Title: The Good Sister
Author: Gillian McAllister
Published: June 2019, G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Format: Paperback, 400 pages
Source: Publisher
Summary:
An electrifying novel
about the unyielding bond between two sisters, which is severely tested
when one of them is accused of the worst imaginable crime.
Martha
and Becky Blackwater are more than sisters–they’re each other’s
lifelines. When Martha finds herself struggling to balance early
motherhood and her growing business, Becky steps in to babysit her
niece, Layla, without a second thought, bringing the two women closer
than ever. But when Layla is found dead one morning, at only eight weeks
old, Becky is charged with the unthinkable: the murder of her sister’s
child.
Nine months later, Becky is on trial and maintains her
innocence–and so does Martha. Unable to shake the feeling that her
sister couldn’t possibly be guilty, Martha sets out to uncover exactly
what happened that night, and how things could have gone so wrong. As
the trial progresses, fault lines between the sisters begin to
show–revealing cracks deep in their relationship and threatening the
family each has worked so hard to build. With incredible empathy and
resounding emotional heft, The Good Sister is a powerhouse of a
novel that will lead readers to question everything they know about
motherhood, family, and the price of forgiveness.
My thoughts: This is the first time I’ve read anything by Gillian McAllister and it definitely won’t be the last. While the subject matter of this book was a bit difficult to read at times, it was for sure a riveting read nonetheless and I found it to be a totally tense read.
I love books that delve into family relationships and this did without a doubt. Yes, this book had an awful outcome no matter how you look at it – a baby died and that was never going to change. I liked how we got flashbacks to the night everything happened rather than just dialogue of the courtroom trial. It made things much more interesting. Plus the emotions really came out this way.
This is a complex, emotional read filled with flawed characters – my favorite type of read. No one is exactly who you think they are and I love that. You never really know someone or what is going on inside their head and this book really showcases this.
There were quite a few twists and turns that I did not see coming which really kept me on my toes. But this book also deals with grief and loss and how a family can be divided by a tragedy. There is a lot going on here to mull over and it definitely gets under your skin as you flip the pages.
I cannot wait to read more from this author as I really enjoyed her writing style. Have you read anything by her? If so, what do you recommend I pick up next?
