It seems like everyone is feeling the guilt over Persephone's death. Each blaming themselves and each other for the role they may have played in her murder.

Persephone's mom, Annie turned into an alcoholic that shut herself off from the rest of the world. She refuses to communicate with anyone, even her own daughter Sylvie. Is the sudden change in Annie’s health, the wakeup call she needs in order to repair her fragile family?

Sylvie, Persephone’s sister, blames herself for what happened to Persephone that night. And because of that belief, she lives under the weight of that guilt every single day to the point where she's just coasting through life not really enjoying it. But then again, she thinks she shouldn't really get the chance to enjoy her life.

Persephone's boyfriend Ben's life is on an upswing. He's a nurse now and helps cancer patients. During the course of the story I began to wonder how much of an interest does Ben really have in nursing. Is he trying to make amends for past wrongs? Is it because he feels guilty over what happened to Persephone all those years ago? Is it because he murdered Persephone and he feels like this is atonement for him? The author had me questioning almost everyone’s motives.

The Winter Sister surprised me. It's a story that drew me in page by page until the next thing I knew, I was fully ensconced in it...in the lives of Sylvie, Annie, Ben, and of course Persephone. I had to know what secrets they were keeping and what really happened the night that Persephone went missing. The author, Megan Collins does a great job of weaving these characters stories together and creating a suspenseful yet emotionally complex story that tugs at your heartstrings and makes you want to keep reading until you finish the whole book. And that is exactly what happened to me. I read this book in one day and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to seeing what this author writes next.

RATING: 4 out of 5.

This story about love, splintered relationships and grief held my attention. That said, as time went on I disliked the main character Sylvie more and more. Her distrust and constant sniping remarks at Ben, playing the blame game and lashing out were her wearying MO. Meanwhile she carries her own secret related to sister Persephone’s death (a name that bugged me until midway in the story when the author explains the reason for this burdensome name).

Silvie’s grieving felt legitimate but her insensitivity to others’ feelings goes too far. I was disappointed with the implausible ending as the murderer is exposed.

"Let the child pass out."

An absorbing tale about relationships and one that presents the ultimate truth -- some are good for you and some are bad. And how hard it can be to let go...

Sylvie O'Leary was 14 years old the night her sister didn't sneak back into the safety of their bedroom after an illicit night out with her boyfriend. Although Persephone was a senior in high school, she was not allowed to date, and certainly didn't want their single mom, Annie, to know about Ben. The sisters had an understanding -- the secret was to be kept. When Persephone's body is discovered under new fallen snow a couple of days later, the life that Sylvie had known was over. Her mother, always a bit moody, turned to alcohol and shut herself in her bedroom leaving Sylvie to fend for herself physically and emotionally. Thanks to Annie's sister, Aunt Jill, Sylvie finished high school and went off to the Rhode Island School of Design to get a degree in fine art. Now Sylvie is 30 years old and, after living all this time without much contact with her mother, Aunt Jill summons her back to Spring Hill to care for Annie who is dying of cancer. No one has ever been charged with Persephone's murder and it's an almost forgotten cold case -- Sylvie is determined to get answers once and for all. NO SPOILERS.

Although any reader of this type of fiction will know immediately where it's going, it was still an enjoyable trip to the conclusion. I thought the writing was excellent and I really appreciated how Sylvie didn't back down or shy away from getting the answers that she wanted -- because she was finally ready to push for the truth. I had a hard time relating to Annie, damaged as she was, but she's the type of woman and mother that is so tough to understand. This is a quick read that I consumed over the course of a couple of hours on a cold winter day.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-book ARC to read and review.

The Winter Sister by Megan Collins is a twisted tale of two families with deep secrets, the pain of terrible loss, grief and in the end redemption of a sort. I really enjoyed the mystery that was Persephone, and that through her sister Sylvie's perseverance she was able to find a murderer and reconnect with her mother in the end.

This is probably a 3.5 instead of a 3 because I enjoyed the actual writing. This author did a fine job actually getting into the head of the narrator, and I really believed her as a character.

