The Perfect Sister: An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller

Sheryl Browne

Jan 2020 · Bookouture

About this ebook

‘You don’t know me, but I’m your sister.’

Claire is shocked when she receives a message out of the blue from Sophie, a beautiful young woman who tells Claire that she’s their father’s secret child. Having spent years nursing her sweet little daughter Ella through a life-threatening illness whilst dealing with the emotional fall-out of a devastating marriage breakdown, Claire feels tentatively excited to meet Sophie. Perhaps she might finally have someone in the family to lean on…

As Claire welcomes her sister into her life, she’s delighted to see just how much Ella loves her new Aunt Sophie. But as the pair spend more time together, Claire begins to wonder where exactly her perfect new sister came from and what kind of person she really is. With their elderly father’s mind rapidly deteriorating, is it possible that he’s hiding something from Claire about Sophie’s sudden appearance in their lives?

When Sophie suggests a family day at the seaside, little Ella is beyond excited. But as Claire takes an important phone call from her demanding ex-husband, leaving Sophie in charge of Ella, something unthinkable happens. And as Claire rushes into the ice-cold sea towards the small, limp figure of her daughter, she realises that Sophie was watching the whole time. But why would Sophie want to hurt Claire’s precious daughter? Was trusting her new sister with Ella the biggest mistake of Claire’s life?

If you enjoyed The Girl on the Train, My Lovely Wife and Lucinda Berry’s The Perfect Child, you’ll love this heart-stopping psychological thriller from bestselling author Sheryl Browne.

What readers are saying about The Family Secret:

‘A wonderful, tense domestic psychological thriller that hits ALL the buttons… A great read, enjoyable, taut and exciting.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Another fantastic hit from this wonderful author! Unputdownable. So many twists, it has your head reeling in that wonderful, mind-blowing way. Don’t pass this one by, it’s worth every second of your time.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Wow… Another sure-fire winner from Sheryl Browne. Dark and twisted, full of revenge it’s a fast-paced thriller that certainly keeps you reading… It has some excellent characters and keeps you on your toes as the twists keep coming… A book I thoroughly enjoyed and can recommend.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘The Family Secret is billed as being absolutely unputdownable and I totally agree. I was captivated from the very first page and the tension slowly builds throughout the book. There’s twists and turns along the way to keep you entertained… Brilliantly written.’ NetGalley reviewer

‘This is one of my favourite authors, she never disappoints her readers… The twist and turns in this book are brilliant. Once you start you can’t stop until the last page.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A fascinating novel.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘I was drawn in from the first page to this chilling, tense thriller… A true page-turner.’ NetGalley reviewer

‘This one had me racing to the end, and kept me fully engaged throughout with lots of twist and gasps thrown in along the way… This is a character driven domestic drama that ticks all of the boxes. I was gripped from the beginning to the end and now consider Sheryl Browne to be a must-read author.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘This book has so many twists, you can’t put it down! No, literally, I consumed this book in one sitting!... The Family Secret is a book to watch in 2020.’ Goodreads reviewer

What readers are saying about Sheryl Browne:

‘Oh my goodness I can finally breathe!! What an amazing, addictive, totally gripping read this was… you will not be able to put it down!!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! What a rollercoaster of a ride that story was, bloody brilliant!... If you enjoyed The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl then this story is for you!’ Between The Pages Book Club, 5 stars

‘Phew... Goosebumps, shivers down my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end, that’s how good this book is.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Stunning… Gripping, tense and suspenseful… a heart in mouth and pulse-racing realistic thriller… I loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘I'm speechless... it is just that amazing.’ Rachel’s Random Reads, 5 stars

Ratings and reviews

As followers of my blog will be aware I am a dedicated fan of the wonderful Sheryl Browne. This is another totally awesome five-star psychological thriller. The gripping story is exciting with well-rounded characters. I did not read the synopsis as, of course, I know it will be a good book and I enjoy story unfolding as the author writes rather than the clues from the back page. This gripping domestic noir is told in alternating chapters of exceptionally developed characters. The story held my attention from the first page and I read it in a single day as it was such an easy read, well developed and planned with trademark curveball twists that Sheryl is an expert in! Sheryl writes such fantastic gritty thrillers it's almost worrying - but she does have a sweet loving Jack Russell at home so I know this side of her is all author talent rather than a lifestyle! Well, in my mind, you can't be a bad person if you are owned by a Jack Russell! If you are looking for a first book of 2020 then I sincerely advise you not to miss out on this - make it your first and you will get your reading year off to a great start. My sincere thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of ‘THE PERFECT SISTER’ by SHERYL BROWNE.All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway. All my reviews can be found on my blog momobookdiary.

Truer words were never spoken than with the phrase “Be Careful What You Wish For” which is how I can best describe The Perfect Sister. Sheryl has crafted a tightly woven, thrilling plot where she gets you in her clutches and doesn’t let you go until the final page. From the chilling prologue and the shocking first chapter, I was glued to the pages and knew I was going to be up reading this well into the early hours of the morning. Through bleary eyes, (which was my doing for starting this later in the night), I could not pull myself away and I just had to see how it was all going to unfold. I am pleased to report that I was not disappointed. What Sheryl has done with this story is really good, but for me I was more taken in with the ending which is genius and was a complete curve ball. I actually had to read it twice to let it really sink in. My hat goes off to Sheryl with this very wicked delightful twist! The characterisation is spot on in this story and they are a mixed bag of likeable and unlikeable ones. Created through great writing that brings them to life so well, each one plays out their role to the fullest. Although I can’t really say I connected to any one in particular, I was able to feel all of the emotions that each one went through in their journey, which made them very believable and the story realistic. When I read a book from Sheryl, I always feel like I am a part of the story. I attribute this to her writing, which is always flawless, engaging, emotive and so visual. When I see that Sheryl has a new book coming out, everything in my life just stops when I get my hands on it and nothing can distract me from it. I am completely amazed at how her mind works and how with each book, she takes her wickedness up a notch. Don’t be fooled with how sweet and innocent she looks, as her books are the complete opposite to this! There is never a dull moment, which is why I love them so much and what makes her a standout as one of my favourite authors. The Perfect Sister takes you on one hell of a ride and is another perfect example of Sheryl nailing the psychological thriller genre. She is a master in building up the tension and suspense in everything she creates and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Don’t keep us waiting too long Sheryl! It was an absolute pleasure to read and review The Perfect Sister which I highly recommend. Thank-you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Sheryl Browne for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Perfect Sister which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Secrets, lies, betrayals, infidelity, mistrust, cons, revenge plots, chilling mind games, and a ton of prickly and complicated family drama were heavily featured in this twisty brain itching tale. The characters were untrustworthy, more than a bit frustrating, and not all that likable, but I pitied the poor husband, too bad he couldn’t seem to get his tongue to work and I periodically wanted to give him a swat to the back of the head to knock it loose. My own wild theories were mostly, well, partly correct. I would doubt the veracity of anyone claiming that had it all figured out, as there is just no possible way to have unraveled or predicted all those deviously tangled and perplexing plotlines without psychic abilities. This was my first visit into the devilishly clever mind of Sheryl Browne and I enjoyed her wily written and intriguing tale while feverishly bumping around in her oddly compelling characters’ zigzagging reasoning. More, please!