Every Sweet Thing is Bitter is a gripping and poignant crime fiction debut by Samantha Crewson. Providence is a proud single and childless lesbian who reluctantly returns to her hometown when her mother goes missing. After years estranged from her sisters, Providence hates to be back home under the eye of her controlling and violent father. But she is certain that there was foul play, and she won't rest until she finds answers herself about her mother's disappearance. 

This novel gripped me from the beginning, and I was amazed by Crewson's character development. Providence is nothing you expect from a female main character in a crime novel. She's a woman who has made serious mistakes in her past, for which she is unapologetic. This crime and trauma from her youth follows her as she tries to solve the mystery and look out for her younger sisters. 

If you like out of the box female characters who are badass, resilient, and unafraid to be themselves, this book is for you. If you also like crime thrillers that don't center police or detectives, pick this up. This is a book that will keep you up reading until you finish and pull your heartstrings simultaneously. Already I wait with bated breath for Crewson's next novel. Get this on your TBR!