I always get excited when there is a new book coming from this author because I know I will be in for a great read, and this one was no different!

When Isla gets a devastating call from her nephew Callum, she leaves London and travels to her sisters home in Dorset to support him and deal with the fallout of the tragedy.

That is all I am going to say plot wise, you will have to read it!

Told from two perspectives over past and present storylines, the story is beautifully weaved together and unravels the story at a perfect pace making it very difficult to put down.

Compelling, twisty and with that Lynes magic storytelling and characterisation, this is well worth a read

This sounded right up my street. There is a past and present storyline running which is always a favourite of mine. Started off a slow burner but in a good way as the suspense element is really good. Your being fed a small amount of information but it’s not enough so you just have to keep turning those pages. Characters are really well written with an element of mystery about them. The flow and pace of the book is done really well even when moving from past to present. I really enjoyed this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC that is out today.

There are not many authors where I will pre-order the book without thought but S.E Lynes is definitely one of them! I've loved her books for quite a few years now and can guarantee they will provide thrills and twists but also a lot of empathy and compassion. The author has a beautiful way of writing and her words can fill my heart in one sentence, have my eyes brimming with tears the next then leave me with a gormless smile on my face.

Her Sister's Secret is a story about two sisters Annie and Isla. As children they lived in Inverary, Scotland in a small community and were close but this all changes when Annie becomes pregnant at 15. While Isla manages to follow her dreams and live the life they discussed Annie is trapped as a single parent working in their parent's shop. When she later meets Dom she falls hard for his promises of a new life in Dorset but it emerges she swaps one form of prison for another.

Isla is oblivious to all this until she gets a call from her nephew Callum informing her that Annie and Dom have died in a terrible fire, as she arrives in the village she discovers that her sister was not living the perfect life she appeared to be. Dom was basically a spoilt brat who expected Annie to be at his beck and call, he thought she should be grateful to him "rescuing" her and that she would turn a blind eye to his indiscretions. What an awful man!! I felt so sorry for Isla who was left feeling that she didn't even know her own sister anymore and left to figure out the events of that night. This is made even more difficult when Callum is arrested for the murder of Annie and Dom...

A tense read with a twist that absolutely sucker punched me!!

I came across S. E. Lynes via a book buddy on Instagram, which led me to read The Housewarming. I was very impressed and was keen to read more of her books. Her Sister's Secret, a gripping domestic thriller, did not disappoint with that same compelling story telling. A little slow to start with but fast enough to hook me in, this story is spread over a few timelines, from the point of view of both sisters. It was about midway that I couldn't stop reading. I was wondering and theorising and when I had an idea of what was going on, bam! WRONG!! The twist at the end is one I did not see coming, but one I loved!

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC of this book for me to review.

I have mixed feelings about this one. I enjoyed following the crime presented in the book, but it was a bit too slow for me. It wasn’t until I was about 70% through that things really started to pick up. It was a bit of a dense read. It reminded me of more of a classics style writing at times.

With that said, I definitely think this is a personal preference of mine, and that plenty of others would enjoy this book a lot more than I did.

I picked this book based on the cover (I'm fickle) and the blurb as I had never come across this author before, I felt quite a connection to it being Scottish myself. I enjoyed the relationship between the sisters when they were still in Scotland and I think I enjoyed the "present day" narrative more than the past but understand that it had to be there to set the scene. I had quite a few guesses of what was going and even an inkling of what in fact turned out to be the twist but I think I was probably grasping at straws just trying to guess. Some of the violence was quite difficult to take for me, having thank God no experience of domestic violence, but it was handled really respectfully to anyone going threw that (there was no gratuitousness just for shock value). I could never understand why Annie found herself stuck in the position she was in but it's easy for someone on the outside looking in to make judgements like that. I really liked the characters of Daisy and Jan also, I could fully picture them and their behaviour and it was rather comforting. The only thing that felt a bit pointless was the epilogue, especially after the impressive twist, I didn't really see the need for it personally. As I said, this is my first book by the author but I doubt it will be my last.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and S.E. Lynes for the copy of this book. All views are my own.*

Her Sister's Secret
By: S.E. Lynes
Publication Date: 13/07/21

This is the first book I've read from S.E. Lynes. This is a mystery thriller centered around the death of Annie and her husband Dom. Annie's sister Isla is naturally devastated after hearing the news and travels to Annie's home to be with Cal, Annie's son from a previous partner. Thus begins a complex family story with locals from the village knowing much more than Isla has ever seemed to know about her late sister's life. Was her and Dom's death an accident or murder??

