Sisterhood

by V.B. Grey

'A BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN STORY OF SISTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHOSE LIVES ARE PROFOUNDLY CHANGED BY WAR. GREY IS NOT AFRAID TO SEARCH IN THE SHADOWS FOR THE TRUTH. A TERRIFIC AND THOUGHT PROVOKING READ'
ELIZABETH BUCHAN

Identical twin sisters Freya and Shona take very different paths, leading to long-buried family secrets that reverberate through the generations in this thrilling novel of psychological suspense by the author of Tell Me How It Ends. There are some choices you can't come back from.

It is 1944 in war-battered London. Freya and Shona are identical twins, close despite their different characters. Freya is a newly qualified doctor treating the injured in an East End hospital, while Shona has been recruited by the SOE. The sisters are so physically alike that they can fool people into thinking that one is the other. It's a game they've played since childhood. But when Shona persuades her twin to swap roles to meet her Polish lover, he is angered at being tricked.

Then Shona proposes a far more dangerous swapping of roles. At first Freya refuses but finally she agrees, with consequences that threaten not only the happiness but the lives of both sisters.

Forty-five years later in November 1989 Freya, now aged 69, is watching television with her daughter Kirsty. Freya is gripped as she witnesses crowds of Berliners attempting to knock down their hated Wall. This sight stirs memories of her own and her sister's war, especially the tragedy of the Warsaw Uprising - memories that she has never shared with anyone. Even if she wanted to reveal them now, she can't. She's suffering from a brain tumour and is unable to speak although her reason is unimpaired. And this is what she's thinking: if they succeed in knocking down the Wall, what secrets will come tumbling through? If her own were revealed, it would be devastating for all those close to her, especially her daughter, Kirsty.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery

368 pages, ebook

Published August 19, 2021

About the author

Hello and thank you for visiting my author page.

After many years of writing television crime drama and the D.I Fisher series of contemporary crime novels as Isabelle Grey I wanted to take a different approach to my fiction - so please give a warm welcome to my pseudonym, V. B. Grey.

They say, Write the book you want to read. Well, I've always loved old noir movies and black & white melodramas - as well as their glamorous stars - so 'Tell Me How It Ends' is inspired by my favourite films their strong female characters, played by such legendary actors as Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis or Joan Crawford.

Growing up in the 1960s I was also aware of the long shadow still cast by the Second World War, a subject I explore in both 'Tell Me How It Ends' and my new novel, 'Sisterhood', which was inspired by a tragic mystery in my own family.

I grew up in Manchester, England, and have an English degree from Cambridge. My first job was with a London antique dealer and I spent many years as a freelance journalist and non-fiction author (as Isabelle Anscombe) writing initially about the fascinating world of the art market and the history of decorative arts before going on to contribute features and reviews to national newspapers and magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Country Living and Psychologies. I have also written for film, television and radio drama.

I live and work in north London.

You can follow me on Twitter @IsabelleGrey

Reviews

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: Mum shakes her head decisively in answer to my question: there's nothing more for me to see. Frustrated, I try another tack.

'It's important to Tomasz, too. He barely remembers Gosia and never knew his father, but the man who gave him the photograph when he was a teenager, said that Shona knew his father.'

She looks at me with an expression that is not encouraging.

'I said I'd ask if you could think of anyone he might talk to.'

She pointedly turns her head to look out at the wintry garden. I keep trying.

'The man Tomasz spoke to at the Polish Hearth Club who remembered that you were a doctor also said that Shona had a Polish boyfriend. Is that true? Did you ever meet him?'

She stands up abruptly, walks past me out of the kitchen and into the living room, slamming the door behind her.

I'm shocked by the intensity of my reaction when she does this. I'm furious. Nothing ever changes. Even if Shona's wartime mission had to be kept secret at the time, how can it hurt to talk about it now? Why can't Mum be happy that I want to understand her sister's past? But she's never let me in, never shared her feelings or admitted any frailty. She's kept me at arms length all her life and now she's dying, and all she can do when I try to learn more about her is slam a door against me.

