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My Lost Sister
Twenty years ago someone stole my sister.
They say Leonie got into a man’s car. She was never seen again. It was the day before her fifteenth birthday.
But what if she was never taken? What if the truth is right here, all along, in the house where we grew up. The house I’ve come back to, trying to piece the past together.
A notification flashes on my phone. Photos on social media. I stare, chilled, at old pictures of my childhood home. Our front door, the gardens outside the window where I sit now. They’re #leonieshouse.
A shiver of unease runs down my spine.
Who knows?
What do they know?
I keep saying that I don’t remember.
But I do.
They say Leonie got into a man’s car. She was never seen again. It was the day before her fifteenth birthday.
But what if she was never taken? What if the truth is right here, all along, in the house where we grew up. The house I’ve come back to, trying to piece the past together.
A notification flashes on my phone. Photos on social media. I stare, chilled, at old pictures of my childhood home. Our front door, the gardens outside the window where I sit now. They’re #leonieshouse.
A shiver of unease runs down my spine.
Who knows?
What do they know?
I keep saying that I don’t remember.
But I do.
461 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2024
135 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 31, 2024
This a slow burning book, which really hooks you in, I couldn’t stop and had to know what had happened!
I loved the different timelines as we gradually find out what had happened.
I was suspicious of nearly everyone, despite this, I still didn’t see this ending coming!! This is a great read with a host of untrustworthy characters.
I loved the different timelines as we gradually find out what had happened.
I was suspicious of nearly everyone, despite this, I still didn’t see this ending coming!! This is a great read with a host of untrustworthy characters.
August 18, 2024
Rosalie returns to Hailbury, the home from her childhood. The home that holds the secrets of her sister, Leonie's disappearance. Rosalie is going to be writing a book, but then things start happening that trigger memories. Does Rosalie remember what happened?
I do feel like some chapters of this were a little drawn out and could have been shorter. Overall though it was good and certainly picked up pace from the second half.
The messages that Rosalie kept receiving were really creepy. Being in a huge house on your own and someone seeming to know your every move - no thanks. I kept expecting someone to jump out.
I had guessed who was involved with Leonie's disappearance, but couldn't work out how or why, so that was quite a shock.
Lots of twists in this one to keep you guessing, which I liked.
I do feel like some chapters of this were a little drawn out and could have been shorter. Overall though it was good and certainly picked up pace from the second half.
The messages that Rosalie kept receiving were really creepy. Being in a huge house on your own and someone seeming to know your every move - no thanks. I kept expecting someone to jump out.
I had guessed who was involved with Leonie's disappearance, but couldn't work out how or why, so that was quite a shock.
Lots of twists in this one to keep you guessing, which I liked.
November 27, 2024
This was a slow burn and took me a while to get engaged in the story. Once it had then I enjoyed the story.
August 23, 2024
3.5 stars
Good character development; good suspense; ending was good but would’ve liked it to be more …complete (trying to say it without giving anything away). lol
This author writes a good story, but some of the word choices drove me crazy. I enjoy vocabulary, but quite a few used in this book I couldn’t tell what it meant even by context. I had to look up several words. I felt like the author had to be using a thesaurus to find the most obscure word to use.
Sometimes the words were manufacturers names instead of the object. For example: “I drop the laptop, too, and fight the urge to smack a fist against the Farrow & Ball.” I looked up Farrow & Ball and apparently they’re the manufacturer of paints and wallpaper. But who would say I want to smack the paint when it’s a door???
The first half of the first chapter is extremely confusing. I had no idea what was going on or who anyone was. Lots of names mentioned but I had no idea who any of them were.
The au pair is called by two different names in the book. One name is used most often, but in one conversation between characters she’s called by another name that hadn’t been mentioned before or after that interaction.
References were made to characters in such a way that we should know who they are, but we’d not heard of them prior to that time.
One character is mentioned a LOT starting at page 24 but we have no idea what the relationship is between the characters until page 192!
There were some other things that got on my nerves, but didn’t ruin the story. Just had to roll my eyes and move on. So…besides all of the little nitpicks, the story is very good!
I want to thank Joffe Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Good character development; good suspense; ending was good but would’ve liked it to be more …complete (trying to say it without giving anything away). lol
This author writes a good story, but some of the word choices drove me crazy. I enjoy vocabulary, but quite a few used in this book I couldn’t tell what it meant even by context. I had to look up several words. I felt like the author had to be using a thesaurus to find the most obscure word to use.
Sometimes the words were manufacturers names instead of the object. For example: “I drop the laptop, too, and fight the urge to smack a fist against the Farrow & Ball.” I looked up Farrow & Ball and apparently they’re the manufacturer of paints and wallpaper. But who would say I want to smack the paint when it’s a door???
The first half of the first chapter is extremely confusing. I had no idea what was going on or who anyone was. Lots of names mentioned but I had no idea who any of them were.
The au pair is called by two different names in the book. One name is used most often, but in one conversation between characters she’s called by another name that hadn’t been mentioned before or after that interaction.
References were made to characters in such a way that we should know who they are, but we’d not heard of them prior to that time.
One character is mentioned a LOT starting at page 24 but we have no idea what the relationship is between the characters until page 192!
There were some other things that got on my nerves, but didn’t ruin the story. Just had to roll my eyes and move on. So…besides all of the little nitpicks, the story is very good!
I want to thank Joffe Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 5, 2024
My Thoughts: another new author for me! I’m loving that despite being an avid reader for so many years and a book blogger for 5 years I am still discovering authors that have me hooked on the stories they create!
