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The Second Sister
An obsessive quest to solve the mystery of her older sister’s disappearance puts a young woman in mortal jeopardy in this taut, sophisticated novel of psychological suspense from the author of the “truly riveting” (New York Times) The Book of You. An intoxicating cocktail of loyalty and secrets, lies and betrayal, reminiscent of Rosamund Lupton’s Sister and Kimberly McCreight’s Reconstructing Amelia.
A decade ago, Ella Brooke’s older sister, Miranda, vanished without a trace. With every passing year, Ella has come to resemble more closely the sister she lost—the same dark hair, the same piercing blue eyes—and now she’s the same age Miranda was when she disappeared.
Ella has never let go of her sister. She can still feel Miranda’s presence, still hear her voice. She still talks to her. What holds Ella together is her love for her sister’s ten-year-old son and her work as a self-defense expert helping victims.
Ella is certain that Miranda was taken, and that one man is key to her disappearance: Jason Thorne. The tabloids report that a new link has been found connecting Miranda to this sadistic serial killer locked away in a psychiatric hospital. Ignoring warnings from the police and the disapproval of her parents, she seeks Thorne out. Ella will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth—no matter how dangerous…
A decade ago, Ella Brooke’s older sister, Miranda, vanished without a trace. With every passing year, Ella has come to resemble more closely the sister she lost—the same dark hair, the same piercing blue eyes—and now she’s the same age Miranda was when she disappeared.
Ella has never let go of her sister. She can still feel Miranda’s presence, still hear her voice. She still talks to her. What holds Ella together is her love for her sister’s ten-year-old son and her work as a self-defense expert helping victims.
Ella is certain that Miranda was taken, and that one man is key to her disappearance: Jason Thorne. The tabloids report that a new link has been found connecting Miranda to this sadistic serial killer locked away in a psychiatric hospital. Ignoring warnings from the police and the disapproval of her parents, she seeks Thorne out. Ella will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth—no matter how dangerous…
467 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2017
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4068 people want to read
About the author
Claire Kendal
6 books415 followersClaire Kendal's first novel was THE BOOK OF YOU. It was a Sunday Times bestseller and a Richard & Judy Book Club pick. THE SECOND SISTER was published in 2017 and I SPY in 2019. Her fourth novel, MAKE YOU MINE, will be published in 2026. Claire teaches English Literature and Creative Writing, and lives in the South West of England with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews
September 15, 2017
If you’re like me and this book catches your fancy because Claire Kendal’s debut, The Book Of You, made your skin crawl in the clever way only a true psychological thriller can pull off, prepare yourself. Prepare yourself for the clunky and overly-wordy execution of this plot and for the moments when things inevitably veer off into ridiculous territory. Now, don’t get me wrong, that’s not to say this wasn’t somewhat of an entertaining experience. I guess what I’m getting at is, The Second Sister fails to bring the ingenuity and creepiness to the table that the The Book of You did. It lacks polish and at times is more of a confusing mess—there are way too many ideas competing here—than an intelligent investigation. Who knows, maybe that was the feeling the author was going for?
Right from the start, the story is incredibly slow. Claire Kendal takes a lot of time laying the groundwork and introducing the characters. When we meet Ella, the ten year anniversary of her sister’s disappearance is days away and for some reason, now is the time she wants to get serious about finding answers. There isn’t much interaction from the police—but a cold case wouldn’t garner much attention now, would it?—it’s simply Ella using her own amateur sleuthing skills that often rely on convenience or silly realizations. Have I mentioned how much I despise cheap plot devices?
The entire time we’re in Ella’s head and she’s working to uncover the truth, she’s having conversations with her missing sister and it’s confusing; especially when she’s in the middle of a scene where there’s dialogue with another character. More than a few times, I found myself rereading sections just to grasp who Ella was actually talking to.
Talking to you has been my way of keeping you alive, keeping you present even in your absence.
What managed to intrigue me even more than Miranda’s disappearance—which I realize is kind of silly considering this isn’t a romance novel—was Ted and Ella. Somehow these high school sweethearts managed to carry a burning torch for one another for twenty-six years, despite the fact that they haven’t been able to make a relationship work for the past ten. A mix of his being a police officer and her not being able to let go of her sister, landed them in a “will-they or won’t-they” situation riddled with tension. I’m sad to say though, things weren’t pretty. I'm not quite sure why the author chose to go this route.
There were certain aspects of the ending I liked, those having to do with Ella’s nephew, but that’s the extent of it. I felt the person behind her sister’s demise was too obvious. Despite all of the distractions floating around—the jealous friend, the serial killer, the cop impersonator, the psychiatrist, her nephew’s father, the unidentified caller and her former lover—I was able to pinpoint the culprit the moment Ella laid eyes on that person for the first time. If she was so clever, why couldn’t she? And the person’s motives . . . weak.
Overall, not the experience I had hoped for, but not the worst book I’ve ever laid my eyes on either—hence the very generous 3 star rating from this reader.
*Thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Right from the start, the story is incredibly slow. Claire Kendal takes a lot of time laying the groundwork and introducing the characters. When we meet Ella, the ten year anniversary of her sister’s disappearance is days away and for some reason, now is the time she wants to get serious about finding answers. There isn’t much interaction from the police—but a cold case wouldn’t garner much attention now, would it?—it’s simply Ella using her own amateur sleuthing skills that often rely on convenience or silly realizations. Have I mentioned how much I despise cheap plot devices?
The entire time we’re in Ella’s head and she’s working to uncover the truth, she’s having conversations with her missing sister and it’s confusing; especially when she’s in the middle of a scene where there’s dialogue with another character. More than a few times, I found myself rereading sections just to grasp who Ella was actually talking to.
Talking to you has been my way of keeping you alive, keeping you present even in your absence.
What managed to intrigue me even more than Miranda’s disappearance—which I realize is kind of silly considering this isn’t a romance novel—was Ted and Ella. Somehow these high school sweethearts managed to carry a burning torch for one another for twenty-six years, despite the fact that they haven’t been able to make a relationship work for the past ten. A mix of his being a police officer and her not being able to let go of her sister, landed them in a “will-they or won’t-they” situation riddled with tension. I’m sad to say though, things weren’t pretty. I'm not quite sure why the author chose to go this route.
There were certain aspects of the ending I liked, those having to do with Ella’s nephew, but that’s the extent of it. I felt the person behind her sister’s demise was too obvious. Despite all of the distractions floating around—the jealous friend, the serial killer, the cop impersonator, the psychiatrist, her nephew’s father, the unidentified caller and her former lover—I was able to pinpoint the culprit the moment Ella laid eyes on that person for the first time. If she was so clever, why couldn’t she? And the person’s motives . . . weak.
Overall, not the experience I had hoped for, but not the worst book I’ve ever laid my eyes on either—hence the very generous 3 star rating from this reader.
*Thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2017
Woo! This is a rollercoaster ride of a psychological thriller, it hooked me from the first few pages. There have so far been a plethora of great psychological thrillers in 2017 and this rates extremely highly against those. This will certainly be near the top of my Best of 2017 list.
