Twisted Sister: An absolutely addictive and page-turning psychological thriller with a killer twist

by Shannon Hollinger

When my sister was five years old, she was stolen from us. When she was thirteen, she returned. That’s when things really got bad.

It’s been thirteen years since a moment of distraction left the Wagner family shattered. Their youngest daughter gone. And Laura, the oldest, drowning under a sea of guilt and grief. It was her job to watch Cindy the day a stranger snatched her from the family’s front yard… and she failed.

Now, Laura’s life is finally back on track. She’s done her best to move on. Make amends. Forge a life for herself, albeit a solitary one. But that all changes in an instant when Cindy returns, thrust into the spotlight as a hero. Because the girl who came back is not the same sweet, bubbly child they once adored.

As the years pass, it becomes clear that Cindy is… odd. Whatever happened to her during her years in captivity left her changed. And when bodies start showing up, the Wagners find themselves thrust into a vicious game of survival, forced to face the unthinkable task of deciding where their loyalties lie. With their conscience? Or with their Twisted Sister?

Twisted Sister is an utterly page-turning and completely addictive psychological thriller full of dark secrets, killer twists, and a sisterhood to die for. Perfect for fans of Daniel Hurst, John Marrs, and Freida McFadden.

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 7, 2026

About the author

With degrees in Crime Scene Technology and Physical Anthropology, Florida writer Shannon Hollinger hasn’t just seen the dark side of humanity—she’s been elbow deep inside of it! She’s an avid animal lover, reader, and hiker, and has been known to use her forensic skills to figure out who ate the last cookie in the house.

A multi-genre, Amazon charts top 20 best-selling author, Shannon writes psychological thrillers filled with jaw-dropping twists and shocking endings, the police procedural Chief Maggie Riley mysteries, where the darkness of the Maine wilderness is rivaled only by the deadly secrets it conceals, and the romantic suspense Cassidy Knox mystery thrillers, where the animals will steal your heart and the nights are as hot as the days.

Her novels have been translated into multiple languages, and her short fiction has appeared in Suspense Magazine, Mystery Weekly, and The Saturday Evening Post, among many other magazines and anthologies.

Shannon is a member of the International Thriller Writers and the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

To keep current on book news and to enter monthly giveaways, sign up for Shannon’s newsletter through her website, www.shannonhollinger.com.

Find Shannon on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/thiswritersays
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Reviews

[Simone]

Bravo! 👏

Twisted Sister is a gripping psychological thriller that deserves a spot on every thriller lover’s TBR.

The family dynamics are expertly crafted, the drama is compelling, and the emotional depth of the story truly hit me. I felt every twist, every heartbreak, and every tense moment right alongside the characters.

Shannon Hollinger’s writing is flawless, immersive, atmospheric, and impossible to put down. I was completely invested from the first page and kept turning the pages late into the night because I had to know how it would all unfold.

If you love emotional, tension filled thrillers with unforgettable family drama, don’t miss this one.

Thank you to Shannon Hollinger for providing me with this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Highly recommend!

[Allison]

I really enjoyed this book! In my opinion, it had just the right pace. Up until the very end, I was kind of all over the place trying to figure everything out.

Also… why did it take me until it was BLATANTLY stated in the book—the Scooby-Doo crew—for me to make the connection between the names of the kidnapper, Cindy, and the dog? 😂

I also had a hunch that the main villain was going to be Sarah… but I also thought it could be the mother in the not-so-obvious case. And then, at the end, BOOM—it’s both?? Then JUST Sarah?? That chapter definitely had me going crazy. 😂

Anyways, I really enjoyed this book. To date, it’s the best thriller I’ve read!

[Dawn]

If you're looking for a book that you will not want to put down, then this book is for you! I read in one day! When Cindy comes back home after being kidnapped, will she still fit back into the family fold ? or is someone in her family much more sinister than anyone knew ? as the suspense picks up, you are conflicted to which sister is the twisted one. Love the point of view from each sister. There is nothing negative I can say about this book. It's everything I love about a suspense book. Highly recommend!!

[Sharon]

TWISTED SISTER is an immersive & addictive psychological thriller built on unsettling subject matter that you won’t want to put down.

