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    The Winter Sister
    The Winter Sister
    The Winter Sister
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Winter Sister

    Written by Megan Collins

    Narrated by Rebekkah Ross

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Book of the Month Club Selection

    “A haunting debut: suspenseful, atmospheric, and completely riveting.” —Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls

    “I love a good family-driven suspense novel, and this one doesn't disappoint.” —Marie Claire

    In this spellbinding and suspenseful debut, a young woman haunted by the past returns home to care for her ailing mother and begins to dig deeper into her sister’s unsolved murder.

    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 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 know the people we love most?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateFeb 5, 2019
    ISBN9781508277545
    Author

    Megan Collins

    Megan Collins is the author of Thicker Than Water, The Family Plot, Behind the Red Door, and The Winter Sister. She taught creative writing for many years at both the high school and college level and is the managing editor of 3Elements Literary Review. She lives in Connecticut, where she obsesses over dogs, miniatures, and cake.

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    Reviews for The Winter Sister

    4/5

    383 ratings35 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 1/5
      Sorry to say the narrator sounded superficial and bland when reading as main character. Other characters read with emotion. Story good but difficult to get past the disappointing narrator.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I shocked with who the killer was ! But what I did not like was the way the story dragged. Get to the point !

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Story predictable. I didn't like the Narrator her tone to me was slow and monotone.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Compelling, Complex neritive of a dysfunctional family with secrets to hide. The story is told though a past and present that blend together seamlessly though the narration of a sister trying to peice together her sisters death and her place in it.
    • 5/5
      Great book kept me wondering until the end, would recommend
    • 2/5
      When starting a book I was attracted by interestingly messed up life of Silvie. Getting further some plot twists became so unrealistic that I did not manage even finishng the book.
    • 5/5
      Completely worth every second! the way the author wrote. Perfect.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed the story. Some parts were a bit predictable, but still an entertaining read. I would definitely read more from this author.
    • 5/5
      What a great story. A little sad but great plot twist
    • 4/5
      This was pretty good. Her mom was a bit of a witch and I would not have the patience to deal with her. But the story was not an easy one.. I never figured it out. I like that .
    • 5/5
      Great story Great twist! Narration was perfect as well!! Highly recommend.
    • 4/5
      Decent story but a bit predictable especially if you are an avid mystery reader.
    • 4/5
      Definitely worth a read. Slightly predictable but I really enjoyed it.
    • 5/5
      So so good!!! The main character did come off as very dramatic at times. However, I loved it!!!
    • 2/5
      The more I read the less I liked it. The main character is totally unlikeable as are all of the characters. Skip this one
    • 2/5
      Horrible narration! I got through it but barely. The voice is horrible.
    • 1/5
      Painful. I could not like any of the characters who justified their creepy behaviours.
    • 4/5
      The narration was ok but I felt like I was being read to, yes I know that's the purpose of an audiobook but the narration wasn't immersive and didn't change between characters. I thought this was a pretty solid read. It wasn't a fast paced page turner. The story was well developed and rich, elements of mystery inmeshed with a complicated mother/daughter dynamic. A solid though unsettling twist that was well executed.
    • 3/5
      A bit predictable, but still good. It kind of just dropped off at the end... I wanted more out of the ending.
    • 3/5
      Disclaimer: I use the Goodreads rating system, where 3 stars means “I liked it.”

      While the story was very fast paced and extremely addicting, I wasn’t awed by it or floored by the plot twists or big reveals. I listened to this on audio and I have to say I was really invested in the story. I just didn’t like a couple of the reveals. I felt like they were thrown in there for extra drama or were unnecessary to the plot line. I also wanted to just slap these characters into talking to one another, but I guess that is one of the points of the novel. It’s interesting to see human relationships and family dynamics being fleshed out in the way this author did. Every character was extremely flawed, and I love flawed characters... just don’t know if all their decisions made sense with their personalities or flaws.

