A page turning goodness with just the right amount of suspense, a bit too much drama, and enough twists and turns to keep the readers guessing, The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth is the perfect blend of sinister and compelling. Once I started reading, I simply couldn't put it down.

Excellent plot line, steady character development, and dramatic enough backstories kept me reading and just when I thought I had it all figured out things took an unexpected turn. Like I said, I was hooked. Also, this is possibly the only thriller I've read with an extremely likable main character. Fern was such a joy, I really wanted to be friends with her!

If The Good Sister is an example of what I can expect out of Sally Hepworth's thrillers, I need to start browsing that backlist soon.

Recommended to all suspense/thriller readers.

Thank you St. Martins Press and Netgalley for a gifted copy of The Good Sister in exchange for an honest review. I'm a huge fan of thriller novels, but this one felt a bit sub-par. This was my first novel by Sally Hepworth so I hope to see how her other books fair to The Good Sister.

What I liked: The addition of a character with sensory processing issues was a fresh take and I enjoyed seeing how that posed a challenge for Fern. Rose's journal entries were a great way to include a secondary perspective without constantly changing the narrator in normal fashion.

What didn't work for me: I had no emotion investment to the ending, it just felt flat. What I love about thrillers is the heart racing conclusion when the "twist" is introduced, but that just never came when I was reading. Perhaps it was because it felt somewhat predictable and I was hoping the author would take it to the next level and it just never came. There was a lack of mystery and the plot felt too straight forward.

**4.5-stars**

Fern and Rose are fraternal twins. As often happens with twins, they are opposites in many ways. From the outside, the division is clear; Rose is the responsible one, Fern is the quirky one. In The Good Sister you follow both of their perspectives, gaining an inside view to their fascinating relationship.

Rose has placed herself in a quasi-caregiver role over Fern and Fern, for her part, is codependent in her interactions with Rose. So much so, that when she discovers Rose cannot become pregnant, she decides to have a baby for her. This may seem like an odd statement, but once you meet Fern's character and learn a bit about the way her mind works, it actually makes sense.

Through flashbacks to their early life, it is clear that Rose has always felt the need to protect Fern. Firstly, from their mother, and later, seemingly, from herself. Fern has done a bad thing. Throughout the course of the narrative, what that is, comes to light. Poor Fern has let this one event, although admittedly horrifying, define her.

As Fern starts to follow her new plan to become pregnant, she learns things about herself she never knew. She also begins to see things about Rose she never noticed either.

I was oddly captivated by this story. I wouldn't really consider it to be a Thriller, but I'm not sure what else to call it? An eerie character study? Regardless, I found it to be interesting as heck. I couldn't take my eyes off the sh*tstorm evolving on the page! It was really fun to watch play out. I was impressed with the pace at which Hepworth reveals the truth behind Rose and Fern; so well done, it kept me engrossed the entire time.

I would absolutely recommend this for Readers who enjoy complex familial relationships. This was my first novel by this author, but I am looking forward to picking up more.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martins' Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review! I appreciate the opportunity to provide my thoughts and opinions.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗦𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 by Sally Hepworth (out now) is a great book to pull you out of any reading slump!⁣
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I friggin loved Fern. She was funny, literal, said what was on her mind, and basic with her routine. She also has a fraternal twin sister she’s very close to, and I cannot stand her! ⁣
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I guess a lot of what was going down, but because I loved Fern so much, I didn’t mind because I wanted to see how her story would unfold. ⁣
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A dark-humored domestic thriller, it was refreshing to read about two sisters versus another couple with marriage woes. I already adored Sally Hepworth before this book and now I love her even more, and I can’t wait to read 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥-𝗜𝗡-𝗟𝗔𝗪 that much more. ⁣
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If you’re looking for a fast-paced, binge-worthy, entertaining mystery suspense read peppered with some humor, pick up this book!⁣
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Thank you, Macmillan USA, for my free ARC of THE GOOD SISTER in exchange for an honest review!⁣
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Fern and Rose appear to be as close as twin sisters can be: Rose is the responsible one and Fern is the quirky one. The sisters share an incredibly close bond with Rose serving as Fern’s protector from the time they were small. Fern needed to be protected from their mother, a sociopath hiding behind the guise of a normal person, and only Rose could see the truth. Fern has always seen the good in everyone. Years ago, Fern did something very, very bad and Rose has never told a soul. When Fern decides to help her sister achieve her heart’s desire of having a baby, Rose realizes that Fern could potentially make choices that can only lead to a terrible outcome.

THE GOOD SISTER is a domestic thriller surrounding the relationship between twin sisters, Fern and Rose. Told between alternating narratives from Fern and journal entries from Rose, the reader gets a sense of not only their present day relationship, but also their childhood. I really enjoyed the dual narratives and the journal entry style that Hepworth utilized to tell her story. I loved that as the story progressed the reader was able to feel something was off, but you were never quite sure what the truth was. Hepworth allows her characters to discover that truth through a series of events that escalate to a chaotic and suspenseful ending.

