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The Good Sister
12 hours, 40 minutes
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.
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.
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First published July 1, 2018
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About the author
Gillian McAllister
14 books12k followersAs you find me, it's autumn 2025 and my latest novel is Famous Last Words, a thriller with a marriage at its centre. It asks the question: what would you do if your husband is caught up in a siege in central London? Only, the police tell you he isn't one of the hostages: he is the gunman... I hope you like the answer!
Upcoming in spring 2026 is Caller Unknown, a thriller about a woman whose teenage daughter is kidnapped, and she decides to pay the ransom, meet the kidnappers direct, and not tell the police.
As to me, otherwise, I am the author of these novels:
Everything But The Truth (2017)
Anything You Do Say (2018) called The Choice in America
No Further Questions (2018) called The Good Sister in America
The Evidence Against You (2019)
How To Disappear (2020)
That Night (2021)
Wrong Place Wrong Time (2022)
Just Another Missing Person (2023)
Famous Last Words (2025)
My most popular novel is probably Wrong Place Wrong Time, which was selected for the Radio 2 book club and was the Reese's Book Club August '22 pick. It debuted at number 4 on the Sunday Times Bestseller List and number 2 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
When not writing (which is basically never), I can be found walking my dog Wendy and parenting my small toddler. The best moments of my day always are the first sip of my coffee, the moment I step into the bath at night, and my son telling me he loves me. And that rare thing that happens only once a year - a novel idea.
Upcoming in spring 2026 is Caller Unknown, a thriller about a woman whose teenage daughter is kidnapped, and she decides to pay the ransom, meet the kidnappers direct, and not tell the police.
As to me, otherwise, I am the author of these novels:
Everything But The Truth (2017)
Anything You Do Say (2018) called The Choice in America
No Further Questions (2018) called The Good Sister in America
The Evidence Against You (2019)
How To Disappear (2020)
That Night (2021)
Wrong Place Wrong Time (2022)
Just Another Missing Person (2023)
Famous Last Words (2025)
My most popular novel is probably Wrong Place Wrong Time, which was selected for the Radio 2 book club and was the Reese's Book Club August '22 pick. It debuted at number 4 on the Sunday Times Bestseller List and number 2 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
When not writing (which is basically never), I can be found walking my dog Wendy and parenting my small toddler. The best moments of my day always are the first sip of my coffee, the moment I step into the bath at night, and my son telling me he loves me. And that rare thing that happens only once a year - a novel idea.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,535 reviews
May 5, 2019
Martha and Becky Blackwater, best friends and sisters see their relationship tested when Martha's infant daughter dies in Becky's care. Now they sit on opposite tables/sides in the courtroom. One a grieving mother, the other accused of a heinous crime. Their parents torn in the middle. Martha can't believe that her sister is guilty. She wants the truth. She needs answers. As the trial progresses, truths, and pain ooze out. This book has emotional depth and is thought provoking. It centers around guilt, grief, disbelief, unanswered questions, blame and loss. This is a great book for book clubs as there is so much to discuss here. This is a book which had me going back and forth about Becky's guilt. The Author has great skill at telling this tale though court proceedings and previous events. I could feel each sister's fear and emotion as the court case progressed. Martha's guilt about wanting to work while her daughter was just an infant. When her daughter died at eight weeks old, she, herself, feels guilty. Should she have put her daughter first and ignored her growing business? Should she have trusted her sister? Becky doesn't remember everything from that night her sister’s baby died in her care. Could she have hurt her sister's child? Why can't she recall what happened? This was an expertly told tale about love, loss, the ties that bind, forgiveness, grief, and learning the truth. Whew! This book made me feel, think and want to discuss with a friend.
I also like how the book quietly addressed the blame society places on a Mother for leaving her child in someone’s else’s care. In this book that baby is eight weeks old. This is addressed when Martha and her Mother go out to eat one day after court. Her Mother points out that Martha’s husband was also fine with their infant daughter spending the night at Becky’s home. He trusted Becky as well but is not being judged by the court of public opinion. I thought this was a nicely played subtle
moment.
But the book is really about what happened to the baby while in Becky's care and the court case which showed witnesses giving testimony and then flashbacks in time showing events leading up to that individuals testimony. This is the meat and potatoes of the book as is the effect the death and the court proceedings has on the sisters relationship.
How do you move on after the death of your child? How do your react when the person you have known all of your life, who you trust more than others is being tried for the death of your child? What affect does this have on the family? On your parents? On your marriage? On your health?
Riveting and thought provoking but might but a tough read for anyone who has lost a child.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions are my own.
I also like how the book quietly addressed the blame society places on a Mother for leaving her child in someone’s else’s care. In this book that baby is eight weeks old. This is addressed when Martha and her Mother go out to eat one day after court. Her Mother points out that Martha’s husband was also fine with their infant daughter spending the night at Becky’s home. He trusted Becky as well but is not being judged by the court of public opinion. I thought this was a nicely played subtle
moment.
But the book is really about what happened to the baby while in Becky's care and the court case which showed witnesses giving testimony and then flashbacks in time showing events leading up to that individuals testimony. This is the meat and potatoes of the book as is the effect the death and the court proceedings has on the sisters relationship.
How do you move on after the death of your child? How do your react when the person you have known all of your life, who you trust more than others is being tried for the death of your child? What affect does this have on the family? On your parents? On your marriage? On your health?
Riveting and thought provoking but might but a tough read for anyone who has lost a child.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 15, 2019
3.5*
Two inseparable sisters...one infant dead! A jury of your peers will now decide your fate!
Martha’s infant child dies in her sister Becky’s care. So is she to blame? Or was it a tragic accident? It is solely for the courts to decide her fate. But behind closed doors it’s splitting a family apart!
This book has left me torn.
On one hand I enjoyed the mystery as it unfolded regarding baby Layla. I so wanted to get to the end to find the truth behind Layla’s death.
On the other hand, the journey to the end of the book was a very long and drawn out. It always moved forward, but the pace was so slow🐌🐌.
The story-line is told from the perspectives of both sisters, Becky and Martha.
While all the courtroom witnesses narrated their own testimony. I loved that!
I thought it really brought extra depth to the story.
Was it worth the read? Absolutely!
A buddy read with Susanne
Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing Group and Gillian McAllister for an ARC to read and review.
Two inseparable sisters...one infant dead! A jury of your peers will now decide your fate!
Martha’s infant child dies in her sister Becky’s care. So is she to blame? Or was it a tragic accident? It is solely for the courts to decide her fate. But behind closed doors it’s splitting a family apart!
This book has left me torn.
On one hand I enjoyed the mystery as it unfolded regarding baby Layla. I so wanted to get to the end to find the truth behind Layla’s death.
On the other hand, the journey to the end of the book was a very long and drawn out. It always moved forward, but the pace was so slow🐌🐌.
The story-line is told from the perspectives of both sisters, Becky and Martha.
While all the courtroom witnesses narrated their own testimony. I loved that!
I thought it really brought extra depth to the story.
Was it worth the read? Absolutely!
A buddy read with Susanne
Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing Group and Gillian McAllister for an ARC to read and review.
June 16, 2019
In spite of this being a heartbreaker of a novel I’m glad that I read it. As the book opens, two sisters who have always been close and “there for each other” are in a courtroom, one in the galley and the other seated with her lawyer, being tried for murder.
Martha and Scott are the parents of an 8 week old daughter, Layla, who has lots of crying issues, as some newborns do. Martha is also the head of an ever growing charity that sometimes requires travel. When an issue arises that Martha needs to leave town for two days she turns to the only person she trusts to care for Layla, her sister Becky. Husband Scott is also going to be away. Martha has also arranged for Becky to be a permanent Nanny for Layla during other times. Martha had been quite persistent that Becky agree to the job, she trusts her, Becky is out of work and needs the money. Becky has cared for Layla before but never overnight and she definitely has some misgivings, but it’s her sister and she will do anything for her.
The unthinkable happens while Martha is away, baby Layla is found unresponsive in the morning of her overnight stay and unfortunately has died. The prosecution proves that the baby died from smothering and places the blame strictly on Becky as she was the only one home at the time that the baby died. Her son Xander had arrived back from a sleepover but not until around midnight.
The courtroom scenes were short enough that I didn’t get bored and the witnesses’ statements were interesting and eye opening. I came away with the feeling that someone is always watching you, even when you don’t know it, an unsettling feeling.
The prosecution paints a picture of Becky as being unreliable, known to lose her temper and not a fit mother or caregiver. The defense presents evidence to the contrary, and in the end brings out the testimony that will solve the case while bringing more heartache to everyone involved.
The novel is well written, flows well and is a quick read. It touches upon many different relationships; sister to sister, parents to children, husbands and wives and does a good job of exploring all of them. The characters are well described and I felt as though I could know these people, they were flawed as we all are but decent people faced with a horrible situation.
I can highly recommend this novel but be sure to know that it will tug at your heart and keep you thinking about the characters long after you have finished the book.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This was a Traveling Sister read.
Martha and Scott are the parents of an 8 week old daughter, Layla, who has lots of crying issues, as some newborns do. Martha is also the head of an ever growing charity that sometimes requires travel. When an issue arises that Martha needs to leave town for two days she turns to the only person she trusts to care for Layla, her sister Becky. Husband Scott is also going to be away. Martha has also arranged for Becky to be a permanent Nanny for Layla during other times. Martha had been quite persistent that Becky agree to the job, she trusts her, Becky is out of work and needs the money. Becky has cared for Layla before but never overnight and she definitely has some misgivings, but it’s her sister and she will do anything for her.