ABOUT 'SISTERHOOD': Identical twin sisters Freya and Shona take very different paths, leading to long-buried family secrets that reverberate through the generations in this thrilling novel of psychological suspense by the author of Tell Me How It Ends. There are some choices you can't come back from.

It is 1944 in war-battered London. Freya and Shona are identical twins, close despite their different characters. Freya is a newly qualified doctor treating the injured in an East End hospital, while Shona has been recruited by the SOE. The sisters are so physically alike that they can fool people into thinking that one is the other. It's a game they've played since childhood. But when Shona persuades her twin to swap roles to meet her Polish lover, he is angered at being tricked.

Then Shona proposes a far more dangerous swapping of roles. At first Freya refuses but finally she agrees, with consequences that threaten not only the happiness but the lives of both sisters.

Forty-five years later in November 1989 Freya, now aged 69, is watching television with her daughter Kirsty. Freya is gripped as she witnesses crowds of Berliners attempting to knock down their hated Wall. This sight stirs memories of her own and her sister's war, especially the tragedy of the Warsaw Uprising - memories that she has never shared with anyone. Even if she wanted to reveal them now, she can't. She's suffering from a brain tumour and is unable to speak although her reason is unimpaired. And this is what she's thinking: if they succeed in knocking down the Wall, what secrets will come tumbling through? If her own were revealed, it would be devastating for all those close to her, especially her daughter, Kirsty.

MY THOUGHTS: I felt a personal connection with Kirsty, Freya's daughter in this story. I know next to nothing about my mother's life, and now it's too late. I felt Kirsty's anguish and frustration at constantly being pushed away.

But aside from touching me on a personal level, I enjoyed the mystery and intrigue of Sisterhood. The story is told over two timelines, from Kirsty's point of view in 1989 as the Berlin Wall is demolished, and a stranger arrives with a photo looking for her mother Freya's identical twin sister, Shona, who had been recruited by the SOE; and in 1944 from Freya's point of view.

But it's not just her mother's ill health, and the mystery surrounding her aunt that Kirsty has to contend with. Her Australian husband Martin has been offered his dream job - in Australia.

I started to read this over my morning coffee, intending to read just a chapter or two to get a feel for the story. Instead, I read until I was finished. Yes, a one sitting read that intrigued me from the outset; one that never let me go. This is a multi-generational storyline which starts with Freya and Shona, and moves on encompass Freya's daughter Kirsty and her family. The plot progresses at a steady pace, and is full of mystery, intrigue, and drama.

Strongly recommended for lovers of historical fiction and family dramas/mysteries.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.2

#Sisterhood #NetGalley

I: @quercusbooks

T: @IsabelleGrey @QuercusBooks

#familydrama #historicalfiction #mentalhealth #mystery #WWII

THE AUTHOR: I grew up in Manchester, England, and have an English degree from Cambridge. My first job was with a London antique dealer and I spent many years as a freelance journalist and non-fiction author (as Isabelle Anscombe) writing initially about the fascinating world of the art market and the history of decorative arts before going on to contribute features and reviews to national newspapers and magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Country Living and Psychologies. I have also written for film, television and radio drama.

I live and work in north London.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Quercus via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Sisterhood by V.B. Grey. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Freya Grant watches television broadcasts on 9th November 1989 showing the Berlin Wall coming down and when a stranger turns at her house a few weeks later, what secrets will also come tumbling down? The ‘stranger’ is Polish Tomasz Dolniak, he is looking for Freya’s sister Shona who is sadly dead. He has a picture from August 1944 of his mother Gosia and Shona, her codename is Olenka, who are ‘Cichociemni’, the unseen, the silent heroines of the resistance of the Warsaw Uprising. Tomasz has many questions which Freya is unable to answer as she has an inoperable brain tumour and can no longer speak. He daughter Kirsty takes up the investigative mantle in the hope of learning more about her elusive mother and aunt. The story is told in alternating timelines from 1989/90 and 1944.

