Publishers Weekly
01/21/2019
Fourteen years before the present day of this mesmerizing domestic thriller from bestseller Burke (The Wife), Chloe Taylor helped her brother-in-law, Adam Macintosh, defeat her rebellious older sister, Nicky, in their custody battle over the couple’s two-year-old son, Ethan. Four years later, Chloe married Adam and became Ethan’s stepmother. Now, Nicky lives alone in Ohio, selling jewelry on Etsy, while 41-year-old Chloe lives with 47-year-old Adam and 16-year-old Ethan in New York City, working as editor-in-chief of Eve magazine. When someone kills Adam in the family’s East Hampton vacation home, Chloe’s biggest fear is that the court will grant Nicky guardianship of Ethan. Then the police arrest Ethan for the murder, compelling the estranged siblings to work together to solve Adam’s murder and exonerate their son. As Chloe investigates Adam’s final months, she contemplates her career, performs a marital post-mortem, and reflects on the personal cost of professional success. Meanwhile, Nicky has her own agenda. Burke paints a poignant portrait of sisterhood and sacrifice with this twist-riddled, character-driven whodunit. Author tour. Agent: Philip Spitzer, Philip Spitzer Literary. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
Cunning.... Readers of The Better Sister, Alafair Burke’s wonderfully twisty new thriller, should get ready to be led down the garden path to a conclusion so morally ambiguous a professional ethicist might have to be called in.” — Washington Post
“Coming off of last year’s brilliantly timely The Wife, psychological-suspense master Burke traces the uneasy relationship between two sisters and how it’s tested in the wake of a grisly murder.” — Entertainment Weekly
“Alafair Burke’s name on the cover always guarantees a stellar read, and this novel is no exception. Elements of other domestic thrillers are in abundance, but the author knows how to take what could easily be cliché and make it feel brand-new. The realistic family relationship carries this story to great heights and wonderful surprises.” — Associated Press
“In addition to being a gripping thriller, this is a poignant look at the lives of two very different sisters—and how seemingly inconsequential events can often bring about great sacrifices. Burke gets better with each new read.” — Karin Slaughter
“One hell of a rip-roaring read.... Taut-domestic-and-courtroom-thriller aspects aside, Burke is, as always, terrific on the salient cultural details that bring her characters to vibrant life.” — Seattle Review of Books
“The Better Sister is more than a standard-issue whodunit. The underlying mystery becomes the mystery of character. . . . [Burke] caps her story with a keenly detailed trial taut with suspense. The case spins with reversals—it isn’t over even when it’s over.” — Newsday
“Burke hits the ground running with the highly entertaining The Better Sister, and the story continues to peak in one believable twist after another. Surprises lead The Better Sister to a sizzling finale.” — South Florida Sun Sentinel
“Compelling.... In addition to the powerful characteristics of a thriller, The Better Sister is also a psychological investigation of social media, gender in business, childrearing, and family ties.” — New York Journal of Books
“The fans who put Burke’s last domestic thriller on the bestseller list are going to be happy with this one, a gimmick-free murder mystery with a two-stage surprise ending and uncommonly few credibility straining plot elements…. You’ll kill this one fast and be glad you did.” — Kirkus
“Mesmerizing.... Burke paints a poignant portrait of sisterhood and sacrifice with this twist-riddled, character-driven whodunit.” — Publishers Weekly
“Boasting Burke’s trademark blend of everywoman investigations mixed with courtroom drama, this twisty thriller is destined to become a vacation-reading favorite.” — Booklist
“A straightforward and uncomplicated character-driven mystery that also delves into the topics of sisterhood and abuse. Mystery lovers will find much to enjoy in this fast-moving whodunit.” — Library Journal
“Burke has a flair for creating compelling characters who bring out a plethora of emotions from the reader. A worthy follow-up to last year’s smash The Wife. Do not miss!” — Tulsa Book Review
“A brilliant look at the lengths a mother (or two) will go for family.” — BookPage
“If you love twisty thrillers like we do, you won’t want to miss The Better Sister.” — BookBub
“Sure to be one of the year’s most celebrated suspense novels....Burke brings readers into an enticing world and then shatters them with one startling revelation after another, always keeping a firm grip on the suspense and packing each sentence full with feeling.” — CrimeReads
“You know just from the title that this is going to be a winner; you also know it’s a “must read” from the simple fact that Alafair Burke is the author….A non-stop thriller fest.” — Suspense Magazine
“Chilling and thrilling....Will keep you engaged from start to finish.” — FreshFiction
Washington Post
Cunning.... Readers of The Better Sister, Alafair Burke’s wonderfully twisty new thriller, should get ready to be led down the garden path to a conclusion so morally ambiguous a professional ethicist might have to be called in.
Seattle Review of Books
One hell of a rip-roaring read.... Taut-domestic-and-courtroom-thriller aspects aside, Burke is, as always, terrific on the salient cultural details that bring her characters to vibrant life.
Associated Press
Alafair Burke’s name on the cover always guarantees a stellar read, and this novel is no exception. Elements of other domestic thrillers are in abundance, but the author knows how to take what could easily be cliché and make it feel brand-new. The realistic family relationship carries this story to great heights and wonderful surprises.
New York Journal of Books
Compelling.... In addition to the powerful characteristics of a thriller, The Better Sister is also a psychological investigation of social media, gender in business, childrearing, and family ties.
Newsday
The Better Sister is more than a standard-issue whodunit. The underlying mystery becomes the mystery of character. . . . [Burke] caps her story with a keenly detailed trial taut with suspense. The case spins with reversals—it isn’t over even when it’s over.
Karin Slaughter
In addition to being a gripping thriller, this is a poignant look at the lives of two very different sisters—and how seemingly inconsequential events can often bring about great sacrifices. Burke gets better with each new read.
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Burke hits the ground running with the highly entertaining The Better Sister, and the story continues to peak in one believable twist after another. Surprises lead The Better Sister to a sizzling finale.
Entertainment Weekly
Coming off of last year’s brilliantly timely The Wife, psychological-suspense master Burke traces the uneasy relationship between two sisters and how it’s tested in the wake of a grisly murder.
Suspense Magazine
You know just from the title that this is going to be a winner; you also know it’s a “must read” from the simple fact that Alafair Burke is the author….A non-stop thriller fest.
BookBub
If you love twisty thrillers like we do, you won’t want to miss The Better Sister.
CrimeReads
Sure to be one of the year’s most celebrated suspense novels....Burke brings readers into an enticing world and then shatters them with one startling revelation after another, always keeping a firm grip on the suspense and packing each sentence full with feeling.
Tulsa Book Review
Burke has a flair for creating compelling characters who bring out a plethora of emotions from the reader. A worthy follow-up to last year’s smash The Wife. Do not miss!
BookPage
A brilliant look at the lengths a mother (or two) will go for family.
Booklist
Boasting Burke’s trademark blend of everywoman investigations mixed with courtroom drama, this twisty thriller is destined to become a vacation-reading favorite.
FreshFiction
Chilling and thrilling....Will keep you engaged from start to finish.
Washington Post
Cunning.... Readers of The Better Sister, Alafair Burke’s wonderfully twisty new thriller, should get ready to be led down the garden path to a conclusion so morally ambiguous a professional ethicist might have to be called in.
Booklist
Boasting Burke’s trademark blend of everywoman investigations mixed with courtroom drama, this twisty thriller is destined to become a vacation-reading favorite.
Parade
In addition to being a gripping thriller, this is a poignant look at the lives of two very different sisters—and how seemingly inconsequential events can often bring about great sacrifices. Burke gets better with each new read.
