A Best Book of the Year: Washington Post, Sun SentinelFrom 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 … … 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.
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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.
A well-written, engrossing, complex family drama with a murdered husband, a courtroom drama and an intriguing who-dunnit at its heart. The ending was pure brilliance and I loved the characters. I highly recommend!
Burke is a master of pacing and suspense. This one is so clever, glitzy, and current — and, oh, what an ending!
Well done suspense thriller. This one had me hooked from the beginning. Two estranged sisters, a son/nephew-stepson,and a dead husband. Who killed him? A wrong place, wrong time type of murder? Not to the police who arrest the son. Now the sisters, after fifteen years, have to come together to stand behind him. Olivia Randall, a top-notch defense attorney from another of Alafair’s books, is hired to defend Ethan. Very timely and brilliantly written with lots of plot twists to keep you reading. And what an ending that I didn’t see coming. Definitely love to read Alafair Burkes’ books. Fantastic read! I’d recommend this book 100%.
Alafair Burke caught my attention with the book blurb….Two sisters married to the same man. This book grabbed and held my attention through the whole book! I really enjoyed this one!
“The Better Sister” by Alafair Burke is the account, as one would expect, of two sisters. As sisters, they share parents and childhood experiences, however, this is an Alafair Burke novel, so these two sisters share other things as well; they share one husband, one child, and a lot of drama. Everyone involved has secrets, mysterious and dangerous secrets. Their lives are complicated, and readers wonder just who is the better sister.
Much of the novel is told as a first person narrative by Chloe Anna Taylor, the younger sister. She is the successful editor-in-chief at “Eve” one of the last remaining successful feminist-oriented magazines in the country. In a revelation from fourteen years previous, she confesses to readers. “I betrayed my sister while standing on the main stairs of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a beaded Versace gown (borrowed) and five-inch stiletto heels (never worn again).” Another startling disclosure sets the stage for the rest of the saga when she acknowledges “ten years after that, I’d be the one to find his dead body.”
Taylor talks to herself, and she talks to readers, going back and forth in time to fill in details from the past; “That was the first time, but it wouldn’t be the last.” She shares her plans; “I now had a role to play.” She confessions lies in the past, “When push came to shove, I was still a liar,” But is she truthful now? “At least, that’s what I told the police, but I could tell they didn’t believe me.”
Taylor’s first person narrative dominates the book, combined with online posts, comments from other people, and the police perspective of the pursuit, accusations, and investigation as the case unfolds. The police are incredulous; “I’m sorry, but that’s fucking weird.” They are suspicious from the start. “Admit it…You don’t like her or what she stands for, so you want her to be guilty.” They plan their investigation; “She might have something to tell us about that perfect family.”
The plot is rich in complexity and moral challenges. The death was revealed in the prologue, but subsequent events unfold in an unanticipated manner. The deaths, the accusations, the arrest, the trial, all are traumatizing, startling, and dramatic. Actions from the past continue to influence conditions in the present. Sometimes the results are good, and sometimes not so good. Questions are asked; lies are told; truths are revealed, and appearances are shattered. Life becomes more and more complicated and readers see that turmoil from all points of view.
“The Better Sister” keeps readers guessing from the start as minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, life becomes more and more complicated. The ending is surprising, and yet satisfying. I was given a review copy of “The better Sister” by Alafair Burke, Harper, and Edelweiss. The plot is full of dramatic turns and startling revelations. I was glued to the pages.
Alafair Burke’s twisty new novel, The Better Sister, is hard to put down. Burke delivers a suspenseful mystery that delves into family relationships and the uneasy alliance two sisters must forge to save “their” son. Fans of Olivia Randall will enjoy seeing this character return to the courtroom. An exciting read with a satisfying conclusion.
The premise of The Better Sister—estranged family members drawn together by murder to dig up dark family secrets—is a familiar trope in the thriller genre. Yet, when done well, it is an effective way of spinning up a compelling, complex, and richly satisfying novel. Alafair Burke certainly does so here, displaying a mastery of her craft as she delves deep into the minds and emotions of her characters., After I thought I had things figured out, the author surprised me with a final clever twist toward the end. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Burke delivers psychological suspense–reeling in the reader with her relatable characters until they are fully invested, and then she flips everything on its end. Full of surprises, her books deliver everything a reader’s looking for while treating us with humor, too.
When the book opens, you like all the characters. The husband is killed in the first chapter and the police zero on on the wife and the son. Then the revelations come one after the other like lightning, and everything you thought you knew changes. A gripping read.
Amazing 2 sister grew up in an abusive environment. Older sister is crazy and wild younger sister is responsible and level headed. Wow what an amazing book.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Definitely a page Turner as I couldn’t bring myself to stop reading when it was time for bed.
This is the most forgettable book I’ve ever read. I couldn’t remember what it was about so I read the synopsis several times. Still can’t recall the first thing about it
Alafair Burke’s twisty new novel, The Better Sister, is hard to put down. Burke delivers a suspenseful mystery that delves into family relationships and the uneasy alliance two sisters must forge to save “their” son. Fans of Olivia Randall will enjoy seeing this character return to the courtroom. An exciting read with a satisfying conclusion.
Hard work and determination have shaped Chloe’s life for as long as she can remember. With her site set on big dreams, Chloe strived to make the most of her studies and opportunities. With the help of a scholarship, Chloe attended an Ivy league school and moved to NYC. Once there, Chloe landed her dream job of working with a publishing house. Life was shining on Chloe and her success.
As Chloe settled into her dream life, she found herself falling in love. The man she was attracted to had a son, and they made the perfect family. What most people didn’t realize is that Adam, Chloe’s husband, wasn’t a stranger. In fact – Chloe knew Adam very well. Adam use to be married to Chloe’s sister Nicky. Life has a way of bringing folks together when time are tough, but it also tears them apart when tragedy comes crashing into the light.
Fifteen years have managed to pass in the blink of an eye, and Chloe is reeling from the fact that her husband has been murdered. When Ethan is accused of murdering his father, Chloe turns to her sister for help. Will letting Nicky back into the picture be a mistake? Chloe knows that she must prove Ethan’s innocence at all costs, but what will unfold as the case goes to trial? Nothing in this perfect life is as it seems, and Chloe is about to learn that facts in the most shocking ways.
The Better Sister is another twisted tale by author Alafair Burke that will certainly leave you thinking. Can you imagine marrying your sister’s husband? How about the tragedy of having your nephew/step-son tried for that murder? There are so many twists to this novel you will find yourself sucked into the vortex that Burke has created with this novel. Once you start reading, you won’t be able to stop. I definitely figured this story plot out early, but would second guess myself with the turns the story took. Another great read from an author that has quickly become a ‘go to’ for my reading list.
You can read and decide who was “better.” I liked the interplay and felt the two figures moved from obvious caricatures to more dynamic as their circumstances unraveled during the course of the novel. I felt rewarded for the time spent.
Great writing and interesting family dynamics come together in a riveting story of an attorney who is discovered murdered. What fascinated me were the two sisters, who were both married to the attorney at different times. I thought the title was appropriate. But since I still haven’t decided which was the better sister, the title would have been perfect if it had been followed with a ?. I also couldn’t decide how the outcome of the attorney’s son was going to play out. Great pace, good twists, and excellent at keeping my interest.
What a fantastic page turner!! Another hit by Ms. Burke!!
Read my review on the New York Journal of Books: https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/better-sister-novel
An entertaining story about sisters and the many faces that women wear.