As a book about sister dynamics and domestic drama, this book hits the mark. But as a mystery/thriller it was a miss for me Don't get me wrong, it is still an enjoyable book, but it was clear midway through what was going to happen and just didn't live up to the hype for me.

This is my first Sally Hepworth read but it definitely won’t be the last! It’s easy to get sucked into the story and it’s a thriller that will keep you going until the very end.

Thanks to NetGalley & SMP for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Sally Hepworth book, and she's the author I recommend to patrons looking for Liane Moriarty readalikes. I really enjoyed this book: it starts off as a somewhat complicated family drama, then changes course and becomes a suspenseful thriller! Hepworth has skills and she's not afraid to use them.

Fraternal twins Fern and Rose are very close, and when it seems that Rose is infertile, Fern, who has SPD but is quite independent, if a little odd, decides to get pregnant and give her baby to Rose. There is a secret in the girls' past that means that Fern feels like she owes Rose and needs her care and protection. But is Rose all that she seems?

Loved it and she is now one of my favorite authors.

This might be my favorite Hepworth novel yet--and that's saying something, because I've loved each of her books. The Good Sister is an outstanding story that draws you in and hooks you before you've had time to realize what happened. The book is extremely well-written, and I especially adored two of the characters due to the unique way they viewed the world.

Highly, highly, highly recommended!

My rating: 4 stars

This story is told from the alternating perspectives of fraternal twins Rose and Fern. From the outside it appears as if beautiful, petite Rose has the perfect life: married to her kind and handsome husband, Owen; thriving in her career, and trying to start a family. Meanwhile, Fern - who is on the autism spectrum and has sensory processing disorder - lives a very different life. She works as a librarian and lives a very orderly life with a strict routine and little disruption. Having had a difficult life, growing up in foster care following their mother’s overdose when they were 12, the sisters have always been extraordinarily close, with Rose acting as Fern’s surrogate mom. When Fern meets Rocco Ryan, a tech millionaire who shares some of her autistic traits, it disrupts her perfectly structured routine and her relationship with her sister, revealing the truth behind some long-held secrets between the girls.

That is the basic plot intro for this novel and all I can say without giving anything away. While this is classified as a domestic thriller, I don’t think that genre is quite accurate. I would classify this as high family drama. There are certainly some “mysterious” events, and thrillery bits and pieces, but it is all quite predictable. It was fairly easy to see where the story was going to go pretty early on. What keeps the story interesting is how events affect the sisters’ relationship and exactly what extent Rose will go to to keep Fern beholden to her.

I really enjoyed this book. While it was very easy to figure out exactly what would happen long before anything was revealed, the writing was engaging and the plot was fast-paced. The way the relationship between Fern and Rocco played out was quite enjoyable to read about and I found myself rooting for them. Overall this was a fun read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, interesting story with some drama but nothing too over-the-top.

This is the story of Fern and Rose, fraternal twins. Rose has been taking care of Fern all of her life because she has sensory issues. Rose wants to have a baby and Fern hatches a plan to help her sister out. But things go wrong when something from their past comes out. A pretty good read by Hepworth.

Realized I never gave feedback on this book.
It was a great read! I didn’t see coming the final dynamic of the two sisters. I loved Rose! You can always count on Sally Hepworth for a fantastic book?

Sally Hepworth has mastered the unreliable narrator and slow burn thriller. I enjoyed this tale of two sisters who had wildly different perceptions of their upbringing, which is affected them in adulthood. This novel explores themes such as family, loyalty, perspective, and special needs. I enjoy it the storyline and felt like it was paced well with plot twists throughout. I'm officially a fan!

I have put this one off for quite a while and am now going through my older books and trying to get them done!
I went to see what other reviewers thought of this one and wondered why I didn't read it sooner.

It gives you psychological thriller vibes but once you get into it, it's more of a domestic drama with a sprinkle of crazy. It's about a set of fraternal twins who are opposite on every level. Fern is on the spectrum and Rose is her care giver whether she needs it or not. If you read and loved Eleanor Oliphant, you will love Fern. She is what keeps you wanting to turn the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

It starteda little slow for me, but I ended up really enjoying Fern and Wally and their relationship. Definitely a slow burn type of book. I was screaming at Rose. And truthfully, Fern at times. Hated that the ended wasn't tied up like I wanted to be. But maybe there's more to this one...?

Sooo good! One of my faves to read! Definitely would recommend picking this one up if you see it in the store.

Sally Hepworth always writes such a good thriller. This book was a perfect blend of fun, but also troubled family drama.
This is one of those books where you think you know what is going on the entire time, and then the author flips you on your head and shocks you. A very interesting read and this author is always on a must buy list for me. Will definitely recommend this one to others and friends.

I listened to the audio and read along with the book and I feel it made me enjoy this so much more. The characters seemed to come to life as I was taken deeper into the story of these twin sisters, their present and past lives, and once I reached the end I could have popped myself when I realized what was going on because I felt I should have seen it but didn't. Anyhow it was a race to the ending about middle ways in. I just had to find out what happened! An emotional and heartwarming story.

Very suspenseful with a great plot twist. the characters are intriguing and well written. The story itself is quite gripping and keeps your interest. Will surely be recommending this book to patrons at the public library where I work!

I’m late to the game with Sally Hepworth books, but I’m sure glad I’m playing now. Love the suspense, the wondering who to trust, and how quickly I lost myself in The Good Sister. If you need a weekend book or something to pull you out of a reading slump, grab The Good Sister.

What a wild ride this was! This is one of Hepworth's darker books but still so good. The characters draw you in and you can't stop reading until all the pieces come together!

This was a very good book. Written well. It was slightly hard to follow along with at first, but I pushed through and it got so much better.

Absolutely loved this one! Fantastic characters and a great plot! I can’t remember the last time I devoured a book this fast!

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

324 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: April 13, 2021

Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Autism, Mental Health Issues, Family Dynamics

Fern and Rose were sisters growing up with their non-participating mother. She had many boyfriends while they were growing up, but the girls were really on their own. Her last boyfriend, Daniel, had a son, Billy, around the girls age. On a camping trip something terrible happened that would change the course of their lives.

Fern, is a sensitive person. She needs order and doesn’t like loud noises or bright lights. She has a job at the local library. Rose takes a vacation to England to try and patch things up with her last boyfriend. She really wants a baby and that pushed him away. Fern wants to help Rose and decides she will get pregnant for Rose since Rose takes care of her so much of the time. She meets a man that looks like the guy from “Where’s Wally (Waldo in the United States).” He lives in a van and uses the shower facilities at the library. Fern becomes very interested in him because he is sensitive like she is. When she begins spending time with him, Rose becomes upset thinking he is trying to take advantage of Fern.

The book has a good pace, the characters are well developed, and the book is in the first person point of view from two different perspectives. I love Fern. She has no filter and says what she means. Rose is strong but is she really a caring person. This book left me speechless. I never expected the turn of events. I have read other books by this author and this one is as good as all the others. If you like books about family dynamics with a twist here and a turn there, you will enjoy this book.

I loved this book! It was suspenseful without being scary and the twist at the end was so unexpected! Sally has done it again and I can't wait to read her next book!