When Alafair Burke released The Better Sister in 2019, it was a major hit. The psychological thriller about the mysterious murder of lawyer Adam Macintosh—and how it turns the life of journalist Chloe Taylor upside down—was simply irresistible. The main suspect is Chloe’s stepson-nephew, Ethan, but of course, the investigation unearths decades-old family secrets, including Chloe’s estrangement from her sister, Nicky, Ethan’s biological mother, and Adam’s ex-wife. The soapy plot made for a highly entertaining series, which landed on Prime Video at the turn of May to June.

Yes, it’s a full-blown melodrama, told over nine episodes, but the kind that keeps you hooked until the end. The series dives deep into family secrets and sisterly dynamics as we follow the police zeroing in on Ethan. With each new episode, more layers are peeled back…

Some have called The Better Sister an East Coast Big Little Lies, with its beautifully decorated homes, understated fashion, and a lifestyle that’s as fascinating as it’s enviable. Burke’s background as a former prosecutor and law professor lends credibility to the legal scenes, adding depth to the story. Still, the show doesn’t linger long in courtrooms—its heart lies in the domestic drama.

The miniseries stars Jessica Biel as Chloe and Elizabeth Banks as Nicky, with spot-on casting and standout performances, especially from Banks. The story, though implausible like many thrillers, benefits from not being based on a true story. And that’s a plus, considering how the true-crime craze has drained the thrill from purely invented plots. Rightfully so, the show has earned critical praise.

As this genre demands, we first see an idealized life and marriage, only to watch it unravel behind closed doors. What begins with the shocking revelation of Adam’s murder at a beach house eventually grows into a long list of potential suspects, with Ethan stuck in the middle.

Gradually, we see that Nicky isn’t quite the villain Adam and Chloe made her out to be. The sisters slowly shift from adversaries to co-conspirators in the effort to save “their” son. They grew up in a household marred by abuse, alcoholism, and trauma, but each carried the scars differently. Marrying the same man obviously didn’t help—but the question still remains: who killed Adam?

The plot can get convoluted, with a flood of characters whose connections take a while to decipher—but that’s also what keeps the twists coming.

Showrunner Olivia Milch strikes a smart balance between drama, tension, and the occasional dose of humor. In fact, the truth is laid out very early on—only attentive viewers or readers will catch it. For everyone else, the big reveal delivers a genuine shock. And that’s the show’s greatest strength: The Better Sister reveals the truth in a way that only makes sense once it’s finally admitted, though some questions are left unanswered. Still, it’s not the show’s biggest twist.

Now, onto the SPOILERS.

The story follows Chloe Taylor (Jessica Biel), a successful magazine executive trying to figure out who murdered her husband, Adam (Corey Stoll). The prime suspect—much to her horror—is Ethan (Maxwell Acee Donovan), her stepson and nephew. That’s right: Chloe married Adam after he divorced her substance-abusing sister Nicky (Elizabeth Banks), who was estranged from Chloe and reenters her life as Ethan’s biological mother and legal guardian. Chloe, the supposedly “better sister” with her picture-perfect life, has deep wounds tied to Nicky, making their renewed cohabitation tense.

To prove Ethan’s innocence, the two sisters join forces to find the real killer—a journey that forces them to confront past pain and uncover new truths. From that point on, the plot twists so wildly that we almost forget who Adam was or why anyone wanted him dead.

After Chloe and Nicky manage to get a jury to acquit Ethan, the threat remains: the real killer is still out there. Eventually, we learn the truth—a world without Adam is a better one.

So, who killed Adam Macintosh? Nicky. It was self-defense—she returned to protect Chloe from domestic abuse. The problem? She lets her own son take the fall and go to trial for a murder she committed—all in the name of a plan that sounds like something from an even more delirious soap opera.

Somehow, we forgive this logical inconsistency, maybe because Nicky ends up being one of the show’s heroines—and because the rest of the characters are either deranged, morally bankrupt, or both. After Ethan is cleared and no one has yet figured out Nicky’s guilt, Chloe shifts her mission to saving her sister, and we find ourselves rooting for a killer.

When Chloe manages to frame a scammer who genuinely deserves prison time, we brush off the absurdity of it all. Only Chloe and the prickly, hilarious detective Nancy Guidry (Kim Dickens) seem to suspect the truth—and that’s because Guidry finds out Nicky told her ex-mother-in-law about Adam’s death before the police notified her. Still, Guidry is removed from the case after a report exposes her past investigative mistakes, and her boss dismisses the mother-in-law as an unreliable witness. That’s one of the show’s big twists.

And so, the sisters end up reconciled and at peace, planning to write a book about their story—and leaving us either satisfied or slightly dazed by how well it was all pulled off. In The Better Sister, being the “better” one just means you lie better.