Wives and Sisters

by Natalie R. Collins

When Allison Jensen was six, she and her best friend were playing in the woods near home. One moment her friend was beside her; then she was gone. When no leads emerged, she was given up for dead. Now, years later, trying to fill in the gaps of a patchwork memory, to make sense of the senseless, Allison still can get no answers from the Mormon community in which she lives. Why is she being fed half-truths? Why is her father able to tyrannize and torment as the self-appointed messenger of God? When a brutal attack on her as a young adult makes her desperate to escape Mormon bonds, Allison finds herself on a collision course with community leaders as they cover up the steps of a sexual predator. She must stop them before they find her and keep her from piecing together the tragic past that has haunted her life.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Adult Fiction, Novels

288 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2001

About the author

In her acclaimed thrillers, Natalie R. Collins reveals the secrets that lurk in every town, the darkness that lies in every heart, and the ties that bind every family--till death...

Natalie R. Collins has ten published books, has worked as a ghostwriter on several other books, and is currently working on revisions for her fourth book with St. Martin's press, as well as a YA, her first. She has dabbled in both dark suspense and cozy mysteries, and is happy to be able to work in both genres. She has written for Penguin Putnam, Thompson Gale, and still currently has a contract with St. Martin’s Press. She spent five years as an editor at the Sundance Film Festival, has worked in journalism, and is currently working to get her degree in graphic design.

Natalie also has three books, TUTU DEADLY, TAPPED OUT, and POINTE AND SHOOT, published by Penguin Putnam (Berkley Prime Crime), under the name Natalie M. Roberts. The Jenny T. Partridge Dance Mystery Series chronicle the adventures of an erstwhile dance teacher in Ogden, Utah, and her many adventures with pyscho dance moms.

Her critically acclaimed WIVES AND SISTERS received excellent reviews, including one from Kirkus, calling Collins “…a talent to watch.” New York Times Bestselling author, Allison Brennan, said of BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, "Intense, suspenseful…page-turning."

Publisher's Weekly said of TWISTED SISTER, "In this solid sequel to Sisterwife....Roberts pulls off a thought-provoking puzzler."-- Publishers Weekly

Reviews

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Allison Jensen has had a lot of trauma and drama in her life. Born to a Mormon family, her best friend disappeared while they were playing when she was six. Her father was a disciplinarian and controlling, driven to grow his celestial family. So much so, his wife died giving birth to a child they knew was putting her life in danger when Allison was fifteen. He soon remarried a widow to bring her family into the fold. Then Allison is attacked and wants out of the Mormon community. None of her questions about her friend were ever answered, and she knew the man who attacked her, but the church failed to take any action. Allison feels it is up to her to find answers and get justice before it is too late.

I worked for several years for a company owned by a Mormon family. I learned a lot then about their customs, traditions, and faith. Since then, I have been interested in reading fictional stories that feature Mormonism. As the author had been part of the faith, I was intrigued to read how she would take on this subject matter. I know this is just a snapshot of one family, and I thought she had a fine job, though some say it was unbelievable. I guess that’s why it is fiction, and not fact. Ms. Collins could draw content from her actual experiences, things she has heard over the years, items in the news, and then give it some twists and turns from her imagination. And all that helped me escape into the story.

Allison is a complex character who started questioning her faith from a young age. Rape, murder, hate, mental abuse, physical abuse, stalking, cover-ups, and conspiracies are examined within the pages of her heartbreaking journey that is laid out before readers. She has a hard time trusting anyone, and when she finally does, he is tragically taken away from her. I was invested. I needed to know how she survived it all.

Wives and Sisters is a compelling story filled with heartbreak and self-discovery, tragedy and questions, acceptance, and the fight to move on and beyond all to chaos and drama in one brave woman’s life. While the writing was a little wonky here and there, the story flowed well and kept my attention until the final page. This is the first book I have read by Ms. Collins, but it has me curious to check out her other books.

*This book is from my private collection. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Celeste Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty silly. The author has an obvious ax to grind, and highlights an extreme example of Mormonism, doing little to shed light on its appeal and power over followers. If she hadn't set it against the backdrop of Mormon culture, I doubt this shoddily-constructed, oddly-paced mystery would have garnered much attention.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this story about Mormons in Utah. I thought it was very suspenseful and it held my interest. It was very creepy.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family secrets; creepy, a compelling search for justice.

[Dlhmoore · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author is a Mormon and the story takes place in Utah and I was interested in learning more about the Mormon faith. There is a lot of information about the church and I had the feeling that the author held some anger about the demands of the church.

