Title: Forgotten Sisters
Author: Cynthia Pelayo
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Horror, Urban Fantasy, Mystery
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: March 19, 2024
A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by Kaye Publicity, Inc. and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.
Sisters Anna and Jennie live in a historic bungalow on the Chicago River. They’re tethered to a disquieting past, and with nowhere else to go, nothing can part them from their family home. Not the maddening creaks and disembodied voices that rattle the old walls. Not the inexplicable drownings in the area, or the increasing number of bodies that float by Anna’s window.
To stave off loneliness, Anna has a podcast, spinning ghostly tales of Chicago’s tragic history. But when Anna captures the attention of an ardent male listener, she awakens to the possibilities of a world outside.
As their relationship grows, so do Jennie’s fears. More and more people are going missing in the river. And then two detectives come calling.
They’re looking for a link between the mysteries of the river and what’s housed on the bank. Even Anna and Jennie don’t understand how dreadful it is—and still can be—when the truth about their unsettled lives begins to surface.
⤖ My Review ⬻
I remember reading the synopsis for Forgotten Sisters by Cynthia Pelayo and liking it, but don’t remember it being a retelling, so I dove into it not realizing it was a retelling. Even once I read the synopsis again and noted the mention of retelling, though, it luckily didn’t really help me predict how the story would go. I hate being able to guess!
Pelayo skillfully reimagines the classic fairytale, Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” in a contemporary urban fantasy setting, infusing the familiar story with dark twists and supernatural elements that kept me guessing until the very end. I really liked the writing, and while the pacing didn’t quite click with me, I think it was done on purpose and was definitely worth it when everything came to a head. Pelayo’s prose is atmospheric and evocative.
I also really liked learning about some of the darker history of Chicago, and liked revisiting the city through Forgotten Sisters in general (especially with the hints of the supernatural or paranormal). You could tell that the author had spent a lot of time in the city (I believe she’s lived there most of her life if not all).
With Forgotten Sisters, Pelayo mixed haunted house elements with missing persons mystery, in a way that I enjoyed. Lastly, I really liked the plot twists and was happy to not see them coming (not even close). I overall enjoyed the book and got through it really quickly because I had some free time and also because the mystery aspect made me want to find out what the truth really was. If any of the above sounds good to you, I definitely recommend!