Sister Dear

Written by Laura McNeill

Narrated by Clifton Harris

In this domestic, psychological thriller perfect for fans of The Silent Patient and The Woman in the Window, one woman wants nothing more than to prove her innocence. But those closest to her will do anything to keep the truth from surfacing.

Convicted of a crime she didn’t commit, Allie watched a decade of her life vanish—time that can never be recovered. Now, out on parole, Allie is determined to clear her name, rebuild her life, and reconnect with the daughter she barely knows.

But Allie’s return home shatters the quaint, coastal community of Brunswick, Georgia. Even her own daughter Caroline, now a teenager, bristles at Allie’s claims of innocence. Refusing defeat, a stronger, smarter Allie launches a battle for the truth, digging deeply into the past even if it threatens her parole status, personal safety, and the already fragile bond with family.

As her commitment to finding the truth intensifies, what Allie ultimately uncovers is far worse than she imagined. Her own sister has been hiding a dark secret—one that holds the key to Allie’s freedom.

“Will have you flipping pages late into the night”—Deep South Magazine

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Apr 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9780718083687

Laura McNeill

Laura McNeil is a writer, web geek, travel enthusiast, and coffee drinker. In her former life, she was a television news anchor for CBS News affiliates in New York and Alabama. Laura holds a master’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and is completing a graduate program in interactive technology at the University of Alabama. When she’s not writing and doing homework, she enjoys running, yoga, and spending time at the beach. She lives in Mobile, AL with her family.   

Reviews for Sister Dear

[TAMMY OBERLIN · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very intriguing storyline. I really enjoyed this book. I found myself talking to the audio version about Emma’s stability.

There were a few things I questioned:
1. I don’t see how a jury could possibly have convicted Allie without some sort of proof or true motive. It was a completely circumstantial case and weak at best.
2. The repeated use of “hell” as a curse word and the description of the scenes between the sister and her lover turned me off. Just not necessary.
3. Ben seemed to be a very weak character. Ending with him just didn’t have any meat to it.
4. How was Emma ever declared mentally sound? She clearly had some serious issues.

[irenecole · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

10 years ago Allie Marshall had it all. A beautiful little girl, a plan to become a surgeon, and the love of her life by her side. Until one night when it all came crashing down and she lost everything in an instant. Allie had reason to suspect some illegal activity and ends up in prison for a murder that she did not commit. Meanwhile the real killer is still loose. The book begins when she is finally released from jail, and we are filled in on the back story through a series of flashbacks to the days before Allie was convicted.
She is warned to let the past stay buried. Her friends want nothing to do with her, and even her own daughter who has been manipulated by her sister is upset that she is home. Allie sets out to prove her innocence and uncovers shocking secrets. This was a highly suspenseful, and thrilling read.
I received an advance copy for review

[vickimarie2002 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such an incredible book! I was rooting for Allie the whole time but there are so many twists and turns in the storyline. I loved the bouncing back and forth between present day and the past until we find out what really happened to the Coach. Laura McNeill is an awesome writer and I can't wait to read more books by her!

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars

Sister Dear by Laura McNeill is an intriguing whodunit that has plenty of unexpected twists and turns.

Granted an early release after serving ten years for voluntary manslaughter of high school football coach Boyd Thomas, Allie Marshall is looking forward to two things: clearing her name and most important, getting to know her now fifteen year old daughter, Caroline. Neither task is easily accomplished nor is settling back into life in her small hometown but Allie bides her time while waiting for things to settle down. Hoping her younger sister, Emma, who has been caring for Caroline, will help smooth the way for the much anticipated reunion, Allie is confused by her sister’s sudden withdrawal and overall lack of support. When she begins looking into Boyd’s murder, she runs into interference from Sheriff Lee Gaines who warns her to leave the past alone. Convinced Sheriff Gaines is somehow involved in Thomas’s murder, Allie keeps searching for answers, but are some secrets better left buried?

Despite the unplanned pregnancy that slightly derailed her plans, when Allie is arrested for Thomas’s murder, she finally has her life in order. She has just been accepted to medical school, she is engaged to be married and five year old Caroline is thriving. However, Allie is greatly troubled by some of the changes in some of the high school football players’ behavior and her recent letter in the newspaper angered many of town’s residents. With the football team standing a good chance of winning the championship, no one wants to hear anything negative about the coach who turned the team around. Lacking irrefutable proof about her suspicions, Allie is accelerating her plans to leave town when she stumbles onto Boyd immediately after he is attacked and despite her assertions of innocence, she is quickly arrested, tried and convicted of his murder. Her time in prison does not break her and now older, wiser and more patient, Allie is more than ready to reclaim her life and her daughter but she has no intention of giving up on her plans to find the information that will exonerate her.

