What do you think?
Rate this book
The Better Sister
New York Times Bestselling Author
From Alafair Burke—New York Times bestselling author of the runaway hit, The Wife— comes another twisty tale of domestic noir. When a prominent Manhattan lawyer is murdered, two estranged sisters—one the dead man’s widow, the other his ex—must set aside mistrust and old resentments ... but can they escape their past?
Keep your enemies close and your sister closer.
Though Chloe was the younger of the two Taylor sisters, she always seemed to be the one in charge. She was the honor roll student with big dreams and an even bigger work ethic. Nicky—always restless and more than a little reckless—was the opposite of her ambitious little sister. She floated from job to job and man to man, and stayed close to home in Cleveland.
For a while, it seemed that both sisters had found happiness. Chloe earned a scholarship to an Ivy League school and moved to New York City, where she landed a coveted publishing job. Nicky married promising young attorney Adam Macintosh and gave birth to a baby boy they named Ethan. The Taylor sisters became virtual strangers.
Now, more than fifteen years later, their lives are drastically different—and Chloe is married to Adam. When he’s murdered by an intruder at the couple’s East Hampton beach house, Chloe reluctantly allows her teenage stepson’s biological mother—her estranged sister, Nicky—back into her life. But when the police begin to treat Ethan as a suspect in his father’s death, the two sisters are forced to unite . . . and to confront the truth behind family secrets they have tried to bury in the past.
From Alafair Burke—New York Times bestselling author of the runaway hit, The Wife— comes another twisty tale of domestic noir. When a prominent Manhattan lawyer is murdered, two estranged sisters—one the dead man’s widow, the other his ex—must set aside mistrust and old resentments ... but can they escape their past?
Keep your enemies close and your sister closer.
Though Chloe was the younger of the two Taylor sisters, she always seemed to be the one in charge. She was the honor roll student with big dreams and an even bigger work ethic. Nicky—always restless and more than a little reckless—was the opposite of her ambitious little sister. She floated from job to job and man to man, and stayed close to home in Cleveland.
For a while, it seemed that both sisters had found happiness. Chloe earned a scholarship to an Ivy League school and moved to New York City, where she landed a coveted publishing job. Nicky married promising young attorney Adam Macintosh and gave birth to a baby boy they named Ethan. The Taylor sisters became virtual strangers.
Now, more than fifteen years later, their lives are drastically different—and Chloe is married to Adam. When he’s murdered by an intruder at the couple’s East Hampton beach house, Chloe reluctantly allows her teenage stepson’s biological mother—her estranged sister, Nicky—back into her life. But when the police begin to treat Ethan as a suspect in his father’s death, the two sisters are forced to unite . . . and to confront the truth behind family secrets they have tried to bury in the past.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 2019
9183 people are currently reading
32958 people want to read
About the author
Alafair Burke
60 books5,676 followersAlafair Burke is the New York Times, Edgar-nominated author of fourteen crime novels, including The Ex, The Wife, The Better Sister, and the forthcoming Find Me. She is also the co-author of several novels with Mary Higgins Clark. A graduate of Stanford Law School and a former Deputy District Attorney in Portland, Oregon, Alafair is now a Professor of Law at Hofstra Law School, where she teaches criminal law and procedure.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 3,214 reviews
July 26, 2019
How do you tell people you married your sister’s husband without sounding horrible?
I'm sure there are inquiring minds—other than my own—who would like to know, is that even possible? Well, don't you worry. Alafair Burke tests the theory here with sisters, Chloe and Nicky. While the women don't overtly vie for the title of "the better sister", it's a given they'll have readers second-guessing which of the two deserves the label.
Considering this was my first exposure to Burke's work, I had no clue what her storytelling could offer. That little unknown, coupled with the number of unfavorable reviews that accumulated in the time it took for my name to reach the top of the library reserve list, found me less than enthusiastic. I might have even toted the book home out of some twisted sense of obligation. Waiting weeks for my turn meant it was only fair to try out a chapter or two. And good thing I did; turns out, this book was a fit for me. The engaging quality of Burke's words and the sordid situation splayed across the pages made for a wholly immersive read. Indulging in this fashion—plowing through an entire book in a single day—hasn't happened for me much as of late.
I'll admit, The Better Sister might seem tame in comparison to some of the other wildcards floating around in the domestic noir space, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Bigger doesn’t always correlate to better. Seems fitting to put a Project Runway/Heidi Klum quote to good use here, “One day you’re in, and the next day you’re out”. I’m over storylines that offer little more than the gasp-inducing antics of an unreliable narrator or a disruptive plot twist. I think it's time for a fresh approach in the genre or a return to the basics of good storytelling.
Burke brings readers into the lives of Chloe and Adam when they’re riding a high. Both prominent in their respective fields, they’re raising their teenage son and living an idealistic life in the heart of Manhattan. Or so it seems.
In actuality, truth is often far less polished than appearances would have us believe. Chloe and Adam are mum about the fact that he was once married to Chloe’s older sister Nicky. Or that Chloe—regardless of the fact that Ethan calls her “mom”—is only the
Their complicated pasts come barreling back in the wake of Adam’s murder. It's a short list of suspects—current wife, ex-wife, and teenage son—to contend with, but Burke still manages to keep the details under wraps until the very end.
Amidst the investigation and the sibling strife, Burke explores how a curated persona can vary vastly from actuality. While we think we know someone based on the causes they support, the movements they inspire, or the snippets of themselves they choose to share with the world, the reality is, we often don’t.
*Thanks to my lovely local library system for the borrowed copy.
March 23, 2019
2.5 stars
Starts off strong, but turns into a mess!
The Better Sister is a domestic thriller about a woman (good sister) who marries her bad seed sister’s former husband and raises her sister’s son as her own. Sounds juicy, right? It gets even better because 10 years later, good sister’s husband is murdered and her (step)son is a prime suspect. Now, she must do whatever it takes to prove her son’s innocence, even if it means reuniting with her crazy sister.
The Better Sister has so much potential. I got sucked in immediately and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. But at a certain point, it just got boring. Then I began to notice weird gaps in time and some plot holes. I pushed these issues to the side with the hope that they would be ironed out. But unfortunately, they were not. As I read further, the plot began to spiral. I felt like Burke was just trying to do too much and it became a rather messy and chaotic read.
I thought that the ending was going to save it, but there was one final twist that just irked me to no end. I also wanted to know more about the two sisters’ relationship. What plays out does not match the potential of the plot. I loved The Wife but perhaps it set me up to have too high of expectations for The Better Sister.
I received an ARC of this book from Edelweiss and Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.
Starts off strong, but turns into a mess!
The Better Sister is a domestic thriller about a woman (good sister) who marries her bad seed sister’s former husband and raises her sister’s son as her own. Sounds juicy, right? It gets even better because 10 years later, good sister’s husband is murdered and her (step)son is a prime suspect. Now, she must do whatever it takes to prove her son’s innocence, even if it means reuniting with her crazy sister.
The Better Sister has so much potential. I got sucked in immediately and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. But at a certain point, it just got boring. Then I began to notice weird gaps in time and some plot holes. I pushed these issues to the side with the hope that they would be ironed out. But unfortunately, they were not. As I read further, the plot began to spiral. I felt like Burke was just trying to do too much and it became a rather messy and chaotic read.
I thought that the ending was going to save it, but there was one final twist that just irked me to no end. I also wanted to know more about the two sisters’ relationship. What plays out does not match the potential of the plot. I loved The Wife but perhaps it set me up to have too high of expectations for The Better Sister.
I received an ARC of this book from Edelweiss and Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2019
4.0 Stars—“The Better Sister” is the third Alafair Burke book I have read in less than a year, so I guess I would say I am officially a fan. “The Better Sister” is written from the first person perspective of Chloe, a famous feminist and publisher, whose husband, Adam, is brutally murdered inside of their home. This situation is complicated by the fact that Chloe is a stepmother to Ethan, Adam’s son, whose mother is Nickie, Chloe’s sister. This leads to complications and many interesting reveals as the story unfolds. The author does a much better job than she did in “The Ex” of keeping the details of the plot unpredictable and keeps numerous plausible suspects floating about throughout the mystery. I really enjoyed the courtroom antics in this novel too. The way the defense choreographed certain elements with the client and the family for maximum effect was ingenious and reflected things I have seen from better attorneys in court. The only problems I had with the book was the ending was implausible (considering all that would have had to take place in order for it to have occurred as described) and the inconsistencies in Chloe’s actions and statements (the narrator from the start to the end of the novel). The author couldn’t seem to decide whether Chloe was a reliable or unreliable and her way of speaking about certain characters at one point did not mesh with how she spoke of them later. Criticisms aside, I enjoy the author’s writing style and am looking forward to reading more mysteries from her in the future.
