Her Sister's Lie

by Debbie Howells

The international bestselling author of The Stepdaughter delivers “a nail-biter . . . Fans of psychological thrillers will be rewarded” (Publishers Weekly).   It’s been ten years since Hannah Roscoe saw her older sister, but that distance fades to nothing when she receives a call from the police saying Nina is dead. As a teenager, desperate to leave home and make her career in music, Hannah moved into Nina’s cottage in the English countryside. In that secluded setting, Nina was trying to give her children the freedom she and Hannah never knew growing up.   Now Nina is gone, and Hannah is left to care for her young nephew, Abe, who’s remote and moody in the wake of his loss. But worse is to come, as Nina’s death, first ruled an accident, becomes a murder investigation. Hannah is forced to confront their unhappy childhood and the reasons she and Nina drifted apart. As for Abe, Hannah suspects he’s hiding something, but whom is he trying to protect?   Through it all, Hannah can’t shake the feeling that someone else knows all about the secrets she and Nina shared—and the ones they kept hidden, even from each other. Perhaps Nina’s death is not a tragic ending after all, but the beginning of a new and twisted nightmare . . .  Praise for Debbie Howells “A terrific new talent.” —Peter James, New York Times–bestselling author   “An intriguing dark psychological thriller—truly brilliant!” —Lisa Jackson, #1 New York Times–bestselling author   “Has been compared to Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones. Unusual and haunting.” —Library Journal

Genres: Thriller, Mystery

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 12, 2018

About the author

Debbie self-published three women's fiction novels before writing The Bones of You, her first psychological thriller. It was a Sunday Times bestseller and selected for the Richard and Judy book club.
Since, she was written The Beauty of the End, The Death of Her, Her Sister's Lie, the e-book bestseller The Vow, and her latest, The Secret.
Her women's fiction novel, The Life You Left Behind will be published on 23rd February.

Follow her on Facebook at Debbie Howells writer and on Instagram @_debbiehowells.

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has been ten years since Hannah Roscoe has seen her older sister, Nina. Then one evening she receives a phone call from the police informing her that her sister is dead, and that Hannah must take in her nephew, Abe as she is next of kin. Abe is withdrawn and moody and not too happy to be moving to his Aunt's home and starting a new school.

Initially, the police believe that Nina died from an accidental fall, but later determine that foul play was involved, and her death becomes a murder investigation. Caring for Abe and dealing with the police, adds to Hannah's stress level. Her boyfriend recently broke off their relationship and now it appears that someone is messing with Hannah. Things are being moved in her home, she hears tapping on her window and strangers in town, seem to know her.

This book began slowly for me and pretty much maintained this pace until the final chapters of the book. The Author gives us glimpses into Hannah and Nina's past but not enough so that the reader knows why the two sisters have not spoken in ten years until the end of the book. Hannah has enough mysterious things happening in her life that kept the book just interesting enough for me to keep reading. The final chapters kicked the book into high gear but not enough to gain a higher rating from me. I kept wanting to know the truth (any truth!) and was underwhelmed by the book. I did enjoy the ending and I can't say that I disliked this book because I enjoyed it, but it was on the slower side and l wanted just a tad bit more. This won’t stop me from reading more of this Author in the future.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debbie Howells has become an author that for me I just immediately grab the book without worrying about those pesky little details like what the plot will actually hold this time. What can I say? I enjoy her writing style and even with her last book, Part of the Silence I still enjoyed reading even though I found it a bit predictable so it went without question I’d be reading this new psychological thriller.

As the story begins Hannah Roscoe is living alone and still reeling from a break up with her boyfriend when she gets a call from a detective. Hannah is told that her sister has had and accident and unfortunately did not make it and that Hannah is listed as her next of kin leaving her to care for her youngest nephew.

Needless to say Hannah was quite in shock on the drive to pick up her nephew since she hadn’t spoken to her sister in ten years after a falling out. After Hannah brings her nephew back to stay with her the police continue to keep contact as the investigation plays out and quickly what looked like an accident turns to a possible homicide.

Her Sister’s Lie did get of to a bit of a slow start but not slow enough to make me want to give up turning the pages to see where it would go as I settled into the familiar writing style. Gone is the immediate guess that I had with the author’s previous book and back was the constant changing of my theory and not trusting anyone or anything. Once the story really dug in and got moving the questions start to form as I waded through the secrets and all the way to the final twist.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hannah Roscoe hasn't seen or spoken to her sister, Nina, in ten years when she receives the call that Nina is dead. The sisters have no other family, so Hannah is now guardian to her fifteen-year-old nephew, Abe, a sullen and angry boy whom she barely knows. Abe comes to live with Hannah, and soon they learn that the police are investigating Nina's death as suspicious. Simultaneously, Hannah begins experiencing strange, unexplained events that quickly have her questioning both her safety and her sanity. Nina's death seems to be close to exposing secrets she thought were buried forever. Is Hannah safe? And her secretive past?

