This novel is as twisty and fast-paced as other Hepworth novels with another storyline woven in about their past.
One sister, Fern, had done something terrible when the girls were younger, and Rose has always protected her from those events. Now that Rose wants a child, but has issues conceiving, Fern will stop at nothing to help her sister get the child she has always wanted.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good thriller.

The Good Sister is about twin sisters who are not identical in any way. They were very close growing up and remain close as adults. Rose has taken care of Fern for most of their lives. Fern has sensory issues and likes her days to be routine with no changes. Rise is always there to take care of her when she runs into problems. This book has many twists and turns from love to hate and lies. I really end
Joyed it. This is my second book by this author and I can not wait for her next one!

Sally Hepworth has quickly become such a favorite author of mine! Terrific story, compelling characters, likeable even! Twists, turns and lots of secrets. Nothing disturbing or violent, which I've come to appreciate. Always look forward to reading her books

A truly harrowing tale...superb work by the author. Things are not always as they seem.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

For those of us with sisters, it’s easy to relate to a sister who tries to control us and then at times tries to protect us. It seems Rose was protective of her sensory-sensitive sister Fern. She seemed to try to take care of her. Things began to change as the story went on. I never imagined the twisted plot that would come about when Fern began making her own choices and distancing herself from her controlling sister. What a great read!

I absolutely loved (!) Sally Hepworth's first novel, The Mother in Law, so I suspected that I would enjoy reading her second novel, The Good Sister. Holy cow - not only did I enjoy it, I thought it was better than the first! Well done Ms. Hepworth!

We are first introduced to Fern and Rose and it becomes apparent that Fern is somewhere "on the spectrum." I add quotations because it's never stated but implied. She leads a very simple life, works very quietly in the library, avoids bright lights, crowds and loud noises and this is before COVID so, you know, she's a little different. Hmmm, she also sounds a LOT like me. Her sister Rose, on the other hand, is presented as the very responsible twin. We're not to trust Fern, of course, because of her issues and Rose has to do so much to care for Fern. Their life has been difficult, their mother was, well, also difficult so the two of them are very co-dependent. Rose is unable to have children and Fern gets the bright idea to have a child for Rose if she only can find a sperm donor who will agree. Little did the two sisters realize that Ferns decision to have a baby would turn their lives upside down!

Oh gosh, so many innuendoes, so many twists and subtle hints and still I wasn't sure until the end how this one was going to turn out! I truly loved this one think you will as well. It's domestic noir at its finest!!

I could not put this book down! This is the first book I have read by Sally Hepworth and I will definitely be looking for more of her books. Rose and Fern are twin sisters who may very well be too close! This story unfolds as your hear thoughts from each sister. Rose the responsible protector and Fern the socially awkward quirky sister who needs a protector....or does she?! There are so many twists and turns and truly unpredictable moments, I was up late because I had to see what happened next. I loved Fern with her candor and loved watching her grow in confidence. This is one of the best books I have read this year and I will be recommending this to my friends.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Wow! What a book!

Predictable sappy beach read that I read sitting outside in one beautiful end of summer day and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I LOVED this book! Such an excellent story of the twisted side of sisterhood. What makes a good sister? And in this story, WHO, exactly, is the "good" sister? So many twists and turns, you never know what's going to happen next.

"From the outside, everyone might think Fern and Rose are as close as twin sisters can be: Rose is the responsible one, with a home and a husband and a fierce desire to become a mother. Fern is the quirky one, the free spirit, the librarian who avoids social interaction and whom the world might just describe as truly odd. But the sisters are devoted to one another and Rose has always been Fern's protector from the time they were small.

Fern needed protecting because their mother was a true sociopath who hid her true nature from the world, and only Rose could see it. . . .When Fern decides to help her sister achieve her heart's desire of having a baby, Rose realizes with growing horror that Fern might make choices that can only have a terrible outcome. What Rose doesn't realize is that Fern is growing more and more aware of the secrets Rose, herself, is keeping."

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

All the stars for this domestic thriller about two fraternal twins!!!

Fern has a quiet life, and that's exactly the way she likes it. She works part time at the local library, and schedules time during the week to spend with her sister. Fern is on the spectrum, and sensitive to loud noises or crowds. She depends on Rose to help her navigate through life. Or does she?

Behind this veneer of sisterly love are secrets galore. When Rose travels to Europe for a few weeks, Fern meets an eccentric stranger at the library, and her world becomes a little more colorful. Suddenly she's more than just content - she's happy. But Rose isn't happy for Fern.