June 11, 2019
Chloe and her husband Adam seem to have a happy marriage. Chloe is a famous and successful journalist and Adam is a successful lawyer. Ethan is Adam's sixteen year old son by Nicky, and Ethan considers Chloe "Mom" and Chloe loves Ethan as if he were her own. Chloe created the "Them, too" movement and is lauded for promoting women's rights and strengths to stand up for themselves.
Behind the scenes, we find that Ethan's mom, Nicky, is Adam's ex-wife and their marriage ended very badly with Chloe siding with Adam and against Nicky, during the divorce proceedings. Chloe and Adam's marriage is not going well at all, with Adam resenting Chloe for pushing him into the private sector while he would have prefered remaining a prosecuting DA. Things really go bad for everyone when Adam is murdered and Ethan is charged with murdering his father. Chloe and Nicky, who've had nothing to do with each other for the last fourteen years, team up with each other to support Ethan and attempt to find out what really happened the night Adam was killed and what was going on in Adam's life, leading up to his murder.
This book has a lot of things I enjoy, a murder mystery, police investigations, and courtroom drama. It's a slow moving story, so patience is needed to get to the bottom of the mystery. Based on this story, I plan to read Alafair's other two books in what she considers a thematic trilogy, The Ex and The Wife.
Behind the scenes, we find that Ethan's mom, Nicky, is Adam's ex-wife and their marriage ended very badly with Chloe siding with Adam and against Nicky, during the divorce proceedings. Chloe and Adam's marriage is not going well at all, with Adam resenting Chloe for pushing him into the private sector while he would have prefered remaining a prosecuting DA. Things really go bad for everyone when Adam is murdered and Ethan is charged with murdering his father. Chloe and Nicky, who've had nothing to do with each other for the last fourteen years, team up with each other to support Ethan and attempt to find out what really happened the night Adam was killed and what was going on in Adam's life, leading up to his murder.
This book has a lot of things I enjoy, a murder mystery, police investigations, and courtroom drama. It's a slow moving story, so patience is needed to get to the bottom of the mystery. Based on this story, I plan to read Alafair's other two books in what she considers a thematic trilogy, The Ex and The Wife.
March 21, 2019
A solid, entertaining read, but I think I'm growing weary of the domestic thriller, as they are all seeming to read about the same way. Full review to come!
*I received a review copy via the publisher.
*I received a review copy via the publisher.
June 10, 2025
Elaborate, suspenseful, and twisty!
THE BETTER SISTER by ALAFAIR BURKE is an exciting, intriguing, engrossing, disturbing, and fantastic domestic mystery/thriller that had me totally absorbed in this emotionally complex storyline. I was fully immersed and totally interested in the mystery and the interaction between these two sisters, Chloe and Nicky as it was quite dynamic.
ALAFAIR BURKE is such a fabulous storyteller and has this way of hooking you in right away with her extremely fast-paced narrative and her subtly sneaky delivery. Which immediately had me questioning and wanting answers, even re-reading certain parts because I was certain I had to have missed something and dang if I did. She’s sneaky! lol
ALAFAIR BURKE delivers a compelling and well-written story here that is full of intrigue, suspense, courtroom drama, and familial dynamics. The topical storyline is timely and well-plotted, flowed seamlessly and had interesting and great characters.
This was another one of those books for me where the fantastic storytelling guided and entertained me right to the very end. The courtroom drama was extremely interesting and smartly written without overwhelming you with complicated details. I could definitely tell that ALAFAIR BURKE knows her stuff.
Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Absolutely love that dramatic, striking, breathtaking and extremely fitting cover.
Title: Simple, impactful and a fabulous representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Well-written, skilled, elaborate, suspenseful and engaging.
Plot: Engrossing, suspenseful, dramatic, realistic, interesting, fast-paced, and entertaining.
Ending: The ending made me pause and reflect but in the end I was completely satisfied with the outcome.
Overall: The storyline is full of twists and turns and so subtly interspersed that I didn’t think this was predictable at all. I wouldn’t necessarily say it was all that surprising though when everything all played out but it was completely satisfying to me. ALAFAIR BURKE does it again and has another winner here with THE BETTER SISTER!! Would highly recommend!
Thank you so much to Ashley at HarperCollins Canada for the complimentary copy. It was an absolute pleasure reading this fabulous book!
THE BETTER SISTER by ALAFAIR BURKE is an exciting, intriguing, engrossing, disturbing, and fantastic domestic mystery/thriller that had me totally absorbed in this emotionally complex storyline. I was fully immersed and totally interested in the mystery and the interaction between these two sisters, Chloe and Nicky as it was quite dynamic.
ALAFAIR BURKE is such a fabulous storyteller and has this way of hooking you in right away with her extremely fast-paced narrative and her subtly sneaky delivery. Which immediately had me questioning and wanting answers, even re-reading certain parts because I was certain I had to have missed something and dang if I did. She’s sneaky! lol
ALAFAIR BURKE delivers a compelling and well-written story here that is full of intrigue, suspense, courtroom drama, and familial dynamics. The topical storyline is timely and well-plotted, flowed seamlessly and had interesting and great characters.
This was another one of those books for me where the fantastic storytelling guided and entertained me right to the very end. The courtroom drama was extremely interesting and smartly written without overwhelming you with complicated details. I could definitely tell that ALAFAIR BURKE knows her stuff.
Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Absolutely love that dramatic, striking, breathtaking and extremely fitting cover.
Title: Simple, impactful and a fabulous representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Well-written, skilled, elaborate, suspenseful and engaging.
Plot: Engrossing, suspenseful, dramatic, realistic, interesting, fast-paced, and entertaining.
Ending: The ending made me pause and reflect but in the end I was completely satisfied with the outcome.
Overall: The storyline is full of twists and turns and so subtly interspersed that I didn’t think this was predictable at all. I wouldn’t necessarily say it was all that surprising though when everything all played out but it was completely satisfying to me. ALAFAIR BURKE does it again and has another winner here with THE BETTER SISTER!! Would highly recommend!
Thank you so much to Ashley at HarperCollins Canada for the complimentary copy. It was an absolute pleasure reading this fabulous book!
March 26, 2019
THREE STARS
The Better Sister is, indeed, a relative to Burke’s fabulous domestic thriller The Wife. Unfortunately, she is not the better sister. This very similar novel has almost all the same elements as THE WIFE, but is missing the twisted magic that made that story so much more exciting.
I love Alafair Burke’s easy style of writing. She effortlessly incorporates the pulse of our times so accurately, it is easy to get swept up in her contemporary mysteries and courtroom dramas.
I would call this a “mild” domestic drama with a murder mystery to solve. It is fairly addictive (due to Burke’s talented writing skills) but the story seems to stall out and not go anywhere. You won’t regret reading The Better Sister, but you probably won’t remember much about it afterwards.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for my early galley. THE BETTER SISTER hits U.S. shelves on April 16, 2019. All opinions are my own.
The Better Sister is, indeed, a relative to Burke’s fabulous domestic thriller The Wife. Unfortunately, she is not the better sister. This very similar novel has almost all the same elements as THE WIFE, but is missing the twisted magic that made that story so much more exciting.
I love Alafair Burke’s easy style of writing. She effortlessly incorporates the pulse of our times so accurately, it is easy to get swept up in her contemporary mysteries and courtroom dramas.
I would call this a “mild” domestic drama with a murder mystery to solve. It is fairly addictive (due to Burke’s talented writing skills) but the story seems to stall out and not go anywhere. You won’t regret reading The Better Sister, but you probably won’t remember much about it afterwards.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for my early galley. THE BETTER SISTER hits U.S. shelves on April 16, 2019. All opinions are my own.
