4.5 stars

Crazy, crazy, crazy!! Sally has captured the market on crazy in this book. One sister is good and one sister is bad, but which one? I think you find out somewhat early on in the book the answer to that question. But what makes this book so good is the lengths that she will go to try and pin the craziness on the other sister. I don’t want to give too much away and spoil it, but I highly recommend this book. I have a feeling it’s going to be on the best books of 2021 list!

I am absolutely loving this authors writing! This is the second book I’ve read by Sally Hepworth and she didn’t disappoint. The writing is superb and the storyline was great as well. I really need to pick up more of her books because she has a real knack for writing.

Sally Hepworth does it again! Fern and Rose are two sisters that are very different and care and love each other deeply, but also have secrets from each other. There definitely has some foreshadowing in place but this is so well done. I'm a big fan of the mother in law and Sally does domestic mysteries so well. I also loved her advocacy for fern who has sensory processing issues and sounds life she is on the spectrum and the advocacy and independent and growth of her character and what a wonderful network of supporting characters fern has on her life. Sally makes you feel empathy for both sisters in different ways and makes you feel and understand the complexities of a sister relationship so well

This book was full of domestic drama, family secrets, twists, and turns! I loved it! I thought the author did an excellent job weaving the story and continually casting doubt on the characters. I really loved all the aspects to the story and how it felt multidimensional. This is one of my top suspense books of the year!

i loved this book! it was thriller without being scary or gory, i loved the characters. i read this in a few hours because i could not put it down and even now i cant stop thinking about it. i will definitely be seeking out more books by this author!

Wow! That sums up this book in one word. Rose and Fern are twins who has a troublesome upbringing. Fern has sensory issues and Rose always know how to take care of her. Fern loves Rose for that and will do anything she says.

The relationship between Rose and Fern is very intriguing. They remember their past very differently and I spent much of the book trying to figure out which version actually happened. I loved seeing Fern find a boyfriend who cared for her and made her feel safe. I was surprised by the ending but I did have clues it was coming. But I did not expect it to the extent it was.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers and figuring out the story behind the story.

This one is a keeper.
Fern and Rose had a pretty rough childhood. Their mother was abusive and mentally ill. She overdoses and the girls go into foster care and as time goes by Rose becomes the caretaker for Fern...Fern is very probably Autistic and has trouble with too much input from external noise and light.
All goes well with Fern living on her own and Rose keeping tabs on her...until Rose mentions she would like to have a baby, but her and her husband are unable to conceive.
Fern takes this to heart and decides she would like to have a baby for Rose. She does not mention this to Rose but begins searching for a man to impregnate her.
However, she falls in love with the man she picks and the story takes a turn you will be surprised with.
Interwoven in the story are passages that tell of their childhood and ultimately lead in the direction of how things turn out....highly recommend this one. Bit of a mystery, bit of psychological intrigue and human kindness.
loved it.

This is my first Sally Hepworth, and it will Not be my last. I absolutely loved this book. It was a compulsive read and even though I guessed part of the ending, I did still really enjoy every page. I even felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up at one point. Well done!

WOW LOVED THIS BOOK! I am a huge fan of Sally Hepworth and this didn't disappoint.
This was a wonderful domestic thriller! The plot was fast and the characters were interesting . The relationships in this story are well written and I loved all the twists. I read this quickly! Can't wait to read more.

Wickedly Devine.

Sisters. They REALLY Can’t be Trusted, Can They?

Speaking from experience, I’d say that answer is no. (And I really am “The Good Sister.”)

Baaawaaahh!!! #Truth.

What can I tell you about this Wildly Captivating, Entertaining, and Enthralling Domestic Thriller?

It’s DEVILISH.
It’s Fun.

It’s Crazy.

And it’s Hella Good.

Is it a tad predictable? Yes. Admittedly, I guessed what would happen early on but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment in the least. In fact, I couldn’t turn the pages of this one fast enough.

It’s twisty-turny and there are still surprises to be had!

A Brilliant Buddy Read with Kaceey!