This book had me engaged for the first 50 or so pages, but after that it was a bit of a slog to get through to the half way point of the book. There are multiple viewpoints from the past and present, that led to a bit of repetition. It was definitely worth sticking with this book as the second half of the book was brilliant! I've never had such differing opinions between the first and second half of a book before. This book had plenty of suspense and the ending really caught me by surprise!! It's definitely worth a read if you keep with it. I gave it 4 stars in the end as the second half was great!

Woah!! This was my first book by S.E Lynes and I wasn't disappointed.

Isla thought her sister was happy however one night she gets a call out of the blue from her nephew Cal. Both her sister Annie and her husband Dominic are dead after a terrible fire. When Isla arrives at their cottage intending on supporting Cal, people in the village are acting very suspiciously and it soon becomes clear that Annie and Dominic were not as happily married as Isla thought. Who can Isla trust and will she ever find out the real truth behind what happened that terrible night?

I really enjoyed this story. In the beginning I found the changes in date and perspective a little jarring but it didn't take me long to start enjoying them as it was good to get a little break from all the emotions that Isla was feeling. I found the story very atmospheric and enjoyed the lovely descriptions of both Scotland and the south of England. I have disliked characters in the past however I have never hated any of them like I hated Dominic and I think it's brilliant that the author had me feeling so intensely about a certain character.

All in all I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys Psychological thrillers. I am going to look up some more of S.E Lynes books to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and S.E Lynes for my advanced reading copy. Due out 13th July 2021

Why would you pretend your life is a dream when you’re living a nightmare?

Annie and Isla were very close sisters, always there for each other until Annie met and married Dom and she moved from Inveraray, Scotland with her young son, Callum to Dom's cottage in a Dorset village by the sea and they seemed to be happy, or at least that was the perception of all that knew them, that was until Isla received a distressing phone call and suddenly that perfect life became a nightmare, a nightmare, that for Isla, is only just beginning and she needs to know what happened on that night and who is to blame.

Her Sisters Secret begins in 2004, then the author expertly weaves the story between timelines going back and forth, drip-feeding the events that lead up to that phone call and beyond. The chapters are seamless and, even with the frequent switching of timelines, not at all confusing to the reader, demonstrating just how brilliant Lynes is in her field of work. The plot is well executed and the characters are, in the main, likeable. There are some very delicate subjects which, as always, she delivers with compassion and integrity. This is an edge of your seat thriller which gripped me from page one and I devoured it in a matter of hours. Susie Lynes is one of my go to authors where I don't even read the blurb and still know it's going to be an utterly incredible read and this one is all that, and more. Just brilliant!

I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Two sisters, Isla and Annie, were so close as children but have grown apart in adulthood but still love and care for each other. When Isla receives a dramatic call from her nephew she rushes to help and shocking secrets start to be revealed . . . If you enjoyed stories with plenty of history, oodles of mystery and twists galore all entwined in an unfolding family drama, get yourself a copy of this fantastic book.

This is definitely a story where the less I say, probably the better as it is a read that is an emotional, rollercoaster journey that continues to shock with each new revelation, leaving readers reeling and re-evaluating their assumptions. It is a murder mystery where just when you think you know exactly who did what, when and why is when the author adds another element that throws your ideas into disarray. With characters to empathise with and others to be wary of, this is a fascinating read, a real page turner with a brilliant plot that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys being kept guessing and surprised!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

I started writing this review and have deleted it all as was explaining the basics of the story, who is who and why their lives devastatingly and dramatically change but have decided
instead to give nothing, zilch away….the story is too good to give any clues about, plus I want the reader to gasp like I did ( no exaggeration I really did ) in part 3 of the book
I hope that is enough to tempt you to read this, it is a delight, a dark at times delight but has it all, great locations, wonderful characters, ( here I have to mention a Mrs Peterson who is described and loathed by one of the characters so so well it had me proper smiling ) very well written court scenes ( not stuffy or longwinded but placed you there ) a plot that outwitted me, again and again and as I mentioned a real, definite WOW moment
Intriguing, pensive and clever I enjoyed every page and also enjoyed the acknowledgements and author info, both very interesting