August 9, 2019
What a terrific domestic suspense/courtroom drama novel! Chloe works in publishing as the editor of a feminist women’s magazine and is a vocal and very public advocate for women, while her husband Adam is a successful Manhattan attorney. Together they raise their son Ethan. The complication? Adam is her sister Nicky’s ex-husband and Ethan is really her nephew. These are little known public details until Adam turns up brutally murdered in their beach house.
The police turn their attention to Ethan as the suspect and the two estranged sisters, who haven’t spoken in 15 years, must team together to save him.
Nothing is as it appears and red herrings will have you spinning off in multiple direction with theories of what really happened. If you’re like me, you will be wrong.
There is the mystery of who killed Adam, but I also loved the exploration of social media, the #MeToo movement, family dysfunction, and the sibling bond.
This isn’t a thrill a minute read with twists on every page coming at you fast and furious but I am over that style of thriller so I liked the focus on the characters. Families are often messy. We never really knows what goes on behind closed doors. I found it entertaining, and a fun diversion.
• I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
May 9, 2019
Very intriguing beginning, but it somehow lost me a bit along the way.
Chloe and Nicky are not what you could call close sisters, but it'd be pretty amazing if they'd managed. Not only did Chloe end up marrying Nicky's ex-husband Adam, but she takes care of her son... who calls her mom. She'd always been the more responsible sister, always had her life more together. Nicky only managed a short time when her child was very young before she went back to being reckless, and lost him in the process. Years later, the child is now getting closer to a grown man and Adam is dead, murdered by an intruder. And they suspect his son.
Ethan is your typical teenager, a bit rebellious and secretive. But would he kill his own father? Nicky rushes to be with her family, uniting with her estranged sister to support the child they've both had a hand in raising. Neither of them believe Ethan could possibly have hurt Adam, but things aren't looking good.
This is a decent domestic thriller probably best suited for people who haven't read too many but have an interest. Having read them quite often, some parts were a bit too messy for me. It didn't quite lead up to the synopsis.
Harper Collins sent me a copy of this book to read and review. Thank you! This in no way affects my opinion.
Chloe and Nicky are not what you could call close sisters, but it'd be pretty amazing if they'd managed. Not only did Chloe end up marrying Nicky's ex-husband Adam, but she takes care of her son... who calls her mom. She'd always been the more responsible sister, always had her life more together. Nicky only managed a short time when her child was very young before she went back to being reckless, and lost him in the process. Years later, the child is now getting closer to a grown man and Adam is dead, murdered by an intruder. And they suspect his son.
Ethan is your typical teenager, a bit rebellious and secretive. But would he kill his own father? Nicky rushes to be with her family, uniting with her estranged sister to support the child they've both had a hand in raising. Neither of them believe Ethan could possibly have hurt Adam, but things aren't looking good.
This is a decent domestic thriller probably best suited for people who haven't read too many but have an interest. Having read them quite often, some parts were a bit too messy for me. It didn't quite lead up to the synopsis.
Harper Collins sent me a copy of this book to read and review. Thank you! This in no way affects my opinion.
January 26, 2019
2 stars
Chloe Taylor is now married to Adam, raising her sister Nicky’s son, Ethan. It’s a sordid little tale you see, as her sister Nicky was Adam’s first wife. Yeah, you heard that right. Adam got primary custody after Nicky was declared unfit. Ethan is now a teenager and has always called Chloe, mom. Chloe is editor of a woman’s magazine and is known for the “#Themtoo” Feminist Movement and is both loved and hated. Except for being trolled on the internet, her life is pretty perfect: her husband Adam is a successful lawyer, Ethan loves and adores her and she has the life she always wanted. Then her husband’s body is found brutally murdered and all bets are off. The police have a primary suspect of course and it’s none other than Ethan. Could he possibly be guilty? Are there other factors at play? Could Chloe’s success or her and Nicky’s childhood have anything to do with Adam’s murder?
Do you have the patience to find out? You’re going to need it if “The Better Sister” is on your tbr! “The Better Sister” is a very slow moving mystery in comparison to Alafair Burke’s “The Wife and “The Ex,” both of which I really liked. In addition, I found it to be very confusing, especially compared to the synopsis of this novel which doesn’t quite match up to the plot (I waited a good 35% for the characters of Hannah and Graham to show up before realizing the synopsis was just plain wrong - I hate when that happens!). If you don’t mind slow moving, predictable suspense novels, you might enjoy this slow burn of a novel, unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.
This was a buddy read with Kaceey. Thanks for keeping me company!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Harper Collins and Alafair Burke for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Edelweiss and Goodreads on 1.26.19.
Chloe Taylor is now married to Adam, raising her sister Nicky’s son, Ethan. It’s a sordid little tale you see, as her sister Nicky was Adam’s first wife. Yeah, you heard that right. Adam got primary custody after Nicky was declared unfit. Ethan is now a teenager and has always called Chloe, mom. Chloe is editor of a woman’s magazine and is known for the “#Themtoo” Feminist Movement and is both loved and hated. Except for being trolled on the internet, her life is pretty perfect: her husband Adam is a successful lawyer, Ethan loves and adores her and she has the life she always wanted. Then her husband’s body is found brutally murdered and all bets are off. The police have a primary suspect of course and it’s none other than Ethan. Could he possibly be guilty? Are there other factors at play? Could Chloe’s success or her and Nicky’s childhood have anything to do with Adam’s murder?
Do you have the patience to find out? You’re going to need it if “The Better Sister” is on your tbr! “The Better Sister” is a very slow moving mystery in comparison to Alafair Burke’s “The Wife and “The Ex,” both of which I really liked. In addition, I found it to be very confusing, especially compared to the synopsis of this novel which doesn’t quite match up to the plot (I waited a good 35% for the characters of Hannah and Graham to show up before realizing the synopsis was just plain wrong - I hate when that happens!). If you don’t mind slow moving, predictable suspense novels, you might enjoy this slow burn of a novel, unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.
This was a buddy read with Kaceey. Thanks for keeping me company!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Harper Collins and Alafair Burke for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Edelweiss and Goodreads on 1.26.19.
August 14, 2019
Tepid as old bathwater. This was my first outing with Alafair Burke and it would be fair to say we did not engage. It's possible that having read so many books of this ilk that I have become difficult to please. The writing here is fine, there just wasn't anything to get my heart pounding.
April 19, 2019
3.5 stars, rounded up
I’ve only read one other book by Alafair Burke, The Wife, which I thought was a strong and interesting domestic thriller. So, I was curious to see if I’d like her next book and was thrilled to get an ARC.
I liked the premise. I can’t quite imagine marrying my ex-brother-in-law under any circumstances in which my sister was still alive. But Chloe did exactly that, marrying Nicky’s ex-husband. Nicky was the ne’er do well sister, more into drinking than raising her child. Chloe, was the type A daughter, the editor in chief of one of the last few remaining feminist magazines and is wildly successful. As you would expect with a domestic thriller, everyone has lots of secrets. I can’t say Chloe was a sympathetic character in the beginning and it took me awhile to warm to her.
When Chloe’s husband is brutally murdered, Nicky comes east to be with her son. She’s cleaned up her act in the intervening years. The sisters proceed to try and repair their relationship.
I did enjoy Detective Guidry, forced to deal with her idiot partner. Unfortunately, she’s not a big part of the book.
The book starts off strong but then the plot just seems to flounder. It attempts to cover all the bases - family drama, murder mystery, courtroom drama. But it falters and there were several gaping holes in the plot. Chloe makes a very half hearted attempt to research what her husband was up to in the days before his death. Ideas of other theories are raised and then forgotten. And are never investigated by the defense lawyer. Still, it’s got a strong ending that I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed this one more for the characters than the plot.
My thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book.
I’ve only read one other book by Alafair Burke, The Wife, which I thought was a strong and interesting domestic thriller. So, I was curious to see if I’d like her next book and was thrilled to get an ARC.
I liked the premise. I can’t quite imagine marrying my ex-brother-in-law under any circumstances in which my sister was still alive. But Chloe did exactly that, marrying Nicky’s ex-husband. Nicky was the ne’er do well sister, more into drinking than raising her child. Chloe, was the type A daughter, the editor in chief of one of the last few remaining feminist magazines and is wildly successful. As you would expect with a domestic thriller, everyone has lots of secrets. I can’t say Chloe was a sympathetic character in the beginning and it took me awhile to warm to her.
