My Bookshelf: Sister Dear by Laura McNeill

All Allie Marshall wants is a fresh start. But when dark secrets refuse to stay buried, will her chance at a new life be shattered forever?

        Convicted of a crime she didn’t commit, Allie watched a decade of her life vanish—time that can never be recovered. Now, out on parole, Allie is determined to clear her name, rebuild her life, and reconnect with the daughter she barely knows.

        But Allie’s return home shatters the quaint, coastal community of Brunswick, Georgia. Even her own daughter Caroline, now a teenager, bristles at Allie’s claims of innocence. Refusing defeat, a stronger, smarter Allie launches a battle for the truth, digging deeply into the past even if it threatens her parole statues, personal safety, and the already-fragile bond with family.

        As her commitment to finding the truth intensifies, what Allie ultimately uncovers is far worse than she imagined. Her own sister has been hiding a dark secret—one that holds the key to Allie’s freedom.

        Sister Dear is the first book I have ever read by Laura McNeill, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect going in. What I do know is that this book captivated me from almost the very beginning. I wanted to know the truth behind what happened that night Allie was accused, and I loved how Laura kept the truth hidden, even if I started to figure out who was involved, until almost the very end. I didn’t like it at the time because I was desperate to know everything, but I appreciate it now as it added so much suspense and mystery to the story.

        Allie Marshall is one determined woman. She has faced so much in her life, and all she wants to do is reconnect with her daughter Caroline, and clear her name. She has no idea what really happened the night she was arrested, except that she definitely isn’t to blame. The closer she gets to finding out the truth, the more determined she becomes, but the more danger she places herself in. Will she get to the bottom of things or, with danger following her at every turn, will it be too late?

        One thing I have to say about this book, and I’m going to say it in a way so that it doesn’t spoil anything: one of the characters in this book is a psychopath! Now, I’m not trying to be rude, but oh my word that character’s brain is messed up! Clearly, that is probably also the character who is behind everything, but I make no promises. And there’s more than one character who is a little off their rocker, this one is just a bit insane. It definitely made for some interesting reading, that’s for sure!

        All in all, I definitely enjoyed this story, as it definitely had me interested and dying to get to the resolution of the tangled mess Allie’s story had become. I can happily give this novel all five bookshelves, as it captivated me, and I would definitely recommend it to others. There were so many elements tied into this story—some I never even saw coming—and that made it interesting all the way to the end when I finally found out the truth of it all. I would definitely read this book again, and I’m glad I read it the first time!

        Happy reading!

I received a copy of this book through the Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for only my honest review.

To see where I’m linking up, check out my Where I Party page.

Photo credits go to my talented sister, whose blog you can visit here.

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Laura McNeill and Thomas Nelson Publishing.