The story is told over a dual timeline. It is a multi generational story. It is full of mystery and drama. It is well written. A compelling and enjoyable read

This is one that I couldn’t put down It was very well written and rich in historical detail. I was enthralled by Kristy’s research and her discoveries. The two timelines connect beautifully.
Many thanks to Quercus Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fully recommend you read this one. It is 1944 in war-battered London. Freya and Shona are identical twins, close despite their different characters. Freya is a newly qualified doctor treating the injured in an East End hospital, while Shona has been recruited by the SOE. The sisters are so physically alike that they can fool people into thinking that one is the other. It's a game they've played since childhood. But when Shona persuades her twin to swap roles to meet her Polish lover, he is angered at being tricked.

Then Shona proposes a far more dangerous swapping of roles. At first Freya refuses but finally she agrees, with consequences that threaten not only the happiness but the lives of both sisters.

Forty-five years later in November 1989 Freya, now aged 69, is watching television with her daughter Kirsty. Freya is gripped as she witnesses crowds of Berliners attempting to knock down their hated Wall. This sight stirs memories of her own and her sister's war, especially the tragedy of the Warsaw Uprising - memories that she has never shared with anyone. Even if she wanted to reveal them now, she can't. She's suffering from a brain tumour and is unable to speak although her reason is unimpaired. And this is what she's thinking: if they succeed in knocking down the Wall, what secrets will come tumbling through? If her own were revealed, it would be devastating for all those close to her, especially her daughter, Kirsty. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

EXCERPT: Mum shakes her head decisively in answer to my question: there's nothing more for me to see. Frustrated, I try another tack.

'It's important to Tomasz, too. He barely remembers Gosia and never knew his father, but the man who gave him the photograph when he was a teenager, said that Shona knew his father.'

She looks at me with an expression that is not encouraging.

'I said I'd ask if you could think of anyone he might talk to.'

She pointedly turns her head to look out at the wintry garden. I keep trying.

'The man Tomasz spoke to at the Polish Hearth Club who remembered that you were a doctor also said that Shona had a Polish boyfriend. Is that true? Did you ever meet him?'

She stands up abruptly, walks past me out of the kitchen and into the living room, slamming the door behind her.

I'm shocked by the intensity of my reaction when she does this. I'm furious. Nothing ever changes. Even if Shona's wartime mission had to be kept secret at the time, how can it hurt to talk about it now? Why can't Mum be happy that I want to understand her sister's past? But she's never let me in, never shared her feelings or admitted any frailty. She's kept me at arms length all her life and now she's dying, and all she can do when I try to learn more about her is slam a door against me.

ABOUT 'SISTERHOOD': Identical twin sisters Freya and Shona take very different paths, leading to long-buried family secrets that reverberate through the generations in this thrilling novel of psychological suspense by the author of Tell Me How It Ends. There are some choices you can't come back from.

It is 1944 in war-battered London. Freya and Shona are identical twins, close despite their different characters. Freya is a newly qualified doctor treating the injured in an East End hospital, while Shona has been recruited by the SOE. The sisters are so physically alike that they can fool people into thinking that one is the other. It's a game they've played since childhood. But when Shona persuades her twin to swap roles to meet her Polish lover, he is angered at being tricked.

Then Shona proposes a far more dangerous swapping of roles. At first Freya refuses but finally she agrees, with consequences that threaten not only the happiness but the lives of both sisters.

Forty-five years later in November 1989 Freya, now aged 69, is watching television with her daughter Kirsty. Freya is gripped as she witnesses crowds of Berliners attempting to knock down their hated Wall. This sight stirs memories of her own and her sister's war, especially the tragedy of the Warsaw Uprising - memories that she has never shared with anyone. Even if she wanted to reveal them now, she can't. She's suffering from a brain tumour and is unable to speak although her reason is unimpaired. And this is what she's thinking: if they succeed in knocking down the Wall, what secrets will come tumbling through? If her own were revealed, it would be devastating for all those close to her, especially her daughter, Kirsty.

MY THOUGHTS: I felt a personal connection with Kirsty, Freya's daughter in this story. I know next to nothing about my mother's life, and now it's too late. I felt Kirsty's anguish and frustration at constantly being pushed away.

But aside from touching me on a personal level, I enjoyed the mystery and intrigue of Sisterhood. The story is told over two timelines, from Kirsty's point of view in 1989 as the Berlin Wall is demolished, and a stranger arrives with a photo looking for her mother Freya's identical twin sister, Shona, who had been recruited by the SOE; and in 1944 from Freya's point of view.

But it's not just her mother's ill health, and the mystery surrounding her aunt that Kirsty has to contend with. Her Australian husband Martin has been offered his dream job - in Australia.

I started to read this over my morning coffee, intending to read just a chapter or two to get a feel for the story. Instead, I read until I was finished. Yes, a one sitting read that intrigued me from the outset; one that never let me go. This is a multi-generational storyline which starts with Freya and Shona, and moves on encompass Freya's daughter Kirsty and her family. The plot progresses at a steady pace, and is full of mystery, intrigue, and drama.

Strongly recommended for lovers of historical fiction and family dramas/mysteries.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.2

#Sisterhood #NetGalley

I: @quercusbooks

T: @IsabelleGrey @QuercusBooks

#familydrama #historicalfiction #mentalhealth #mystery #WWII

THE AUTHOR: I grew up in Manchester, England, and have an English degree from Cambridge. My first job was with a London antique dealer and I spent many years as a freelance journalist and non-fiction author (as Isabelle Anscombe) writing initially about the fascinating world of the art market and the history of decorative arts before going on to contribute features and reviews to national newspapers and magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Country Living and Psychologies. I have also written for film, television and radio drama.