When Chloe’s husband is brutally murdered, Nicky comes east to be with her son. She’s cleaned up her act in the intervening years. The sisters proceed to try and repair their relationship.
I did enjoy Detective Guidry, forced to deal with her idiot partner. Unfortunately, she’s not a big part of the book.
The book starts off strong but then the plot just seems to flounder. It attempts to cover all the bases - family drama, murder mystery, courtroom drama. But it falters and there were several gaping holes in the plot. Chloe makes a very half hearted attempt to research what her husband was up to in the days before his death. Ideas of other theories are raised and then forgotten. And are never investigated by the defense lawyer. Still, it’s got a strong ending that I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed this one more for the characters than the plot.
My thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book.
April 16, 2019
3.5 Stars
Two estranged sisters, a murdered husband and father, some courtroom drama and a whole lot of messy family drama.
The Better Sister is a simple yet intriguing whodunit domestic thriller with some interesting simple courtroom drama and a lot of family drama that didn’t feel too overly complicated to me.
Now I am not sure I would describe this one as fast-paced or really entertaining. I felt the strength in this one was in the drama. Now that is something I never thought I would say, not being much of a fan of drama. There is a lot of messy family drama going on here with these very different sisters that unfolded slowly throughout the story instead of coming at you all at once. One sister who craves and needs routine and the other who lives in constant drama. I was hooked right from the start and I was turning the pages as fast as I could as the twists and turns came. I started to question who was the better sister as we learn more about some of their family secrets.
The ending came as a surprise and I didn’t see it coming. Maybe a bit weak with the big reveal and one you might find unsatisfying with a few holes. For me, it all came together well and I thought the pacing was well done as the drama slowly unfolded
Thank you to EW and Harper Collins Canada for my copy to read and review.
Two estranged sisters, a murdered husband and father, some courtroom drama and a whole lot of messy family drama.
The Better Sister is a simple yet intriguing whodunit domestic thriller with some interesting simple courtroom drama and a lot of family drama that didn’t feel too overly complicated to me.
Now I am not sure I would describe this one as fast-paced or really entertaining. I felt the strength in this one was in the drama. Now that is something I never thought I would say, not being much of a fan of drama. There is a lot of messy family drama going on here with these very different sisters that unfolded slowly throughout the story instead of coming at you all at once. One sister who craves and needs routine and the other who lives in constant drama. I was hooked right from the start and I was turning the pages as fast as I could as the twists and turns came. I started to question who was the better sister as we learn more about some of their family secrets.
The ending came as a surprise and I didn’t see it coming. Maybe a bit weak with the big reveal and one you might find unsatisfying with a few holes. For me, it all came together well and I thought the pacing was well done as the drama slowly unfolded
Thank you to EW and Harper Collins Canada for my copy to read and review.
April 16, 2019
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
As my youngest would say . . . . .
That’s soooooooo applicable here because The Better Sister was a damn good domestic thriller (as can be seen by my rating). Not only did it hold my interest throughout, but it did so without me even realizing how much progress I was making until I sat down to finish it last night and only had about 20% remaining. Burke also proved she knows which lane to stay in. This was a domestic - NOT a police procedural or a courtroom drama or a wife sticking her nose where it didn’t belong and doing what the pros couldn’t do – and it remained focused on the family throughout. Not to mention it didn’t attempt to throw everything at the wall to see what would stick or bounce around in different timelines or via different narrators. So why does it suck to suck???? Well, because the focus on the kid maybe being the answer behind the whodunit reminded me of Defending Jacob, and nothing can compete with that. Thus the 4 Stars, but hey 4 Stars ain’t nuttin’ to cry about.
Really, aside from the focus being on the son as the suspect in the father’s murder there were a lot of differences. Mainly in the form of our solo narrator Chloe who had worked her way up the magazine publishing world and instantly brought visions of a certain someone to my head . . . .
(Even though she wasn’t presented as such a ballbuster.) She obviously did have ambitions and a willingness to do whatever was necessary in order to get what she wanted, however, since she not only ended up at the top of the heap of the magazine industry but also ended up marrying her sister’s husband!
And what about that husband? Well, he’s dead so he doesn’t really have much to say about things. You just have to figure out whodunit and why. Just watch out so you don’t get knocked out by all the skeletons that start falling out of the closets.
If you like your beachy reads on the stabby side, this might be a winner because homeboy gets stabbed FIVE TIMES : )
If you want to know you live with a bunch of potential serial killers ask the question “what’s a buck knife?” while you’re reading and have multiple examples be brought to you . . . . .
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
As my youngest would say . . . . .
That’s soooooooo applicable here because The Better Sister was a damn good domestic thriller (as can be seen by my rating). Not only did it hold my interest throughout, but it did so without me even realizing how much progress I was making until I sat down to finish it last night and only had about 20% remaining. Burke also proved she knows which lane to stay in. This was a domestic - NOT a police procedural or a courtroom drama or a wife sticking her nose where it didn’t belong and doing what the pros couldn’t do – and it remained focused on the family throughout. Not to mention it didn’t attempt to throw everything at the wall to see what would stick or bounce around in different timelines or via different narrators. So why does it suck to suck???? Well, because the focus on the kid maybe being the answer behind the whodunit reminded me of Defending Jacob, and nothing can compete with that. Thus the 4 Stars, but hey 4 Stars ain’t nuttin’ to cry about.
Really, aside from the focus being on the son as the suspect in the father’s murder there were a lot of differences. Mainly in the form of our solo narrator Chloe who had worked her way up the magazine publishing world and instantly brought visions of a certain someone to my head . . . .
(Even though she wasn’t presented as such a ballbuster.) She obviously did have ambitions and a willingness to do whatever was necessary in order to get what she wanted, however, since she not only ended up at the top of the heap of the magazine industry but also ended up marrying her sister’s husband!
And what about that husband? Well, he’s dead so he doesn’t really have much to say about things. You just have to figure out whodunit and why. Just watch out so you don’t get knocked out by all the skeletons that start falling out of the closets.
If you like your beachy reads on the stabby side, this might be a winner because homeboy gets stabbed FIVE TIMES : )
If you want to know you live with a bunch of potential serial killers ask the question “what’s a buck knife?” while you’re reading and have multiple examples be brought to you . . . . .
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
April 16, 2019
3.5 Stars rounded up!
Chloe is the youngest Taylor sister and she has is together. You could say she is the better sister. She has a great job and gets to be a guest at fancy parties with her boss until one night her brother in law calls her to tell her he needs her help...and it's about her sister.
Fast forward 14 years into the future Chloe is now married to her brother in law Adam. She is taking care of her nephew who calls her mom and her big sister is out of the picture. One night when Adam is home by himself, he is murdered and Chloe comes back to find him in their house deceased. When the police start to get involved, Chloe brings Nicky (her estranged sister) back into the picture because Ethan, Nicky's biological son and Chloe's stepson is being questioned. These sisters are forced to open up about past secrets, relationship troubles and work together to try to win over the court system.
This book is a domestic thriller but on the slower side. There are elements to this book that I really enjoyed. I think the dynamic between sisters was really interesting. They both grew up in the same house but they had totally different experiences with their parents and this was one of the reasons they became estranged. However, they are similar in the fact that they were both able to be manipulated by the same people both as children and adults. This helps them really come together towards the back half of this novel.
I think an important reality that this book points out is that not every family is what they seem. Do they seem happy on the outside when they're in a social setting or out as a family? Sure. However we never know what is really going on behind closed doors. People tend to be good at putting up a front when around others and then becoming a completely different person at home. This book also explores how families tend to stay together when you feel you need to protect a child more than you need to help yourself. I don't personally have kids but I could empathize with the main characters when this situation arose.
I previously read The Wife by Alafair Burke and it was easily one of my top 10 reads of last year. I think I went into this book with extremely high expectations and that was a mistake on my part. This book was good for what it's written as but I thin I was expecting something as devouring as The Wife was last year for me and this was not that However, I can tell you that I did read this in about a day and it was harder to put down. I wanted to know what happened to Adam. The reveal of the killer wasn't surprising. to me but it didn't feel like a let down. This story was more about coming together as a family rather than a whodunit.
