About the Book
An electrifying novel about the unyielding bond between two sisters, which is severely tested when one of them is accused of the worst imaginable crime.
Martha and Becky Blackwater are more than sisters–they’re each other’s lifelines. When Martha finds herself struggling to balance early motherhood and her growing business, Becky steps in to babysit her niece, Layla, without a second thought, bringing the two women closer than ever. But then the unthinkable happens, and Becky is charged with murder.
Nine months later, Becky is on trial and maintains her innocence–and so does Martha. Unable to shake the feeling that her sister couldn’t possibly be guilty, Martha sets out to uncover exactly what happened that night, and how things could have gone so wrong. As the trial progresses, fault lines between the sisters begin to show–revealing cracks deep in their relationship and threatening the family each has worked so hard to build. With incredible empathy and resounding emotional heft, The Good Sister is a powerhouse of a novel that will lead readers to question everything they know about motherhood, family, and the price of forgiveness.
My Review
Whew, this one will really play with your emotions. The Good Sister covers the tragic death of Martha’s eight-week-old daughter – who died in the care of Martha’s best friend and sister, Becky. How did Layla really die and did Becky have a part in her death? The details unfold slowly throughout the story, giving us testimonies in the court room and a look back at the events leading up to that fateful night. I went back and forth – just like Martha – on my decision of if Becky was guilty, and I had to read until the end to see what the truth really was. I will say that I did think I had it figured out just over the halfway point, but there’s enough twists and turns in the case that I wasn’t confident until all the pieces really come together. The only real con I can give the story is that I didn’t feel the judge’s POV was necessary – I liked the way the book was broken up into different sections and even covering some of the witnesses, but his just seemed out of place and didn’t add much to the story. Other than that, I highly recommend this story, but be ready to deal with a really sad event at the core.
5 stars
