After reading Karen Dionne’s first novel, The Marsh King’s Daughter, in 2020, I was excited about her new release. The Wicked Sister is her second novel and it does not disappoint. Like her debut, this story is set in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan. The description of the UP is both gorgeous and terrifying, and it’s one of my favorite parts of Dionne’s writing. 

The Wicked Sister is told from two points of view and different timelines: Rachel, 26, who has spent 15 years in a mental hospital believing she killed her parents, and Jenny, her mother, before she was murdered. 

The crux of the novel is that Rachel has lost all of her memories around her parents dying. When a young reporter interviews her and shows her old evidence that calls into question her guilt, Rachel begins a journey to discover what actually happened to her family. 

As the title suggests there is an evil sister lurking in Rachel’s past, and Rachel will not uncover the truth without facing that danger again.

This book is a wild ride with lots of tension and vivid nature descriptions to keep you reeled in. My only criticism is that Dionne likes to write a relatively happy ending. Her endings don’t tie everything up perfectly, but she also doesn’t write haunting open endings that some people crave. If you like a bit of adventure and chase in a thriller or you love wilderness novels, pick this one up!