Thank you to Harper Books for my ARC of this book. This book publishes today, April 16th. Pick it up if this is a book that sounds like something you'd enjoy!
I had no idea four years later, I'd become the second Mrs. Adam Macintosh, or that ten years after that, I'd be the one to find his dead body.
Chloe is the youngest Taylor sister and she has is together. You could say she is the better sister. She has a great job and gets to be a guest at fancy parties with her boss until one night her brother in law calls her to tell her he needs her help...and it's about her sister.
Fast forward 14 years into the future Chloe is now married to her brother in law Adam. She is taking care of her nephew who calls her mom and her big sister is out of the picture. One night when Adam is home by himself, he is murdered and Chloe comes back to find him in their house deceased. When the police start to get involved, Chloe brings Nicky (her estranged sister) back into the picture because Ethan, Nicky's biological son and Chloe's stepson is being questioned. These sisters are forced to open up about past secrets, relationship troubles and work together to try to win over the court system.
This book is a domestic thriller but on the slower side. There are elements to this book that I really enjoyed. I think the dynamic between sisters was really interesting. They both grew up in the same house but they had totally different experiences with their parents and this was one of the reasons they became estranged. However, they are similar in the fact that they were both able to be manipulated by the same people both as children and adults. This helps them really come together towards the back half of this novel.
I think an important reality that this book points out is that not every family is what they seem. Do they seem happy on the outside when they're in a social setting or out as a family? Sure. However we never know what is really going on behind closed doors. People tend to be good at putting up a front when around others and then becoming a completely different person at home. This book also explores how families tend to stay together when you feel you need to protect a child more than you need to help yourself. I don't personally have kids but I could empathize with the main characters when this situation arose.
I previously read The Wife by Alafair Burke and it was easily one of my top 10 reads of last year. I think I went into this book with extremely high expectations and that was a mistake on my part. This book was good for what it's written as but I thin I was expecting something as devouring as The Wife was last year for me and this was not that However, I can tell you that I did read this in about a day and it was harder to put down. I wanted to know what happened to Adam. The reveal of the killer wasn't surprising. to me but it didn't feel like a let down. This story was more about coming together as a family rather than a whodunit.
Thank you to Harper Books for my ARC of this book. This book publishes today, April 16th. Pick it up if this is a book that sounds like something you'd enjoy!
April 14, 2019
Who is the “better” sister? ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
The premise of this- wow! A Manhattan lawyer is murdered, and two sisters, the lawyer’s widow and his ex, must come together again after years of estrangement.
The sisters, Chloe and Nicky, could not have been more different growing up. Chloe, the younger sister, was in charge, a hard worker, and thoughtful. Nicky, the older sister, was a dreamer and floated through life.
Each sister takes her own path. Chloe goes to college and lands a prestigious job. Nicky marries a young attorney and has a child. The two sisters grow apart.
Several years later, Chloe is now married to the attorney. Her stepson, Ethan, is also her nephew, and when her husband is murdered, she allows Nicky back into her life.
The tides really turn when Ethan is named by the police as a suspect in the murder. Will these sisters join up together to find the truth?
The Better Sister is written in Burke’s trademark easy reading, perfectly-paced style. I had my just-one-more-page thing going on and found it hard to put down. I think it’s important to know going in that this is more of a domestic suspense or mystery, so it’s not going to be full of big banging thrills. I found this an original take on a whodunnit and was captivated with the dynamic between these two very different sisters.
Overall, The Better Sister is a murder mystery with a side of courtroom drama and lots and lots of family dynamics to unearth.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
The premise of this- wow! A Manhattan lawyer is murdered, and two sisters, the lawyer’s widow and his ex, must come together again after years of estrangement.
The sisters, Chloe and Nicky, could not have been more different growing up. Chloe, the younger sister, was in charge, a hard worker, and thoughtful. Nicky, the older sister, was a dreamer and floated through life.
Each sister takes her own path. Chloe goes to college and lands a prestigious job. Nicky marries a young attorney and has a child. The two sisters grow apart.
Several years later, Chloe is now married to the attorney. Her stepson, Ethan, is also her nephew, and when her husband is murdered, she allows Nicky back into her life.
The tides really turn when Ethan is named by the police as a suspect in the murder. Will these sisters join up together to find the truth?
The Better Sister is written in Burke’s trademark easy reading, perfectly-paced style. I had my just-one-more-page thing going on and found it hard to put down. I think it’s important to know going in that this is more of a domestic suspense or mystery, so it’s not going to be full of big banging thrills. I found this an original take on a whodunnit and was captivated with the dynamic between these two very different sisters.
Overall, The Better Sister is a murder mystery with a side of courtroom drama and lots and lots of family dynamics to unearth.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
March 10, 2025
Another great standalone mystery/thriller from the phenomenal Alafair Burke. A super fast read (once I sat down and started seriously reading, getting past the dent I previously made) which I finished during one sitting.
Don’t wanna say much about the plot because it’s hard to without giving away spoilers. Just pay close attention because the answer is in the dialogue, and it is possible to figure out “whodunnit.” Lots of possibilities, and I actually didn’t associate certain clues until the excellent tie-in at the end, and thought it pulled the the whole plot together perfectly.
Overall, I found The Better Sister to be a well written, smart and riveting read. Recommend.
Many thanks and appreciation to Ms. Burke, Harper (publisher), and goodreads for this ARC
giveaway.
Don’t wanna say much about the plot because it’s hard to without giving away spoilers. Just pay close attention because the answer is in the dialogue, and it is possible to figure out “whodunnit.” Lots of possibilities, and I actually didn’t associate certain clues until the excellent tie-in at the end, and thought it pulled the the whole plot together perfectly.
Overall, I found The Better Sister to be a well written, smart and riveting read. Recommend.
Many thanks and appreciation to Ms. Burke, Harper (publisher), and goodreads for this ARC
giveaway.
January 6, 2024
THE BETTER SISTER features a twisted family situation meets murder. Great drama! I’ve known of siblings who marry the former spouse of a sister/brother, but it’s usually after their sibling has passed away. Marrying your sister’s ex-husband and having custody of her child (who calls you Mommy) while your sister is still alive… well, let’s just say this made for juicy conflict! I ate this story up!
Excellent pacing with short chapters and methodical reveals of information. Chloe (wife number 2) and Nicky (wife number 1) are forced to team up when Adam turns up dead and everyone, including Ethan (son) are suspects. This was really well laid out because there were so many potential suspects it left me guessing. And you never really know if you can trust anyone as a narrator.
Trigger Warnings:
Excellent pacing with short chapters and methodical reveals of information. Chloe (wife number 2) and Nicky (wife number 1) are forced to team up when Adam turns up dead and everyone, including Ethan (son) are suspects. This was really well laid out because there were so many potential suspects it left me guessing. And you never really know if you can trust anyone as a narrator.
Trigger Warnings:
March 18, 2019
So Alafair Burke has started doing something in her novels that is making me mildly insane.
Lets say you're reading a book about the kidnapping of a little kid. Its a first person narrative where you spend time with the mother of the kidnapped child, you learn more about her and her life, her marriage, what her family is like. She thinks a lot of thoughts about her kid, their life together, maybe you find out about her job and her friends. You're really in her head, hearing all of her thoughts, her fears, her emotions. So you're about halfway through the book and all of a sudden the private detective she hired who's looking for the kid says "so how long have you been dealing cocaine?"
At no point in the narrative thus far were you given any reason to believe that this woman is running a very profitable drug cartel. She's never said or thought "gee I should really have a drug cartel meeting to see how all my dealers are doing with all that cocaine I deal." She hasn't so much as bought a pack of razor blades or even sniffed one too many times! Yet here we are and our narrator just kind of shrugs and thinks "ah yes, my cocaine dealing, how long have I been doing that?"
While no one in The Better Sister is standing in line to become the next Tony Montana there are plenty of these very strange revelations that feel less like clever plot twists and more like ways to get characters out of taking any responsibility whatsoever for their actions and doing the other thing I seem to find happening in everything I'm reading lately, treating the narrator like absolute crap.
As the story begins we meet Chloe, an astoundingly successful magazine editor who's about to be honored for her years of work highlighting women's issues and her contributions to the #metoo movement. She's also a loving wife to Adam, an attorney, and devoted mother to Ethan, a teenage boy who's just discovered girls and spends to much time on his phone.
