HOW DARK CAN FAMILY SECRETS BE? The Rowling sisters aren't close. They are very different. Kate the hard working, single, powerful woman. Aurora is the loving mother of two with a successful marriage, who loves music. Peggy has struggles with alcohol addiction, a single mother to Bo, a gifted and unique boy. When Kate returns home and buys their grandpa' house, the family secrets may come back to haunt the sisters. The sisters start to recollect memories, jumbled visions that confuse them and scare them. A serial killer is amongst them, seeking revenge on all men, erasing them from the earth. Who is SHE? Could one of these sisters not be who she seems? A dark and twisted story of how trauma can affect the mind.

First, let me just say, I enjoyed this book. It starts off as a dark thriller with gruesome murders and dark inner thoughts of the killer but slowly transitions into a detective mystery, whodunit type novel. I liked it. The sisters are believable characters who you can identify with and find yourself rooting for them. The way Aldyn weaved this story from 3rd person (sisters) to 1st person (killer) was superb. Your unstable narrator is the unknown killer, a great mind twist! Now, for just a few critiques as a reader. It seems a lot of time was focused on the relationship with grandpa but the ending felt like, there should have more about him, his relationships with the sisters, more of an explanation is what I was expecting. Th story did drag in places but I enjoyed getting to know the sisters and seeing how their lives grew throughout the story. I would definitely recommend this book.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I like how their book was written in different POV, including the killers. It helped paint a picture of the sisters' trauma and the killers, and why she started gruesomely killing in the first place. I did get confused in some of the POV and had to double back, and the middle kinda lagged for me. I would say it was a good read and for the most part, kept you engaged.

3.5 stars rounded up. Check trigger warnings before diving into this one! I did not realize just how dark this would get but started out so strong and dark. I did end up feeling like it was longer than it needed to be. I started getting bored towards the middle and really just wanted to know which one it was. I loved the way the POVs were set up, each sister and then the killer. That made it fun to try and figure out which sister was the killer. I did end up figuring it out, which I am proud of but the ending was not satisfying for me. It felt rushed and cut short. There were some side plots that felt like they ended up getting dropped and never brought up again. Overall, it wasn't my favorite thriller but it is a debut so I am excited to see what the author writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to love this one so much more. It had so much potential, but fell flat in so many areas. Until halfway through the book I thought the murderer was written from the POV of a specific sister, until I realized it was supposed to be open ended. That made it super confusing, but was definitely my mistake. I really didn't love or connect with any of the sisters, they just felt boring and not fully formed. The ending was SO dull. It was super sudden, absolutely no climax to the story, and was super predictable. This has a pretty heavy amount of gore and trauma, highly recommend reading the TWs before going into this one.

I unfortunately didn't finish this one. I was excited for the premise and idea of the story, but it felt like it was jumbled and all over the place.

This was a page turner I desperately wanted to know who the killer was. Three sisters , one killer , who is She? This book is told through multiple POV’s including that of the very disturbed gruesome killer. We follow along all three sisters lives currently and things they had experienced as children good and horrible.
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press

Please read your trigger warnings there is violence , abuse, sexual abuse and child abuse

I was not a fan of the majority of this book, to be quite honest. The writing was okay, but I really disliked all of the characters. I was confused half the time about whose POV the chapter was from and had to reread sections often.

I did like the general concept of the story; three sisters, a life time of traumatic things, and one of them mysteriously being a serial killer. I’m just not sure I really vibed with the execution of it.

I think you could enjoy this if you’re a fan of sinister family dramas and psychological on-the-edge style pacing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book.

I had a hard time following this one, between the confusing timeline and the okay characters I had a hard time staying engaged….
I was intrigued by the premise of the story, I’m sad it didn’t deliver.

This is such a good read. The pacing is intense and the book is full of suspense and is so atmospheric with some really dark parts. The twists kept me guessing and I didn't know what to think or who to believe. I wouldn’t have guessed how gruesome it would be. If you’re a fan of thrillers, this one is for you!

Sister Butcher sister by KD Adlyn

This story follows three sisters. Kate who has a past that hinders her future, with unsettling visions that make her relive some of her past trauma. Peg who has an addiction problem and the youngest of the three sisters. Then there is Aurora who is the perfect sister with an underlying anger issue.
Kate purchases their childhood home they use to live in with their grandfather and as their childhood had good memories there were also dark secrets.

This book was intense and crazy but I loved how the author created an ominous tone with chapters explaining the murders using only “she”… soooo creepy and kept me guessing until the end!
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Press for this thriller!

SHE Could Be Any of Them—And SHE Is Coming!

Dark family secrets, brutal vengeance, and a relentless mystery—Sister, Butcher, Sister is a pulse-pounding debut that will keep you glued to the page. KD Aldyn masterfully unravels a web of gruesome secrets through the perspectives of three sisters: Kate, the restless wanderer who follows the wind; Aurora, the picture-perfect suburban wife and mother; and Peggy, the troubled survivor forging a new path. But beneath the surface of their lives lurks something far more sinister—visions of unspeakable crimes. The burning question? Are these visions real? And if so, who is responsible? The truth is as shocking as it is deadly.

Told through short, sharp chapters that seamlessly switch between perspectives, the novel keeps readers on their toes as the body count rises. The storytelling is fast-paced and immersive, bouncing between past and present with a feverish intensity that amplifies the suspense. While some shifts in time may blur the lines of reality, they only serve to heighten the sense of mystery and impending chaos. Aldyn expertly builds tension, ensuring the final reveal hits with full force.

Fans of John Marrs, Andrea Mara, and Lisa Jewell—this one is for you. Sister, Butcher, Sister is a psychological thriller that demands to be devoured. Don't miss out!