Ella's sister Miranda disappeared ten years ago, leaving her baby behind. A man named Jason Thorne, currently in prison for murdering several women, is linked to Miranda through new evidence. Did Miranda know this guy? Ella is finding it increasingly difficult to hold it together but her love for her sister's child and her job keep her together, just. Ella is haunted by the possibility that Thorne took Miranda, and driven by her nephew's longing to know what happened to his mother, Ella decides to do whatever it takes to find the truth - even when it becomes dangerous.
This is a slow burner with unpredictable twists and is genuinely creepy. The book highlights the unbreakable bond of love between the two sisters and shows the lengths people will go to for the people they love. The relationship and bond between Ella & her nephew is beautiful, they are tied together through Miranda. The writing is, in my opinion, pretty flawless. The Book of You, Kendal's debut novel, is one I have heard about but not read. I now plan to buy it. I'm hoping it'll be as fabulous as this is, friends have assured me it is.
Thank you to Claire Kendal, HarperCollins, HarperFiction & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ella's sister Miranda disappeared ten years ago, leaving her baby behind. A man named Jason Thorne, currently in prison for murdering several women, is linked to Miranda through new evidence. Did Miranda know this guy? Ella is finding it increasingly difficult to hold it together but her love for her sister's child and her job keep her together, just. Ella is haunted by the possibility that Thorne took Miranda, and driven by her nephew's longing to know what happened to his mother, Ella decides to do whatever it takes to find the truth - even when it becomes dangerous.
This is a slow burner with unpredictable twists and is genuinely creepy. The book highlights the unbreakable bond of love between the two sisters and shows the lengths people will go to for the people they love. The relationship and bond between Ella & her nephew is beautiful, they are tied together through Miranda. The writing is, in my opinion, pretty flawless. The Book of You, Kendal's debut novel, is one I have heard about but not read. I now plan to buy it. I'm hoping it'll be as fabulous as this is, friends have assured me it is.
Thank you to Claire Kendal, HarperCollins, HarperFiction & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2017
Claire Kendal's new psychological thriller The Second Sister had me hooked from the start. I really enjoyed reading this book and found it thrilling, exciting and chilling. I could not put it down. I would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2017
Sometimes I read a book that totally hooks me in although I can't honestly explain why....well this was one of those books.
It has been ten years since Ella`s older sister Miranda dropped her baby son Luke off at theirs parents house,drove away in her car and vanished without a trace.Chilling new evidence links Miranda to Jason Thorne who is now in prison for the murders of several women,is it possible that Miranda knew him?
Now at the same age that Miranda was when she vanished and driven by her nephew's longing to know about his mother,Ella will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth - no matter how dangerous.....
This entertaining mystery is set between the dates of the 31st of October and the 19th of November of the same year.Throughout the book the titles of each chapter are found somewhere in the pages of that specific chapter which I thought was a clever idea.The story is voiced by Ella (only her sister was allowed to call her Melanie),I liked Ella,she was brave,stubborn,loyal,very clever but her attitude could sometimes also be very annoying.Little ten year old Luke was such a clever,perceptive little boy and I also liked Luke's dad.The other characters where a mixed bag of realistic,well thought out characters most of which where completely untrustworthy and a number of them where totally unlikable..The mystery of what had happened to Miranda was intreguing and I suspected more than one character of being involved in her disappearance as the story unfolded.
Although I did enjoy this book I did have a couple of issues with the story.I really get frustrated with books where almost every male character in the story falls in love with the heroine,it's what you expect if you are reading a romance but not what you want or need when you are reading a thriller.My second issue is that it was far too obvious that one character knew more than they were admitting.They might as well have had a large flashing sign above their head that read VILLAIN ALERT....TRUST ME AND BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU.
It's not fast paced but the story is Intreguing,there was some unexpected twists and a very intense final confrontation.I did enjoy this thriller and would happily read another book by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK/ Harper Fiction for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
It has been ten years since Ella`s older sister Miranda dropped her baby son Luke off at theirs parents house,drove away in her car and vanished without a trace.Chilling new evidence links Miranda to Jason Thorne who is now in prison for the murders of several women,is it possible that Miranda knew him?
Now at the same age that Miranda was when she vanished and driven by her nephew's longing to know about his mother,Ella will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth - no matter how dangerous.....
This entertaining mystery is set between the dates of the 31st of October and the 19th of November of the same year.Throughout the book the titles of each chapter are found somewhere in the pages of that specific chapter which I thought was a clever idea.The story is voiced by Ella (only her sister was allowed to call her Melanie),I liked Ella,she was brave,stubborn,loyal,very clever but her attitude could sometimes also be very annoying.Little ten year old Luke was such a clever,perceptive little boy and I also liked Luke's dad.The other characters where a mixed bag of realistic,well thought out characters most of which where completely untrustworthy and a number of them where totally unlikable..The mystery of what had happened to Miranda was intreguing and I suspected more than one character of being involved in her disappearance as the story unfolded.
Although I did enjoy this book I did have a couple of issues with the story.I really get frustrated with books where almost every male character in the story falls in love with the heroine,it's what you expect if you are reading a romance but not what you want or need when you are reading a thriller.My second issue is that it was far too obvious that one character knew more than they were admitting.They might as well have had a large flashing sign above their head that read VILLAIN ALERT....TRUST ME AND BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU.
It's not fast paced but the story is Intreguing,there was some unexpected twists and a very intense final confrontation.I did enjoy this thriller and would happily read another book by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK/ Harper Fiction for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
May 26, 2017
Wow, The Second Sister is a twisted tale indeed in the very best way possible.
I loved “The Book of You” (and I still have my promotional Book of Liz from way back) so I was very keen to read this and turns out for good reason because it was absolutely beautifully addictive, really rather clever and often very very creepy. What’s not to love?
Ella as a character was top notch, driven, unforgiving yet extremely likable, you follow her along through good decisions and bad and can barely look away – some of the most chilling scenes come when she faces down the man she believes took her sister – but that is just the tip of a very deep iceberg.
Family relationships are explored, a strong theme of the affects of loss run through the storyline, what I loved most of all was its multi-layered strands that allowed things to be unpredictable (at least for me until about 3/4 of the way through) To be honest by about half way I didn’t really care about whodunnit, if indeed anyone did, but I wanted Ella to find her closure, to be able to move on. For me that’s the sign of a great crime book.
Claire Kendal takes us down a dark and dangerous road to the truth, every step on that road is an obfuscated one, keeping things off kilter and making for a completely gorgeous read and a finale that left me clutching my hair.
Overall very very good indeed. Loved it. Highly Recommended.
I loved “The Book of You” (and I still have my promotional Book of Liz from way back) so I was very keen to read this and turns out for good reason because it was absolutely beautifully addictive, really rather clever and often very very creepy. What’s not to love?
Ella as a character was top notch, driven, unforgiving yet extremely likable, you follow her along through good decisions and bad and can barely look away – some of the most chilling scenes come when she faces down the man she believes took her sister – but that is just the tip of a very deep iceberg.
Family relationships are explored, a strong theme of the affects of loss run through the storyline, what I loved most of all was its multi-layered strands that allowed things to be unpredictable (at least for me until about 3/4 of the way through) To be honest by about half way I didn’t really care about whodunnit, if indeed anyone did, but I wanted Ella to find her closure, to be able to move on. For me that’s the sign of a great crime book.