10/10
5 Stars

I’m afraid this book was ruined for me by the title change halfway through me reading it. I was 55% of the way in, and I got an email from the publisher advising that it was changing from ’The One to Blame’ to ‘My Sister’s Secret’. At this point, I had no clue that either Annie (or Isla) had a secret. I was just enjoying where the story was taking me. I was suspecting a few of the characters, and I was having fun guessing as to what could have happened. Then this new title came along, which made the book fall flat for me as it meant the book could only go one way. As soon as I saw the title, I immediately guessed the ending, and I was proved right.
To say I was gutted would be an understatement. ‘The One to Blame’ was a unique and ambiguous title and left a lot to the imagination, the new one not so much.
So, up to the 55% point, the book, for me, was brilliant, suspenseful and I had no clue where it was going to go. There are many twists towards the end, but these are hampered by the characters acting in a rather frustrating manner that doesn’t help keep the suspense going. In fact, it helped to solidify my guess for the ending.
So, unfortunately, this went from a solid 4/5 star read to a 2-star very fast. This isn’t my usual type of review, and I’m sorry for belabouring the title angle; this really did ruin the book for me. Maybe if I’d finished it just before this happened or even started after it had changed, it would have been a whole different reading experience.

SE Lynes is one of my favourite authors for a thrilling, well written thriller. Her writing gets under the skin of her characters and this book has several protagonists to get to know, whilst delivering a thorny plot.

Isla travels to Dorset after devastating news concerning her sister Annie and her nephew Dom. The sea setting is vividly evoked and the story unfolds in an unexpected way. I was blindside by a late twist - just when I wrongly thought I had it worked out and I loved the ending which was so satisfying in terms of plot and characterisation. And I love that cover! Looking forward to reading more from SE Lynes very much!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Her Sister's Secret' by S.E Lynes. Previously titles 'The One To Blame'

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for S.E Lynes, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 13th July 2021.

This is the third book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Housewarming' and 'Can You See Her? ' which I highly recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and Louise Candlish will love it.' I am a huge fan of Lisa so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of S.E Lynes and if this is as good as 'Can You See Her?' or 'The Housewarming' it is sure to be an epic read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 52 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in London and Dorset 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 , UK 🇬🇧 . I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times. I have in fact visited Dorset on many occasions including going there on holiday last and this year so am looking forward to possibly recognising name places.

This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective and the main protagonists are Isla and Annie. The benefits of having both first and third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out on anything.

'Her Sister's Secret' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book S.E Lynes discusses/includes Domestic abuse.

Another fantastic psychological thriller. Well done S.E Lynes!!!

This book is extremely well written with descriptions that leave you hearing the seagulls on the beach and feelong the sand on your feet. The storyline is filled with suspense, secrets, loss, lies and a shocking ending!!! I was completely gripped throughout this page turning thriller. I enjoyed seeing what was going on through both Isla and Annie's eyes and I love at the end how everything is wrapped up nearly, I hate loose ends. I absolutely loved the explosive ending which I was not at all expecting!!! It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture. This book was previously titled 'The One To Blame' but I definitely think 'Her Sister's Secret' suits the storyline better!!! I was completely invested throughout the storyline and addicted throughout. I absolutely love this bit "To think of Swanage is to think of Annie, Cal and me sitting on the old harbour wall eating fish and chips, our legs dangling, seagulls screeching and dive-bombing overhead." I have done exactly that, in fact less than a year ago which definitely brought the story more to life for me.

The characters were all realistic and sadly what went on between Annie and Dom was also realistic. I ccoouls not stand the man and I'm glad that Annie actually hit back at him. I had zero sympathy for him as he was a dispicable person and I genuinely think he got what he deserved. I loved watching the relationships between Annie, Isla, Cal, Daisy and Jan grow, develop and change throughout the book and each character was unique and strong.

Overall an absolutely gripping thriller with an explosive ending

Genres covered in this novel include Psychological thriller, Suspense, Mystery and Psychological Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Lisa Jewell and anyone who loves a book with an unexpected twist.

