What a roller coaster of a book. TW: child abuse is a rather large part of the story.

Four sisters who can rely on each other for anything need to lean on each other as their lives have not been easy. I kept reading to find out what happens in the end. A great psychological thriller that will keep you guessing!

The bigger the secret...the deeper the lies...

Four sisters - Tess, Bobbi, Alexis and Sarah - were born years apart and, though very different personalities, remain close now that they are adults. Because something happened when they were children that drew them together and kept them bonded throughout their lives. Even a shadow of a memory can still be as vivid today as the day it happened, as it did for the sisters. One of them endured a twisted kind of depravity whilst another suffered her own trauma silently. And yet it affected all of them.

Over three decades later, Tess is married to a philandering sixty-two year old who she herself had stolen from his previous wife; Bobbi is happily married to Craig, a heavy vehicle driver and a life and sanity saver, who helps keep their family together while she works long hours as a social worker; Alexis, a paramedic, is a emotional anxious wreck with two husbands behind her and a train wreck of broken relationships; and then there is Sarah, the youngest of them all who probably suffered the least of them, is a gym instructor and personal trainer who has her own happy news to impart which she fears will once again be overshadowed by Alexis' drama...again.

A face from the past is splashed across the local newspapers with the news that after an emotional court case the judge had deemed the case against him to be weak and unable to convict him, freeing him to offend again. Gary Philpotts is a serial offender who began his deviant path in his teens and, although he has been jailed for drug possession and dealing, has never been found guilty or convicted or served time for the abhorrent atrocities he has committed over several decades.

When the sisters get wind of his all-but-acquittal, they are livid. How could he get away with such crimes for so long? Everyone knows what he was capable of, what he was guilty of, and yet the police failed to make any charges stick. And so the sisters call an emergency meeting for mutual support. But one of them secretly takes things further...

But he wasn't the only man guilty of abuse. How many others deserve punishment for their sins?

MY SISTER'S SECRET is very different from what I expected. It was a slow burn to begin with that I did wonder if it was every going to pick up. I think it took almost 30% before the sisters actually convened to discuss the shocking development they just discovered. After that, the pace did pick up a little more but it is not fast pace page turner. More like a casual stroll that allows you to uncover little tidbits along the way.

The story itself is quite character driven and for once we are spared the teenage angst from the moody 15 year old who turns out to be not so bad. The story unfolds through the eyes of each sister throughout, with an odd unnamed first person narrative who battles their own trauma and memories whilst trying to maintain their every day mask. You don't know which of the sisters this anonymous narrative is but I did narrow it down fairly early on. And yet their identity isn't revealed until the very end. There are several red herrings to throw you off track but don't be fooled by them...or the false sense of security you may feel. Because this is one heck of a family drama of massive proportions.

The subject matter is one that is incredibly emotive but Saxon handles it sensitively without any graphic description...more nuance and innuendo which more than give the reader the idea. Also a nod to the author for including herself a mention in the plot.

MY SISTER'S SECRET is filled with secrets throughout...but which one of the sisters has the biggest secret?

Overall, a good solid read that was entertaining despite the slow start which ends up being a highly charged and emotional read.

Can you guess the sister?

Trigger warning: rape, child abuse, molestation.

I would like to thank #DianeSaxon, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #MySistersSecret in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

This is was a emotional book told from the POV from 4 sisters Tess, Bobbi, Alexis and Sarah that are now grown and are living their own lives. But when they learn that Gary Philpotts a man they knew from their childhood is being released on a technicality on sometime he did two of the sisters are not ok with that ruling so they decide to get together and that’s when some of the sisters secrets come out that they were unaware of and once they hear what happened they discuss what they are going to do to him. But does one of them think he deserves more of a punishment follow them and see what happens. This author does a great job writing about such a sensitive subject and telling you about the characters and what they are feeling

This is incredibly well written, intense story. It makes you emotional as well as cringe at times. The story starts slowly as it tells the story of the family dynamics and repercussions of the tragedies that impacted Sarah, Alexis, Bobbi and Tess. Each sister deals with what life throws their way differently. As the story progresses, pedophiles that escaped justice start having tragic accidents. The mystery is which one of the sisters is meting out their brand of righteousness. Each has their own reasons why it could be them. and it is only at the end do you find out which one it is.

This book was so well written. It describes the trauma and lasting effects after a child was raped. It goes through the shame and guilt and fear that you hide the truth and then how it affects the family. Four sisters and four secrets and how far you will go for your family.

Filled with family drama, secrets, shame and revenge this book was a quick read.

I love how the author doesn’t sugar coat the drama and vigilante justice to rid the world of those who have gotten away with hurting children.

That was good. A story about child abuse but also about family, relationships and retribution. A story about four sisters, Bobbi, Alexis, Tess and Sarah - all very different but still family. A story about the traumatic and lifelong effects of a terrible event that happened when she was only 9 years old. Well written and despite the dreadful topic it is dealt with sensitivity and is not overly graphic.

Briefly, the guilty man was never charged and someone is going to right the wrong. But he wasn’t the only man guilty of abuse. How many other men deserve punishing for their sins?

We learn so much about each of the girls and their mother and they are all so different. But al of them is hiding secrets; some of them much bigger secrets than you could ever imagine. This is so twisty I just couldn’t decide who was punishing the perpetrator- I don’t know how many times I changed my mind. A highly charged and emotional read. A great psychological thriller. 4.5⭐️

My Sister's Secret by Diane Saxon is a highly recommended psychological thriller.

