Stevie‘s review of The Good Sister by Gillian McAllister
Women’s Psychological Fiction published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons 11 Jun 19
I’m always intrigued by stories that set family members at odds with one another, particularly when a legal element is involved. This novel particularly caught my attention, because there’s also a mystery to be investigated, with a tragic death at its heart. Told from the point of view of both sides: the accused and the mother of the victim – now a witness for the prosecution – this novel also shows how difficult it is for families to stay together when two family members are equally in need of support, but when helping one may imply a rejection of the other.
Becky and Martha are sisters, whose lives have followed very different paths. Older sister Martha’s life has followed a very conventional path: university, job, husband and then a new baby, whereas Becky had an unplanned pregnancy that led to her dropping out of university and taking on a series of jobs she doesn’t enjoy, although she stayed with her son’s father until they became estranged around the time of Martha’s pregnancy. When Martha makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to set up a charity for migrant children on Kos, she fully expects to be able to juggle new motherhood with making management decisions. Baby Layla, however, is a far less contented-seeming baby than anyone remembers Becky’s son being, and soon Martha is forced to turn to her sister for help.
While Martha and her husband are away on separate business trips, Becky becomes exasperated at Layla’s persistent crying, and the next morning Layla is found dead in her cot. Nine and a half months later, Becky is on trial for Layla’s murder, and we watch the story unfold through a series of witness statements and flashbacks while Martha tries to make sense of what she’s hearing and puzzles over who out of the people who claim to have been there are telling the truth and who might be covering up for the real killer.
When the truth finally comes out, it sends shock waves through the whole extended family, and no one will ever be quite the same again.
I loved the way this book constantly made its readers question what they knew and how to interpret the evidence. Every so often I thought I knew what had really happened, but then the next chapter would tell a part of a story in ways that contradicted what we’d already been shown in a different recounting of the evidence. I worked out some of the minor plot threads before they became clear to the characters, but that didn’t affect my opinions of them, or my enjoyment of the novel as a whole. At some point I need to go back and reread this one carefully to see whether I can pick up on the pivotal piece of evidence a little earlier than I did on my first reading. An author I definitely want to see more of.
Grade: A
Summary:
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 readers to question everything they know about motherhood, family, and the price of forgiveness.
Read an excerpt.
