This is a fascinating, but slow burning story - excuse the pun.

Penny and Hattie are sisters. Their parents are dead and all they have is each other. One sister is manipulative, the other lives in fear of the truth coming out...but which is which? The roles these two sisters play flip and flop around with the twists and turns that the story takes, and when Jameson shows up the trouble really starts. As the ties between the sisters come unraveled so does their secret until the very thing that tears them apart binds them back together even tighter than before.

Be prepared to take your time with this story, it is not a headlong rush of a page turner but it is a book a drew me back time and time again until I got to the end. Time, atmosphere and location are beautifully described though one or two characters lack a little depth, Mac in particular is a peripheral character who I felt could have bought a bit more menace with him than he did.

You won't be disappointed with this as long as you give it a chance to capture your heart.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sister of Mine was a hugely suspenseful and mysterious novel. Compelling, claustrophobic and stunning it looked at two sisters and what each was prepared to do for the other. I loved the really strong bond between the sisters, Hattie and Penny, one that wasn’t based on them liking each other. It was interesting that both were complicit in creating their destinies, and a lot of that was based around jealousy and perceived wrong-doings between them. to the power games between them and ownership over each other.

A tale of familial love, jealousy and guilt, this wasn’t a black and white novel. Both sisters were a combination of good and bad. They involved each other in everything, so blurring the lines about who was ultimately responsible for what and which sister did the worst thing.

I really liked the claustrophobic atmosphere that emanated from the book and I felt like I was right there with Penny and Hattie, living their lives alongside them.

I loved this beautifully written book and it is still lingering in my mind even though I finished reading it. I highly recommend this one!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from No Exit Press via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This book was a bit of a strange one for me, though one that kept me turning the page to work out what was going on. The story of two sisters, Penny and Hattie we know from the start that there was a fire and that they were involved, but the narrative cleverly keeps the detail of exactly how whilst telling us more about their past as well as the next chapter of their lives. Penny and Hattie's lives remain inextricably intertwined over the next few years, with events that culminate in us finding out more and more about the fire that binds the two of them so closely, and a great twist to finish with.

“Two girls and a match, but a world of differences in what it looked like after that. A forest fire of debt”

Secrets. Lies. Violence. Desperation. Fire. Smoke. Murder.

This is a claustrophobic story of two sisters both held together and torn apart by a terrible secret and explores how the ripple effect of one decision lasts for decades, impacting both sister’s lives in ways they never imagined.

I was quickly drawn into the dark world of sisters Penny and Hattie Grayson. Their lives have been far from easy: their father left town when they were very young making them outcasts tarnished by his misdeeds, their mother died not long after Penny leaves for college and she has to return to look after her younger sister and Penny’s charming husband Buddy revealed his true colours and abused her. It was shocking to me how much they had been through by the time they were 18 and 21, which is their ages at the time of the fire.

They are very different people. Penny is stoic, reserved, untrusting, lacking in confidence, prefers to keep to herself, feels the weight of their shared secret and lies they have to tell. Hattie is sociable, carefree, confident, trusting, willful, manipulative and seems unburdened by their secret. These differences contribute to the love/hate relationship they’ve always had. They are trapped in a cycle of protection and debt. It’s them against the world but they are both full of such resentment and it’s toxic. Throughout the book the same feelings return over and over in different situations wrapping the sisters up in yet more secrets and more bitterness. Can they escape the sins of the past, break the cycle and mend their broken relationship? Or are they doomed to a life of heartache and to leave a trail of ruin in their wake?

I generally found our narrator Penny to be a sympathetic character. The author wrote her so well that I could feel what she did through the pages: her shame after their father left, her frustration at being made responsible for her younger sister, her complex feelings for her, her all-consuming love for Buddy and her devastation as it turned to fear of him, how terrified she is of their secret being revealed and her struggle to lie and keep up the facade. Penny has always felt trapped in her life and tried to break free. First by leaving for college but she was dragged back by her mother’s sudden death, and then by leaving Buddy, but he found out and threatened not only her life, but her sister’s too. She had no way out. No options. Not until the desperate plan to free herself was born.

