United States
![Kellye Garrett - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B01LX4JQYA.jpg)
Like a Sister
In this "crackling domestic suspense" filled with "wry humor and deft pacing" (Alyssa Cole), no one bats an eye when a Black reality TV star is found dead-except her estranged half-sister, whose refusal to believe the official story leads her on a dangerous search for the truth.
Edgar Award Finalist for Best Novel • Lefty Award Winner for Best Mystery Novel • A Book of the Month Club Pick • An Oxygen Book Club Pick • A Today Show Spring Fiction Pick • A New York Post Best New Book of the Week • A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year • A South Florida Sun-Sentinel Best Mystery of the Year • A CrimeReads Best Psychological Thriller of the Year
"A mystery that has everything I love most: an intriguing set up; an absorbing storyline that kept me guessing; a satisfying ending; and, most of all, incredibly well-developed characters I kept thinking about long after I finished the book." ―Jasmine Guillory, Today Show
"I found out my sister was back in New York from Instagram. I found out she'd died from the New York Daily News."
When the body of reality TV star Desiree Pierce is found on a playground in the Bronx the morning after her twenty-fifth birthday party, the police and the media are quick to declare her death an overdose. A tragedy, certainly, but not a crime.
Yet Columbia grad student Lena-principled, headstrong, and allergic to the spotlight-knows that can't be the case. Despite the bitter truth that the two hadn't spoken in two years, they were half-sisters. Lena knew Desiree. And Desiree would never travel above 125th Street. Something is very wrong with the facts. So why is no one listening?
While the two sisters had been torn apart by Desiree's partying and by their difficult father, Lena becomes determined to find justice for Desiree. Even if that means untangling her family's darkest secrets-or ending up dead herself.
"A briskly plotted, socially astute thriller." ―Los Angeles Times
"Equal parts charm and heartbreak, with razor-sharp insights on class, race, and family." -Laura Lippman
"Dishes up the glitz of the haves and the struggles of the have-nots, infusing classic noir storytelling with Big Apple glamour-#pageturner." -Oprah Daily
"A twisty murder mystery with nuance and heart." ―BookPage
"Noir for the media-struck generation...Original and witty." ―National Public Radio
Edgar Award Finalist for Best Novel • Lefty Award Winner for Best Mystery Novel • A Book of the Month Club Pick • An Oxygen Book Club Pick • A Today Show Spring Fiction Pick • A New York Post Best New Book of the Week • A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year • A South Florida Sun-Sentinel Best Mystery of the Year • A CrimeReads Best Psychological Thriller of the Year
"A mystery that has everything I love most: an intriguing set up; an absorbing storyline that kept me guessing; a satisfying ending; and, most of all, incredibly well-developed characters I kept thinking about long after I finished the book." ―Jasmine Guillory, Today Show
"I found out my sister was back in New York from Instagram. I found out she'd died from the New York Daily News."
When the body of reality TV star Desiree Pierce is found on a playground in the Bronx the morning after her twenty-fifth birthday party, the police and the media are quick to declare her death an overdose. A tragedy, certainly, but not a crime.
Yet Columbia grad student Lena-principled, headstrong, and allergic to the spotlight-knows that can't be the case. Despite the bitter truth that the two hadn't spoken in two years, they were half-sisters. Lena knew Desiree. And Desiree would never travel above 125th Street. Something is very wrong with the facts. So why is no one listening?
While the two sisters had been torn apart by Desiree's partying and by their difficult father, Lena becomes determined to find justice for Desiree. Even if that means untangling her family's darkest secrets-or ending up dead herself.
"A briskly plotted, socially astute thriller." ―Los Angeles Times
"Equal parts charm and heartbreak, with razor-sharp insights on class, race, and family." -Laura Lippman
"Dishes up the glitz of the haves and the struggles of the have-nots, infusing classic noir storytelling with Big Apple glamour-#pageturner." -Oprah Daily
"A twisty murder mystery with nuance and heart." ―BookPage
"Noir for the media-struck generation...Original and witty." ―National Public Radio
Editorial Reviews
"Kellye Garrett is impressive on paper and, in conversation, a force of nature… [Like a Sister is a] briskly plotted, socially astute new thriller."―The Los Angeles Times
"A mystery that has everything I love most about the genre: an intriguing set up; an absorbing storyline that kept me guessing; a satisfying ending; and most of all, incredibly well developed characters that I kept thinking about long after I finished the book. I want everyone I know to read it so we can talk about it.'"―Jasmine Guillory, The Today Show
"Kellye Garrett, a break-out star in crime fiction since her debut, has upped the ante with her latest, Like a Sister. A traditional mystery set in the world of reality television and Instagram influencers, it is equal parts charm and heartbreak, with razor-sharp insights on class, race, and family. I'm happy to know that Kellye Garrett is just getting started. I can't wait to see what she does next."―Laura Lippman, New York Times bestselling author of Lady in the Lake
"This juicy and twisty mystery will be impossible to put down whether you read it while lounging on the sand or curling up in an air-conditioned room this summer."
