Dark, tense, and completely absorbing ... While full of hand-clenching suspense, the novel’s real strength comes from its study of relationships ... Gripping to the last page, it’s the desperation in the connections among these characters that will stay with readers.
Collins packs plenty of twists into this briskly paced mystery, as Sylvie doggedly investigates the unsolved crime. Though some revelations are predictable (and verging on pulpy), the portrait of a family wracked by grief and consumed by secrets elevates the story above a by-the-numbers thriller. Vivid language packs an emotional punch ... Fans of Gillian Flynn or Kate Hamer will appreciate The Winter Sister and its exploration of the aftershocks of violence, and the intimate yet often thorny connections between sisters, mothers and daughters.
With its focus on the grim-dark aspects of the female experience, The Winter Sister calls to mind works like Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects or the film The Tale. This twisty-turny story reminds the reader of the fickle nature of the truth, and that impossible things happen more often than you think.