This compelling, sinister, raw and heartwrenching story is a skillfully written and gripping from the first page. It is full of twists and turns and will surprise you right until the end. It is a magnificent psychological thriller that I highly recommend.

Out now.

Penny and Hattie have a love-hate sisterly bond that is very relatable. The narrative tracks the men in their lives, first an abusive husband and later a new man to whom they are both attracted.

I enjoyed the central focus on the relationship of the two women. It was overall well-written and readable although it feels like a debut novel. I would be interested to see the development of this author's work in the future.

I felt this book was more about the relationship between sisters who can't live together but can't live without each other - forever jealous but unable to exist well without each other. I was glad I had not reread the blurb before reading it - too much information! I guess the suspense was in when eventually the truth would burst out.
The writing was good but Elliot's character was difficult to understand as there was not really enough about his part in it all to understand what was happening with him - he was obviously loved by Penny, Hattie and Jameson. The last few pages explained so much more than all that had gone before. Nevertheless, 3 1/2 stars for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Laurie Petrou/Oldcastle Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sister of Mine by Laurie Petrou was not quite the book that I was hoping for. The story sounded like something different that I would enjoy but I struggled to get into it and found it to be pretty slow paced. The sisters were just awful people who I could not connect to.

The Grayson sisters Hattie and Penny only had each other. Their mother died in a tragic accident when they were young and their father walked out on them. They live in a small town where everybody knows everybody, but these sisters are hiding dark secrets. Penny's husband dies ins housefire that is caused by the sisters. The girls don't really like each other, but they feed off each other.

Thanks to NetGalley and Old Castle Books for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

Sisters of Mine is about the two Grayson sisters. They live in a small town and everyone knows who they are. The people in the town don’t know all of the secrets the two women hold though. One night the two sisters set a fire and the repercussions of that night will be long lasting in their lives!

On the cover of my copy of Sisters of Mine it has a sticker warning that readers will burn through the novel in one sitting and I have to say that this was absolutely true for me. I started reading this novel and it had me under its spell from the opening chapter and I didn’t move from where I was sitting until after I turned the last page!

This is a really suspenseful and mysterious novel. There is a really strong bond between Hattie and Penny, one that isn’t necessarily based on them liking each other. There is a strange dynamic at play in their relationship and for a long time it seems like one of them is pulling all the strings but then the power shifts somewhat. Ultimately, they’re both complicit in making their lives turn out the way they did, and a lot of it has to do with jealousy and perceived wrong-doings between them. The title of this book is so perfect. Going into the book it seemed like it was a reference to two sisters who are close but once I started reading the book I could see its more a reference to the power play between them and ownership over each other.

This isn’t a black and white novel; the two sisters each have good and bad in them and it’s impossible to point at one of them and say that what they did was worse. They involve each other in everything and so the lines become very blurred about who is ultimately responsible and who did the worst thing.

Sister of Mine has a really claustrophobic atmosphere to it. I felt like I was right there with Penny and Hattie and it was stifling at times seeing their lives up close. The writing is brilliant to make me feel that way though, it really is a beautifully written book.

Sister of Mine is a compelling, claustrophobic and stunning look at two sisters and what each is prepared to do for the other. I loved this book, it is still lingering in my mind now and it’s a few weeks since I finished reading it. I recommend this one!

Penny and Hattie's mother died in a tragic accident. Their father had walked out on the family. Penny and Hattie's relationship is complicated. They prefer each other's company, scared that their secrets will be discovered. But then a man comes into their lives. They enjoy his company, that is until it all begins to crumble before their eyes.

It was clear from the start of the book that things weren't going to end well. The pace is slow at times. It's one of those book where you don't want to say to much about in fear of spoiling it for potential readers. A story of jealousy, love, hate, secrets and sister rivalry. But they are always there for each other. I did not really like the sisters for several reasons. I also found it confusing at times.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Oldcastle Books and the author Laurie Petrou for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story about two sisters and their secrets. Overall it is a good read. The major secret they share is a good plot idea and well written. I was unable to like any of the characters and that took away from my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Wow sisterly love.How,far would the Grayson girls go to keep a secret? How many do they have?
A fire that kills a domestic abuser of a husband who was to blame or was it accidental? The son Elliot who is surrounded by another secret and becomes an arsonist with an unhealthy obsession with fires from a very young age it starts with drawings and escalates from there.