I live and work in north London.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Quercus via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Sisterhood by V.B. Grey. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

I was thrilled to receive this as I loved Tell Me How It Ends. This is a two-timeframe psychological drama where two identical twin sisters choose very different paths in life. It's full of secrecy and mystery, the one timeframe set during WWII. Fabulous book.

Wow what a emotional rollercoaster that was. I LOVED this book!!!!!
The dual timeframes kept me guessing and even when I got to the last page I wanted more- I do feel the ending wasn’t as great as I had wanted it to be in my head while reading but overall this is a fantastic book. Anybody who loves historical fiction will savour this as I did

Received a review copy from NetGalley.
Loved it! Full review to follow on my Dark Mysteries radio show on www.artdistrict-radio.com in September.

Another psychological drama from V. B Grey was too good an opportunity to pass up and Sisterhood is another great read. Identical twin sisters Shona and Freya chose very different paths in adulthood which coincides with World War II. Shona finds herself working for SOE (Special Operations) while her sister qualifies as one of the first female doctors. A parallel narrative involving Freya’s daughter Kirsty is set in 1989/90 and the story alternates between these timeframes. The author is adept at strong characterisation and exploring family dynamics as a devastating secret reverberates through the intervening decades. The historical context is used to great effect including the discovery of penicillin and the Warsaw Uprising alongside the stigma of a nervous breakdown. It’s a satisfying jigsaw of a book and an absorbing, authentic and emotional read. Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for the ARC.

I requested this book on the strength of the author previous book ,which I enjoyed.
The premise of the novel is interesting and complex, narrated in two timelines.
Whilst I can appreciate the intricate detail and research needed to write such a story,I found the characters wooden. I stuck with it for half the book but I couldn't get into it or care what happened. I suspect a twist but even that wasn't enough encourage me to read on.
Sorry, not one to write home about.

Dr Freya Grant watches television broadcasts on 9th November 1989 showing the Berlin Wall coming down and when a stranger turns at her house a few weeks later, what secrets will also come tumbling down? The ‘stranger’ is Polish Tomasz Dolniak, he is looking for Freya’s sister Shona who is sadly dead. He has a picture from August 1944 of his mother Gosia and Shona, her codename is Olenka, who are ‘Cichociemni’, the unseen, the silent heroines of the resistance of the Warsaw Uprising. Tomasz has many questions which Freya is unable to answer as she has an inoperable brain tumour and can no longer speak. He daughter Kirsty takes up the investigative mantle in the hope of learning more about her elusive mother and aunt. The story is told in alternating timelines from 1989/90 and 1944.

The further you go into this novel the more fascinating it becomes as Kirsty unravels as much as she is able to. The wartime story of the complexity of the resistance, the dangers on all sides as the Nazis try to destroy Warsaw in retaliation and the onward press of the Red Army with all that the Soviet Union entails for Poland, is done extremely well. A story of tremendous bravery and sacrifice emerges which is really gripping and I love these sections. The historical context is extremely good as it gives the bigger picture too, including medical discoveries made during wartime which are important in the plot. The characters are very good, both in wartime and in 1989 and you get a sense of urgency with Kirsty’s research as her mother has limited time left. She makes shocking discoveries and it helps her to understand why Freya has been unreachable all her life and they are able to have closure and greater closeness. The mystery of Shona is a good one too although that is not entirely resolved, her story is a sobering one.

This is a very well written novel, the dual timelines flow from one to the other seamlessly. It covers momentous events in both timelines and the mystery of Freya, Shona and Gosia keeps you immersed. Overall, a compelling and enjoyable read. Recommended to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Quercus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

It's an interesting story, gripping and well written.
I loved the dual timelines that tells the story that was and what is in 1989.
The historical background is well researched and the characters are well thought and realistic.
The plot kept me reading and I was fascinated by the secrets and the mystery.
It's recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I really enjoyed this story.

Kirsty is a married mum of two, caring for her mother who has a brain tumour that has robbed her of her ability to speak and write. When a man, Tomasz, shows Kirsty a photograph of her aunt, her mother’s identical twin with a woman he says is his own mother, in Poland during the war, Kirsty is suddenly tasked with solving a decades old mystery.

Set with a dual timeline of 1940s and 1989 (the fall of the Berlin Wall) this clever story weaves together and each chapter leaves you wanting more. It’s not perfect- I worked out the first ‘twist’ almost instantly and I’d have preferred a less ambiguous ending to the Shona mystery. But the tales of wartime are intriguing and I was particularly interested in the early use of penicillin.

I like the way the author writes and she creates likeable characters with realistic flaws. I’d definitely read more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

The book starts as the Berlin Wall is breached and torn down bit by bit by people from the east and west of Berlin. Freya sits watching from her arm chair with her own memouries of the cruel regime, memouries she can never share. The rest of the book goes back and forth with chapters revealing what Freya endured as a young doctor in the second world war and her brief but never to be forgotten trip into occupied Poland. The remaining chapters are set in the 1980's and feature Freya's daughter Kirsky and her quest to find answers that are locked away in her ailing mothers mind. I enjoyed the book, there is lots of different aspects to the story, I can highly recommend.