The unthinkable happens while Martha is away, baby Layla is found unresponsive in the morning of her overnight stay and unfortunately has died. The prosecution proves that the baby died from smothering and places the blame strictly on Becky as she was the only one home at the time that the baby died. Her son Xander had arrived back from a sleepover but not until around midnight.
The courtroom scenes were short enough that I didn’t get bored and the witnesses’ statements were interesting and eye opening. I came away with the feeling that someone is always watching you, even when you don’t know it, an unsettling feeling.
The prosecution paints a picture of Becky as being unreliable, known to lose her temper and not a fit mother or caregiver. The defense presents evidence to the contrary, and in the end brings out the testimony that will solve the case while bringing more heartache to everyone involved.
The novel is well written, flows well and is a quick read. It touches upon many different relationships; sister to sister, parents to children, husbands and wives and does a good job of exploring all of them. The characters are well described and I felt as though I could know these people, they were flawed as we all are but decent people faced with a horrible situation.
I can highly recommend this novel but be sure to know that it will tug at your heart and keep you thinking about the characters long after you have finished the book.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This was a Traveling Sister read.
July 10, 2018
Gillian McAllister is a writer who continues to impress as she proves in this, her latest wonderful psychological thriller. It is a superior courtroom drama that puts the spotlight on two sisters and their families. Martha and Becky are the sisters with very different lifestyles who love and trust each other. Becky has an ex-husband, Marc, and a son, Xander. Martha's husband is Scott and she had difficult birth with 8 week old baby, Layla, who has health issues. With Scott away working, Martha has to go to Kos for her work, she leaves behind Becky, as nanny, looking after the fractious and crying Layla. Becky calls the emergency services one morning after Layla has stopped breathing. The evidence suggests that Layla died the evening before. The police are convinced that Becky killed baby Layla, which results in Becky being put on trial.
Martha and Scott finds themselves mired in guilt for leaving Layla behind for their work. Martha doesn't know what to think, was it an accident or did Becky kill her daughter? The trial is presided over by Judge Christopher Matthews. The narrative goes back and forth in time as we learn about the sibling relationship between Martha and Becky over their lives and receive insights into their respective families. The witnesses, such as those from the medical profession and the social worker give their perspectives, and there are flashbacks to the night when Layla died. This is a thought provoking read that challenges assumptions made in this emotionally harrowing story. It is a gripping and tense book with short chapters and unexpected twists that has you desperate to know what exactly happened. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
Martha and Scott finds themselves mired in guilt for leaving Layla behind for their work. Martha doesn't know what to think, was it an accident or did Becky kill her daughter? The trial is presided over by Judge Christopher Matthews. The narrative goes back and forth in time as we learn about the sibling relationship between Martha and Becky over their lives and receive insights into their respective families. The witnesses, such as those from the medical profession and the social worker give their perspectives, and there are flashbacks to the night when Layla died. This is a thought provoking read that challenges assumptions made in this emotionally harrowing story. It is a gripping and tense book with short chapters and unexpected twists that has you desperate to know what exactly happened. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
June 20, 2019
This was my first book by Gillian McAllister and I really wasn’t sure what to expect here with the premise to the story. I was pleasantly surprised with just how real, raw, brave, insightful and compelling this story was. Gillian McAllister is definitely an author I will be looking at to read more from.
The Good Sister is a gripping, riveting story that digs deep into the dynamics of two very different sisters, their relationships with their husbands and their conflicts with motherhood as the courtroom drama plays out after one sister is accused of murdering her niece.
Gillian McAllister does a great job here weaving a suspenseful courtroom drama with some very interesting family dynamics here in this story. I am not a big fan of courtroom drama and at times I found it a bit repetitive however it is very effectively done here as we see the different perspectives of the events in real life for the characters and then in the courtroom. It’s incredibly tense and tough to read at times as we find out what happens to eight week old Layla.
I loved just how real the characters are with their emotions and the dynamics here with the characters. I felt it was a unique take for a thriller as there were so many different thriller ways this could of went or added drama that could have been added that wasn’t. The unique insight to this one kept it compelling and I was turning the pages as fast as I could to get to find out if Becky really was the Good Sister.
The ending came together so well making this one such a gripping and riveting story with so much to think about and discuss making this one a great one for a group discussion. I highly recommend.
I received a copy from Edelweiss
Traveling Sisters group read
For more thoughts from The Traveling Sisters
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/2...
The Good Sister is a gripping, riveting story that digs deep into the dynamics of two very different sisters, their relationships with their husbands and their conflicts with motherhood as the courtroom drama plays out after one sister is accused of murdering her niece.
Gillian McAllister does a great job here weaving a suspenseful courtroom drama with some very interesting family dynamics here in this story. I am not a big fan of courtroom drama and at times I found it a bit repetitive however it is very effectively done here as we see the different perspectives of the events in real life for the characters and then in the courtroom. It’s incredibly tense and tough to read at times as we find out what happens to eight week old Layla.
I loved just how real the characters are with their emotions and the dynamics here with the characters. I felt it was a unique take for a thriller as there were so many different thriller ways this could of went or added drama that could have been added that wasn’t. The unique insight to this one kept it compelling and I was turning the pages as fast as I could to get to find out if Becky really was the Good Sister.
The ending came together so well making this one such a gripping and riveting story with so much to think about and discuss making this one a great one for a group discussion. I highly recommend.
I received a copy from Edelweiss
Traveling Sisters group read
For more thoughts from The Traveling Sisters
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/2...
May 31, 2019
I can't remember the last time I felt so tense when reading a book, and I'm saying that as a compliment. Really impressed with the author and what she managed to accomplish with the story.
There is nothing worse for a parent than the loss of a child. Martha is devastated at the death of her newborn baby, Layla. Martha's sister, Becky, was babysitting the child at the time of death and is now charged with murder. The trial is currently underway and Martha doesn't know what to think as she can't imagine her sister is capable of such a horrific crime. All Martha can hope for is the truth will come out eventually and she will finally have answers.
What made this such a good read is my mind kept drifting to how this was such a nightmare scenario for this family and how I would feel if I was in Martha's shoes. Most authors probably would have made this a black and white type story in which Martha strongly believes in either her sister's innocence or guilt. Instead, this author chose to go the grey route which to me was more realistic as if I was in Martha's situation, I wouldn't know what to think either. And that's why I felt tense the whole time I read the book which is what I assume the author was hoping to accomplish. So well done, Gillian McAllister!
There were two things that didn't make this a 5 star read for me. I honestly was expecting this to be more of an emotional read given we are talking about a family grieving the loss of a child, but yet I didn't really feel anything in that regard. I thought for sure I would shed a tear or two but yeah, nothing. However, maybe it's just me and other readers will have a different reading experience. The other thing I did not like about the book was the last page or so of the story. I thought it was unnecessary and shouldn't have been included, and I will just leave it at that.
Overall though this is a good read especially if you like courtroom dramas.
I won a free copy of this book in a giveaway but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
There is nothing worse for a parent than the loss of a child. Martha is devastated at the death of her newborn baby, Layla. Martha's sister, Becky, was babysitting the child at the time of death and is now charged with murder. The trial is currently underway and Martha doesn't know what to think as she can't imagine her sister is capable of such a horrific crime. All Martha can hope for is the truth will come out eventually and she will finally have answers.
What made this such a good read is my mind kept drifting to how this was such a nightmare scenario for this family and how I would feel if I was in Martha's shoes. Most authors probably would have made this a black and white type story in which Martha strongly believes in either her sister's innocence or guilt. Instead, this author chose to go the grey route which to me was more realistic as if I was in Martha's situation, I wouldn't know what to think either. And that's why I felt tense the whole time I read the book which is what I assume the author was hoping to accomplish. So well done, Gillian McAllister!
There were two things that didn't make this a 5 star read for me. I honestly was expecting this to be more of an emotional read given we are talking about a family grieving the loss of a child, but yet I didn't really feel anything in that regard. I thought for sure I would shed a tear or two but yeah, nothing. However, maybe it's just me and other readers will have a different reading experience. The other thing I did not like about the book was the last page or so of the story. I thought it was unnecessary and shouldn't have been included, and I will just leave it at that.
Overall though this is a good read especially if you like courtroom dramas.
I won a free copy of this book in a giveaway but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
June 25, 2019
I have finally read my first Gillian McAllister and I am happy to say that it was every bit as good as I was hoping.
This story is so heartbreaking.
Martha and Becky are sisters and best friends. Becky is unhappy with her job and Martha is in need of a nanny so they decide it would be beneficial to both of them if Becky becomes the nanny to 8 week old baby Layla. However on the night of Oct 27 while under the care of Becky tragedy strikes leaving baby Layla dead. At first is appears as it was a crib death but upon further investigation it is ruled as asphyxiation. From here we follow the court case until the final verdict is reached.
The idea of losing your baby is gut wrenching enough but to have your sister accused of the crime would have me reeling.
This is a book where you will care about every single character which so rarely happens. I'd also like to thank the author for writing husbands that, while they aren't perfect, they are good supportive men and neither are abusers or philanderers.
As a mother of a son who had colic as an infant it made it easy for me to relate to how frustrating a furiously crying baby can be when it goes on for hours at a time. I remember nights where I rocked and rocked and cried right along with him feeling absolutely helpless that I couldn't comfort him. It can be a very lonely and trying time for any parent. Becky loves her niece and sister more than anything but is overwhelmed in caring for Layla but never tells Martha in fear of looking like a failure. If only she had. 4 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This story is so heartbreaking.
