The Sweeney Sisters

The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

Expected publication:  April 28, 2020 – William Morrow

E-Galley courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss

Description:

Maggie, Eliza, and Tricia Sweeney grew up as a happy threesome in the idyllic seaside town of Southport, Connecticut. But their mother’s death from cancer fifteen years ago tarnished their golden-hued memories, and the sisters drifted apart. Their one touchstone is their father, Bill Sweeney, an internationally famous literary lion and college professor universally adored by critics, publishers, and book lovers. When Bill dies unexpectedly one cool June night, his shell-shocked daughters return to their childhood home. They aren’t quite sure what the future holds without their larger-than-life father, but they do know how to throw an Irish wake to honor a man of his stature.

But as guests pay their respects and reminisce, one stranger, emboldened by whiskey, has crashed the party. It turns out that she too is a Sweeney sister.

When Washington, DC based journalist Serena Tucker had her DNA tested on a whim a few weeks earlier, she learned she had a 50% genetic match with a childhood neighbor—Maggie Sweeney of Southport, Connecticut. It seems Serena’s chilly WASP mother, Birdie, had a history with Bill Sweeney—one that has remained totally secret until now.

Once the shock wears off, questions abound. What does this mean for William’s literary legacy? Where is the unfinished memoir he’s stashed away, and what will it reveal? And how will a fourth Sweeney sister—a blond among redheads—fit into their story? (publisher)

My take: The Sweeney Sisters is the story of three siblings mourning the death of their father, a famous author whose estate is in disarray and it would appear he had some monumental secrets. As they sort through the fallout they are faced with welcoming another sister into their fold. This is just one of the challenges they must deal with as each sister grapples with personal upheaval at the same time. Set in a tony Connecticut town, with the expected well-heeled characters, The Sweeney Sisters is an enjoyable novel that I recommend to fans of messy stories about family, sisters and secrets.

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