The Sister's Curse: A Novel by Nicola SolvinicPublication Date: October 21, 2025
Pages: 384
Add on: Goodreads
Buy the Book: Amazon
Rating: ★★★
Source: From the Publisher
Genre: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Police Procedural
Publisher: Berkley / Penguin Random House
There’s something in the water in Bayern County…
When mysterious drownings plague her small town, a detective haunted by her serial killer father must uncover whether revenge, ancient legends, or something darker lurks beneath the surface.
Lieutenant Anna Koray thought she'd finally found solid ground and escaped her past as the daughter of a notorious serial killer. A loving boyfriend, a loyal dog, a life that almost feels normal—except darkness has a way of seeping in. When she saves a boy from drowning, the strange marks on his body tell a disturbing story: something in the depths tried to drag him under.
Days later, another victim surfaces with identical marks and Anna's instincts scream that these are no accidents. Both victims are connected to the Kings of Warsaw Creek—men of the town's wealthiest and most influential families. And they have enemies.
Others whisper that there are witches in Bayern County, seeking revenge for a long-ago murder. Perhaps it's the work of Vivian Carson, the enigmatic bartender who’s rumored to cast hexes on those who wrong her. Or maybe it’s a secret coven who’s been leaving serpentine symbols and skulls behind at the scenes of the drownings.
But Anna's investigation reveals an even more sinister truth: something is stirring in the water, and it wants the Kings to pay.
With time running out and more victims appearing, Anna must separate superstition from truth. But in Bayern County, where legends and curses run deep as the water itself, one wrong step could drag her into the depths—this time for good.
Story Locale: Ohio
REVIEW
Nicola Solvinic’s The Sister’s Curse plunges readers into the shadowy heart of Bayern County, where detective Anna finds herself entangled in a chilling string of drownings. Haunted by past trauma from a serial killer case, Anna is forced to sift through a fog of small-town legends, superstition, and whispered rumours of witches as she hunts for the truth. Is there a killer lurking in the shadows, or is something more sinister at play, something that defies explanation?
Anna is a fierce and wounded heroine, determined to see justice done even as her own scars threaten to pull her under. Around her swirls a cast of secretive townsfolk, including Vivian Carson, a bartender with a reputation for hexes and a knowing glance. Their stories, and the town’s tangled folklore, feed a mounting paranoia that seeps into every page.
Solvinic’s writing is razor-sharp and atmospheric, blending the grit of a police procedural with the goosebumps of a Gothic ghost story. Bayern County is more than a backdrop; it’s a living, breathing character, thick with dread and rumour. The suspense never lets up, and the twists land with real force.
If there’s a flaw, it’s that character development sometimes gets lost in the rush. Anna is compelling, but some side characters feel more like sketches than fully developed individuals, and the ending arrives in a hurry, leaving a few threads dangling. Still, the relentless pace and eerie mood more than make up for these bumps.
I devoured The Sisters’ Curse, with its blend of horror, mystery, and folklore. If you’re after a thriller that lives in the grey space between logic and legend, with a setting that grabs hold and doesn’t let go, this book belongs on your nightstand.