Claire Kendal takes us down a dark and dangerous road to the truth, every step on that road is an obfuscated one, keeping things off kilter and making for a completely gorgeous read and a finale that left me clutching my hair.
Overall very very good indeed. Loved it. Highly Recommended.
July 19, 2019
I loved this book that I got from Sainsburys.
Unsolved Case. New linked discovered between evil Jason Thorne and missing Miranda.
Eight years ago when Jason Thorne was arrested for torturing and killing three women, there was speculation that Ella Brooke's sister Miranda was one of his victims.
As time passes Ella wants to meet Jason Thorne in a hospital where the outside walls are topped with razor wire. They are all confined to the hospital because they have done unspeakable things, some of the patients will never be allowed to leave.
Jason Thorne is too disturbed to be interviewed by detectives he is kept in the main part of the hospital building ward for patients with dangerous and severe personality disorders.
Ella made the request two weeks ago to visit Jason Thorne and it was approved. Mr Thorne consented to her visit and put her on his list.
It is essential for Ella to meet Jason Thorne to ask him did he take her sister Miranda?
Unsolved Case. New linked discovered between evil Jason Thorne and missing Miranda.
Eight years ago when Jason Thorne was arrested for torturing and killing three women, there was speculation that Ella Brooke's sister Miranda was one of his victims.
As time passes Ella wants to meet Jason Thorne in a hospital where the outside walls are topped with razor wire. They are all confined to the hospital because they have done unspeakable things, some of the patients will never be allowed to leave.
Jason Thorne is too disturbed to be interviewed by detectives he is kept in the main part of the hospital building ward for patients with dangerous and severe personality disorders.
Ella made the request two weeks ago to visit Jason Thorne and it was approved. Mr Thorne consented to her visit and put her on his list.
It is essential for Ella to meet Jason Thorne to ask him did he take her sister Miranda?
May 26, 2017
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I enjoyed The Second Sister and found it entertaining, but it did feel a little ridiculous at times. It got off to quite a slow start, because I suppose nothing really happens as such right at the beginning - it's more that Ella decides to start looking for what happened to her missing (presumed dead) sister Miranda, partly due to her nephew Luke asking her to try and find out. So because of this she starts to investigate and discovers new evidence (that the police somehow never managed to figure out themselves).
I found Ella a little irritating at times, but she was daring and determined, so I did warm to her more as the book went on. Other characters, though, felt far too obviously dodgy to me and when we discovered who was hiding what, it didn't feel like a big surprise to be honest. All the male characters seemed smitten with Ella, which got a little silly as the book went on!
The structure of the novel sees a constant flicking back and forth between the present day and the time before Miranda disappeared, and at times it got a little confusing because Ella is always addressing Miranda but sometimes talking to other people within the text, so sometimes it's unclear who she's talking to. I do generally enjoy books which switch between timeframes, though, so this negative feeling might be more because I was listening on audiobook.
I really like the ending, which rounds off the book quite nicely, and I have to bear in mind that I may have enjoyed this novel more if I'd have been reading it instead of listening to it, as I often find is the case, and this would therefore be more of a problem with me than with the book.
The Second Sister is quite far fetched, but then so are a lot of novels in this genre I suppose - though I really enjoyed The Book Of You. I just felt that this wasn't as much of an engrossing (or as well-crafted) read. Still, it kept me reading on and I found myself entertained.
I enjoyed The Second Sister and found it entertaining, but it did feel a little ridiculous at times. It got off to quite a slow start, because I suppose nothing really happens as such right at the beginning - it's more that Ella decides to start looking for what happened to her missing (presumed dead) sister Miranda, partly due to her nephew Luke asking her to try and find out. So because of this she starts to investigate and discovers new evidence (that the police somehow never managed to figure out themselves).
I found Ella a little irritating at times, but she was daring and determined, so I did warm to her more as the book went on. Other characters, though, felt far too obviously dodgy to me and when we discovered who was hiding what, it didn't feel like a big surprise to be honest. All the male characters seemed smitten with Ella, which got a little silly as the book went on!
The structure of the novel sees a constant flicking back and forth between the present day and the time before Miranda disappeared, and at times it got a little confusing because Ella is always addressing Miranda but sometimes talking to other people within the text, so sometimes it's unclear who she's talking to. I do generally enjoy books which switch between timeframes, though, so this negative feeling might be more because I was listening on audiobook.
I really like the ending, which rounds off the book quite nicely, and I have to bear in mind that I may have enjoyed this novel more if I'd have been reading it instead of listening to it, as I often find is the case, and this would therefore be more of a problem with me than with the book.
The Second Sister is quite far fetched, but then so are a lot of novels in this genre I suppose - though I really enjoyed The Book Of You. I just felt that this wasn't as much of an engrossing (or as well-crafted) read. Still, it kept me reading on and I found myself entertained.
April 5, 2017
How many psychopaths can you cram into one book? Lots, according to Kendal. Here we have the caught killer in a psychiatric hospital, the uncaught killer on the loose, and a madly jealous girlfriend for no good reason just to up the ante...
I'm afraid I found this overly-familiar in its plotting and also written in a kind of muddy, hyper-emotionalised style that grated: every time our heroine feels something it's described in overblown metaphors e.g. 'There is another explosion. The sky is erupting with giant dandelions in emerald and fuchsia and violet and sapphire... Each flower pops, then vaporises.' Purple prose, anyone?
I guess I'm wearying of yet another plucky woman taking on an investigation which the police have failed to solve, here the disappearance of her sister 10 years ago. Of course, she immediately spots clues that have eluded the police and is soon playing mind games with a killer in a secure facility a la Hannibal Lecter.
With Ella's ongoing internal dialogue with her missing sister in the second person, plus her flipping backwards and forwards between memories and the present, often within the same paragraph, there's a lot of faff here which takes up space without moving the story on.
I'd heard good things about Kendal's 'You' hence my interest in reading this - but her style perhaps just isn't for me.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley
I'm afraid I found this overly-familiar in its plotting and also written in a kind of muddy, hyper-emotionalised style that grated: every time our heroine feels something it's described in overblown metaphors e.g. 'There is another explosion. The sky is erupting with giant dandelions in emerald and fuchsia and violet and sapphire... Each flower pops, then vaporises.' Purple prose, anyone?
I guess I'm wearying of yet another plucky woman taking on an investigation which the police have failed to solve, here the disappearance of her sister 10 years ago. Of course, she immediately spots clues that have eluded the police and is soon playing mind games with a killer in a secure facility a la Hannibal Lecter.
With Ella's ongoing internal dialogue with her missing sister in the second person, plus her flipping backwards and forwards between memories and the present, often within the same paragraph, there's a lot of faff here which takes up space without moving the story on.
I'd heard good things about Kendal's 'You' hence my interest in reading this - but her style perhaps just isn't for me.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley
November 1, 2017
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced readers copy from the publisher.
I'm finding that I enjoy thrillers more and more. Wouldn't have been my thing when I was younger but the second sister was fantastic! Gripping and mysterious, I really felt for Ella as the 10 year anniversary of her sisters disappearance arose. The characters were deep and well constructed, with all their flaws and qualities portrayed in a way that made you feel you knew them all personally. I didn't guess the ending either which is always good - though this may be because I am still relatively new to the thriller genre. 4 stars and I'm now never letting my sister out of the house alone!