Martha and Becky are sisters and best friends. Becky is unhappy with her job and Martha is in need of a nanny so they decide it would be beneficial to both of them if Becky becomes the nanny to 8 week old baby Layla. However on the night of Oct 27 while under the care of Becky tragedy strikes leaving baby Layla dead. At first is appears as it was a crib death but upon further investigation it is ruled as asphyxiation. From here we follow the court case until the final verdict is reached.
The idea of losing your baby is gut wrenching enough but to have your sister accused of the crime would have me reeling.
This is a book where you will care about every single character which so rarely happens. I'd also like to thank the author for writing husbands that, while they aren't perfect, they are good supportive men and neither are abusers or philanderers.
As a mother of a son who had colic as an infant it made it easy for me to relate to how frustrating a furiously crying baby can be when it goes on for hours at a time. I remember nights where I rocked and rocked and cried right along with him feeling absolutely helpless that I couldn't comfort him. It can be a very lonely and trying time for any parent. Becky loves her niece and sister more than anything but is overwhelmed in caring for Layla but never tells Martha in fear of looking like a failure. If only she had. 4 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 26, 2018
After reading her other book “Anything you do say” I was very excited to start this!!
It starts in a court room, was Martha’s baby Layla killed or was it cot death? Martha was busy setting up her charity in Kos, and had left Layla with her sister Becky,who was being paid to be their nanny. Sadly Layla dies and it seems Becky is to blame.
I’m not a fan of court room drama but I loved how it was written, very clever how when a witness is called to the stand to give evidence,we then get the witness flash back to the night Layla died, rather than a long dialogue of them giving evidence.
A gripping read full of tension and grief, I couldn’t imagine losing a child but imagine that you’re sister might be to blame makes it ten times worse!!
During the flashbacks of Becky looking after Layla, you can feel her despair and frustration, that she cannot stop her from crying. You could really believe that she might have snapped under the pressure of a constant crying baby.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
It starts in a court room, was Martha’s baby Layla killed or was it cot death? Martha was busy setting up her charity in Kos, and had left Layla with her sister Becky,who was being paid to be their nanny. Sadly Layla dies and it seems Becky is to blame.
I’m not a fan of court room drama but I loved how it was written, very clever how when a witness is called to the stand to give evidence,we then get the witness flash back to the night Layla died, rather than a long dialogue of them giving evidence.
A gripping read full of tension and grief, I couldn’t imagine losing a child but imagine that you’re sister might be to blame makes it ten times worse!!
During the flashbacks of Becky looking after Layla, you can feel her despair and frustration, that she cannot stop her from crying. You could really believe that she might have snapped under the pressure of a constant crying baby.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
October 13, 2020
This was amazing.
Just like with her first two books 'Anything You Do Say' and 'Everything But the Truth', none of the characters in this one are 100% good or 100% bad. McAllister has this uncanny ability to write people the way they actually are, which is usually somewhere in the middle.
Her stories never have an obvious, easy protagonist or a cliche antagonist. Everybody has good and not-so-good in them, everyone means well but is humanly flawed, everyone has good days and bad days, makes good decisions and bad decisions. That's what I love most about McAllister's writing. Her characters are just so... human.
This is a story about two sisters, Martha and Becky, who are extremely close. Both are married, but with very different marriages and lives. It's also a story about Martha's eight-week-old baby girl named Layla who dies mysteriously in the middle of the night while under the care of her Aunt Becky. Her mother, Martha, is out of town for two nights.
Becky has been nannying for Martha lately, while Martha gets her newly-formed charity for children underway. Martha's husband, Scott, is also out of town for business, but for just one night.
When Scott's trip turns into two nights as well, Becky is left at home alone, yet again, for a second night in a row, with an extremely fussy, screaming and crying baby who just can't be soothed no matter what. The next morning, Layla is dead.
Becky claims she doesn't know what happened to Layla, even though expert evidence says otherwise. Is she lying? Is she guilty? Did she have a moment where she was at the end of her rope? Martha desperately wants to believe her sister. Of course she does. How in the world could they ever go on as sisters if Becky killed Martha's only child??
THIS ONE WILL SURPRISE YOU.
I 100% guarantee it.
This is an addictive, all-consuming story about the enormous difficulties and stresses of life, the complications of family, complete with a twisty plot, unending doubt, quiet moments of hope and peace, nagging moments of heartbreak and dread, all leading up to an ending you will not see coming.
Just like with her first two books 'Anything You Do Say' and 'Everything But the Truth', none of the characters in this one are 100% good or 100% bad. McAllister has this uncanny ability to write people the way they actually are, which is usually somewhere in the middle.
Her stories never have an obvious, easy protagonist or a cliche antagonist. Everybody has good and not-so-good in them, everyone means well but is humanly flawed, everyone has good days and bad days, makes good decisions and bad decisions. That's what I love most about McAllister's writing. Her characters are just so... human.
This is a story about two sisters, Martha and Becky, who are extremely close. Both are married, but with very different marriages and lives. It's also a story about Martha's eight-week-old baby girl named Layla who dies mysteriously in the middle of the night while under the care of her Aunt Becky. Her mother, Martha, is out of town for two nights.
Becky has been nannying for Martha lately, while Martha gets her newly-formed charity for children underway. Martha's husband, Scott, is also out of town for business, but for just one night.
When Scott's trip turns into two nights as well, Becky is left at home alone, yet again, for a second night in a row, with an extremely fussy, screaming and crying baby who just can't be soothed no matter what. The next morning, Layla is dead.
Becky claims she doesn't know what happened to Layla, even though expert evidence says otherwise. Is she lying? Is she guilty? Did she have a moment where she was at the end of her rope? Martha desperately wants to believe her sister. Of course she does. How in the world could they ever go on as sisters if Becky killed Martha's only child??
THIS ONE WILL SURPRISE YOU.
I 100% guarantee it.
This is an addictive, all-consuming story about the enormous difficulties and stresses of life, the complications of family, complete with a twisty plot, unending doubt, quiet moments of hope and peace, nagging moments of heartbreak and dread, all leading up to an ending you will not see coming.
April 11, 2019
The novel begins with the trial of Becky for the death of her niece. Becky was watching her eight-week-old niece while her sister and brother-in-law were out of town. Martha was doing work for her nonprofit and Scott was at a conference.
Martha knows her daughter, Layla, was a difficult baby who cried loudly all the time, but she desperately hopes her sister didn’t smother the child as Martha’s own lawyer contends. There are flashbacks and the points of view of the witnesses—neighbors, nurses, teachers—but primarily the narrative is between the two sisters, each of whom wants definitive answers to what happened that night.
What gets you turning pages is that you also want to know what happened that night. No matter what, it doesn’t have a happy ending because an eight-week-old baby died. The novel does delve into the complex relationships between mother and child and husband and wife and sisters.
I didn’t love this book, but it’s an OK read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this mystery, which RELEASES JUNE 11, 2019.
For more reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
Martha knows her daughter, Layla, was a difficult baby who cried loudly all the time, but she desperately hopes her sister didn’t smother the child as Martha’s own lawyer contends. There are flashbacks and the points of view of the witnesses—neighbors, nurses, teachers—but primarily the narrative is between the two sisters, each of whom wants definitive answers to what happened that night.
What gets you turning pages is that you also want to know what happened that night. No matter what, it doesn’t have a happy ending because an eight-week-old baby died. The novel does delve into the complex relationships between mother and child and husband and wife and sisters.
I didn’t love this book, but it’s an OK read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this mystery, which RELEASES JUNE 11, 2019.
For more reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
October 16, 2019
3 Stars.
Two sisters. A Family Torn Apart. At one time Martha and Becky were best friends, now they are on different sides of a court trial and their lives have changed irrevocably.
Martha was a successful business woman. Her sister Becky always struggled to make ends meet. When Martha needed a nanny for her newborn daughter Layla, Martha came up with a solution: hiring Becky as her nanny temporarily, solving the problem for both of them.
Unfortunately for the sisters, what seemed like a solution turns deadly when Layla passes away one night while in Becky’s care while Martha is away on a business trip. Now, the two sisters are embroiled in a lawsuit, where Becky is on trial for murder though she swears innocence.
I wanted to love this novel. I really did. A legal drama? You’d think I’d be all in, right? If you know me, and my background, you know this is my wheelhouse. Testimony was put forth by both sides. What’s not to like? Yet I was shaking my head. I couldn’t help my darn self. That’s all I’ll say.
The drama is in fact all here. That, I will in fact admit. Gillian McAllister does a fabulous job hooking readers into the sisters pain in this riveting novel - if only I felt the novel was worth the payoff.
This was a buddy read with Kaceey.
Thank you to Edelweiss, G.P. Putnam & Sons and Penguin Publishing Group for the arc.
Published on Goodreads and Edelweiss on 10.15.19.
Two sisters. A Family Torn Apart. At one time Martha and Becky were best friends, now they are on different sides of a court trial and their lives have changed irrevocably.
Martha was a successful business woman. Her sister Becky always struggled to make ends meet. When Martha needed a nanny for her newborn daughter Layla, Martha came up with a solution: hiring Becky as her nanny temporarily, solving the problem for both of them.
Unfortunately for the sisters, what seemed like a solution turns deadly when Layla passes away one night while in Becky’s care while Martha is away on a business trip. Now, the two sisters are embroiled in a lawsuit, where Becky is on trial for murder though she swears innocence.