The one fly in the ointment is that Ethan isn't Chloe's son. He's the son of Adam's first marriage to Chloe's unstable and unreliable older sister Nicky. This isn't a secret, heck its on the book jacket, but it certainly sets up some interesting possibilities and leaves the reader with plenty of questions. What exactly did Nicky do to leave Adam with sole custody of their son and why has she never reached out to him? How did the sisters' parents feel about one marrying the others ex-husband? What was their relationship like before the novel begins?
I wish I could say this novel even attempts to answer those questions but it doesn't. Instead it becomes a very straight forward courtroom drama when this disfunctional family is shattered by a murder of which one of them now stands accused coupled with the two sisters attempting to reconcile. Ms. Burke, an attorney herself, certainly shines in the courtroom scenes but she loses the plot entirely when it comes to presenting characters with real, genuine emotional reactions to the things they're being put through, not to mention a not so hot grasp of addiction, domestic abuse, and the mindset of the average American teenager.
I don't want to spoil the plot but there's some very basic things that go down here that just don't work for me. The most major of which is the main theme of the book. When someone does something that is arguably bad or even worse illegal that doesn't then justify them being murdered and it doesn't absolve the murderer of the blame.
I mean c'mon.
Burke explored this idea in her last book The Wife, a story with so many side plots and twists I literally found myself struggling to remember what in the hell even happened in it when I was discussing it with another librarian recently. While she stays more grounded here with a more or less constant, single story line, she's still bending backward to absolve the guilty parties of any wrong doing because the victim deserved to die. Then there are things like addiction and abandonment that are glossed over and blamed on the people left behind who didn't see how badly the addict was hurting or realize things they had no way of seeing were going on. One excrutiating scene involves
This book is like a very strange genre bender where we are meant to get on board with the idea of these sister's rediscovering their love for each other in the midst of all the usual plot developments of a court room thriller/murder mystery. In one chapter they're enjoying a cocktail party with Chloe's friends and snarking on each other and then its off to court where a beloved family member is on trial for their life. It just never makes any sense or feels remotely plausible.
I was left feeling like I was dealing with a family of sociopaths, which given how the story resolves itself, doesn't seem like that far fetched of a take home.
This get's a raised "are you serious?" eyebrow and my (soon to be copywrited) disapproving librarian is tired of your shenanagins harumph.
Boooooo
Lets say you're reading a book about the kidnapping of a little kid. Its a first person narrative where you spend time with the mother of the kidnapped child, you learn more about her and her life, her marriage, what her family is like. She thinks a lot of thoughts about her kid, their life together, maybe you find out about her job and her friends. You're really in her head, hearing all of her thoughts, her fears, her emotions. So you're about halfway through the book and all of a sudden the private detective she hired who's looking for the kid says "so how long have you been dealing cocaine?"
At no point in the narrative thus far were you given any reason to believe that this woman is running a very profitable drug cartel. She's never said or thought "gee I should really have a drug cartel meeting to see how all my dealers are doing with all that cocaine I deal." She hasn't so much as bought a pack of razor blades or even sniffed one too many times! Yet here we are and our narrator just kind of shrugs and thinks "ah yes, my cocaine dealing, how long have I been doing that?"
While no one in The Better Sister is standing in line to become the next Tony Montana there are plenty of these very strange revelations that feel less like clever plot twists and more like ways to get characters out of taking any responsibility whatsoever for their actions and doing the other thing I seem to find happening in everything I'm reading lately, treating the narrator like absolute crap.
As the story begins we meet Chloe, an astoundingly successful magazine editor who's about to be honored for her years of work highlighting women's issues and her contributions to the #metoo movement. She's also a loving wife to Adam, an attorney, and devoted mother to Ethan, a teenage boy who's just discovered girls and spends to much time on his phone.
The one fly in the ointment is that Ethan isn't Chloe's son. He's the son of Adam's first marriage to Chloe's unstable and unreliable older sister Nicky. This isn't a secret, heck its on the book jacket, but it certainly sets up some interesting possibilities and leaves the reader with plenty of questions. What exactly did Nicky do to leave Adam with sole custody of their son and why has she never reached out to him? How did the sisters' parents feel about one marrying the others ex-husband? What was their relationship like before the novel begins?
I wish I could say this novel even attempts to answer those questions but it doesn't. Instead it becomes a very straight forward courtroom drama when this disfunctional family is shattered by a murder of which one of them now stands accused coupled with the two sisters attempting to reconcile. Ms. Burke, an attorney herself, certainly shines in the courtroom scenes but she loses the plot entirely when it comes to presenting characters with real, genuine emotional reactions to the things they're being put through, not to mention a not so hot grasp of addiction, domestic abuse, and the mindset of the average American teenager.
I don't want to spoil the plot but there's some very basic things that go down here that just don't work for me. The most major of which is the main theme of the book. When someone does something that is arguably bad or even worse illegal that doesn't then justify them being murdered and it doesn't absolve the murderer of the blame.
I mean c'mon.
Burke explored this idea in her last book The Wife, a story with so many side plots and twists I literally found myself struggling to remember what in the hell even happened in it when I was discussing it with another librarian recently. While she stays more grounded here with a more or less constant, single story line, she's still bending backward to absolve the guilty parties of any wrong doing because the victim deserved to die. Then there are things like addiction and abandonment that are glossed over and blamed on the people left behind who didn't see how badly the addict was hurting or realize things they had no way of seeing were going on. One excrutiating scene involves
This book is like a very strange genre bender where we are meant to get on board with the idea of these sister's rediscovering their love for each other in the midst of all the usual plot developments of a court room thriller/murder mystery. In one chapter they're enjoying a cocktail party with Chloe's friends and snarking on each other and then its off to court where a beloved family member is on trial for their life. It just never makes any sense or feels remotely plausible.
I was left feeling like I was dealing with a family of sociopaths, which given how the story resolves itself, doesn't seem like that far fetched of a take home.
This get's a raised "are you serious?" eyebrow and my (soon to be copywrited) disapproving librarian is tired of your shenanagins harumph.
Boooooo
December 31, 2019
BOR-ING!
A thriller better be tricky. I need to gasp as I grasp. I need ah-ha’s and sit-up-straights and maybe a head shake saying wow wow wow. I got none of that. All I wanted was to finish my baked potato so I could ask permission to leave the table. And head for the hilarious book that my daughter gave me on Christmas Day, the book where I’m standing at attention, until I slither down and shimmy up, smile smile smile. I immediately buried my head in the funny book (called Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things) while presents were still being opened. Every five seconds, I was doing looky looky lookies (making everyone listen up) while adolescent giggles escaped from my throat unannounced. My kid smiled, knowing she had hit the jackpot with her gift.
So speaking of looky--looky how I’m talking about The Better Book instead of The Better Sister, the one I’m supposed to be reviewing. Right after I swallowed the last bland bite of potato, I left the table and headed straight to my Complaint Board. First entry, all caps: BOR-ING!
The story is about a successful woman trying to figure out who killed her husband. Was it her son? Her sister? Her lover? Herself? Who knows? Who cares?
So let’s get this over with—
Complaint Board
-The wife tells the detective what to do, what paths to go down. Really? Keep your day job, lady. Stop with all this bossy stuff. The detective can handle it herself for god’s sake. Totally unbelievable that the wife would instruct the cop and totally unbelievable that the cop didn’t throw a fit.
-The arrest seemed too sudden (and was made too early) and we didn’t get to hear what the evidence was. Very flimsy case, so it wasn’t believable. And motive was not discussed till way later. Trying to figure out motive is the fun part, but there was nothing to go on here.
-The twists all came at the end. They were interesting enough but by that time I wasn’t ready to go all wowsy about any of them.
-Characters: One-dimensional, unsympathetic, BOR-ING. Bland as the baked potato. I didn’t like or relate to any of them.
-Dialogue: BOR-ING! (Sorry, I can’t stop saying BOR-ING! Just in case you didn’t hear me the first time, lol.)
- The point-of-view is the wife’s. Yet there are two or three teensy chapters that are told from the female detective’s perspective. Random, unnecessary, and strange. Why so few? Why any? This point-of-view detour didn’t reveal big secrets and did nothing to enhance the story.