This is my first book by Hepworth despite seeing her other books around. I’m typically a bit hesitant on domestic thrillers since they tend to be hit or miss for me. Hepworth successfully pulls off the subgenre to create an addictive read that certainly makes me want to check out her backlist.

I listened to this one on audio and absolutely loved the narrator, Barrie Kreinik. She does an excellent job of bringing Fern and Rose to life!

So this book was less of a thriller and more of a domestic suspense/family drama. I love reading books involving twins because one of them is always crazy and this story did not disappoint. From the start you're trying to figure out what the deal is with twin sisters Fern and Rose. The author does a great job creating an atmosphere that has you waiting on pin and needles for something else to go wrong. It was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a complimentary egalley of THE GOOD SISTER by Sally Hepworth thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley. I also received the advance listener copy thanks to Macmillan Audio and LibroFM!

THE GOOD SISTER follows twins Fern and Rose who are very close, though very different. Fern is described as the quirky sister in the synopsis. She is very set in her ways and is uncomfortable around crowds and noise and the nuances of social interaction sometimes escape her as she navigates her life working in a library. Rose is the responsible sister who has always looked out for Fern, often called upon to explain the world to her sister.

Fern never understood the danger her mother was to the girls, but Rose remembers. In the present day, Fern and Rose’s mother is disabled and confined to a home, unable to communicate. Fern remains close to her, but Rose steers far clear. What Rose really wants is a baby, but she’s unable to make this a reality for herself. Fern decides to help her sister achieve this dream.

I really loved Sally Hepworth’s THE MOTHER-IN-LAW, so I was excited to have the opportunity to pick up another of her books. This is an author who really knows how to delve into domestic suspense. I loved getting Fern’s perspective on the world and seeing through her eyes. The relationship between Fern and Rose and between them and their mother was multi-layered and interesting to slowly uncover.

It is hard to say a lot about this one without spoilers. I will say that I did figure out the direction the story was heading a bit earlier than I would have preferred and maybe would have liked another twist in the end that I didn’t see coming to bump up my final rating just a bit. Even so, this was a book that kept me gripped to keep on reading and I’m excited that I have more from this author waiting for me on my shelves!

Overall, I think this was another great book from Sally Hepworth! THE GOOD SISTER is out on 4/13/2021!

I love her writing so much! Even though I guessed the plot twists of this one ahead of time, I still really enjoyed the story. It felt super unique to me and I loveee family dramas! Hepworth is the queen of them. Will definitely be recommending this to others!

Note: I received a free ARC of The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.

From the outside, everyone might think Fern and Rose are as close as twin sisters can be: Rose is the responsible one and Fern is the quirky one. But the sisters are devoted to one another and Rose has always been Fern's protector from the time they were small. Fern needed protecting because their mother was a true sociopath who hid her true nature from the world, and only Rose could see it. Fern always saw the good in everyone. Years ago, Fern did something very, very bad. And Rose has never told a soul. When Fern decides to help her sister achieve her heart's desire of having a baby, Rose realizes with growing horror that Fern might make choices that can only have a terrible outcome. What Rose doesn't realize is that Fern is growing more and more aware of the secrets Rose, herself, is keeping. And that their mother might have the last word after all.

I found the dynamic between the two sisters to be really interesting. I found the book to be a little hard to get through in the beginning but it was a good read once the flow started.

This two POV book is addicting! I’ve read The Mother In Law by Sally and so I was expecting either a twist or a big reveal, suffice to say she came through... again! This story gives to you bits and pieces the reveal to you why they are how they are. I couldn’t put this down. I needed to know more and I needed to know how the story would end, abs the end did not disappoint. I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys a twisty addicting read..

Secrets, Lies, and ?

Two complicated sisters.

Rose has taken a sharp turn in her life and is desperate for a baby. Right now. She can just feel those ripe eggs starting to turn and a minute more might be too late. However, nature and nurture aren’t cooperating and she can’t conceive to term.

Enter Fern, her twin, who agrees to have a baby for her. What’s a pregnancy between sisters? It seems simple but it generates a catalyst - surfacing buried family secrets and dysfunctional mayhem.

I really liked the author’s previous book The Mother In Law and rated it highly. This has a different writing style with a stream of conscious feel to it which is usually not my preference, but was needed to achieve Fern’s quirky narrative. I found Fern to be likable, endearing, and I was invested in her outcome.

I really enjoyed this and a salute to Sally Hepworth for her colorfully rounded characters. I would recommend The Good Sister to readers of mystery and family drama. There’s a lot to chew on here!

Thank you to Macmillan, the author, and Netgalley for my advance reader’s copy.