refers to him. They seemed like a good match.

There aren't any heart racing scenes, but as the story progresses, you can see how one sister is being manipulated, and how there are grave concerns for anyone interacting with that bad sister. The levels of deception were on the psychotic level, and that's what made this story so gripping.

While I always appreciate a happy ending, I equally love a thriller that has me saying "OMG" with the last paragraph. This one gave me both, so of course, I'd highly recommend it to all those who love this genre.

I am in mourning after finishing this incredible psychological thriller! I fell in love from the first page with Fern !! This is the story of twin fraternal sisters who need each other and will do anything to make the other happy ! No matter what the cost !!!
This was a page turner filled with funny moments , secrets and lies. Master manipulation and moments that knocked the wind right out of you !!
Who is in fact the good sister here !? Exquisitely written - finally a character on the spectrum who is more in tuned to people than most of us will ever be !!!
What a head boggling ending ! I beg the author to give us a sequel - I need more !!!! This is a MUST read !!!! A masterpiece and a wild ride !!!

OMG, sometimes in your life a book is just placed in your lap at the right time and this one could not have been better. I’d had a stressful few days, picked this one up and fell in love with Fern Castle at hello…… I cannot say how many times I was full outright belly laughing and for a book to get so much emotion out of me, it’s not easy.
I fully agree with other reviews, this is a quirky, easy, quick, completely enjoyable read. Fern’s external sensory issues were an absolute hoot. And I loved Wally (Rocco, whatever), I just loved it all. It made my day, I smiled, I laughed, I re-read some parts just to enjoy them again. I don’t know how the author came up with some of the situations, they were priceless. The daycare setting, the no dogs allowed speech, the googling baby care, all was spot on. Yes Fern, you will make a great mother..
Aside from the great humor, there is a murder mystery and the creepy factor creeps in. Rose is creepy…Loved it, highly recommend. High 5 stars!!
I want to thank St. Martin’s Press along with NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC. Coming in with a high 5*****.

This domestic suspense about twin sisters Rose and Fern will have you in the edge of your seat wondering who actually is the “good” sister?!?!

Told in alternating POV, Fern in present and Rose in the past, I honestly found this book to be more family drama with a side of suspense (and romance!), but I was all in!! The girls definitely had a codependent relationship due to a difficult childhood and I was never sure who/what to believe. I adored Fern, her quirky personality was beyond endearing. The romantic in me loved Wally and how kind he was with Fern.

The end was such a wild ride and I adored how it all wrapped up! It just happened a bit too quickly for me... I also dislike the ole unreliable narrator sometimes as it feels a bit misleading at times.

This one was definitely a jam-packed family drama. We follow twin sisters Fern and Rose through their adult lives. Rose is Fern’s protector as a result of Fern’s intense sensory sensitivities. There is a dual timeline using Rose’s diary entries from their troubled childhood. Wally was my favorite character by far. I also loved the prevalence of the library setting and all of the characters that walk through its doors and Fern interacts with.

Wow! I loved this book and would be very surprised if it doesn't end in my top 10 for the year. The character development and plot were incredible. I will be recommending this one to everyone.

This was a fun and suspenseful drama - more of a family/domestic drama than a thriller. It was very suspenseful with short chapters and multiple perspectives, and of course the thought of unreliable narrators. Great quick read!

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars.

This book was overall an enjoyable read. I don't know that anything, in particular, stuck out to me to make it an outstanding book. Suspense, family drama, and just an overall good read for a domestic thriller. The writing was really good, and it made me want to keep reading which is always a plus. This book definitely explored some of the issues within sibling relationships especially sisters. I didn't really find any of the characters in the book to be likable and relatable. I find that after finishing the book and gearing up to write this review that I honestly don't remember a lot of what happened within the story. It was solid to read, just not memorable at least for me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for a netgalley of this novel.
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Y'all, Sally Hepworth is clearly an auto read author for me. Though I felt I knew the "twist" before it was coming, I think you clearly were supposed to. The writing of Rose and Fern's relationship was done superbly. Hepworth takes a manipulative, dysfunctional relationship and makes you feel all sorts of emotions-- sadness, confusion, anger.

