I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Sister, Butcher, Sister: A Novel by KD Aldyn Published by Poisoned Pen Press on June 3, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Thrillers / Psychological
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
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Goodreads
The chilling prose of Karin Slaughter meets the high-stakes serial killer plotting of The Butcher and the Wren. This dark debut follows three normal sisters, their own forgotten traumas, and the serial killer that lives within one.
The Rowling sisters have always been people you can understand. People, like all of us, with past indiscretions and secrets, hopes and futures. And now, they have all come home. The eldest, Kate, a tomboyish and slightly wayward lawyer, has just returned to buy her late grandfather’s home but is soon faced with dark visions she isn’t quite sure how to face. Aurora, a married mother of two, and classically trained harpist, may finally be acting out after her sister drudges up their complicated past and a secret affair ends. And Peggy, the youngest, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, has finally gotten her life together. But still, memories of what happened to her haunt her deep to her core...
And then there’s SHE.
SHE is one of them, but SHE is not like them at all. SHE is defined only by the acts SHE commits, the carnage SHE lets the world see, the murders that have swept through their coastal community, striking fear all around. And as the police close in on their newest serial killer, scrutiny lands on the sisters, forcing them to face their demons, unlock their memories, and reveal all they have kept hidden.
Review
Three sisters. One killer. And enough family secrets to fill a graveyard.
KD Aldyn’s debut thriller Sister, Butcher, Sister isn’t just another domestic noir – it’s a razor-sharp dissection of sisterhood that’ll make you side-eye your own siblings. The story follows Aurora, Kate, and Peggy Rowling, three women who’ve mastered the art of looking normal while carrying enough emotional baggage to sink a ship. Oh, and one of them happens to be a murderer.
Aldyn writes like she’s wielding a scalpel, cutting straight to the bone of what makes families tick – and what makes them implode. Each sister gets their turn in the spotlight, and with every chapter, you’ll think you’ve figured out which one’s the killer. Trust me, you haven’t.
The book hits hard when it comes to trauma, abuse, and violence. It’s not bedtime reading for the squeamish (there’s a content warning for good reason). But Aldyn handles these themes with the gravity they deserve, never falling into cheap shock value.
Where the story really shines is in its psychological maze. Just when you think you understand these women, Aldyn pulls the rug out from under you. The middle might drag a bit, but the ending? It’s like a punch to the gut – in the best possible way.
Sister, Butcher, Sister reads like Gillian Flynn and Karin Slaughter had a literary love child. It’s smart, savage, and impossible to put down. If you can stomach intense psychological thrillers, this one belongs on your nightstand. Just don’t blame me if you’re still awake at 3 AM, wondering which sister has blood on her hands.
4.5/5 – A debut that cuts deep and leaves a mark.
