The Perfect Sister Book Review

Title: The Perfect Sister

Author: Zoë Miller

Narrator: Clare McKenna

ISBN: 9781004041671

Publisher: W.F.Howes Ltd

Duration: 9 hours, 42 minutes

Source: Review copy from NetGalley

Once inseparable, years of resentment and jealousy have driven Alice and Holly apart. But, though they barely speak these days, Alice knows her sister is hiding something.

When she hears that a discovery at a soon-to-be-demolished apartment building has led police to re-open an ‘accidental death’ case, Alice thinks nothing of it. She’s distracted by a recent chance encounter with a charismatic man named Damien, and the possibility of romance when she had given up all hope. Until someone knocks at her door, with questions about Holly.

Alice doesn’t believe her sister is capable of involvement in anything so sinister. But when she tries to contact Holly, she can’t be reached…

Forced to dig through the past to uncover the truth, Alice starts to uncover years of Holly’s secrets – and to doubt her innocence. As the evidence mounts up, Alice has a choice to make: does she want to help her sister clear her name, even if the price is her own future with Damien?

Official Summary

The Perfect Sister tells a story of just that, the perfect sister. The bond between two sister’s, that always manages to bring them back together. This story is intriguing and filled with unexpected twists that you would not expect.

I found myself enjoying the story looking forward to the next chance I would get to listen to the audiobook. The author tells a gripping story that keeps you guessing, and eager for more. Unfortunately, I battled with the narrator. Having messed around with a bit of voice-over work myself, I could not help but pick up on every little glitch throughout this recording. I got the impression that the recording had not been edited. I would have to recommend a copy of the book instead of the audiobook in this case. The author did a great job.

Alice has spent her entire life putting Holy first, always looking after her no matter what is happening in her own. Having drifted apart, the two sister’s are no longer in close contact, but still, Alice will always put Holy first.

Alice meets Damien, a good looking man who she decides to take a chance on after her disastrous marriage. When she discovers that he is related to an old friend of her sister’s that suffered an accidental death she is quick to put her guard up. When Holy’s old apartment building is demolished and the police discover new evidence causing them to re-open the investigation into Damien’s cousin’s death, Damien speaks to Alice and suggests that Holy might have been involved. Alice refuses to believe her sister guilty of any wrongdoing.

Will Holy come between Alice and Damien? Is Holy guilty? All Alice knows for sure is that her sister has not been completely honest with her and she is determined to find the truth, no matter what.

This story is full of surprises. I found I could not wait to get back to the audio despite my disliking of the narration. I have to suggest the book instead of the audio. For once, the audio did not do the book justice.

Alice is a selfless character and at times I found myself annoyed at her habit of putting Holy first. The author created a remarkable big sister and by the time I reached the end of the story I wished I had a sister like Alice. She was brilliant – there is no other word for it.

Loved the story! The author managed to keep me curious from start to finish.

This book offers a lot more than just mystery, it’s a deeply moving story that will be enjoyed by woman’s fiction and romance fans – it’s not a Mills and Boon story – so if you are into that kind of hardcore romance – don’t reach for this…..

I will recommend the book, unfortunately, I would advise avoiding the audiobook version. I did not enjoy the audio, sadly.

About the Author

Author Bio from the Author’s site

I live in Dublin with my husband in a quiet cul-de-sac close to the foothills of the scenic Dublin mountains. I have two daughters and a son, and I am very grateful to be surrounded by a supportive circle of family and friends.

I have always loved reading, and books have been a magical part of my life since I was first introduced to the wonders of the children’s section of Inchicore library at a tender age. I began writing around then and over the years my writing career has included school plays, short fiction and freelance journalism. There were a few swings and roundabouts in the great carousel of life before I had time and space to achieve my dream of writing a novel and since 2009, I have had eleven books published by the dedicated team at Hachette Books Ireland. I had a busy day job in the areas of communication skills, personal development, and information security, but just before my ninth book was published, I took a leap of faith and became a full-time novelist. I am represented by the inspirational Sheila Crowley, literary agent at Curtis Brown, London.

I write under a pen name. It helps to take me out of my comfort zone and into the emotional and tangled lives of my characters. My contemporary stories are about people and their passions, hopes and fears, their complicated relationships and flawed connections; about finding hope and redemption in this messy but beautiful life, all wrapped up in plotlines blended with intrigue and suspense.

I feel privileged when I see my books on shelves in bookstores and libraries, and I love hearing good things from readers who feel the better for escaping into one of my books for a few hours because that’s what makes it all worthwhile.

If you happen to pick up one of my books, I really hope you enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy of this audiobook. The Perfect Sister has convinced me to add Zoë Miller to my watch list and I look forward to reading more of her books. As always thanks to you for taking the time to read my review, have you read anything by this author? Leave a comment below to tell me about it. Until next time… Happy Reading!