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The Stolen Sisters
Three little girls missing. One family torn apart…
Leah’s perfect marriage isn’t what it seems but the biggest lie of all is that she’s learned to live with what happened all those years ago. Marie drinks a bit too much to help her forget. And Carly has never forgiven herself for not keeping them safe.
Twenty years ago these three sisters were taken. What came after they disappeared was far worse. It should have brought them together, but how can a family ever recover?
Especially when not everyone is telling the truth . . .
Leah’s perfect marriage isn’t what it seems but the biggest lie of all is that she’s learned to live with what happened all those years ago. Marie drinks a bit too much to help her forget. And Carly has never forgiven herself for not keeping them safe.
Twenty years ago these three sisters were taken. What came after they disappeared was far worse. It should have brought them together, but how can a family ever recover?
Especially when not everyone is telling the truth . . .
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 599 reviews
October 29, 2021
Wow! Exciting and intriguing thriller that kept me up late last night finishing it. Jensen has done it again with another captivating read.
Told in two timelines from the perspectives of multiple characters, this fast-paced book provides twists and thrills. Nearly twenty years ago, Carly, age 13, was babysitting her eight-year-old twin sisters Leah and Marie. The three of them were kidnapped by masked abductors and were eventually saved, but in the present day all three women continue to suffer severe effects of the ordeal. Leah is the only one married with a child, but she has debilitating OCD and other mental issues, and the upcoming anniversary of the kidnapping is making them worse. Her husband George is withdrawing from their relationship because he just doesn't think he can go through this again. Leah and Carly begin to receive anonymous letters counting down to the anniversary, and when Leah finds out that their kidnapper has been released from jail, she is convinced he is behind everything.
I found this book very gripping and it kept me totally involved with the story. The chapters are very short, and most of them end on a little cliffhanger, which occasionally got tedious and annoying because it was used too often. But then it wasn't long until the unresolved situation was addressed again so in the end it was a minor annoyance. I figured out what was going on in the past storyline before it was revealed, but the present storyline was more surprising. Part of me also got a bit annoyed by the extent of Leah's issues, although I could completely understand the effects on all three sisters after the horrific things they experienced. The trauma is visceral and a major part of what keeps this tale so intense and engaging.
Despite these minor issues, I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy this genre. If you're looking for an engrossing, suspenseful thriller then this latest offering by Louise Jensen is a fantastic choice.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Told in two timelines from the perspectives of multiple characters, this fast-paced book provides twists and thrills. Nearly twenty years ago, Carly, age 13, was babysitting her eight-year-old twin sisters Leah and Marie. The three of them were kidnapped by masked abductors and were eventually saved, but in the present day all three women continue to suffer severe effects of the ordeal. Leah is the only one married with a child, but she has debilitating OCD and other mental issues, and the upcoming anniversary of the kidnapping is making them worse. Her husband George is withdrawing from their relationship because he just doesn't think he can go through this again. Leah and Carly begin to receive anonymous letters counting down to the anniversary, and when Leah finds out that their kidnapper has been released from jail, she is convinced he is behind everything.
I found this book very gripping and it kept me totally involved with the story. The chapters are very short, and most of them end on a little cliffhanger, which occasionally got tedious and annoying because it was used too often. But then it wasn't long until the unresolved situation was addressed again so in the end it was a minor annoyance. I figured out what was going on in the past storyline before it was revealed, but the present storyline was more surprising. Part of me also got a bit annoyed by the extent of Leah's issues, although I could completely understand the effects on all three sisters after the horrific things they experienced. The trauma is visceral and a major part of what keeps this tale so intense and engaging.
Despite these minor issues, I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy this genre. If you're looking for an engrossing, suspenseful thriller then this latest offering by Louise Jensen is a fantastic choice.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
September 5, 2020
If you have younger siblings then you can probably empathise with thirteen year old Carly Sinclair’s frustration at having to look after her younger twin sisters Leah and Marie while their parents are at work..... especially when they don’t follow instructions. Her anger turns to panic and a desperate attempt to protect them when all three are abducted. The story is told Then and Now (twenty years on) by all three girls and Leah’s husband George.
If you fancy reading a jaw dropper and an eye popper, full of tension and a multitude of emotions then look no further than this. What is so good about it is the principal focus is on the mental and physical toll the sisters ordeal causes and how it affects their dynamics and their families. I don’t want to include spoilers but these effects are incredibly damaging and heart breaking. The style of writing is so good at conveying all the varying emotions thus making it a gripping read. It’s an emotional rollercoaster with everything from guilt, sadness, an inability to trust and fear that looms over them like constant black storm clouds. Reading their story from George’s perspective is intriguing too as you get an appreciation of the wider implications. The writing is powerful and there are some taunting and haunting images that burrow into the sisters brains and scares them witless. Louise Jensen uses places, building and weather to create taut and tense atmospheres. All the sisters are damaged but my especial empathy goes to Carly whose maternal resourcefulness and caring protectiveness of her sisters in and post captivity is very touching. When all the various strands of truth connect the calculated wickedness beggars belief. I really like the ending which is a mixed bag of feelings from sadness to love but hopeful healing.
