Sisters Before Misters - Amelia Diane Coombs
Pub Date - 10/7/25
Rating - 3/5
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley, the author, Thomas & Mercer, and Brilliance Audio | Brilliance Publishing for this gifted e-advanced copy/audiobook in exchange for my honest review. I really like this series! It resonates with me because I am one of three sisters and love the adventures they get up to. This installment of the series was also equally as fun along with humorous at times. I chose to listen to this book and loved the narrator. She played the voices perfectly and kept me engaged in the story. The storyline focuses on a Remi (the main character)'s brother in law going missing the night after halloween when she saw her sister and him fighting before heading home. Everything spirals as we find out what happened, why, and what the sisters will do next. While entertaining, the storyline was not mind blowing. Great series and can't wait for the next one!

Remi, Maeve, and Eliana are all set for a fun sisters’ night when—bam!—Eliana’s soon-to-be ex causes the fun to end. From there, the chaos (and fun) kicks off. Of course, the sisters band together like only they can, and I loved every second of it. The mystery kept me flipping pages, and the laughs had me hooked. Can’t wait to see what kind of trouble these three dive into next!

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Sisters Before Misters is the second mystery by Amelia Diane Coombs featuring the Finch sisters: Eliana, Maeve, and Remi. It is Halloween evening and the sisters are back together to celebrate Eliana's divorce from Chad, but he still hasn't signed the papers. After he goes missing, the sisters must follow the clues to find him and clear Eliana from any suspicion.

Although this book could be read as a standalone, I personally enjoyed having read Drop Dead Sisters first to gain the sisters' history and character development. This book has dark comedy, suspense, and mystery mixed with a little family drama. The sisters dynamics are laugh out loud funny and the twists kept me on my toes. Were there times I needed to suspend reality a little bit? Sure, but overall an entertaining read and a series that I will continue to follow.

Thanks NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to have an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Love the title, love the cover, love the dynamic among the sisters. I liked the first book but didn't love it. This was much better and funnier. When we first meet Detective "Thirst" Trapp - and the way they talk about him when they get back to Remi's house - laugh out loud hilarious. Are parts of this ridiculous? Yes, particularly the character of Aunt Lindy, whom I could have done without. There was no tension even at the very end when the "bad guy" appears. But if you're looking for a cozy mystery with a delightful sisterhood, this one's for you. I will definitely continue this series.

In this installment of The Finch Sisters, the sisters investigate the disappearance of Eliana's soon to be ex-husband. The crime was less compelling than in the first book. The reason for not immediately calling the police made more sense in the first book, and overall it had more hijinks. There really wasn't a good enough reason for the sisters to involve and hinder the official investigation in this book.

For this type of unserious crime book, I personally need more humor. There just isn't any laugh out loud humor or funny dark humor. I'm also not connected to the sisters, and for a book like this you need compelling characters. Everyone is very surface level. This series misses the mark to make it a standout in this subgenre. That being said, it was a quick, easy read that was mildly entertaining.

Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me an arc of book 2!

I LOVE these sisters! the dark humor and love only sisters can have really reflects on the page, and I am truly hoping there will be a book 3!!!

This second Finch sisters cozy was even more fun than their first adventure, if not as wacky. The three sisters were not always close, but after a camping/murder outing they are trying to overcome the pre-determined family script and actually get to know each other.

The oldest sister, Eliana, puts out a call for help and asks Maeve and Remi to meet her at her almost ex-husband's condo. Since Eli never asks anybody for anything and is militantly self-sufficient, they race over only to find no sign of the ex, but a bloody mess and a partial body part. The ensuing action hinges on their desire to find out what happened, even if the other two sisters are not 100% certain that Eli didn't off her husband. Remi, the youngest and always the spare wheel, has dealt with the crippling anxiety of the last book and is in a solid relationship with Leo. Maeve also appears to have everything together, but appearances can be deceiving.

There is a lot of humor along the way in their interactions, but also some serious work among the three to be there for each other and see their sisters as they really are. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Have you encountered a book that’s just…fun to read? Well, for me, the latest novel to scratch that particular itch was Amelia Diane Coombs’s new mystery, Sister’s Before Misters. It promised humor, hijinks, and a case centered on the disappearance of Chad, Eliana’s lousy, soon-to-be ex-husband.

The sisters were quirky and eccentric, and the dynamic between them was chaotic and entertaining. Remi, who defaulted to humor no matter what was going on, but she really wanted to be included, relied on, and have a sense of closeness with her older sisters. Business savvy Maeve built a lucrative social media/brand empire. And Eliana, whose perfect façade started to show more and more cracks after her ex refused to sign the divorce papers and she becomes the number one suspect in his disappearance.

Throughout the novel, the sisters bickered and cracked jokes at each other. When it comes to humor in novels, I’ve found that it can be particular and subjective. And while the jokes in Sisters Before Misters didn’t always land (for me), there were a few instances I found funny.

I was mainly here for the mystery, though, and it was the part of the book that I found the most fun to engage with. What I assumed was a straightforward whodunit, quickly went off-the-rails and headed into a few surprising directions (which I won’t spoil).