Emma is the only person who stood by Allie once she began serving her sentence. She willingly became her niece’s guardian and she is extremely protective of Caroline. While Emma initially appears concerned and supportive of Allie, it quickly becomes apparent that she will go to any lengths to maintain the life she has made for herself in Allie’s absence. She is quite manipulative, calculating and vindictive as she plots and schemes to hold onto Caroline’s affections. Emma’s motives for undermining Caroline and Allie’s relationship quickly become suspect as she reminisces about the months leading up to Boyd’s death.

Sheriff Gaines is nearing retirement and he has no intention of letting anything mar his spotless career. He is less than enthusiastic about Allie’s return and he makes no effort to hide his animosity towards her. Allie has never given up her theory that he was somehow involved in Boyd’s death and when Gaines pays her visit after her release, she grows more certain he is hiding something. Determined to uncover the truth, Allie ignores his threats and keeps digging for the truth but she is unprepared for the shocking secrets she is about to unearth.

Written from multiple points of view, Sister Dear by Laura McNeill is an interesting mystery that, while impossible to put down, falls a bit flat due to the rather obvious suspect, unsympathetic characters and a somewhat implausible plot. Despite these issues, the storyline is engaging and while the killer’s identity is very easy to predict, the motive for the crime remains unclear until the novel’s dramatic conclusion.

[cubsfan3410 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastically creepy book! I was on pins & needles the whole time I read it.

[harley0326 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Allie has had a long time to think about her past. She has been behind bars for 10 years for a crime she knows she never committed. She had to leave her family and precious daughter and sit in a prison cell day after day being reminded that her freedom was gone. The author does a great job of expressing Allie's anguish over her unfair life. What would it be like to be accused of killing someone and being sent to prison? Allie is determined that someday she will prove her innocence. Her time finally comes when she gets released on parole. She goes back to her hometown where she is shunned, sneered at and avoided by the townspeople. I can't imagine what it would feel like to go back to the town where everyone believed you were a murderer. The author does a great job of developing characters. Her writing style is engrossing and intense. The story is electrifying with twists and turns. Allie and her sister Emma are as different as night and day. Does Emma know something about the night of the murder? Why is Emma so jealous of her sister? When Emma takes in Allie's daughter , Caroline she becomes very protective of her. Will their relationship change once Allie decides she wants her daughter back? The mystery is so multilayered that it keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are several characters in the book that are questionable when it comes to their loyalty. The story talks about family relationships, deceit , trust and forgiveness. Get ready for a powerful book that delves into the depths of a person's conscious and delivers an unforgettable ending. Will Allie prove her innocence? I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild for an honest review.

[mrsmommybooknerd7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow, oh wow. This book was so good. I was so caught up in this book that I became emotionally attached. I was not sure who to believe or who to trust. I loved the way McNeill left bread crumbs for the reader to follow and how she slowly lead the reader through the story. Then, as the as the story slowly revealed itself, the suspense and thrill also increased. It was a roller coaster of a ride and the climax made me gasp. Sister Dear is about family, jealousy, justice, redemption, starting over and moving on. The reader will root for Allie while she searches for answers to prove her innocence. Will she be able to do it and at what cost? As secrets are uncovered lives are changed and long buried secrets both take unexpected turns and shatter everything Allie once believed was true. A great read for book clubs and lovers of suspense. 4.5 stars NOTE: I received this book free for my honest review.