      I enjoyed this! I would recommend if you are looking for a quick and easy to read (or listen to in my case) thriller with a who-dun-it murder. Loved the narrator!
    • 5/5
      Omg soooooo good. By far my Favorite Megan Collins book Yet. She knocked this out of the damn Park!
    • 3/5
      The character building and the story was good enough. However there wasn’t great work done on relationships between these characters. Everything was scene after scene thrown into the mix. It wasn’t off putting but just a small criticism of the novel. The symbolism in this novel was fairly good, and I would definitely pick up other work of this author.
      Recommended!
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed the story. People get so stuck! Happy there is sometimes a way through.
    • 4/5
      A little slow in parts but good story line.
    • 4/5
      A pretty good thriller - not very deep so an easy travel read. This would have been better with a little more character development - there was a lot there, but it wasn't fully vetted out.
    • 4/5
      Persephone dies. Her mother sinks into despair and forgets that she has another daughter. The surviving daughter, Sylvie, returns home years later to take care of her dying mother. Her sister's murder has never been solved, and Sylvie is determined to bring her killer to justice. I was annoyed by Sylvie a few times because she kept changing her mind on her she was so sure was her sister's killer. But the ending twisted so much that I was truly surprised.
    • 3/5
      I received an ARC of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.Sylvie's sister was murdered sixteen years ago, and the murderer has never been brought to justice. Forced to return to her hometown by her estranged mother's cancer diagnosis, Sylvie finds herself brought back into contact with her sister's ex-boyfriend, who she always believed guilty of the crime. But Sylvie is dealing with guilt of her own, and her presence begins to bring out dangerous secrets from the past.Sylvie is a very compelling character you can't help but feel for, and Collins explores her family dynamics and drama in a very realistic and sometimes heartbreaking way. This book feels real, like it could be a real case I was reading articles about.The mystery is very suspenseful, and I did not guess who the murderer was at all. I love when a book can surprise me like that.I did call one of the major twists about halfway through, which did lessen the surprise and suspense somewhat, though it did not lessen my enjoyment of the book.I would recommend this book. It's compelling, well-written, and the mystery is mixed really well with an exploration of the dynamics of troubled and broken families.
    • 3/5
      Obsessive love and major dysfunction. Sylvie returns home after an absence of sixteen tears to take care of her mother who has cancer. When she was a pre teen her older sister disappeared and was found murdered. Sylvie has always believed the boyfriend Persophone snuck out to meet was her murderer. The case never solved, Sylvie finds herself once again on the trail of a killer.Family secrets abound here, and the pace and constant revelations keep the pages turning. A good story about the repercussions of an obsessive love, and the grief that swallows when a child is gone. The ending however, I found both rushed and implausible.ARC from Netgalley.
    • 4/5
      The Winter SisterByMegan CollinsWhat it's all about...Sylvie and her sister Persephone have secrets...secrets that they keep from their dark and often depressed mother. The secrets involve a boy that Annie...the mom...doesn’t want Persephone to see but that Persephone cannot stay away from. When Persephone is found murdered...Sylvie’s life is forever changed. My thoughts after reading this book...This book was a tad questionable for me from the beginning. I didn’t like Annie. Sylvie was a mess and only Annie’s sister Jill kept this family together. Jill even stepped in as Jill’s guardian and helped her get through high school and college. But as I read deeper and deeper into this book...I understood the characters much more. I still didn’t like them but I at least understood them. What I loved best...Sylvie stays away from her mom for years but has to come home when her mom has cancer. Annie remains gruff and mean and there are far too many secrets about Persephone and about Annie, too. Sylvie always believed that Ben...her sister’s boyfriend...was responsible for her sister’s murder...so running into him was not anything she planned. In fact running into him was her unraveling...until the real truth was revealed. What potential readers might want to know...This book is about secrets that have been kept for far too long. It wasn’t a happy joyful book but rather an exploration of how some people deal with relationships and deep debilitating pain . Readers who appreciate this kind of book should enjoy this one. I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley and Edelweiss. It was my choice to read and review it.
    • 3/5
      16 years ago, Sylvie's sister was found strangled and has been haunted by her death since. With her mother diagnosed with cancer she has to go back home to take care of her. Being home only reminds her of Persephone's unsolved murder. Who killed her? It had to be the last person who saw here alive, her boyfriend, Ben. How could they just let him get away with it?This book kept my attention, but geez was Sylvie annoying. Can't we get a Mystery/Thriller with a reliable and very capable and confident narrator? I thought things were over explained and this book was longer than it needed to be. It didn't blow my socks off but if you're looking for a quick read then I'd say give it a shot.