299 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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This is my first book by S.E. Lynes and based on this I am going to go out and buy everything she has ever written…
This is the story of Annie and Isla, sisters. At the start of the story Isla receives a call from Cal, Annie’s son. Clearly distraught he tells Annie that his Mother and her partner, Dom, have been killed in a fire…Isla, broken hearted and disbelieving rushes down to the Dorset coast to be with Cal to try to understand more of what has happened. She has only been there a short while before Cal is arrested and charged with murder. As Isla talks to Annie’s friends and neighbours she builds up a story of her sister’s life which she hadn’t understood and is forced to reevaluate her feelings. Who does she really know, and more importantly, who does she really trust…
There is so much about this book that I absolutely loved and so much about the writing that just made the story feel real. There is an extraordinary sense of place, I felt I was living in the book, it was so visual. The characters are beautifully drawn. Much of the story is seen and felt through the character of Isla and I felt like I walked in her shoes, feeling her desperate sense of loss and utter desolation at the loss of her sister. Equally, Annie is very well defined. A teenage single parent, much of her life has been dictated by the events of her youth - frustrated ambition and thwarted desire have pushed her into hasty decision making and relationships which have set her on a course which will lead to the tragedy of the fire. I literally could not put this book down and had to cancel my morning’s plans so that I could finish it!
Absolutely a five stars for me and I cannot wait to read the next one by this author.
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre for a digital copy of this wonderful book

4.5 stars

Her Sister's Secret by S.E. Lynes is a psychological thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Annie and Isla were close growing up in Scotland, and when Annie got pregnant at 15, Isla was right there with her, even though she was only 10.  Callum had two mothers for the first 10 years of his life.

Then Annie met Dom, and was swept off her feet.  She and her son moved to Dorset  where Dom had built a studio for her.  Now she had her own space to paint.  She was no longer under her parents thumb.   Dom had thought of everything.  However, Annie was suddenly also running Dom's cottage rental business, cooking his meals, entertaining all his friends, and barely has time to breathe.  But no matter what Dom does to her, she keeps up a brave front.  She keeps her rather miserable existence from her sister, who would be so disappointed.

Isla, back in London, misses her sister, but knows she is happy with her new life.  But when Cal calls her in the middle of the night saying that both his mother and Dom are dead, Isla rushes to his side.  She soon realizes that Annie was keeping some major secrets from her, and nothing was as it seemed.

Isla is determined to find out the truth of Annie's life, and protect Cal from harm....but he doesn't seem to want help.


My Opinions:   
This was an amazing book, which is really no surprise, because Susie Lynes is a wonderful author, whose strong suit seems to be in her characters, who are are deep and relatable.

I got hooked right from the start, as it is a really compelling and suspenseful read.  It did, however, drag once is a while, but I can't actually think of a specific instance, so....maybe it was me.  On the other hand, it could be during Isla's recollections of earlier times that got a little boring.

The book alternated between Isla and Annie, past and present, and it read very smoothly.

It is about sisters, family,  and secrets.  It is also about abuse,  grief and guilt.

There  are a couple of plot twists, including  a major twist at the end, and I actually considered it (and dismissed it), early on in the book.  So it was a wonderful surprise when it came to be.

I would highly recommend this book, as well as anything else that this author writes.

3.5 Stars

This story is told by Annie and Isla in two separate time periods. I love reading this style of writing, but I struggled with the repetitiveness about Isla struggling with not being there for Annie and not knowing if she should support Cal or not. This kind of took away from the book and made it seem very slow for me at times.

There are so many scenes that were very entertaining and I enjoyed the court procedure scenes. It was interesting reading about Annie's character development.

The twist at the end was great. I guessed it pretty early on, but I was still enjoyed the twist.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Her Sister's Secret is a very well written and tense story

I really enjoy a good domestic thriller and this one lived up to all my expectations.

Highly recommend for a gripping read

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

In the past, I have found Susie Lynes to be hit or miss as her books are more of a slow burn of which I am not generally a huge fan. But...I have to say, that slow burning tension that her thrillers have simmering throughout just explodes in such a way that only she can excel at. Her books are some I never thought I would enjoy but Susie has mastered the slow burn in such a way that she keeps you enthralled throughout. And HER SISTER'S SECRET is proof that she just gets better and better.

Isla and Annie Andrews are two sisters that couldn't be more different. Growing up in the Scottish highlands in Inverary by strict and conservative parents, Isla is sensible, practical and prudent whilst Annie is wild, untamed and carefree. For many years Isla looked up to her older sister until she became the seemingly elder of the two. At 10 years old, she was wise beyond her years when 15 year old Annie woke her in tears one night to tell her she was pregnant. Instead of "fixing her problem", their parents set Annie up in a flat above their gift shop where she was to live with her newborn son Callum necessitating the fact that she must face her responsibilities and that with every decision there are consequences with which one must live. And there she and Callum lived happily for the first 11 years of his life.

And then she met Dom.