I was slightly put off when I realised it was 461 pages as I prefer my thrillers short and snappy! – however I am willing to eat my words, this one was fantastic and the longer length helped to build the story but also leave us hanging and eagerly chomping at the bit to work out the puzzle that was slowly being put together.
Rosie is helping her mum write a book about the disappearance of her older sister, not that she remembers much she was only 7, but she’s hoping that returning to the home she grew up in might just help.
When she arrives she meets the groundsman Kacper, she doesn’t know who he is, but something in her is convinced she knows him or at least used to..
The story was told in 2 timelines, and we all know that’s a favourite format of mine, it didn’t do me any favours this time though.. it left me more confused than ever!
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, I didn’t work it out at all and was on the edge of my seat throughout.
I was slightly put off when I realised it was 461 pages as I prefer my thrillers short and snappy! – however I am willing to eat my words, this one was fantastic and the longer length helped to build the story but also leave us hanging and eagerly chomping at the bit to work out the puzzle that was slowly being put together.
Rosie is helping her mum write a book about the disappearance of her older sister, not that she remembers much she was only 7, but she’s hoping that returning to the home she grew up in might just help.
When she arrives she meets the groundsman Kacper, she doesn’t know who he is, but something in her is convinced she knows him or at least used to..
The story was told in 2 timelines, and we all know that’s a favourite format of mine, it didn’t do me any favours this time though.. it left me more confused than ever!
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, I didn’t work it out at all and was on the edge of my seat throughout.
September 2, 2024
I read The Nanny by this author around a year ago, but remember really enjoying it, so knew that I'd love to dive into this new release.
This was definitely a much slower start than I usually love in a thriller, but it always makes me wonder what information is in there, that warrants all the detail and slower pace.
This definitely ramped up from there and around a third in, I was hooked.
I do enjoy a dual timeline format in thrillers as this helps to create the tense atmosphere as we gradually build up a picture of life now, as well as the events of the tragedy as it happened years ago.
This was a complex storyline that was packed with twists that kept me guessing and making my own theories, only to be thrown off in a other direction again.
Even with so many theories, the ending still had me stumped as we came to the shocking conclusion.
Another good read, even with the slower start, and I'm looking forward to seeing more in the future.
This was definitely a much slower start than I usually love in a thriller, but it always makes me wonder what information is in there, that warrants all the detail and slower pace.
This definitely ramped up from there and around a third in, I was hooked.
I do enjoy a dual timeline format in thrillers as this helps to create the tense atmosphere as we gradually build up a picture of life now, as well as the events of the tragedy as it happened years ago.
This was a complex storyline that was packed with twists that kept me guessing and making my own theories, only to be thrown off in a other direction again.
Even with so many theories, the ending still had me stumped as we came to the shocking conclusion.
Another good read, even with the slower start, and I'm looking forward to seeing more in the future.
September 3, 2024
Having previously enjoyed The Nanny by Samuel, I knew I was in for a thrill a minute ride with My Lost Sister.
Rosie who is making a return to the home where she lived with her sister and family. Planning on writing a book on her sister's disappearance, Rosie finds herself delving deep into the past where secrets and lies are waiting to be uncovered and the truth to be revealed.
It's a slow burning read that's told across two timelines. It's atmospheric, twisty and was sooooo good. The characters are well developed, with their subplots allowing us to grasp an idea of them, their lives, and the events leading up to and after when Leonie disappeared.
An enjoyable and unputdownable thriller that I would definitely recommend.
Rosie who is making a return to the home where she lived with her sister and family. Planning on writing a book on her sister's disappearance, Rosie finds herself delving deep into the past where secrets and lies are waiting to be uncovered and the truth to be revealed.
It's a slow burning read that's told across two timelines. It's atmospheric, twisty and was sooooo good. The characters are well developed, with their subplots allowing us to grasp an idea of them, their lives, and the events leading up to and after when Leonie disappeared.
An enjoyable and unputdownable thriller that I would definitely recommend.
September 4, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up
The protagonist of the story goes back to the house she grew up in with the intention of reawakening the happy childhood she had with her sister before the latter’s disappearance. Though her initial intention is to write a book, she finds herself getting involved with her sister’s former classmates, and more secrets are revealed.
I found it very hard to set this book down. I loved it! The writing style was great, and the tension was building up constantly. This is my first read from this author. Let me tell you that I will be looking for her future books. It is a great read, and I would advise anyone who likes a good thriller to read it.
Thank you to Jofee Books and Zoé from ZooLoo’s Book Tours for allowing me to read and review this book.
The protagonist of the story goes back to the house she grew up in with the intention of reawakening the happy childhood she had with her sister before the latter’s disappearance. Though her initial intention is to write a book, she finds herself getting involved with her sister’s former classmates, and more secrets are revealed.
I found it very hard to set this book down. I loved it! The writing style was great, and the tension was building up constantly. This is my first read from this author. Let me tell you that I will be looking for her future books. It is a great read, and I would advise anyone who likes a good thriller to read it.
Thank you to Jofee Books and Zoé from ZooLoo’s Book Tours for allowing me to read and review this book.
August 31, 2024
The fuel is ready and prepared. But this time, for some reason, the spark fails to ignite
Looking back, it’s difficult to believe that it’s been more than eight years since I browsed a well-known internet auction site one evening, accompanied by a bottle of wine, and decided it would be a good idea to buy an old caravan. Obviously, I hoped that Mrs Book Nook and I would like it, and I comforted myself with the thought that I’d probably be able to sell it for what I had paid if that turned out not to be the case. But in the event, no selling was necessary. Neither of us had any idea that we’d fall in love with it as much as we did.
