Welcome back to Jen’s Jewels, your go-to column for the hottest reads available now! This week, I’m shining the spotlight on MOTHER DAUGHTER SISTER STRANGER by Hank Phillippi Ryan—a gripping thriller about two sisters, one devastating secret, and a shocking truth. Add this one to your TBR! Read more…
LIGHTNING ROUND
What’s your favorite way to spend a crisp September afternoon?
So funny that you asked that, because my first moment of my first day in Boston, almost 40 years ago, was a crisp September afternoon. I looked up into that perfectly blue Boston sky, saw the sun shimmer through the trees of the public garden, heard the sound of gulls over Boston Harbor, and smelled that briny fragrance of the sea. I thought wow, we don’t have this back home in Indiana! I got the job as investigative reporter at Boston’s Channel 7 that day, and have been here ever since.
Years later, my husband and I were married on a crisp September afternoon, and our wedding photo was taken in that same public garden.
Some of the fondest moments of my life took place on a crisp September afternoon. So a walk through the public garden, with the swan boats and the weeping willows and the last of the summer flowers still in bloom—that’s as good as it gets.
What’s your go-to fall drink, snack, or sweet treat while writing?
Of course this season reminds me of pumpkin spice, and not to step on toes here, but you can have mine. My writing snacks consist of those little sweet yellow tomatoes, and almonds, and a Diet Pepsi with lime. Oh, and Wheat Thins. I know. It is not that glamorous. But it is delicious, and hey, whatever works.
What simple ritual helps you settle into a productive writing day?
Remembering my deadline. That’s a big incentive!
And then I look back at the words I wrote the day before, tweak them a bit, and then I set a timer for 34 minutes and promised myself that I will do nothing but write for those 34 minutes. Not get the mail, not do the laundry, not check my Insta, not even do research. Nothing but write. That focused intensity of attention is what gets me going. And when that timer dings, I realize I have no idea how much time has gone by, and I start it again and keep going.
THE FALL INSPIRATION
September often feels like a fresh start. Did writing this book mark a new beginning or challenge for you as an author?
September is the perfect fresh start! (We’re used to that from school, right? And I always feel like I should buy new notebooks and pencils and try to figure out what’s going to be cool this year.) And now for me, as an author, September is the month that my books usually come out—just like MOTHER DAUGHTER SISTER STRANGER on September 1st! So I know it will be the beginning of an incredible adventure, of introducing readers to my new book, of pulling my suitcase down the corridors of airports on the way to the next exciting book event. I find myself humming “Magical Mystery Tour” as I travel, and feel like the luckiest person in the world.
Of course, the additional challenge is that the deadline for my next book is coming up fast—in October! So if you see me on airplanes as I fly around the country on book tour, you’ll know my laptop is open because I’m writing as fast as I can.
What was the very first spark that inspired this story?
First, have you ever lied to your mother? Okay, then, what if she was lying to you, too? I kept thinking about that, that fragile relationship, and how we assume that what we’ve been told about our family history is true.
I also thought about how when I was growing up, and my mother would read out loud to me, I was always so frustrated when she said: “The End.” Because that couldn’t be the end, could it? What happened after that and after that and after that? Were the endings actually happy?
So, MOTHER DAUGHTER SISTER STRANGER: A missing mom. A frightened daughter. And a sister determined to find a happy ending for their family. Even though, as she discovers, her family’s history turns out to be terrifyingly sinister, and all of their lives may go up in flames once again.
Tell us about a scene that changed dramatically between your first draft and the final manuscript. What led to the revision?
Well, that is a perfect question for this book! When MOTHER DAUGHTER SISTER STRANGER was in first draft, the main character, Eliza, had a blog where she wrote happy endings for characters in her favorite books. She created Nancy Drew's future, and the March sisters’, and one for Nick Carraway of The Great Gatsby. She created a new ending for The Little Prince. As she says in the first draft manuscript, she knows she’s really looking for a happy ending for herself after the devastating tragedy of her childhood, but that is something she cannot control.
So. All that got cut, because my darling editor and I decided it was just a little too much information. Eliza is still looking for happy endings, but in a completely different way. You’ll have to read it to find out.
Did any character unexpectedly take the story in a direction you hadn’t planned?
First, I never plan. I have no idea what’s going to happen until I write the next word or the next sentence or the next paragraph or the next scene. So the entire book took the story in directions I hadn't planned. But yes, there were two characters, certainly, who as they grew on the page, behaved in ways that were very surprising to me. I kept trying to nudge them back into the personality I thought I was writing. But finally, I realized they were right, and that’s who they were in the final version.
Yes, I know I am not being specific about this. I am doing that on purpose. I want you to experience the story the way I did—a total surprise!
Your setting feels like a character in its own right. What inspired you to choose it, and how does it shape the story?
Oh gosh, I adore the Berkshires, in western Massachusetts, my husband and I go every summer to take peaceful walks in the woods, and go to art museums, and try wonderful new restaurants, see every play we can, pay homage to Edith Wharton at The Mount, and enjoy the glorious music of the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood. The rolling hills and gorgeous scenery are absolutely immersive; there’s a peace and a calm in the Berkshires that is like nowhere else.
However. It’s also a place where many people go just for the summer, and the dynamic between the summer people and the people who live there year-round can be full of simmering conflict. As one character in the book admires the graceful geese flying overhead, another character sneers, and says: if you had to clean up golf courses after the geese depart, you would not be so in love with them.