I wanted to love this novel. I really did. A legal drama? You’d think I’d be all in, right? If you know me, and my background, you know this is my wheelhouse. Testimony was put forth by both sides. What’s not to like? Yet I was shaking my head. I couldn’t help my darn self. That’s all I’ll say.
The drama is in fact all here. That, I will in fact admit. Gillian McAllister does a fabulous job hooking readers into the sisters pain in this riveting novel - if only I felt the novel was worth the payoff.
This was a buddy read with Kaceey.
Thank you to Edelweiss, G.P. Putnam & Sons and Penguin Publishing Group for the arc.
Published on Goodreads and Edelweiss on 10.15.19.
November 20, 2018
The moment I received an email from NetGalley saying that a new book from Gillian McAllister was up for request, I hit that request button as quick as I could. I thoroughly enjoyed her debut book, "Everything but the Truth", it was such a fantastic thriller full of atmosphere and her twisty second book "Anything You Do Say". So while I had a week to waste before work, I cleared away an afternoon, made a large cup of tea and started reading "No Further Questions" full of anticipation.
Martha's eight week old baby dies. Initially it appears to be a tragic cot death, but a few weeks later her sister Becky, who is also her best friend, is charged with her murder. She denies the charges against her, but the prosecution says otherwise.
The opening section set in a courtroom opens the intrigue beautifully and then bounces effortlessly between September - eleven months earlier and the present day where we get to hear lots of witness statements, which muddy the waters further. The narrative is predominantly told from the point of view of Martha and Becky, but there's also the viewpoint of courtroom officials and witness statements from neighbours, teachers, health workers and acquaintances.
This is such a brilliantly told story. Gillian McAllister has a natural talent at creating characters who initially seem nice and decent, but then she manages to make doubt and confusion surround them in a cloud. The courtroom situation directs a spotlight towards usually regular day to day events, where unless attention was drawn to them, they would probably have gone unnoticed or analysed. That's what makes her such a great author - the ability to create characters we aren't sure about. She can take normal little things and suddenly we view them suspiciously.
One minute I was thinking Becky was innocent, then guilty, or I was side eyeing other characters with suspicion. Which is what makes this book keep you reading and reading. It should come with an endless cup of tea or coffee: you will find you don't want to have to put it down to go into the kitchen, boil the kettle and wait to read more.
I wouldn't hesitate in recommending this to anyone who loves addictive twisty thrillers chock full of suspense and shocks.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK - Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Martha's eight week old baby dies. Initially it appears to be a tragic cot death, but a few weeks later her sister Becky, who is also her best friend, is charged with her murder. She denies the charges against her, but the prosecution says otherwise.
The opening section set in a courtroom opens the intrigue beautifully and then bounces effortlessly between September - eleven months earlier and the present day where we get to hear lots of witness statements, which muddy the waters further. The narrative is predominantly told from the point of view of Martha and Becky, but there's also the viewpoint of courtroom officials and witness statements from neighbours, teachers, health workers and acquaintances.
This is such a brilliantly told story. Gillian McAllister has a natural talent at creating characters who initially seem nice and decent, but then she manages to make doubt and confusion surround them in a cloud. The courtroom situation directs a spotlight towards usually regular day to day events, where unless attention was drawn to them, they would probably have gone unnoticed or analysed. That's what makes her such a great author - the ability to create characters we aren't sure about. She can take normal little things and suddenly we view them suspiciously.
One minute I was thinking Becky was innocent, then guilty, or I was side eyeing other characters with suspicion. Which is what makes this book keep you reading and reading. It should come with an endless cup of tea or coffee: you will find you don't want to have to put it down to go into the kitchen, boil the kettle and wait to read more.
I wouldn't hesitate in recommending this to anyone who loves addictive twisty thrillers chock full of suspense and shocks.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK - Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.
December 2, 2018
4.5 Stars, rounded up!
An unimaginable crime. An aunt stands accused of smothering her baby niece. Sisters torn apart by a single moment of violence.
Martha thought she knew her sister, Becky, better than anyone – they were once as close as two sister’s could possibly be. How could she be capable of such a heinous act? Becky swears she didn’t do it, and Martha want to believe her, but as the trial progresses, she starts to doubt her sister’s innocence.
From the first page this story grabbed hold of my emotions and gripped them tight right up until the last, unforgettable page. The author did an exceptional job of crafting complex, memorable, flawed characters who read like actual people. Their interactions, relationships, memories, reactions, and emotional responses, made them all the more real and relatable.
This novel was so much more than crime suspense. Yes, it had all the twists and turns, and an explosive, didn’t-see-it-coming, ending. But it was also a courtroom drama, the story of a family divided by tragedy, what it means to be a parent, and the sacrifices it takes to be one, dealing with sudden, unexpected loss, processing grief, the nature of forgiveness, as well as starting over. I can see this one appealing to a wider variety of audience than your usual crime read. It certainly evoked all the feels in me.
The writing was top-notch, easy-to-read, and follow, with short chapters, that flowed well. Calling a person to the stand, and then having a flashback chapter in their POV showing us what they’d witnessed, as opposed to back-and-forth dialogue in a courtroom setting, was utilised well, and had more of an emotional impact.
I felt the author handled a serious and heartbreaking topic – the loss of a baby to violence – with sensitivity and caution, but I must mention that there is still some disturbing content when the medical experts give evidence.
This is my first book by Gillian McAllister and it definitely won’t be my last. This is a story that touched my heart, and will stay with me for a long time.
Note: Also published under the title ‘The Good Sister’.
An unimaginable crime. An aunt stands accused of smothering her baby niece. Sisters torn apart by a single moment of violence.
Martha thought she knew her sister, Becky, better than anyone – they were once as close as two sister’s could possibly be. How could she be capable of such a heinous act? Becky swears she didn’t do it, and Martha want to believe her, but as the trial progresses, she starts to doubt her sister’s innocence.
From the first page this story grabbed hold of my emotions and gripped them tight right up until the last, unforgettable page. The author did an exceptional job of crafting complex, memorable, flawed characters who read like actual people. Their interactions, relationships, memories, reactions, and emotional responses, made them all the more real and relatable.
This novel was so much more than crime suspense. Yes, it had all the twists and turns, and an explosive, didn’t-see-it-coming, ending. But it was also a courtroom drama, the story of a family divided by tragedy, what it means to be a parent, and the sacrifices it takes to be one, dealing with sudden, unexpected loss, processing grief, the nature of forgiveness, as well as starting over. I can see this one appealing to a wider variety of audience than your usual crime read. It certainly evoked all the feels in me.
The writing was top-notch, easy-to-read, and follow, with short chapters, that flowed well. Calling a person to the stand, and then having a flashback chapter in their POV showing us what they’d witnessed, as opposed to back-and-forth dialogue in a courtroom setting, was utilised well, and had more of an emotional impact.
I felt the author handled a serious and heartbreaking topic – the loss of a baby to violence – with sensitivity and caution, but I must mention that there is still some disturbing content when the medical experts give evidence.
This is my first book by Gillian McAllister and it definitely won’t be my last. This is a story that touched my heart, and will stay with me for a long time.
Note: Also published under the title ‘The Good Sister’.
July 3, 2019
Initially I thought this book was just so-so, I was liking it well enough. Oh and I really enjoyed ALL the different POV’s from the school teachers, the judge, both sisters, the spouses and even the kid. You name a character and they most likely had their own take on what happened. The “who-dunnit” took me by surprise, I wasn’t expecting that ending. A good read indeed.
June 13, 2018
A perfectly plotted brilliantly addictive courtroom drama which puts two sisters at odds with each other and has a strong emotional core running through it that makes you quite teary, especially if you are a parent.
A strong mystery element is secondary really to the human drama playing out on the page it is beautifully insightful and stabs you in the heart for all the right reasons.
This author gets better with every passing book. Definitely in the top few writers doing clever, compelling and original psychological thrillers today.
Fuller review near publication but quite definitely Highly Recommended.
A strong mystery element is secondary really to the human drama playing out on the page it is beautifully insightful and stabs you in the heart for all the right reasons.
This author gets better with every passing book. Definitely in the top few writers doing clever, compelling and original psychological thrillers today.
Fuller review near publication but quite definitely Highly Recommended.
July 5, 2018
Oh how I love the wonderful Gillian McAllister! She has done it again - written an incredible novel that has the right amount of all things good melted together into a superb amalgamation. This was an ideal read for me - as a law graduate I was intrigued by the premise and the fact that it includes a trial scenario obviously appealed to my legal background and as most friends know - mystery and thrillers are one of my most read genres - the two converged to create a not-to-be-missed title for me. I was praying that with such a fab concept McAllister would execute it to perfection. I had no need to worry in that respect.
I guess what everyone wants to know is - Is it as good as her others? Yes, yes it most certainly is! I'll be shocked if this isn't a summer bestseller. It deserves to be. "Everything But The Truth" and "Anything You Do Say" were published in March 2017 and October 2017 respectively, and were both loved by the majority of readers, including myself. It is getting a lot rarer to find a book in the crime genre that truly blows you away - there are so many mediocre thriller writers around and until you read a particular title it's virtually impossible to tell the difference between a potential bestseller and a total dud. That is unless you have read and enjoyed the author previous works, as is the case here. This definitely helps in this game of Russian roulette and not knowing exactly what you're going to get!