Overall, this is a gripping and very compelling psychological thriller which I found hard to put down. Highly recommended to fans of this genre.
With many thanks to NetGalley, HQ and Louise Jensen for the ARC for an unbiased review.
If you fancy reading a jaw dropper and an eye popper, full of tension and a multitude of emotions then look no further than this. What is so good about it is the principal focus is on the mental and physical toll the sisters ordeal causes and how it affects their dynamics and their families. I don’t want to include spoilers but these effects are incredibly damaging and heart breaking. The style of writing is so good at conveying all the varying emotions thus making it a gripping read. It’s an emotional rollercoaster with everything from guilt, sadness, an inability to trust and fear that looms over them like constant black storm clouds. Reading their story from George’s perspective is intriguing too as you get an appreciation of the wider implications. The writing is powerful and there are some taunting and haunting images that burrow into the sisters brains and scares them witless. Louise Jensen uses places, building and weather to create taut and tense atmospheres. All the sisters are damaged but my especial empathy goes to Carly whose maternal resourcefulness and caring protectiveness of her sisters in and post captivity is very touching. When all the various strands of truth connect the calculated wickedness beggars belief. I really like the ending which is a mixed bag of feelings from sadness to love but hopeful healing.
Overall, this is a gripping and very compelling psychological thriller which I found hard to put down. Highly recommended to fans of this genre.
With many thanks to NetGalley, HQ and Louise Jensen for the ARC for an unbiased review.
March 12, 2023
This is my third book by the author, so she has fast become a go-to author. She does such a good job with the characters. They come alive and it’s easy to get pictures in your head of them. The plot was great, with plenty of wondering about what’s going on. And I liked the ending:
November 4, 2021
The Stolen Sisters, a suspense thriller, is the latest release from Louise Jensen, an author whose books I've read in the past. Twentyish years ago, three sisters (around 8 to 12) were kidnapped. The story is told in the present and the past, and from all of their perspectives, plus a few people from their present day. We know from the beginning that all three were somehow rescued, but it's unclear what actually happened until far into the tale.
I enjoyed the book, but I did struggle to connect with some parts. I loved the confusion in terms of not knowing how they made it out until at least two-thirds thru the story. It kept me turning the pages; however, there were some boundary issues between the three sisters in which having their POV both in the past and the present was a bit difficult. I had to decide who was fibbing or exaggerating, plus focus on their different personal lives. Knowing they were kids when it happened was hard too because they seemed too young to talk the way they did at times. But, these weren't major problems... just what kept me from giving it the full five stars.
The story is fascinating - who kidnapped and them and why. Someone in their present lives is connected with it, and we learn one of the girls might have had more insight than we were led to believe (not that a kid planned it but that a kid had begun piecing things together yet didn't tell anyone until too late). All that said, the writing is strong, and I plan to read the remaining two novels by Jensen that I haven't gotten to yet - later this fall, most likely. But the author is quite good, so I want to be current with her past works before 2022 arrives, so I can devour the latest when it publishes.
I enjoyed the book, but I did struggle to connect with some parts. I loved the confusion in terms of not knowing how they made it out until at least two-thirds thru the story. It kept me turning the pages; however, there were some boundary issues between the three sisters in which having their POV both in the past and the present was a bit difficult. I had to decide who was fibbing or exaggerating, plus focus on their different personal lives. Knowing they were kids when it happened was hard too because they seemed too young to talk the way they did at times. But, these weren't major problems... just what kept me from giving it the full five stars.
The story is fascinating - who kidnapped and them and why. Someone in their present lives is connected with it, and we learn one of the girls might have had more insight than we were led to believe (not that a kid planned it but that a kid had begun piecing things together yet didn't tell anyone until too late). All that said, the writing is strong, and I plan to read the remaining two novels by Jensen that I haven't gotten to yet - later this fall, most likely. But the author is quite good, so I want to be current with her past works before 2022 arrives, so I can devour the latest when it publishes.
September 28, 2020
Leah's perfect marriage isn't what it seems. Marie drinks to help her forget. Carly has never forgiven herself for not keeping them safe.
Twenty years ago these three sisters were taken. It should have brought them closer together, but how can a family ever recover.
Carly, Leah and Marie had been bundled into a van twenty years ago by two masked men. The story starts as the twentieth anniversary of the abduction approaches. The women all have troubled lives. The story unfolds in the then and now format and narrated from the three womens perspectives. Something happened twenty years ago that drove a wedge through the sisters. It eventually becomes clear that one of the sisters had lied about what had actually happened. The tension builds almost from the first page. It's well written qne gripping read. It's thrilling, emotional and full of twists. Another great read by the author.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HQ and all the author! #LouiseJensen for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Twenty years ago these three sisters were taken. It should have brought them closer together, but how can a family ever recover.