"I... then stopped myself, pulled by the invisible thread that runs through all of us, that however much we might want to, none of us can ever truly disown. Family."

Well, this was an interesting, albeit frustrating one. I really love Debbie Howells' work and the fascinating stories she weaves. Her characters are always complex and often flawed, and there's no exception here. Hannah is a mess, honestly, and I won't lie, she's not the easiest to like. Truly, there aren't really any likeable characters here. Hannah is an unreliable narrator, which sometimes drives me a bit insane. However, the book does a strong job of making you wonder who to trust or believe and what exactly is going on. I was confused a good portion of the time. The weird, creepy things that happen to Hannah are interesting and crazy, though they sort of stressed me out. (Maybe I get too involved?)

The novel is filled with references of Hannah and Nina sticking to the script and keeping each other's secrets. At first, it's intriguing and you're curious as to what they are hiding. After a while, when Hannah makes yet *another* reference to the script and secrets--without any details being revealed--you sort of want to scream. I get a little frustrated at the lack of any reveal throughout the entire book. Eventually, I basically guessed all the major twists anyway, though I still found them clever.

So, overall, this one is a mixed bag. Unlikable characters, some frustrating plot pieces. Some clever plot twists, though I managed to predict most of them. It's a very quick read, however. 3 stars here, though that rating may be slightly affected by my overall love of Howells. If you've never read anything by her, I would definitely head to THE BONES OF YOU first.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).

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[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last year I read The Death of Her and loved it, so when Her Sister's Lie came out I jumped at the chance to read it. And I was not at all disappointed - I devoured this book in an evening. The story twists and turns so many times you really have no idea what is happening until the very end - just how I like it.

Sisters look out for each other don't they? Hannah and Nina used to be close - but for the last 10 years they have been estranged but we don't know why. Hannah has just been dumped by her boyfriend when she gets a call from the police to tell her that her sister Nina has been found dead in what appears to be an accident. Hannah immediately races to her sisters house and tries to comfort her 15 year old nephew Abe. She brings him home with her but doesn't get an awful lot out of him.

Strange things begin to happen to Hannah in the village where she lives. The police are still looking into Nina's death and it is ruled to be murder - and Hannah is their number one suspect. her past is coming back to haunt her and she has to try to clear her name.

This is a page turning story of an extremely dysfunctional family. Highly recommend to fans of psychological thrillers. Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

[Melissa In The City · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really drew me in from page 1. It had all the components of a solid twisty psychological thriller.
I don’t want to give anything away because the twists do come out at you left and right and unexpectedly.
I loved the “POVs” strewn throughout the chapters. Once I finished the book, those POVs made so much sense! And the title too...yes so much double meaning there.
Captivating, thrilling, creepy and intense.
4.5 solid stars.

Thank you #NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. Look for this book July 31.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was good. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters but it didn’t change the book for me. It had a lot of twists and turns and some that shocked me. It was really thrilling and a great page turner. The book was really well written and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I definitely recommend it.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG OMG OMG!! This was the first book where I hated the main character and wanted bad things to happen to her. And I was so glad when it did!! What does that say about the book?!!

Ten years of non communication between sisters Nina and Hannah, ended when Hannah received a call informing her about Nina’s death, first declared as accidental then murder!! Abe, Nina’s son was brought to Hannah’s home, but there was only silence between them. A stalker was soon added to the plot along with letters of truth!!

And they all came to the point, where I was ready to throw the main character down the cliff!! I loved that surge of emotions where I wanted to be a part of the plot. I wanted vengeance!!

I loved the way author Debbie Howells has plotted her main character, Hannah. She was surly, unreliable narrator, paranoid, lousy aunt to Abe, always worried about secrets of the past being revealed, clingy leech of a sister to Nina, and who alienated practically everyone. And an alcoholic to boot!! One would wonder what was her redeeming quality – Believe me, NOTHING!! And I loved this wave of hate and frustration I felt throughout the book!!

The story did end with the secrets being unveiled, and they were all shocking and cringe-worthy. And then justice was meted out!! What a way to get it!! I didn’t like anything what happened in the story of these two sisters, but that was because I was so immersed in their life and I could only read the story with a horrifying silence!!