"No Further Questions" is bound to be another McAllister success and most likely will be adorned with the title of Sunday Times Bestseller as her previous two were. At its heart, "No Further Questions" is a courtroom drama and a story that is brimming with emotion (which I wasn't expecting). The plot was impeccably paced and keeps your interest throughout. Reflecting the differents of people who each play a part in a real courtroom McAllister's characters are diverse and there are quite a collection. The conclusion was a stunner of a finish for me!
Becky has been accused of murdering her sister Martha's baby, Layla. The police are adamant that she is guilty but she is also adamant that she is no murderer - only one of them can be correct? But which one? Things are certainly not as they appear to be. Is she really sincere about events? Or is she as evil as people believe she is?
As you can see the storyline is a dark and emotionally resonant one that will get you hook, line and sinker pretty quickly. McAllister sure knows how to write - this is one of those books you need to clear your diary for enabling you to finish it within a day. I feel "No Further Questions" will appeal to all crime buffs but I think it especially appealed to me due to being in that sector years ago and knowing a little about the systems that are in place when someone commits a crime as serious as Becky has been accused of added to my enjoyment of the novel. This got me good and proper and I knew I needed to read it in one sitting as I wanted to find out how the story concluded and what happened to Becky. The characters here are all rather unlikable with realistic flawed personalities. Fortunately, I do not feel that it is essential to always have characters that are likeable especially in a book from the crime genre.
This book served as a reminder to me as to just how magnificent McAllister's titles really are. I feel she is vastly underrated in the genre and is not as reknowned as she ought to be. All of this, whilst authors with lesser writing skill and credentials become incredibly famous almost overnight in some cases - it simply doesn't seem right to me but I recognise that not all of us enjoy the same books or authors. Claire Douglas, Liz Lawler and Holly Seddon's reviews say it all really and most importantly - are 100% spot on.
Highly recommended to fans of McAllister as well as those still to try her books. There would certainly be worse ways to spend an afternoon! Do yourself a favour and pick this one up! I am going to go back and re-read the others before her next offering is published.
All in all, an original, riveting and superior courtroom drama that will appeal to a wide audience. I hope people pick it up over the summer and read it whilst relaxing in the garden with a Pimms. Admittedly it is a deceptively dark read and will be appreciated by those of us who think - that the darker a title the better!
Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I guess what everyone wants to know is - Is it as good as her others? Yes, yes it most certainly is! I'll be shocked if this isn't a summer bestseller. It deserves to be. "Everything But The Truth" and "Anything You Do Say" were published in March 2017 and October 2017 respectively, and were both loved by the majority of readers, including myself. It is getting a lot rarer to find a book in the crime genre that truly blows you away - there are so many mediocre thriller writers around and until you read a particular title it's virtually impossible to tell the difference between a potential bestseller and a total dud. That is unless you have read and enjoyed the author previous works, as is the case here. This definitely helps in this game of Russian roulette and not knowing exactly what you're going to get!
"No Further Questions" is bound to be another McAllister success and most likely will be adorned with the title of Sunday Times Bestseller as her previous two were. At its heart, "No Further Questions" is a courtroom drama and a story that is brimming with emotion (which I wasn't expecting). The plot was impeccably paced and keeps your interest throughout. Reflecting the differents of people who each play a part in a real courtroom McAllister's characters are diverse and there are quite a collection. The conclusion was a stunner of a finish for me!
Becky has been accused of murdering her sister Martha's baby, Layla. The police are adamant that she is guilty but she is also adamant that she is no murderer - only one of them can be correct? But which one? Things are certainly not as they appear to be. Is she really sincere about events? Or is she as evil as people believe she is?
As you can see the storyline is a dark and emotionally resonant one that will get you hook, line and sinker pretty quickly. McAllister sure knows how to write - this is one of those books you need to clear your diary for enabling you to finish it within a day. I feel "No Further Questions" will appeal to all crime buffs but I think it especially appealed to me due to being in that sector years ago and knowing a little about the systems that are in place when someone commits a crime as serious as Becky has been accused of added to my enjoyment of the novel. This got me good and proper and I knew I needed to read it in one sitting as I wanted to find out how the story concluded and what happened to Becky. The characters here are all rather unlikable with realistic flawed personalities. Fortunately, I do not feel that it is essential to always have characters that are likeable especially in a book from the crime genre.
This book served as a reminder to me as to just how magnificent McAllister's titles really are. I feel she is vastly underrated in the genre and is not as reknowned as she ought to be. All of this, whilst authors with lesser writing skill and credentials become incredibly famous almost overnight in some cases - it simply doesn't seem right to me but I recognise that not all of us enjoy the same books or authors. Claire Douglas, Liz Lawler and Holly Seddon's reviews say it all really and most importantly - are 100% spot on.
Highly recommended to fans of McAllister as well as those still to try her books. There would certainly be worse ways to spend an afternoon! Do yourself a favour and pick this one up! I am going to go back and re-read the others before her next offering is published.
All in all, an original, riveting and superior courtroom drama that will appeal to a wide audience. I hope people pick it up over the summer and read it whilst relaxing in the garden with a Pimms. Admittedly it is a deceptively dark read and will be appreciated by those of us who think - that the darker a title the better!
Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
June 11, 2019
An emotionally charged courtroom drama that tugs at the heartstrings!
Two sisters who are complete opposites...yet best friends. One is now accused of murdering the other sister’s baby.
This has to be one of the worst situations for a family to be in. Your sister claims she’s innocent. The prosecutor says she’s guilty. Who do you believe?
You marry a nice guy...buy the perfect flat. Realize your purpose in life is to help refugees, so you start your own charity. The charity is a lot of work, but you love it. You can manage...you always do. The next obvious step is to have a baby.
Taking care of your beautiful new daughter—Layla—is much harder than you imagined. She cries almost constantly because of health issues. Your husband—Scott—returns to work and you are trying to manage Layla and your charity.
Then you come up with an idea. Your sister Becky (who isn’t happy with her current job) would be a great part-time Nanny. She’s divorced, has a son of her own, could use the money and you trust her. Just a few hours a week until life settles down again. But you become more involved in your work, telling yourself that the refugees need you. And Becky is so accommodating. It’s the perfect arrangement, until Layla dies during an overnight stay with Becky...and she is accused of killing Layla.
This one was rather predictable, but still worth reading. Several interesting topics were discussed...like a mother’s guilt and self-doubt. How she’s held to a higher standard than the father...just because she’s the mother. Family bonds and how easily they are strained, but also how strong they can be.
I didn’t enjoy the courtroom scenes as much as the rest of the book...probably because I was torn between the two women. I sympathized with each and couldn’t take one side over the other.
It was my first Gillian McAllister book and I look forward to reading more.
Thank you to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
My Rating: 3.5 ⭐️ (rounding up to 4 ⭐️’s)
Published: Published June 11th 2019 by G.P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 400
Recommend: Yes
Excerpts:
Two sisters who are complete opposites...yet best friends. One is now accused of murdering the other sister’s baby.
This has to be one of the worst situations for a family to be in. Your sister claims she’s innocent. The prosecutor says she’s guilty. Who do you believe?
You marry a nice guy...buy the perfect flat. Realize your purpose in life is to help refugees, so you start your own charity. The charity is a lot of work, but you love it. You can manage...you always do. The next obvious step is to have a baby.
Taking care of your beautiful new daughter—Layla—is much harder than you imagined. She cries almost constantly because of health issues. Your husband—Scott—returns to work and you are trying to manage Layla and your charity.
Then you come up with an idea. Your sister Becky (who isn’t happy with her current job) would be a great part-time Nanny. She’s divorced, has a son of her own, could use the money and you trust her. Just a few hours a week until life settles down again. But you become more involved in your work, telling yourself that the refugees need you. And Becky is so accommodating. It’s the perfect arrangement, until Layla dies during an overnight stay with Becky...and she is accused of killing Layla.
This one was rather predictable, but still worth reading. Several interesting topics were discussed...like a mother’s guilt and self-doubt. How she’s held to a higher standard than the father...just because she’s the mother. Family bonds and how easily they are strained, but also how strong they can be.
I didn’t enjoy the courtroom scenes as much as the rest of the book...probably because I was torn between the two women. I sympathized with each and couldn’t take one side over the other.
It was my first Gillian McAllister book and I look forward to reading more.
Thank you to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
My Rating: 3.5 ⭐️ (rounding up to 4 ⭐️’s)
Published: Published June 11th 2019 by G.P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 400
Recommend: Yes
Excerpts:
“Whose side am I on? I am a traitor, caught in no-man’s-land between my daughter and my sister. My daughter should trump her, but I know my sister.”
August 26, 2018
Martha a new mom hires her sister Becky as a nanny to take care of her 8 week old daughter Layla who suffers from health issues.With Martha and her husband out of town for work Becky is in charge of Layla for the night .The next morning though Becky calls emergency services because Layla stops breathing but evidence suggests that Layla died the evening before which leads to Becky’s arrest.Torn between the loss of her daughter and her love of her sister Martha does not know what to believe and is riddled with guilt and remorse.
No more questions is a gripping emotional read.Gillian Mcallister writing is even paced with a heartbreaking ending. A brilliant story that I found difficult to put down .4 ½ stars.
I would like to thank Penguin UK - Michael Joseph & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
No more questions is a gripping emotional read.Gillian Mcallister writing is even paced with a heartbreaking ending. A brilliant story that I found difficult to put down .4 ½ stars.
I would like to thank Penguin UK - Michael Joseph & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
July 11, 2025
The Good Sister was published in 2019 and is Gillian McAllister's 1st US novel. It is told in part courtroom part family drama.
