The Good Sister is a novel which keeps you guessing right from the very beginning, up until the very last sentence. It carries an air of mystery which becomes increasingly sophisticated as the characters of Josie and Valentina are explored to their full potential through their designated chapters. I loved the unique backdrop of their Viking heritage in explicating the actions and thought processes of the main characters, particularly Jerry and Valentina who appear the most influenced by their historical cultural connections.

Without giving away spoilers - which is tricky as each chapter and development of the plot heavily rested on the twists and turns of the narrative! - I found myself becoming increasingly protective over Josie and Arun, and wishing that Valentina got the psychological help she so desperately required. However, this added to the power of the book, as I found myself both despising Valentina for her unjustifiable actions, but also feeling increasingly sympathetic towards her less-than-normal upbringing and the lack of support she had from both family and therapists.

Overall, The Good Sister exceeded my expectations and kept me gripped from the outset. It was powerful, thought-provoking and shocking, and has made its way onto my 2017 favourites!

After her father dies, Josie discovers her father had another life, with another wife and child in that life, so Josie has a sister. Josie is the nice, sweet girl and Valentina not so much! A terrific psychological thriller, which will have you reading long into the night

Absolutely loved this fast paced page turner. If you enjoy books about secrets with great characters that are flawed to a degree... this book is for you!

Josie was shocked to discover that her father was leading a secret life when he died. He had another wife, another house, and another daughter. Josie and her half sister, Valentina, were born the same week in the same hospital and even look remarkably alike. They are actually very different. Josie is a nice, sweet girl with a happy but ordinary life. Valentina is the exact opposite. She is used to getting what she wants, but what she wants now is Josie's life, and she won't stop until she gets it.

The Good Sister is fast-paced, full of suspense, and hard to put down. I also enjoyed the author's earlier novel, Lie to Me. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read this electronic ARC.
When Josie’s beloved father dies, she is destroyed once more when she discovers that her father led a secret life, complete with another woman and a daughter that he had kept secret from her. When Josie’s sister, Valentina, reaches out to Josie, Josie immediately develops a relationship with her, ignoring the cautions from everyone in her life that Valentina is dangerous and manipulative. Valentina slowly begins to infiltrate Josie’s life, and the only one oblivious to the obvious deception is Josie herself. When Josie finally realizes this fact, she must take on her own sister in a fight to save her own life.
Having read Jess Ryder’s other novel, I was excited to get the chance to read this one and it did not disappoint. I actually anticipated “The Good Sister” to be predictable and similar to “Single White Female” however I was pleasantly surprised when it did not turn out that way! The twists and turns in this novel are top-notch, and Ryder definitely pulls a reader in right from the start, and keeps their interest until the end.
“The Good Sister” is told from the viewpoint of both Josie and Valentina. At the beginning of each chapter, it is not revealed which sister is doing the narrative which helps to solidify the plot without being confusing (as the chapter does eventually tell us which sister we are listening to). I ran the gamut of speculations throughout this story (”Which sister is actually the bad sister? Is it actually Josie and we have been fooled all this time?”) and was extremely satisfied at the ending, which not only provided a concrete solution to the plot but also was unexpected and surprising.
This novel surprised me in all of the best ways possible. Ryder is definitely an author to watch.

A real roller coaster ride, couldn't put it down. Characters are well developed and the plot moves along nicely

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* Jess Ryder's 'The Good Sister' is a gripping novel, full of intricate characters and lots of twists and turns as we have come to expect from this genre. The story focuses around Josie, whose world begins to crumble after the unexpected death of her father. She soon discovers that her mild mannered professor father was living a whole other life, with a mistress and a daughter the same age as her, called Valentina. As the father had been an expert in the ways of the Vikings, each chapter begins with a little snippet of information about the Vikings, which is a really nice touch and adds to the mood of the story. A thoroughly enjoyable and suspenseful novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Jess Ryder's first book but it was not as suspenseful as it was made out to be. This book was different and totally lived up to its description. It is a nail biting, roller-coaster ride. I absolutely loved it!

The story is about two sisters. Josie's father has been leading a double life. He is married to Josie's mother but has been having an affair with another woman and they have a child together. Her name is Valentina. Josie and Valentina find out about each other when their father passes away. The two sisters are almost identical but the similarities end with their looks. Their personalities are completely different.

The story is told by both sisters but the author does not mention which sister it is. Initially, I was a bit irritated as you first had to try and figure out which sister it was, but I realised afterwards that this adds to the suspense throughout the novel. This book really had me gripped and I could not put it down.

