“Why would you pretend your life is a dream when you’re living a nightmare?”
Her Sister’s Secret by SE Lynes follows Scottish-born sisters, Annie and Isla. Isla thought that her sister was happy, that Annie led a perfect life with her husband, Dom, in a lovely cottage in a quiet village by the sea. But Isla didn’t see the nights when Annie would sit waiting for Dom to come home. She didn’t see Annie smiling through her tears. She didn’t know what the perfect couple were hiding. So when sirens break the silence of the night and flames rise against the dark sky, and Isla gets the call she never expected, she’s left with a simple burning question: who was to blame?
Rating: 
Today is my stop on the #booksontour for this book. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
SE Lynes’ The Housewarming was one of my favourite reads of last year, so I couldn’t wait to read her latest.
What I love most about Lynes’ books is that she instantly gets you to connect to her characters. The Housewarming really grabs you emotionally so I prepared myself not to expect that same level of engagement with this one, but I felt just as strongly about these two sisters this time around.
Lynes always manages to set the mood early with her books which is what helps you to engage on more of a personal level. Her Sister’s Secret explores the emotions and connections in a relationship from both sides, looking at themes of rejection, manipulation and gaslighting but also of sisterly bonds and unconditional love. But while Lynes tackles some hard-hitting subjects, she does so in such a sensitive way that you’re also left feeling full of warmth and support.
The tension builds gradually with this one, as everything leads up to Callum’s trial to find out the truth of that eventful night. I didn’t feel like I was gripped at first, but as soon as I put this book down, I realised how desperate I was to find out the truth and had to keep picking it back up again.
There are some great twists and turns along the way, but there’s also still so much more to come when you think that everything has been laid bare. As the layers slowly peel away, you become more and more intrigued as you grow wary that something else must be going on here. Is there? Well, let’s just say that you won’t be disappointed in how this one plays out.
I always find it so easy to become engrossed by Lynes’ writing and Her Sister’s Secret is another highly suspenseful read. She’s an author who I now look out for and I definitely recommend that you pick up one of her books if you haven’t already. This is most definitely a great place to start!
Details:
Her Sister’s Secret by SE Lynes
Release Date: 13th July 2021
Print Length: 299 pages
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Publisher: Bookouture
Synopsis:
Why would you pretend your life is a dream when you’re living a nightmare?
Annie and Dom lead perfect lives in a lovely cottage in a quiet village by the sea, with flowers at the front gate and an apple tree in the garden. Everyone knows them: generous, loving Dom, creative, joyful Annie.
But their neighbours don’t see Annie as she sits waiting for Dom well into the night. They don’t see her smiling through her tears. They don’t know what the perfect couple are hiding.
They just hear the sirens that break the silence of the night and see the flames that rise against the dark sky.
And the morning after, what everyone wants to know is – which one was to blame?
A brilliantly twisty tale of family secrets and the darkness that can lie behind closed doors, The One to Blame will keep you turning the pages till the final devastating revelation. Fans of Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and Louise Candlish will love it.
About The Author:
Former BBC Producer, S.E. Lynes is the Amazon #1 best selling author of ‘intelligent and haunting’, ‘beautifully written’ psychological thrillers, VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT, THE PROPOSAL, THE WOMEN, THE LIES WE HIDE, CAN YOU SEE HER? and THE HOUSEWARMING. Her latest novel, THE ONE TO BLAME is available for pre-order NOW.
After completing her MA, Lynes taught creative writing at Richmond Adult Community College for over ten years. She now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing.
She has also published three children’s books in Italy: IL LEOPARDO LAMPO, LA COCCODRILLA INGAMBA, and the bilingual LA SCIMMIA SPIRITOSA/THE FUNNY MONKEY, all available at Amazon.it
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