Will the words be there or will they fail me: THE GOOD SISTER.

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth


A predictable yet oddly thrilling read

Fern and Rose are extremely close sisters and incredibly dependent on one other. Rose has always been the responsible one and Fern, with her sensory-processing issues, the one people look at a bit oddly. Their mother was abusive, scarring Rose, who saw through to her true nature. Fern, who always looks to the good side of people, remembers her more fondly. But Rose has always protected her sister, especially since, as children, Fern did something horrible. Rose has faithfully kept her sister's secret, even though both girls wonder if it made Fern a terrible person. Now Rose and her husband are having trouble conceiving. Fern realizes she could finally do something for Rose: give her a child. However, Rose worries that Fern could make some disastrous choices if pregnant, just as she did so many years ago.

"Most people think of me as Fern's protector. But the truth is, in her own funny way, she's always been mine."

This is an excellent book in terms of the page-turner element. I was madly flipping the pages. It is especially remarkable because the story was actually fairly predictable. I kept waiting for some big twist, but I felt the plot was pretty well telegraphed from the beginning.

What kept me spellbound was the characters, particularly Fern. There was just something about her--you couldn't help but become attached. The cast here is small: the sisters, Rose's husband, Fern's acquaintance Wally, but they are quite well-drawn. Hepworth does a fantastic job with the two sisters, both depicting their childhood and then their current state, as Fern becomes determined to do something for Rose, her long-time protector, and Rose struggles with what Fern's choice means.

It's best to go into this one blind. To me, the story felt pretty straightforward and nothing really surprising happened, but it was still well-written and exciting. Yes, I would have loved a great twist or two to push this thriller from good into great territory. I still think it's worth a read, though, especially if you don't read a ton of mysteries and are more likely to be surprised. The relationship and dynamic between Fern and Rose is really worth a read by itself. 3 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press in return for an unbiased review.

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ PaperBackSwap ~ Smashbomb

View all my reviews