However, this plot seems familiar and it was easy to guess the who-done-it as long as you've read anything like this before (or watched the original Law & Order regularly.)

But, I'm not disappointed that I read this book. It was a fun few hours of reading.

{My Thoughts}
What Worked For Me
The Writing – Without a doubt the star of The Winter Sister is debut author Megan Collins’ thoughtful writing. I liked her story very much, but even if I didn’t her writing would have kept me engaged.

“Part of me wanted to tell her I didn’t blame her for what happened, to watch the relief slip over her face like a veil, to see her smile come shining back, but another part wanted to stay in that moment, where someone was taking responsibility for the ragged loose ends of my life.”

Not many seasoned authors can so easily slip into characters heads and share what they’re feeling so well. I’m already excited to see what Collins will do with her next book.

A Mother-Daughter Story – The Winter Sister at its core is a novel of suspense, but it’s also much more. It’s a story of secrets and regrets and it’s a story of a mother and daughter, once close but long estranged. After the death of Sylvie’s sister, Persephone, her mother, Annie, took to her bed with bottle after bottle of vodka and never again could be any sort of parent to 14-year old Sylvie. For the next four years Sylvie lived with Annie’s sister, Jill, rarely seeing her mother. In college and her young adult years that pattern continued, until Annie was diagnosed with cancer and Jill needed a break from caring for her. (Not a spoiler, this happens very early in the book.) Sylvie returns home and a rich mother/daughter story begins. We see the loving relationship they had prior to Persephone’s murder, but even more so the complex relationship they have in the present. Sylvie has so much pain around her mother’s neglect, but watching her suffer breaks her in ways she’d not expected.

“I imagined her attached to an IV bag, her eyes widening with an unspoken fear, and each time, the tenderness I felt for her scared me. It was risky – thinking of her in a way that made her easier to love.”

“I never once considered that the bones of her wrists would stick so closely to her skin, or the shape of her head would seem so alien. I hadn’t thought to equate her illness with something that would vacuum her up inside.”

What Didn’t
A Usual Premise – The premise of The Winter Sister is a well-worn one: someone is murdered, others hold secrets, some feel guilt, years later new information comes to light. I think with thrillers there are only so many ways to go, so we often see similar plotlines. The real question is how well did the author deliver their take on the idea and I think Megan Collins did it very well.

Lies – Much of the story had to do with lies, or half-truths that Sylvie had told to her family, the police and later her best friend. It was a bit of a stretch for me to believe her reasoning for not being more honest.

{The Final Assessment}
Surprisingly (even to myself) I really liked this book. Yes, it has sort of a typical plot for a suspense novel, but I don’t read a lot of that genre, so for me it was unique enough. I didn’t find anything a shocking twist, but also didn’t have to overlook a lot of wild plot turns. And best of all, the writing was so strong it made the story even more pleasurable. A solid read! Grade: B

Note: I received a copy of this book from Atria Books (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Sixteen years ago, Persephone O’Leary never came home. Now Sylvie must return to her hometown, stay in the room she shared with her sister, to help her mother. But Persphone’s presence lingers on the streets of the quiet Connecticut village, in the empty bedroom Sylvie moves back into, and in the fact that her disappearance, and murder, remains unsolved.

Sylvie has her suspicions: Persephone was last seen with her boyfriend, who happens to be the mayor’s son. She’d bet anything and everything that it was the same boy who left bruises on her sister that was capable of murdering her. But because he’s the mayor’s son, he’s just going to get away with it–and Sylvie can’t live with that. So she goes digging into a past that no one wants uncovered, not even her own mother.

As Sylvie talks to more people connected to her sister’s case, she starts piecing together a story of what really happened the night her sister disappeared. But what Sylvie doesn’t know is that this is a truth someone would kill to keep hidden. With enemies turning into friends, and family turning into strangers, Sylvie doesn’t know who to trust or what to believe. She just knows, in her gut, that she’s close to finally figuring out what happened to her sister and she’s willing to do anything for it, including put herself in harm’s way.

