This was a good read. It did keep my attention but some of the story just didn't flow too well for me. I can't quite put my finger on why. But a good read still.

I’m sorry - what?

Two massive twists at the end of this book, so I can’t complain it wasn’t entertaining but - hey - the last one doesn’t check out for me fully, sense-wise. Honestly - a truly enjoyable and well paced book with some character development, but it fell so flat on the face at the last chapter - it was unbelievable and didn’t work logic wise at all!

I can’t tell more without spoilers, but… just - no.

Overall, an ok summer read for me!

Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

A very interesting title is what made me pick this book. It did not disappoint. It was a very good read with a good pace and kept me turning pages.

The main character Anna is quite an unreliable narrator, you are unsure if her recollection of the past can be trusted, I love the writing style and felt myself drawn into the story straight away. There are many twists and turns and the story is fast paced with lots of hidden secrets coming back to haunt.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

In "The Serial Killer's Sister" by Alice Hunter, readers are taken on a suspenseful journey through the tangled web of Anna Price's past. The novel starts with a powerful punch, immediately grabbing your attention and pulling you into Anna's world. While the pacing may slow down at times, the story maintains a steady build-up of tension that keeps you engaged until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Anna is a hard working teacher. After living in a care home as a child, she wants to give something back to the community and is good at her job. When the police knock on her door once morning, and tell her that her brother is a serial killer, her whole world implodes as a result. She’s back playing ‘The Hunt’ a game from their childhood, but can she prevent another murder.

Loved this. It was slow to start but my goodness the continuous twists in the plot made up for that. I wasn’t a huge fan of the main character, she was keeping too many secrets, but that was the whole point of the book. A great read.

3 stars. It might have been 4 for stars for me, simply for the fact that I was thoroughly intrigued and engrossed...then it went off the rails with the last twist. I have wracked my brain to figure out how that twist could even make sense. I went back and reread a few chapters. I sat and contemplated, and I just don't get it. Sometimes I can be a little thick-headed and not "get" what is apparent to everyone else, but I'm not seeing it. Other than that, if you are willing to overlook that fancy little nugget of twistiness in the epilogue, I think most would enjoy this.

When I chose this book as an ARC I didn’t know it was part of a series.
Had I known,‘I wouldn’t have asked for a copy.‘I am sorry:
I will however try my best to start the series and get to this.

NetGalley, I think you maybe need to have a series category.

A psychological/ thriller told from different viewpoints. Anna seems to have it all when a series of incidents turn her life upsidedown , she is contacted by her estranged brother (a serial killer, she is suspended from her job as a teacher and her marriage runs into problems . She is contacted by a detective who is investigating her brother's crimes because it is expected that her brother will kill again on 13th may , in a few days time.
The book builds up suspense as Anna starts to question her sanity and as she is confronted with yet another set-back. DI Walker is the investigating officer and pops up in unexpected places and often with a letter fromAnna's brother, Henry. I thought that the book, although not long, started to drag a little in the middle part, though it picked up again by the end. There were enough twists and turns to keep the interest, especially towards the end, one of which I expected, one was a total suprise . Told mostly from Anna's point of view, the impression of other characters is biased by being viewed through her eyes. I have some misgivings about the policeman, I don't know if his position is totally believable . Otherwise a good read
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Anna Price is a primary school teacher. She’s married to Ross who is an estate agent. Their happy life is shattered when a detective informs Anna that her estranged brother, Henry Lincoln, is wanted for murdering five women.

Anna is shocked and the revelation unravels a surge of unwanted memories that she’s worked so hard to leave behind.

The police are desperate for Anna’s help; Henry only kills women on two dates: 15th of February and 13th of May. They suspect that he will strike again and soon. May the 13th is in four days time… Tick tock.

I absolutely loved this psychological thriller. I found it engrossing and captivating from the start all the way to the finish.

That ending – omg! I totally didn’t expect it, I was so shocked. A brilliant twist!

I definitely recommend this book. Thank you to Avon Books for approving my NetGalley request to read and review this title.

The Serial Killer's Sister by Alice Hunter

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

She thought she’d left her past behind.
She was wrong…

Despite a childhood in the care system, Anna Price has beaten the odds and built for herself the perfect life, complete with beautiful seaside home, devoted husband and a job she loves.

Then a policeman appears at Anna’s door: her estranged brother Henry is a wanted serial killer. For the past three years, a woman has been murdered on two specific dates – one of which is Anna’s birthday. The second is now only four days away, and the police need Anna’s help to catch Henry before he strikes again.