Thank you net galley for letting me read this.

A crime has been committed, and there is a detective who will not let the case lie, but this is not the focus of the story. This is a powerful character-led book that delves into a truly dysfunctional relationship between sisters in a small town. The claustrophobic small town mentality is perfectly captured, everyone is expected to fit into a prescribed role and anything that threatens this is ignored. Penny's husband was violent and abusive and had to go, but who lit the match will not be revealed until the final pages. The murder brings to the boil previous simmering resentments and leads to secrets, lies, jealousy, love and a wonderful shifting power dynamic between Penny and Hatty that kept me on my toes throughout the book.
A few weeks after reading this book I still find myself thinking about it and I'm sure I will go back for a re-read before too long.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Penny and Hattie are the Grayson sisters. Penny dark haired and Hattie the red headed, larger and louder than life, younger sister. They’d do anything for each other.

One night Hattie takes their mothers treasured earrings and gives them to Penny, but their father is blamed, and so he walks out never to be seen again. Neither girl says anything!

Penny eventually leaves home, but then one day, their mum is stung by a bee and dies…..both girls are heartbroken…..

There’s then Penny’s marriage to the brutal Buddy, after he breaks her collarbone one night, she decides enough is enough and plans to burn the house down with him in it…..but she can’t do it…..in steps Hattie…

Hattie wants a child but cannot get pregnant…..so Penny steps in and Elliot is born….will they now settle as they are even …..aren’t they?

“We were together again, stuck in time like bees in amber”

This is an incredibly paced novel that when the publishers say ‘you’ll burn through this in one sitting’ they’re not kidding…..

A tale of familial love, jealousy and guilt, the sort of guilt that wears away at the soul…..and the jealousy between two incredibly close, yet insular siblings….keeping the world at arms length……until Elliot and his fascination for fire causes the past to catch up with them. An compelling, immersive read…..I loved every minute.

Thank you to The publishers, the author and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

Very much enjoyed this book, it's quite rare to find novels set in small town Canada! I thought the relationship between the sisters was well explored

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. Honestly I found this book confusing, the scenes changed from one to another. But when you realise what’s happening it works out alright. Another brilliant book for 2019, a very well thought out and well written storyline. Praise to the Author. I think that one or two of the characters needed a shake, Joseph sounds like good fun. All characters worked well together. Well worth 5 stars.

A story of loss, heartbreak and sibling rivalry and a tie that binds. The two sisters have a complex relationship but their love for each other knows no bounds. Penny and Hattie are tied together through a dreadful secret they they were keeping. It had to come out though didn't it? The twist at the end was shocking but made for a wonderful read. I thought this was a well written thriller and I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story. Well written, well thought through and a compelling read.

This did not grip me from the beginning but when Jameson came on the scene it began to be more interesting. The two sisters, Hattie and Penny (the narrator) are dependent on each other, having lost both their parents. They live in a small town which enjoys gossip and scandal. The fire described in the prologue holds a secret which bonds the two sisters even more closely. The story is told rather cleverly in flashback glimpses, so your questions are answered without having to wait too long. The last chapters hold some surprises and it concludes satisfactorily.

Both characters have a very twisted relationship with one being very manipulative that is more an more apparent as the book goes on. This book was ok an I did fly through it but I was a little bored as it wasn’t a particularly gripping storyline that proved very uneventful. Although the ending explained things fully but not much you didn’t already know. Was a little disappointing.

Claustrophobic and creepy, you are drawn into the sisters world and convinced by their love hate relationship. Throughout the book it is unclear who did what and whether the sins of the past will ever allow relief in the future. A very satisfying ending. Thankyou to Oldcastle Books and Netgalley for providing me with this free ARC.

Hattie and Penny are sisters, one is good the other is manipulating and evil. Which one is it only time will tell. One is running away from a house fire that made a bad situation go away. Keeping this secret is hard and takes a lot of cunning for one of the sisters. Other people come into their lives along the way and no matter hard she tries to be good her true side will always come out.
I throughly enjoyed reading this until the early hours and look forward to reading more from this author.