Isla had been away at uni and had returned home to scale the mountains the two sisters had always promised themselves they would but so far hadn't. Callum was with his granny and granddad, who doted on him, whilst the sisters were away for the weekend. Annie was charmed almost at once by Dominic who was on a boys weekend away with his two friends, doctor Gavin and barrister Tom. They talked long into the night and continued to correspond by phone and letter despite the long distance between them. Isla, the more sensible of the two, tried warning her sister to be careful but Annie was swept away by his charm and feelings she had never felt before.

Two years later they married and Dom whisked Annie and Callum away to their new home in Dorset.

Eleven years later, Isla returns from a night out to her flat in London and the ringing of the telephone, despite it being gone 1am. Wondering who could be calling at such an hour, she almost slurs her greeting but is immediately sobered by the frantic voice on the other end of the line. It's Callum. Her sister Annie and husband Dominic have been killed in a fire. No...not Annie. Almost immediately, Isla makes the journey to Dorset to support her nephew Cal, now her only living relative. But upon arrival she finds the place swarming with police and a wealth of unanswered questions.

Consumed with grief, Isla must now face the fact that not only is her beloved sister dead but that she had kept many secrets about her life from her. But why? She was her sister. She would have listened to her, been there for her. Why did Annie not confide in her what life with Dom was truly like? And then to make matters worse, Cal is arrested and charged with Annie's murder. Not Dom's...his mother's. But that is ludicrous. Cal and Annie were close. There is no way on earth he would harm his mother. Ever.

Over the next four months from the time of Annie's death to the trial in which Cal stands for her murder, Isla tries to make sense of what really happened that night and events leading up to it. She befriends Annie's best friend Daisy and close friend Jan whilst systematically uncovering the truth about Dom, his appalling treatment of Annie and their tempestuous marriage. The man who had charmed his way into her sister's life, who had seemingly doted on her, who had swept away to the other end of the country...had left her to look after his business and keep house while he did...what, exactly? Isla felt an inordinate amount of guilt for not keeping in regular touch with her sister and had she done so, feels she may have seen what was really happening and rescued her. She could have saved her. And Annie might still be alive today.

But Annie saw Dom as her way out of Inverary. And that despite her unhappiness, she'd made her bed and now she must lie in it...as her sister's voice echoed in her head - "Och, wheesht and get oan wae it!"

In the midst of all the secrets and lies, will Isla be able to uncover the truth before it's too late? And when she does, what will the future hold for her? Or for Cal, even?

What a fantastic read HER SISTER'S SECRET is! It's edge of your seat thrills and slow burn suspense that is palpable throughout right up to the courtroom drama that drips tension from start to finish. The grief, the secrets, the lies - every moment grips you as slowly the mystery is stripped away.

The portrayal of the tempestuous marriage between Annie and Dom is expertly carved - from the moment the charismatic bully masquerading as a romantic free spirit seduces the younger woman trapped in a small community in the highlands to the horrific aftermath of what essentially was an abusive situation. The flattery, the charm, the compliments that were really put downs, the manipulation and gas-lighting...Annie merely swapped one prison for another. Dom was pretty much a man-child who was spoilt and wanted to have his cake and eat it too. And if he didn't, he would behave like a spoilt child, over indulged by his parents and believing it was his right to get exactly what he wants when he wants. My heart broke for Annie but at the same time you could see her strength shine through even when Dom was at his cruelest. And when her art studio that Dom had once built especially for her burnt to the ground in a mass of turps, white spirit and candles...Isla found herself questioning which one of them was to blame.

HER SISTER'S SECRET is an enjoyable read filled with suspense and a palpable tension. And then there is the twist. But I wasn't to be hoodwinked or surprised by it because I had worked it out long before it was revealed. Little clues I had picked up that Susie had peppered throughout remained at the forefront of my mind that I had already guessed the twist that was to come...but it didn't spoil it for me. I love trying to work it out and even more so when I am proved correct. Three little (big) clues...can you spot them?

Cleverly told by Isla in the present with flashbacks from both Annie and Isla, HER SISTER'S SECRET is tense, compelling and brilliantly structured that will keep you guessing until the end. Susie has a way of creating intense characters, some of whom you will love to hate....and stories that will linger long after you have finished.

I definitely recommend this intriguing thriller which is perfect for fans of well constructed slow burns that continue to simmer beneath the surface throughout.

I would like to thank #SELynes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #HerSistersSecret in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Her Sister's Secret. It was full of tension, twists and turns and it had me hooked from the first page. I have read other books by S.E Lynes and I've enjoyed them all.
I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.