Premise: Martha Blackwater is looking for a sitter for her nine-month-old baby (Layla). When her beloved sister (Becky) volunteers to take the job, Martha is ecstatic. She can now get back to working on her charity, all while knowing that Layla is in loving hands. Except days later, while Martha is on a business trip, she receives a call stating that Layla is dead. Becky is arrested and charged with murder. The two women are now on opposing sides in a courtroom to allow the justice system to determine what really happened to baby Layla. Becky says that she is innocent, but the more evidence that is presented, the more Martha doubts her sister's innocence. One thing is for certain; this family's life will never be the same again.
**This was so good and sad at the same time. I thought the courtroom drama was expertly done, keeping readers guessing until the very end. This was my first time reading a book by this author, and it definitely won't be the last.** 👌
Premise: Martha Blackwater is looking for a sitter for her nine-month-old baby (Layla). When her beloved sister (Becky) volunteers to take the job, Martha is ecstatic. She can now get back to working on her charity, all while knowing that Layla is in loving hands. Except days later, while Martha is on a business trip, she receives a call stating that Layla is dead. Becky is arrested and charged with murder. The two women are now on opposing sides in a courtroom to allow the justice system to determine what really happened to baby Layla. Becky says that she is innocent, but the more evidence that is presented, the more Martha doubts her sister's innocence. One thing is for certain; this family's life will never be the same again.
**This was so good and sad at the same time. I thought the courtroom drama was expertly done, keeping readers guessing until the very end. This was my first time reading a book by this author, and it definitely won't be the last.** 👌
June 4, 2019
If there has ever been a book in which I want to live, to feel its words as I read, to run down its sentences - it's this one. I read the book over 3 days because I wanted to savor the experience of it, where 2 sisters were battling it out in the court of law, one was accused of killing the other's 8 week old daughter by smothering. The premise was so chilling and yet so emotional. Love between the sisters was palpable, it rose from that place in the soul which was ever-binding.
My first book by Gillian McAllister, I was so excited when I got the opportunity to read it. Down the pages, I kept wondering how they found themselves in the place they were in. Every chapter was a day in the court with witnesses and evidences and the truth unfurling. Gilligan's writing was tight and fast paced. She unfurled the truth, one petal at a time, and I didn't know if the core would be rotten or emotional.
My reading experience was 3 dimensional where I could see the events around me as the witnesses came forward. A holographic picture soon emerged. I saw the part which was not fitting with the rest. I knew what had happened way before I came to the end, but didn't know how or why.
The entire reading was an experience that I would remember for a long time, the building up of the suspense knocked me on my feet. With no doubt in my mind, this was a freaking brilliant book!!
My first book by Gillian McAllister, I was so excited when I got the opportunity to read it. Down the pages, I kept wondering how they found themselves in the place they were in. Every chapter was a day in the court with witnesses and evidences and the truth unfurling. Gilligan's writing was tight and fast paced. She unfurled the truth, one petal at a time, and I didn't know if the core would be rotten or emotional.
My reading experience was 3 dimensional where I could see the events around me as the witnesses came forward. A holographic picture soon emerged. I saw the part which was not fitting with the rest. I knew what had happened way before I came to the end, but didn't know how or why.
The entire reading was an experience that I would remember for a long time, the building up of the suspense knocked me on my feet. With no doubt in my mind, this was a freaking brilliant book!!
June 15, 2019
What was the last book that ripped out your heart, tore it into a million little pieces, threw then in the mud and stomped on them – but which still ended up in your favourites list? Yes, this one was that type of book for me. Visceral, gut wrenching, confronting and absolutely riveting are just a few words that some to mind when I am trying to recall the rollercoaster of emotions I lived through reading THE GOOD SISTER.
To be honest, I went into this one blindly and would probably never have picked it up had it not been a Traveling Sisters group read. Have you noticed how the best books often sneak up on you unawares? But I am usually a sucker for a good courtroom drama and sister dynamics, so the blurb intrigued me. I was, however, ill prepared for the absolute devastation this book wreaked on my heart.
Your baby is dead. Your sister is standing trial for the murder of your daughter, who was in her care that night. Is she guilty? This is the situation Martha finds herself in after having appointed her sister Becky as the nanny of her baby daughter Layla, allowing her to go back to work. Because who would you trust more with your child than your own sister? Now Layla is dead, and though it was initially thought to be cot death, the coroner’s findings suggest that there was foul play. Martha cannot believe that Becky could ever harm her child. But could she?
Warning: some scenes of this book are very hard to read, and this warning is coming from an ED nurse who is somewhat inured to tragedy and death. I have rarely read a book where the medical and courtroom scenes are as well researched and portrayed as in this one, which makes it all very heart-breakingly real. By offering us different POVs from several witnesses in the trial, McAllister has managed to paint very vivid scenes, from the time Becky called 911 to report little Layla’s death. We follow the tragedy from the first moment the paramedics appeared on scene, through the emergency department to the coroner’s slab. Vivid, gut-wrenching. It will be difficult for a lot of readers to stomach, so be aware of triggers.
However, as much as there is heartbreak, there is also love, and hope. Despite the horrible situation Martha finds herself in, she never hates her sister and believes in her innocence even through the scenes in the courtroom where evidence against her is steadily mounting. Could I be so forgiving, so loving? With it comes Martha’s own guilt, her doubts about leaving her baby n someone else’s care to attend to business. It was all so heartbreakingly real, that regret.
Of course, the media immediately cashes in on all aspects of the tragedy. Let’s condemn the mother for leaving her child. Let’s make every transgression Becky may ever have made, every conflict she has ever had, from a moment of road rage to being late to pick up her son from school, to point the finger at them both: bad mother, bad sister, guilty in the eyes of the public even before the trial. It shows how easy it is to isolate everyday situations to make a person appear bad. Have you recently yelled at your kids? Fought with your husband? Honked the horn at someone in traffic? Then, like Becky, you must surely be a terrible person capable of murder. Scary, really, how easy it is to judge!
McAllister writes with a keen eye for human behaviour and a deep understanding of the human psyche, which made this a thought provoking and insightful read for me. It challenged some of my own preconceptions and judgments, and made me wonder all the while: could Becky have done it? Whilst I can’t say that I loved every minute of it, on account of feeling the utter heart break over Layla’s death and the sisters’ horrible situation, this was a solid five star read for me and one that will stay in my mind for a long time to come. It was a great choice for a Traveling Sisters buddy read, and made for an interesting discussion (thanks to all), so keep it in mind for a bookclub choice.
Thank you to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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To be honest, I went into this one blindly and would probably never have picked it up had it not been a Traveling Sisters group read. Have you noticed how the best books often sneak up on you unawares? But I am usually a sucker for a good courtroom drama and sister dynamics, so the blurb intrigued me. I was, however, ill prepared for the absolute devastation this book wreaked on my heart.
Your baby is dead. Your sister is standing trial for the murder of your daughter, who was in her care that night. Is she guilty? This is the situation Martha finds herself in after having appointed her sister Becky as the nanny of her baby daughter Layla, allowing her to go back to work. Because who would you trust more with your child than your own sister? Now Layla is dead, and though it was initially thought to be cot death, the coroner’s findings suggest that there was foul play. Martha cannot believe that Becky could ever harm her child. But could she?
Warning: some scenes of this book are very hard to read, and this warning is coming from an ED nurse who is somewhat inured to tragedy and death. I have rarely read a book where the medical and courtroom scenes are as well researched and portrayed as in this one, which makes it all very heart-breakingly real. By offering us different POVs from several witnesses in the trial, McAllister has managed to paint very vivid scenes, from the time Becky called 911 to report little Layla’s death. We follow the tragedy from the first moment the paramedics appeared on scene, through the emergency department to the coroner’s slab. Vivid, gut-wrenching. It will be difficult for a lot of readers to stomach, so be aware of triggers.
However, as much as there is heartbreak, there is also love, and hope. Despite the horrible situation Martha finds herself in, she never hates her sister and believes in her innocence even through the scenes in the courtroom where evidence against her is steadily mounting. Could I be so forgiving, so loving? With it comes Martha’s own guilt, her doubts about leaving her baby n someone else’s care to attend to business. It was all so heartbreakingly real, that regret.
Of course, the media immediately cashes in on all aspects of the tragedy. Let’s condemn the mother for leaving her child. Let’s make every transgression Becky may ever have made, every conflict she has ever had, from a moment of road rage to being late to pick up her son from school, to point the finger at them both: bad mother, bad sister, guilty in the eyes of the public even before the trial. It shows how easy it is to isolate everyday situations to make a person appear bad. Have you recently yelled at your kids? Fought with your husband? Honked the horn at someone in traffic? Then, like Becky, you must surely be a terrible person capable of murder. Scary, really, how easy it is to judge!
McAllister writes with a keen eye for human behaviour and a deep understanding of the human psyche, which made this a thought provoking and insightful read for me. It challenged some of my own preconceptions and judgments, and made me wonder all the while: could Becky have done it? Whilst I can’t say that I loved every minute of it, on account of feeling the utter heart break over Layla’s death and the sisters’ horrible situation, this was a solid five star read for me and one that will stay in my mind for a long time to come. It was a great choice for a Traveling Sisters buddy read, and made for an interesting discussion (thanks to all), so keep it in mind for a bookclub choice.
Thank you to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
July 6, 2018
I have recently become a fan of Gillian McAllisters books and could not wait to dive into this one. No Further Questions had an original story and I was hooked from the very start. It is an emotional roller coaster where the characters get under your skin and you really don't know the truth until the very end..
