Book Review: The Winter Sister

So, I decided to join Book of the Month subscription service and The Winter Sister was my pick for February. The one thing I’ve enjoyed so far with Book of the Month is that it’s forcing me to pick up books I normally wouldn’t gravitate to, and I love that. I’m finding new genres and new books and branching out of my comfort zone. 

So needless to say, I didn’t have much expectations with The Winter Sister. I do like a good thriller, but I’m also very picky when it comes to my thrillers. I tend to like more of the slow burn, creepy mysteries versus a downright scary gory book.

I saw some early reviews and it seemed like “you either loved it or hated it” type of book. Well, I absolutely loved The Winter Sister.

The book follows a woman named Sylvie, who has returned to her hometown to take care of her dying mother. A mother who she has not seen in a while nor has had any form of relationship with her — not since Sylvie’s older sister Persephone was brutally murdered and the case went cold. Oh, and Ben, Persephone’s boyfriend at the time of her murder and the person Sylvie always believed was responsible for her death just so happens to work at the hospital where Sylvie’s mother is getting her cancer treatment. 

For me, this book quickly became more about the dynamics of Sylvie and her mother’s relationship than it was a “who dunnit” murder mystery. It explored how families deal with grief and trauma, specifically after a loved one is murdered and how family dynamics change and are never the same. At times I was frustrated with both Sylvie and her mother for not just saying what was on their minds, but how can you after such a big fracture to the relationship? The dialogue between the two was very emotional and I definitely teared up a few times. 

This is also a book with family secrets and boy oh boy do I love a good thriller with some hidden family secrets. I have to admit, I had a theory in the beginning of what the possible outcomes could be and I was partially right. (I need to stop watching so much true crime 😉 ) At some points in the book I was confused on why Sylvie’s mother would say something strange or act a certain way, and why the original detectives in Persephone’s case were less than forthcoming about some certain details, but you find out why in the end. Which is just the kind of book I like — where everything comes together in a nice little bow. 

I gave the book 4 stars on Goodreads. It would have been a 5 star review for me, but there were a couple of things that happened in the book that I didn’t really agree with. I can’t explain what I mean without giving away spoilers — annoying I know. 

If you like a slow burn thriller that will leave you thinking about it over a week later then definitely pick up The Winter Sister. 

 

Until next time!