I'm finding that I enjoy thrillers more and more. Wouldn't have been my thing when I was younger but the second sister was fantastic! Gripping and mysterious, I really felt for Ella as the 10 year anniversary of her sisters disappearance arose. The characters were deep and well constructed, with all their flaws and qualities portrayed in a way that made you feel you knew them all personally. I didn't guess the ending either which is always good - though this may be because I am still relatively new to the thriller genre. 4 stars and I'm now never letting my sister out of the house alone!
September 1, 2017
DNF at 62%. I didn't care about a single character or situation in this book. The only likeable character was the kid, and he was left out so much that it hardly counts. Boring, slow, clunky, not believable.
May 10, 2020
Yes! This was a true-to-the-genre, tension-filled, heart pounding, never let up thriller!! Characters were great, mystery was great, background & relationships.. great! So good! It reminded me of why I love psychological thrillers! The twists felt so authentic.. I was hooked.. What fun! Definitely recommend this to any of my friends that enjoy psychological thrillers! (& the audio was.. you guessed it- great!😂)
October 17, 2017
THE SECOND SISTER by Claire Kendal is truly riveting! I did not want the thrilling psychological suspense to end, but I could not put this book down until I finished reading all 467 pages.
The characters are well developed, and I was intrigued by Ella Brooke's desire and determination to find out what happened to Miranda, her older sister. Will Ella solve the ten years old mystery? Will she find Miranda? Will Ella be endangering her own life? What sort of man is Jason Thorne?
This book has an interesting cover and I thoroughly enjoyed following Ella in her quest. The surprises, red herrings, and more twists and turns than a snake will appeal to many, including those who like the Tracy Crosswhite series by Robert Dugoni. I highly recommend THE SECOND SISTER by Claire Kendal. 5 ⭐️️
Special thanks to Claire Kendal for writing this amazing spellbinding novel, and to Ashley Posluns, First Look, and Harper Collins Publishers for providing me with an ARC enabling me to read and write a review expressing my thoughts of The Second Sister.
The characters are well developed, and I was intrigued by Ella Brooke's desire and determination to find out what happened to Miranda, her older sister. Will Ella solve the ten years old mystery? Will she find Miranda? Will Ella be endangering her own life? What sort of man is Jason Thorne?
This book has an interesting cover and I thoroughly enjoyed following Ella in her quest. The surprises, red herrings, and more twists and turns than a snake will appeal to many, including those who like the Tracy Crosswhite series by Robert Dugoni. I highly recommend THE SECOND SISTER by Claire Kendal. 5 ⭐️️
Special thanks to Claire Kendal for writing this amazing spellbinding novel, and to Ashley Posluns, First Look, and Harper Collins Publishers for providing me with an ARC enabling me to read and write a review expressing my thoughts of The Second Sister.
April 29, 2020
DNF at Page 131. It's very rare that I don't finish a book. Usually I persevere no matter what. I am so disappointed in this book. I had read The Book of You and really liked it but this one felt like it was going nowhere. I don't mean to be unsympathetic but when your sister has been missing for 10 years would you really be carrying on so many conversations with her in your head? Plus the fact that the sister was 10 years older than her so I can't imagine they were that close. The way she kept referring to her parents as "our mother" and "our father" was really annoying too. I didn't like Ella and couldn't imagine spending another 300 pages with her. I certainly can't recommend the book.
March 2, 2023
"We were four years old, and it was our first day of school. I fell in love with Ted during playtime for punching a boy who'd been teasing me about the birthmark on the underside of my chin."
Ella's sister Miranda disappeared without a trace, leaving her newborn son with her parents. Ten years on, now the age Miranda was when she vanished, Ella decides to find out what happened to her sister once and for all. But somebody doesn't want the truth to come out.
Due to the fact that February is a really bad month for me, it took me forever to get into this book. I must have read the first three chapters about twenty times. I decided to put it down for a bit until I could give it the attention that it deserved. When I finally picked it up again, it took me less than a day to read it. It was a pretty quick read, filled with plenty of little twists. I did figure out the main twist, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable.
Overall, it's a great read.
Ella's sister Miranda disappeared without a trace, leaving her newborn son with her parents. Ten years on, now the age Miranda was when she vanished, Ella decides to find out what happened to her sister once and for all. But somebody doesn't want the truth to come out.
Due to the fact that February is a really bad month for me, it took me forever to get into this book. I must have read the first three chapters about twenty times. I decided to put it down for a bit until I could give it the attention that it deserved. When I finally picked it up again, it took me less than a day to read it. It was a pretty quick read, filled with plenty of little twists. I did figure out the main twist, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable.
Overall, it's a great read.
February 6, 2019
3.5 stars
This novel started off to a very slow start and I found myself getting into it after the first 200 pages. That being said, it really picked up halfway through and I couldn't stop reading.
One thing I find in many missing story novels is that the person looking for the other person is always on their own and they never believe it when they are being watched or targeted. They are always percieved as the crazy person and it's very annoying! But then again I guess that's how the suspense is created and it does add more to the plot when all si revealed in the end.
I love that Ella never gives up on trying to find out what happened to her sister even after 10 years. She goes to such lengths to find answers and I just love novels with strong female leads! Ella is such a strong character who is determined to find what she can about her sister and does not stop and till she gets the answers she is looking for! We need more strong female leads please!
The suspense grew enormously and I enjoyed the second half of this book a lot more than the first half. I finished the second half in a day because it was just THAT good! The suspense did not let up and so much happened, I'm glad I didn't give up on this one. Secrets, lies and whole bunch of other stuff that I'm not going to spoil! A great way to end the novel!
This novel started off to a very slow start and I found myself getting into it after the first 200 pages. That being said, it really picked up halfway through and I couldn't stop reading.
One thing I find in many missing story novels is that the person looking for the other person is always on their own and they never believe it when they are being watched or targeted. They are always percieved as the crazy person and it's very annoying! But then again I guess that's how the suspense is created and it does add more to the plot when all si revealed in the end.
I love that Ella never gives up on trying to find out what happened to her sister even after 10 years. She goes to such lengths to find answers and I just love novels with strong female leads! Ella is such a strong character who is determined to find what she can about her sister and does not stop and till she gets the answers she is looking for! We need more strong female leads please!
The suspense grew enormously and I enjoyed the second half of this book a lot more than the first half. I finished the second half in a day because it was just THAT good! The suspense did not let up and so much happened, I'm glad I didn't give up on this one. Secrets, lies and whole bunch of other stuff that I'm not going to spoil! A great way to end the novel!
February 13, 2019
Claire Kendal hat zwei Releases im deutschsprachigen Raum. „Die zweite Schwester“ ist ihr aktueller. Für mich versprachen Cover als auch Klappentext psychologische Spannung, deshalb hat mich das Buch interessiert und deshalb hab ich es mir geholt. Dass ich von der Autorin noch nie etwas gehört hatte, war da nachrangig bzw. nur logisch bei lediglich zwei publizierten Büchern. Enttäuscht wurde ich jedenfalls nicht – richtig zufriedengestellt aber auch nicht.
