Laura McNeill

I started this book a couple months ago and had to put it aside right away due to other reading deadlines. But I'd read enough of it where the nagging "what happens next" kept me in suspense until I could pick up the book again.

You may think you've got this mystery/suspense novel figured out, but you will likely be wrong. About 3/4 of my way through SISTER DEAR, I told my husband I knew the underlying secret of the plot. I finished the book last night and had to admit. I. Was. Wrong.

The author weaves you in to caring what really happened to Allie, who was wrongly accused of murder ten years ago.

Yes, the author shows her hand in what likely happened, but the "why" and the twists are what keeps you reading (and keeps you surprised to the end.)

A great read!
… (altro)

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… (altro)

Melissa, producer of a news programme, is in a marriage which has lost its mojo…husband is never home and communication is on a yellow-Post-It basis. Added to which, her news anchors have a live fisticuffs on the evening show, resulting in both being dismissed and Melissa having to spruce herself up and fill in. Oh, and one more thing: her mother has dementia.

This all sounds all rather tame for a plot, if I’m honest. BUT…I really, really enjoyed this. What could have been a somewhat schmaltzy, boring, clichéd story was actually a very well-written one that kept me interested from start to finish, and I found myself really looking forward to picking up the story every night for my pre-beauty-sleep read. No schmaltz, no boring, no clichés. Written articulately with style, it was actually quite wholesome with some down-to-earth, believable characters. Every relationship was handled with skill and insight…they were diverse, relatable and sometimes touching.

And how refreshing to find a well-edited book for a change…quite the icing on the cake. A light and easy read, yes, indeed, but one that doesn’t skimp on balance or sincerity.… (altro)

I registered this book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14598170

I picked up this CD book from a truck stop in Kramer Junction, CA on June 19, 2017. I wanted something to listen to on my way to Las Vegas.

Allie Marshall spends ten years in prison for a crime she did not commit. During those years her sister cares for Allie's daughter Caroline, who was five when Allie was convicted. Upon her release, Allie is determined to find out who actually killed the high school coach. She is not prepared for the cool reception she receives in her home town and is disappointed to discover that Caroline does not want to see her. Caroline had stopped visiting her in prison some years before, and Allie was told that the visits were just too upsetting.

There were aspects of this tale that didn't hang together for me or make much sense. One is that if Allie is so determined to find the actual murderer why does it take her so long to start looking? She knows that the sheriff's department will not help her because they helped convict her, but there are other options. Instead, she seems to fritter away her time agonizing over Caroline's lack of contact.

The other main difficulty I had was with Caroline. She did visit her mom in prison for a while. She was probably at least seven or eight when she stopped going. Does this mean she just forgets her mom? Unlikely. Does it mean she assumes her mom was guilty? Why? We get hints that Allie's sister has persuaded Caroline to forget her mom, in gentle ways, but she has not suggested that she was guilty. Instead she has been the staunch supporter. So to begin with I had difficulty believing that Caroline would not still have close feelings for her mother.

The town knew about Allie's conviction. There was no secret there. Caroline's classmates know about it. So why is Caroline so upset when her mom is released that she can't even tell her best friend? What is it about her being released that is so shameful? This whole thing made no sense to me. Yes, Caroline is hanging with the cool kids now and wants to maintain her image, but that doesn't explain it.

There are a lot of gaps in here - actions that don't make a lot of sense. Nevertheless, it's a bit of a mystery and we do get to follow along and pick up clues.



… (altro)