I loved it!!!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Sister's Lie by Debbie Howells is a psychological thriller which will draw you into the secrets of a very dysfunctional family. The truth of Nina and Hannah is actually revealed through third person letters as you read the book. If the reader accepts the story as it is written, the reader will understand the two sisters who were abused and neglected as children, in turn, as they grow up they make some of the same mistakes as their parents. It is always the children who suffer when a parent is an alcoholic or drug user, no matter the generation. Nina and Hannah think they are making better choices for their lives and the lives of the children in their care, but do either of them know how to love a child? In the sisters struggle to survive a horrible childhood it seems they became more self-centered. Self-survival is their nature. In the book, justice is manipulated, but in the eyes of the children, it is finally achieved. The ending is brilliant and I felt it was the redeeming focus of this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pins and needles all the way. I wasn't sure where this was headed, but it was brilliant! The last few chapters I simply devoured. Debbie Howells has a gift for showing the reader the inside of a disturbed person's brain. In this book, we get to see inside several. I heartily recommend this to people who like a good psychological suspense.

[Dawn Marsanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is quite a quick read and kept my attention however I found the ending rather unbelievable.
Yes, it was a complex tangle of relationships but just a bit too complicated for me.
I preferred her other book, The Vow.
Would read more by this author.

[Nat PlainJanetheBookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think I would have preferred to give this one a 3.5, but I had to round up. I always feel a bit cheated when the twist ends up being something you wouldn’t guess. But then I did sort of have a feeling.

I found it really quite awful how summer, Abe, and Jude felt about their mother. A lot of trauma there which is just heartbreaking. Was also very sad for mom and Hanah, because drug/alcohol addiction isn’t simple and isn’t easy. Was really a no win situation.

Hanah’s lack of empathy and self-concern was pretty frustrating though. Comparing her feelings and maturity to a 15 yr old 🤦🏽‍♀️ that what about me mentality really irked me!

Good listen, ending was surprising.

[Sam Burrows · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read but not really as described. The blurb talks about the secrets the sisters kept including from each other but I don't recall any they kept from each other. It was a little slow to start but gathered some pace towards the end. I think it may have been a bit more mysterious and psychological if the name of the person speaking carefully about Hannah hadn't preferred the paragraph. I will give Debbie the author another chance though as her writing was articulate and descriptive. This book just wasn't for me.

[Lorrie McCullers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book sounded like something I normally would love: a seemingly accidental death that is eventually seen as a homicide, family secrets between sisters, hints of a missing child. However, this one just never got off the ground for me. It was too slow and plodding, and the characters were more annoying than sympathetic (especially Abe, the teenage son -- HATED him!).

Do yourself a favor and read Debbie Howells' other books instead. They were much much better.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally, I'm not a reader of psychological mysteries or thrillers, but this title in the new book section looked interesting to me. It turned out to be rather slow and only mildly appealing.

Hannah, the main character, is suddenly informed that her sister Nina has died, leaving Nina's son Abe in Hannah's permanent care. Abe is silent and brooding, and as would be expected of a 15 year old, not happy about being uprooted from London to a village quite some distance from his friends and routines.

The plot slowly unfolds and attempts to answer many questions, including:
...How did Nina die?
...What was the real nature of Nina & Hannah's relationship?
...Is Nina telling the truth?

Towards the ned, the pace picked up, but overall I can't call this a real thriller, especially because I began to predict the ending about halfway through.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her Sister's Lie by Debbie Howells is a suspense-laden mystery that is chock full of tension and secrets.

Hannah Roscoe is still dealing with the emotional fall-out from the inexplicable end of her relationship with her boyfriend, Matt when she learns her estranged older sister, Nina Tyrell, is dead. The two sisters were once extremely close but they have not been in contact for ten years.  Hannah suddenly finds herself the guardian of Nina's fifteen year old son, Abe, and the two are soon uncomfortably sharing a home. After Abe moves in, Hannah gets the eerie  feeling someone is watching her and her fear intensifies after discovering a stranger lurking nearby. She grows more fearful after the police rule Nina's death a murder and raises an interesting question: are the events occurring in Hannah's life connected to Nina's death?

Hannah and Nina's childhood is an absolute nightmare of abuse and cruelty at the hands of their parents. Nina escapes as quickly as possible and she, along with her children, Summer, Jude and Abe, live a very unconventional and isolated life. Hannah, too, leaves home at a young age and Nina's home becomes her refuge as she sorts out her future.

In the present,  Hannah is less than forthcoming about the rift between her and Nina. She is quickly frustrated by Abe's moodiness and disdain for her and their relationship quickly deteriorates. Hannah manages to alienate just about everyone in her life and even when it is her best interest to tell the truth, she clings tightly to the pact she and Nina made before their estrangement.

