The Good Sister

By: Gillian McAllister

Narrated by: full cast

An electrifying novel about the unyielding bond between two sisters, which is severely tested when one of them is accused of the worst imaginable crime.

Martha and Becky Blackwater are more than sisters - they're each other's lifelines. When Martha finds herself struggling to balance early motherhood and her growing business, Becky steps in to babysit her niece, Layla, without a second thought, bringing the two women closer than ever. But then the unthinkable happens, and Becky is charged with murder.

Nine months later, Becky is on trial and maintains her innocence - and so does Martha. Unable to shake the feeling that her sister couldn't possibly be guilty, Martha sets out to uncover exactly what happened that night and how things could have gone so wrong. As the trial progresses, fault lines between the sisters begin to show - revealing cracks deep in their relationship and threatening the family each has worked so hard to build.

With incredible empathy and resounding emotional heft, The Good Sister is a powerhouse of a novel that will lead listeners to question everything they know about motherhood, family, and the price of forgiveness.

Read by Imogen Church, Charlie Sanderson, Andy Cresswell, Jan Cramer, Penny Andrews, Cassie Layton, Rachael Beresford, and Malk Williams.

©2019 Gillian McAllister (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"With The Good Sister, Gillian McAllister explores the exclusionary power of intimacy. She captures that feeling of being in the circle of trust, outside of it. You come away with whiplash from empathizing with each character, even the judge. This is a deeply gratifying, taut courtroom drama and so much more. I don't know how Gillian did it, but I'm so happy she did." (Caroline Kepnes, author of You and Providence)

"[A] riveting psychological thriller.... Authentic courtroom scenes, intricate family dynamics, the conflicts of motherhood, and a shocking ending all add up to a winner.” (Publishers Weekly)

“With fast-paced prose and several unexpected twists, [Gillian McAllister] skillfully weaves a web in which any of the characters might be the guilty party.... A suspenseful courtroom drama full of poignant flashbacks and unique insights.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Meh

Not what I was expecting from this author. Very slow and dull. It seemed to just drone on.

A domestic whodunit

The Good Sister is a courtroom drama that pits sister against sister after a tragic event. The expert witnesses’ facts show what really happened so this is a cut and dry case. Or is it?

Gillian McAllister’s story is told from the perspectives of sisters Martha and Becky, other family members and assorted witnesses over the course of the trial. I had this case solved – a few times. I was so sure and then I wasn’t.

I was drawn into the novel because I could sympathize with both sisters in how they dealt with caring for a baby who cried almost constantly. Their guilty feelings over that and other individual issues added emotional layers to the story. Despite that, I didn’t quite connect to the characters. They seemed a bit flat. I don’t read many courtroom dramas so I don’t know how this fits in the realm for readers who do but I can say The Good Sister was a fast read that kept me invested to the very end when all was revealed.

I enjoyed listening to a cast of narrators. Since there were so many characters it helped to hear them voiced.

Not this authors best work

I have to say the narrator really wrecked this audio book. The actor for Martha was terrible. Instead of sounding like a grieving mother, she came off as stilted and bored. When her character was reading I had to bump up the speed to 1.3 she takes too long to get her lines out! Where was the editor? None of the characters were likable and I finally skipped to the last 4 chapters to see what happens and be done I’m with it. I don’t recommend this book but the author’s other two books were fantastic (they will make the replay list for sure) but not this one unfortunately (I will also be avoiding all the narrators as well. Sorry Audible.

Riveting plot. Great voices in the narration.

Very engaging characters. Author tells story from multiple points of view, which added to the interest. I figured out the outcome about halfway through but that fix not detract from the experience.

Gripping story...listened out in my garden for hours!

A gripping story, well told and well narrated. Heartbreaking too... I figured it out 2/3 of the way through...but this didn't keep me from enjoying the way things unfolded.

yawn

I skipped to the end and didn't feel like I missed anything. The narrator who reads Martha's character is sometimes so quiet you can barely hear her. predictable and frankly quite boring.

Excellent story!

Have tissues at the ready. This was wonderfully written and beautifully read. I definitely recommend to anyone that enjoys Suspense and crime novels.

Boring

This was a bit too boring for me! A very long time to say nothing at all… very disappointed!!

Good Story

Well written story, but not as good as her “Wrong Place, Wrong Time”, which was exceptional. However I am glad I gave this one a chance, as I think it was worth the time.

Good Story, Incredible Writing

As the mother of a 2 year old and 7 month old, I have never felt more understood. Gillian McAllister eloquently describes the feelings that I assume almost every mother has experienced. While the story might not be as intriguing as Wrong Place Wrong Time, it’s worthy of listening to just to experience her incredible writing. I enjoyed it, as it closely follows the lives of two mothers.