Carly, Leah and Marie had been bundled into a van twenty years ago by two masked men. The story starts as the twentieth anniversary of the abduction approaches. The women all have troubled lives. The story unfolds in the then and now format and narrated from the three womens perspectives. Something happened twenty years ago that drove a wedge through the sisters. It eventually becomes clear that one of the sisters had lied about what had actually happened. The tension builds almost from the first page. It's well written qne gripping read. It's thrilling, emotional and full of twists. Another great read by the author.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HQ and all the author! #LouiseJensen for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2021
Louise Jensen has described this latest psychological thriller as her best yet and I have to agree!
The novel follows the trauma that has plagued The Sinclair Sisters since their capture at the tender age of 13 (Carly) and 8 (Twins - Leah and Marie).
With the 20th anniversary of their horrific ordeal fast approaching, the three sibling have their own thoughts on how to tell of their experiences in one of them where are they now pieces.
Each of the Sinclair's now damaged its quite harrowing to have the foreknowledge during the flashback scenes in the past.
Those sections are equally as important especially with Carly being the eldest of the trio and adds to the fascinating dynamic.
Some of the chapters are super short but really adds to the suspense of what initial feels like your typical child abduction story.
The more the reader learns about that fateful day and the subsequent fall out two decades later adds to tension.
It was such an addictive read, especially as Leigh starts to receive letters counting down to the date in question.
With plenty of twists and surprises, this kept me hooked straight from the first page.
The novel follows the trauma that has plagued The Sinclair Sisters since their capture at the tender age of 13 (Carly) and 8 (Twins - Leah and Marie).
With the 20th anniversary of their horrific ordeal fast approaching, the three sibling have their own thoughts on how to tell of their experiences in one of them where are they now pieces.
Each of the Sinclair's now damaged its quite harrowing to have the foreknowledge during the flashback scenes in the past.
Those sections are equally as important especially with Carly being the eldest of the trio and adds to the fascinating dynamic.
Some of the chapters are super short but really adds to the suspense of what initial feels like your typical child abduction story.
The more the reader learns about that fateful day and the subsequent fall out two decades later adds to tension.
It was such an addictive read, especially as Leigh starts to receive letters counting down to the date in question.
With plenty of twists and surprises, this kept me hooked straight from the first page.
October 5, 2021
The present day hasn’t been too kind to sisters Carly, Leah, and Marie because 20 years ago, they were kidnapped. Their busy working parents places the eldest sister Carly in charge of watching her twin sisters. After their family dog gets out, the sister search for him. The dog doesn’t come home that night and neither do the sisters. The book alternates between the present and the frightening past, leading up to the 20 year anniversary of their abduction. No matter how hard they try to move on from their kidnapping, nothing ever stays in the past.
The build up of Leah’s kidnapping story in present day was decent, even leaving the reader with a good twist of the people behind the horrendous event. I was leaning towards a solid four star rating for the ongoing tension, more because of the past when the girls were held captive than the present. Expect authentic heart pounding while reading the kidnapping scenes. The girls face authentic danger as their prospects rapidly dim in the care of their abductors.
However, several issues pulled this book down. The “mentally ill or unstable” unreliable narrator has been overplayed, so there’s nothing new here. Leah’s diagnosis, OCD, and many phobias becomes too repetitive and doesn’t create any thrilling events in her present day, which should be expected with the countdown letters to the kidnapping anniversary. We get a lot of “maybe” she saw her kidnapper in her daily life, but it’s more like she cries wolf at every corner because of her special diagnosis.
An unfortunate shift happens, breaking all the building tension in the story, when Marie shares, or rather flat out “tells” her side of events. The same happens with Carly while quick chapters drop, only handing out whiplash. Reveals come fast but they no longer hold any hard punches. This letdown is very similar to the Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, which also lost all its building tension when the storytelling shifts to the husband’s side of the kidnapping tale.
I really wish the author stuck with Leah’s narrative to see the story through. It’s her child, marriage, livelihood, and well-being the reader is most invested in. The twist with Marie’s kidnapping secret she’s carried for years holds very little tension. Then add in Carly’s reactions and the story quickly unravels.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper 360 for the copy of this book in exchange of my honest review.
The build up of Leah’s kidnapping story in present day was decent, even leaving the reader with a good twist of the people behind the horrendous event. I was leaning towards a solid four star rating for the ongoing tension, more because of the past when the girls were held captive than the present. Expect authentic heart pounding while reading the kidnapping scenes. The girls face authentic danger as their prospects rapidly dim in the care of their abductors.
However, several issues pulled this book down. The “mentally ill or unstable” unreliable narrator has been overplayed, so there’s nothing new here. Leah’s diagnosis, OCD, and many phobias becomes too repetitive and doesn’t create any thrilling events in her present day, which should be expected with the countdown letters to the kidnapping anniversary. We get a lot of “maybe” she saw her kidnapper in her daily life, but it’s more like she cries wolf at every corner because of her special diagnosis.
An unfortunate shift happens, breaking all the building tension in the story, when Marie shares, or rather flat out “tells” her side of events. The same happens with Carly while quick chapters drop, only handing out whiplash. Reveals come fast but they no longer hold any hard punches. This letdown is very similar to the Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, which also lost all its building tension when the storytelling shifts to the husband’s side of the kidnapping tale.