The story is of a kidnapping, murder and abuse but the main character, a rebel against her family and the church, goes off on her own and isn’t real at all. But she does a tremendous amount of crying! When the story is finally resolved there are SO many holes, unanswered questions, and behaviors that are not consistent with the drawn picture. I was very disappointed but my eyes were opened where the Mormon church is concerned.

[Cheryl Licata · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel had a little bit of mystery and a whole lot of tragedy. The author makes it clear the real guilty party in this novel is the Mormon Church. The author was raised a member of the Mormon Church so I guess her facts about the religion are true. My favorite quote to remember during the Pandemic is one that main character Allison says to her sister Carrie -- "Different isn't always bad."

[Melinda Gauthier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its was a quick read and made you want to find out what happens. It was educational in the ways of women's lives in mormon communities. So of it was brutal but I like how she did not go in to grafic details.

[Laura Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's really a 3.5. It took me awhile to care, but once I was hooked, I enjoyed reading it. I have no idea of what it is like to be a Mormon in Utah, but it is apparently a whole different world.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an angry book . Interesting because I’m familiar with the LDS religion and this was spot on. Contrary to what they want you to think.
Creepy

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stayed up far too late reading this.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a very quick read. It was difficult to put down because the story is compelling. I was not impressed entirely with the author's writing style, but I think this is her first novel or an early one, and she may be an author to watch. Natalie Collins was apparently raised in (and still lives in) Utah in the Mormon Church and very clearly knows the ins and outs of Mormon life. This is one of the things I found most interesting. I have read stories before of abused wives and children and of religious wackos, but this was my first real view into the daily life of a devout Mormon. I know that this story does not describe every Mormon family, or not even every devout Mormon family. But I think from news accounts, it describes somewhat accurately the Mormon cultural norm of the authoritative father and the submissive wife; I couldn't say about the abused children, but in authoritative cultures it tends to follow that violence within the family is more common. The nature of the Mormon hierarchy is also pretty well known. I wonder just how much despair exists for the women and female children in families that are devoutly Mormon. The Mormon church is probably not unlike the Catholic Church in its cover-ups of abuses; in fact, the Mormons have a much more secretive and closed society than do the Catholics in America. This story didn't ring 100% believable to me, but I think that was mostly due to the writing being a bit stilted. Still, we got some good old religious fervor, some romance, some good sleuthing, mystery, and a bit of humor. It would be interesting to know what the Mormon community thought of the book...

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This is written by an Ex-mormon about a girl who grows up in a mormon household most would think was abusive. Given events that happened to her as a young child, she has grown up openingly questioning the church and this pits her against her family. Her family dynamic is very interesting. Her father is very strict and quick to discipline and her mother died when she was 15, when she was giving birth to a child her father wanted to help populate his celestial family. Her brother is killed on a missionary trip and her younger sisters aren't without struggle. When she is in colllege she connects with her mothers sister who was disowned from the family for being a lesbian. This is a blessing for her when she falls into a deep depression and then gets raped. Her relationship with men is also very interesting. She starts out searching for anyone to piss of her dad but by the end of the book she is making better man choices.

Very interesting and nice to hear a viewpoint of one questioning religion that was all around them, engulfing them their entire life.Sometimes the writing was a lil shabby and sometimes I wasn't sure about the way conversations were worded, but in the end it was written by a former mormon about former mormons who aren't that crazy and let loose to begin with!

[Azuree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This riveting tale about a girl growing up in a Mormon society where women are supposed to stay at home and men are the ones who have the control allows the reader a glimpse into what happens when a crime is committed and no one wants to take responsibility. Although Wives and Sisters is a fiction book, the author being an ex-Mormon herself, uses much of the churches laws and ideals to paint a picture of what Allison Jensen goes through in her life after her best friend is kidnapped an no one will talk about it. The more Allison questions the church the harder things become for her at home until finally she is able to move out and go to college. Thinking her life will be better Allison is in for a rude awakening when someone closer to her than she realizes begins to stalk her. After finding out the church knows more than it is letting on Allison decides to take back her life and catch the man responsible for so many of the bad things that have happened to her. Although Allison leads a hard life and the novel is not always easy to read, Collins does a wonderful job at captivating the reader and giving insight into a religion many know nothing about.

[MBenzz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent read. From page one I was hooked. The book opens with two little girls in central Utah, 8 yr. old Cindy, and 6 yr. old Allison, playing in the woods not far from their homes. A man with a beard confronts them at gun-point and orders them to take off their clothes. The little girls run, but after slipping and falling, Allison is knocked out. When she awakes her friend Cindy is nowhere to be found.