The story is cleverly crafted with writing that is exceptional. You will feel the psychological turmoil & tension as you get deeper into the story.

Told in multiple POVs, with great character development & pacing that brings you to a startling & emotional conclusion.

I cannot recommend this enough.

Favorite Line: “Sweat rises to the surface of my flesh with a million tiny needle pricks, tattooing this moment onto my soul.”

Thank you Shannon for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Book releases 8/7/26.

[Heather Flaherty]

I love this psychological thriller about three sisters and what happens when one of them, five year old Cindy, goes missing. The family is never the same and they all seem to blame the oldest, Lisa who was fifteen at the time. Eight years later and Cindy returns home, but not the same as she used to be. She is withdrawn and odd with everything that has happened to her. The family should all be fixed now, right? Things are far from good, especially when there are bodies turning up. Is Cindy responsible?

[Chrissy Fincher]

3 1/2 stars....it could have been more intense and suspenseful

[Rachel Browning]

“Twisted Sister” by Shannon Hollinger was such an emotional ride! This dark, suspenseful thriller is packed with grief, long-buried secrets, and the complicated bond between sisters. The emotional depth made the mystery even more compelling, and I found myself completely invested in the characters and their journey.
I couldn't put this one down, and whenever I had to, it was all I could think about. The tension kept building, the suspense never let up, and I was eager to see how everything would unravel. If you enjoy emotionally charged thrillers with plenty of twists and family secrets, this is definitely one to pick up!

[Denise Little]

If you want a thriller that you can’t put down that will make your jaw drop, put this on your list!

This was filled with jealousy, grief, suspense and twists you will be shocked to read!

I felt like I was in this book, along with the characters.

Release date August 7, 2026

[Melissa Suslowicz Bartz]

Wow!!!!! This one kept me guessing all the way up until the end. I had no idea what was in store for me. I read the blurb and I’m like this one is definitely for me. I read many of this authors books and she never disappoints. She always has so many twists and turns in them. This one was no different. I loved the characters, the plot was interesting and that ending shocked me to my core. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better read. I can’t wait to read another one of this authors books. I highly recommend this one and all her other ones.

[Katie Mettner]

Twisted Sister is a taut, psychologically rich thriller that digs into the marrow of family trauma and the unhealed fracture it leaves behind. Hollinger crafts a story that begins with a nightmare when one sister is kidnapped in childhood and missing for eight long years. The guilt. The self-hatred. The shunning that Laura felt was palpable. But what happens when the lost finally comes home?

When Cindy returns, older, wiser, less trusting, it’s obvious she’s changed in ways no one can fully articulate. Her memories are fragmented, her personality a 180, and for some in her family, her presence is unsettling. Hollinger leans into that tension, letting the reader feel the same unease the family does. When Cindy struggles to assimilate back into society, Laura steps in and helps Cindy rebuild a life from who she is now, not the child her family remembered, or wanted, her to be. Everyone in the family knew something was not quite right, but no one could put a finger on it.

Until the murders begin.

Hollinger handles the question of which sister is responsible as a slow-burn obsession, not just for the reader but for the characters themselves. The novel explores how trauma fractures a family, how those cracks widen over time, and how a person already carrying dark tendencies can slip through those fractures and grow two faces. One she shows the world, the other a dark, twisted mask of hatred.

What makes Twisted Sister especially hard to put down is its exploration of the secret lives families build around trauma and pain. Hollinger shows how love can warp into obligation, how fear can masquerade as protection, and how the desire to keep a family together in the nuclear sense can blind people to the danger lurking within it. The sisters’ dynamic is both tender and terrifying even as their loyalty is strained to its breaking point.

Hollinger threads the story with the idea that love, even damaged love, can be a lifeline. In the end, that’s what lingers. The way the family reaches for one another, choosing connection over fear. The finale suggests that while trauma can shape a person, it doesn’t have to define their future. Loving each other doesn’t erase the past, but it can keep the past from stealing what’s left.

Twisted Sister is an engrossing, atmospheric foray into the psychology of survival, the shadows of jealousy, and the dangerous places trauma and grief can take us. Hollinger delivers a thriller that is both chilling and hopeful. Darkness may linger at the edges, but love still finds a way to let the light through.