I really wish the author stuck with Leah’s narrative to see the story through. It’s her child, marriage, livelihood, and well-being the reader is most invested in. The twist with Marie’s kidnapping secret she’s carried for years holds very little tension. Then add in Carly’s reactions and the story quickly unravels.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper 360 for the copy of this book in exchange of my honest review.
October 25, 2020
When we meet the Sinclair Sisters - Carly, Leah and Marie - they are fairly typical kids. However, they are about to undergo a traumatic experience, one that will shape them for the future. Carly resents being left to babysit her younger sisters, but her only thought is to protect them when they are abducted from outside their house.
Told in split narrative we see that the girls survived their experience, and the story focuses on us learning how this has affected them. We follow them as they deal with both their past and present.
The style of writing was absorbing, and there were plenty of hints about secrets being held - meaning plenty of chances to hypothesise and try to work out exactly what was being covered up. While some elements were quite obvious, there were one or two surprises that meant some parts of the story didn’t feel resolved until later.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this prior to publication.
Told in split narrative we see that the girls survived their experience, and the story focuses on us learning how this has affected them. We follow them as they deal with both their past and present.
The style of writing was absorbing, and there were plenty of hints about secrets being held - meaning plenty of chances to hypothesise and try to work out exactly what was being covered up. While some elements were quite obvious, there were one or two surprises that meant some parts of the story didn’t feel resolved until later.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this prior to publication.
September 15, 2020
WOW I have just finished The Stolen Sisters by Louise Jensen. The book is full of shocks and surprises I couldn’t keep up and there were many twists and turns in it too.
The Sinclair sisters, thirteen-year-old Carly and eight-year-old twins and half-sisters Leah and Marie were abducted from their family home. They managed to escape their abductors but left long lasting damage that changes their lives together. Twenty years later the eve of the anniversary of their abduction Leah thinks that she has been followed and reckons it’s one of them come back to seek revenge. Carly still blames herself for that day and Marie’s life is not all that is cracked up to be either. The story is set in the past and the present and mainly centres around Leah who is now married and has one son Archie. But still suffers to what happened all the years ago as she suffers from OCD and her husband thinks she is going mad and things that are going on are all in her head.
I will tell you now, this is not your usual child abduction with a happy ever after story line. This is has a unique story line and so different to others that I have read of this type. This is the first book in a long time that shouted out loud and questioned this book and said what the hell is going on? Luckily, I was on my own or someone would have thought I was going mad lol. This is also gripping that kept me to the edge of my seat. The is a great book. I highly recommend.
The Sinclair sisters, thirteen-year-old Carly and eight-year-old twins and half-sisters Leah and Marie were abducted from their family home. They managed to escape their abductors but left long lasting damage that changes their lives together. Twenty years later the eve of the anniversary of their abduction Leah thinks that she has been followed and reckons it’s one of them come back to seek revenge. Carly still blames herself for that day and Marie’s life is not all that is cracked up to be either. The story is set in the past and the present and mainly centres around Leah who is now married and has one son Archie. But still suffers to what happened all the years ago as she suffers from OCD and her husband thinks she is going mad and things that are going on are all in her head.
I will tell you now, this is not your usual child abduction with a happy ever after story line. This is has a unique story line and so different to others that I have read of this type. This is the first book in a long time that shouted out loud and questioned this book and said what the hell is going on? Luckily, I was on my own or someone would have thought I was going mad lol. This is also gripping that kept me to the edge of my seat. The is a great book. I highly recommend.
December 20, 2020
I am a huge fan of Louise Jensen’s books, so I was very excited to start this and I can 100% say I was gripped and loved every second of this story!!
The Sinclair sisters Carly 13, 8 year old twins Leah and Marie are abducted by masked men. They managed to escape but their dreadful ordeal has changed all their lives and left long lasting damage.
The story is told with 2 dual timelines, when the girls were abducted and 20 years later.
It’s the eve of the 20th anniversary of when they were taken and Leah is convinced she is being followed, is it to do with their abduction?
This has so many twists along the way and is certainly not your average child abduction story. I found myself questioning every thing I read and analysing every word.
A MUST read book, but be warned if you have never read a Louise Jensen story before you will be addicted after your first page and will want to devour all her books.
My advise is to cosy down before starting this and enjoy the rollercoaster of a ride that is about to commence!!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
The Sinclair sisters Carly 13, 8 year old twins Leah and Marie are abducted by masked men. They managed to escape but their dreadful ordeal has changed all their lives and left long lasting damage.
The story is told with 2 dual timelines, when the girls were abducted and 20 years later.
It’s the eve of the 20th anniversary of when they were taken and Leah is convinced she is being followed, is it to do with their abduction?
This has so many twists along the way and is certainly not your average child abduction story. I found myself questioning every thing I read and analysing every word.
A MUST read book, but be warned if you have never read a Louise Jensen story before you will be addicted after your first page and will want to devour all her books.
My advise is to cosy down before starting this and enjoy the rollercoaster of a ride that is about to commence!!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
August 26, 2020
Almost twenty years ago three young sisters are taken by two masked men.
