Connie Summers is a psychologist whose latest case is hitting a bit close to home for her. Connie’s patient, Stephanie, has come to her scared for her life after being in witness protection and a name change she’s afraid that she’s been found. Connie can relate to Stephanie as both women have had to change their names and somewhat go into hiding. Stephanie is in fear that her brother has found her all these later after testifying to him setting a fire when he was only eight.

Previously Connie had given a recommendation to release a prisoner and that turned out to be the wrong decision on her part so when hounded she changed her name. When a mutilated body is found it becomes known that the corpse has one huge detail leading the police to Connie since her name was written on the body. What is Connie’s connection to the victim? Is she the next target for the killer or was someone killing in her honor?

Bad Sister by Sam Carrington is a psychological thriller that was much like reading a couple of stories at once and trying to piece those together to get the overall plot. The biggest part of the story is told by alternating between Connie and the detective investigating the case, Lindsay Wade. There are also glimpses into the past woven in at times along with an unknown voice telling their story on occasion.

For me with Bad Sister I don’t think the story is bad at all but I wasn’t exactly hooked into it very well either. I found myself never really connecting with Connie as the story went on which sort of brings the book down for me no matter how many twists and turns the author tosses into the mix. In the end I just found this one sort of OK and never became overly excited with the story that unfolded. Many will probably love this one as it’s one with many layers to it though so if a fan of this genre I’d say give it a try for yourself as it just wasn’t one for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This book was such a rollercoaster of emotions for characters. From trusting everything to doubting it all. A fantastic web of lies and secrets that all come together. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for the chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review

The Bad Sister is the latest story by Sam Carrington. Ms Carrington does a lot of back and forth in time with different characters in The Bad Sister. It took quite awhile before I cared about the main character and became invested in what I was reading. I was given an early copy to review.

Well, of all the places I thought this book would take me to, I never though we'd end up where we did. In fact, I actually gave up trying to work it out about half way through as I was getting dizzy from all the twists and turns, and a bit frustrated at myself for being led down dead ends, so I acquiesced and just let the author lead the dance. Well, she did a pretty good job of things with Saving Sophie, her previous book which I also enjoyed.
We have two main characters in this book, they are both very similar and, at the same time, very different. Honestly when you read the book, this conflicting statement will make sense. We have psychologist Connie Summers (not her real name) and her client Stephanie (also operating under an assumed name). The name changes have been for very different but again similar reasons. Just stay with me here. Both are escaping from their pasts. Connie wants to distance herself from her bad press where she was made a scapegoat for a decision made not only by herself but along with others whose contributions were not as glamorised in the media. Stephanie's name change has been necessary to cut from her past but done to protect her life rather than just escaping from it.
When a face from Connie's not so distant past turns up dead, she is forced to face her ghosts, this impacts all aspects of her present life, both personal and professional, especially with regard to her work with Stephanie who, turns out, has secrets from her own past that are in danger of impacting her won present. As I said two very similar but vastly different people and this book deals with what happened next for the two of them as they are both forced to visit their pasts with very differing outcomes.
As with Saving Sophie, I needed to finish this book, I couldn't put it down, reading well into the wee small hours to get my fix and, more importantly, the conclusion. It is all deliciously interconnected and the various threads meander about until they finally weave together as we get to the eventual truth of the matter. Although both the books are stand alone in their stories, they do share crossover characters albeit not in a series type way. I do like this in an author, especially when they set their books in the same places. It's obvious really but something that not many authors do, not sure why.
Pacing is, on the whole, very fast. With plenty of action, described mostly in short punchy chapters, the story gets on with itself very well. There are the odd quieter moments but these are few and far between, just enough to allow me as a reader to get my breath back before it all ramps up again.
The ending when it came was rather shocking. As I already mentioned, I gave up trying to work it all out so, when it came, I was rather gobsmacked although, thinking back with hindsight, all very cleverly worked out.
Told in the present with flashbacks to the past, this was a book that gripped me totally and left me completely satisfied at the end. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book as an arc.
This is a really enjoyable thriller telling the story of Stephanie who is living under an alias due to past events in her life, who seeks counselling from Connie to try to come to terms with her past. However, Connie also has secrets from her past and the two women have more in common than they realise.
Plenty of twists and turns and you are anxious to keep turning the page to find out what is going to happen next! I would certainly recommend this book.

I love a psychological thriller that can keep me guessing till the very end and this book ticked that box with its twists and turns.
Stephanie and Connie are both running from their past lives. Stephanie was the witness to her ex boyfriend crimes, she helped put him away and was put into the witness protection program. Connie is her therapist and is there to draw out all the secrets Stephanie is hiding as well as trying to keep her own hidden.
The book was written in the now and then throughout, wish I felt was clever and engaging right till the very end.
I did not know this was the second novel by this author and will be buying in very shortly.
Thank you to Netgalley, author and publisher for given me the chance to read and review this gripping thriller.

Stephanie is scared for her life,her psychologist Connie Summers,wants to help her face her fears but Stephanie has secrets,one of them being her real name.But then Doctor Summers isn't Connie`s real name either.

And that's not all the two women have in common.As Stephanie opens up about her troubled relashionship with her brother,Connie is forced to confront her own dark family secrets.

When mutilated body is dumped in plain sight,it will have devastating consequences for both women.

The investigation into the dumped body is led by Detective Inspector Lindsay Wade who is struggling with her guilt over the mistakes she made during the Sophie Finch investigation.The chapters alternate between Lindsay and Connie Summers plus there is some chapters that are set in the past and also a number of italicized chapters which are voiced by a unknown person.

This is a fast paced,gripping roller coaster ride that had me hooked from the very first page.It has short snappy chapters,loads of twists,well developed,believable characters,and a breath taking,shocking ending.I really like Lindsay Wade and Connie Summers and hope to read more books featuring both characters in the future.

Stephanie is running from her past. Even though she is under witness protection, "he" has found her. It was her testimony that put him away in a youth prison when he was but 8 years old ..and now he wants revenge. Her psychologist, Connie Summers, wants to help .. they even have things in common ... like they are both living under assumed names.

"He" is her brother .. diagnosed as a pyromaniac at a very young age. "He" is the one who started the fire that killed his father. Or is he?

Connie has a deep dark secret, and it's coming back to haunt her. When a mutilated body shows up practically on her doorstep, both women are in mortal danger. But who was murdered? And more importantly, who's next?

This story is like an octopus, with all its tentacles weaving independently this way and that way, yet somehow all connected. Everyone lies. That's sort of a mantra for law enforcement officers. And now it's up to those in charge to ferret out the lies, expose them to the light of day, and solve their case.

BAD SISTER is a well-written psychological thriller. The author has done a terrific job in baiting the reader with a snippet of 'then' and a story of now. What connects these two women? The ending is chilling.

Many thanks to the author / Avon Books UK / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Two women, both living under assumed identities. Stephanie is looking for help overcoming the past she has been forced to conceal. She hopes to find answers working with her psychologist Dr. Connie Summers, a woman with her own secrets and troubled past. A body is found, grotesquely mutilated and the answer to who the victim is and why they were killed will set in motion a series of events that will leave both women with their secrets laid bare. A suspenseful read with enough surprises that I was left guessing until almost the very end