A fully-imagined thriller executed with the cool precision and passion of its protagonist, a juicy role any actress would kill for when the inevitable movie rights are sold. Imagine my shock when I learned this was the first thriller from an author who has previously written short fiction and earned what she herself calls a "minor poetry award." As someone who recently sold their family house, I could have used more of the old Victorian at the center of this broken family, but that's a minor quibble for a book that was hard to put down.

The premise for this book really intrigued me. I liked the mystery of being able to figure out which sister was the serial killer. Peggy was definitely my favorite, despite her flaws. They were all pretty terrible, though I did enjoy the POV of the killer because she was so unhinged. I did have a strong feelings about who the killer was from the beginning, and I was right. Which I was kind of grateful for because I REALLY didn't like her.

However, I didn't like the writing style. There were very few scenes where we were "in the moment." It felt like a lot of backstory and telling, which took me out of the story and made it difficult to want to read until I got to that final 10% and things began to pick up.

Thank you, KD Aldyn NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

This was definitely a page turner from start to finish. If not for everyday life, I would have finished this in one day. The three sisters are definitely unique in their own ways, and you definitely get attached to them. At least I did. You learn so much about them throughout the book, and I definitely got uneasy as I hot deeper into the book. There is death, and the killer you question yourself on which sister it is. It's a definite who is it book. It could be any of the three sisters as they all have reasons, but there is only one. You can agree with the killer on some things, but definitely not others. The pacing is great, and I didn't lose interest at any point. I definitely enjoyed this book and have a feeling a lot of others will, too.

Three sisters, all have very different lives from one another. There's a killer on the loose mutilating male bodies in horrible ways, and the police think it's one of these three sisters. Which one is it, and will the culprit be found before the bodies keep piling up? What's going to happen to them sisters and their lives? What dark secrets will be uncovered? Read and find out.

I definitely read this book faster than I thought it was going to. It was such a great read, but even so, something still is missing for me, and I just can't pinpoint it. Perhaps if I take another read and read it slower, I'll figure it out. I still enjoyed it, though.

Okay- total transparency here. I was so tempted to give it 3 stars but I need to keep being honest here lol the reason why I bumped it to 4 stars is because it’s a debut? ! Like okay!! Now, here’s my takes:
🔪 Con: sometimes timelines had me a bit messed up. Sometimes I felt like the rhythm to things was kinda off and I had to just push through. I might come back and do a spoiler review once the book is actually published (I got an eARC)
😯 Pro: atmosphere was on point. It was creepy and it was ‘mysterious’ but not like… those old mystery books with old timey covers… more like actually wth is happening? And like this is weird and dark lol I don’t want to make names but this book reminded me of like an actually good version of someone starting with JR.

Tbh for the cover alone (sorry not sorry) this book is def worth a try. It’s not a book I regret reading and it kept me hooked !!

Sister, Butcher, Sister had a creepy vibe, a messed-up family, and a killer mystery. Three sisters, one of them might be a murderer? The story kept me guessing, and there were some gorey moments. But the pacing was kinda off. I also wanted more depth with the sisters — their dynamic had so much potential, but it didn’t go as deep as I hoped.
Definitely a solid read if you’re into dark and twisted

This was a fun read. Multiple Pov serial killer thriller.

We have 3 sisters. Kate - single, lawyer, just bought her grandparents old house. Aurora - the good girl, harpist, wife and mother of 2 kids. Peggy - ex addict, single mother of 1, very troubled past. One of these 3 is killing- no butchering men. But which one? We follow all three aswell as the killer and the detective. I thought I had it figured out so many times with the red herrings. I mean each of them had reasons to be fair. Great book.

I enjoyed the multiple POV's and that the book immediately started with the killer's POV. I was pulled in from the start but did feel the story slow down a bit towards the middle. The drama and overall family trauma were entertaining and not too predictable, in my mind. I like how once we understand the killer's traumas and motivations toward these killings, that the reader might be rooting for the murderer. I didn't guess the murderer correctly, so the twist was appreciated. I also enjoyed the claustrophobia of the story.
I'll be reading more by this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I just couldn’t complete this book. As someone who will force myself to finish books I’m not exactly a fan of, I didn’t finish this one. The plot of the story excited me and I looked forward to trying to figure out who “She” was. I enjoyed the chapters of the killings and wish that’s all the book contained.

The story felt jumbled and like it bounced everywhere. It was hard to keep track of what was happening and the conversations between the characters felt very one-sided and lacked depth.

I may try again in the future but not right now.

Sister, Butcher, Sister is a powerful debut novel that manages to encompass psychological horror, family drama, and serial killer mystery into a thriller. This book is not for the faint of heart. It has a dark atmosphere and complex characters and examines female rage and childhood trauma.

The Rowling sisters (Kate, Aurora, and Peggy) each harbor secrets and traumas they have long tried to bury. When Kate returns to the sister's hometown and buys their late grandfather's house, wounds resurface and cause an unraveling of lies that hold their family together. One of the sisters is hiding something far worse and leaving a trail of brutal murders across the town. The sisters must confront their pasts as the body count is rising and the police are questioning their involvement.

Each sister is deeply flawed, and their contrasting viewpoints add layers to the unfolding mystery. Kate, Aurora, and Peggy's shifting perspectives guide the story, and their unreliable narration keeps you guessing about the true nature of each sister's past. The sisters' burying of their pain manifests in their dangerous actions. The setting of the small town and isolation create an unsettling, oppressive nature. The ominous visions, creeping dread, and the way the narrative blurs the line between reality and delusion set a tone for the book. The flashbacks to childhood trauma are particularly disturbing and deliver a gut punch, leaving you questioning the nature of evil.

Thank you, NetGalley and Poison Pen Press, for the opportunity to review the ebook and provide my honest feedback.