Then an envelope turns up on her doorstep and suddenly Anna finds herself caught in a sick game, one that she remembers all too well from childhood – one that, this time, she must win at all costs…

My Opinion

So far this has been a great series - this was no exception. Anna has been recruited by the police to assist with their investigations into her brother - a serial killer who strikes on two specific days of the year. With four days to go will she be able to catch him in time?

Anna finds herself caught in a game - as the reader I found myself hooked. Alice Hunter tells this story in two different timelines - present day and her time in the care system. Each timeline is easy to follow and helps to drip feed the reader information. This was a great thriller that I didn't want to put down. Will Anna be the next victim? Will the police find her brother in time?

Rating 4/5

First let me say, I’m not a fan of graphic killings and maybe this is way, I couldn’t totally be absorbed into this book. I was almost hooked but again the story is in two different timelines, I know we need to understand but too me it just did not flow

An addictive and totally unpredictable read!

Having read The Serial Killer’s Wife and the Serial Killer’s Daughter, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of The Serial Killer’s Sister! I had high hopes for this one and I was not disappointed! Gripping from start to finish, this is another great book by Alice Hunter.

Anna and her brother Henry didn’t have the best childhood and ended up in the care system, where life wasn’t much better there either. As an adult Anna has now built a good life for herself, she is happily married and has a decent job as a teacher. Things soon come crashing down when the police arrive at her door! Anna hasn’t seen her brother Henry since they were kids, but the police now need her help tracking him down. Time is of the essence too, as Henry is a wanted serial killer and he’s due to target his next victim!

Anna’s life changes in an instant and things from her past are about to surface. The chapters alternate between the past and present as we join Anna in the hunt for Henry! I love it when books have a dual timeline, I really enjoyed going back to Anna’s childhood and finding out her backstory. As things from the past are gradually revealed, things in the present start to make sense.

I love Alice’s style of writing, it is so easy to get immersed in the story. The pace is just right as the story held my attention throughout, and the alternating between past and present keeps you reading as you need to know what happens next!

The twists and turns are fab as I honestly never knew where the story was heading and I certainly didn’t guess the outcome. I was left with a couple of questions on things, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I can’t reveal too much as I don’t give away spoilers but I have never been caught so off guard by a twist in a book before! Totally unexpected. Hats off to Alice for pulling that off!

Thank you so much to Alice Hunter, Avon Books & NetGalley for my copy of this book.

The Serial Killer’s Sister, by Alice Hunter
Rating: 4/5
Published: NOW
What a ride! Feeney knows how to capture your attention and take you on an unpredictable journey. Anna is both likeable and unlikeable, which I loved. We never know if we can trust her, and her recollection of past events are quite dark and intriguing. When she discovers that her estranged brother, Henry, has become a serial killer after she abandoned him, Anna is torn between feeling angry and responsible. He has always been dangerous, but she chose to move on with her life, and now her actions have come back to bite her. It seems that Henry is after revenge now, and she is his target. With the aid of DI Walker, Anna is forced to play along with Henry’s sick games, whilst knowing that her survival is unlikely. Henry always gets what he wants.
I really enjoyed reading this, and I definitely did not see the twist at the end. I thought it was brilliant.

Henry Lincoln is a serial killer. He murders women on his sister's birthday. Why? There is one more important date for this criminal. Will his sister explain why? What happened then? Will Anna, the killer's sister, know the truth, and will she share this information with the police? Anna receives a mysterious envelope with the text: "Each one has been different but part of a whole. Each one I take is a window to your soul. Each one tells a story but hides within it a clue. Each one has been bringing me closer to you. Middle for diddle, that's your lot. Choose wisely, now off you trot." I was horrified. We go back in time and end up in the Finley Hall children's home. Here we meet Anna and Henryk, and a certain other girl. She pushed Anna away from her brother. Why? Returning to the present day, we meet Detective Inspector Walker. He was in charge of the murders of Anna's brother. He was very useful. Ross is the husband of our main character. I didn't like this character. He irritated me terribly. Anna has little time as there are four days left until her brother's next attack. Will he hunt her this time? Let me tell you that "The Serial Killer's Sister" shook me a lot. Especially the ending was very scary. There were a lot of twists and turns throughout the book that I wasn't expecting. It was my first encounter with the work of Alice Hunter. Now I know I need to read her other books. If you're looking for a good psychological thriller, you've come to the right place. You won't have time to be bored. And the final shock will stay with you for a long time.