At the end of the day, Sisters Before Misters was a fun mystery with some humor, which also explored the relationship between three sisters.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Thomas & Mercer) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of the book.

The story line was fun and the witty writing style was really enjoyable.
The second part was really good and rightly paced. The first half of the book was good and developed the part well.
There are too many references to the first book of the series and unfortunately I didn't read the first one.
Felt the book could be bit shorter.

"A missing husband, a sister acting sus, and a tantalizing tangle of lies - well, there goes Remi's plan for a chill Halloween.

Remi and her sisters, Maeve and Eliana, have a knack for stumbling into murder mysteries. And after a killer family camping trip last year, they're back together for a Halloween they'll never forget.

Remi is living her best life in Seattle until Eliana's husband, Chad, who refused to sign their divorce papers, disappears on the spookiest night of the year. Eliana swears she has no idea where he is, though her obvious motive and weird behavior don't really weigh in her favor. Nor does the severed finger they find in his house...

Torn between loyalty to her sister and mounting suspicions she can't ignore, Remi and her boyfriend, Leo, embark on a manhunt to find Chad - or the rest of him. But the further Remi digs into Chad's movements on Halloween, the more trouble she finds. With a ruthless detective on their tail, threatening texts, a mysterious flash drive, and dubious legal advice from a kooky aunt, the Finch sisters are in over their head. But Remi is determined to prove her sister's innocent, even though the bloody evidence points right at her."

Does the severed finger point right at her? I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this riveting and enjoyable eARC.

I read Sisters Before Misters yesterday, when I was sick in bed with the flu, and it not only kept my interest - there were even a few hair raising moments where I thought no one in the family would make it out of this story alive. On top of everything though was that during a hard day this enjoyable read provided me with numerous scenarios that literally made me laugh out loud.

5 stars from this reviewer, for this refreshing read, and I will look for more from this author.

The Finch sisters are back and once again find themselves tangled in a delicate—but oh-so-perilous—situation that made book two another FIVE STAR read for me! Engaging, witty, and brimming with the kind of banter I adore, this sequel also gives us a deeper peek at Remi, Maeve, and Eliana after the wild events of Drop Dead Sisters. And let me tell you—I was left wanting more, more, more!

Sisters Before Misters is book two in The Finch Sisters series. While you could read it as a standalone, I highly recommend starting with book one. The family dynamics and groundwork laid there make the character growth in this installment even more rewarding, and there are several callbacks you don’t want to miss!

This thrilling, banter-fueled ride kept me glued from start to finish. And the best part? It releases October 7, 2025—plenty of time to catch up on Drop Dead Sisters first (and if you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read or listen to it for free!).

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Amelia Diane Coombs, and Thomas & Mercer for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sisters Before Misters is a sharp, darkly funny cozy mystery that blends sibling drama, Halloween hijinks, and a murder investigation into one wildly entertaining ride.

The story follows Remi Finch, who’s enjoying her life in Seattle until her sister Eliana’s estranged husband, Chad, vanishes on Halloween night right after refusing to sign divorce papers. When a severed finger turns up in his house, Eliana becomes the prime suspect. Despite her sister’s suspicious behavior, Remi is determined to prove her innocence.

Joined by her boyfriend Leo, Remi dives into a chaotic investigation filled with threatening messages, a mysterious flash drive, a relentless detective, and some very questionable legal advice from their eccentric aunt. As the Finch sisters unravel the truth, they must also confront secrets, loyalty, and the messy bonds of family.

Amelia Diane Coombs delivers a witty, fast-paced mystery with heart, humor, and just the right amount of gore. Fans of sibling-centered sleuthing and quirky, character-driven whodunits will love this second installment in the Finch Sisters series.

This was such a funny read… I had to go back and reread the first book the series. I really loved the dynamic between the sisters and I related a lot to how the main character felt like the odd one out. Maybe imposing her own beliefs as truth for how others (her family) perceives her from the first book. The growth and development between the sisters and the immovable and probably logically too much at times rise or die support was really touching and humorous to see how that moved over to this book. I also liked how we got more of a deeper understanding behind the more put together sister and how she actually feels behind the scenes. Also the scene of them entering the house… and the comedic tone and witty almost wrong timing jokes had me rolling! I had felt like I was laughing with them and panicking with them. I am curious to see if the older sister does end up with that cop or not. This is one of my favorite series or actually it is, I really hope there is another book about the other sister and some behind the scenes there or even about how their hippie parents got together. I’m curious about that too since in the first book they had no problem rushing in and hiding a body, I felt like they must’ve seen things back in the day haha overall amazing read, super excited for hopefully more books about the other members of the family.

I love a kitschy read. The sisters are hilarious. I am going to go read the other book in this series now.

I think I'm in the minority on this book. I didn't care for it. The writing is good and the plot is fine. I just really dislike the sisters and since these books center on the three sisters it doesn't really work for me. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the advanced copy.

