Book Review: The Wrong Sister

Mrs P

March 9

Every family has secrets.

Some more deadly than others.

Claire Douglas ~ The Wrong Sister

Synopsis

Tasha has always felt in the shadow of her older sister, Alice. Their lifestyles couldn't be more different; Alice is married to wealthy entrepreneur Kyle and has a high-flying career, Tasha is married to her childhood sweetheart and lives in a Bristol suburb with their four-year-old twins.

When Alice realises that Tasha is struggling - with money, the kids, losing her identity - she suggests they do a lifeswap for a week. Alice and Kyle will come to stay at Tasha's terraced house to look after the twins, while Tasha and Harry spend the week in Alice and Kyle's Venice apartment.

But a few days in, it all goes terribly wrong. Tasha receives a phone call to say Alice is in hospital and Kyle is dead after an intruder broke into their house. They think it must have been a burglary gone wrong.

Until a note arrives through the letterbox saying 'It was supposed to be you.'

Review

This book was extremely sinister... the stark difference between the small town and Venice really helped to increase the tension and sense of foreboding.

Despite some sibling rivalry, the relationship between Tasha and Alice was actually quite sweet; despite very different lifestyles, their bond was believable and genuine, especially as we learned more about the family's past and what they had been through with their missing sister Holly. The two grandmothers were also great characters with their own secret history that is eventually revealed...

With two converging storylines, we are not kept fully in the dark but there is still plenty of intrigue throughout to try and throw us off the scent, with multiple mysteries to keep us hooked. Pace is fast and there's a real atmospheric feel in the writing, that adds to the creepiness.

There's also a slight nod to one of Claire's other books; it's such an intimate gesture when author's add in an Easter Egg or two.

The Wrong Sister is a real page-turner and I would say it's Claire's best book so far.

Rating: 5 out of 5.