Becky is working for her sister Martha as a nanny for her 8 week old niece Layla. Becky has gone away for work as has her husband. Layla is not the easiest of babies, constantly crying. Becky is doing here best but it is not enough. She wakes in the morning to find her niece not breathing and calls an ambulance. Not only is she having to deal with Layla's death but she has also been accused of murdering her when the autopsy reveals that she was smothered.
Not only is this the story of how Layla died but it a story of family, of love and friendship, The family struggles to come to terms with it all and throughout the court case the story of that night come so out from various points of view. The characters are realistic and the story just gets you. As a mother it was tough to read at times but it is a wonderful book and is definitely a 5 star read for me.
Thank you to Penguin UK Michael Joseph and Net galley for the advanced copy of this book to read. My opinions are all my own and in no way biased.
Becky is working for her sister Martha as a nanny for her 8 week old niece Layla. Becky has gone away for work as has her husband. Layla is not the easiest of babies, constantly crying. Becky is doing here best but it is not enough. She wakes in the morning to find her niece not breathing and calls an ambulance. Not only is she having to deal with Layla's death but she has also been accused of murdering her when the autopsy reveals that she was smothered.
Not only is this the story of how Layla died but it a story of family, of love and friendship, The family struggles to come to terms with it all and throughout the court case the story of that night come so out from various points of view. The characters are realistic and the story just gets you. As a mother it was tough to read at times but it is a wonderful book and is definitely a 5 star read for me.
Thank you to Penguin UK Michael Joseph and Net galley for the advanced copy of this book to read. My opinions are all my own and in no way biased.
October 18, 2020
This is the fourth novel I have read by author Gillian McAllister and have found them of a consistently high standard. This is another entertaining read even though it is based on a child's death which is not a comfortable topic.
Martha and Becky Blackwater are sisters but have always been so close. Martha struggles with caring for her baby daughter as well as her growing business and it is Becky who helps her to babysit her niece, Layla, without a second thought. The two sisters have a special bond but this is put to the ultimate test when Becky is charged with murder of her niece Layla.
Nine months later, Becky is on trial and maintains her innocence and so does Martha. Martha is desperate uncover the truth not being able to believe her sister is guilty. Their relationship begins to feel the strain as the trial progresses and the cracks begin to appear.
I really enjoyed the court room drama and found this novel a good read. Well written novel with a lot of emotion and some excellent characters.
Martha and Becky Blackwater are sisters but have always been so close. Martha struggles with caring for her baby daughter as well as her growing business and it is Becky who helps her to babysit her niece, Layla, without a second thought. The two sisters have a special bond but this is put to the ultimate test when Becky is charged with murder of her niece Layla.
Nine months later, Becky is on trial and maintains her innocence and so does Martha. Martha is desperate uncover the truth not being able to believe her sister is guilty. Their relationship begins to feel the strain as the trial progresses and the cracks begin to appear.
I really enjoyed the court room drama and found this novel a good read. Well written novel with a lot of emotion and some excellent characters.
July 1, 2018
WOW - No Further Questions is one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride. I felt emotionally wrung out by the time I got to the end of this heart string pulling tale of families,relationships,misconceptions,mistakes,grief and forgiveness.
Because this is a story about a court case there is quite a number of diverse,vivid characters. You have the Judge,the solicitors,the witnesses for the prosecution and the defence but the main players in this gripping drama are Martha,her husband Scott and their daughter eight week old Layla.The accused Becky who is Martha's sister,Becky`s ex husband Marc and their son Xander who is nine years old at the time of Layla`s death.I really liked the Judge Christopher Matthews,he had a dog called Rumpole which I thought was a very apt name for a judge's dog. I also liked and felt so much sympathy for poor young Xander.The four main adults where complex,flawed characters,three of which I found rather unlikable throughout most of the book but as in any good story and also in reality,sometimes all is not as it appears to be.Innocent events can be misconstrued and twisted into something they are not.Sometimes there are underlying factors and reasons behind a person's behaviour.Throughout the book we are taking back in time and learn about the sister`s relashionship when they were growing up,how and where they met their partners.Layla`s difficulty birth,the interactions within the two families and events leading up to and on the night of baby Layla`s death.The testimonies in court that covered Layla`s treatment in the A&E trauma room and her autopsy where heart breaking and caused me to have a lump in my throat and feel rather weepy as did the final reveal of what happened on that fateful night.
The author has obviously done a lot of research into a number of issues that are raised throughout this riveting thriller.Although as the author states,she had to manipulate some things for pace and plot,the courtroom scenes are realistic and believable.I don't normally read court room dramas but I loved Gillian McAllister`s precious books Anything You Do Say and Everything But The Truth so I couldn't resist reading No Further Questions.And I'm so glad I did,I was hooked in from the first page,her words flow with ease and are so mesmerising its like you are hypnotized by the story that is unfolding before your eyes.I was so gripped by this story that I would have happily read the whole book in one sitting but unfortunately my old eyes had other ideas.Very highly recommended by little old me.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House UK / Michael Joseph for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
Because this is a story about a court case there is quite a number of diverse,vivid characters. You have the Judge,the solicitors,the witnesses for the prosecution and the defence but the main players in this gripping drama are Martha,her husband Scott and their daughter eight week old Layla.The accused Becky who is Martha's sister,Becky`s ex husband Marc and their son Xander who is nine years old at the time of Layla`s death.I really liked the Judge Christopher Matthews,he had a dog called Rumpole which I thought was a very apt name for a judge's dog. I also liked and felt so much sympathy for poor young Xander.The four main adults where complex,flawed characters,three of which I found rather unlikable throughout most of the book but as in any good story and also in reality,sometimes all is not as it appears to be.Innocent events can be misconstrued and twisted into something they are not.Sometimes there are underlying factors and reasons behind a person's behaviour.Throughout the book we are taking back in time and learn about the sister`s relashionship when they were growing up,how and where they met their partners.Layla`s difficulty birth,the interactions within the two families and events leading up to and on the night of baby Layla`s death.The testimonies in court that covered Layla`s treatment in the A&E trauma room and her autopsy where heart breaking and caused me to have a lump in my throat and feel rather weepy as did the final reveal of what happened on that fateful night.
The author has obviously done a lot of research into a number of issues that are raised throughout this riveting thriller.Although as the author states,she had to manipulate some things for pace and plot,the courtroom scenes are realistic and believable.I don't normally read court room dramas but I loved Gillian McAllister`s precious books Anything You Do Say and Everything But The Truth so I couldn't resist reading No Further Questions.And I'm so glad I did,I was hooked in from the first page,her words flow with ease and are so mesmerising its like you are hypnotized by the story that is unfolding before your eyes.I was so gripped by this story that I would have happily read the whole book in one sitting but unfortunately my old eyes had other ideas.Very highly recommended by little old me.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House UK / Michael Joseph for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
November 11, 2022
Genre: Legal Thriller/Domestic Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Group Putnam
Pub. Date: July 2, 2018
Mini Review
In this melodramatic novel, two sisters, Martha and Becky, re-examine their relationship as one stands trial for murdering the other’s infant---great hook to start a story. Martha’s 8-week-old baby, Layla, suffocates while she is under her Aunt Becky’s care. The book opens several months after the baby’s death. The narrative switches back and forth between the sisters during Becky's trial. Their parents consider Martha to be the good sister because she runs a successful business while raising a baby in a nuclear family. The wild child who became pregnant at an early age is Becky. Although she is raising a son as a single parent, she still doesn’t know what to do with her life, either professionally or personally. Lots of emotions are running high in the story. I guessed the ending halfway through, so not much of a legal thriller. It’s more of a beach read. The author does a fine job of expressing the pain between the sisters. Still, this is a predictable book that tries too hard to pull heartstrings. I wish I had read it on the beach; my review might have had more praise.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list…
https://books6259.wordpress.com/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/review…
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr…
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord\
https://www.amazon.com/
Publisher: Penguin Group Putnam
Pub. Date: July 2, 2018
Mini Review
In this melodramatic novel, two sisters, Martha and Becky, re-examine their relationship as one stands trial for murdering the other’s infant---great hook to start a story. Martha’s 8-week-old baby, Layla, suffocates while she is under her Aunt Becky’s care. The book opens several months after the baby’s death. The narrative switches back and forth between the sisters during Becky's trial. Their parents consider Martha to be the good sister because she runs a successful business while raising a baby in a nuclear family. The wild child who became pregnant at an early age is Becky. Although she is raising a son as a single parent, she still doesn’t know what to do with her life, either professionally or personally. Lots of emotions are running high in the story. I guessed the ending halfway through, so not much of a legal thriller. It’s more of a beach read. The author does a fine job of expressing the pain between the sisters. Still, this is a predictable book that tries too hard to pull heartstrings. I wish I had read it on the beach; my review might have had more praise.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list…
https://books6259.wordpress.com/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/review…
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr…
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord\
https://www.amazon.com/
March 12, 2020
I was totally engrossed in this book... I kept looking for clues as to if Becky was guilty or not, and changed my mind at least 3 times. Really great story!
June 12, 2019
4.5 tear-stained stars rounded up
This is my first read from Gillian McAllister and I was simply stunned by the ending. I think my brain continued to process it while I was sleeping. I’ve found a new must-read author.