*To my sister, Karin: As for who is the “Good Sister” - we can agree to disagree. Love you!

A huge thank you goes out to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the arc. This was a delightfully wild, wicked read. I can’t wait to see what Sally Hepworth comes out with next.

Published on Goodreads on 12.27.20.
Review to be published on the blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

Wow! This book started off with a murder. Talk about grabbing you from the very beginning. The two main characters, twins, start by telling us a little bit about their lives growing up, in between them living their lives right now. I know. Sounds confusing. And, it was at the start...but then the story picks up, and grabs you, and you are just along for the ride. I never really guessed what was going on until like the last few pages. This is a wonderful book. The characters are great!...even tho there were some that I didn't like. This was a quick read...perfect for sitting in front of the fireplace or swinging on the porch.

I read this book during the Global Pandemic..at a time when focus and concentrating has been very difficult for me. However, this book kept me totally engaged. I loved everything about it. Sally Hepworth has become one of my favorite authors this year and this book is why. The characters were delightful. I completely fell in love with Fern. I highly recommend this book. 5 stars.

If you are looking for a dysfunctional family novel with some suspense and twists then this is the book for you. What Sally Hepworth did for in The Mother-In-Law she's now done in The Good Sister. I loved every minute of this book and kept hoping that Fern would end up happy. I couldn't put it down.

I enjoyed this book! I thought the plot was good but it took a little too long for some of the action to really get going. I have loved other books by this author however I felt that this one was a bit predictable. Over all I liked it thought.

This was my first Sally Hepworth novel, but after reading this, it definitely won’t be my last … this was really good! I was expecting a psychological thriller, but it’s more of a domestic suspense/mystery and family drama heavy on the psychology. What surprised me most though, was the unexpected heartwarming romance that drove much of the plot. I went in expecting cold, calculating, hand-twisting characters and was met with Fern and “Wally”, one of the quirkiest, most charming and sweet pair I’ve seen in a book of late, and I’ve met a few this year. Another reviewer referenced Eleanor Oliphant in her review, and she’s spot-on as far as Fern’s personality is concerned - just add in debilitating sensory issues with light, sound and touch, and the similarities are there.


Fern and Rose are fraternal twins - Fern being taller and more fair and pretty and Rose being more petite and fleshy. Since childhood, Rose has always taken the role of protecting the more innocent-minded Fern from the things in her world that overwhelm her due to her sensory processing disorder. Rose has also protected Fern from their mother’s narcissistic ways, taking the blame for all her sister’s mistakes, so she would never get in trouble, despite it putting a strain on her relationship with their mother. Unfortunately, one of Fern’s childhood mistakes is very big, and the two women have spent a lifetime keeping the secret of what really happened.

At least that’s how Rose’s journal tells it.

Now adults, Fern is happily living the single life as a librarian, and Rose is struggling in her marriage to Owen, trying to save her marriage and desperately wanting a baby. When Rocco (or “Wally”, as Fern calls him, due to his similarity to the Where’s Waldo character) comes into the library one day, Fern sets in motion a plan to help her sister fulfill her dreams.

Life has other plans … and those plans get messy.

For all the feel-good aspects of this book, I have to say my stomach was in knots for a good three-quarters of it. The dysfunction between the mom and her daughters, and the smothering dysfunction between Fern and Rose created an uncomfortable but necessary tension that lingered through the whole book. I thought the whole book was really enthralling, but if I had to find one flaw in the story - and it’s a minor one for me - I thought the transition into the ending was pretty abrupt. One second the threat is there, and then POOF! It nicely and neatly isn’t. The saving grace was the explanation for events afterwards. I’ll knock off a half-star for that, but since I’m rounding up it still gets an enthusiastic 5 stars from me and a ‘heart’y recommendation!