The further you go into this novel the more fascinating it becomes as Kirsty unravels as much as she is able to. The wartime story of the complexity of the resistance, the dangers on all sides as the Nazis try to destroy Warsaw in retaliation and the onward press of the Red Army with all that the Soviet Union entails for Poland, is done extremely well. A story of tremendous bravery and sacrifice emerges which is really gripping and I love these sections. The historical context is extremely good as it gives the bigger picture too, including medical discoveries made during wartime which are important in the plot. The characters are very good, both in wartime and in 1989 and you get a sense of urgency with Kirsty’s research as her mother has limited time left. She makes shocking discoveries and it helps her to understand why Freya has been unreachable all her life and they are able to have closure and greater closeness. The mystery of Shona is a good one too although that is not entirely resolved, her story is a sobering one.

This is a very well written novel, the dual timelines flow from one to the other seamlessly. It covers momentous events in both timelines and the mystery of Freya, Shona and Gosia keeps you immersed. Overall, a compelling and enjoyable read. Recommended to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Quercus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Heather Copping · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kirsty is the daughter of Dr Freya Grant who unfortunately is dying from an inoperable brain tumour, leaving her totally unable to communicate in any form apart from a shake of the hand. After a visit one evening by a Polish man Tomasz, who is looking for a woman in a photograph, everything is torn apart for Freya and Kirsty. This photo which was taken during the Polish uprising, also has his mother in it. He has many questions that he would like answered and is sure that the other woman in the photo is Freya's sister, who is an identical twin sister to Freya. But this photo was taken a long while ago, in Warsaw August 1944. Now it is 1989 and the main news now is the demolition of the Berlin Wall. This book is set in dual timelines and follows Freya's story and that of her twin sister Shona in 1944 and in 1989 Freya's daughter Kirsty, her husband Martin and their sons Chris and Eric. Martin wants to take up a new job offer in Australia, but Kirsty has lots of things on her mind, which all lead to one question, should they go or stay? Her mother has not much longer to live, but Martin wants to go so he can see his parents, Kirsty can see his point of view, but now she has another thing to solve, the question of the photo and the two women in it.
Back in 1944 Shona and Freya play the game that endless sets of twins must have played over the years of changing places and hoping that no one would notice, but this is wartime and great dangers rather than playtime fun exist around every corner. As the twins play their own individual roles that are sometimes dangerous, often they have moments together that only twins will share, we are treated to a great storyline, yes it is set in a dual timeline, but its easy to follow and keeps your attention throughout.
A tale of family secrets that span many years and have consequences even to this day and makes you understand why it is not always a good idea to hide these secrets as one day it just might be too late to do anything about them, as those we care about need to be told everything from the past and forget the secrets and guilt that goes with them. A lovely book, I especially enjoyed the wartime friendships and drama between Freya and Shona and those they worked and fought with during the dark times of WW2, and also the struggle that Kirsty had to face with her mother and her husband and sons.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts as the Berlin Wall is breached and torn down bit by bit by people from the east and west of Berlin. Freya sits watching from her armchair with her own memories of the cruel regime, memories she can never share. The rest of the book goes back and forth with chapters revealing what Freya endured as a young doctor in the second world war and her brief but never-to-be-forgotten trip into occupied Poland. The remaining chapters are set in the 1980s and feature Freya's daughter Kirsky and her quest to find answers that are locked away in her ailing mothers mind. I enjoyed the book, there are lots of different aspects to the story, which I can highly recommend.

[xRhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down! That's the short review...

Here's the long one.

'Sisterhood' is a gripping tale split between the wartime period of 1944 and 1989 as the Berlin wall comes tumbling down. As Freya - who is sadly suffering a brain tumour leaving her unable to speak - watches on television she wonders what of her own secrets will come down with it...