You’re probably wondering how this book got 3 stars instead of ending up in the trash heap. Well, the writing is very good. It’s sophisticated and clear, and the paragraphs have good bones—all of which is not that common in thrillers. Also, I was mildly interested in finding out who the murderer was. The reason I picked up the book in the first place is because Burke’s last book, The Wife, slayed me. I was hoping for a repeat performance. Why oh why do I keep forgetting to lower my expectations?
Well, I have one positive thing to say: The author didn’t commit the sin of using “try and” when she meant “try to.” There were “try to’s” all over the place, so I think she knew what she was doing (or at least her editor did). Either she or her editor gets points for that and for not aggravating me further.
Bottom line: The Better Sister is a mediocre read and I’m glad it’s over. I probably would have liked it more if I didn’t have a funny book waiting in the wings. But I do....so now I’m on to The Better Book!
Thanks to Edelweiss for an advance copy.
A thriller better be tricky. I need to gasp as I grasp. I need ah-ha’s and sit-up-straights and maybe a head shake saying wow wow wow. I got none of that. All I wanted was to finish my baked potato so I could ask permission to leave the table. And head for the hilarious book that my daughter gave me on Christmas Day, the book where I’m standing at attention, until I slither down and shimmy up, smile smile smile. I immediately buried my head in the funny book (called Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things) while presents were still being opened. Every five seconds, I was doing looky looky lookies (making everyone listen up) while adolescent giggles escaped from my throat unannounced. My kid smiled, knowing she had hit the jackpot with her gift.
So speaking of looky--looky how I’m talking about The Better Book instead of The Better Sister, the one I’m supposed to be reviewing. Right after I swallowed the last bland bite of potato, I left the table and headed straight to my Complaint Board. First entry, all caps: BOR-ING!
The story is about a successful woman trying to figure out who killed her husband. Was it her son? Her sister? Her lover? Herself? Who knows? Who cares?
So let’s get this over with—
Complaint Board
-The wife tells the detective what to do, what paths to go down. Really? Keep your day job, lady. Stop with all this bossy stuff. The detective can handle it herself for god’s sake. Totally unbelievable that the wife would instruct the cop and totally unbelievable that the cop didn’t throw a fit.
-The arrest seemed too sudden (and was made too early) and we didn’t get to hear what the evidence was. Very flimsy case, so it wasn’t believable. And motive was not discussed till way later. Trying to figure out motive is the fun part, but there was nothing to go on here.
-The twists all came at the end. They were interesting enough but by that time I wasn’t ready to go all wowsy about any of them.
-Characters: One-dimensional, unsympathetic, BOR-ING. Bland as the baked potato. I didn’t like or relate to any of them.
-Dialogue: BOR-ING! (Sorry, I can’t stop saying BOR-ING! Just in case you didn’t hear me the first time, lol.)
- The point-of-view is the wife’s. Yet there are two or three teensy chapters that are told from the female detective’s perspective. Random, unnecessary, and strange. Why so few? Why any? This point-of-view detour didn’t reveal big secrets and did nothing to enhance the story.
You’re probably wondering how this book got 3 stars instead of ending up in the trash heap. Well, the writing is very good. It’s sophisticated and clear, and the paragraphs have good bones—all of which is not that common in thrillers. Also, I was mildly interested in finding out who the murderer was. The reason I picked up the book in the first place is because Burke’s last book, The Wife, slayed me. I was hoping for a repeat performance. Why oh why do I keep forgetting to lower my expectations?
Well, I have one positive thing to say: The author didn’t commit the sin of using “try and” when she meant “try to.” There were “try to’s” all over the place, so I think she knew what she was doing (or at least her editor did). Either she or her editor gets points for that and for not aggravating me further.
Bottom line: The Better Sister is a mediocre read and I’m glad it’s over. I probably would have liked it more if I didn’t have a funny book waiting in the wings. But I do....so now I’m on to The Better Book!
Thanks to Edelweiss for an advance copy.
November 5, 2019
“The Better Sister” by Alafair Burke is a twisty-turny thriller with more than a couple plot twists that the reader doesn’t see coming.
The story is told by Chloe Taylor, a successful editor-in-chief for a woman’s magazine. She found success via the woman’s “me too” movement and is fodder for twitter haters. As the story opens, life is good for Chloe. She’s busy and at the top of her career. Everything derails when her husband is found dead and her stepson is accused of the murder.
To murk up the Chloe’s perfect life, she is married to her sister’s ex-husband and is raising her sister’s son. It sounds a bit creepy, but Chloe narrates a perfectly good reason for the unexpected marriage to her brother-in-law, now husband. When her son is accused of the murder, Chloe’s sister, Nicky comes into town to support her son and her Chloe. Chloe is hesitant, as she hasn’t kept track to Nicky and is worried that she will cause more problems.
Chloe digs into her husband’s background and learns secrets her husband has kept from her. Meanwhile, she is unable to communicate with her stepson to find out what happened the night of her husband’s murder
The suspense ensues during the murder trial timeframe when Chloe discovers missing pieces relevant to the case. Even after the case is settled, other pieces come forward. Just when you think the story is done, more twists occur.
The last third of the novel is fantastic. Burke writes a masterful thriller. I listened to Amazon’s audible production narrated by Sophie Amoss, Samantha Desz, and Mike Chamberlain. All narrators are fabulous.
The story is told by Chloe Taylor, a successful editor-in-chief for a woman’s magazine. She found success via the woman’s “me too” movement and is fodder for twitter haters. As the story opens, life is good for Chloe. She’s busy and at the top of her career. Everything derails when her husband is found dead and her stepson is accused of the murder.
To murk up the Chloe’s perfect life, she is married to her sister’s ex-husband and is raising her sister’s son. It sounds a bit creepy, but Chloe narrates a perfectly good reason for the unexpected marriage to her brother-in-law, now husband. When her son is accused of the murder, Chloe’s sister, Nicky comes into town to support her son and her Chloe. Chloe is hesitant, as she hasn’t kept track to Nicky and is worried that she will cause more problems.
Chloe digs into her husband’s background and learns secrets her husband has kept from her. Meanwhile, she is unable to communicate with her stepson to find out what happened the night of her husband’s murder
The suspense ensues during the murder trial timeframe when Chloe discovers missing pieces relevant to the case. Even after the case is settled, other pieces come forward. Just when you think the story is done, more twists occur.
The last third of the novel is fantastic. Burke writes a masterful thriller. I listened to Amazon’s audible production narrated by Sophie Amoss, Samantha Desz, and Mike Chamberlain. All narrators are fabulous.
May 12, 2019
This is an okay story with a fairly meager end. 3 of 10 stars
April 26, 2019
Courtroom drama meets domestic suspense in this story about murder and family. Two estranged sisters, a dead husband connected to them both, a teenage boy charged with murder. Alafair Burke shows off her legal skills and talent for developing a family, secrets and all. Everything rises to the surface and the outcome will have you questioning which of these sisters is actually the better one. Although slow moving overall, the twists and turns provided the perfect acceleration as needed and I couldn't put it down. Check it out.
My favorite quote:
"You never know what's going on in a family behind closed doors."
Audiobook narrated by Sophie Amoss, Samantha Desz, and Mike Chamberlain.
My favorite quote:
"You never know what's going on in a family behind closed doors."
Audiobook narrated by Sophie Amoss, Samantha Desz, and Mike Chamberlain.
March 29, 2022
Well, I'm not going to lie, I was disappointed in this one because I have enjoyed some of the author's other books. The main problem I had while reading is I didn't understand most of the characters and by the time some context was provided it was like it was too little, too late. The plot itself wasn't horrible but the characters needed to be fully fleshed out.
On a positive note, I liked how Olivia Randall from The Ex was a character in this one.
On a positive note, I liked how Olivia Randall from The Ex was a character in this one.
April 16, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5 (4.5 / 5)
I was a HUGE fan of The Wife by Alafair Burke so I kinda had high expectations going into The Better Sister. Let me tell you, Burke did not disappoint me!!