[Cathy Geha]

Twisted Sister by Shannon Hollinger

~ Dark, emotional, thought provoking story that grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go ~

What I liked:
* That the narration of the story was provided in the alternating voices of the three sisters
* Looking at the family dynamics and how they changed over the years
* The way the characters were developed and seeing how destructive the kidnapping of one member of a family impacts the group and each member of the family
* Knowing that one of the sisters was a bad apple and having a good idea who it was but wanting to make sure I was right
* Being reminded of times *I* was the babysitter of my siblings and how heavy that responsibility was – and thinking about how I would have coped if I had been Laura – I was the oldest, too
* Cindy: the youngest sister, kidnapped when she was five, survivor, had a rough time with “Fred” though how rough is left to the imagination in some areas, her coping skills, valor, and finding a skill that was marketable, wondering what her future might hold for her
* Scooby: Cindy’s dog from Fred, wise, protective, caring, there for Cindy
* Laura: the oldest sister, made a mistake that impacted her and her family, personal guilt and also the guilt she felt from others, acted out perhaps seeking attention, felt sorry for her
* Sarah: middle sister, bright, difficult, aloof, self-centered, attention seeker, journalist, has secrets
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* That I cared about the characters and the outcome of the story

What I didn’t like:
* Fred and his kidnapping and treatment of Cindy
* The way that Cindy was treated by her parents when she returned
* The dysfunctional family dynamics and the person most likely behind them
* The murders and the murderer who committed them

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4.5

[Crysta Rosser]

Before I get to the review, I have to thank Shannon for giving our book club such a unique opportunity. She attended a meeting for another of her books earlier this year and mentioned that she had Twisted Sister sitting on a shelf gathering dust, probably never to see the light of day. We more or less begged (or bullied) her to let us read it and offer feedback—and she agreed.

We got to sit down as a group with an author to discuss and workshop an unpublished book, and it was just so unique and cool. We had some great conversations, and it was surreal to hold the finished book months later knowing our feedback helped bring this awesome story to readers. So, thank you, Shannon!

On to the review!

Cindy was 5 when she was snatched from her front yard by a stranger. When she returned home eight years later, what should have been a happy ending was complicated by the damage her disappearance had done to her family.

Her parents had become shells of themselves, leaving sisters Laura and Sarah to largely fend for themselves. Laura spent years blaming herself for Cindy’s disappearance, while Sarah struggled with being the one left behind when Laura went to college.

When Cindy returns, her family struggles to accept who she is now, preferring the little girl they remember. An adult Laura takes Cindy into her home, and the story follows the three sisters into adulthood.

Then the bodies of little blond girls—who happen to look like Cindy as a child—begin appearing around their community. Cindy has been odd since her return. The bodies are turning up in places she frequents. Her family can’t help but wonder: Is Cindy far more broken and damaged than they realized?

This is so much more than a story about the girl who beat the odds and came home. It’s about the ripple effect of one innocent decision and consequences that keep coming, even thirty years later.

Shannon got my five stars, fair and square.

[Gillian Gates]

If you enjoy a psychological thriller then this is a great book for you. I was engaged and captivated from the first page right to the end.

15-year-old Laura was paid by her parents to look after her two sisters, Sarah 10, and Cindy 5. She had planned to take the girls to the local public pool. However, when Laura received an unexpected phone call from a popular boy from school, she was distracted and sent the girls outside to play unsupervised. It turned out to be a big mistake she would never forget. Forty-five minutes later her youngest sister, Cindy, had gone missing, she had been kidnapped.

Eight years later when Cindy was 13, she was found alive. Life would never be the same again for Cindy as well as for each member of her family.

I loved the suspense and the many unexpected and interesting twists and turns within the story. This made me want to keep reading well into the night to find out what was going to happen next. The ending was a surprise.

I enjoyed how the chapters were told through the eyes of the different sisters. Each telling their own stories.

There were many themes throughout including jealousy, secrets, sister rivalry, relationships between parents and daughters, relationships between sisters, kidnapping, suspenseful thriller, murder, hope and lies.

I highly recommend reading this suspenseful psychological thriller. Thank you, Shannon, for allowing me to read this ARC of Twisted Sisters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and give it five stars.