Fern has a sensory processing disorder and as a teacher who works with students in this area, I thought the accuracy was on point.

Hepworth truly kept me turning the pages here and I read this in one day. Definitely recommend!

Fern and Rose are twins. This book is told by Fern in the present and Rose from journal entries. The twins seem super close but are they? Fern has always needed Rose to protect her as she has many sensory issues. When they were teenagers an awful thing happened and Rose and Fern have always kept this huge secret. In the present, Rose wants to have a baby but is having fertility issues. Fern wanting to help her sister, decides to have a baby and give it to Rose. As the pregnancy continues, we start to see 2 different sides to Rose and Fern. Which sister is telling the truth and which sister is a conniving liar? I loved this book and read it in one long evening. Who needs sleep when you need to know what is going on? I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for an advanced copy.

I read Sally Hepworth's, The Mother-in-law, and really enjoyed it. So I was excited when I got approved to read, The Good Sister. I did not read the synopsis before I started to read, I knew it would be good book. And I wasn't disappointed. This is the type of mystery/thriller I enjoy.

The Good Sister is my second book by Sally Hepworth and yet again I am thoroughly impressed! I will be moving the rest of her books on my shelf up on the priority list immediately! I will admit that I went into this book a bit blind, I liked the cover and knew I enjoyed her writing, which was enough for me to request it. As I started listening to it, I briefly read the synopsis and was surprised and intrigued to get going!

"There's only been one time that Rose couldn't stop me from doing the wrong thing and that was a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life." Is that not an intriguing line that has you eager to find out who Rose is, what she did and why she couldn't stop her? Fern and Rose are twins, who seemed to have lived very different lives growing up. Fern likes routine, she likes order and quiet and her scheduled life. When she finds out her beloved sister Rose can't get pregnant, she decides she will get pregnant and have a baby for her. Her first task - to find a father. Fern doesn't realize what she's up for and how rocked her world is about to become.

I couldn't really figure any of these characters out until the very end. I had a bit of an idea what was going on halfway through, but I just couldn't fit all the pieces together. The reader quickly learns that Fern is on the Asperger’s syndrome, sensitive to light, voices, and touch and the only person who makes her feel comfortable and at home is her twin sister, Rose. I couldn't figure Rose out. Fern seemed to be a totally open book. I loved the tension throughout this book, the constant what if questioning and the suspense throughout the end of the book! I thought it felt a bit slow to get going, but later realized it was just all the build up to make the story complete. The writing was impeccable throughout the whole novel, never left me feeling bored, but instead I couldn't enough and needed to know what the outcome was!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press and LibroFm for my copy of this hot new release!

5 star read l loved this book . Sally has a way with plot and characters like no one else. This one was creepy but good . I’ve read three of her books this year and all different but wonderful. Don’t miss out on this rising author.

So it’s no secret that I love Sally Hepworth books. I own them all and enjoy the domestic thrillers she writes. This was no different.

I needed a book to take away my crazy while I was prepping for the second birthday in 2 days. So while prepping for the festivities I started this book and devoured it yesterday.

The story is one of twin sisters, Fern and Rose. Fern has sensory issues and has all her life. Her sister Rose has been her protector, from life, from their mother, from everything. All that changes when Fern decides she should do something nice for her sister Rose.

I love domestic thrillers. Family drama (as long as it’s not mine) is a favorite to read. The dual points of view and the flashbacks to growing up throughout, were so helpful to presenting the story. I thoroughly enjoyed The Good Sister and would recommend it for any thriller lover.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for my copy ofthis book.

ALL THE STARS!
This is my second Sally Hepworth novel and I tell you, she only gets better! I can't say much without spoiling the plot so I'll keep it short and sweet..
This book follows two sisters and the dynamics of their relationship (as all sisterhoods) is fascinating!! It will make you question your sisters every move.
I had a hard time putting this down and highly recommend!

