The Missing Sister

A stolen sister. A daughter determined to uncover the truth. Belle Hatton has embarked upon an exciting new life far from home- a glamorous job as a nightclub singer in 1930s Burma, with a host of sophisticated new friends and admirers. But Belle is haunted by a mystery from the past - a 25 year old newspaper clipping found in her parents' belongings after their death, saying that the Hattons were leaving Rangoon after the disappearance of their baby daughter, Elvira. Belle is desperate to find out what happened to the sister she never knew she had - but when she starts asking questions, she is confronted with unsettling rumours, malicious gossip, and outright threats. Oliver, an attractive, easy-going American journalist, promises to help her, but an anonymous note tells her not to trust those closest to her. . . Belle survives riots, intruders, and bomb attacks - but nothing will stop her in her mission to uncover the truth. Can she trust her growing feelings for Oliver? Is her sister really dead? And could there be a chance Belle might find her?

About the Author :
Dinah Jefferies was born in Malaysia and moved to England at the age of nine. Her idyllic childhood always held a special place in her imagination, and when she began writing novels in her 60s, she was able to return there - first in her fiction and then on annual research trips for each new novel. Dinah Jefferies is the author of novels, The Separation, The Tea Planter's Wife - a Number One Sunday Times bestseller, The Silk Merchant's Daughter, Before the Rains and The Missing Sister. She lives in Gloucestershire.

Review :
I was gripped, moved and utterly in thrall to this deeply emotional and compelling tale. Jefferies is truly a master of her craft. She writes so vividly I could feel the Rangoon grit under my finger nails and the humidity heavy on my skin. This powerful story explores the all-consuming impact of family and lifts the lid with an intimate sensitivity on how we deal with loss and betrayal in our lives. Belle and Diana are wonderful characters who leapt effortlessly into my life and whirled me through a helter-skelter of danger and suspicion that had me turning the pages late into the night. As always with a Dinah Jefferies book the research was meticulous. I loved it. The Missing Sister is a rich and enjoyable read on so many levels. It's an intriguing mystery, a deliciously rewarding romance, and a searing portrait of mental breakdown. 1930s Burma is vividly evoked and the plot is worked out to a conclusion that is not simply satisfying, but almost magical. This is a moving and complex story, beautifully told. I positively raced through The Missing Sister this week and adored it! It's full of Dinah Jefferies' trademark atmosphere, with the colours and scents and wildlife of Burma described so vividly I felt I was there - and there's a terrific story too. Dinah has an infallible ability to draw us into deliciously exotic worlds, and The Missing Sister is no exception. The superficial glamour of late colonial-era Burma reveals unsettling undercurrents and growing unrest, the perfect backdrop for the thrilling tale of a singer's desperate search for her lost sister. A wonderfully compelling, immersive read with characters that stay with you long afterwards. My ideal read - I couldn't put it down A sweeping tale, beautifully written in a wonderful setting, heart rending yet ultimately uplifting. Gorgeous. The Missing Sister is a pacy, intriguing novel. Set in an exotic, little-known location, it draws you in to its secrets and dangers; the dark recesses of Burma. I stayed up all night reading. Dinah Jefferies has a knack of getting under the skin of her exotic locations and this story about loss and love, set in sultry Burma during the troubled 1930s, is no exception. A gorgeous novel. Deliciously transporting A fabulous read