Just eight months later, this same old caravan served as our mobile accommodation on a holiday to Switzerland, which I had always wanted to visit and remains my single favourite place I’ve ever been. Since then, it’s helped us reunite with old friends in Wales, Ireland, Yorkshire, Cornwall and Kent and also provided a very useful base for my first, and so far only attempt at a triathlon, for scuba diving off the Northumberland coast, and more recently as somewhere private to stagger into in the small hours, after consuming plenty of Theakston’s finest at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival.
I have to admit though that, even though this caravan was in good condition for its age, it wasn’t perfect. And over the years it gained more and more botch repair jobs until the time came for me to admit that it was, basically, a bit knackered and needed more attention than I had either the time or the skill to give.
So I sold it and bought another and judged rationally, there’s no question that the new one is better. It’s a bit bigger, a bit more luxurious and a bit better designed to remove some of the flaws that the old one had. Plus it’s immaculate, because its previous owners haven’t so much looked after it as obsessed over it. And yet, for all that, somehow I don’t like it as much. That emotional attachment, that something that I previously had, has gone. And I miss it.
This brings me nicely to Eleonor Samuel’s debut novel, The Nanny, which I read last year and which I absolutely loved. Yes, judged rationally it had a few small flaws, but I didn’t care or even really notice. Because, not only had Eleonor done a wonderful job of creating an unreliable and fabulously messed-up narrator, but she managed to mess my head up to about the same extent as her main character’s was. So even though the solution seemed fairly obvious, that really didn’t matter because I found myself continually changing my mind even though my brain was trying to tell me not to do so. It was fantastic.
So when I heard about the blog tour for My Lost Sister, I signed up eagerly hoping for more of the same. And I’m delighted to say that all of the right ingredients are there. This time, not only is the main character and principal narrator wonderfully messed-up, but so are her circumstances and surroundings. Rosalie has been asked, by her mother, to write about the disappearance of her elder sister Leonie some 20 years earlier. She returns to her childhood home, an isolated mansion in the Lincolnshire countryside. Her family haven’t lived there since Leonie’s disappearance, but her father has kept it maintained, and left the security code on the gates unchanged, so that his daughter may feel welcome should she ever return. See what I mean about wonderfully messed up?
The good news doesn’t end there, because, wow, Eleonor is an author who can describe a setting. A country road, so gloomy in the dark and the rain that it’s almost fearful. A squash court in the early morning, empty apart from the two participants. A deserted, windswept beach. I could feel myself present at each one of them, as well as being able to see how they all added to the main story.
Then we have the two secondary male characters who are so well-portrayed that I could see them. But whilst it seemed fairly clear from the beginning that one would turn out to be a good guy and the other a baddie … who is which? And how is the reader supposed to decide when he or she can’t trust the person who is telling us about either?
Now, if you’ve formed a connection to Rosalie at this point, there appears to be everything you need to love this book – in much the same way as Mrs Book Nook is totally in love with the new caravan and has no idea what I’m on about – and be completely and utterly hooked until the finish. I really hope that this happens to you. But – and there’s no easy way to say this so I’ll just come straight out with it – I’m sorry to say that it didn’t happen to me.
I honestly can’t explain why. Maybe it’s something as simple as my mood at the time I started reading. But it’s precisely because I didn’t have that emotional connection to the main character that made the book’s few faults so much more obvious to me. In particular, I felt that the plot dragged on a bit too much in the middle – I lost count of the number of times Rosalie returned to an isolated, empty house despite there seeming to be a threat to her safety – whilst the ending seemed rushed in some aspects and incomplete in others.
But look. Just because I didn’t connect with this book in the same way that I did with another by the same author doesn’t mean that you won’t. And since you’re not me, I recommend that you read it and find out. If you can get inside Rosalie’s head, that’s wonderful. But even if, like me, you can’t, the worst that can happen is that you’ll still have read a good book.
My thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours for my inclusion on the blog tour. Sorry that I couldn’t give a higher rating this time, but I’m not at all put off from reading more books by this author.
Looking back, it’s difficult to believe that it’s been more than eight years since I browsed a well-known internet auction site one evening, accompanied by a bottle of wine, and decided it would be a good idea to buy an old caravan. Obviously, I hoped that Mrs Book Nook and I would like it, and I comforted myself with the thought that I’d probably be able to sell it for what I had paid if that turned out not to be the case. But in the event, no selling was necessary. Neither of us had any idea that we’d fall in love with it as much as we did.
Just eight months later, this same old caravan served as our mobile accommodation on a holiday to Switzerland, which I had always wanted to visit and remains my single favourite place I’ve ever been. Since then, it’s helped us reunite with old friends in Wales, Ireland, Yorkshire, Cornwall and Kent and also provided a very useful base for my first, and so far only attempt at a triathlon, for scuba diving off the Northumberland coast, and more recently as somewhere private to stagger into in the small hours, after consuming plenty of Theakston’s finest at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival.
I have to admit though that, even though this caravan was in good condition for its age, it wasn’t perfect. And over the years it gained more and more botch repair jobs until the time came for me to admit that it was, basically, a bit knackered and needed more attention than I had either the time or the skill to give.
So I sold it and bought another and judged rationally, there’s no question that the new one is better. It’s a bit bigger, a bit more luxurious and a bit better designed to remove some of the flaws that the old one had. Plus it’s immaculate, because its previous owners haven’t so much looked after it as obsessed over it. And yet, for all that, somehow I don’t like it as much. That emotional attachment, that something that I previously had, has gone. And I miss it.