What it's about: Nicky and Chloe are sisters... not that you can tell. Nicky has always had issues holding a job and holding a man, plus ongoing problems with substance abuse. Chloe is the polar opposite; hard working, overachieving, plus Chloe managed to become famous during the #MeToo movement working in publishing. Oh, and did I mention she is also married to Adam, Nicky's ex-husband, and raising their son Ethan as her own? Needless to say, they have basically become estranged, only talking every so often about Ethan. But when Adam is murdered in their East Hampton beach home, the sisters must come together again and face not only their family secrets, but the reality of who murdered Adam.
I LOVE ALAFAIR BURKE! There, I said it. I will read anything this woman writes, and somehow I just know I am going to love it even though this is only my second time reading anything by her. I love that she included a character I saw in The Wife, which was the criminal defense attorney Olivia Randall. I know she is in The Ex as well, and it always makes me happy when I see an ongoing character in different books.
I also liked that The Better Sister had somewhat of the same structure that The Wife had. There is a domestic drama, a court case, and social issues all rolled into one captivating novel. I think Burke's inclusion of the #MeToo movement in regards to Chloe and her job was a great way of talking about it more, and I liked how she tied it into the book.. Plus in managing to point out how prominent nasty comments on social media are when you are dealing with rape and abuse. This being said, the book is a little crude at times because of these comments Chloe reads, so be aware of that.
I also really enjoyed seeing Nicky and Chloe come together again, and the subplot of the two sisters and their relationship. While a lot of it was hard, especially in regards to how they grew up, there still ends up being such a loving relationship there and I really connected to them.
Final Thought: I am actually very surprised at all of the negative and low reviews for The Better Sister. I know not every book is for everyone, but I had a hard time coming up with anything I really didn't like about it. I think Burke's writing is 100% solid as usual, and although I wasn't TOO surprised at who actually killed Adam, the book still left me guessing and I finished it in one sitting, in just a manner of hours. I highly recommend to lovers of novels that include both courtroom dramas and domestic drama all rolled into one, and anyone that read and loved her last book The Wife.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book!
I was a HUGE fan of The Wife by Alafair Burke so I kinda had high expectations going into The Better Sister. Let me tell you, Burke did not disappoint me!!
What it's about: Nicky and Chloe are sisters... not that you can tell. Nicky has always had issues holding a job and holding a man, plus ongoing problems with substance abuse. Chloe is the polar opposite; hard working, overachieving, plus Chloe managed to become famous during the #MeToo movement working in publishing. Oh, and did I mention she is also married to Adam, Nicky's ex-husband, and raising their son Ethan as her own? Needless to say, they have basically become estranged, only talking every so often about Ethan. But when Adam is murdered in their East Hampton beach home, the sisters must come together again and face not only their family secrets, but the reality of who murdered Adam.
I LOVE ALAFAIR BURKE! There, I said it. I will read anything this woman writes, and somehow I just know I am going to love it even though this is only my second time reading anything by her. I love that she included a character I saw in The Wife, which was the criminal defense attorney Olivia Randall. I know she is in The Ex as well, and it always makes me happy when I see an ongoing character in different books.
I also liked that The Better Sister had somewhat of the same structure that The Wife had. There is a domestic drama, a court case, and social issues all rolled into one captivating novel. I think Burke's inclusion of the #MeToo movement in regards to Chloe and her job was a great way of talking about it more, and I liked how she tied it into the book.. Plus in managing to point out how prominent nasty comments on social media are when you are dealing with rape and abuse. This being said, the book is a little crude at times because of these comments Chloe reads, so be aware of that.
I also really enjoyed seeing Nicky and Chloe come together again, and the subplot of the two sisters and their relationship. While a lot of it was hard, especially in regards to how they grew up, there still ends up being such a loving relationship there and I really connected to them.
Final Thought: I am actually very surprised at all of the negative and low reviews for The Better Sister. I know not every book is for everyone, but I had a hard time coming up with anything I really didn't like about it. I think Burke's writing is 100% solid as usual, and although I wasn't TOO surprised at who actually killed Adam, the book still left me guessing and I finished it in one sitting, in just a manner of hours. I highly recommend to lovers of novels that include both courtroom dramas and domestic drama all rolled into one, and anyone that read and loved her last book The Wife.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book!
June 25, 2019
Burke is a master of pacing and suspense. This one is so clever, glitzy, and current — and, oh, what an ending!
April 28, 2019
I remember reading The Ex and felt mentally drained from the twists and turns. It was quite a ride and after that, I became a fan of this authors. The summary draws you in and you feel ready to dive in, however, this story took awhile to "get there". While I appreciated the topics when you finally did "get there", I'm not sure I was vested with the protagonist of the story. The upside was that if you are a fan of this authors, the twists and turns did not disappoint.
Chloe lives an ideal, picture perfect life. She has a beautiful family and a successful career. Her career as an Editor propels her to a celebrity status as she is an advocate for women's voices who have been abused. Chloe loves her stepson whose mom is her sister that she has been estranged from since he was a baby. The three are reunited when they learn Chloe's husband, Adam, has been killed in their home. Chloe has an airtight alibi, but her son, Ethan, does not. Chloe's sister, Nicky, is staying with her to protect her son and try to strengthen the bond they used to have. Chloe does not want her there, but she knows the attention on her son is serious and she needs all the reinforcements she can get to get through an event that will change all of them.
The three are put to the test as their secrets are exposed and Chloe's perfect life is crumbling. Time is running out and the two sisters must find a way to save Ethan and their strategy to find another suspect is a hunch that leads to a big reveal.
I liked the story because it had a similar intensity of her other books, but I did not feel connected with the main character and I should have given the storyline. The supporting characters add a strong layer that does keep you engaged, especially, Nicky. You're curious of her relationship with Adam and why it failed and why she struggled and why she was estranged from her own son. Was she the Better Sister?
Chloe lives an ideal, picture perfect life. She has a beautiful family and a successful career. Her career as an Editor propels her to a celebrity status as she is an advocate for women's voices who have been abused. Chloe loves her stepson whose mom is her sister that she has been estranged from since he was a baby. The three are reunited when they learn Chloe's husband, Adam, has been killed in their home. Chloe has an airtight alibi, but her son, Ethan, does not. Chloe's sister, Nicky, is staying with her to protect her son and try to strengthen the bond they used to have. Chloe does not want her there, but she knows the attention on her son is serious and she needs all the reinforcements she can get to get through an event that will change all of them.
The three are put to the test as their secrets are exposed and Chloe's perfect life is crumbling. Time is running out and the two sisters must find a way to save Ethan and their strategy to find another suspect is a hunch that leads to a big reveal.
I liked the story because it had a similar intensity of her other books, but I did not feel connected with the main character and I should have given the storyline. The supporting characters add a strong layer that does keep you engaged, especially, Nicky. You're curious of her relationship with Adam and why it failed and why she struggled and why she was estranged from her own son. Was she the Better Sister?
January 5, 2019
Alafair Burke has done it again - and dare I say - this may just be her best yet!
Chloe Taylor, an editor-in-Chief of a women’s magazine spearheading the #MeToo movement - returns home to lavish Hamptons weekend home to find her husband stabbed to death. But, Chloe and Adam didn’t exactly have a boy-meets-girl traditional start, Adam is divorced from Chloe’s own sister, Nicky. Delving into family relationships and unraveling exactly how someone marries their sister’s ex while wondering “whodunnit” in a murder case really showcases Burke’s skills as a master of intrigue and suspense. I found myself theorizing constantly and devouring this book at rapid pace, I just had to know what happened!
Thank you to HarperCollins for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Chloe Taylor, an editor-in-Chief of a women’s magazine spearheading the #MeToo movement - returns home to lavish Hamptons weekend home to find her husband stabbed to death. But, Chloe and Adam didn’t exactly have a boy-meets-girl traditional start, Adam is divorced from Chloe’s own sister, Nicky. Delving into family relationships and unraveling exactly how someone marries their sister’s ex while wondering “whodunnit” in a murder case really showcases Burke’s skills as a master of intrigue and suspense. I found myself theorizing constantly and devouring this book at rapid pace, I just had to know what happened!
Thank you to HarperCollins for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
July 25, 2019
Very entertaining! Nothing about this book is unique or challenging but I kept wanting to find out the “who done it”. It did have a few unexpected twists and turns. This is the type of book I recommend if you’re stuck in a book rut. Happy reading!!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 3,214 reviews