Now there is is only a few days before the 20th anniversary of their abduction and all three sisters are finding life hard and all have been left with problems because of their traumatic experience.
The story is told in a Now and Then format by each of the sisters.
It has some twists and turns and some scary moments.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Now there is is only a few days before the 20th anniversary of their abduction and all three sisters are finding life hard and all have been left with problems because of their traumatic experience.
The story is told in a Now and Then format by each of the sisters.
It has some twists and turns and some scary moments.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2020
One word - WOW! It's been a while since I've immersed myself in a Louise Jensen thriller and I wasn't disappointed. It's taken me a couple of hours to assemble my thoughts after finishing THE STOLEN SISTERS and I'm still not even sure where to begin my review because I doubt my words could do it justice and illustrate just how bloody brilliant it was!
Meet the Sinclair sisters. Carly was 13 when she and her 8 year old twin sisters Leah and Marie were abducted. For twenty years she has blamed herself - for being too preoccupied waiting for a text from a boy at school, for snapping at her younger sisters, for not taking better care of them. Now she hides herself away in her flat, too afraid to come out, raiding charity shops for bargains and selling them on eBay for a profit. Her issues with trust keep her from forming relationships or having children...though she dotes on Leah's son Archie.
Leah blames herself for not closing the gate properly - with a firm three goes to latch it - from which the family dog Bruno had escaped leading the sisters to go in search of him. Now living with chronic contamination OCD, Leah cannot do anything without wearing cotton gloves to protect her from germs and bacteria, nor completing the "three time" ritual with everything she does. When she discovered she was pregnant she was horrified at the thought of giving birth in a germ-infested hospital, not to mention having another loved one that she must constantly look out for and protect.
But it's Marie that has the biggest regret of them all. Now she drinks to forget whilst waiting for the next acting job to come along. At least when she's playing a part she can pretend she's someone else in another life and she can forget. But it's not just alcohol that has become Marie's demon...and now she finds herself in debt to her dealer.
So when she approaches her sisters about going on live TV for the twentieth anniversary of their abduction, part of it is for the money they will be paid for it but mostly Marie feels that it is time for the truth. Truth? What truth? Her sisters both feel "the truth" means revealing their portion of the blame that each have shouldered alone. What other truth could Marie mean?
When the sisters were taken, there didn't appear to be any rhyme or reason for their abduction. And what followed was several fear-filled days of terror, waiting for what was to come next. From the moment they were bundled into the van, blindfolded and tied up, the sisters huddled together drawing strength from each other. Thrown into a dark abandoned room with bars on the only window and a smelly mattress, they were supplied with an insufficient amount of junk food snacks and cherry Cola - not enough to keep them fed or hydrated. But...why were they here? What did the men Carly nicknamed "Doc" and "Moustache" want with them?
Carly cleverly found an escape as the girls followed their older sister around the rabbit warren of corridors and buildings in an attempt to find their way out. When at last they did, they flagged down a passing car and were recognised instantly as "the missing Sinclair sisters". They were taken to the police station, gave their statements and reunited with their distraught parents. But the nightmare was far from over...what was to come would be even worse than the ordeal they had just survived.
How will they ever move?
Twenty years later and their nightmare has never gone away. All three sisters are a mess and are shadows of the young innocent girls they used to be. Their family has fallen apart; their parents divorced; the sisters are estranged from them but have remained close to each other. And now the person responsible has just been released from prison. So when Leah begins to find hand delivered notes on her doormat each morning counting down to the anniversary date, she begins to fear he is coming after them again. And this time, he will silence them.
WOW! What an emotional rollercoaster THE STOLEN SISTERS is! Louise Jensen has captured all the emotions from guilt, betrayal, sorrow, fear and an inability to trust like a raging storm ready to burst. As the reader is drip-fed information from the past and the present, the story slowly unfolds building a picture of the abduction, imprisonment and the aftermath through the eyes of Carly, Leah and Marie. There is also an underlying plot through the narrative of Leah's husband George in the present day. Each tendril of the story is cleverly woven together to create a tangled web of secrets, lies, betrayal, guilt and fear.
All the sisters are damaged from their childhood experienced and its aftermath so it is easy to empathise with all of them. They were just children. Children who should have been protected at all costs...not used as pawns in a grubby and unforgiving world. While it is Carly who shoulders the blame of responsibility, it is Leah whom the present day story primarily revolves around with the focus highlighting her struggles with her mental health and contamination OCD. It is clear her fixation on germs, bacteria and the like stem from their time imprisoned in the grubby room. And now it has become a necessity to maintain an element of control. It is because of this that it is Leah I particularly empathise with. She knows it is illogical but she still feels the need to go through her rituals before she can leave the house, drive the car even bathe her son Archie. The portrayal of OCD and mental illness is done sensitively with care.
A twisted emotional psychological thriller, THE STOLEN SISTERS is not your usual child abduction tale with a happily ever after. The story is unique, it is original and it is different. A dark and disturbing tale that will have you going through a range of emotions throughout, I was literally in tears by the final chapters. It really is a sad, sad tale that delivered such ingenuity with a satisfying end.
