The Night Sister

by Jennifer McMahon

[ibeforem]

This is the second Jennifer McMahon book I’ve read, and my comments on the first still apply to the second: “Interesting concept, mostly okay execution.”

At the heart of this story is the Tower Motel and the family that runs it. Chronologically, the story begins with Sylvie and Rose, the daughters of the Tower’s builder and owner. Sylvie is the darling older daughter, sparkling and talented and prepared to take Hollywood by storm. Rose is the quieter, plainer, younger sister, always in Sylvie’s shadow and content to care for her cow.

Decades later, we meet Amy, Rose’s daughter, and her friends Piper and Margot. Amy is obsessed with the mystery of her aunt Sylvie’s disappearance, and pulls Piper and Margot into the mystery with her.

And then decades past that, we meet Amy, Piper, and Margot as adults. But something terrible has happened at the Tower Motel, and it’s connected to the events of the past.

The three time periods are woven together so pieces of the puzzle are slowly revealed. This part, I enjoyed. I like to get bits and pieces of the story at a time, and try to figure out how everything fits together in the end.

But there’s also a supernatural element here, and that’s the part that I found disappointing. I kinda wish it wasn’t there. It’s not that I dislike supernatural stuff — I have read my fair share — but this particular piece of the supernatural world didn’t appeal to me. I would have rather it been a mental disorder, a delusion.

But overall, I enjoyed this story, and I like McMahon as an author. I’ll certainly read more of her books.