Ella ist unsere Protagonistin in „Die zweite Schwester“. Sie hat Anlass dazu, nach ihrer Schwester zu suchen. Die wird seit zehn Jahren vermisst, oder ist seit zehn Jahren oder zumindest seit einer Zeit tot – so genau weiß das keiner. Zehn Jahre sind jedenfalls genug, denkt sich Ella, sie will endlich Gewissheit haben. Auch für Luke, der Sohn von Miranda, der seine Mutter nie kennengelernt hat, denn wenige Wochen nach seiner Geburt ist sie verschwunden. Also sucht Ella, auch weil sie neue Hinweise hat, wenngleich diese zunächst sehr vage sind und man als Leser oft das Gefühl hat, dass Ella einerseits im Nebel herumstochert und andererseits, irgendwann einen Hang zur Paranoia entwickelt. Und dann ist da noch Jason Thorne, der in der hiesigen Psychiatrie sitzt, weil er mehrere Frauen getötet hat – war Miranda darunter? Ella soll die Möglichkeit bekommen, es zu erfahren.
Ich habe mich tatsächlich auf dieses Buch gefreut, habe es sogar einem anderen vorgezogen und großteils hatte ich auch Freude daran. Anfangs wollte ich es gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen, weil die Atmosphäre stimmig und Ella ein interessanter Charakter ist. Dazu noch Luke, dem Sohn der vermissten oder toten Miranda, der mit Ella so etwas wie eine Ersatzmutter hat. Das Buch geht von Anfang an auf die Psyche des Lesers, weil man sofort herumdenkt, was mit Miranda passiert sein mag und hinterfragt auch den Charakter von Ella und sämtliche andere Charaktere, denen man begegnet – so war es zumindest bei mir. Kendal schafft eine interessante Stimmung, die angenehm und gleichzeitig unangenehm ist. Den Spagat schafft sie gut. Und dazu bietet sie uns subtile Spannung, die rund um Ella und ihre Schwester aufgebaut ist. Ella steht ihrer Schwester nahe – so nahe, dass sie fast durchgehend mit ihr im Gedanken spricht. Also wenn wir nicht gerade die ohnehin dialoglastige Geschichte lesen, bekommen wir die – eher einseitige – Unterhaltung zwischen Ella und Miranda auch noch mit.
Bei Ich-Erzählungen wie bei „Die zweite Schwester“ fällt es mir ohnehin immer schwer, dem Protagonisten vollends zu vertrauen, weil man eben nur die eine, nämlich seine - oder in dem Fall ihre - Sicht hat. Und man hat hier nur eine, denn einen zweiten Erzählstrang gibt es nicht. Wir haben zwar mit Jason Thorne einen Antagonisten, aber der ist erstens schon verurteilt und zweitens ein verdammt schlecht gezeichneter Charakter, der so wenig Charisma hat, dass ihn sich Kendal auch sparen hätte können. Im späteren Verlauf hat er mich dann doch etwas zu sehr an Hannibal Lecter erinnert; und das braucht es meiner Meinung nach nicht. Übrigens sind generell alle Charaktere außer Ella ziemlich blass – einzige Ausnahme bildet hier Luke, obwohl der irgendwann auch von der Bildfläche verschwindet, was ich sehr schade finde. Er haucht der Geschichte bis dahin einiges an Leben ein.
Auch wenn ich das Buch anfangs kaum aus der Hand legen konnte, tun sich im weiteren Verlauf doch ein paar Längen auf. Wobei ich mich ohnehin immer frage, ob es an mir oder nicht doch am Buch liegt, dass ich es gerade etwas zäh finde. Alles in allem ist „Die zweite Schwester“ ein solides Buch, dessen Titel mich aber doch des Öfteren zum Grübeln brachte, weil … es sind zwei Schwestern, aber … ach, macht euch am besten selbst ein Bild ;)
„Die zweite Schwester“ von Claire Kendal hat mich von Anfang an so gefesselt, dass ich gar nicht mehr aufhören wollte zu lesen, das dann aber irgendwann seine Defizite nicht mehr verstecken kann. Beispielsweise sind alle Charaktere außer Ella ziemlich blass. Einzige Ausnahme bildet Luke, aber der taucht irgendwann nicht mehr auf. Außerdem bekommt die Geschichte mit der Zeit dann leider doch ein paar Längen, und der Antagonist ist höchstens ein Hannibal Lecter für ganz Arme.
Ella ist unsere Protagonistin in „Die zweite Schwester“. Sie hat Anlass dazu, nach ihrer Schwester zu suchen. Die wird seit zehn Jahren vermisst, oder ist seit zehn Jahren oder zumindest seit einer Zeit tot – so genau weiß das keiner. Zehn Jahre sind jedenfalls genug, denkt sich Ella, sie will endlich Gewissheit haben. Auch für Luke, der Sohn von Miranda, der seine Mutter nie kennengelernt hat, denn wenige Wochen nach seiner Geburt ist sie verschwunden. Also sucht Ella, auch weil sie neue Hinweise hat, wenngleich diese zunächst sehr vage sind und man als Leser oft das Gefühl hat, dass Ella einerseits im Nebel herumstochert und andererseits, irgendwann einen Hang zur Paranoia entwickelt. Und dann ist da noch Jason Thorne, der in der hiesigen Psychiatrie sitzt, weil er mehrere Frauen getötet hat – war Miranda darunter? Ella soll die Möglichkeit bekommen, es zu erfahren.
Ich habe mich tatsächlich auf dieses Buch gefreut, habe es sogar einem anderen vorgezogen und großteils hatte ich auch Freude daran. Anfangs wollte ich es gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen, weil die Atmosphäre stimmig und Ella ein interessanter Charakter ist. Dazu noch Luke, dem Sohn der vermissten oder toten Miranda, der mit Ella so etwas wie eine Ersatzmutter hat. Das Buch geht von Anfang an auf die Psyche des Lesers, weil man sofort herumdenkt, was mit Miranda passiert sein mag und hinterfragt auch den Charakter von Ella und sämtliche andere Charaktere, denen man begegnet – so war es zumindest bei mir. Kendal schafft eine interessante Stimmung, die angenehm und gleichzeitig unangenehm ist. Den Spagat schafft sie gut. Und dazu bietet sie uns subtile Spannung, die rund um Ella und ihre Schwester aufgebaut ist. Ella steht ihrer Schwester nahe – so nahe, dass sie fast durchgehend mit ihr im Gedanken spricht. Also wenn wir nicht gerade die ohnehin dialoglastige Geschichte lesen, bekommen wir die – eher einseitige – Unterhaltung zwischen Ella und Miranda auch noch mit.
