Half Sisters

A Novel

By: Virginia Franken

Narrated by: Jess Nahikian

A single lie becomes a defining moment in a family’s life in an unforgettable novel of psychological suspense.

After being gone for two decades, Maddy’s half sister, Emily, is back in town to settle their late father’s estate. Emily’s not the troubled girl Maddy remembers from their volatile childhood. Apparently, all is well. It can’t possibly matter anymore that Maddy married Emily’s first love, but the pictures Maddy finds on her husband’s phone tell a different story. Suspicions of an affair are hard to ignore.

Then again, Maddy hasn’t been herself lately. She’s increasingly confused. She’s losing items that are precious to her. She forgets where she’s going. The line between what’s real and unreal has become a blur. Even the damning photos have disappeared. Though her state of mind starts to become everyone’s cause for concern, Maddy refuses to believe she’s losing her grip on reality. But the one thing she can’t deny is the secret from the past that rewrote all their lives—a secret that’s ready to come out.

©2022 Virginia Franken (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Virginia Franken’s compelling Half Sisters takes sibling rivalry to a whole new level. Secrets, deception, backstabbing on top of some pretty wicked twists—what more could you ask for? Read it!”—Avery Bishop, author of Girl Gone Mad

“Immersive and engrossing, Half Sisters is filled with revelations about chosen vs. given family, and complex, well-drawn characters who will go to great lengths to right wrongs and heal old wounds. Virginia Franken expertly peels back layers until we’re finally faced with an inevitable yet shocking conclusion. I stayed up late reading this artfully crafted and completely original novel.”—Kathleen Willett, author of Mother of All Secrets

“A riveting psychological thriller by Virginia Franken: I could not put this book down. My pulse quickened page after compelling page as I fell deep for and into this tale of two very different jealous sisters, one dark heck-of-a-secret, and the ultimate unimaginable revenge. Five stars—a sun and a moon.”—Marilyn Simon Rothstein, author of Husbands and Other Sharp Objects

Overall waste for me

This story may be enjoyable or worthwhile read to others; me myself felt it missed the mark. It was darker than my regular reads and in the end I was unsatisfied with time out in feeling it was just a story about how terrible people can be to one another.

Average fare. Unlikable characters.

I really couldn't empathize with any of the characters in this novel, although I thoroughly despised the "helpless gaslighted protagonist" at the end. 3 stars for creating such an unspeakable self-centered *whatever*. Narration was better than average: 3.5 stars. Free with Kindle. Worth the download.

It Just Ends???

I like the idea of the story, I like the characters but…reader beware!! You’re going to put the time to get to the end and…Let’s just say, there must be a next chapter but where’s is it?!?!

Flat out loved

Great story good performance and wonderful characters. Will definitely try other works by same author. .

Left me wanting more

The story seemed quite drawn out and the ending hurried and abrupt. Audible performance was good.