V.B.Grey's 'Sisterhood' is a engaging novel that I truly couldn't put down. Each page I turned left me hungry for more. With a perfect balance of history, drama, emotion and mystery it is a brilliant book. I really felt that I could empathise with, envision and understand not only the primary but secondary characters whose personalities developed throughout the story.

From a historical perspective this novel has really piqued my interest in both a part of WW2 that I have limited knowledge on and furthermore that of the Berlin Wall. Although I cannot confirm, given my own limited knowledge, that all the information was accurate I truly felt the author had gone to commendable lengths to ensure historical accuracy, respect to those who lived through these challenging times and furthermore ensured that the reader felt a sense of true immersion in the periods the novel was set.

The only downside for me was although the pace of the story was perfectly done for the majority of the novel I felt the very end could have been more thorough. Although without a doubt satisfactory, personally, I would have preferred a little more detail as I felt it was left a little loose. Perhaps that says more about my enjoyment of the book and the fact it ended to quickly for me though than anything else!

'Sisterhood' is definitely a book I would recommend if you would like heart-rending page turner that manages to be both a formidable story of wartime heroines whilst also remaining an easy read*. I will certainly be looking to read more of V.B.Greys books in the future.

5 stars.

*by this I merely feel some novels can been far to wordy and complicated that can if I'm honest leave you feeling exhausted or quite frankly at times put off. Perhaps that's just me depending on my mood!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing and engrossing story.
It is a well known fact that there is a special bond between twins. Shona and Freya are identical twins navigating their way as best they can, as war and its effects makes life difficult for all.
Freya, a newly qualified doctor is working at an East End Hospital and Shona has been recruited by the Special Operations Executive ( SOE ). As many identical twins have done, they like to perform ‘ the trick’, fooling people into thinking one sister is the other but on one occasion this swap has far reaching consequences which affect the lives of both sisters and other people close to them.
Told in two timelines, 1944 and 1989, Freya has been diagnosed with a brain tumour which has rendered her unable to speak or write and is cared for by her daughter Kirsty. Kirsty and her mum have always had a strained relationship and Freya has always refused to speak about her past or discuss Kirsty’s aunt Shona. One evening as Kirsty is settling her mum for the evening, Kirsty opens the door to a stranger, a Polish man named Tomasz, who clutches an old photograph of two women. He explains that one woman is his mother and he says the other is Kirsty’s aunt Shona. The photograph was taken in 1944 and Tomasz is hoping to gain any information about those days from Freya, in order to locate or find out about his father.
This visit from Tomasz is the catalyst which lays open the untold secrets of the past and changes the relationship between Freya and her daughter as unexplained circumstances are at last understood.
Having previously read V.B. Grey’s Tell Me How It Ends, I knew I was in for a good read and was not disappointed. This is a beautifully written story.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be honest with you, I loved this book; it’s a love story, it’s a mystery, and had all the ingredients to keep me reading till the last page and adore every word.
It’s not easy to come up with a fresh new idea nowadays, everything seems created and repeated a thousand times; but sometimes it’s not the story that’s important in the book but the characters that are telling it. Because, a woman doctor that tries to save someone is not really special, but if you say that it was in the middle of the war and to save the love of her sister everything will change…
This is the story of two identical twin sisters, Freya and Shona, they choose different paths in life but they always have a special connection. So, when Shona asks for the impossible, Freya can’t say no; changing their life forever.
The story is told between two time lines; London 1989 and 1944, and between two different characters, Freya and her daughter Kirsty. How Kirsty starts discovering the secrets her distant mother has been keeping from her all of her life.
I’ll have to say that I felt connected with Kirsty, my mum was a fighter and I know she kept some secrets from me that were never revealed, and now it’s too late… But Kirsty is ready to discover all these family secrets before it’s too late and believe me, she will!
This is a bittersweet read, beautifully written and emotive; it will make you think about all the lives that war changed and the pain that it caused.
A fantastic book that will never leave me, “The Sisterhood” will be in my top ten this year. Are you ready for it?

