I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Every time I opened this book, I was immediately sucked in by the characters and the writing. This is a psychological thriller a la Gillian Flynn, featuring two twin sisters and their relationship with each other. One twin, Fern, has sensory processing disorder, and Rose, who often cares for her. Now they are adults. I really enjoyed this book and found myself having to read in shorter and shorter spurts about halfway through because I could see the train wreck coming and it was intense. This was my first book by this author, but it will not be my last.

** spoiler alert ** I really enjoyed Sally Hepworth's most recent novel - The Good Sister. I even liked it more than her last novel! This book tells the story of twins - Fern & Rose - who are struggling as adults due to trauma in their childhoods. I don't want to give any more away, but it becomes clear quickly, that you don't know which twin you can count on to tell you the correct information. Told from both perspectives, you're quickly wondering which one of them is the reliable narrator.

I really enjoyed a book with an unreliable narrator, where the cause of the unreliability didn't have anything to do expressly with a mental illness they had - rather trauma. I didn't particularly love any of the characters in this book, but I think it was meant to be that way. The book had good twists that the seeds had been planted for along the way, but wasn't 100% a surprise, which is why I knocked it down to 4 from 5 stars.

I will definitely be recommending this one to friends in 2021!

I really enjoyed reading The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth. I loved the flow of this thriller novel involving twins of the fraternal variety. The Good Sister had enough twists and turns to keep me interested. As far as the pace of the story, for me it was a fast and unputdownable read…and the ending did not let me down.

I found The Good Sister to be a great read. Sally Hepworth is a talented writer. Right from the get go the story drew me in and I could not bear to put in down. The plot revolves around two fraternal twins, Rose and Fern. The sisters are quite close and would do anything to protect each other or so it seems. The plot is original and quite inciting. Good twin, evil twin, weak twin, strong twin but which is which? As I got deeper in the book, and the plot developed, my opinion changed. The story evolves through alternating chapters told from each sisters' point of view. The character development is fascinating and each of the twins ' personality is vividly revealed. Wally, Fern’s boyfriend is also a great and unique character. I loved the bittersweet climactic ending. Major secrets are revealed and one twin really comes into her own. A psychological thriller at its best.

Her books are such that once I start reading, I can’t stop! I predicted some of the twists, but it didn’t ruin it for me. I thought it was a clever, twisted and thoroughly entertaining.

This book kept my interest the whole way through. The characters were intriguing and the story line kept me wondering what had happened at the beginning of the story...it left you wanting to read more just to find out what was really going on! Great book to get lost in!

I just loved this book. When I wasn’t reading this I found that I was thinking of this story! Keep my interest right till the end!!

WOW! I really enjoyed this book and the twists and turns that came with it. Fern and her sister Rose are twins and could not be more different. They tend to watch out for each other and help each other out. Fern realizes that after years of Rose watching over her and helping her, she needs to do something nice for her. Fern decides that she is going be a surrogate for her sister and get pregnant. As Fern makes decisions and looks forward to the future, her life becomes uprooted and things are not what they seem. This book was nothing short of amazingly crazy!! Love this author and this book was definitely one I was thankful to receive an ARC of. Thank you to #Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the early read! #Goodsister

I really enjoyed this. Sally knows how to captivate her reader. The twist was nice but this was really a story about a character you could support and root for.

I am a big fan of Sally Hepworth after thoroughly enjoying The Mother-in-Law and The Family Next Door. Her newest book, The Good Sister, is a solid psychological thriller that immediately grabbed my attention, and kept me guessing throughout about how the characters’ stories and narrations fit together. The characters were interesting and relatable; the ending was satisfying, and tied up loose ends—make sure you are paying close attention to details throughout! There was one part of the book that I found predictable, and I wonder if the pacing could have been adjusted to provide even more suspense. All in all, it was a fun and engaging read...Recommend!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me early access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

Sally Hepworth is an up and coming author of domestic thrillers that promise to take readers on a wild ride of twists and turns until the very last page. Her latest thriller, The Good Sister, follows the story of two twin girls, Fern and Rose, as they navigate adulthood after a tumultuous childhood at the hands of an abusive mother. At least, that is the story that Rose's diary will have you believe.

The novel is told in two viewpoints: Rose's diary entries and Fern's first person POV. Fern struggles with a sensory disorder that often times leaves her feeling overwhelmed when life gets too loud. She works at her local library where she spends her days introducing patrons to their next favorite book and avoiding the copier and her coworkers alike. She is quirky and straightforward. I found her to be an easily likeable character, but also was a little apprehensive of her at first. Rose is Fern's twin sister and she acts as Fern's overbearing protector. It is Rose's self-proclaimed duty to guide Fern through her day to day tasks and make sure that Fern doesn't forget to do something or doesn't get overwhelmed and sink into a sensory meltdown. For all intent and purposes, Rose is "The Good Sister."