We learn from Rose's diary that the sisters had a traumatic upbringing, with neglect and abuse galore. But what really happened when the twins were children? And who is actually telling the truth?

I haven't read a good psychological thriller in a long time, and this one was fun! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

5 star read alert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It isn't even 2021 yet, and I know I have one of my favorite books of next year. Thank you to the always lovely @sallyhepworth and @stmartinspress for the gifted ARC of The Good Sister.
This book was perfect. I don't even know where to begin. From the very first paragraph my attention was grabbed, and I did not stop. While I figured out what was going on early in the book, I didn't care because this book is just so damn deviously perfect! Who doesn't love a good "figure out who the narcisst is". Anyone with a sibling will think twice before they hug them again after reading this one!

This book was fantastic! The characters, Rose and Fern, were well developed and it was easy to get lost in the story and events of their lives. The suspense really builds up with each chapter and had me constantly wondering what twists would come next. I also enjoyed reading a story where the main character is neurodivergent - as someone who works with people with ASD I thought Fern’s character was beautifully written in a way that normalized her “quirks.” Highly recommend!!

A great twisty domestic thriller with unreliable twin sisters as narrators. The author forces the readers right from the beginning to keep guessing and doubting about who really is the good sister among the twins - Rose and Fern. There is a sweet, cute and romantic subplot between Fern and Rocco. Their past and upbringing unravel the complicated relationship between the twins even though they appear outwardly to be in sync. One sister is so devious that she does so many extreme things the readers will shudder to think of.

Definitely an engrossing page-turner with some good twists and suspense!

Trigger warnings: Sexual abuse, Overdose

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy!

I was leery of reading this book because of the word good in the title and I thought it would be another good girl type of book that everyone is trying to write. I’m glad I did not listen to my instincts I read this book in three settings and found it to be creative and exciting full of really fun twists

This was another enjoyable read from Sally Hepworth, although not at the same level as some of her other books which I could not put down (the mother in law is a must read!) Again, Hepworth masterfully develops her characters and leaves you so invested. Where this fell short was, being a suspense novel, I found the story was easily predicted. That being said, getting to the end of the book was still captivating and had me flipping pages quickly to see how it played out with her engrossing story telling. Would recommend for the story not for the twist.

AAAAHHHHHH! OMG! This book! Wow, just finished it and I know my husband is very happy that I will now speak to him after spending most of the day reading it! Just an amazing story. I love Fern and I love “Wally”. I was so hoping that things would work out for them. A good description of a life affected by limitations of sensory, touch, etc... Quite the twist with who you think the good sister really is. Talk about a page turner! Fantastic.

I really enjoyed this book! I was expecting a straightforward thriller, but of course, Sally Hepworth always offers *so* much more than that. I loved the main character, Fern, and I loved the representation of a non-neurotypical main character. Her relationship with Wally was so sweet and tender, and the twists and turns with Fern's familial relationships kept me totally hooked until the end.

Siblings, perhaps the most complicated relationship there is. Rose and Fern are twins with a dark past that includes a tragic death and a toxic mother. Fern, has always relied on Rose for companionship, guidance, and comfort. However, when Fern decides to carry a child for her sister, we realize everything may not be as it seems. I loved the alternating stories and the second half definitely had me turning the page.

I just loved this book! I fell in love with Fern for her little quirks and brutal simpleness, something we could all learn from, and was able to relate to her sensory sensitivity since I have a family member on the spectrum. With all the twist and turns throughout this book I felt protective over fern and was wanting to reach out take over. This story really sucked me in and was such an original. I fell in love with Wally and how much he cared for Fern. The twist at the end made this boom a bit of a thriller for me and I loved it n

The story of fraternal twins Fern and Rose. Fern is on the autism spectrum and has sensory challenges. She works in the public library and avoids social gatherings. Rose is married, a Type 1 diabetic, infertile, and fiercely protective of her sister.

The sisters were raised by a single mom who was a substance abuser and homeless for a period of time. While homeless, the small family would sleep in their car and spend the day in the library. The library became their living room and substitute for school.

The sisters recall events from their childhood very differently. Who is the unreliable narrator? The reader discovers pieces of the puzzle bit by bit as the story unfolds and suspense builds.

At first, I found Fern to be irritating, but she grew on me. Readers who liked “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” will enjoy this book. I especially appreciated the role that the library played in the lives of the sisters – both during their unstable childhood and later as Fern’s employer. The book is a celebration of all that a library can be within a community.