Deception and lies, OH MY! Loved this book! Will recommend to everyone, so many twists and nothing was as it seemed

The Perfect Sister by Stephanie DeCarolis is a page-turning psychological thriller that will make you question just how well you know your family. The story revolves around two sisters, Isabelle and Sarah—one is seemingly perfect, the other struggling with personal demons. When Isabelle turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, Sarah must piece together the tangled web of secrets her sister left behind. And, of course, she’s about to discover that "perfect" might just be a very, very dangerous illusion.

DeCarolis nails the tension throughout, weaving a slow-burn mystery that escalates into a thrilling crescendo. The characters are rich and complex, with Sarah’s emotional journey—riddled with guilt, jealousy, and self-doubt—making her a compelling and relatable narrator. As Sarah digs deeper, the book provides just enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes without veering into the realm of absurdity.

The pacing can occasionally drag, especially as the emotional weight of Sarah’s inner turmoil takes center stage, but the eventual payoff is worth it. The ending, while satisfying, doesn’t quite leave you gasping for air, but it’s a solid, well-executed resolution.

If you enjoy family dramas with dark secrets and plenty of suspense, The Perfect Sister is a thrilling ride. Just don’t be too quick to assume you know who the “perfect” one really is.

A gripping psychological thriller about family secrets, rivalry, and betrayal. The story keeps readers on edge with its sharp twists and complex characters. DeCarolis expertly builds tension, making it a captivating read for fans of dark, suspenseful dramas.

This book had a really slow beginning and I wanted to finish it so I would read it on the treadmill. After about the first half of the book, I was sucked in, The secrets, the lies, the complicated family dynamics made it all worth it in the end. This is definitely a book that will take its time to build up to the moment but it was all worth it in the end. I'm super late to the review and I read it last year so the review is going to be short. I contemplated DNFing this multiple times but the characters had a hold on me. I wanted to know what sinister plans they were up to. The ones you believe are good aren't and the ones you hate, you will start to pity. That is a skill that only amazing storytellers and writers have. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I'm so happy I finished it.

A thrilling book set in the hamptons where nothing is as it seems. This is a gripping tale, full of deception, lies, and murder that unveils the dark secrets lurking beneath the pristine surface of this affluent vacation paradise.

We follow Alex's journey to find her sister Madison, who seems to have vanished while spending her summer working in the Hamptons. She was last seen at Blackwell Manor, so Alex immerses herself within the dysfunctional family of the Blackwells which seems to be putting her into danger of going missing just like Madison. The story is told through multiple points of view so, we can easily see why Alex is having a hard time figuring out who she can trust.

The author has done an amazing job creating a tense atmosphere that we have so many twists and turns into the plot that the reader is in a constant sense of suspense. The characters and pace are fabulous. The Hamptons themselves come alive as a battleground of lies and ambitions. There is a sharp idea about the length people will go to maintain appearances and hide their pasts. It's a stark reminder that behind the gates of wealth and privilege, everyone still has something to hide.

This book will give a thrilling ride to fans of psychological thrillers and murder mysteries. The rich character development, tense atmosphere and unpredictable twists make it a page-turner until the very end.

I am extremely grateful to Random House Publishing Ballentine for granting me access to a digital copy of this fabulous book through Netgalley. All of the opinions in this review are my own.

I love a good mystery! This book was so engaging, told in multpile POV's with quick chapters to really keep the book moving. The characters were all interesting and key parts of the story. A classic story of a family with too much money, drama and trauma, filled with secrets. There's a lot of twists in this one!

Thanks for the digital copy!

How well do you really know your sister?

Alex and Maddie were as close as sisters can be. Their bond strengthened when their father left them and their mother. But when Maddie tells Alex she can’t make it to her birthday, a promise Maddie made to never miss, and then failed to call Alex on her birthday, Alex knew something was wrong.

After unreturned calls, Alex makes the trip to the Hamptons to find out where her sister is. When Alex arrives, she is introduced to the Blackwell family, where Maddie resided before she went missing, and where Alex resides in her search for her missing sister.

The book is written in several POV’s and at times becomes confusing in terms of time references and relevancy which was somewhat distracting and caused the story to progress slower then need be. With that being said, there was suspicion cast on everyone that you’re introduced to and the ending was unexpected in a good way. Although this was not my favorite writing style, the twists and turns were engaging and the ending made up for the issues in the beginning chapters.