A gripping read that slowly builds with a palpable tension, THE STOLEN SISTERS becomes a fast paced ride to the end that will leave you breathless.
Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers.
I would like to thank #LouiseJensen, #NetGalley and #HQDigital for an ARC of #TheStolenSisters in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Meet the Sinclair sisters. Carly was 13 when she and her 8 year old twin sisters Leah and Marie were abducted. For twenty years she has blamed herself - for being too preoccupied waiting for a text from a boy at school, for snapping at her younger sisters, for not taking better care of them. Now she hides herself away in her flat, too afraid to come out, raiding charity shops for bargains and selling them on eBay for a profit. Her issues with trust keep her from forming relationships or having children...though she dotes on Leah's son Archie.
Leah blames herself for not closing the gate properly - with a firm three goes to latch it - from which the family dog Bruno had escaped leading the sisters to go in search of him. Now living with chronic contamination OCD, Leah cannot do anything without wearing cotton gloves to protect her from germs and bacteria, nor completing the "three time" ritual with everything she does. When she discovered she was pregnant she was horrified at the thought of giving birth in a germ-infested hospital, not to mention having another loved one that she must constantly look out for and protect.
But it's Marie that has the biggest regret of them all. Now she drinks to forget whilst waiting for the next acting job to come along. At least when she's playing a part she can pretend she's someone else in another life and she can forget. But it's not just alcohol that has become Marie's demon...and now she finds herself in debt to her dealer.
So when she approaches her sisters about going on live TV for the twentieth anniversary of their abduction, part of it is for the money they will be paid for it but mostly Marie feels that it is time for the truth. Truth? What truth? Her sisters both feel "the truth" means revealing their portion of the blame that each have shouldered alone. What other truth could Marie mean?
When the sisters were taken, there didn't appear to be any rhyme or reason for their abduction. And what followed was several fear-filled days of terror, waiting for what was to come next. From the moment they were bundled into the van, blindfolded and tied up, the sisters huddled together drawing strength from each other. Thrown into a dark abandoned room with bars on the only window and a smelly mattress, they were supplied with an insufficient amount of junk food snacks and cherry Cola - not enough to keep them fed or hydrated. But...why were they here? What did the men Carly nicknamed "Doc" and "Moustache" want with them?
Carly cleverly found an escape as the girls followed their older sister around the rabbit warren of corridors and buildings in an attempt to find their way out. When at last they did, they flagged down a passing car and were recognised instantly as "the missing Sinclair sisters". They were taken to the police station, gave their statements and reunited with their distraught parents. But the nightmare was far from over...what was to come would be even worse than the ordeal they had just survived.
How will they ever move?
Twenty years later and their nightmare has never gone away. All three sisters are a mess and are shadows of the young innocent girls they used to be. Their family has fallen apart; their parents divorced; the sisters are estranged from them but have remained close to each other. And now the person responsible has just been released from prison. So when Leah begins to find hand delivered notes on her doormat each morning counting down to the anniversary date, she begins to fear he is coming after them again. And this time, he will silence them.
WOW! What an emotional rollercoaster THE STOLEN SISTERS is! Louise Jensen has captured all the emotions from guilt, betrayal, sorrow, fear and an inability to trust like a raging storm ready to burst. As the reader is drip-fed information from the past and the present, the story slowly unfolds building a picture of the abduction, imprisonment and the aftermath through the eyes of Carly, Leah and Marie. There is also an underlying plot through the narrative of Leah's husband George in the present day. Each tendril of the story is cleverly woven together to create a tangled web of secrets, lies, betrayal, guilt and fear.
All the sisters are damaged from their childhood experienced and its aftermath so it is easy to empathise with all of them. They were just children. Children who should have been protected at all costs...not used as pawns in a grubby and unforgiving world. While it is Carly who shoulders the blame of responsibility, it is Leah whom the present day story primarily revolves around with the focus highlighting her struggles with her mental health and contamination OCD. It is clear her fixation on germs, bacteria and the like stem from their time imprisoned in the grubby room. And now it has become a necessity to maintain an element of control. It is because of this that it is Leah I particularly empathise with. She knows it is illogical but she still feels the need to go through her rituals before she can leave the house, drive the car even bathe her son Archie. The portrayal of OCD and mental illness is done sensitively with care.
A twisted emotional psychological thriller, THE STOLEN SISTERS is not your usual child abduction tale with a happily ever after. The story is unique, it is original and it is different. A dark and disturbing tale that will have you going through a range of emotions throughout, I was literally in tears by the final chapters. It really is a sad, sad tale that delivered such ingenuity with a satisfying end.
A gripping read that slowly builds with a palpable tension, THE STOLEN SISTERS becomes a fast paced ride to the end that will leave you breathless.
Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers.
I would like to thank #LouiseJensen, #NetGalley and #HQDigital for an ARC of #TheStolenSisters in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
September 7, 2020
Leah and twins Carly & Marie make up the Sinclair sisters. Snatched from their family home as children and nicknamed in the press as ‘The Stolen Sisters’. The trio, as adults, are approaching the twentieth anniversary of the incident which is naturally bringing to the surface all their feelings, both old and new. Twenty years of trauma, issues and secrets are coming to a head, how will the family get past these revelations?
