The Sinner's Guide to Confession

by Phyllis Schieber and Cleo Qian

From the author of Willing Spirits' a novel of three women, their deepest longings, and their most profound secrets.

Barbara, Kaye, and Ellen, longtime friends, are inseparable but each nurtures her own secret. As a widowed mother, Barbara hides her persona as a writer of erotica. Kaye is having an extramarital affair that reawakens her passion but fills her with conflict. Ellen has lost her husband to a younger woman who is...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425221539
• ISBN13: 9780425221532
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 374 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.5" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

What Secrets Do Your Friends Hide - What Secrets Do You Hide From Your Friends?

Take three best friends, each woman has her own life and family. They share just about everything - but each friend has a secret that she won't share with her friends or family. Will people think less of her if they know the secret she is hiding? How will her life change if she admits the truth? Will her life be better if she shares the secret? Admitting the truth gives friends and family the chance to help her with the secret - is that what she wants? Barbara, Kaye and Ellen live in New York and they are each around 50 years old. Barbara recently lost her husband when he died unexpectedly. Thankfully, she has a lucrative career as a romance author and an even more lucrative secret. Her children are grown and on their own, but she is their mother and children have certain expectations about what their mother's should do. Kaye has a life with her husband and her children are adults, but her relationship with her husband has grown stale - is her future with him or another man? She meets a man who makes her feel sexy and desired, that makes her "stale" relationship with her husband even harder to tolerate. What will the future bring for Kaye and her family? Ellen was forced, by her parents, to give up her daughter for adoption. This made her relationship even more strained with her parents and siblings. This forced adoption is even harder to handle as Ellen is married and she is unable to become pregnant. Will Ellen be able to meet her long lost daughter and if she does, can they forge a relationship? Each of these women has a strong support system in place, but she needs to make the decision to trust these people with the secrets she is hiding. Their journey to self discovery takes you on an interesting, touching, emotion and at times a humorous trek through the pages of The Sinners' Guide to Confession. Female relationship stories are not usually my favorite reads, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and often found myself laughing at great one liners and other times reaching for tissues as I read this very well written book by Phyllis Schieber.

Testament to the power of female friendship

This book is a delight from start to finish. The author's trademark humor sparkles throughout, and the dialogue crackles with wit. Gracefully written, it is at once funny and profound, and offers a moving testament to the healing power of female friendship. "Sinner's Guide" is a perfect selection for book clubs. Don't miss it.

I Confess: I loved Phyllis Schieber's new novel

I became deeply involved with the lives of all three identifiable characters in this novel. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again, and I'm now recommending it to my book club: it's perfect to stimulate illuminating discussions. Don't miss this one!

A Great Read!

I found it very hard to put this book down because I became very involved with both the characters and the plot. I had tears in my eyes while I was laughing out loud. What a satisfying combination from a truly gifted writer.

I Confess to Loving The Sinner's Guide

From the very first page, I was gripped by Phyllis Schieber's wonderful novel, completely entranced by the friendships and choices made by three memorable characters. You'll want to recommend this novel to all your friends, and it's a perfect selection for any book club.