3.5⭐️


Thanks to Netgally for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I was so impressed with this book! Essentially, Maddie goes missing in the Hamptons. Her younger sister, Alex, heads to the Hamptons to try to find her. Um, and then a million storylines develop! Told through multiple points of view sharing multiple plot lines, all of these stories should not work or realistically come together. But they do! And with lots of surprising twists. This story did not play out at all like I expected. It was jaw dropping right up to the end!

This book was enjoyable as I was reading it, but ultimately pretty forgettable in the sea of "main character looking for her missing sister" books that seem to have been published in the past 6 months.

The premise of this book sounded so good. I had such high hopes.
Alex goes out to the Hamptons in search of her sister. Her sister, Maddie, befriended a rich family and ends up staying with them.The story is told in multiple POV’s. However, this book fell so flat for me. It was so hard to get through. The book felt too long. The different things so outlandish but also you could totally see them coming. Was not a favorite for me.

The one good thing about it was the cover of the book. It’s a great cover and I definitely thought the book would have been better.

The Perfect Sister is a stand-alone read about a missing sister. This book was pretty predictable despite all the twists and turns to try to make it interesting. This is the second book I have read by this author. The Guilty Husband was really good and had me looking forward to this one, but it just did not have the same pull that the other book had.

If this is the first one you read, I am sure you will find it interesting and worth reading. For me, it just didn't do anything for me this time around.

A woman searches for her missing sister in the Hamptons. They setting is idyllic, the mystery is intriguing and there are a lot of surprises. Overall an entertaining read.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review an electronic ARC of this book.

Thriller that takes place in the Hampton's, amongst the rich. Their lives can be deceiving. I enjoyed this story.

3.75/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Perfect Sister is a captivating mystery thriller that dives into the complex relationship between two sisters and their tumultuous past. When one of them goes missing, the story unfolds with twists, turns, and dual POVs that kept me turning pages.

I enjoyed the engaging writing and the well-drawn character portrayals. However, the storyline felt a bit predictable to me, which tempered my overall excitement.

This was my first read by this author, and I’m intrigued enough to explore more of her work.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #ThePerfectSister, Stephanie DeCarolis and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC. All opinions are my own and freely expressed.

#BookReview #MysteryThriller #ThrillerBooks #DualPOV #NetGalleyReview #ThePerfectSister #Bookstagram #BookLover #ARCReview #ThrillerAddict #MysteryAddict #BooksBooksBooks

This story takes place in the Hamptons …so you know there is rich people drama involved!! Alex is looking for her missing sister Maddie. Alex knows Maddie was living living in the pool house at the estate of James Blackwell’s’ . James was the last person to see Maddie alive..or was he?

This story involves multiple POV’s but it was easy to stay connected to the characters and the storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery of trying to figure out what happened to Alex’s sister Maddie, the story was solid and here were some great twists that caught me by surprise. The biggest one towards the end and I was caught off guard. The ending was suspenseful & compelling.
This is the first book I've read from this author, I would really like to explore more of her other books because I did enjoy her writing style.

This was a great book. Alex is determined to find her sister after she stops responding to her. She shows up at her last place of work in the Hamptons determined to figure out what happened. Many twists and turns along the way.

Alex and Maddie Walker, sisters only a year apart, were once inseparable. However, as they grew older, a chasm began to widen between them. Despite this, they had made a pact to spend at least a week of the summer together every year. This summer, Maddie unexpectedly canceled their plans. Then, Alex couldn’t reach her at all, so she embarked on a journey to a luxurious community in the Hamptons, determined to find her sister.

Alex knew that Maddie was drifting away, especially after they shared a tragic and life-changing event. She found herself at the opulent home of the Blackwell family, where Maddie had supposedly been staying. Everyone she spoke to assured her that Maddie had left. As Alex delved deeper into the mystery, she began to uncover clues that only added to the intrigue and suspense.

The story unfolds through multiple perspectives, including Maddie’s, Alex’s, and members of the Blackwell family. While the Blackwells appeared to have it all, Alex sensed a darkness lurking beneath their seemingly perfect facade. As the story shifts between perspectives, it truly takes shape, revealing a captivating and engaging narrative that I devoured in one sitting.

Many thanks to Bantam and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. The beginning was a bit slow. While we needed the backstory to be able to keep up, it just felt liked it dragged at first.
Once we got into the mystery of it all, it definitely kept moving. Everyone had had secrets and it added to all the twists and tension. And I was totally surprised by the ending.

I really enjoyed this read!! I felt it had a Great plot and characters and I would absolutely recommend!!

I kinda guessed the big plot twist, but everything else was a huge surprise to me. I love the sister relationship between the two girls.