The story really takes off when Fern meets Wally (real name Rocco) and they embark on a hot and steamy romance that, of course, Rose does not approve of. After Fern falls pregnant, Rose convinces her to leave Wally and move in with her so that she can adopt Fern's baby after birth. It was at this point that I started to question Rose's authenticity and started to believe that she may have had an hidden motive for her actions. For the sake of not spoiling the story for other readers, I will not go into detail any further.

This thriller was well thought out and written in a style that allows the reader to see the plausibility of the scenario playing out in real life. One doesn't have to stretch their mind or beliefs to come to the conclusion that this same story has played out in some form or fashion on HLN or Discovery ID. For me, this is what makes this story stand out and gives it strength. Any well written thriller will leave it's reader with a sense of chill at the end if it is believable. This novel effectively developed this element and definitely captured that feeling for me.

The author's use of characterization was well developed. I felt empathy for Fern, and Rose at times, even though there was a tingling sense of something being off with both women. I feel that the alternating viewpoints were used in a manner that purposeful and effective. The reader gets pulled into both of the sisters' stories without getting confused when they start to diverge. This telling style also emphasized the sophistication of the manipulation acted on one sister by another that is so chilling from start to finish.

I did find the novel to be a bit formulaic in it's approach to telling the story. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as it was executed well. While it was readable and hard to put down, it was also a little predictable. I had it figured out by about half way through the novel. I read a lot of thriller/suspense novels, so it is completely possible that someone who hasn't read as many as I have will not figure it out as easily. On the other hand if you do figure out the twist before it happens, it does not ruin the suspense of the story. I credit this to Hepworth's ability spin a tale that is so engrossing that you can't stop reading even if you think you know how it ends. It reminded me of a Lifetime movie in many ways, which is a compliment coming from me because I love a good Lifetime movie.

One criticism that I have of this novel is that the setting seemed to get lost within the storyline. This could totally be on my part, but I did not get the sense that we were in Australia. This could have been the author's intent as it is a story that could occur anywhere in the world. It doesn't ruin the novel for me and I didn't actually find myself questioning the location of the story until the end. Even then, it did not take away from the overall effect of the novel.

I am giving The Good Sister a solid 3 star rating. While a little predictable and formulaic, Hepworth introduces readers to a cast of characters that will stay with the reader long after the story has ended. This tale is hard to walk away from once you start reading and is extremely readable. I didn't find myself looking forward to the end like I sometimes do with other thrillers. I wasn't bored at any point in the story and was fully immersed in Fern and Rose's world. I would recommend this thriller to any of my friends who are looking for a novel that is a little on the light side, but still has some grittiness to it. The Good Sister is a great novel to pull any reader out of a reading slump or for any reader who is new to the thriller/suspense genre.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press, Sally Hepworth, and Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review. I was given the opportunity to read this book because I’ve read and reviewed her past book, The Mother In Law, and I am so glad. She takes you in the lives of Fern and Rose. There’s an element of mystery and surprise. And lies. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am sad I finished it since it’s the kind of story you don’t want to see end. I enjoyed Fern immensely. I felt sorry for both Fern and Rose. You are definitely in their stories. And I love that Fern works in a library! A definite 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2 rounded to five for Goodreads. A must read for 2021.

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth is about a pair of twin sisters who make it through a difficult childhood and have a life long strong bond. I enjoyed the heck out of it!! I think plenty of folks with sisters would be able to see a glimpse of themselves in this mystery. The characters were well-written and the pacing was perfect. I read it in two sittings because I just couldn’t wait to find out if my guesses were right. I did guess some of the reveals, but missed others. This book is released on April 13, 2021. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this fun book!!

Such an enjoyable read...I love this author and her way with words. 

The story is told in flashback style. Fern and Rose are fraternal twins and have a special bond. The childhood each grew up with has been traumatic with a mother who was emotionally abusive. Rose has always been protective of her sister Fern to a fault, stepping in and taking the blame that into adulthood she continues to take on the caretaking role and enable. What we believe is that the mother hates Rose but favors Fern. Fern, on the other hand, is trying to live her own life and has even gotten a boyfriend which changes the dynamics of the sisterly relationship.  The story flashes back on their childhood and delves into how things played out in their sibling relationship. This reads like psycholgicla thriller atypical of this author’s writing but throughly enjoyable and likable.

