Stephanie DeCarolis crafts a suspenseful, twist-laden thriller in *The Perfect Sister*, where sisterly bonds are put to the ultimate test. The story follows a woman torn between family loyalty and the disturbing realization that her sister may be hiding dark secrets. DeCarolis’s knack for psychological tension keeps readers hooked as layers of deception unfold, pulling us into a web of lies that challenges our trust in family ties. While some twists may feel familiar to avid thriller fans, DeCarolis delivers a chilling, satisfying journey into the unknown that’s hard to put down.

Alex and Maddie Walker were once as close as sisters could be. But when their Mother died, and Maddie came home from school for the funeral, something about her behavior seemed off. Now she has disappeared. Alex's messages to her sister go answered for several days and now she feels she must go find her.

Maddie was recently working in the Hamptons, and Alex is able to trace her fairly quickly to a mansion owned by the Blackwell family. This is a dysfunctional family with a capital "D", and every one of them seem to have a reason to want Maddie to disappear. As Alex plunges into her search for her sister, she finds that actually she didn't know her at all.

So what did I think? Like some other readers, I found the plot a bit slow moving at the beginning. There was maybe a bit too much detail for me in some of the early scenes. As the story gathered steam near the end, I became much more engaged. And I'm moving my star from 3 to 4 for a good and unexpected ending that I didn't see coming! Overall I enjoyed this read, and I read it might be auctioned for a movie, which I could see working well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Stephanie DeCarolis, and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This mystery, sometimes psychological thriller just missed the mark. If only there was a little more realism and a lot less thoughtless and outrageous high risk actions that had me screaming “Are you kidding? Would you really do that and take that chance? Are you out of your mind?” Yup, there was a whole lot of that going on by Alex in her search for her missing sister.

Lots of entitled, unlikeable people made it difficult for me to connect with any part of this story. The “haves” really have it and the rest not so much and the lines so clearly delineated are very troubling. If the story had been just a little more believable….. too many odd and sideways things left me in disbelief and dislike.

Thanks to Bantam and NetGalley for a copy.

I didn't like this book very much. It was just another in the I lost my sister books that I have read tons of. It was lacking something that I can't put my finger on. It just wasn't for me. To many POVs I'm afraid. Though I do usually like that it just didn't seem right in this book for some reason. Kind of hard to keep straight.

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC.

This was a fun and quick mystery read! The story is told through multiple character POVs, which was great, but sometimes became a little overwhelming with so many character storylines to follow. I enjoyed the journey of trying to find out what happened to Maddie, and how everything came together in the end with a lot of creative twists. This was a pretty slow burn, and there wasn't really much suspense until the last few chapters. Overall, it was a great book!

Sometimes a novel just doesn't quite live up to the premise.

When I first read the synopsis of this novel, it sounded like a home run. And there were some aspects that I enjoyed. At first, I was really involved in the novel, wanting to know what happened to Maddie and how exactly this rich family was involved in her disappearance. I loved the idea of two sisters that are so close, that went through a life that wasn't wonderful, and that try to stick together as best as they can as they grow up.

I did very much enjoy the mystery of what happened to Maddie, and I could understand Alex's desperation to find out if her sister is still alive. There were twists that I definitely didn't see coming and they made the book enjoyable.

However, while I do love a novel with multiple points of view, this one almost had too many. I kept getting confused about who's story it was and I found it made the novel a little murky.

Overall it was a decent read that just got a little too complicated. I would still recommend it and I hope the author can find her flow for her next book.

Thank you to netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review. Since its spooky season I have been binging on thrillers. This one did not disappoint. If your perfect sister who you have recently lost touch with just disappears into thin air what would you do? The search was on. Investigative and a long road. This one went in an unexpected direction which tells you to trust no one. 3.5 stars.

This was a great beach read thriller by an author that will be on my radar now. I liked her characters and the taught story. A good one!

The Perfect Sister by Stephanie DeCarolis

The Perfect Sister is a fast paced mystery thriller. What would you do if your sister disappeared? Alex is faced with that chilling question when her sister Maddie stops texting her back and no one has heard from her. Alex retraces her sister’s steps, and as she does, she finds getting answers are not as easy as she hoped. This book unfolds from multiple perspectives, each with their own secrets, but which holds the answers to where is Maddie? And what will the person responsible for her disappearance do to Alex to keep the secret hidden?

This book is fast paced for the most part, dragging in some parts. The author draws you on a ride where you question every character, especially as new secrets emerge. While you can see some twists coming, for the most part, the twists will surprise you. I enjoyed this, and while it drug in parts, I can see why we are taken on the long road around. I definitely liked that Alex will stop at nothing to find her sister, showing just how far you are willing to go for family.

