Estranged Sisters Search for Their Inheritance

When their mother, Josie, dies, Emily and Rose return to Mill River for the reading of the will. The sisters have been estranged because of something that happened many years ago. In the will they are chagrined to learn that their mother's stipulates they must cooperate with each other to find the key to a safety deposit box that will hold their inheritance.

Although the main plot is ploy to get the sisters back together, a secondary plot involves Josie bringing her two young daughters to Mill River to live with her aunt Ivy after her husband dies

in a mysterious accident. Toggling back and forth between the plots gives us the background for why the sisters are estranged as well as why the death of their father was so traumatic.

The setting is a great escape. Mill River is exactly the sort of small town you might choose if you were looking for a place to heal. The characters, particularly Ivy and Father O'Brien, bring life to the story. The plot revolves around the destructiveness of lies and alcoholism, both of which are good topics, but it feels thin. The author tries to keep your interest by doling out tidbits about why the sisters are estranged and what happened to their father, but it feels like a way to drag out the story.

It's an easy book to read. I recommend it if you like stories about small town life and secrets.

I reviewed this book for Net Galley.