Sister

By Rosamund Lupton

Review by Gretchen Chamberlin

This debut novel by British author, Rosamund Lupton, is a mystery which builds incrementally, relentlessly and brilliantly to its well plotted and harrowing conclusion!

At the opening of the book, I was slightly disoriented as Lupton plunges the reader headlong into the story. But, in short order, you come to understand that Bee’s younger sister, Tess, has gone missing and is later found dead. Was it a suicide as the police surmise, or was it a murder? Bee flies from New York to London and tries to uncover what happened.

As the police become more thoroughly convinced that Tess took her own life, Bee’s intuition and her close lifelong bond with her sibling

inform her differently. Much more than a mystery story, Lupton expertly weaves together a wider context of both familial and romantic love, well developed characters, and surprisingly, the politics of medical research to create an engrossing book.
Though by no means a light read, I finished this book in two days, dying to know how it would turn out! If I were rating it with stars, I’d give it 5 out of 5.

 Physical book
 eBook

This review originally appeared as part of Novel Destinations, a summer reading event from several years ago. Check out this year’s adult summer reading: Book Your Summer.

About the reviewer: Gretchen Chamberlin has been a main stay at the library. She was once our assistant director & now handles our acquisitions. She loves visiting her grandchildren and trying new classes.