This book alternates between a tense and gripping courtroom setting with flashbacks. We have two sisters – Martha and Becky. Martha has a newborn and Becky is unhappy with her work situation, so the two sisters work out a deal that Becky will serve as nanny to baby Layla. The big wrinkle is that Layla is extremely colicky and cries for much of the day and night. Martha and her husband enjoy a bit of time away from caring for Layla and turn to Becky more and more. The situation gets harder on Becky and unfortunately Layla ends up dead one morning under Becky’s care. Was it an accidental death or murder?
The police think Becky is responsible for the death and she’s on trial for murdering her niece. Martha desperately wants to turn back time and skip the work trip that took her away from Layla. How could her sister have done this?
I was so anxious reading this book, I wanted to find out what had really happened and part of me did not want to know! The pacing was excellent, the characters really came to life and were realistically flawed. The really interesting part was the parents of the sisters. How do you sit in the courtroom while one daughter is on trial and one is mourning the loss of her child? Can you support both of them? Somehow the family seemed to stay strong.
I found the writing to be very well done and the story flowed for me while I worried about these characters. How can anyone deal with this situation? Grief and anger mingled together and family ties were definitely strained.
If you can, read this one all at once, it’s that good!
My version was called “The Good Sister” (alternate title "No Further Questions")
Thank you to Edelweiss, Gillian McAllister, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an early copy of the book to read in return for an honest review.
This is my first read from Gillian McAllister and I was simply stunned by the ending. I think my brain continued to process it while I was sleeping. I’ve found a new must-read author.
This book alternates between a tense and gripping courtroom setting with flashbacks. We have two sisters – Martha and Becky. Martha has a newborn and Becky is unhappy with her work situation, so the two sisters work out a deal that Becky will serve as nanny to baby Layla. The big wrinkle is that Layla is extremely colicky and cries for much of the day and night. Martha and her husband enjoy a bit of time away from caring for Layla and turn to Becky more and more. The situation gets harder on Becky and unfortunately Layla ends up dead one morning under Becky’s care. Was it an accidental death or murder?
The police think Becky is responsible for the death and she’s on trial for murdering her niece. Martha desperately wants to turn back time and skip the work trip that took her away from Layla. How could her sister have done this?
I was so anxious reading this book, I wanted to find out what had really happened and part of me did not want to know! The pacing was excellent, the characters really came to life and were realistically flawed. The really interesting part was the parents of the sisters. How do you sit in the courtroom while one daughter is on trial and one is mourning the loss of her child? Can you support both of them? Somehow the family seemed to stay strong.
I found the writing to be very well done and the story flowed for me while I worried about these characters. How can anyone deal with this situation? Grief and anger mingled together and family ties were definitely strained.
If you can, read this one all at once, it’s that good!
My version was called “The Good Sister” (alternate title "No Further Questions")
Thank you to Edelweiss, Gillian McAllister, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an early copy of the book to read in return for an honest review.
June 29, 2018
‘No Further Questions’ by Gillian Mcallister published by Penguin UK Michael Joseph on Oct 24th
A very interesting idea, and sad, where 2 sisters tell the narrative of events leading up to and then including the trial for murder of their 8 week old daughter/neice....Martha, the Mum has Becky, her Sister, nannying ( as she is running a refugee centre in Koz!!) ,and leaves her overnight, just the once, that night the baby dies....it is ruled as a possible murder by means of smothering...but is it? Becky swears shes innocent...Martha wants to believe her....someone is lying...but who??
I mostly enjoyed it,not sure enjoy is the right word but... at times it gets repetitive and Martha and Becky are both pretty unlikeable in their own ways, as are their partners and other characters who come in and out of the book ( as witnesses, again told as ‘on the night’ and then present day at the trial )
Some of the medical detail is harrowing and lengthy but I guess needed for the story
This is not a feel good book with even the occasional light moment, it is a full on psychological dark thriller dealing with a terrible death of a young baby
I guessed the outcome about 50% through
As a concept it is brilliant but at times there was something distant about the book and cold but then again so is the subject matter
Some of the descriptive writing of normal day to day things we all do is brilliant and the research that must have gone into the book is vast
A chilling read and one that will definitely stay with you, not a book you will finish and move onto the next without it ‘being in the back of your mind.....
7,5/10 4 stars
A very interesting idea, and sad, where 2 sisters tell the narrative of events leading up to and then including the trial for murder of their 8 week old daughter/neice....Martha, the Mum has Becky, her Sister, nannying ( as she is running a refugee centre in Koz!!) ,and leaves her overnight, just the once, that night the baby dies....it is ruled as a possible murder by means of smothering...but is it? Becky swears shes innocent...Martha wants to believe her....someone is lying...but who??
I mostly enjoyed it,not sure enjoy is the right word but... at times it gets repetitive and Martha and Becky are both pretty unlikeable in their own ways, as are their partners and other characters who come in and out of the book ( as witnesses, again told as ‘on the night’ and then present day at the trial )
Some of the medical detail is harrowing and lengthy but I guess needed for the story
This is not a feel good book with even the occasional light moment, it is a full on psychological dark thriller dealing with a terrible death of a young baby
I guessed the outcome about 50% through
As a concept it is brilliant but at times there was something distant about the book and cold but then again so is the subject matter
Some of the descriptive writing of normal day to day things we all do is brilliant and the research that must have gone into the book is vast
A chilling read and one that will definitely stay with you, not a book you will finish and move onto the next without it ‘being in the back of your mind.....
7,5/10 4 stars
February 16, 2020
Ripped from the headlines of any newspaper, this realistic look into the suspicious death of an infant being watched by her aunt is a fascinating read. Two close sisters are pitted against one another in British court as the state prosecutes the aunt, Becky for murder. The story is divided by each day of the trial, with many flashbacks to the few days leading up to the death of the infant.
Martha, the infant's mother was out of country when the death occurred. Though very different in personality, the love between sisters is now being challenged. Martha doesn't think her sister is capable of such a heinous crime and struggles throughout the trial trying to evaluate words spoken and unspoken, as well as her sister's facial and body cues as the trial ensues. Martha's further challenged by the reactions of her immediate family members as they also negotiate the questions they have and the extreme stress the situation has caused. Her thoughts and questions and self-recriminations for having left the baby in her sister's care permeate her thoughts. She also finds herself doubting her husband's love and feelings throughout the year's wait for the trial.
Becky 's thoughts and actions are also provided in alternating chapters with Martha's perspective. Becky has struggled not only with the events at the fore but also with her own capabilities as a mother to a ten year old son, Xander and former wife to her ex-husband (and best friend, Marc). Full of depression and world weariness prior to the death of her beloved niece, her memory of the events are questioned and examined many times throughout the trial.
This story was well plotted and the writing was seamless. There was a plot twist that was perfectly foreshadowed and though I expected it, it didn't ruin the story. As the story progresses, so did the tension. I liked the atmosphere that the author incorporates and emotional seesaw we witness among the impacted family. The character's mental state were well portrayed, especially as it overshadowed the other aspects of their daily lives. I was disappointed that we don't see Martha's testimony during the trial but I think perhaps the author felt it would have been to complicated to incorporate and would maybe ruin the presentation of the thought processes portrayed. This is a solid story and the author is an attorney makes an effort to make the story realistic without bogging the story in unnecessary procedural overload.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and recommend it to those who like psychological dramas. I'd definitely read future works by the author.
Martha, the infant's mother was out of country when the death occurred. Though very different in personality, the love between sisters is now being challenged. Martha doesn't think her sister is capable of such a heinous crime and struggles throughout the trial trying to evaluate words spoken and unspoken, as well as her sister's facial and body cues as the trial ensues. Martha's further challenged by the reactions of her immediate family members as they also negotiate the questions they have and the extreme stress the situation has caused. Her thoughts and questions and self-recriminations for having left the baby in her sister's care permeate her thoughts. She also finds herself doubting her husband's love and feelings throughout the year's wait for the trial.
Becky 's thoughts and actions are also provided in alternating chapters with Martha's perspective. Becky has struggled not only with the events at the fore but also with her own capabilities as a mother to a ten year old son, Xander and former wife to her ex-husband (and best friend, Marc). Full of depression and world weariness prior to the death of her beloved niece, her memory of the events are questioned and examined many times throughout the trial.
This story was well plotted and the writing was seamless. There was a plot twist that was perfectly foreshadowed and though I expected it, it didn't ruin the story. As the story progresses, so did the tension. I liked the atmosphere that the author incorporates and emotional seesaw we witness among the impacted family. The character's mental state were well portrayed, especially as it overshadowed the other aspects of their daily lives. I was disappointed that we don't see Martha's testimony during the trial but I think perhaps the author felt it would have been to complicated to incorporate and would maybe ruin the presentation of the thought processes portrayed. This is a solid story and the author is an attorney makes an effort to make the story realistic without bogging the story in unnecessary procedural overload.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and recommend it to those who like psychological dramas. I'd definitely read future works by the author.
July 5, 2018
WOW!!!!!
This is the first Gillian McAllister book and it most definitely will not be the last.
Talk about edge of your seat reading.
Two sisters, Martha and Becky, are so close but get torn apart by the death of Martha's 8 week old baby. The baby died in Becky's care.
Was the death intentional? If so, who done it?
Thank you Gillian for an unforgettable read.
This is the first Gillian McAllister book and it most definitely will not be the last.
Talk about edge of your seat reading.
Two sisters, Martha and Becky, are so close but get torn apart by the death of Martha's 8 week old baby. The baby died in Becky's care.
Was the death intentional? If so, who done it?
Thank you Gillian for an unforgettable read.
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