The novel is written in a ‘then’ and ‘now’ format, which I felt worked really well. Revealing bits and pieces as and when and building suspense in a timely manner.
The story is told from multiple perspectives; Leah, Marie & Carly plus Leah’s husband George. Gaining an insight into each characters thoughts and feelings is always nice as it makes them feel a little more three-dimensional.
As a whole, I felt the idea behind the novel had great potential but I just didn’t resonate with the execution. There were a few elements that didn’t seem to resolve themselves and bits that just felt too far-fetched. I also felt that the kidnapping element itself resolved too easily.
There are lots of glowing reviews for this one and I seem to be in the minority, so please check it out if psychological thrillers are your cup of tea!
Thank you to NetGalley & HQ for the advance copy in return for an honest review.
The novel is written in a ‘then’ and ‘now’ format, which I felt worked really well. Revealing bits and pieces as and when and building suspense in a timely manner.
The story is told from multiple perspectives; Leah, Marie & Carly plus Leah’s husband George. Gaining an insight into each characters thoughts and feelings is always nice as it makes them feel a little more three-dimensional.
As a whole, I felt the idea behind the novel had great potential but I just didn’t resonate with the execution. There were a few elements that didn’t seem to resolve themselves and bits that just felt too far-fetched. I also felt that the kidnapping element itself resolved too easily.
There are lots of glowing reviews for this one and I seem to be in the minority, so please check it out if psychological thrillers are your cup of tea!
Thank you to NetGalley & HQ for the advance copy in return for an honest review.
October 1, 2020
I was totally engrossed by this psychological thriller.
Three girls are kidnapped, but we know from the start that they are physically unharmed. But as we grow to know Carly, Leah and Marie better, it becomes obvious that this is just the beginning of their story. So beautifully plotted and written that I was kept on my toes right up to the end, with so many twists that my head was spinning. I cared about these girls / women so much and literally held my breathe at times as we learned how the abduction had changed them. Nothing and nobody is what it seems in this five star book.
Thank you so much to Louse and Pigeonhole for this brilliant book.
Three girls are kidnapped, but we know from the start that they are physically unharmed. But as we grow to know Carly, Leah and Marie better, it becomes obvious that this is just the beginning of their story. So beautifully plotted and written that I was kept on my toes right up to the end, with so many twists that my head was spinning. I cared about these girls / women so much and literally held my breathe at times as we learned how the abduction had changed them. Nothing and nobody is what it seems in this five star book.
Thank you so much to Louse and Pigeonhole for this brilliant book.
March 21, 2021
Twenty years ago the Sinclair sisters, or 'The Stolen Sisters' as they are now famously known, Carly, 13 and her 8 year old twin sisters, Leah and Marie, were abducted. What happened to them on that fateful day, and during the days that they were held captive, had an immeasurable effect on their future wellbeing, Marie now blocks it out with drug and alcohol abuse, Leah suffers terribly with OCD and other issues which are threatening to destroy her marriage to George, and Carly has never forgiven herself for not keeping them safe whilst she was looking after them, but now the twenty year anniversary is looming and the revelations that are about to be exposed threaten to blow this family apart all over again, will they ever recover from their ordeal and live normal lives again?
This story switches between the two timelines and is told from the perspectives of all the sisters, with little snippets from George along the way.
This story switches between the two timelines and is told from the perspectives of all the sisters, with little snippets from George along the way.
August 3, 2021
This was a unique read, centered on sisters Carly, Marie, and Leah, who were abducted as young children. The book goes back and forth from their harrowing experience to the present time, in which all 3 are still irrevocably affected from the trauma they experienced. The book is very fast paced and did a great job of painting a picture of each character.
I had a few different guesses as to who the villain was, but ended up being wrong. Even when the truth was exposed, the author threw a couple more twists at the reader before it was all said and done. The author did a great job of really making you feel like you were there during the abduction and subsequent imprisonment- I could clearly picture the environment and feel the terror they experienced.
I walked away from this book feeling like I really understood each character and where they were coming from, as well as how the traumatic experience from all of those years turned them into the people that they were today. This is a sad story but somewhat hopeful as well. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who like mysteries and psychological thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had a few different guesses as to who the villain was, but ended up being wrong. Even when the truth was exposed, the author threw a couple more twists at the reader before it was all said and done. The author did a great job of really making you feel like you were there during the abduction and subsequent imprisonment- I could clearly picture the environment and feel the terror they experienced.
I walked away from this book feeling like I really understood each character and where they were coming from, as well as how the traumatic experience from all of those years turned them into the people that they were today. This is a sad story but somewhat hopeful as well. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who like mysteries and psychological thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2024
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
Whilst I enjoyed this book, I don’t think it was as good as other Jensen reads. Although there was a degree of suspense and some surprising plot revelations, the overall story didn’t keep me hanging like Jensen’s other books.