Bei Ich-Erzählungen wie bei „Die zweite Schwester“ fällt es mir ohnehin immer schwer, dem Protagonisten vollends zu vertrauen, weil man eben nur die eine, nämlich seine - oder in dem Fall ihre - Sicht hat. Und man hat hier nur eine, denn einen zweiten Erzählstrang gibt es nicht. Wir haben zwar mit Jason Thorne einen Antagonisten, aber der ist erstens schon verurteilt und zweitens ein verdammt schlecht gezeichneter Charakter, der so wenig Charisma hat, dass ihn sich Kendal auch sparen hätte können. Im späteren Verlauf hat er mich dann doch etwas zu sehr an Hannibal Lecter erinnert; und das braucht es meiner Meinung nach nicht. Übrigens sind generell alle Charaktere außer Ella ziemlich blass – einzige Ausnahme bildet hier Luke, obwohl der irgendwann auch von der Bildfläche verschwindet, was ich sehr schade finde. Er haucht der Geschichte bis dahin einiges an Leben ein.
Auch wenn ich das Buch anfangs kaum aus der Hand legen konnte, tun sich im weiteren Verlauf doch ein paar Längen auf. Wobei ich mich ohnehin immer frage, ob es an mir oder nicht doch am Buch liegt, dass ich es gerade etwas zäh finde. Alles in allem ist „Die zweite Schwester“ ein solides Buch, dessen Titel mich aber doch des Öfteren zum Grübeln brachte, weil … es sind zwei Schwestern, aber … ach, macht euch am besten selbst ein Bild ;)
„Die zweite Schwester“ von Claire Kendal hat mich von Anfang an so gefesselt, dass ich gar nicht mehr aufhören wollte zu lesen, das dann aber irgendwann seine Defizite nicht mehr verstecken kann. Beispielsweise sind alle Charaktere außer Ella ziemlich blass. Einzige Ausnahme bildet Luke, aber der taucht irgendwann nicht mehr auf. Außerdem bekommt die Geschichte mit der Zeit dann leider doch ein paar Längen, und der Antagonist ist höchstens ein Hannibal Lecter für ganz Arme.
May 12, 2017
I loved The Book of You and even though it had quite a harrowing storyline I was unable to read my eyes away from the horrors that were unfolding before me. So I was really keen to read Claire Kendals second book but would it live up to my expectations compared to her previous well written and researched psychological thriller? Well, it was never in doubt really was it?! Although I think I actually loved it more! It certainly pulled me in very quickly with its killer plot lines, peppered with some intriguing twists and one of the scariest prison visit scenes I have ever read!
There do seem to be a lot of “sister” books around at the moment. Using the relationship between siblings as a starting point for a psychological thriller seems to be growing in popularity but this felt very different right from the start for me. The sisterly dynamics were more intriguing here as, although Miranda wasn’t actually there with Ella, we were still able to feel their strong connection through the techniques used by the author as she explored the sister’s relationships with their parents and with Luke. And Ella still had conversations with her missing sister in her head which seemed to guide her towards most of the decisions she made.
Ella and her parents have been bringing up 10 year old Luke since Miranda, his mother and Ella’s sister, disappeared when Luke was just a baby. Although someone was convicted of similar murders, the police have never found her body but new evidence discovered in her belongings is now pointing towards a connection, although the police don’t seem very interested in pursuing it. But as Matilda still lives on in Ella’s head, as well as every time she looks in the mirror, so she decides to investigate further herself despite a warning from her friend Ted who is a local police officer.
I loved how I got a real feel for the character of Miranda throughout. Her voice came through so clearly due to Ella keeping her relationship with her sister alive with her memories and imagined conversations. Although 10 years have passed, her grief at losing her sister was still raw, crushing her and affecting her decisions. I found her narrative utterly heart breaking at times especially when Ella was with Luke, her nephew. I would probably have to say at this point that this isn’t a fast paced read but that didn’t stop me from becoming absolutely bewitched by the beautifully crafted characters and totally engrossed in the tension filled plot from page one.
And right from that first page the I had a strong sense of foreboding about what had happened to Miranda and what might also happen to Ella if she wasn’t careful! This is definitely one of those books where you want to scream at the characters for making ill advised and rash desicions that are obviously going to make things a hell of a lot worse for themselves! Well, obvious to the reader of course but seemingly not to Ella!
The Second Sister is creepy, claustrophobic and utterly compelling as the tension builds towards its twisty, terrifying climax. Highly recommended by me.
There do seem to be a lot of “sister” books around at the moment. Using the relationship between siblings as a starting point for a psychological thriller seems to be growing in popularity but this felt very different right from the start for me. The sisterly dynamics were more intriguing here as, although Miranda wasn’t actually there with Ella, we were still able to feel their strong connection through the techniques used by the author as she explored the sister’s relationships with their parents and with Luke. And Ella still had conversations with her missing sister in her head which seemed to guide her towards most of the decisions she made.
Ella and her parents have been bringing up 10 year old Luke since Miranda, his mother and Ella’s sister, disappeared when Luke was just a baby. Although someone was convicted of similar murders, the police have never found her body but new evidence discovered in her belongings is now pointing towards a connection, although the police don’t seem very interested in pursuing it. But as Matilda still lives on in Ella’s head, as well as every time she looks in the mirror, so she decides to investigate further herself despite a warning from her friend Ted who is a local police officer.
I loved how I got a real feel for the character of Miranda throughout. Her voice came through so clearly due to Ella keeping her relationship with her sister alive with her memories and imagined conversations. Although 10 years have passed, her grief at losing her sister was still raw, crushing her and affecting her decisions. I found her narrative utterly heart breaking at times especially when Ella was with Luke, her nephew. I would probably have to say at this point that this isn’t a fast paced read but that didn’t stop me from becoming absolutely bewitched by the beautifully crafted characters and totally engrossed in the tension filled plot from page one.
And right from that first page the I had a strong sense of foreboding about what had happened to Miranda and what might also happen to Ella if she wasn’t careful! This is definitely one of those books where you want to scream at the characters for making ill advised and rash desicions that are obviously going to make things a hell of a lot worse for themselves! Well, obvious to the reader of course but seemingly not to Ella!
The Second Sister is creepy, claustrophobic and utterly compelling as the tension builds towards its twisty, terrifying climax. Highly recommended by me.
dnf
March 1, 2021DNF @ 15%
2017; Harper Paperbacks/HarperCollins; HarperCollins Publishers/HarperCollins Canada
I love cold cases, fiction or nonfiction, books or television so I was excited to read this novel. Unfortunately, I could not get beyond 15% of the book. The story moves slowly but also the main character just didn't do justice to her sister's story. She is a bit bland and kind of simpers and makes me grimace so I had do give up sooner than I wanted to. I don't think even listening to this on audio will save it. I did read some reviews to see what others thought, and I think I will read Kendal's first novel as that seemed to be a winner.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
2017; Harper Paperbacks/HarperCollins; HarperCollins Publishers/HarperCollins Canada
I love cold cases, fiction or nonfiction, books or television so I was excited to read this novel. Unfortunately, I could not get beyond 15% of the book. The story moves slowly but also the main character just didn't do justice to her sister's story. She is a bit bland and kind of simpers and makes me grimace so I had do give up sooner than I wanted to. I don't think even listening to this on audio will save it. I did read some reviews to see what others thought, and I think I will read Kendal's first novel as that seemed to be a winner.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
April 16, 2017
A slow burner this one - genuinely creepy and a serial killer who was on the level with Hannibal. The missing sister, the mystery another good thread, and the poor child missing her mum for all those years....I just found it tricky to enjoy the three threads all woven together as there was something which didn't gel for me. I do think that the lack of any sense of place added to the confusion for me as normally this seems to add to the story with a vagueness but it confused me slightly and I think it would have really added to the disappearance. There was a lot of creepiness to this but for me a little too vague.