★★★★ ½ (rounded up to 5) ❤️

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Books with a quirky, unusual main character can be fun and this story which follows Fern, a librarian who is sensory challenged, introduces us to a person who is fiercely independent at the same time she is dysfunctionally tied to her sister Rose. She lives on her own and has distinct preferences around what she will do and how she will live. She loves her sister and her brother-in-law Owen and would do anything for them. She’s even contemplating how to get pregnant as a surrogate for her sister. Fortuitously, a man enters her life who seems to appreciate her and sees beyond her unique nature. That’s when the story starts to get dark and twisty. I loved the story, loved Fern and Wally, the library and Fern’s coworkers. It was a well rounded story that kept me flipping to the next page. Loved it.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for this opportunity to read and review this book!

Two fraternal twin sisters are so very different from each other in many ways.
Rose is married and wants a child but is struggling to have one and her husband is gone alot.
Fern is challenged i. having sensory processing disorder and feels overwhelmed in overestimated situations. She is socially awkward but loveable and kind. Her relationship is close with her sister...very very close.
One day she meets 'Wally' and she decides to date him in order to get pregnant for her sister so she can give her sister Rose a child. There are many complications that arise from that and you will not guess what else unfolds
I really enjoyed this book..it was light, fun, and somewhat of a mystery as well.
This was quite different from anything I have read before, and it was really good.

I enjoy stories about twins even though I'm not a twin myself. This story was so good from the very beginning. Fern and Rose are twins, but they couldn't be more different. Rose has protected Fern for years. Fern is about find out what Rose is hiding. Sally Hepworth does a great job keeping the suspense going and the reader wanting more and more. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense and family drama.

What a great thriller! I love the dynamic of the sisters. Sally Hepworth is a page turning author for me. This book does not disappoint.

The Good Sister introduces the reader to identical twins, Fern and Rose. Each chapter is either from Rose's diary entries or Fern's current perspective. Each has their own take on events and the reader will think they know what is going to happen. But, surprise, not everything is as it seems. Who is the Good Sister? The likeable characters are full of depth and interesting back stories. Fern has sensory-processing issues but leads a highly functional life including a job at the library and her own apartment. Rose has a seemingly perfect life except for difficulty having a child. Fern sees the perfect way to help. This story is about family, memories, trust, and emotions. Throw in an eccentric millionaire living in a van and a touch of childhood trauma and you've got a fantastic novel!

Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read my first women's fiction by Sally Hepworth. The Good Sister is the story of fraternal twins, Rose and Fern, told in the first person from alternating points of view, And their interpretation of events is vastly different.
Rose sees herself as the protector for her autistic twin sister, against their abusive, sometimes neglectful, single mother. The young family was semi-homeless for much of the girls' childhood, and the twins spent many days hanging out at the library while their mother worked, or looked for work. Male suitors came and went. One molested Rose.
Fern's memory of their home life and relationship with their mother is much more positive. She learned to love libraries and reading so much that now, as an adult, she works at one. When the girls were 12, their mother overdosed and has been institutionalized, almost brain-dead, since then. Fern visits her every week, but Rose has not visited in years.
One traumatic memory for both girls was a camping trip they took with their mother, her new boyfriend, and his son, Billy. When the children went swimming at the river mouth, Billy drowned after Fern held him underwater too long. The death was determined to be an accident, but both Fern and Rose are haunted by the truth as each sees it.
When the story opens, Rose's husband, Owen, has taken a job in London, and she's about to go visit him for four weeks, which makes Fern anxious. She relies so much on Rose, and they've never been apart that long. Fern also learns that Rose desperately wants a baby, but her doctor has discovered that, in addition to diabetes, Rose has a condition called premature ovarian aging.
Fern decides she can have a baby for Rose. She knows that, with her mental deficiencies and penchant for violence, she's not capable of caring for one on her own, but she believes her sister deserves a baby.
Shortly afterward, Fern meets an eccentric American inventor whom she calls Wally. Because he lives in his van and comes into the library to take a shower, Fern believes Wally is homeless, although she later learns he is a multi-millionaire pursuing a semi-reclusive life in Australia, out of the limelight. He and Fern share some traits and they soon become friends, then lovers.
The author did a great job of portraying a character on the autism spectrum and how she responds to the world. And while the signs pointed to the truth lying somewhere between the girls' memories, the ending was surprising and satisfying.