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)

A fun follow-up; hope there are more!

*Thanks to Edelweiss, Netgalley, and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

This is book 2 in The Finch Sisters series, and I think I enjoyed this one even more than the first. The writing is sharp and witty, the characters feel more developed in this second book, and I found myself laughing at Remi’s inner monologue. It’s a fun mystery, and the sister’s relationships continuing to develop from old childhood resentments to their new adult friendships feels very real. I hope the author continues this series because I would love to read more of this chaotic family.

Favorite line of the book - “Also, Chad has a puchable face.”

This installment of the series was a significant improvement over the first book. The writing style felt much sharper and more playful, with a noticeable increase in witty banter. The development of the sisters’ relationships was particularly well done. Not only did their dynamic evolve since the previous book, but it continued to grow meaningfully throughout this one.

I appreciated seeing the family return, bringing with them the familiar chaos and charm. While some of the hijinks leaned toward the predictable or overly quirky at times, they still added to the book’s overall charm. Most importantly, the mystery kept me guessing. I didn’t see the ending coming.

A fun and engaging read that I would definitely recommend to fans of lighthearted mysteries filled with heart, humor, and a healthy dose of hijinks.

Spice level: None
Story: Enjoyable and light, with some predictable moments but a satisfying twist at the end.
Character Growth: Medium - Heavy
Plot Progression: Medium
Writing Style: Witty, Humorous, and Charming

This book was such a fun, feel-good read! Sisters Before Misters is all about sisterhood, figuring yourself out, and falling for someone in the most unexpected way. I loved how real and messy the sister dynamic was: full of love, drama, and those moments where you want to scream but also can’t imagine life without them.

The romance was super cute and awkward, in a totally relatable teen way, but what I really appreciated was that it never overshadowed the main character’s personal growth.

This book is perfect if you want something light but not fluffy, with characters that actually feel like people you know.

This hilarious murder mystery had me hooked from page one! I couldn't stop reading — or laughing. 😂 The sister dynamic was everything: fierce, loyal, and absolutely heartwarming. I loved how they had each other’s backs no matter what. If you love a mix of chaos, comedy, and crime-solving sisterhood, this one’s for you!

I loved this book! Such a great balance of mystery, humor, romance, and dysfunctional family dynamics. I enjoyed the first book of the series (Drop Dead Sisters) and I think I liked this one even more!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!!

Sisters Before Misters is a fresh, funny, and heartfelt coming-of-age story that beautifully captures the highs and lows of friendship, love, and self-discovery. Amelia Diane Coombs writes with charm and wit, creating characters that are as relatable as they are lovable. It’s a feel-good read with just the right mix of sass, sincerity, and sisterhood.

3.5 ⭐️Rounded up

I loved the first book in the Finch Sister series, "Drop Dead Sisters", so I was very excited to get the ARC for the second installment in this series. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love all of the different, distinct personalities of the sisters and their family. It seems that trouble finds them wherever they go and I had so much fun reading this that I finished it in one afternoon. While I would categorize this as a cozy mystery, it was also comical-with a little bit of romance thrown in.

Overall, this was such a fun seasonal book and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quick fun read! It will be the perfect cozy mystery for Fall 2025!

Remi, Maeve and Eliana are sisters with interesting if complicated lives - not least because they have a habit of landing in the midst of murder cases!

Centred around events related to one of the sisters' marriage troubles, this is an amusing and entertaining cozy mystery which delivers what it says on the box. Because let's face it, Halloween can be creepy enough without missing husbands and severed digits being thrown into the mix...

An enjoyable read, this one will appeal to those who enjoy humorous family dynamics and cosy murder mysteries.

A zany romp of a read! Quirky characters and lots of humor. This one can be read alone but I now want to read the first one in the series. A fun time. Thanks#Netgalley and #Thomes&Mercer for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

A crazy story that has more twists and turns than a mountain road. A family that is united but strange which leads to a tangle web. Intelligent people but I wonder if they have any common sense. Enjoyable read!

Another adventure for the states. Part mystery, part humor, and always full of family lighthearted drama.

A missing husband, a sister acting suspicious, and a hypnotic web of lies spoils whatever Halloween plan Remi had in mind.

In Sisters Before Misters by Amelia Diane Coombs, the sequel, set one year after the events in Drop Dead Sisters, the Finch sisters have accidentally, again, stumbled onto to a murder mystery — the mysterious disappearance of Eliana’s soon-to-be-ex-husband, Chad, who vanishes on Halloween, leaving behind his severed finger.

Eliana is the prime suspect — according to the police, and… Remi. The only one with a motive and the first one to discover the crime scene, Remi suspects her sister. As they discover new clues to Chad’s whereabouts, Remi’s loyalty to her sister Eliana is tested as suspicion against her mounts. Throw in threatening texts, a mysterious flash drive, and increasing surveillance from police, the Finch sisters are definitely over their head. Remi along with Leo, Maeve and Maeve’s assistant, race against time to prove Eliana’s innocence, even though all fingers point to her, including the bloodied severed one.