It’s hard to peg The Winter Sister into one category. It has elements of old money versus no money, an examination of the bonds of sisterhood and of mothers and daughters in a refreshing light, a strong mystery, and a struggle to understand what love really means. Not only was the storytelling itself beautiful and haunting, but Collins served up new twists with every chapter that has you needing to read more. The Winter Sister, simply, was un-put-downable.

Yet another must-read for 2019.

I cannot finish this story because I swear I've read it before. Certainly, there are newer plots to venture.

I liked this one. I think I went in expecting more of a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat read, so I was a bit disappointed with how slow it was. It was a solid read though, and I did end up enjoying it quite a bit. I like how it ended too.

This was a fabulous thriller that I was unable to out down. The twists kept on coming! Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

You would never guess that The Winter Sister is a debut novel if you didn't read the "blurb". Collins presents a wonderfully engaging read!

Sylvie returns to her home-town sixteen years after the never solved murder of her 2 year older sister, Persephone, who went missing at sixteen, and was found three days later, strangled. Now Sylvie has been called home to take care of her mother, sick with cancer, so her mother's sister can go be with her daughter as she prepares to give birth to her first child.

Sylvie finds that not much has changed over the years. Her mother still keeps herself cut off from others and is in the frequent habit of disappearing into her room and locking the door, especially when any mention of Persephone is made. But Sylvie wants answers about who is responsible for her sister's death, and she is determined to find them.

The local Police tell her the case has never been closed, but there is no new or definitive evidence as to who committed the crime. That doesn't stop Sylvie from digging around. It seems that secrets held between the two generations of sisters (Mom and Aunt Jill, Persephone and Sylvie) could hold the answers to everything. Are they finally willing to divulge them?

Full, rich characters, a good plot, and a fluid writing style make this a very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading future books by Megan Collins.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Sixteen years ago Sylvie had enough. For months her older sister Persephone would sneak out of their bedroom to see a boy the girls’ mother forbade Persephone from seeing. Each time Sylvie would be instructed to leave the bedroom window cracked, opened just enough for Persephone to sneak back in hours later. Each time she would wake her younger sister and ask Sylvie to paint over the fresh bruises marking her body.

One winter night Sylvie couldn’t take it anymore. Ben Emory – the town’s golden boy and son of the mayor – was covering her sister in bruises and Persephone refused to do anything about it. If Persephone wouldn’t stop seeing him, well Sylvie would make sure their mother found out. That night she locked the bedroom window, firmly convinced that her sister would eventually go to the front door, wake their mother, and her secret would be out. Persephone’s rage would be worth it if it meant their mother would put a stop to her relationship with Ben.

But things didn’t go according to plan. Wide awake, Sylvie heard her sister try the window and when she couldn’t get in, she simply got back into Ben’s truck and they drove off. That was the last time her sister was seen alive. Though suspects were questioned, no arrests were made and Persephone’s murder was never solved. Sylvie and her mother were both grief-stricken; Annie delving into bottles of alcohol and refusing to leave her room, Sylvie burying herself in her art, determined to get a scholarship so she could leave that house.

Sixteen years later her aunt calls to tell Sylvie her mother has cancer and that Sylvie needs to come home to care for her. Her relationship with her mother already fractured nearly to the point of no return, things go from bad to worse when Sylvie discovers Ben Emory – the boy she was convinced killed her sister – now works as a nurse at her mother’s cancer treatment center. The years have not dulled her pain, especially now that she’s back home, and as she begins looking deeper into Persephone’s murder, Sylvie discovers secrets she was never meant to uncover.

I want to start by saying The Winter Sister is a great debut and I’m curious to see where Megan Collins goes from here! I should also point out I read this in two chunks, the second of which took place at 5am on a Saturday morning just so I could have some uninterrupted reading time before the rest of the house woke up. I’m sure that says something about this novel.