This brings me nicely to Eleonor Samuel’s debut novel, The Nanny, which I read last year and which I absolutely loved. Yes, judged rationally it had a few small flaws, but I didn’t care or even really notice. Because, not only had Eleonor done a wonderful job of creating an unreliable and fabulously messed-up narrator, but she managed to mess my head up to about the same extent as her main character’s was. So even though the solution seemed fairly obvious, that really didn’t matter because I found myself continually changing my mind even though my brain was trying to tell me not to do so. It was fantastic.
So when I heard about the blog tour for My Lost Sister, I signed up eagerly hoping for more of the same. And I’m delighted to say that all of the right ingredients are there. This time, not only is the main character and principal narrator wonderfully messed-up, but so are her circumstances and surroundings. Rosalie has been asked, by her mother, to write about the disappearance of her elder sister Leonie some 20 years earlier. She returns to her childhood home, an isolated mansion in the Lincolnshire countryside. Her family haven’t lived there since Leonie’s disappearance, but her father has kept it maintained, and left the security code on the gates unchanged, so that his daughter may feel welcome should she ever return. See what I mean about wonderfully messed up?
The good news doesn’t end there, because, wow, Eleonor is an author who can describe a setting. A country road, so gloomy in the dark and the rain that it’s almost fearful. A squash court in the early morning, empty apart from the two participants. A deserted, windswept beach. I could feel myself present at each one of them, as well as being able to see how they all added to the main story.
Then we have the two secondary male characters who are so well-portrayed that I could see them. But whilst it seemed fairly clear from the beginning that one would turn out to be a good guy and the other a baddie … who is which? And how is the reader supposed to decide when he or she can’t trust the person who is telling us about either?
Now, if you’ve formed a connection to Rosalie at this point, there appears to be everything you need to love this book – in much the same way as Mrs Book Nook is totally in love with the new caravan and has no idea what I’m on about – and be completely and utterly hooked until the finish. I really hope that this happens to you. But – and there’s no easy way to say this so I’ll just come straight out with it – I’m sorry to say that it didn’t happen to me.
I honestly can’t explain why. Maybe it’s something as simple as my mood at the time I started reading. But it’s precisely because I didn’t have that emotional connection to the main character that made the book’s few faults so much more obvious to me. In particular, I felt that the plot dragged on a bit too much in the middle – I lost count of the number of times Rosalie returned to an isolated, empty house despite there seeming to be a threat to her safety – whilst the ending seemed rushed in some aspects and incomplete in others.
But look. Just because I didn’t connect with this book in the same way that I did with another by the same author doesn’t mean that you won’t. And since you’re not me, I recommend that you read it and find out. If you can get inside Rosalie’s head, that’s wonderful. But even if, like me, you can’t, the worst that can happen is that you’ll still have read a good book.
My thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours for my inclusion on the blog tour. Sorry that I couldn’t give a higher rating this time, but I’m not at all put off from reading more books by this author.
August 30, 2024
Ok! OMG! This was fantastic. Extremely creepy, but oh my Rosalie has nerves of steel staying in her old childhood home by herself.
I love the set up of this book, two timelines, past and present, also a few characters perspective.
Eleonor has that special knack of bringing in the readers, she starts slow, then she ramps up the story, just fantastic. My brain was on edge, trying to work out who’s done what at such time etc, I was glued to this book.
I love the set up of this book, two timelines, past and present, also a few characters perspective.
Eleonor has that special knack of bringing in the readers, she starts slow, then she ramps up the story, just fantastic. My brain was on edge, trying to work out who’s done what at such time etc, I was glued to this book.
August 13, 2024
Many thanks to Joffe Books for this free eARC.
A super-glue read that you can’t let go of
Though the beginning feels slow, this read pulls you in slowly until you’re hooked without realising. The characters, even the secondary and minor ones, come alive. The same with the locations … all are described so well they burst forth and you’re right there with them. Yep, it’s one of those reads where you get lost between the pages and don’t know where you’ll come out.
At points, the main character’s lack of care for her own safety and common sense felt a tad frustrating, but added in with her mental and emotional states, her actions and non-actions and self-blame become all too understdandable.
Along with great characterisation and world building, the prose is well done and I found I sropped noticing more passive elements of the writing. Here are some lines I loved ….
'I’m never going to open any doors unless I get over my fear of turning the handle.’
And ….
‘His voice is softer than his three-day stubble and the set of his jaw.’
And …
‘If the wind was enraged before, then now it’s bereft, wailing inconsolably around the shops and buildings.’
And …
‘Some monsters are real. And they’re not the ones you think. They’re not the faces in the photos, filed in the police reports, littering the headlines. They’re closer than that. They’re inside. Where what you can’t remember can definitely still hurt you.’
With so many lines I’d highlighted I found it difficult to choose just these few.
The ending proved unexpected and not quite as fulfilling as I would have liked. More clarity with the way things closed as well as the name of an innocent being cleared publicly would have gone so much further to making this a book with an ‘Ah’ kind of a finish. Still, all the threads got wrapped up and it left this reader with a sense of hope and fresh beginnings.
Some scenes moved me enough for my eyes to fill whilst others had me smiling.
I loved this story, which gets a resounding 5 stars. Go get this book!