This is a fun mystery that gives Finlay Donovan vibes.
When Eliana's soon to be ex husband goes missing, she's an obvious suspect. Full of bumbling chaos, her family isn't about to let her go down for it.
I've really enjoyed this series and hope there is more to come. You don't HAVE to have read the previous book to enjoy this one, but I recommend you do.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer Publishing and Netgalley for an early copy for review.

Sometimes the scariest thing isn’t losing someone, it’s finding out who they really were. It’s the fear you feel when you look at someone you’ve loved for years and realize you might not know them at all.

Coombs brings the Finch sisters together to celebrate Eli’s divorce, but before the divorce can be finalized Eli’s husband goes missing and Eli is the prime suspect. Once again, the sisters embark on bad choices in the name of sisterhood. I do appreciate that Remi is self aware to make a few comments about the lack of logical thinking that happens when they are together.

Like before, we are treated to one bad decision after another that causes more chaos than they had originally planned. In this second novel she tries to flesh out Maeve, but it doesn’t really happen well. Remi and Eli got enough time in both books to have some depth, but Maeve is still a mystery.

Amelia Diane Coombs’ Sisters Before Misters is the kind of book that sneaks up on you with its wit, warmth, and just the right amount of murder. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for my gifted ARC—this one was an absolute blast to read.

From the very first chapter, I was reminded why I loved Drop Dead Sisters, but this sequel hits even harder. There’s more bite, more heart, and more chaos, all wrapped up in a Halloween mystery that had me fully locked in. Remi Finch has settled into life in Seattle, blissfully drama-free—or at least that’s the plan—until her sister Eliana’s soon-to-be ex-husband, Chad, vanishes. On Halloween night. Leaving behind a severed finger. It’s a premise that screams absurd, but Coombs pulls it off with her signature charm and razor-sharp dialogue. “Also, Chad has a punchable face,” says Remi at one point, and that one-liner tells you everything you need to know about the book’s tone: dark, hilarious, and entirely self-aware.

What sets this book apart from other cozy mysteries isn’t just the quirky plot. It’s the character work. The Finch sisters—Remi, Eliana, and Maeve—are still a delightful mess, but in Sisters Before Misters, we see how much they’ve grown since their last accidental brush with homicide. Their dynamic is no longer just combative or chaotic. It’s layered with history, guilt, love, and a stubborn desire to do better for each other—even if they still argue like teenagers. I especially appreciated how Coombs writes sisterhood not as a static, sentimental thing but as something constantly renegotiated through experience, time, and even trauma. That felt honest.

Remi, as the narrator, carries the story with a mix of sarcasm, vulnerability, and an overwhelming need to fix things that are clearly out of her control. Her relationship with Leo continues to be sweet without overwhelming the plot. He’s supportive, observant, and—thankfully—not reduced to just the “boyfriend” trope. Maeve’s still the scene-stealer with her drama queen antics and influencer ego, while Eliana’s unraveling adds just enough tension to keep the reader guessing whether she’s truly innocent or hiding something. The stakes feel personal because they are. This isn’t a murder mystery in some distant town—it’s a family in freefall trying to protect one of their own, and that emotional core grounds the entire book.

The pacing is sharp. Coombs doesn’t let the story drag, weaving in flashbacks and clues with perfect timing. The humor is there, yes, but so is the anxiety. Remi’s unraveling sanity is matched beat for beat with the rising pressure from a dogged detective, a suspicious flash drive, and mounting evidence that all points to Eliana. It’s not just about finding Chad—or his body—it’s about whether Remi can trust her sister. That tension gives the mystery real weight. And just when you think it’s about to veer into the predictable, it doesn’t. The twist near the end is clever—not shock-for-shock’s sake, but meaningful, satisfying, and emotionally earned.

One of my favorite parts? Aunt Lindy. She’s completely unhinged in the best way possible. Her erratic advice, wild past, and chaotic presence bring needed levity at just the right moments. Every time she showed up, I was grinning.

As with Coombs’ previous work, mental health is woven into the story without being preachy. The narrative gives space for burnout, anxiety, complicated grief, and the way family history can feel like a minefield. These threads are subtle but present, and they make Remi’s voice feel grounded in reality—even as she’s breaking into houses and dodging suspicion from the cops.

The setting—Seattle in fall—is also a great backdrop for this Halloween mystery. Rainy streets, costumes, flickering porch lights, a severed finger in a kitchen drawer—it’s all so weirdly atmospheric in the best possible way. I could practically feel the chill in the air as Remi raced against time to keep her sister out of jail.

By the time I hit the final chapters, I didn’t want it to end. The conclusion ties up the mystery in a way that’s both surprising and emotionally resonant. But more importantly, it solidifies the Finch sisters as a trio I genuinely want to follow. They’re not perfect—they’re deeply flawed—but their love for each other, messy as it is, feels real. That’s what kept me turning the pages just as much as the mystery did.

If you like your thrillers on the cozy side, your characters with real emotional baggage, and your mysteries with both bite and heart, Sisters Before Misters will hit the spot. It’s sharp, funny, heartfelt, and absolutely perfect for fall. I really hope there’s a book three because I’m not done with the Finch sisters—and something tells me murder isn’t done with them either.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)