The Serial Killers Sister is a crime thriller that really packs a punch!

I thought I had this story worked out pretty well and assumed it would be a predictable crime thriller - I could not have been further from the truth!

I loved the chapter length, some being shorter than others, this definitely made me want to just keep reading one more chapter as I was addicted to the story.

The ending absolutely blew my mind, and it was for that reason this is my favourite out of all the “The Serial Killers” books!

My Top 5 things from this book:

•Unreliable Narrator
•Dual Timeline
•Short Chapters
•Gripping Read
•Jaw Dropping Ending 😱

Anna Price has reinvented herself since her troubled childhood. She has a husband and a successful career as a teacher. Then a detective shows up and tells her that her brother Henry is a serial killer and he needs her help to track him down before he kills again. At the same time, Anna begins receiving messages that hark back to a game she played with her brother in the children's home. The idea for this story is very good but it was very easy to guess the real culprit and all that was left were two highly unlikely twists at the end. i have to say I was quite disappointed by the ending which seemed really rushed and not well-written. Lots of things were never clearly explained. and the denouement just wasn't convincing.

The Serial Killer's Sister is a character-driven novel that explores the themes of guilt, trauma, and redemption through the experiences of Anna. Hunter expertly builds tension by gradually revealing the extent of Anna’s discovery of her brother's crimes while building her character and personal struggles. Anna’s journey is fraught with challenges as she navigates life as the sister of a serial killer, unclear about what has happened and whether her own life is in danger.

The novel also delves into the psychological impact of having a relative involved in criminal activity. Hunter does an excellent job of describing the toll that this takes on Anna, capturing the anxiety and paranoia that she experiences during the course of the book. As she learns more of her brother's actions and the deadline draws to a close we learn more about their childhood and her relationship with Detective Walker grows and she leads him to their assumed destination.

I read the first two books in this series and although I enjoyed them, I didn’t rate them particularly highly. I enjoyed this one far more than the others and while I was unsure about reading it, I was glad that I did. Alice Hunter’s writing is better, and the pace seemed faster than the others, holding my attention far better and building suspense throughout. It was heading for a full five stars, but I didn’t like the ending which had so many twists I found myself a little confused and had to go back and re-read the last couple if chapters to make sure what I thought I had read was correct and to work out what happened. I'm still not completely sure though to be honest but I think I have worked it out!

The characters in The Serial Killer's Sister are fully-realised and multi-dimensional, which is a trait of the best psychological thrillers. Anna’s development, in particular, is a strong point of the book. Her story arc is complete and satisfying, and she's a relatable character despite her extraordinary circumstances. The supporting cast is also well-fleshed-out.

The Serial Killer's Sister is an excellent and engaging novel and comes highly-recommended for psychological thriller fans. Alice Hunter has crafted a story that is not only an excellent mystery but also a thought-provoking exploration of trauma, identity, and the relationship between family members. The characters are expertly crafted, the writing is vivid and immersive, and the plot is compelling throughout. This book is not to be missed.

Addictive, fast paced and intriguing, this was a WILD ride and SO full of twists! I loved Hunter’s previous two books: both were brilliant, although I spent the entirety of THE SERIAL KILLER’S DAUGHTER thinking it linked to the first book and being unable to work out the connection. Now I know each is a fresh, stand-alone plot, I really enjoyed this!

Unhinged, unpredictable and super interesting characters, short chapters + MAJOR red herrings made for a quick and easy read that I flew through in two sittings.

And the TWISTS. If you think you’ve figured out the twists.. no you haven’t. I SHOUTED at my partner when I thought I’d got the major twist right.. then shrieked when I realised I’d been misled and the twist was actually a twist in itself. And the double twist ENDING 😭😮‍💨.. to put a twist like that in the LAST SENTENCE was BRUTAL!

Those twists that make you stop dead in your tracks, mouth open, eyes wide 🙌🏼 as you think back over the entire book and see everything in a new light? That’s the one. *Cue me shrieking again and waking my partner up to explain wtf is going on*

I love this super fun + twisty series and really recommend them, whether you’re a seasoned thriller reader or just starting out in the genre 🫶🏼

📍 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 + 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣. 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 @𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 (𝙄𝙂), 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝.

𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒚 @ 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 🥀

Good follow up to the other Serial Killer books ( sounds weird saying that!)…I have really enjoyed the series!