August 26, 2017
I was invested in this book from the very start! Ella is a few years younger than Miranda. Ella adored her older sister Miranda growing up and strived to be like her. Until one day Miranda doesn't come home. Her car is found along a road with her phone and wallet inside. She leaves behind an infant son that Ella and her parents are tasked with raising. Nothing makes sense. Miranda would never leave her infant son and Ella behind, would she?
"I see you everywhere. If I really had eyes like yours, I wouldn't be about to ask a question that you are going to hate. I would already know the answer. But here it is. What would you do if the police wanted to talk to you? Because I need to follow where you lead."
The police investigate and never really have a lead. There are speculations of what happened to Miranda, but nothing ever pans out. Ten years after Miranda goes missing Ella's father petitions to get Miranda's belonging back from the police. Ella and Miranda's son Luke go through the box together and young Luke tasks his Aunt Ella with finding out what happened to his mother once and for all.
"I will say this, though, Miranda, in my one concession to police speak. What follows comes from my personal knowledge of what I saw, heard and felt. I, Ella Allegra Brooke, believe that the facts in this witness statement are true. This is your story, but it is mine too, and I am our best witness. Maybe I do have eyes like yours, after all."
Ella finds Melanie's address book in the belonging returned by the police and begins following clues to find Luke's father in hopes that he might have know what happened to Melanie. Soon Ella is interviewing people she thinks will help her and being discouraged by her ex-boyfriend and long-time family friend, Ted, who works for the police department. Ted has spent years trying to stay away from this case while Ella has tried to drag him in. She knows he has knowledge of the case that he isn't sharing with her.
Soon Ella believes her sister may have been killed by the serial killer, Jason Thorne. After making friends with the doctor in charge of Jason, Adam Holderness, Ella is granted an interview with Jason. With Adam by her side Ella interviews Jason, a man who is clearly not rehabilitated. Ella doesn't get what she wants from her first interview, so she goes back for a second. During this interview Jason manages to get ahold of Ella. Adam and his staff fear she will be killed. Instead Jason whisper something in her ear before he is drugged by the staff.
"Jason Thorne is sitting on the same golden doll's house sofa in the same fake drawing room wearing the same jeans and lumberjack shirt I last saw him wear. He heaves himself up to greet me as I walk towards him. His face is practically splitting he is smiling so hard. For an instant, I see a vulnerable little boy beneath that face, wanting to be liked and admired as much as he likes and admires, but never being granted this wish."
The author doesn't immediately let us know what Jason told Ella. My mind ran wild with speculation. Did Jason kill Miranda? Did he know who did? Soon the true killer is revealed as he kidnaps Ella. It feels like all is lost, but Ella is a fighter.
"Thorne was wrong and right. The monster did keep you close, in a place he could see, though you weren't beneath a hedge. That is where he kept the other two women. The police haven't identified them yet but they think he killed them after he took you, with a few years between each victim. Thorne predicted that too."
I highly recommend this book! It is 467 pages of speculation that leads in various directions and kept me guessing right up to the last few chapters. I didn't see the killer coming!
"I see you everywhere. If I really had eyes like yours, I wouldn't be about to ask a question that you are going to hate. I would already know the answer. But here it is. What would you do if the police wanted to talk to you? Because I need to follow where you lead."
The police investigate and never really have a lead. There are speculations of what happened to Miranda, but nothing ever pans out. Ten years after Miranda goes missing Ella's father petitions to get Miranda's belonging back from the police. Ella and Miranda's son Luke go through the box together and young Luke tasks his Aunt Ella with finding out what happened to his mother once and for all.
"I will say this, though, Miranda, in my one concession to police speak. What follows comes from my personal knowledge of what I saw, heard and felt. I, Ella Allegra Brooke, believe that the facts in this witness statement are true. This is your story, but it is mine too, and I am our best witness. Maybe I do have eyes like yours, after all."
Ella finds Melanie's address book in the belonging returned by the police and begins following clues to find Luke's father in hopes that he might have know what happened to Melanie. Soon Ella is interviewing people she thinks will help her and being discouraged by her ex-boyfriend and long-time family friend, Ted, who works for the police department. Ted has spent years trying to stay away from this case while Ella has tried to drag him in. She knows he has knowledge of the case that he isn't sharing with her.
Soon Ella believes her sister may have been killed by the serial killer, Jason Thorne. After making friends with the doctor in charge of Jason, Adam Holderness, Ella is granted an interview with Jason. With Adam by her side Ella interviews Jason, a man who is clearly not rehabilitated. Ella doesn't get what she wants from her first interview, so she goes back for a second. During this interview Jason manages to get ahold of Ella. Adam and his staff fear she will be killed. Instead Jason whisper something in her ear before he is drugged by the staff.
"Jason Thorne is sitting on the same golden doll's house sofa in the same fake drawing room wearing the same jeans and lumberjack shirt I last saw him wear. He heaves himself up to greet me as I walk towards him. His face is practically splitting he is smiling so hard. For an instant, I see a vulnerable little boy beneath that face, wanting to be liked and admired as much as he likes and admires, but never being granted this wish."
The author doesn't immediately let us know what Jason told Ella. My mind ran wild with speculation. Did Jason kill Miranda? Did he know who did? Soon the true killer is revealed as he kidnaps Ella. It feels like all is lost, but Ella is a fighter.
"Thorne was wrong and right. The monster did keep you close, in a place he could see, though you weren't beneath a hedge. That is where he kept the other two women. The police haven't identified them yet but they think he killed them after he took you, with a few years between each victim. Thorne predicted that too."
I highly recommend this book! It is 467 pages of speculation that leads in various directions and kept me guessing right up to the last few chapters. I didn't see the killer coming!
November 7, 2021
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
10 years ago, Ella's older sister Miranda disappeared without a trace. Although the police have ruled the case closed, Ella is certain that Miranda was kidnapped by a man in a psychiatric hospital named Jason Thorn. Desperate to discover what happened to Miranda, Ella continues to dig into the case.
This was entertaining while I read it, but ultimately not the best thriller I've picked up lately. It is rather slow, and does take quite awhile to truly feel the creepy vibes I was hoping for in this. I didn't really understand why all of a sudden, 10 years later, Ella was interested in solving her sister's cold case... wouldn't she have been trying to do that before? The story was a bit predictable, but there were a few twists I hadn't expected. I did find the complex relationships between Ella and her parents as they tried to navigate their grief interesting to read about. The one thing I really enjoyed in this book was the relationship between Ella and her nephew, Luke.
Overall, it was just an average thriller.
10 years ago, Ella's older sister Miranda disappeared without a trace. Although the police have ruled the case closed, Ella is certain that Miranda was kidnapped by a man in a psychiatric hospital named Jason Thorn. Desperate to discover what happened to Miranda, Ella continues to dig into the case.
