Laurie Petrou | SISTER OF MINE

Plot (via Goodreads):

Penny and Hattie are sisters in a small town, bound tight to the point of knots. They share a secret they cannot escape, even while it pulls them apart. One night, a match is lit, and Penny’s terrible husband is killed – a marriage going up in flames, and offering the potential of a new life. The sisters retreat into their family home – a house of secrets and memories – and try to live in the shadow of what they put in motion. But Penny’s husband is not the only thing they are hiding, from the outside world and from each other. Under a cloud of long-held resentments, sibling rivalry, and debts unpaid, the bonds of sisterhood begin to crack. How long will Penny and Hattie demand the unthinkable of each other? How often will they say, “You owe me,” and when will it ever be enough? 

Review:

What a cover. What a plot. What a read.

Laurie Petrou has given readers a complex, cinematic tale of sisterhood and the kind of things that go bump in the night. Not monsters, goblins, witches, or vampires. This is far more terrifying. This is a psychological domestic thriller that dives deep into the decisions we make, who we trust, and evokes the feeling of a small town and brings everything to the forefront in a masterful tale of revenge.

I really enjoyed the way Petrou kind of built her characterization with this novel to be a companion with the pacing. With what starts off as a dark and creepy opener, the novel quickly descends back into a lighter time, introducing Penny and Hattie. I loved these sisters. I loved the way as a reader, I got to know them and Petrou "reminded" me of things that happened in the past or what they have been through as I got to know them in present time. As the novel picks up the pace and goes from psychological to suspenseful and their lives begin to unwind, their personalities shine from the pages...flaws and all.

While this was a quick read, I really did enjoy reading about this story. I loved that throughout, I didn't have a full grasp on what happened the night of the fire, but I loved watching the aftermath (as disastrous as it was) and watch the relationship with Penny and Hattie unravel and have a band-aid slapped on it. While I was expecting more of a suspense novel, the pacing with this one was really spot-on for something that didn't have a ton of action. I wasn't expecting this to be such a deep character-driven novel and definitely couldn't guess where the story was going. But, it was an enjoyable ride with shady characters, a small-town vibe that added in a bit of anxiety to the story, and an ending that I found sensationally great.

Special thanks to Crooked Lane Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3.5/5