Her Sister's Secret: A completely gripping psychological thriller full of suspense

S.E. Lynes

Jul 2021 · Bookouture

About this ebook

‘WOW!!!… Will keep you on the edge of your seat to the final stunning ending!!… To say I loved this book is an understatement! This book is why I read thrillers! Kept me so captivated… A stunner!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

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

 

I thought my sister was happy. I thought what we all thought: that Annie and Dom led perfect lives in a lovely cottage in a quiet village by the sea, with flowers at the front gate and an apple tree in the garden. Everyone knew them: generous, loving Dom, creative, joyful Annie.

 

But I never saw Annie as she sat waiting for Dom well into the night. I didn’t see her smiling through her tears. I didn’t know what the perfect couple were hiding.

 

So when sirens break the silence of the night and flames rise against the dark sky, and I get the call I never expected, I’m left with a simple burning question: who was to blame?

 

A brilliantly twisty tale of family secrets and the darkness that can lie behind closed doors, Her Sister’s Secret will keep you turning the pages till the final devastating revelation. Fans of Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and Louise Candlish will love it.

 

See what everyone’s saying about Her Sister’s Secret:

 

‘AMAZING… Susie Lynes is the one to blame for the bags under my eyes, for me being unable to focus on work because all I want to do is get back to reading… and for the palpitations in my heart as once again she spun her magical writing web and trapped me inside the pages!… Totally off the scale star rating for me!’ Chapter in my Life, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Incredible… Will stay with me for a loooooong time. Fantastic, Intense, Gripping, Phenomenal!!!!!!!… I loved it.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Suspense, secrets, loss, lies and a shocking ending!!!… Absolutely gripping… I LOVED it’ Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘Wow! Just wow… Grabbed me by the throat from the outset and didn't relinquish its grip until the very end… Will have you gasping (I did literally scream out loud at one point).’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘Delicious prose, well rounded characters and mind-bending plot twists… Read it. Devour it. Share it!’ Jenny O’Brien, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘S.E. Lynes does it again!… I didn’t see the final twist coming AT ALL!’ @elizabethsbooks, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

‘A total thriller that will grab you at page one and keep you locked in until you finish… Kept me up way past my bedtime to find out what happened – it is THAT good!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘Wow!… Kept me guessing until the reveal almost at the very end! Fantastic!’ Girl Who Reads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘I couldn’t put it down because I so needed to know what was going on!… A twisty plot with one hell of a good finish, a real didn’t-see-that-coming ending… Compelling and compulsive… Completely blowing my mind’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Absolutely stunning… Twisty and thrilling… The kind of novel that you can’t put down, but you don’t want to finish. I absolutely loved it.’ Motherhood for Slackers, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow!… Refreshingly brilliant… A killer twist which you will not predict… I absolutely love it… you are completely engrossed and invested.’ @iheartbooks1991, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘Do not pick up this book unless you devote time to read it because once you start… there’s no going back… Will shock you and definitely leave you breathless!’ Two Girls and a Book Obsession, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ratings and reviews

For Susie Lynes latest offering, she has once again reduced me to a gushing fangirl with yet another outstanding read. I don’t know how she does it, but each book just outdoes the last. I am always in awe of her work and I know for certain that this won’t be the last time I say this, but for now, Her Sister’s Secret is my new favourite read of hers. Set in Scotland, Her Sister’s Secret is a beautifully written, poignant and powerful story of sisterhood, family relationships and how nothing is what it is perceived to be. That’s all I want to say on the plot as the blurb does its job of giving you just a taste and it is best read just going in with what has been provided. I also do have to say that it does deal with domestic and physical abuse, which may be a trigger for some. What I love the most about Susie Lynes books is how she makes you feel you are part of the story, which is why they always hit me so hard emotionally and this one is no different You also go through what the characters go through and I think for an author to make you feel that way and to have you so consumed by them, even long after reading their stories, is a pretty special and rare gift. As well as always delivering top notch characters, it wouldn’t be a Susie Lynes book if there weren’t some twists thrown in which she incorporates into this story here so spectacularly. I was actually gasping for breath and the pain in my hands was heighten by gripping my Kindle so hard. I did not see them coming and they knocked me for six! So good! Her Sister’s Secret is an absolute must read for everyone and it will come as no surprise that it will be another Susie Lynes book to feature in my best books for 2021.

Her Sister’s Secret by S.E. Lynes Dark twisted tale that had me reading to find out what would happen. What I liked: * Isla: younger sister of Annie, the good sister, educated, good job, godmother to her nephew, and yet this is not her story…she is a watcher of events unfolding in the aftermath. * Annie: older sister of Isla, the one who had trouble in HS, unwed mother, looking for escape, trapped before leaving home and again after making the hopeful leap to freedom. * Cal: Annie’s son, artistic, capable, educated, loving, loves his mother, has dreams, accused of murder, must stand trial. * Daisy: a good friend, works at the school, interesting, there for her friends, may have her love returned eventually. * Jan: older woman, friend of Annie’s, observant, stands by her friends. * Patrick: a friend of Isla’s – not a lover – was glad she had him as a friend. * The way the story was told – letting bits out here and there with plenty of surprises, twists and turns. * Though I don’t usually enjoy moving between past and present, it worked well in this book. * The full story as it was revealed…character development, backstories, and all the rest * The way everything was resolved and the potential future for those left at the end of the book. What I didn’t like: * Dom: manipulative, womanizer, user, abuser, someone nobody should have in their life. * The murder trial – wondering if Cal was going to be found guilty or not – really didn’t like the prosecutor. Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I read more by this author? Yes Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review. 4-5 Stars

S.E Lynes books never fail to deliver and this, her ninth, is no exception. Annie and Isla are sisters, Annie, the wild child has settled down and found a step father for her son, Isla is following her career in London. But when Isla gets a panic call from her nephew in the middle of the night, every thing changes and we go on the journey of what happens beyond the Happy Ever After, where nothing is what it seems. Beautifully structured, with clever, well-observed characterisation this novel delivers. If you’ve ever been the victim of a narcissist, there will be powerful moments of recognition. The characterisation of Dominic resonates with verisimilitude. Written with Lynes trademark intelligence, skill and sensitivity and with a shocking final twist, this is five stars all the way.