Ah dear. Yes I know I'm just predictable now when it comes to books by S E Lyne, but we're now on book 9 and it is now 9/9 - 5* reads!!

Her Sister’s Secret is a fabulous psychological thriller, with themes of domestic violence, manipulation, mistrust and the added question of 'what would you do' from the viewpoint of so many of the characters.

A truly gripping read and of course it goes without saying, as recommended as always!

Having read and loved all of SE Lynes’ previous books I knew that I wouldn’t be disappointed in her latest book Her Sister’s Secret published by Bookouture on 21 July 2021.

Her Sister’s Secret introduces the reader to Isla, who is single, living in London, working for Habitat and enjoying her life when she receives a call in the middle of the night from her nephew Cal, to tell her that her beloved and adored older sister Annie and her husband are both dead.

Annie and her family located from Scotland to Cornwall years ago living what appears to be the perfect life, a booming business, a successful artist, a loving family, except when Isla arrives from London it appears everything she thought she knew about Annie is a lie. When her nephew is arrested for the murders, Isla needs to try to work out the truth about Annie whilst dealing with her grief and disbelief.

The story is dual narrated by both Isla in the present and Annie in the past, leading up to her death, and each chapter reveals more secrets to the reader.

With themes of abuse and domestic violence Her Sister’s Secret is not an easy read at times. Whilst the backdrop of both Loch Fyne in Scotland and the Dorset coastline add an additional layer of depth to the feel of the story, it’s the relationship between the two sisters which really kept me enthralled.

It wasn’t until the last couple of chapters that I began to think “hang on, has the author inserted a crafty little twist here” and obviously I’m not going to tell you if she did or not, but I will say that yet again Ms Lynes has created a thoroughly addictive, compelling, clever, twisty tale full of dark family secrets.

“The most dangerous lies, are the ones we tell ourselves”


And here I was, about to begin this review with a statement which went something like:

A great opening, with some excellent scene setting. A storyline which whilst not an action packed pot boiler, moved along at a steady seamless pace, with some well structured good length chapters. Topped off by an ending which … Hold the front page! … JUST ABOUT FLOORED ME!!

I fear that if I begin to elaborate on that more than adequate premise, I am going to let something slip which is going to give the game away big time, and I want you to be as totally gobsmacked as I was. Of course it was always obvious that there was more to this story than at first met the eye. However there were so many cleverly nuanced twists and turns being added all the time, that I never saw that grand finale coming, that’s for sure!

Alongside all the takes, double-takes and even triple-takes, in this dual timeline psychological thriller, narrated equally in the voices of two sisters, Isla and Annie; there is also the lugubrious, torturous saga, of a family which is on a roller coaster, downward spiral and hell bent on self destruction. An unrequited love might also have disastrous consequences for a professional, who puts their career and reputation on the line, in an act of selfless love.

The violence, the lies, the secrets, the cover-ups, the angst and anger, never let up and were without end. The odd snatches of what passed for happiness were fleeting and few and far between, in a storyline which was definitely both plot and character driven in equal measure. Susie was able to evoke the desperate intensity and terror of prolonged and sustained domestic abuse and coercive behaviour, followed by an almost tangible sigh and exhalation of a long held breath, when the ordeal came to an end.

This multi-layered storyline, was beautifully structured, slowly evolving and definitely not one to be rushed, as its many destructive layers were unfurled like so many wilting petals and cast aside. Intense, wonderfully textured and overwhelmingly claustrophobic, the writing is intricately detailed and rich in atmosphere. The imagery of the narrative adds visual depth and dimension to the plot, making it, if not always a pleasant reading experience, totally immersive and true to itself.

The juxtaposition of a cruel life lived behind closed doors, with the beauty of the two locations which Annie has hitherto called home, seems rather incongruous. However Susie has really captured the peace and calm of two of my favourite places; Loch Fyne in Scotland, which still calls for me to return, even after so many years; and the beautiful Dorset coastline, which in quieter times, is my ‘go to’ escape from reality. Whilst maybe not quite sufficiently detailed for real ‘armchair travel’ enthusiasts, her descriptive narrative definitely adds an extra layer to the story.