This was entertaining while I read it, but ultimately not the best thriller I've picked up lately. It is rather slow, and does take quite awhile to truly feel the creepy vibes I was hoping for in this. I didn't really understand why all of a sudden, 10 years later, Ella was interested in solving her sister's cold case... wouldn't she have been trying to do that before? The story was a bit predictable, but there were a few twists I hadn't expected. I did find the complex relationships between Ella and her parents as they tried to navigate their grief interesting to read about. The one thing I really enjoyed in this book was the relationship between Ella and her nephew, Luke.
Overall, it was just an average thriller.
May 8, 2017
Ella's sister has been missing for ten years. Ten years since Miranda dropped her baby son Luke at their parents house and drove seat never to be seen again.
Ella has never been able to let go of her sister and with the encouragement of her now 10 year old nephew Luke Ella steps up her own investigations to find out the truth of what happened to Miranda.
There are so many people to suspect and so many twists and turns that you are completely drawn into this book. Though at times I did find Ella slightly annoying overall she is a charachter I really warmed to.
The plot draws you through a serial killer that holds some secrets, a stalker, a manic ex friend and a seemingly harmless old lady....all of which convene in a cracking finale. This is a fantastic book.
Ella has never been able to let go of her sister and with the encouragement of her now 10 year old nephew Luke Ella steps up her own investigations to find out the truth of what happened to Miranda.
There are so many people to suspect and so many twists and turns that you are completely drawn into this book. Though at times I did find Ella slightly annoying overall she is a charachter I really warmed to.
The plot draws you through a serial killer that holds some secrets, a stalker, a manic ex friend and a seemingly harmless old lady....all of which convene in a cracking finale. This is a fantastic book.
June 12, 2017
Claire Kendal’s first book, The Book of You, was a top read for me a couple of years ago, so I was very excited to read the author’s next novel, The Second Sister.
The story involves Ella, whose sister, Miranda, went missing ten years previously. Miranda’s son Luke is ten years old now and asking difficult questions. Ella is also 30, the age her sister was when she mysteriously disappeared, bringing up all kinds of new emotions, fears and her own unanswered questions. As Ella digs deeper, fresh information arises through renewed press interest and a new suspect is in the frame, a sadistic killer, Thorne. Ella, however, can’t bring herself to believe he’s involved, as this would mean her sister is dead. Until now, there has always been the thread of hope that she is still out there, somewhere.
The immediacy of the narrative swept me up straight away, partly through the use of second-person narrative – this time, the author employed a nice twist in using it to refer to someone dear, the lost beloved sister, rather than the antagonist, as in the first novel. From the opening pages there was a gentle, delicate and fragile quality to Kendal’s narration that made me want to turn the pages ‘oh so tenderly.’ The writing seemed to capture the details ‘behind and between’ the aspects we normally notice about people – so sensitive and satisfying, as a result.
The revered older sister, Miranda, is ever-present in the pages, as Ella 'hears' the internalised memories of her short punchy comments, as if she’s standing right beside her. There are also clever single line flashbacks to help the reader gain context and see how things stood in the past. I particularly admired the artful blend of literary fiction (which led me to savour the writing) and psychological thriller (which compelled me to turn the pages!). The author manages to find the tipping point between the two, perfectly!
As the story progresses, there is a steady unfolding of clues and details which lead Ella onwards in her quest for the truth. She has to confront certain key figures and puts herself at risk to dig deeper. The outcome is shattering and the harrowing scenes towards the end took my breath away. So much is good about this book – and just like The Book of You, it will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommended.
The story involves Ella, whose sister, Miranda, went missing ten years previously. Miranda’s son Luke is ten years old now and asking difficult questions. Ella is also 30, the age her sister was when she mysteriously disappeared, bringing up all kinds of new emotions, fears and her own unanswered questions. As Ella digs deeper, fresh information arises through renewed press interest and a new suspect is in the frame, a sadistic killer, Thorne. Ella, however, can’t bring herself to believe he’s involved, as this would mean her sister is dead. Until now, there has always been the thread of hope that she is still out there, somewhere.
The immediacy of the narrative swept me up straight away, partly through the use of second-person narrative – this time, the author employed a nice twist in using it to refer to someone dear, the lost beloved sister, rather than the antagonist, as in the first novel. From the opening pages there was a gentle, delicate and fragile quality to Kendal’s narration that made me want to turn the pages ‘oh so tenderly.’ The writing seemed to capture the details ‘behind and between’ the aspects we normally notice about people – so sensitive and satisfying, as a result.
The revered older sister, Miranda, is ever-present in the pages, as Ella 'hears' the internalised memories of her short punchy comments, as if she’s standing right beside her. There are also clever single line flashbacks to help the reader gain context and see how things stood in the past. I particularly admired the artful blend of literary fiction (which led me to savour the writing) and psychological thriller (which compelled me to turn the pages!). The author manages to find the tipping point between the two, perfectly!
As the story progresses, there is a steady unfolding of clues and details which lead Ella onwards in her quest for the truth. She has to confront certain key figures and puts herself at risk to dig deeper. The outcome is shattering and the harrowing scenes towards the end took my breath away. So much is good about this book – and just like The Book of You, it will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommended.
July 10, 2023
Mmmmmm this book was very odd and I’m still not sure if my two stars are too generous. To begin with I really liked this book but after a third I lost all interest and haven’t picked it up for quite a few days.
Without sounding dramatic, I just didn’t feel anything for this book, and I couldn’t tell you the main characters names despite just finishing it.
Two stars because I did enjoy it to begin with and I did finish it, despite it being reluctant
Without sounding dramatic, I just didn’t feel anything for this book, and I couldn’t tell you the main characters names despite just finishing it.
Two stars because I did enjoy it to begin with and I did finish it, despite it being reluctant
February 24, 2018
I'm happy to say that I found The Second Sister to be a worthy follow-up to Claire Kendal's first novel, The Book of You. It's a densely-plotted, tenderly-written story with familial love at its heart. The narrative unfolds with perfect pacing in truly gorgeous writing, with just enough twists to keep the reader guessing and some truly chilling imagery that will stay with me for a while (a bracelet made of desiccated bugs, to name just one). The character of Ella is determined, fierce, and well-wrought, and strikes the perfect balance between toughness and vulnerability. This is a well-done psychological thriller with memorable characters and lots of heart.
August 3, 2023
The beginning was slow, and I thought the storyline was messy at times, but I was really interested by the end and it came together in a very bizarre way. Definitely worth the fifty cents I paid for it at that estate sale. I’m glad I saw it there because I’m not sure I would’ve found this book otherwise. That being said, I’m also glad I didn’t have to pay full price for it. 🤷🏻♀️
September 26, 2017
With a slow build up this one has a roller coaster ride of an ending!
March 12, 2019
A sharp thriller with lots of twists and turns. Parts of the story reminded me of Silence of the lambs and other parts American Horror Story Asylum, and that's only a small piece.
May 4, 2020
I've pretty much reached saturation with the suspense genre - until this book. Wow! It is long, but doesn't feel like it. Each chapter makes you want more. And what a kick ass ending!
April 5, 2017
There are so many books claiming to be the next best thriller, this is a book you can believe the hype about. I practically inhaled this, could not put it down! The writing was flawless and the character development was something else. Thanks to NetGalley for my early copy.
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