A tantalizing red-carpet revenge tale with a blockbuster finale.
News of a fellow actress’s murder hits unusually hard for Annette Taylor. These days, Annette’s personal big-screen legacy reflects back on her as if through a shattered mirror. She’s still reeling from a debilitating incident that she can’t quite remember and injuries she’ll never be able to forget. Since Annette needs almost constant care to complete basic tasks, her estranged sister moves in to help out. Of course, her sister Sophia has a rocky past of her own, one Annette has been trying to make excuses for and smooth over for years. Their complex relationship has been more off than on and has cost Annette quite a bit. Still, this sympathetic sibling wants to preserve the tentative bond she has with Sophia, her only living relative. So, Annette reluctantly agrees to do an in-home, round-the-clock documentary of the celebrity sisters as they work through a painful convalescence. Physical limitations and new setbacks prove disheartening, but not as much as the challenges to her mental health. More actresses are attacked, her home might be haunted, everyone is against her sibling reconciliation, and her best friend is possibly having an affair with her ex-fiancé, a man whom Annette still loves. With the cameras constantly rolling, will Annette triumph over adversity and reemerge as an American icon? Or will she break down on national television, sealing her fate as a star that will never shine again?
Mystery and deceit abound in Audra McElyea’s addictive thriller, Hush, Dear Sister. A vulnerable protagonist, a melodramatic sister, a slighted lover, and powerful Hollywood players with greedy agendas comprise a sordid cast that allows plenty of room for misleading clues, juicy secrets, and heart-pounding chapter cliffhangers. There are moments where you might think the plot seems played out, but then a darker backstory takes shape or a stoney-faced sub-villain adds a delicious twist at a critical moment. Getting inside Annette’s mind as she is either being manipulated or losing touch with reality is enthralling, leaving readers sympathetic, unsure, and fully invested in the outcome. An unexpected treat in this novel is the glitz and drama swirling around Annette’s sprawling Crawford Manor, a mansion she purchased after filming a hit movie on-site. The home becomes a beloved character all its own, with its dazzling, cryptic, and lingering ambiance that adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story. With bubbling suspense, unpredictable antagonists, and silver-screen charm, Hush, Dear Sister is a tantalizing red-carpet revenge tale with a blockbuster finale.