This is the first book I’ve read by Sally Hepworth and it definitely won’t be the last. The story quickly sucked me in and didn’t let go until I hit the last page.

Rose and Fern are twins with quite opposite personalities as well as builds. One is tall and thin, the other short and round. Fern has sensory issues while Rose has diabetes. Rose is married, and Fern is single. Though it’s not stated, Fern shows signs of having Asperger’s, so Rose is continually taking on the role of caregiver. You might say the two are as different as night and day.

Because I’m very familiar with Asperger’s, a form of autism, I was immediately drawn to Fern. I felt like the author had her pegged beautifully. In fact, each character’s actions felt true to who they were.

The story is told from both of their POVs. There are flashbacks throughout. And we learn of the abuse that was felt in their house growing up. Perhaps this is why Rose feels she needs to take care of Fern.

Though Fern is married, her husband is working out of town so the two have a meal together several times a week. This time allows Rose to continually feel she is guiding and helping Fern through life.

Rose spends much of her time working as a librarian. She loves the routine and of course being around books. Little does she realize that her life is about to turn upside down when she walks up to a man at the library who she assumes is homeless. She offers him a care kit of toiletries, etc., that she assumes he can use.

This is a book that depends on the characters to drive the story. But in my case, they were so quirky and enjoyable that I had no trouble letting them slowly take me toward the mystery and the twisted ending.

It’s a story that made me wish that I could speed-read.

Concerns
Nothing bothered me at all.

My Conclusion
If you like characters with personalities that stick with you long after you close the book, then this book is definitely one you won’t want to miss. Though there is a mystery and twist, which always make a story better, it’s the characters that will win your heart.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an ARC and the ability to review this and post my opinion.

This one wasn’t for me. I had issues with the plot twist and manipulation of one character to another.

I read this until 4 am - such a great book! I was moved by Fern and Wally's relationship - and vocally awwed multiple times. Hepworth is an astute writer who laid the clues out for you if you read between the lines. As I read, I started to feel unsettled at the same time as the main character.

Wow!! What an incredible suspenseful mystery thriller centered around two sisters!

I shouldn’t be surprised because everything I have read by this author has been unique and intriguing, yet here I am. Still in shock over the twists and turns.

The author has such a talent for building these rich characters right from the beginning of a book. Everything has a meaning and a reason for being in the pages- you just might now know what that reason is until the end.

This is one of those thrillers that everyone should read. I would say it’s also a touch of a domestic and psychological thriller. It is definitely a slow burn until the end where it feels like a forest fire!!

I am so glad I read this and I cannot wait to read even more by Sally Hepworth. .

This was quite a ride that had my jaw hanging open a few times, and I absolutely LOVE when that happens. This is my second domestic thriller to read by Hepworth with similar reactions, and so she has now solidified herself as a must-read author for me. I am ALL about domestic thrillers these days, and when you throw in a family that is ridiculously messed up, then I will be here all day long.

Fern and Rose are twin sisters, just as close as one would think twins should be. Rose is the more outgoing one and Fern is a little quirky, but very endearing in my book, I mean, the gal works at a library. Some of her exchanges were just the best, and I loved the wit that was worked in given the situations Fern found herself in. But I digress. Rose is very protective of Fern, and has been ever since they were little. She had to be because their mother was a sociopath and what would Fern do without her. Fern also did something pretty bad when they were young and Rose didn’t tell anyone. Present day, they are adults, Rose is still the same protective sister, Fern is still making decisions that Rose cannot believe. But Fern is starting to realize that things may not be as they seem with Rose, and if that’s the case, then what will these sisters do?

I was caught up in this story from the first chapter, and by the end I was on the edge of my seat and could not stop until I was done. These characters suck you in, and it is such a fascinating storyline. This family is like a train wreck I could not look away from. The audio was fantastic, I absolutely recommend you listen to this one if you can do it that way.

Thank you to @NetGalley, @LibroFM, and @stmartinspress for the ARC and ALC to review! Pub date is 4/13/21, and you do NOT want to miss this one, trust.