A cast of uninspiring, disparate characters, really owned this storyline from beginning to end and called all the shots, deciding just how much information was going to be revealed to me and when. Well defined and developed in their individual roles, they were always complex and emotionally starved; often vulnerable, raw and passionate; yet never truly authentic or believable. They were all deep, yet without real depth; animated but manipulative; and with little genuine synergy between them, they were never going to be engaging or easy to invest in. They almost sucked the air out of any room they were in, yet without their soul destroying uniqueness, and their ability to stick together as only a small and insular community can, this story just wouldn’t have had the same impact.

This was definitely a book which took me on a unique and personal journey, as so many times I thought I knew exactly what the outcome was going to be, only to be thwarted at every turn on this long and winding road. Revenge may not have been the original intention, but it turned out that it was definitely a dish best and most satisfyingly, served cold!

What a twisted story this was. Part psychological thriller, part family drama, with mystery and a bit of courtroom drama added in, it definitely had me enthralled – especially as it picked up speed toward the middle.
The first thing that jumped out at me about this book was the atmosphere that the author managed to create. Usually that is done through descriptions of places, seasons, etc.
But in this case, I felt it was more through the characters’ actions and stories that related. Ultimately, what was revealed was a multi-layered web of lies created by several different people.
At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of Isla. In some ways, she stayed a little bit of a mystery throughout, because it really wasn’t her story. She was trying to get to the bottom of what had happened to her sister, Annie.
That thread unravels through flashbacks to Annie’s story as told from Annie’s own perspective. The chapters were clearly marked, so there was never any confusion as to whose perspective I was reading or where in time the action was taking place.
As Isla asks questions of the people who knew her sister best, what at first seemed to be straightforward domestic incident soon appears to be much more complicated. I said that she was a bit of a mystery, but I think she was off balance, not knowing who to believe and not even trusting herself.
I think this was purposeful to keep the reader just as off balance. It was well-done and a very effective way to relate the story.
For example, Isla constantly wonders how she and her sister could have drifted so far apart from each other, and she struggles with townspeople knowing more about Annie than she does.
However, in Annie’s flashbacks, the reader learns that it’s not just Isla who became distant (physically) but also Annie who became distant because if she talked to Isla about one thing, she would have to admit to other things. And Annie didn’t want to do that.
I’ve said in several past reviews that I am a firm believer in NOT giving spoilers or relating too much as to spoil the experience for other readers. This is certainly the case in point for this book.
I will say that by the time I got to the end of it, I was amazed at the author’s ability to craft a story of love and betrayal, what people put up with to hold on to what they see as love (even if it’s not) and the lengths that people will go to in efforts to protect those who they love.
It was a well-crafted book that held my interest from beginning to end and I highly recommend it.

SE Lynes has done it again! I loved all her previous books and this one was no different. It will take you on a adventure, full of twists and turns and you won't want it to end. A great read.

Another brilliant read from S E Lynes. We are introduced to Annie and Isla. They are sisters living in Sclotland. Annie is a single mum with a young son Callum. She then meets and falls in love with Dominic. He persuades her to leave Scotland and move down to Dorset where he has a thriving business and a large house and he builds a studio in the garden where Anne can do her painting. Isla really misses Annie and Callum but thinks they have the perfect life in Dorset. Little does she realise that Isla covers up the fact that Dominic isn’t what he seems. He is unfaithful, stays out all hours and belittles her. One fateful day Isla receives a phone call from a frantic Callum. There has been a fire in Annie’s studio and both Annie and Dom are dead. Isla, in deep shock, travels down to Dorset to comfort Callum and to find how how the fire started. She soon finds out that things weren’t what they seemed and that Annie and Dom had been keeping back dark secrets. The book is told in chapters by Annie and Isla and moves backwards and forwards in time to reveal events that happened on that fateful night. The story is fulll of suspense, secrets and lies with an explosive ending. One of my favourite books of the year. Don’t miss reading it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Wow, there is not really any other word that describes this book correctly.... I enjoyed this book so much, that I finished it in one sitting - very rare for me these days! Nothing, and I mean nothing is as it seems in this book, and the twists and turns keep you glued. Highly recommended.
TB

Isla has always been the sensible sister and balanced Annie’s erratic ways. When her sister and husband die in what appears to be an accident she is forced to re connect with her nephew Callum and join the mourners. There are things Annie kept from her and Isla feels guilt for not picking up on the signs however slight at the time. She finds Callum a changed young man and suspects he may have been involved in his mother’s death.
This really is a great psychological suspense with a surprise ending. As details of Annie’s life were revealed it made me consider how manipulative love can be in the wrong hands and the importance of good friends in times of need. A great read, well handled storyline with very interesting characters and well worth 5 stars!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review

I'm struggling to find something original to say when reviewing this author, this is her 9th book and I've devoured them all. I've enthused, I've gushed and praised but nothing I say seems to sufficiently cover just how good these books are.

