Beth Tyrell is only a child when she is made to keep one of the most horrific secrets that anyone could know. She does not tell her secret because it has been made clear to her that the secret is her fault; that she is a wicked child. In addition, her mother, Marjorie, shows a marked preference for Beth's baby sister, Sara over Beth. In fact, Beth is more of a daddy's girl but he is not strong enough to stand up to his wife and defend Beth.

Inevitably, Barry and Marjorie Tyrell split up with Barry going to live in another town where he finds a good and loving woman. Life becomes much harder for Beth and finally, she cannot take it anymore. She saves every penny that she makes from her part time job and then sets off for the town where her father lives. Showing up on his doorstep in the middle of the night, she is soaking wet from the rain and shivering. Barry's girlfriend, Connie, seems to be much happier to see Beth than her own father but she does not really care at that point. Connie accepts Beth into her home and loves her just as much as her own teenaged daughter and son.

Marjorie disowns Beth and Sara seems to want nothing else to do with Beth, either. She builds a life in her new town by landing a job and making a few friends. For once in her life, she is almost happy. She continues to write letters to Sara that go unanswered. By the time she goes back to the town of her birth for a visit, Sara is 14 years old.

Sara is a 14 year old girl who now shares Beth's secret; but Sara's secret is much, much worse.

SLEEP SISTER is one of the most fascinating books that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. There are many plots going on at once as well as plenty of characters for the reader to get to know but, ultimately, everything leads back to the same ending. However, the many twists and turns on the road to get there held me enthralled with the many shocks and events that took place. Even though it is primarily the story of Beth and Sara, the other characters met along the way are fascinating in their own way.

Be prepared for SLEEP SISTER to arouse all emotions from you as you read this tale of psychological suspense. I was at turns sad, happy, and intensely angry as more things were revealed. A novel that can raise such emotions is the perfect one, in my opinion. You will be drawn into this ongoing revelation as Beth, Sara and all of the other characters grow into adulthood and deal with their issues in different ways.

There may not be a jaw dropping moment at the end of SLEEP SISTER but rest assured that there will be plenty of them along the way. I could actually see this as being a movie as I read it, even choosing actors to play different roles. It is an absorbing story and will not be easily forgotten once you have reached the final page.