I enjoyed the references of the library which brings up my own memories of going to the library as a kid. The story weaves an intriguing story  as to who is really “the good sister” and makes you question what really is happening. I would recommend this one to all the sisters.

I have read & enjoyed most of Sally Hepworth’s novels, so was keen to read her latest when I saw it available on netgalley. I find all her books to be very different, she doesn’t churn out formulaic novels one after the other.

Rose & Fern, fraternal twins are two very different girls. Fern suffers from sensory overload and is on the low end of the spectrum, believing herself to be far more in need of Rose’s help than she actually is.
The novel is part family drama, part suspense & the story of their childhood is told from two perspectives. In adulthood the truth slowly emerges as Rose manipulates Fern, but Fern slowly finds her own voice.

I don’t want to give too much of the story away. I found it a slow burner to begin with, but became invested in the characters & couldn’t put it down until I had reached the shocking, then satisfactory conclusion.
Another great story by Sally Hepworth, I’m looking forward to the next! (less)

I had mixed feelings about this story. It can be a tough read for people - it was for me. Then, there was a twist that changed my entire outlook about this story.

I appreciated the writing style, Without giving too much away, having the one sister’s journal entries was genius.

Thank you St Martin's Press and Netgalley for this fantastic thriller about sisters. I couldn't put this down. So many twists, and I loved how fast paced it was. Would read this author again!

HOLY SALLY HEPWORTH NOVEL! The Good Sister is classic Sally, Sally at her finest. Anyone who enjoyed her prior novels, especially The Mother-In-Law, should definitely add this one to their TBRs!!!

The book starts like most psychological thrillers. A seemingly normal cast of characters with known but mostly addressed dysfunctions. There’s romance, friendships, and a kooky but well intentioned sister. In fact, until about 60% of the way in, I forgot that I was reading a SH book - it seemed more like contemporary fiction. Once you hit 60% though, IT IS ON and you should clear your schedule because you won’t be able to put it down.

The book is told from two POVs. The first is from Fern, a librarian who may be on the autism spectrum and has a sensory processing disorder. The other POV is from Fern’s fraternal twin, Rose, told through journal entries. Off the bat, I figured there was probably some significance to the use of standard narrative vs. journaling, but I didn’t come close to guessing the reason why. Sally did an amazing job with character development here, and I found myself highly invested in Fern and Rose and rooting for them along the way. Per usual in psychological thrillers, things aren’t always what they seem, but I liked the plot twists and how my favorite characters ended up.

Lastly, OMG the ending. I love when authors wrap everything up neatly and on the last page plant a little seed of doubt. I won’t say more but I thought it was perfect.

(NOTE: I was going to remove 1 star for the slow start, but given how well developed the characters are and how invested I was in them, I decided against it (hence the 5 stars!). If you’re looking for something that is a wild ride all the way through though, you may find this one slow.)

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s, and Sally Hepworth for the advanced review copy!

Fern and Rose are twin sisters who are as close as sisters can be. When the book first starts out you believe Rose is the more stable and responsible of the two, while Fern is more quirky and has some social interaction issues that will remind you of Eleanor Oliphant meets Nina Hill. As the story progresses and we see how the girls were raised by their sociopathic mother, and the multiple points of views, you begin to realize that maybe the roles are actually reversed, maybe Fern is really the more stable one. The story is full of family secrets that come to light with a thrilling ending.
Sally Hepworth knows how to write a great family drama/domestic thriller! The relationship between the twin sisters is suspicious on both ends but with the multiple point of views, you are left wondering throughout the whole book "who is the more stable character?" and "who is telling the truth?" I personally love Hepworth's style of writing, the short chapters, and the multiple POV's. Her stories are addicting and un-put-downable.

If you loved "The Mother in Law" you will love this one too!

Rose & Fern are twin sisters, Fern has always felt a little jealous of Rose because her name is so beautiful and her name is so boring. With their secret twin code and special bracelets they’re able to communicate and stand up for one another against their mother. Everyone on the outside thinks their mom is the sweetest, they don’t see her sociopath personality.
Now that their adults, Fern still wants to help her sister by giving her what she’s always wanted, to be a mother; she makes a plan to have a baby but Rose is worried, especially because she has a secret she’s been hiding, what she doesn’t know is that Fern is slowing able to figure it out.
Chapters reads as a different time periods in the twins lives- childhood and adulthood.
The Good Sister is the first Sally Hepworth book I’ve read and I’m glad Netgalley gave me the opportunity to read for an honest opinion. I’m giving this book 4 stars.