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
A super-glue read that you can’t let go of
Though the beginning feels slow, this read pulls you in slowly until you’re hooked without realising. The characters, even the secondary and minor ones, come alive. The same with the locations … all are described so well they burst forth and you’re right there with them. Yep, it’s one of those reads where you get lost between the pages and don’t know where you’ll come out.
At points, the main character’s lack of care for her own safety and common sense felt a tad frustrating, but added in with her mental and emotional states, her actions and non-actions and self-blame become all too understdandable.
Along with great characterisation and world building, the prose is well done and I found I sropped noticing more passive elements of the writing. Here are some lines I loved ….
'I’m never going to open any doors unless I get over my fear of turning the handle.’
And ….
‘His voice is softer than his three-day stubble and the set of his jaw.’
And …
‘If the wind was enraged before, then now it’s bereft, wailing inconsolably around the shops and buildings.’
And …
‘Some monsters are real. And they’re not the ones you think. They’re not the faces in the photos, filed in the police reports, littering the headlines. They’re closer than that. They’re inside. Where what you can’t remember can definitely still hurt you.’
With so many lines I’d highlighted I found it difficult to choose just these few.
The ending proved unexpected and not quite as fulfilling as I would have liked. More clarity with the way things closed as well as the name of an innocent being cleared publicly would have gone so much further to making this a book with an ‘Ah’ kind of a finish. Still, all the threads got wrapped up and it left this reader with a sense of hope and fresh beginnings.
Some scenes moved me enough for my eyes to fill whilst others had me smiling.
I loved this story, which gets a resounding 5 stars. Go get this book!
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
August 10, 2024
This was one of the better mystery/thriller novels that I have read in a while. The characters were well-fleshed out, and the details were so well done that you could not only imagine the town itself, but you could also feel the paranoia Rosalie felt while being alone. I also enjoyed the way the author was able to weave together a story that blended past and present, but did it in such a way that the ending still came as a surprise.
I think the biggest issue I had with this story is the lack of regard for personal safety where Rosalie was concerned. Not only did she head off to meet with people that were potential suspects, but when presented with obvious evidence of someone having been inside the house with her, threatening her and stalking her, Rosalie adamantly refuses to go to the police (at least until its too late and she's already deleted all of her social media accounts thereby also deleting all of the proof).
One other thing I would change about this one is I would have liked to have seen more of the repercussions at the end of the story. I want to see the head-lines when the truth came out. I want to see Rosalie's parents' reactions to finally learning what happened to their daughter. And I really want to see the piece where an innocent man's name is finally cleared. I felt those would have been a nicer wrap-up than the somewhat confusing one we got (I mean I understood most of what happened, but I'm still unclear as to whether or not Rosalie and Kacper ended up together or if the plane he was watching had her on it).
However, even without those thing, I still enjoyed this one quite a bit, and I definitely feel like other fans of the mystery/thriller will enjoy it as well. I would definitely read more from this author!
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
I think the biggest issue I had with this story is the lack of regard for personal safety where Rosalie was concerned. Not only did she head off to meet with people that were potential suspects, but when presented with obvious evidence of someone having been inside the house with her, threatening her and stalking her, Rosalie adamantly refuses to go to the police (at least until its too late and she's already deleted all of her social media accounts thereby also deleting all of the proof).
One other thing I would change about this one is I would have liked to have seen more of the repercussions at the end of the story. I want to see the head-lines when the truth came out. I want to see Rosalie's parents' reactions to finally learning what happened to their daughter. And I really want to see the piece where an innocent man's name is finally cleared. I felt those would have been a nicer wrap-up than the somewhat confusing one we got (I mean I understood most of what happened, but I'm still unclear as to whether or not Rosalie and Kacper ended up together or if the plane he was watching had her on it).
However, even without those thing, I still enjoyed this one quite a bit, and I definitely feel like other fans of the mystery/thriller will enjoy it as well. I would definitely read more from this author!
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
August 30, 2024
Here is my review for My Lost Sister by Eleonor Samuel
This book is a good psychological thriller where Rosalie comes back home after many years away but the rumour mill has been working and people are aware that she is home. People still remember the time that Leonie went missing and all the newspaper coverage there was at the time but that Leonie was never found. It was rumoured that she got into a man’s car willingly but never proven and this all happened the day before her fifteenth birthday. My dad has kept the house the same and it feels so empty. It feels so strange being back home, both mum and dad saying that I don’t have to stay there but I do. This was a great read. It was well written and a great psychological thriller. It is a diarised account, some told by Rosalie, some by the past and some by Kacper. The storyline was brilliant and well thought out. I have not read this author before but her writing style is easy to read.
Blurb :
Twenty years ago someone stole my sister.
They say Leonie got into a man’s car. She was never seen again. It was the day before her fifteenth birthday.
But what if she was never taken? What if the truth is right here, all along, in the house where we grew up. The house I’ve come back to, trying to piece the past together.
A notification flashes on my phone. Photos on social media. I stare, chilled, at old pictures of my childhood home. Our front door, the gardens outside the window where I sit now. They’re tagged: #leonieshouse.
A shiver of unease runs down my spine.
Who knows?
What do they know?
I keep saying that I don’t remember.
But I do.
This book is a good psychological thriller where Rosalie comes back home after many years away but the rumour mill has been working and people are aware that she is home. People still remember the time that Leonie went missing and all the newspaper coverage there was at the time but that Leonie was never found. It was rumoured that she got into a man’s car willingly but never proven and this all happened the day before her fifteenth birthday. My dad has kept the house the same and it feels so empty. It feels so strange being back home, both mum and dad saying that I don’t have to stay there but I do. This was a great read. It was well written and a great psychological thriller. It is a diarised account, some told by Rosalie, some by the past and some by Kacper. The storyline was brilliant and well thought out. I have not read this author before but her writing style is easy to read.