This is the start of a very hard life for Allison Jensen. Allison is raised in the wicked, cult-like surroundings of the Mormon church. She realizes early on just how wrong the whole Mormon 'religion' is, and does everything to rebel against her fathers and the churches beliefs.

So much happens to Allison, and at such a fast pace that it's nearly impossible to put this book down. There's rape, murder, physical and mental abuse, a mass cover-up, conspiracies, and everything in between. I'm not a big suspense reader, but I definitely recommend this book. Can't wait to read more from Ms. Collins.

[Eliece · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a very forgettable story--I can't believe I stayed with it all the way to the bitter end.
The main character was a lapsed Morman (as is the author, apparently) and she has some strong biases. The story begins with her as a 6-year-old who is present when her 8-year-old friend is abducted. For the next 20 years she is obsessed with finding out what happened to her friend, and why the Mormon community was so closed-mouth about it.
There are a lot of side issues, particularly with her father who is very controlling and authoritarian. I guess I kept reading because I wanted to find out what had happened to Cindy, but I found myself saying, "Give me a break" a lot as the plot progressed from bad to worse. An unbelievable amount of bad things happened to Alli--some of them due to her own stupidity.
The writing was pedestrian. It was obvious that it was written by a journalist and not an experienced novelist.

[DAISY READS HORROR · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Spoilers ahead**
I didn't expect to love this as much as I did. This story was filled with sorrow & suspense. I have read a lot of books on the Mormon church but most were true accounts. I know this is a fictional work but it reminded me of the big scandal that happened in the Mormon community not too long ago with Warren Jeffs; In the similarities that many members stayed quiet even though they knew the sick and perverted acts he was committing among children and other members.

But, back to the book I was devastated when Frank died. I was truly rooting for him and Allison to end up together. The ending of the book was bittersweet. I will be looking for more books written by Ms. Collins.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very strong and good book! I could relate to the book very well since I was raised in a similar religion and couldn't wait to leave.

The reason I only gave it four stars was that in the beginning it seems extremely whiny but then I realized she is looking back and telling the story from her adult viewpoint and could see why it was negative, now realizing how it should have been.

I must add that I do realize not everyone that is Mormon grew up in such a horrible household as the book. The book did a food job of showing how any religion/belief can be followed to the extreme, not everyone is that extreme, thankfully.

[Rhonda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite. The story is set in Utah and is written around the Mormons/ LDS. I liked that the story was written in first person but the details of the belief structure of the LDS and the storyline itself, I ended the book wondering if the author had was a former LDS/Mormon herself and had left the church and its teachings, and if this was a real event that happened that she glossed over and created a fictional book from.

I found the story predictable in a lot of areas although there were a few surprises that I didn't see coming.

The only reason I finished reading the book is because I didnt' have anything else to read.

[Kriatyrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

another accidental re-read. I don't remember having read this before (but I remember having started reading it, which should have clued me in because a book has to be utterly terrible for me to abandon it), but all the way through it was familiar - although I had forgotten a lot of details, so it was still fairly exciting. Still no idea when I first read it.. Bought it when it was fresh, didn't read it for a long time. Like most of my books.

[El Zet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hesitating how many stars should I give to this book. I hade huge expectations giving my current anti-cult obsession and on one hand I feel satisfied, but on the other I don't. The book was gripping and gave a broad picture of Mormon customs and beliefs, but the mystery was not mysterious at all and the answer was obvious from the beginning.

[Hailey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is about a girl that witnessed her friends murder at a young age by someone in the church....It was sort of interesting but really has some parts in the book...overall i really wouldn't recommend this book!

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grabbed this book from the Library without reading what it was about. I was quite surprised to find that it was very anti-Mormon. The story line was good - it is very dramatic - but the author, who grew up Mormon, really is bitter about the church and really brought it out in her story.

[Naomi Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I loke books about the church, whether Mormon, Catholic, or Episcopalian, because they are so foreign to me. It tells the story of a girl who grew up in the Mormom church and at some point loses faith in it.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing!

[Elise · Rating 1 out of 5]

This had the potential to be interesting but was too far-fetched, bitter, and silly to be worth the time it took to read.

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a bleak story. I looked at the writer's website, and discovered that she is an angry ex-Mormon, and some of what she wrote was autobiographical. That explained a lot about the book.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Absolute crap but strangely compelling, fueling my current obsession. The abuse and rape is as common as Nancy Drew getting knocked unconscious.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very suspenseful book. I felt sorry for Alli and her sisters and brother. To think that these things happen in some religions.

[D.]

Wives and Sisters by Natalie R. Collins (2006)

[Ashley]

well i have read most of this book intill my boyfriend tore it apart so now i have to try to find a new copy but it was really good