The Good Sister

This was my first Sally Hepworth novel, but after reading this, it definitely won’t be my last … this was really good!  I was expecting a psychological thriller, but it’s more of a domestic suspense/mystery and family drama heavy on the psychology.  What surprised me most though, was the unexpected heartwarming romance that drove much of the plot.  I went in expecting cold, calculating, hand-twisting characters and was met with Fern and “Wally”, one of the quirkiest, most charming and sweet pair I’ve seen in a book of late, and I’ve met a few this year.  Another reviewer referenced Eleanor Oliphant in her review, and she’s spot-on as far as Fern’s personality is concerned - just add in debilitating sensory issues with light, sound and touch, and the similarities are there.

Fern and Rose are fraternal twins - Fern being taller and more fair and pretty and Rose being more petite and fleshy.  Since childhood, Rose has always taken the role of protecting the more innocent-minded Fern from the things in her world that overwhelm her due to her sensory processing disorder.  Rose has also protected Fern from their mother’s narcissistic ways, taking the blame for all her sister’s mistakes, so she would never get in trouble, despite it putting a strain on her relationship with their mother.  Unfortunately, one of Fern’s childhood mistakes is very big, and the two women have spent a lifetime keeping the secret of what really happened.

At least that’s how Rose’s journal tells it.

Now adults, Fern is happily living the single life as a librarian, and Rose is struggling in her marriage to Owen, trying to save her marriage and desperately wanting a baby.  When Rocco (or “Wally”, as Fern calls him, due to his similarity to the Where’s Waldo character) comes into the library one day, Fern sets in motion a plan to help her sister fulfill her dreams.  

Life has other plans … and those plans get messy.

For all the feel-good aspects of this book, I have to say my stomach was in knots for a good three-quarters of it.  The dysfunction between the mom and her daughters, and the smothering dysfunction between Fern and Rose created an uncomfortable but necessary tension that lingered through the whole book.  I thought the whole book was really enthralling, but if I had to find one flaw in the story - and it’s a minor one for me - I thought the transition into the ending was pretty abrupt.  One second the threat is there, and then POOF!  It nicely and neatly isn’t.  The saving grace was the explanation for events afterwards.  I’ll knock off a half-star for that, but since I’m rounding up it still gets an enthusiastic 5 stars from me and a ‘heart’y recommendation!

★★★★ ½ (rounded up to 5) ❤️

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.