The book reads like the author wants a mini-series contract. It's a densely written multiple POV missing persons story that I did not find interesting. The story seemed too ordinary and I didn't finish

Maddie and Alex looked like twins but they aren’t. Maddie was the first baby. Then Alex was born a year later. When Alex’s birthday is forgotten by her parents, Maddie tells her that they will celebrate it. Maddie makes pancakes and tops the stack with an used pink candle. Maddie and Alex vow to always celebrate their birthdays together no matter where they are. Maddie ends up going to med school and Alex stays home taking care of their sick mother. When the mother dies, they have a quarrel and went their separate ways. When Alex birthday, she doesn’t hear from her sister. Three days after her birthday, she calls Maddie but no one answers the phone. Alex worries that something may have happened to her sister. Yet as she goes to the last address, she is no longer there. Maddie has moved to the Hamptons. Why? Even though Alex has found the latest home she was living at — she is no longer there as she has disappeared. What will Alex do? Will she find Maddie?

The author has written a novel that starts out slow but then grows faster in the sense that one wants to know more about the sisters’ relationship after their mother dies. It has several twists and turns. The suspense continues. I truly enjoy the story. It’s a suspenseful mystery.

This is a gripping, twisty thriller that kept me turning pages late into the night. The story pulls you in right away with family drama and secrets that slowly unravel in a way that feels relatable but also a bit shocking. It's one of those books where just when you think you know what's going on, something happens that makes you second-guess everything.

The characters were well-developed, especially the two sisters, and you can’t help but feel torn between rooting for them and questioning their motives. I couldn’t put it down because I just had to know what really happened! is exactly how I felt reading it. There are plenty of Wait, what? moments that had me on edge the entire time.

The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that a few of the twists felt a little predictable, but overall, it’s a suspenseful, enjoyable read that will definitely keep you hooked. If you love thrillers with complex family dynamics, this is a great pick!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a readers copy of this title. My reviews never contain spoilers and are freely given.
Alex is searching for her missing sister. Maddy moved away, leaving Alex to stay with their mother who had issues with alcohol and recently passed away. Maddy always spent Alex’s birthday with her but did not show up. Alex tracks her sister to a wealthy family’s estate, where the family professes that her sister has moved on, and they have no knowledge of her whereabouts. But is that really what happened? Join Alex on her search.
The story moves along at a nice pace and you will find yourself rooting for Alex in her search. Enjoy.

I liked this book. It was an enjoyable read. Stephanie DeCarolis is a great author. Loved this mystery and all the twists and turns.

Overall I enjoyed the book. I appreciated the character development, storyline and the authors attention to detail.

Reading challenge category - 2024 Flourish and Blotts: Charms - Repairo: Contains a repaired relationship (multiple in this book)

A little behind on my #Netgalley ARCS. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC ebook!

Alex and Maddie are sisters who have been mistaken for twins their whole life. When their mother dies, they have a falling out and Maddie goes missing in the Hamptons. Alex goes to the Hamptons to look for her and uncovers a more sinister situation happening among the 1% living there.

I found this book to be "meh" or "fine." There wasn't anything new, outstanding, or amazing in it. The story drug in places and was predicatble in others. I feel like some details were thrown in for no reason <spoiler> BDSM, sex houses, etc </spoiler> 2.5 stars, rounded up.

Told from multiple point of view, this is a missing woman mystery with tons of plot twists and an unexpected ending. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Kiersten Modglin. I saw the book is being turned into a film, and I can’t wait. It will translate perfectly to the screen.

Thanks for the opportunity to read in advance!

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
This is the first book I read of this author.. I absolutely loved this book. It was so good and the twists and turns were totally unexpected. Every time I thought I had things figured out,.the story took a different turn. The ending was a huge surprise...but an amazing one!
The characters were greatly developed and the protagonist was not too far in the foreground. I loved the different chapters written from different points of view. I
I will definitely keep looking and reading this author's other books! A 5 🌟 read for me!

INCREDIBLE story! 5 out of 5 highly recommend. What a wild ride. Told through multiple POVs, we get a glimpse of the wealthy, beautiful and elusive residents. Looks can be deceiving! One of the families, known as the Blackwells, offers their pool house to Maddie to live in. When her sister Alex tries to connect with her, her phone calls go unanswered. Maddie and Alex meet once a year in the Hamptons to celebrate Alex's birthday. She would never miss it unless...
I cannot give anything away, but this absolutely needs to be on your must read list.
Huge thank you to Stephanie DeCarolis, NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group for this advanced copy.

Older sister Maddie has disappeared. When younger sister Alex goes looking for her she finds lots of mystery and intrigue at the Blackwell home, Maddie's last known place. Alex becomes involved, just as her sister did with the family and finds lots of mystery around the family and the disappearance of her sister. What did Maddie find out or know about the family that has caused her disappearance. Will Alex disappear as well? This is a really great mystery and one that will keep you turning the pages until its secret is revealed. Thanks to #NetGalley#ThePerfectSiser for the opportunity to read an review this book.