However, I’m a mystery fan. I love psychological and domestic thrillers. I’ve read a lot of them. When you read countless novels in a certain genre (regardless of the genre), you begin to notice tropes and formulas and, while I clearly enjoyed The Winter Sister, I have to admit there really wasn’t anything ground-breaking or shocking within its pages. Even the big reveals weren’t nearly as surprising for me as they would be for readers who aren’t as familiar with thrillers as I am (one episode of Law & Order kept playing in my head after one reveal). These ideas aren’t new and because of that I wasn’t as wowed as other readers, but it was still an entertaining read.

I do want to point out one issue: Sylvie’s best friend. I hated her. They were college roommates who became post-college roommates. Away at school, for the first time since her sister’s death Sylvie wasn’t just Persephone’s Sister. She got to be her own person and in that, she mentioned she did have a sister, but that she was killed in a car accident when Sylvie was three. Over the course of the novel, the truth about that night slowly comes out, and eventually Sylvie’s best friend heads to google to look at old news articles. It’s there she learns Persephone was strangled, brutally murdered, and that it happened when Sylvie was 14. The kicker is that she becomes enraged. She demands Sylvie call her and explain everything. Sylvie doesn’t owe this girl an explanation at all and I was floored at both of their reactions.

While I can’t say I was genuinely shocked or surprised by anything in The Winter Sister, I did enjoy it to where I woke up before dawn – on a weekend – so I could have quiet time to finish reading. I can certainly see this becoming a book club favorite (there’s MUCH to discuss within its pages) but feel that heavy readers of the genre, like me, will simply find a decent, okay read while those who aren’t as familiar with the usual tropes will have a much stronger reaction.

The Winter Sister by Megan Collins grabbed me with the first sentence. Metering out clues chapter by chapter, author Megan Collins kept me riveted with this unsolved crime story. Even though I wasn’t sold on the book’s conclusion, the author’s prose set my craving for whatever she writes next. Great debut!

The Winter Sister begins in fourteen-year-old Sylvie’s point-of-view when her older sister Persephone is discovered missing from the home they live in with their mother. Sylvie’s mom breaks down and hides in her room, even before they know Persephone is dead. Everyone suspects boyfriend Ben Emory, the mayor’s son, to have done something to Persephone, especially Sylvie. So much so that she can’t forgive him years later, even when he has moved on with his life, having been released as a suspect and never convicted.

The intense suspense latches on immediately and doles out the hints, forcing the reader to rush for more. Persephone’s murder is discovered early on but the who and what connected with her death isn’t unraveled until the end.

The fallout from that horrible day shaped Sylvie’s life, destroying her childhood and the relationship she had with her mom. Forced to return to her hometown as an adult – that’s when the clues start mounting again. Who killed her sister? Will the killer start to chase Sylvie?

The Winter Sister isn’t listed as New Adult, but I see similarities to what I love about NA. It’s not as angsty as NA, even though there is some of that. I thought I knew the killer by instinct, but there were enough suspects to keep me unsure. A good story that I read quicker than I anticipated. It’s simply written and tightly woven, so I didn’t need to backtrack much due to my drifting brain. It held my attention most of the way through.

I did get annoyed with Sylvie and some of her choices. I thought she used poor judgement where Ben was concerned. There were revelations that weirded me out enough to be uncomfortable with the end of the book. Even though I wasn’t happy with the end, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the author’s style. My impression of the conclusion is more personal choice than anything to do with storytelling.

Sylvie’s mom Annie was an interesting character. I didn’t like her for most of the book, even though I empathized with her cancer treatments, but I was impressed with her redemption. I especially liked how it was tied to her favorite book and Sylvie’s understanding.

The Winter Sister will satisfy fans who gravitate toward a murder mystery while appealing to those who love the nuances of the New Adult sub-genre of romance. It’s not completely New Adult, but the book includes enough of what I love about it to appeal to me in that way. This book fits in many sub-genres of fiction, especially the difficulties between mothers and daughters, that I feel it will appeal to a large percentage of readers. It was just announced that we’ll get another book by Megan Collins in 2020. I’m ready now so the wait will be difficult but expectantly worth it. Notable debut!