[Linda Amos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freya is a retired doctor and has a brain tumour. Her identical twin, Shona, drowned but the circumstances are vague. The Berlin Wall has been demolished and Eastern Europe is now free. Tomasz comes to visit Freya and her daughter, Kirsty, with a photo of his mother and another woman who looks like Shona. What he asks sets Kirsty on a path of investigation going back to the Warsaw Uprising just before the Soviets conquered Poland in 1944. Kirsty never knew Shona but doubt is suddenly cast on everything she has unearthed about her. Could it really be Freya and why has she never said anything? Kirsty’s husband suddenly shares that a job offer has been made, but this would mean the family living in Australia. Can she and her sons face this, especially in view of Freya’s condition?
In researching family history there are always surprises in store. When it comes to immediate family still living it can be a shock. How could they keep secrets from us, especially when they are part of the world stage? This book is written beautifully. It’s about the relationships between siblings and parents/daughters; how the secrets we keep now can come back later in life to challenge us and those we love best but also how history can become muddled and confused over time.
Thank you to the publisher for a free book in exchange for a review.

[Alison Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another psychological drama from V. B Grey was too good an opportunity to pass up and Sisterhood is another great read. Identical twin sisters Shona and Freya chose very different paths in adulthood which coincides with World War II. Shona finds herself working for SOE (Special Operations) while her sister qualifies as one of the first female doctors. A parallel narrative involving Freya’s daughter Kirsty is set in 1989/90 and the story alternates between these timeframes. The author is adept at strong characterisation and exploring family dynamics as a devastating secret reverberates through the intervening decades. The historical context is used to great effect including the discovery of penicillin and the Warsaw Uprising alongside the stigma of a nervous breakdown. It’s a satisfying jigsaw of a book and an absorbing, authentic and emotional read. Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for the ARC.

[Thekirkiepirate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was certainly one of my stand-out books in my 2022 reading.

The author skilfully combines a narrative covering WW2, family relationships and mental illness. The plot alternates between WW2 and 1989, making a compelling connection between the plight of Poland during the latter years of the war and the period when the Berlin Wall came down and new democracies were established. However, it is interesting to reflect on the positive way in which Gorbachev is dealt with in the text and his actions shortly thereafter in Azerbaijan. It also provoves thought on what has happened in the former Soviet Union since 1989 and the present time - particularly in Russia.

The book does a great service in relating some of the extraordinarily brave actions carried out during the war by very ordinary people, who ostensibly returned to very routine lives thereafter.

[Karen Keane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really lovely story about twin sisters, Freya and Shona. Freya worked as a doctor and Shona was in the SOE during WW2. Years later, Kirsty, Freya’s daughter sets out to discover her mother’s past and find out what happened to her aunt. What she finds changed her opinion of her mother completely. A story of war, desperation, danger but also a story of sisterly love and the bond between mother and daughter.

[Danielle Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Told by a mother and daughter POV set in different timelines.
Freya POV set in WW2 and Kirstys POV set in 1989.
I loved how the telling of the story showed how secrets of the past can affect the relationships and lives of those in our present.
I loved learning more about the Polish resistance and the introduction of penicillin during WW2.

[Madeleine D'Este · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received a review copy from NetGalley.
Loved it! Full review to follow on my Dark Mysteries radio show on www.artdistrict-radio.com in September.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without doubt, Ms. Grey is an accomplished storyteller and this book very much showcases that talent. Interestingly, her own family history was the springboard for this novel although it is an entirely fictionalised account of the lives of her mother and her non-identical twin during World War II.

For my full review please visit my blog at:https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...

[Tim Garner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story spanning 1944 and 1989. Beautifully written and plotted.

[Siobhan Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

aha such a good story!

[Helen Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful book. I must admit that I much preferred Freya's perspective to Kirsty's but the overall story was brilliant, full of mystery and unexpected twists.