The Winter Sister: A Novel

In this spellbinding and suspenseful debut, a young woman haunted by the past returns home to care for her ailing mother and begins to dig deeper into her sister's unsolved murder. Sixteen years ago, Sylvie's sister Persephone never came home. Out too late with the boyfriend she was forbidden to see, Persephone was missing for three days before her body was found--and years later, her murder remains unsolved. In the present day, Sylvie returns home to care for her estranged mother, Annie, as she undergoes treatment for cancer. Prone to unexplained Dark Days even before Persephone's death, Annie's once-close bond with Sylvie dissolved in the weeks after their loss, making for an uncomfortable reunion all these years later. Worse, Persephone's former boyfriend, Ben, is now a nurse at the cancer center where Annie is being treated. Sylvie's always believed Ben was responsible for the murder--but she carries her own guilt about that night, guilt that traps her in the past while the world goes on around her. As she navigates the complicated relationship with her mother, Sylvie begins to uncover the secrets that fill their house--and what really happened the night Persephone died. As it turns out, the truth really will set you free, once you can bear to look at it. The Winter Sister is a mesmerizing portrayal of the complex bond between sisters, between mothers and daughters alike, and forces us to ask ourselves--how well do we really know the people we love most? A "haunting debut: suspenseful, atmospheric, and completely riveting" (Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls ) about a young woman who returns home to care for her ailing mother and begins to dig deeper into her sister's unsolved murder. Sixteen years ago, Sylvie's sister, Persephone, never came home. Out late with the boyfriend she was forbidden to see, Persephone was missing for three days before her body was found—and years later, her murder is still unsolved. In the present day, Sylvie returns home to care for her estranged mother, Annie, as she undergoes treatment for cancer. Prone to unexplained "Dark Days" even before Persephone's death, Annie's once-close bond with Sylvie dissolved in the weeks after their loss, making for an uncomfortable reunion all these years later. Adding to the discomfort, Persephone's former boyfriend is now a nurse at the cancer center where Annie is being treated. Sylvie has always believed Ben was responsible for the murder—but she carries her own guilt about that night, guilt that traps her in the past while the world goes on around her. As she navigates the complicated relationship with her mother, Sylvie begins to uncover the secrets that fill their house—and what really happened the night Persephone died. The Winter Sister is a "bewitching" ( Kirkus Reviews ) portrayal of the complex bond between sisters, between mothers and daughters alike, and "will captivate you from suspenseful start to surprising finish" (Kathleen Barber, author of Are You Sleeping ). Sixteen years ago, Sylvie's sister Persephone never came home; her murder remains unsolved. When Sylvie returns home to care for her estranged mother, Annie, as she undergoes treatment for cancer, it's an uncomfortable reunion all these years later. Worse, Persephone's former boyfriend, Ben, is now a nurse at the cancer center; Sylvie always believed Ben was responsible for the murder. Sylvie begins to uncover the secrets that fill their house-- and what really happened the night her sister died. -- adapted from jacket When she returns home to care for her mother during cancer treatment, Sylvie uncovers secrets regarding her sister's murder sixteen years ago -- adapted from cover description