Blurb :
Twenty years ago someone stole my sister.
They say Leonie got into a man’s car. She was never seen again. It was the day before her fifteenth birthday.
But what if she was never taken? What if the truth is right here, all along, in the house where we grew up. The house I’ve come back to, trying to piece the past together.
A notification flashes on my phone. Photos on social media. I stare, chilled, at old pictures of my childhood home. Our front door, the gardens outside the window where I sit now. They’re tagged: #leonieshouse.
A shiver of unease runs down my spine.
Who knows?
What do they know?
I keep saying that I don’t remember.
But I do.
August 18, 2024
My Lost Sister by Eleonor Samuel is a psychological thriller dedicated to finding out what happened 20 years ago.
Rosalie (Rosie) lost her sister 20 years ago. There are many theories about what happened but no one knows the truth! So she heads back to town to find the truth and write a book.
The story told from past and present perspectives gives a lot of information. Every step is way too long, so I felt this book was about everything and nothing.
I am so generous with my stars but unfortunately, I could not connect with this book at all. I tried so hard. I hoped chapter by chapter I would be into the story but no...
If this would not be an ARC I would give up already early... but I can't do it if I must give a star rating and review. so I pushed, literally pushed myself through by constantly checking how much was left... It felt like never never-ending book.
For me, this was painfully slow, way too long, and way too many details and side stories.
I am so sorry for the low rating but amount of times I wanted to just leave it but was still carried on... I am proud of myself I finished it!
Please, please make your own mind up and read it as this could be your next favourite!
Goodreads reader/reviewer Krystal said "This was one of the better mystery/thriller novels that I have read in a while. " It's possible that this just didn't work for me, for some strange reasons.
Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this chance.
Planned publishing 27th August 2024
Rosalie (Rosie) lost her sister 20 years ago. There are many theories about what happened but no one knows the truth! So she heads back to town to find the truth and write a book.
The story told from past and present perspectives gives a lot of information. Every step is way too long, so I felt this book was about everything and nothing.
I am so generous with my stars but unfortunately, I could not connect with this book at all. I tried so hard. I hoped chapter by chapter I would be into the story but no...
If this would not be an ARC I would give up already early... but I can't do it if I must give a star rating and review. so I pushed, literally pushed myself through by constantly checking how much was left... It felt like never never-ending book.
For me, this was painfully slow, way too long, and way too many details and side stories.
I am so sorry for the low rating but amount of times I wanted to just leave it but was still carried on... I am proud of myself I finished it!
Please, please make your own mind up and read it as this could be your next favourite!
Goodreads reader/reviewer Krystal said "This was one of the better mystery/thriller novels that I have read in a while. " It's possible that this just didn't work for me, for some strange reasons.
Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this chance.
Planned publishing 27th August 2024
August 15, 2024
Twenty years ago, somebody stole my sister. They say Leonie got into the man's car. She was never seen again. It was the day before her fifteenth birthday. But what if she was never taken? What if the truth is right here, all along, in the house where we grew up. The house I've come back to, trying to piece the past together. A notification flashes on my phone. Photos on social media. I stare, chilled, at the old pictures of my childhood home. Our front door, the gardens outside the window where I sit now. They're #LeoniesHouse. A shiver of unease runs down my spine. Who knows? What do they know? I keep saying that I don't remember. But I do.
Rosalie is determined to find out what happened to her sister twenty years ago. She's been commissioned to write a story about her disappearance. But will she like what she uncovers?
This is quite a lengthy book, with 461 pages. The pace is slow to begin with, but it gradually builds throughout. This is a descriptively written book. It has a dual timeline that's written in the past and present day format. It did take a couple of chapters for me to get into this book, and then I was hooked. The characters are well-fleshed out. This is an emotional and twisted read.
Published 27th August 2024
I would like to thank #NetGAlley #JoffeBooks and the author #EleonorSamuel for my ARC of #MyLostSister in exchange for an honest review.
Rosalie is determined to find out what happened to her sister twenty years ago. She's been commissioned to write a story about her disappearance. But will she like what she uncovers?
This is quite a lengthy book, with 461 pages. The pace is slow to begin with, but it gradually builds throughout. This is a descriptively written book. It has a dual timeline that's written in the past and present day format. It did take a couple of chapters for me to get into this book, and then I was hooked. The characters are well-fleshed out. This is an emotional and twisted read.
Published 27th August 2024
I would like to thank #NetGAlley #JoffeBooks and the author #EleonorSamuel for my ARC of #MyLostSister in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2024
Oh Wow!! What a read. A combination of psychological thriller and love story. Not the fastest moving story but that added to my enjoyment. Eleonor Samuel takes the time to introduce us to the characters and round them out. Told both in the present and the past, by Rosalie and Kacper, we get a feel as to how events of the past have contributed to where they both find themselves now.
Rosalie returns to her long abandoned family home, Hailbury, from where her sister, Leonie disappeared 20 years earlier. She has been asked to write her mother, famous actress Lara Lee Knight’s , biography about that terrible time. Rosalie has no memories of her childhood but as she explores her home, which has remained unchanged from that fateful day, she starts to recall certain memories.
Rosalie has serious issues, mostly because of her childhood, so when weird and terrifying things happen to her in isolated Hailbury she cannot be sure if she is losing her mind or, impossible as it seems, is someone is in the house with her.
