The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas is a gripping, emotionally resonant thriller that balances family drama with suspense that never slackens. Arriving on shelves August 5, the novel is a tense read filled with twists and turns as Tasha, the stay-at-home mother of twins in Chew Norton, a fictional town set near Somerset, England, and her mechanic husband Aaron embark on a” trade-life-with her successful scientist sister Alice” for a week in Venice.
Alice, a
look-alike with her sister, and her husband Kyle, a successful entrepreneur, are
in for a busy week in Tasha’s home as they are caring for two 3-year-olds. Tasha
and Aaron enjoy a chance to reconnect after raising twins, but their holiday is
colored black by a stranger who follows them on the streets of Venice,
threatening them harm.
Meanwhile,
the illusion of safety in quiet Chew Norton shatters when Tasha receives a
devastating phone call: Alice and Kyle have been attacked during an apparent
burglary leaving Kyle dead and putting Alice in intensive care. This terrible
news is followed by a chilling note to Tasha shoved through her mail slot: “It
was supposed to be you.”
What
follows is a masterpiece of misdirection presenting a psychological puzzle that
keeps readers guessing until the final pages. The story unfolds through
alternating perspectives—Tasha, Alice, and their mother Jeanette weave a
layered narrative of past and present that slowly reveals the family’s buried
traumas and long-held secrets. A haunting subplot emerges involving a
long-missing sister.
The
Wrong Sister is Claire
Douglas’ 10th
novel. She is a British
author and former journalist. Her fiction writing career began when she won a
competition in Marie Claire magazine with the submission of the first
three chapters of her first novel which led to a publishing contract with HarperCollins.
She lives in Bath, Somerset, England, with her family.
My review will be posted on Goodreads starting July 4,
2025.
I would like to thank HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with
an ARC in return for an objective review.