There were a few completely unexpected twists which left me absolutely shocked (I really didn't see that coming) and the ending was really jaw-dropping!

I highly recommend this book. Well done to the author, this is a winner!

The Good Sister Jess Ryder

This may be a short book, at 230 pages, but it packs more twists and turns than a Himalayan Mountain track.

When a University Lecturer dies, speeding down a country lane on his motor bike, nobody could expect the secrets that are about to be revealed.

Two women, that could look like twins, born five days apart proclaim to be his daughter.

They could not be any different.

Josie “A boring young fogey, the easy-care daughter”

Valentina “wild, daring, spontaneous, unrestrained”

Both living completely separate lives, but one of them has been having dreams for years that she has a sister, and that she was hurt by her, badly.

The story sees both girls getting to know each other. The wild Valentina causing chaos in the quiet reserved life of Josie.

The family of both girls dealing with the death of the man, who called himself their dad, but did either family know about the other.

Threatening text messages, from a mysterious person who watches every move Valentina makes.

From the posh houses of a London suburb, to the squalid existence of a derelict pub; from a leafy Derbyshire Cottage, to a run-down student terrace in Manchester the plot unfolds.

Jess Ryder wrote the story in the first person, alternating chapters from Josie’s point of view to Valentina’s. That is what makes this story so good; because at times you don’t know which sister is carrying the narrative. Then oh it’s her, really?

There are times when I thought, is there only one woman and does she have a split personalities.

Then I wondered if one of the sisters was imagining some of the things that were happening to her.

I felt empathy for Josie, then I felt empathy for Valentina.

I liked and hated both women equally through the story. It’s a testimony to Ryders writing that my loyalty swung from one to the other all the way to the end of the book.

The twists in the plot are brilliantly penned with the last twist coming right at the end; and I didn’t see it coming.

It’s hard to write too much about this book without giving plot spoilers. So much happens in such a short space of time.

All I can say is READ IT!!!!!!!

I promise you’ll love it.

When you make your mind up which is the “Good Sister” let me know; because I still can’t make my mind up.

Pages: 230
Publisher: Bookouture
Available to pre order on Amazon
Publishing Date: 16th August 2017.

This fast-paced psychological thriller is Jess Ryder's second novel, and it is an excellent read. The chapters alternate between first person narrators, giving you a sense of each sister's thoughts and personalities as the story unfolds.

The short prologue sets a dark tone for this novel. It catches your attention, an ominous scene full of mystery. From there the story picks up in the present, about 25 years after the prologue. Decades of lies and deceit are uncovered, a double life that has now destroyed two families while leaving both sides with nothing but unanswered questions.

The two sisters, Josie and Valentina, are polar opposites. When Valentina is forced to relocate, she chooses to move closer to her long lost sister. However, she soon starts receiving dark and threatening text messages. In fact, both sisters experience threats from unknown people. A cryptic note left at the crash site leaves the sisters with even more questions, and they set out on their own to investigate the truth of what really happened to their father. Meanwhile, Valentina yearns to have a life more like Josie's, except she wants to keep her sense of thrill and adventure, living life to the fullest without thinking about consequences.

As the sisters become closer, the stack of lies continues to mount. Everyone warns Josie to stay away from Valentina and forget about their father's double life, but Josie is hopeful that something good will come out of the situation. The sisters begin to mesh into each other's lives, causing Valentina to have more influence as Josie begins to fall off the rails. Josie doesn't realize the level of manipulation that Valentina is capable of until it is too late.

The story comes full circle around 80% into the book. All of the lies and deception are laid bare as the truth begins to unravel. Each chapter of the book begins with a short narration of Viking folklore. At first this seems somewhat inconsequential, but it makes more sense and becomes more relevant as the book progresses. Some parts of the story are very predictable. By the end of the book, through many twists and turns, you are left with a shocking conclusion that is as brilliant as it is devious.

I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers and suspense. I received this as a free ARC from Bookotoure on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh wow! What a story! Amazing! I just couldn't put it down, was up most of the night reading it! Can't stop thinking about the characters! What a spectacular story, riveting and addictive, with so many twists, all of which I absolutely did not see coming! I loved this brilliant author's debut, but this book, wow, it is perfectly executed, fabulously well written, a stunning, page-turning masterpiece. Loved this SO much. One of the best psychological thrillers I have read this year!

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