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy]

Holy moly. Prepare yourself for an adrenaline laced ride of more questions than answers because this one is full of tension, mind games and what the heck just happened moments.

There are three sisters in the beginning, until one goes missing. Needless to say the the family is never the same. Fast forward into the future and the missing child is back. The family dynamics were always a little off kilter, and now they are swinging wildly from one direction to another. The missing child is not the same little girl she once was, and this throws everything into chaos. What should be a happy homecoming is now a dreaded daily chore. Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of one of the sisters. It was unsettling and utterly compelling.

This book has completely blown my mind. I had suspected everyone in the book at one point and time, but misdirection and wild and crazy clues will lead you astray more than once. This psychological thriller/mystery left me more than a chilled, but also very thrilled as its deep, dark story unfolded.

It is truly addictive and twisty with a capital T.

Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Samara Hepplewhite]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Twisted Sister absolutely hooked me from the very first chapter! This was one of those books that had me constantly telling myself, “Just one more chapter”… and before I knew it, I’d flown through it.

The character development was fantastic. Every character felt well thought out and believable, making it easy to become invested in their lives and relationships. The pacing was spot on too—never dragging, but always building the tension at just the right speed.

And those twists… wow! Every time I thought I’d worked out where the story was heading, it completely surprised me. I genuinely didn’t see several of the major reveals coming, which made the reading experience even more enjoyable.

If you love psychological thrillers with compelling characters, plenty of suspense, and twists that keep you guessing until the very end, this one is definitely worth picking up. I had such a great time reading it and highly recommend it!

Thank you to the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Emily C.]

I was immediately pulled in by the gripping first page of Shannon Hollinger's TWISTED SISTER, and the tension intensified as I devoured every chapter. The disappearance and sudden return of the youngest of Wagner child hits the family hard, especially the three sisters. Their once steady faith becomes distorted in unsettling and sinister ways.

I was completely absorbed by the conflict, betrayal, buried resentment, and the protective love that binds this Wagner family together. One moment I was stunned by the suspense and twists, and the next I found myself unexpectedly emotional. It's a chilling, heartfelt and deeply satisfying ride for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed Shannon Hollinger's debut psychological thriller, and I am already eagerly waiting for her next thriller. This is a perfect pick for readers craving a satisfying suspense mystery.

[Red Book Review]

Thank you to the author for this free digital ARC read in exchange for my honest review of Twisted Sister.
Amazing! This jaw dropping, twist filled page turner had me hooked from the very first page and ended with a mind blowing conclusion. What happens when a five year old child is taken from her family, only to return years later? This book answers that exact question and you will definitely want to read it to find out how it all unfolds. The author's writing is phenomenal and every single character is brilliantly crafted. I especially loved uncovering all the sinister secrets and navigating the countless twists along the way. The ending was so well done that it genuinely blew my mind, it kept me guessing until the very last page and I completely failed to see it coming. I loved every bit of this book and would recommend it to anyone, especially to readers who love thrillers.

[Mellifluous]

4.5 ⭐ Psychological Thriller 💉Kindle 🔲

This was, as it is described, addictive. I couldn't read it fast enough, even though it only took me two sessions to finish. I had to know what was going to happen next, and even though there was so much in this book, I still wanted more! I would've given this 5 stars if we had a little more information about Fred - why he did what he did, what his intentions were - more than the short paragraph that explained a little bit about his family falling apart and wanting to start over. I think that story happens to many people, but they don't decide to kidnap someone someday! I really enjoyed the personalities of the characters, and the not so linear timeline of events. It felt incredibly realistic, which is what I need in a psychological thriller. I will absolutely be reading more by Shannon Hollinger!

[Chapters_with_VDKeck]

Y’all, Twisted Sister is one of those thrillers that grabs you by the throat and never lets up. Shannon Hollinger takes what should be a family’s miracle—a kidnapped child finally coming home—and twists it into something deeply unsettling. Laura’s lifelong guilt collides with the unsettling reality that the sister who came back isn’t the little girl who disappeared… and when bodies start piling up, all bets are off.

Hollinger’s writing is sharp, atmospheric, and packed with tension that builds like a pressure cooker ready to explode. The twists kept me guessing, the family dynamics were deliciously messy, and I flew through the pages. If you love dark psychological thrillers with morally gray characters and jaw-dropping surprises, this one is an absolute must-read.

