The Winter Sister by Megan Collins Book Review

The Winter Sister by Megan Collins Book Review

The lowdown from Goodreads

Publication Date February 5th, 2019

Sixteen years ago, Sylvie’s sister Persephone never came home. Out too late with the boyfriend she was forbidden to see, Persephone was missing for three days before her body was found—and years later, her murder remains unsolved.

In the present day, Sylvie returns home to care for her estranged mother, Annie, as she undergoes treatment for cancer. Prone to unexplained “Dark Days” even before Persephone’s death, Annie’s once-close bond with Sylvie dissolved in the weeks after their loss, making for an uncomfortable reunion all these years later. Worse, Persephone’s former boyfriend, Ben, is now a nurse at the cancer center where Annie is being treated. Sylvie’s always believed Ben was responsible for the murder—but she carries her own guilt about that night, guilt that traps her in the past while the world goes on around her.

As she navigates the complicated relationship with her mother, Sylvie begins to uncover the secrets that fill their house—and what really happened the night Persephone died. As it turns out, the truth really will set you free, once you can bear to look at it.

The Winter Sister is a mesmerizing portrayal of the complex bond between sisters, between mothers and daughters alike, and forces us to ask ourselves—how well do we really know the people we love most?

The Winter Sister by Megan Collins Book Review

Estranged family members, a cold case murder & a main character racked with guilt make up this domestic thriller from Megan Collins.

Returning Home With Plenty of Baggage

The set-up of this story is fantastic. Immediately Megan Collins throws readers headfirst into a tumultuous home environment. Sylvie’s older sister, Persephone, is not making the best choices. She’s sneaking out, lying to her family & covering up secrets. The truth is, Persephone has no choice. Their mom, Annie, is a total mess. Annie is passive aggressive, overbearing & an alcoholic. After Persephone is found dead, Annie spins out of control & their family is torn apart.

Years later, Sylvie is pulled back into her mother’s web. Consumed with guilt, she’s back home to take care of her ill mother. Megan does a great job here balancing the strained mother-daughter relationship with the added caregiver role played by Sylvie. Both women have secrets, anger & resentment but yet, here they are muddling through the mess together.

Debut Dramatic Suspense

This is not a twisty type of thriller, but rather procedural in nature. Readers come along as Sylvie digs up clues from the past. She is determined to find out exactly what happened that night. As she becomes close to the truth, the story builds nicely. This is where Megan Collins really shines.

THE VERDICT

I am Into This book. At the heart of the story for me is love, healing & forgiveness. While The Winter Sister deals with some heavy subject matter, Megan’s writing style carries the narrative well. Read this if you’re in the mood for a lighter psychological thriller that wraps up nicely at the end.

There is one huge part of this book that reminds me of The Winters by Lisa Gabriele. Have you read it?

Special thanks to Megan Collins, Touchstone & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

Let’s connect with books!  We have all of our reviews on Goodreads!

Really Into This a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MEGAN COLLINS

Megan Collins holds an MFA in creative writing from Boston University. She has taught creative writing at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts and Central Connecticut State University, and she is the managing editor of 3Elements Literary Review. A Pushcart Prize and two-time Best of the Net nominee, her work has appeared in many print and online journals, including Off the Coast, Spillway, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, and Rattle. She lives in Connecticut.