Two different worlds. Beautiful on the outside, but sometimes festering on the inside. And that’s what shapes the story.
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
Can you share a behind-the-scenes fact about writing this book that readers may find surprising?
I keep a words per day chart where I give myself a little smiley-face if I do my 1,000 words. I’m extremely organized, and love to keep track of my progress. It’s a way of allowing myself to succeed, you know? If I give myself a doable goal, like writing 1,000 words a day, then every day I can succeed. Instead of thinking “oh, no, I have failed to write a book,” I say to myself “Hooray, I did my 1,000 words! I am such a rock star!”And that success fuels my next day’s writing.
Every novel has its challenges. Was there a moment while writing this one that reminded you why you love storytelling?
I’m going to have to be a little oblique about this to avoid spoilers, but because I don’t know the endings of my books, I have to be patient and allow the story to unfold. I’m now writing my 18th book, and I have learned that even though it is a high wire act along the way, at some point, the answer will appear to me. The reason for the book will emerge. There’s always one moment that I think: “Oh no, I've created a crime I cannot solve.”
And then, soon after, my brain clicks into place like a Rubik’s Cube and the answer emerges. Every time that happens I honestly stand and cheer. It is magic, and it is wonderful, and it is the joy of my life.
LOOKING AHEAD
Can you give readers a sneak peek at what you’re working on next—without giving away any spoilers?
I am on word 57,717 of the new book. It is due two months from now. That is a doable thing, if I work every minute of every day. So let’s see what happens! My books are standalones, so each one has to be completely different. But—there's still the Hank DNA in every book: a fast pace, relatable characters, and constant surprises. And all my books are about a strong smart woman who has the rug pulled out from under her, and has to get her power back. They are about empowerment and strength and becoming your one true self. At the end of each one, I want to say—oh, I never saw that coming! And yes, that’s exactly what should have happened.
The new book—gosh what can I tell you. It takes place in a terrifying situation we will all recognize. It includes characters, good and evil, who we will all recognize. And the main character is a mom, who is also a preschool teacher, who must call on her strength and wits to save herself and her kids from the unthinkable. As I write it, my heart is pounding, and I hope they all survive. Even though I know not everyone will.
Where can readers connect with you and stay up to date on your latest books? Please share your website, newsletter, and social media links.
Oh, I’d love to see you all! On my website you can sign up for my newsletter. (Lots of contests and prizes and inside scoop!) I’m on Facebook and Instagram.
And I’d love to see you in Zoom-person on my interview show Crime Time on A Mighty Blaze on Facebook, and my monthly author panel show The Back Room! (The-Back-Room.org)
BONUS: The Author’s Playlist
Share 3–5 songs that capture the mood of your book or inspired you while writing.
I can’t listen to music while I write, because the lyrics distract me, and I always start singing along. But to get myself pumped up to write for this book, I loved “The Fate of Ophelia,” because it is so much about happy endings, isn’t it? And “Opalite,” too. Those optimistic songs came at just the right time for this book.
“Unstoppable,” that’s another one I always think about for this book, since this is a book about determination. And “We Are Family,” since this is definitely a book about sisters. And my favorite songs of power, the aria “Nessun Dorma,” and Wicked’s “Defying Gravity.” Those two are a part of my writing life every day—and have been for years.
What if your own family history turns out to be a terrifying lie? Every family has its story, and this one's deadly. Two sisters. One secret. And a race against time to find the explosive truth in this twisty and captivating thriller by USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan.
The sole survivors of the fiery plane crash that killed their parents, Eliza Ramsey and her sister Bea share an unbreakable bond. But now, on the eleventh anniversary of the tragedy, Bea fails to retrieve her pre-teen daughter from a sleepover at Eliza's.
Eliza knows her sister would never leave her precious Piper behind, and fears the worst. But did Bea plan her own disappearance?
The Ramseys' lives have already crashed and burned once. Now, Eliza discovers she's the only one who can protect her niece from the horrifying legacy of her family's sinister history. Together, the two must prevent their lives from going up in flames once again.
A missing mother. Her frightened daughter. And a sister on a desperate search for a happy ending. But someone knows the deadly key to their shared past, and won't stop until they've written a devastating final chapter. Mother, daughter, sister-stranger.
Thriller [ Minotaur Books, On Sale: September 1, 2026, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9781250350022 / eISBN: 9781250350039 ]
USA Today bestselling author HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN is the author of 16 psychological thrillers. She’s won five Agatha Awards, five Anthony Awards, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award.
As on-air investigative reporter for Boston's WHDH-TV, she's won an unprecedented thirty-seven Emmy Awards, as well as many more journalism honors for her true crime stories.
A past president of National Sisters in Crime and a board member of International Thriller Writers, Ryan lives in Boston. Her upcoming novel is the cat-and-mouse suspense All This Could Be Yours (Minotaur Books), about a debut author on a terrifying book tour from hell. People magazine calls it “a nail-biting thriller.”
Jennifer Vido is the award-winning author of the Gull Island series, a collection of sweet Lowcountry romances inspired by her love of coastal living and small-town charm. Her debut novel, Serendipity by the Sea, won Best First Book from the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest. Jennifer has been named Baltimore Magazine’s Best Local Author for three consecutive years (2024–2026) and was named The Baltimore Sun’s Best Author in its 2026 Best of Readers’ Choice Awards. When she’s not writing romance, Jennifer shares her love of books through her weekly Jen’s Jewels column, where she spotlights exciting new releases and talented authors.
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