Unfolding through Hannah's point of view, a series of letters, and passages from other different characters' perspectives, Her Sister's Lie is an intricately-woven, riveting mystery. Hannah gradually becomes such an unreliable narrator that it is virtually impossible discern whether her version of events can be trusted. Abe is grieving, sullen and resentful as he thrust into life with a virtual stranger but is there more his antipathy than meets the eye?

With plenty of clever twists and shocking turns, Debbie Howells gradually peels away the mistruths and prevarications and exposes the stunning secrets the sisters have kept hidden for years. Savvy mystery readers will most likely guess some of the surprises that are revealed at the novel's conclusion, but the ending is still quite satisfying. A well-written domestic mystery that fans of the genre will enjoy.

[Paulette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creepy, psychological thriller.

[Sara Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit disappointing as the blurb promised 'riveting' and 'compulsive' reading and I didn't quite get that. The story revolves around solitary Hannah, living in the country with her dog. Her peace is shattered when her nephew, Abe comes to live with her after her estranged sisters death. There are some strange happenings for Hannah as family secrets gradually unfold. The story was very readable but just didn't quite grab me in the way I'd hoped.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. After getting further along in the book, the reader can't help but dislike Hannah. She's selfish and self-absorbed. At first, I thought maybe it's because she's a drunk but that wasn't it. The fact her sister had just died and she was more concerned with her breakup was crazy. The ending was really a good twist. This would be a great book club read to have deep discussions about.

[Michele · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn’t a bad book but it just didn’t do anything for me. The characters and story were boring that at times I was skipping sentences. Ending was good and wrapped up the confusion of the book..

[Wendy M Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book scratching my head all the way through it. Ugh. Not sure who was crazy: the characters or me for not figuring this thing out.

[Megan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah and her sister Nina were once close. But they’ve not been in touch for years when Hannah learns of her sister’s death. Now Hannah is left with the care of Nina’s teenage son Abe, and the memory of the appalling secret that drove the two sisters apart. Bringing Abe into her home, Hannah finds him a difficult houseguest. Sullen, rude and uncooperative, Hannah tries to be understanding – after all, he’s a grieving boy. But when sinister things begin to happen, Hannah is forced to confront the possibility that Abe might also be dangerous.

I had forgotten how much I enjoy books by Howells' but reading this sent my love flooding back! This plot centres around a family, an ordinary family you might think but this family are far from ordinary. They are dark, suspicious and dubious, we are never sure who we can trust or who tells the truth. They ensure for addictive reading, they got under my skin and meant I was frantically tearing through this, desperate to find out if the characters that I had become so attached to were telling the truth.

There is an intensity to this book that really grabbed me, I was hooked and simply found myself all consumed by this book. As well as this intensity that slowly but very definitely builds on you, this book is chilling and haunting in a way. There is so much sorrow throughout, so many weird goings on and so many secrets that it is hard to not find yourself impacted by the chill.

Howells throws in a lot of twists throughout this which meant I was never too sure who could be trusted and it definitely left me hanging on for dear life. The pace of this is relentless, just when you think you have figured something out, Howells throws a spanner in the works to shake things up once more.

Due to the way this is written it does make for confusing reading at times but confusing in a good way, it did not detract from my enjoyment, rather it meant that I would question if I had just read a section right or could there, perhaps, be another meaning?

'Her Sister's Lie' is a haunting, enticing read from Howells and one that I am sure you will appreciate as much as I did. This is not always thrilling but it is definitely chilling.

[Amanda Bartoszek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having loved all of Debbie Howells's other books I was looking forward to reading this one. It started off very slow-paced and took me a good while to get into the story--probably until I was about halfway through and things started to speed up as information was slowly revealed and the web of lies was unravelled to reveal the truth. Certainly once I was about a third away from the end I couldn't put it down as I wanted to know the truth.

As is common with Debbie Howells's style, even though you're reading in first person you have to remember that you cannot actually trust the perception of the main character. Hannah is no exception. All her sections are solely from her point of view: her perceptions, her denials, and her utter beliefs in what is going on around her, including the lies told to the reader. In this, Debbie Howells captured it beautifully: Hannah was so convinced of her perception of reality that she cannot face the truth when it is put in front of her. There are probably many reasons for this: what she and Nina endured as children, to how she managed to cope as an adult, and everything in-between. When the final truths were revealed I was not surprised, and by then I had come to see that I could not trust her views.

In terms of being a psychological thriller - it got the psychological part down perfect, especially when you realise that you cannot trust Hannah's views so you start to question what is actually going on. It didn't really hit the 'thriller' aspect for me at all, but that could just be me.