―Oxygen, July Book Club Pick
"Lights, camera, corpse . . . Garrett's taut novel dishes up the glitz of the haves and the struggles of the have-nots in a New York cleaved along lines of race and class, infusing classic noir storytelling with Big Apple glamor and buzzy texts and tweets-#pageturner."―Oprah Daily
"Noir for the media-struck generation . . . Character and voice mesh with Like a Sister's explorations of race, class and family in an arresting combination."―NPR.org
"Delivers a heady mixture of secrets, red herrings and shadows, told by a narrator who instantly becomes a friend you root for…Though this is a dark, thriller-adjacent tale, spending time with Lena is a pleasure."―The Seattle Times
"While the plot has its fair share of twists and turns, Lena's voice makes the novel shine. She alternates between interrogating suspects in her 'Super Black Woman Cape,' and making funny observations about music, reality TV, and more. Lena's wit plus a packed plot will grab and hold your attention."
―
"A mystery that has everything I love most about the genre: an intriguing set up; an absorbing storyline that kept me guessing; a satisfying ending; and most of all, incredibly well developed characters that I kept thinking about long after I finished the book. I want everyone I know to read it so we can talk about it.'"―Jasmine Guillory, The Today Show
"Kellye Garrett, a break-out star in crime fiction since her debut, has upped the ante with her latest, Like a Sister. A traditional mystery set in the world of reality television and Instagram influencers, it is equal parts charm and heartbreak, with razor-sharp insights on class, race, and family. I'm happy to know that Kellye Garrett is just getting started. I can't wait to see what she does next."―Laura Lippman, New York Times bestselling author of Lady in the Lake
"This juicy and twisty mystery will be impossible to put down whether you read it while lounging on the sand or curling up in an air-conditioned room this summer."
―Oxygen, July Book Club Pick
"Lights, camera, corpse . . . Garrett's taut novel dishes up the glitz of the haves and the struggles of the have-nots in a New York cleaved along lines of race and class, infusing classic noir storytelling with Big Apple glamor and buzzy texts and tweets-#pageturner."―Oprah Daily
"Noir for the media-struck generation . . . Character and voice mesh with Like a Sister's explorations of race, class and family in an arresting combination."―NPR.org
"Delivers a heady mixture of secrets, red herrings and shadows, told by a narrator who instantly becomes a friend you root for…Though this is a dark, thriller-adjacent tale, spending time with Lena is a pleasure."―The Seattle Times
"While the plot has its fair share of twists and turns, Lena's voice makes the novel shine. She alternates between interrogating suspects in her 'Super Black Woman Cape,' and making funny observations about music, reality TV, and more. Lena's wit plus a packed plot will grab and hold your attention."
―
Readers Top Reviews
Captain MonyEllen
As a librarian, I don't like or have time for long drawn out you know who dunnit ultimately an author's therapy journal of fictional characters childhood drama, I've got my own real stuff. And this is not it!! It grips you from the beginning, you learn to know, like or not, the characters through their actions on this thrill ride to the end. In this great read, I never knew who the killer turned out to be, all a while guessing wrongly, understood the allure of why people live their life on social media, the complications of modern families, a Black experience, all the while still able to enjoy the author's satirical humor that I looked forward too in her cozies. Like a Sister isn't Like a Best Seller, it is!!
Kris M. Captain M
“I found out my sister was back in New York from Instagram. I found out she’d died from the New York Daily News.”
When the body of a disgraced reality star and influencer Desiree Pierce is found at a playground in the Bronx, the police rule it an overdose. Desiree’s estranged half sister Lena knows that can’t be true. I enjoyed this is slow burning mix of mystery and family drama. Main character Lena narrates her search for the truth about Desiree as she tries to understand and come to terms with what happened. There’s lots of red herrings as Lena talks to Desiree’s best friend, former friends, and boyfriend. Lena discovers some uncomfortable truths about Desiree and must confront secrets in her own family. This is solid mystery with a relatable and likable main character. The NYC setting is fun and there’s tons of family drama boot.
Laura B.Kris M. C
Don't start this book at bedtime unless you plan to stay up all night. Beautifully written, it's a thriller with twists and turns you never see coming, but also a lot of heart
eastlammLaura B.K
"Like a Sister" hooked me from the first sentence. I was immediately invested in the story of two sisters, Lena and Desiree, who are so different, yet so devoted to each other. The fact that Desiree died while they were estranged -- a situation that caused them both grief and pain -- makes their story tragic. But it also provides the very believable impetus for Lena to search tirelessly for the answers about what happened to her sister when everyone else is ready to write her off as a careless party girl who caused her own death. Lena isn't perfect, but she's smart, resourceful, and admirable, a heroine who's easy to root for. And her love for her sister, a figure who might otherwise be a caricature in the hands of a less capable writer, helps the reader see Desiree as a vibrant young woman who died before she had a chance to really grow up, and to share the pathos of her loss. The pace of the story is propulsive, but doesn't ever mask the heart-wrenching core of the story, a story about the bond of true sisterhood, a love that is stronger than death.
WelshDragoneastla
This was a well written story. The characters were vivid, interesting, and most were hiding secrets, just like people do in real life. The plot is easily followed with several surprises and the premise is as old as humanity. I liked the fact that the older sister wasn't ready to accept the official cause of her sister's death. NO ONE should get away with taking another person's life, not even in war. I definitely recommend this book.