[vintagebeckie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved Laura McNeill’s first book, Center of Gravity. There was a bit of controversy about this book among the members of a FB group I belong to. The buzz surrounding the book intrigued me, so I picked it up. It was great. Now, with her second book, Sister Dear, McNeill has established herself as one of my must-read authors. Sister Dear is all the things I love in a book — real-life characters with messy motives and emotions, a tension-filled plot that made me stay up way too late, and themes that kept me thinking long after the cover was closed. My book club is reading this book later this summer. I can’t wait to hear what they have to say.Allie Marshall has fulfilled 10 years of a 16 year sentence for voluntary manslaughter. Days within the prison were about surviving. When she gets a chance at a new start, she is excited, scared and determined to get past the injustice of her sentence. But life on the outside is complicated, especially when she must find out what really happened on the night that changed the course of her life.Sister Dear is part psychological thriller, part family drama. The novel is told from the perspectives of the four main characters — Allie, Allie’s sister Emma, Allie’s daughter Caroline and Sheriff Lee Gaines — to great effect. Their unique perspectives, hidden motivations and deep passions give a whole picture. The story unfolds slowly through their recollections and present day actions. Things are definitely not what they seem on the surface. Jealousy and bitterness are front and center in Sister Dear. Old resentments are closely tended as they grow to overwhelming strength. Truth is also hard to find, but, as always, eventually emerges. Sister Dear doesn’t end with a neat, tied-up-in-a-bow, happy ending. The life portrayed is messy, messy, but the ending is certainly satisfying, at least for this reader. There is hope for the future and the healing power of forgiveness.A powerful story, real-life characters, and excellent writing combine to make Sister Dear a highly recommended read. You need to put this one on your summer reading list!Highly Recommended.Audience: adults.(Thanks to Thomas Nelson and LitFuse for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

[seasonsoflove_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those books that leaves me wondering how I truly feel about it.I didn't love it.I didn't hate it.It wasn't particularly good.But it wasn't particularly bad either.McNeil tells the story of Allie, who has just been released on parole from prison after a decade. She was convicted of a murder she swears she didn't do. Her hometown believes her to have murdered their beloved football coach, who led the team to victory, but may also have been giving his players dangerous steroids. Allie wrote an expose on him, but no one believed her accusations about that either.There are subplots surrounding the main mystery. Allie has a daughter, Caroline, who has been raised by Allie's sister, Emma. Caroline barely knows Allie, and doesn't think she wants to know her. Searching for purpose, a teenage Caroline volunteers at a nursing home, where she meets fellow volunteer Russell. The sheriff, who hates Allie, has a wife in the nursing home due to her being in a devastating car accident that left her with severe brain damage.The book is Allie trying to prove her innocence, persevere, and reconnect with her daughter (and possibly her former love). The mystery is certainly intriguing. Who doesn't love a small town full of secrets? But the solution, at least in my opinion, gets telegraphed too early and too blatantly. The ending is supposed to be a complete shock, but I'd seen it coming for a long time. Too much insight is given into a secondary character's mind and motivations, and this gives the game away, and frankly makes the character very unlikeable from almost the start of the story.This is a book with potential that devolves too frequently into cliches and obvious answers. If you read it, don't go in expecting the next Dark Places.

[pet12-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am really behind today because I just could not put down this completely engrossing domestic suspense drama. Told from multiple points of views and switching between present and past, all the characters were intricately fleshed out and were totally believable, and the amazing thing was, the author managed to make me have feelings for all of them, even the 'nasty' ones, because they were all portrayed in such a complex way that you could understand what was driving them and why they acted the way they did.10 years ago, Allie was convicted of killing the local high school football coach. Released on parole, she returns to her hometown where the locals are less than welcoming, the sheriff is suspicious of her and even her parents don't know how to act around her. But Allie can cope with all that. All she is hoping for is to reestablish a relationship with her teenage daughter, Caroline. But Caroline wants nothing to do with her. She is having a hard time being the daughter of a convicted felon and becomes increasingly isolated at school. Caroline has been brought up by Allie's sister, Emma. I don't think I'm giving much away when I divulge that Emma has issues. Serious issues.In order to get her daughter back, Allie has to find a way to prove that, 10 years ago, she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.Sister Dear isn't so much a whodunit, but an exciting uncovering of the why and how. There was so much skillfully crafted into this storyline: drugs and football, jealousy and betrayal, small-town politics, love and loss, and forgiveness.The writing was so adept, you really felt you were there. I actually felt compelled to look up Brunswick and Saint Simons Island and have added them to my bucket list of places-to-visit-one-day ;)Realistic, gritty, absolutely riveting.If you haven't guessed by now: I loved it.Laura McNeill was an author I hadn't heard of before, but on finishing Sister Dear, I immediately downloaded Center of Gravity, her debut novel from last year.Many thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a copy of Sister Dear via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.