And while I did enjoy it (and would recommend it for those who like the genre or Debbie Howells's books), the final conclusion left me feeling rather sad and depressed. There was no real hope or happy endings. Everything in the book was a descent, sinking further and further. And while the final ending is meant to signify some hope for the future, I didn't feel it. It's hard to say more on it without giving it away.

I initially rated this at three stars but I bumped it up to four because I did still enjoy the story.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts out with our main character getting a phone call saying that her sister had killed herself and that she would be having to look after her nephew. This was weird because the two girls were very estranged and had spoken to each other in years. While on paper this book is everything that I enjoy the story it just what I'm into lately but I found the characters a little flat and the story was very slow paced. Our main character has all of this suspicion on what happened to her sister but I couldn't seem to join her in the wonder and I felt at times that she seemed a little bit cold and static, which was strange when she was the one we were supposed to be siding with and wondering along with her. It wasn't until about half way to about three quarters of the way through the book that the story really started to pick up and I had to know what was going to happen. So I really enjoyed it once it got past the first part. Then the story was full of lies and confusion on what actually happened is our main character just losing her mind? If it was a movie that is where you could really picture the ominous music and the feeling that it left to the reader was remarkable. Very great read and I'm glad I got the chance to check it out. The ending was insane I never saw it coming!It left me speechless. Another amazing thriller.

[Mydonna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book began slowly for me and pretty much maintained this pace until the final chapters of the book. The Author gives us glimpses into Hannah and Nina's past but not enough so that the reader knows why the two sisters have not spoken in ten years until the end of the book. Hannah has enough mysterious things happening in her life that kept the book just interesting enough for me to keep reading. The final chapters kicked the book into high gear but not enough to gain a higher rating from me. I kept wanting to know the truth (any truth!) and was underwhelmed by the book. I did enjoy the ending and I can't say that I disliked this book because I enjoyed it, but it was on the slower side and l wanted just a tad bit more. This won’t stop me from reading more of this Author in the future.

[Nicki Frost · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the first half of the story enjoyable and easy to read. As I moved into the second half, I began to realise how awful the main character, Hannah is. I thought she would become more likeable but sadly she doesn’t. She has no heart, thinks only of herself and has a serious drink problem. The story has letters from Summer which sheds some light on the back story. I’d guessed the big secret before the revelation but the last twist did catch me by surprise. Glad I read it but not one of my favourites possibly because it’s difficult to warm to any of the characters that play a part in Hannah’s day of reckoning.

[Dee B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hannah hasn’t seen her sister for ten years. One day she gets a phone call , her sister has died. Hannah becomes responsible for her nephew Abe, but as the police investigate it appears Ninas death wasn’t an accident. Who’s to blame?

This was a slow starter, it takes a while to warm up and for us to get to know Hannah. Unfortunately like all thrillers since Girl on a Train, Hannah is an unreliable drunk. So obviously she must be a murderer right?

The suspense isn’t bad, there’s a couple of average twists. The end whilst slightly unbelievable did wrap things up neatly.

Not awful, not great. The Vow was slightly better. 2.5*

[Anna J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor Abe has his life unravel as he comes home from school to find his mother is dead. Now his life gets uprooted when he has to go live with his Aunt Hannah. He hasn't seen his Aunt for 10 years.

Hannah is ill equipped to take care of Abe. She has just lost her boyfriend Matt. She is grieving the loss of the relationship. Abe is 15 years old and just wants to be left alone. She tries to build a relationship with him but secrets have a way of coming out and messing up her future.

Quick read really like this author.

[Pattyh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read Her Sister's Lie by Debbie Howells. I have read Ms. Howell's previous novels and they are all very good.
This is a family drama that centers on two sisters, Hannah and Nina, who had a difficult upbringing and they clung to each other for comfort and support. When Nina dies unexpectedly and ruled as a murder, Hannah must look to the past and find out if the privacy they shared in childhood is linked to Nina's death.
3 stars.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars
oooooh this was goooodddd.
the only reason i think it didn’t get five stars was because i felt it was kinda slow at the beginning, but it was SO QUICK when you hit the halfway point, and from them on it was a whirlwind and i couldn’t put it down.
creepy, mind-bending, and i had no idea how it was gonna pan out the entire way through. i loved all the plot twists, they worked perfectly and were executed so well.
really enjoyed :)

[Rebecca Whaley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Suspenseful and riveting! I loved it. The characters are unique and interesting. The storyline was really good. It definitely creeped me out at times. If you like thrillers then you'll love this!