The end is tense, violent and thrilling and I loved it. As other reviewers have mentioned, I would love to have justice seen to be done but some things are best left to ones imagination.
Rosalie returns to her long abandoned family home, Hailbury, from where her sister, Leonie disappeared 20 years earlier. She has been asked to write her mother, famous actress Lara Lee Knight’s , biography about that terrible time. Rosalie has no memories of her childhood but as she explores her home, which has remained unchanged from that fateful day, she starts to recall certain memories.
Rosalie has serious issues, mostly because of her childhood, so when weird and terrifying things happen to her in isolated Hailbury she cannot be sure if she is losing her mind or, impossible as it seems, is someone is in the house with her.
The end is tense, violent and thrilling and I loved it. As other reviewers have mentioned, I would love to have justice seen to be done but some things are best left to ones imagination.
August 24, 2024
Genre: Physiological Thriller
ARC/PUB date: Aug 27, 2024
Rosalie is writing a book on her sister’s disappearance and needs details. So she returns to the house they grew up at, Hailbury, where it all happened.
She is tormented and stalked by memories. The question is, are the memories real or is she imagining things? Is she losing her mind?
The characters were memorable and I liked the writing style of the middle of the book. For some reason the first few chapters and the last felt different than the middle chunk of the book. The ending was unexpected but also lacked something. It was as if the ending revelations didn’t matter as much. Fair warning if you read this book, be prepared to look up some phrases and words! Also why did some characters have 2 names or different spelling throughout the book 😭 Over all I liked the suspense and twists in this story!
Read if you like:
Gloomy Stories 🌧️
Multiple POV 🧐
Duel Timeline ⏰
Phycological Thrillers 🧠
Thank you @netgalley and @JoffeBooks for this ARC.
ARC/PUB date: Aug 27, 2024
Rosalie is writing a book on her sister’s disappearance and needs details. So she returns to the house they grew up at, Hailbury, where it all happened.
She is tormented and stalked by memories. The question is, are the memories real or is she imagining things? Is she losing her mind?
The characters were memorable and I liked the writing style of the middle of the book. For some reason the first few chapters and the last felt different than the middle chunk of the book. The ending was unexpected but also lacked something. It was as if the ending revelations didn’t matter as much. Fair warning if you read this book, be prepared to look up some phrases and words! Also why did some characters have 2 names or different spelling throughout the book 😭 Over all I liked the suspense and twists in this story!
Read if you like:
Gloomy Stories 🌧️
Multiple POV 🧐
Duel Timeline ⏰
Phycological Thrillers 🧠
Thank you @netgalley and @JoffeBooks for this ARC.
August 28, 2024
Once I’d got in to this book, I really didn’t want to put it down, it was an excellent read.
Rosie returns to her old home, which her father has kept as it was, 20 years after her sister disappeared, to write the story of the disappearance.
She meets up with various people from her sister’s past and becomes increasingly isolated and struggles with her mental health when unexplained things start happening and she gets flash backs to her time in the house as a child.
I had a vague idea how it was going to resolve itself but it wasn’t as simple as I expected.
My only problem with the whole book was how Harriet, the owner of the cafe, speaks. Rosie says she moved to Lincolnshire from Yorkshire so speaks with a Yorkshire accent. Later it transpires she moved from Grimsby, where I lived for a number of years! Grimsby never has been part of Yorkshire and she wouldn’t have the accent that Harriet does. It didn’t spoil the book but did grate on me a bit.
Thanks to Joffe’s ARC for an advance copy of this book and this review is given voluntarily
Rosie returns to her old home, which her father has kept as it was, 20 years after her sister disappeared, to write the story of the disappearance.
She meets up with various people from her sister’s past and becomes increasingly isolated and struggles with her mental health when unexplained things start happening and she gets flash backs to her time in the house as a child.
I had a vague idea how it was going to resolve itself but it wasn’t as simple as I expected.
My only problem with the whole book was how Harriet, the owner of the cafe, speaks. Rosie says she moved to Lincolnshire from Yorkshire so speaks with a Yorkshire accent. Later it transpires she moved from Grimsby, where I lived for a number of years! Grimsby never has been part of Yorkshire and she wouldn’t have the accent that Harriet does. It didn’t spoil the book but did grate on me a bit.
Thanks to Joffe’s ARC for an advance copy of this book and this review is given voluntarily
August 24, 2024
Loved this romantic thriller! Rosalie's sister Leonie, was seen by a witness getting into a man's car 20 years ago, disappeared, never to return. Now Rosalie is writing an autobiography about her sister, so she returns to her childhood home. There she meets Kacper and the chemistry between them is hot! But is Kacper really who he says he is? I loved that there were narratives from Rosalie's perspective as a child and Kacper's childhood perspective. Everyone has secrets, including those close to Rosalie. The book is filled with suspense and edge of your seat moments, when someone is trying to drive Rosalie over the edge to prevent her from discovering the truth about her sister. My heart nearly stopped when the tension reached its peak at the end. Heart-stopping t
August 24, 2024
Rosalie returns to her large now empty family home on a mission to find out what happened to her sister who disappeared on her fifteenth birthday. Rosalie is trying to write a piece and get to the bottom of the mystery but when #leonishouse starts appearing we soon realise that there's more to Rosalie's story than we know. This was a really interesting albeit sometimes frustrating book (you want to scream at Rosalie not to take the risk soooo many times). The characters were really well developed and the area described vividly. We do have two timelines but that doesn't confuse the reader. Although it took me a bit of time to get really into it, when I did I was hooked and read late into the night. The ending was a fantastic twist.
