Thicker Than Water
A Novel
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3.5 • 21 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
In this “twisty, propulsive thriller” (Robyn Harding, internationally bestselling author) from Megan Collins, two sisters-in-law are at painful odds when the man who connects them—the brother of one, the husband of the other—is accused of a brutal crime.
Julia and Sienna Larkin are sisters-in-law, connected by Julia’s husband and Sienna’s brother, Jason. More than that, the two are devoted best friends and business partners, believing that theirs is a uniquely unbreakable bond. To Sienna, her protective brother can do no wrong, and although Julia knows he’s not perfect, they’ve built a comfortable life and family together. Recently, Jason has been putting in long hours to secure a promotion at work, so when his boss is found brutally murdered—his lips sewn shut—the Larkins are shocked and unsettled, especially as local gossip swirls.
A few days later, Julia and Sienna’s lives are upended when Jason gets into a car accident and is placed in a medically induced coma. Worse, the police arrive with news that he’s the prime suspect in the murder investigation. With Jason unable to respond—and with Julia and Sienna working to clear his name—the two women find their friendship threatened for the first time: Sienna staunchly maintains her brother’s innocence, but as their investigation uncovers a complicated web of secrets, Julia is less sure she’s willing to defend her husband.
With her signature “moody and atmospheric” (USA TODAY) writing, Megan Collins has crafted a rich, gripping story that explores just how fragile our closest bonds can be.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Collins (The Family Plot) keeps readers on tenterhooks throughout this impressive thriller. Julia Larkin, who runs a brand development business with her sister-in-law, Sienna, struggles to process multiple shocks. First, her husband Jason's boss is brutally murdered—someone stabs him, smothers him, and sews his lips shut. Though the dead man was tied up in a scandal involving the IRS, the police pursue other theories about his murder. Julia gets another gut-punch when she learns that Jason is in a coma after a car crash, and the cops reveal that he's a suspect in his boss's murder. With Jason unable to defend himself, Julia and Sienna team up to clear his name. Collins's choice to alternate perspectives between the sisters-in-law pays off by leaving the reader uncertain about which of them, if either, has an accurate view of Jason's character. Admirers of William Landay's similarly themed Defending Jacob will be riveted.
Customer Reviews
What a waste of time
I hated this book. Publishers Weekly praised it so highly that I kept with it long after I should have cut my losses. But it is just turgid. Moves slower than grass grows. Overwrought. No real mystery or suspense until, miraculously, everything comes together in a rush to reveal the most convoluted mish mash of plot. The principal characters are sniveling, whiny, immature women children. There is absolutely zero redeeming quality to this book. If I could get my money back I would. But I’ll never get the time back.