[Janilyn Kocher]

Shivers trickled down my spine as I read the first few chapters.
All I could think was it’s like the Adam Walsh story.
The Wagner is broken after one sister disappears and they barely function as the years slide by.
I wondered how Cindy’s return would go and eagerly read as the chapters flew by.
I was pretty sure of one thing after I’d read the first part of,the book, but the author threw some forked roads in my way that I almost took……
BUT ultimately my first suspicion was correct.
Some wounds never heal but time does help.
Thanks Shannon Hollinger for the advance copy.

[Kamber Derosier]

What an intense crazy book. Five year old Cindy is taken from her front yard while her oldest sister is supposed to be watching her. This event breaks their family. Years later, Cindy returns alive, forever changed by her experiences. Most of the book focuses on what happens in the many years after her return. Things get pretty crazy and you’re never really sure what to think. If you like psychological thrillers this may be right up your alley.

Thanks to the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own. Publication date: August 7, 2026

[Angela Frank]

This is one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time. Fast paced with multiple POVs made this book hard to put down. I connected and cared about the characters right from the start. Their personalities and flaws is what made them so relatable. The storyline/plot was unique and captivating. After Cindy / Daphne comes home the suspense factor increases dramatically. I was going back and forth as to who was behind the murders and I was completely surprised with the outcome! Best book of 2026 for me for sure!!

[Rick Molitor]

This is a really gripping thriller that will keep you guessing. The youngest of three sisters is kidnapped when she is 5 years old. She returns 8 years later. The shock of the return was much worse than the abduction itself. The sisters seem to have a difficulty getting along and when some murders start to occur in which the victims resemble the taken sister, it raises questions. This one will keep you guessing right up until the end so be ready for a wild ride.

[Elaine]

Twisted sister,

Sometimes books don't have the perfect name. This one absolutely spot on.

3 sisters, one goes missing years later.
What happens absolutely blows your mind.


Sometimes sisters, do things you would never think they would do.. Some have love and some.Well they feel something else.


The twist this book was phenomenal.
I have had a few favorite books.This year, this one is one of them.
I simply loved this book, finished it in two days.

[Debbie]

WOWZER!! The twisted sisters were indeed all very twisted!!!! I was hooked from the first page. One sister it’s taken from her yard while one sister is left. The oldest sister feels guilty from being on the phone with a boy. Years later a traumatic incident brings the taken sister back home. Nothing is the same. The broken family should heal, right? This twisted family saga kept me up reading until after midnight and the twists and guess kept coming. I’ll definitely read this author again.

[Stephanie]

I absolutely LOVED this book! 👏🏼 I kinda suspected Sharah from the jump. She was giving way too much of that “look at me, look at me” energy with Bratie the whole time. 😂

BUT… I was definitely NOT expecting just how far she had gone. 😳 The things she was willing to do had me sitting there like, GIRL?!?!

This was such a wild, twisted read, and I was hooked! Definitely one of those books where you think you have it figured out… only to realize you really didn’t. 🔥📚

[Mandy]

This is a chilling psychological thriller about a family fractured by loss and an impossible return. Hollinger builds a tense, unsettling atmosphere where love and suspicion blur, and nothing about the “homecoming” feels safe. Dark, twisty, and emotionally charged, it keeps shifting the ground beneath every assumption you make about who deserves trust.

[Jeanne Dembenski]

This was a dark and slightly difficult read for me. Hard to think that a sibling could be that ill, and take such a horrible turn. It does weave and finally come to a positive resolution for two sisters and their parents, and the third sister is stopped and will hopefully get the punishment she deserves

[Melanie Deal]

I absolutely loved this book! I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for this, and I loved getting the final copy and seeing how it blossomed into the amazing thriller it ended up as. This is a fast-paced read, and it will have you on the edge of your seat. I've read many books by this author, and I believe this is my favorite...I experienced the full range of emotions in this one.

[Elaine Rainbolt]

I absolutely loved this book. The story of 3 sisters with the usual sibling rivalry until one day 5 year old Cindy disappears. The ups and downs of relationships between siblings and parents evolve during this story. The twist was so awesome.