Four sisters, Tess, Bobbi, Alexis, and Sarah, were born years apart and all very different adults, but they are still bonded together. The bond is over their childhood but also something awful that happened to one of the girls. Unknown to the others, another sister also experienced a trauma. They crossed paths with Gary Philpotts. One was molested and threatened while another was raped. Authorities were never contacted, but Philpotts was charged for another incident and they have kept track of him. When he is released on a technicality, the sisters call an emergency meeting for mutual support. Only one of them secretly takes things a bit further....

Saxon does an excellent job describing and establishing the background to her characters and bringing them to life. All the sisters were believable, fully realized and unique characters. Readers will have to pay attention to the sister's ages (and Bobbi's children) at the beginning to keep them all sorted out as the novel progresses.

The narrative in My Sister's Secret is told through the point-of-view of the sister's individually and also one of the sisters when she was a nine-year-old child and now as an adult. Her story is the beginning of the insight into what the sister's experienced and kept secrets concerning. There is an awful experience that bonded the sisters and kept them close.

Both the subject matter and the plot are emotionally charged. The novel is well-written and will immediately pull readers into the worlds of the sisters and their concerns. Once you start reading My Sister's Secret you will definitely be compelled to keep reading. There are a few incidences that require you to suspend disbelief, but you will gladly do so in order to find out what happens next. This is a very dark but entertaining novel that serves up a certain type of justice and it is up to the reader to decide if it is appropriate.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Boldwood Books via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Amazon.

I’d like to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘My Sister’s Secret’ by Diane Saxon in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

‘My Sister’s Secret’ is the story of four sisters, Tess, Bobbi, Alexis and Sarah, and the abuse they suffered in childhood yet kept to themselves. Now they’re adults with their own lives and families, and justice is eventually being handed out to those responsible for inflicting pain on them so many years ago.

This is one of those thrillers that starts with a bang and has had me gripped from the first page to the last, so involved with the plot and characters that I haven’t been able to stop reading. The four sisters are perfectly described and come to life as the story unfolds, and the unexpected events and twists and turns make this an intriguing and captivating thriller. Throughout the story I’ve been pondering on the identity of the person involved in righting the wrongs dealt out to the sisters but it isn’t until the final astounding twist that all is revealed which comes as a shock and is completely unexpected. This is an intricately woven thriller, written by an exceptionally talented author who’s become a firm favourite of mine. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading it and can wholeheartedly recommend it.

Like all the other books that I have read by this author it is a brilliant read that I didn't want to put down. I found it intense. gripping and thoroughly entertaining. The descriptions of the child abuse were dealt with without being too harrowing but also with emotion. No spoilers but the ending blew me away

Thanks to boldwood books and netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. It took a while for me to get into this book, but I'm glad i persevered.. lots of twists and turns. Subject is of a sensitive nature, but is well written

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This book is a page-turner, and it definitely kept me hooked with its twists and turns. The story covered some delicate topics.

It was interesting to see how each sisters secrets were looked into, which made you think if you was in same situation, how would you react.

It was Unputdownable and was read in almost one sitting.

I recommend this book.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Diane Saxon for the opportunity to read an advance copy of MY SISTER’S SECRET, to be published 19 January 2023. This thriller was a good one in that it had a different storyline but was full of twists and unexpected turns right to the end. The narrative could have been a bit more lively throughout the novel, but all in all, it was an excellent read. Those who enjoy family dynamics and murder will likely enjoy this mystery. #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks #DianeSaxon #MySister’sSecret

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another good read from Diane Saxon. She is great at writing psychological thrillers. Excellent.

The bigger the secret, The deeper the lies.
Alexis saw Gary Philpotts face on that newspaper and crumbled.
Her sisters Bobbi, Tess and Sarah were called in for a meeting.
They didn't tell, it's the darkest secret.
Gary Philpotts has walked free again.
And Alexis is no longer a child, he has to pay.
He's not the only one.
This book gripped me in from the start, WOW what a twisted story that you won't be abled to leave alone.
I totally loved it, with characters that you love and hate.
Lots of heavy secrets unfold and you just love it chapter after chapter.
A brilliant book once again from this author.

Definitely love a great thriller with unexpected twists and turns. Hard to find them these days with so many on the market. This is my first book by Diane Saxon and I’ll be back for more! Perfect weekend read!

**TRIGGER WARNING**

My childhood memories before that fateful day are gone. Extinguished. The aftermath has become a living nightmare with guilt that runs so deep that I'm not sure I can ever tell anyone. I fear I've left it too late. The burden of my secret and the hurt and the pain that silence cost each and every member of my family is too overwhelming. But if you can't avoid fate and now, I have the opportunity to right the wrongs inflicted on us.

This story makes you question what you would do if you found yourself in a similar situation. Four sisters who all have their own secret. We get a little backstory to show why the sisters are the way they are. Just when you think you know what's happening, a curve ball comes along and knocks you sideways. As the secrets are revealed, more violence occurs. I was quickly pulled into this fast-paced psychological thriller, and I could not put it down.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #DianeSaxon for my ARC of #MySistersSecret in exchange for an honest review.

An emotionally charged read.
A family with secrets which i must admit i struggled to get into for a while as i it took me a while to understand who was who.
Well worth concentrating on and i thank netgalley and the publisher for my copy.
A worthy 4 star rating from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic book. This Book was so addictive it was hard to put down. An excellent storyline and an extremely well written book. 5* from me.

Four sisters grapple with the past and the horrific events that changed them forever while the men who committed those acts are made to pay. But by whom?

I loved this story. Excellent writing. Well-developed characters. So many twists and turns. A great and emotional thriller.

This book kept my attention from the start and I liked that all the sister’s lives were included in the story but it’s not until later that the first victim was revealed and it suddenly took off in a different direction. I’ve only read a few books by Diane Saxon but have enjoyed them as much as this one. I’ll definitely be reading a lot more of her books next year.