As always the writing is outstanding, this, as with many of her books may be a bit of a slow burner, but believe me, the tempo picks up, fizzling with tension and a feeing of unease, a wonderfully structured plot which kept me turning the pages and fantastically drawn, wonderfully observed characters (both loved and loathed) who I will remember for a long time. I loved the past and present narrators each telling their story which was expertly woven together in an utterly compelling and twisty read from one of my very favourite authors.

5 absolutely MASSIVE stars

I was excited to receive this advanced copy as I’ve really enjoyed other books from this author.
However, I lost interest really quick. A good beginning and then it slowed down until I just got bored with it and did not finish. I will still read this author as I love the books, just not this one.

Another fabulous book from a brilliant author.
I really love it when a book draws you in so much you lose track of time, you get annoyed by people talking to you and asking questions and you just want to devour it. That's pretty much what happened with this one. I won't bore you with blub about characters and plot and all that, because i know there will be reviews a plenty on those. It's a brilliant book, read it.

receives a devastating call from her nephew, Call. There’s been a fire and her sister,Annie is dead. Filled with grief and shock, Isla rushed to Annie’s home to find answers and support her nephew. What she gets instead are more questions than answers.

The beginning of the story is quite captivating. I needed answers about the fire. How did it happen? How did the two victims end up perishing? A major twist is thrown in at the start when details emerge revealing that the fire might not have been an accident. A shocking arrest further throws more chaos into the family’s lives. I loved all the drama.

The story is narrated by the two sisters. Isla’s POV focuses on the present time and the search for answers. I found her narration bit slow. A lot was centered on her thoughts and speculations and at some point, it did start to feel repetitive. Annie’s narration was gripping. It held answers to the events that took place leading to the fire. I was totally engrossed by this part of the story and the emerging secrets.

There is a bit of court drama, I always enjoy this. It’s not a major part of the story but it spans over a few chapters and was interesting.

This was overall, an engrossing read with a great twist at the end. As usual, S. E. Lynes has delivered another well-written, multi-layered, captivating psychological thriller, perfect for fans of this genre.

A great story with well described characters. How well do you know your sister?
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

A woman and her husband are dead, survived by her son. It seems like he has killed his mother and stepfather. His aunt is devastated, and simply will not believe he killed his mother. She is willing to believe that he killed his stepfather. She has suddenly started to hear a lot of rumors about her brother-in-law, and none of it is good. What really happened and what went on in her sister's life?

You’ll not want to put this book down
A psychological thriller
A fast paced book
Another great book
Thanks NetGalley

A story about a sister who finds out about her sisters life when she gets a call from her nephew to say she has been killed. An emotional drama of a book that really picks up pace a bit slowly but worth reading on for!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great storyline with excellent characters. I would highly recommend this book as it was a great read.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy.

Isla and her sister Annie had always been close but when the younger Isla went travelling she thought Annie was perfectly happy and safe in the hands of loving husband Dom.

Now back in England all that changes when Isla receives a phone call in the middle of the night from her nephew to say there has been a terrible fire and Annie and Dom are dead. The life of Annie and Dom has not always been what it seems and as the past and present collide the story culminates in a great twist (I did guess but this didn't spoil it).

Fantastic read.

This was a twisty turney psychological thriller with a lot of shocks along the way. This book kept you guessing right until the end and was an intense story of cohesive behaviour and marriage and of how things might seem perfect on the outside but that isn’t always the case on the inside and that the truth might not be what it seems.

I remember trying to stop reading this book because I had a lot to do at the time...I absolutely could not put it down. The story telling is superb and subject matter gut wrenching.

S.E. Lynes wiriting just drew me in with the pace and way the story is revealed in small precise doses much like slowly completing a puzzle, the kind of book you can only let go when the last missing piece fits into place.

A gripping, intense read with a twist that will knock your socks off.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book.