As the story flows, Coombs gives the readers a look into the changed dynamic between the Finch sisters from the first book. Gradually at first, we learn about the planning it took to get the three of them together for Halloween Night at Remi’s suggestion. Then, instead of meeting once a year, Remi now has dinner once a week with Eliana and her family. She also, to her surprise, finds herself living in the same pincode as Eliana. This realistic take on bonding or fixing distant relations is essential, especially when it comes to sisters. So, it is heartening to read that Eliana and Maeve agreed to dress up for Remi’s Halloween night, even if their heart isn’t in it — everyone is trying and sometimes that is enough.

As the Finch sisters rush to find clues to Chad’s disappearance, you learn how their working style is still the same — there is bickering and argument, and steadfast refusals along with tantrums, but now there is a layer of love to it. The dialogues are softer, not sharp, and understanding instead of accusing, a marked difference from the first book where their exchanges were often barbs.

The narrative and pacing progresses along fine. The mysterious disappearance of Chad is well-executed by Coombs, managing Eliana’s emotional conflict with same deftness as the investigative tension. The clues are well-placed, keeping the readers engaged. What sets it apart from a cosy mystery is how personal the case is. It is not only about discovering Chad, but rather also discovering and learning how far the Finch sisters will go to keep Eliana away from jail.

The eventual reveal of the mystery is satisfying, and that final plot twist is not shocking, but it hits the emotional tone of the book.

Coombs engages you in the search — Bess serving as a stand-in for the reader, like Leo did in the previous book, really hooks you into the disarray lives of the Finch sisters. In the middle of this manhunt for Chad, Coombs brings in topics of career — Remi’s new job, Maeve’s new acquisition, Bess’s plans for studying law — sort of inviting in normalcy in these adverse times, which is a genuine human reaction, and I love that. Yes, Chad is missing, and Eliana might go to jail, but Maeve’s genuine concern for Maeve’s Maven not doing well is real and she would need reassurance. It is what sisters do!

Coombs writes for an audience that is interested in the changing dynamics between sisters as one grows up and reconnects later as adults, and also those, who are interested in a cosy mysteries. When you mix these two genres together, you often get a book chronicling the lives of the Finch sisters, regular people with dysfunctional family, who still manage to hold onto family ties through murder, disappearance, and whatever the future holds.

You don’t have to have read the first book to read this one, but it helps in understanding the changing dynamics between the Finch sisters. I read that Coombs has an idea for the third book and would love to see how she neatly wraps up this trilogy with another mystery for the sisters to solve whilst navigating their feelings.

Sisters Before Misters was such a fun cozy read, I really enjoyed it. Now I need to read the first book in the series, Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this follow-up to Amelia Diane Coombs's debut adult title "Drop Dead Sisters." "Sisters Before Misters" continues to follow the titular sisters as they become embroiled in another mysterious event. The mix of humor and suspense was spot on and the pacing was excellent. Character development is a place where these novels shine, and this sequel, building on the characterization already in place in the first novel, really helps to round out all of the characters. I'm looking forward to the next book and I hope there is another in this series!

I did not realize this was part 2 in a series when I requested the ARC. The Virgo in me could not get over that - but the book was actually fine on its own. There were several references to a murder in book 1, but much like the crime here, everything is just easy breezy for these ladies. “Uncle So and So beat his wife? Then he was murdered? Get out of town! What’s for dinner?” “You tampered with evidence? It’s fine. Just rinse it out in the sink!” WILD.

We have a single character POV, Remi, the youngest of three sisters. Eli, the eldest, mother of two, in the process of divorcing her husband and Maeve, the middle, a social media mogul and visiting for Halloween with her assistant in tow. Eli’s husband goes missing and these three knuckleheads decide to solve the mystery on their own.

The context and the characters are so not serious - which is fine for this genre, but these people are just head down move forward. One or two characters making dumb decisions are fine, but 5, 6, 7, 8. Come on now. Overall, cute but I needed more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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…

This was a great palate cleanser between heavy reads. This is a mystery with a side of humor.

⭐️ 5/5
Pub Day: Oct 07, 2025
First person POV, single narrative
Linear timeline
Setting: Seattle, WA
*Book 2 of The Finch Sisters Series

*You don’t necessarily need to read the first book in The Finch Sisters Stories but this book does reference it often and gives more depth and understanding to the characters. I have read the first book too, and Sisters Before Misters is a once again a beautifully crafted story that combines a tense mystery with an emotional exploration of sisterhood and healing. The Finch sisters reunite to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Eliana’s soon-to-be ex-husband Chad on Halloween. The story keeps you hooked with its well-paced twists and unexpected turns that add layers of suspense without overshadowing the characters’ personal journeys.

I really enjoyed Remi’s internal dialogue, which offers deep insight into the protagonist’s thoughts and emotions, making her experience much more relatable. This introspection strengthens both the mystery and the emotional core as you uncover secrets alongside the characters.

The author handles mental health themes with sensitivity and authenticity. It’s refreshing to see such nuanced portrayals woven naturally into the plot, showing how mental wellness impacts relationships and resilience.

The mystery itself is engaging and unpredictable with clever clues and surprising reveals that kept me guessing until the very end. The twists are well-earned and add depth to the story rather than feeling forced. I was honestly shocked at the ending of the book and was expecting it to end differently!

Overall, Sisters Before Misters is a compelling blend of suspense and heart, perfect for readers who love emotional, tense mysteries grounded in family dynamics.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for providing a copy of this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.