Review: Secret Sisters

Secret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A tragic event can either bring people together or force them apart. In Secret Sisters, Madeline's beloved grandmother passes away. Taking over for their family hoteling business, Madeline finally makes the decision to go back to an abandoned hotel owned by her grandmother. This hotel contains happy memories as well as dark secrets. More oft than not, secrets have a way of rising up from shallow graves. Madeline wants to sell this place now that her grandmother is gone. She wants to put it all behind her which is easier said than done. When she arrives, she finds the caretaker has been killed. And it leads to questions if her grandmother really died from an accident. With the help of cantankerous Jack Rayner, Madeline pieces together a history that isn't exactly as she remembers. What it does, is bring back a friendship she should have never let go.

The suspense in this story is well done. Ms. Krentz creates a plausible scenario and carefully leads the reader through each clue. The building tension and reveals help generate a suspenseful anticipation. What makes this book enjoyable isn't the whodunnit part. It's the characters and how they relate to each other. Madeline grows up from a frightened twelve year old to a strong independent woman. The separation of two decades from a best friend is one of her biggest regrets. The remorse hits Madeline and the readers when the two friends reunite. The meaning of secret sisters becomes apparent and is poignant.

The character who is most moving for me is Jack. Jack's story is a sad and frustrating one. He's the antihero who is always the tarnished white knight. When it is clear what he does for his best friend and how he's the injured party, I fell in love with Jack even more. He's a good guy whose heart is too good. Seeing how he's been treated makes me angry. When the right people understand him and learn his tightly held secrets, it makes both him and the characters more endearing. This is a book more about second chances and redemption. Recommended for romantic suspense lovers who like smart women and underestimated men.

*provided by Edelweiss



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