Review by Dorine, courtesy of TheZestQuest.com.

This book showed a lot of promise, especially for a debut. The first half of the book was intriguing and had me guessing as to what had happened - who was the murderer. The writing is good with nice descriptions and a steady build-up in the narrative. Then, for me, the story started to drag and the build-up to the reveal seemed to go too long (I had already guessed it long before it was revealed). I never really cared much for the characters so couldn't fully care what happened to them. The last half of the book especially was pretty soap-opera-ish. I still liked the book - just didn't love it. I'll look forward to future writing by this author.

Recently let go from her job as a tattoo artists, Sylvie returns home to care for her mother after years of estrangement. Upon her return, she also has to deal with the many unresolved questions and emotions stemming from her sister’s murder years ago when Sylvie was only 14.

My reactions to The Winter Sister were mixed. On the one hand, it was a very promising debut for author Megan Collins. The story had several layers and twists that kept me turning pages and guessing – although some of the resolution was not a huge surprise. Two factors kept me from really loving this mystery. The first was the familiarity of the theme. To her credit, Collins did add a few new twists but it still seemed as if the plot was too familiar. The other concern is difficult to put into words. As much as I kept turning pages and finished the book quickly, I did not really get caught up in the story or the characters and found myself skimming between the action.

I think there is potential here and hope to give Megan Collins another try with her next book.


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 Stars

I downloaded this because I was in the mood for a mystery, or thriller--something dark and sinister. This was not it. "The Winter Sister" wasn't what I expected it to be, since it was more women's fiction. Though, even if I'd gone in knowing it's more women's fiction than a taut thriller, I would still give it an average rating, because, frankly, it was pretty average.

The writing was okay, it was an easy read which I finished in just a couple sittings after I got through the first 20% or so. I was interested in Sylvie, and her relationship with her mother, Also, I was interested to Persephone, but nothing surprised me. If you've watched a single soap opera for any period of time, then you're going to know all the plot twists.

This one just wasn't great, it wasn't thrilling, it didn't give me chills, it didn't give me those feels that I wanted. And, even from the women's fiction aspect, the characters weren't very intriguing. Their relationships and their dynamics were interesting enough to keep me reading, but not enough to make an impact.

If you're looking for a read to elicit strong feelings from you, and leave you breathless and on edge, then "The Winter Sister" isn't that read, unfortunately.

The Winter Sister is the story of Sylvie coming to terms and solving her sisters murder from 16 years ago. It's also the story of a selfish woman who was too mentally ill and self involved to take care of her children.

Honestly - this book made me MAD. Annie, Sylvie and Persephone's mother, is prone to lock herself away in her bedrooms. She's mean to Persephone and overbearing to Sylvie - UNTIL Persephone is murdered. Annie was just....the worst. And maybe that's the point, but still. I found myself not caring that she was dying throughout the plot of this book.

The plot, itself, follows familiar tropes in thriller novels. Murder, a hard family relationship, coming to terms with growing up, etc etc etc. Megan Collins is a good writer and has the ability to make me care about at least ONE of the characters because everyone else was TERRIBLE. Just...AWFUL people.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

In The Winter Sister, Sylvie returns home to take care of her mother who has cancer.  Once home she has to face past demons regarding the disappearance of her sister, Persephone, as well as her guilt over her own actions the night her sister disappeared.  

Collins excels at setting the atmosphere and tone of the mystery.  She takes advantage of nature to help set the overall feel of the novel.  The family dynamics are skillfully illustrated. Collins keeps the tension at just the right level throughout.  I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this mystery.

Sylvie returns home to care for her ailing mother, 16 years after her sister Persephone's murder, which remains unsolved. It's a plot-line that's been done so many times. And while I don't believe every idea has to be a truly original one, there isn't much unique spin here. I wanted more from this novel. The concept is intriguing, then it falls flat. I never felt emotionally connected to the story or characters. The writing is decent and the mystery is compelling enough to keep me reading. It's not a bad novel by any means, and it isn't a great one. Fans of the generic mystery genre will enjoy this one.