A strong 4 stars from me with many thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC.
A strong 4 stars from me with many thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC.
August 22, 2024
2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advanced copy of My Lost Sister.
This book follow Rosalie whose sister Leonie vanished twenty years ago and has never been found. Rosalie returns to the family’s home to try to reconnect with the past and finally get some answers about what really happened to her sister all those years ago. Once she is back in the house strange things start happening and the memories she gets back she wants to forget.
This book was so slow and very drug out. In my opinion it could have been way shorter. I was not a fan of the writing style and the jumping back and forth to different years and different people was hard to follow.
This book follow Rosalie whose sister Leonie vanished twenty years ago and has never been found. Rosalie returns to the family’s home to try to reconnect with the past and finally get some answers about what really happened to her sister all those years ago. Once she is back in the house strange things start happening and the memories she gets back she wants to forget.
This book was so slow and very drug out. In my opinion it could have been way shorter. I was not a fan of the writing style and the jumping back and forth to different years and different people was hard to follow.
August 27, 2024
It's seldom that I read a book that grips from page 1. The plot is brilliant with many twists and turns. Rosalie and Kacper are well described main characters and their back stories are gradually woven through the happenings of the present day in a way that you are discovering why they are the people they have become in adult life bit by bit, with lots of 'aha' moments.
The climax was unexpected with the 'baddie' being someone I never had suspicions about. I found it a very interesting read. It still sends chills through me every time I think about it.
The climax was unexpected with the 'baddie' being someone I never had suspicions about. I found it a very interesting read. It still sends chills through me every time I think about it.
October 22, 2024
This book kept me on my toes from the very beginning! I couldn’t put it down as I needed to know what happened next. I kept building up a thousand theories in my head just for something else to be thrown in which made me completely change my mind. Within the plot I trusted no one and suspected everyone. It left me gasping at times and I really felt for Rosalie and personally I would have run away long before she did! I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to all my thriller loving friends!
August 8, 2024
This story follows the main character who is going back to her childhood home where she wants to relive the time she spent with her sister before her disappearance. The went in expecting to write a book, but instead she connects with her sisters old class mates and more mystery arises. This book was suspenseful and will keep you on your toes. It’s a quick read if you want to get your heart racing!
August 21, 2024
An Okay Read
Rosalie’s sister Leonie disappeared twenty years ago, aged 15, and has never been seen or heard of again. Rosalie is now back at the family home to try and find out what happened and bring some kind of peace to the family at last, but it is not long before strange things started to happen when Rosalie was at home on her own. I found this book a little difficult to get into, the middle part very good, but I was left with some questions at the end.
Rosalie’s sister Leonie disappeared twenty years ago, aged 15, and has never been seen or heard of again. Rosalie is now back at the family home to try and find out what happened and bring some kind of peace to the family at last, but it is not long before strange things started to happen when Rosalie was at home on her own. I found this book a little difficult to get into, the middle part very good, but I was left with some questions at the end.
August 21, 2024
To be fair, I typically read police procedurals, so this book may deserve five stars. The story is interesting, with extensive character development. The main character returns to her childhood home to explore what happened to her sister many years earlier. The narrative switches from present to past, but I did not find it difficult to follow. The storyline was interesting, and the book was well written. I would recommend it for folks that like psychological mysteries.
August 22, 2024
Arc Review for Joffe Books
This is the first book I have read by the author, the storyline was a little slow to start with a few time jumps but once it hooked you, you can’t put it down. Full of twists and turns and at times a lot to follow but fantastic story which keeps you hooked right until the end. If you like thrilling twisty drama you will like this book, characters were well defined and the writing is no too over descriptive.
This is the first book I have read by the author, the storyline was a little slow to start with a few time jumps but once it hooked you, you can’t put it down. Full of twists and turns and at times a lot to follow but fantastic story which keeps you hooked right until the end. If you like thrilling twisty drama you will like this book, characters were well defined and the writing is no too over descriptive.
August 26, 2024
What a great book. Rosie has been tasked by her mother to write her sister’s biography, Leonie disappeared when she was 15, last seen getting into a car with a man driving.
Rosie returns to their home at the time to gather information and try to remember as she has forgotten everything. Once there she is not sure that opening up the past is such a good idea as strange things are happening, is she being watched?
Well written and full of twists and turns, such a good read.
Rosie returns to their home at the time to gather information and try to remember as she has forgotten everything. Once there she is not sure that opening up the past is such a good idea as strange things are happening, is she being watched?
Well written and full of twists and turns, such a good read.
August 27, 2024
Emotional rollercoaster
Rosie’s sister was fifteen years old, almost sixteen, when she disappeared. Rosie can’t remember what happened, or could she? There are two timelines running throughout the book. Incredibly well written with complex concepts and characters. I liked the weird twists which kept me glued to the pages. I liked the incredible and unexpected revelation at the end of the story.
Rosie’s sister was fifteen years old, almost sixteen, when she disappeared. Rosie can’t remember what happened, or could she? There are two timelines running throughout the book. Incredibly well written with complex concepts and characters. I liked the weird twists which kept me glued to the pages. I liked the incredible and unexpected revelation at the end of the story.
August 29, 2024
I had to DNF at 21%. I really tried to push through but I couldn’t take any more of the child bullying that happens. I felt like it was too much for me to handle. I could also tell that this book has a slow pacing which was causing me to loose interest too many times. I’m still interested in find out what happens but not enough to try and get through this story.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.
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