"The Better Sister"

“The Better Sister”
Written by Alafair Burke
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia



“The Better Sister” is the second law-based, psychological thriller that I have read by this author. Alafair Burke’s book “The Wife” was a great read for me, but as the book progressed, I found myself disliking it more and more, almost in a downward spiral pattern. The ending blew my mind, but I was not satisfied. In picking up “The Better Sister”, I became instantly interested in the premise, and I hoped for the best, wanting to enjoy this more than I enjoyed “The Wife”.

To begin, nearly all of my expectations were met, and I really liked this book. The premise describes the story from the perspective of Chloe, whose husband, Adam, has just been murdered, possibly in a break-in fashion. Chloe’s sister, Nicky, was the first wife of Adam, and now Chloe is raising Nicky’s son as her stepson with Adam. With that introduction, the story unravels, leaving every character seeming suspicious in a very cold and clinical way.

One of the greatest elements of Burke’s writing is that she writes with a tough and straightforward style. Burke draws on her experience as a prosecutor and lawyer to provide insight into both worlds and creates highly realistic characters and situations. Her writing is never over-dramatic or wasteful, leaving every scene vitally important to the plot, even if characters are seated at a dining table drinking coffee. The characters are intense, yet believable.

The sections of the story in which we receive information are suspenseful, but they are precisely what is necessary. Burke has an instinctual writing style that allows her to scatter in small sentences that completely shatter a character’s persona. There is just one sentence I recall that just threw me, like being hit with an unexpected thunderclap.

The conclusion of this story was not predictable nor earth-shattering, but it was satisfying. I was not overwhelmed with excitement or disappointment, yet I still highly recommend the book for more than just the ending. I plan to continue reading Burke’s thrillers and look forward to her next one.