Whilst I enjoyed this book, I don’t think it was as good as other Jensen reads. Although there was a degree of suspense and some surprising plot revelations, the overall story didn’t keep me hanging like Jensen’s other books.
October 2, 2020
f you’ve been here before, you know I am a huge fan of Louise Jensen. If you’re new, well, be aware I am a huge fan of Louise Jensen!
Why do I mention it?
Because I tend to be even more critical of the work of those who have given me the best reading experiences. So when I picked up The Stolen Sisters, the expectations were sky-high and my hopes bigger than life.
Did the novel deliver? Let’s see.
Three sisters. Multiple point of views. Two timelines.
Mixing all of these seems complicated, don’t you think?
Not for Louise Jensen.
Oh My Goodness. The Stolen Sisters has become my second favorite book by Louise, really close to her debut, The Sister. Ha, I spot a link here 😉
What to say?
Twins and an older sister, scarred by a terrible event that happened in their childhood and has impacted their lives so much that one has OCD and is prone to panic attacks, one is an addict, and the last is afraid to let anyone get close to her.
Only a master in characterization can create three unique voices and bind them with love to build a web of emotions that reach your heart and soul.
Carly, Marie, Leah. I will not forget those names. Together but alone. Them against the world. Them against the past. Them against themselves?
I usually steer clear of giving away much of the plot and hate re-hashing what’s in the blurb, but I will be even more vague here because I believe you can only get the full impact of this extraordinary psychological thriller by going in blind.
If you don’t know Louise Jensen, I must warn you that her writing is a drug, a delicious poison that seeps into your veins until you become one with the ink of the story. Every scene is vivid, whether it is a simple routine moment or a crucial minute. You FEEL the action, or lack of. You FEEL for the characters, but also WITH them. Louise’s books read like watching a movie, with a direct access to the emotions. I don’t get this experience with anyone else.
I reached the end of the novel feeling bereft, grieving, yet happy. The Stolen Sisters is haunting. The story is not another abduction tale, it’s a real and exquisite account of lies, secrets, guilt, and love. This novel has the power to make you doubt what you read, see, and feel. It’s evocative, it crackles with tension, it gives the truth a bittersweet taste.
Three sisters, a terrible kidnapping. It looks straight. It is far from it! So far you can’t see the horizon! I was obsessed with the account of what happened to Leah, Marie, and Carly when they were little. I was fascinated by the bound their shared, and particularly curious about a set of twins and an older sister. How does it work? We know the special connection between twins, so how would Carly fit in there? I am an only child, and I always thought I was happy with it, but Louise made me long for sisters. Me?! That says a lot!
The past timeline is engaging, but the author doesn’t neglect the present. A threat hangs in the air. It’s the anniversary of their kidnapping, and the sisters are high on tension. Someone is haunting them, and memories are keeping them in a toxic fog that prevents them from living. Can they escape their past and get rid of their burden? What’s the price of freedom?
Dear friends, I only have one thing to say: buy this book. Put the phone down, lock yourself in your room, grab your blanket and a mug of tea. Take your time and enjoy this magnificent dive into the world of thrillers.
Why do I mention it?
Because I tend to be even more critical of the work of those who have given me the best reading experiences. So when I picked up The Stolen Sisters, the expectations were sky-high and my hopes bigger than life.
Did the novel deliver? Let’s see.
Three sisters. Multiple point of views. Two timelines.
Mixing all of these seems complicated, don’t you think?
Not for Louise Jensen.
Oh My Goodness. The Stolen Sisters has become my second favorite book by Louise, really close to her debut, The Sister. Ha, I spot a link here 😉
What to say?
Twins and an older sister, scarred by a terrible event that happened in their childhood and has impacted their lives so much that one has OCD and is prone to panic attacks, one is an addict, and the last is afraid to let anyone get close to her.
Only a master in characterization can create three unique voices and bind them with love to build a web of emotions that reach your heart and soul.
Carly, Marie, Leah. I will not forget those names. Together but alone. Them against the world. Them against the past. Them against themselves?
I usually steer clear of giving away much of the plot and hate re-hashing what’s in the blurb, but I will be even more vague here because I believe you can only get the full impact of this extraordinary psychological thriller by going in blind.
If you don’t know Louise Jensen, I must warn you that her writing is a drug, a delicious poison that seeps into your veins until you become one with the ink of the story. Every scene is vivid, whether it is a simple routine moment or a crucial minute. You FEEL the action, or lack of. You FEEL for the characters, but also WITH them. Louise’s books read like watching a movie, with a direct access to the emotions. I don’t get this experience with anyone else.
I reached the end of the novel feeling bereft, grieving, yet happy. The Stolen Sisters is haunting. The story is not another abduction tale, it’s a real and exquisite account of lies, secrets, guilt, and love. This novel has the power to make you doubt what you read, see, and feel. It’s evocative, it crackles with tension, it gives the truth a bittersweet taste.
Three sisters, a terrible kidnapping. It looks straight. It is far from it! So far you can’t see the horizon! I was obsessed with the account of what happened to Leah, Marie, and Carly when they were little. I was fascinated by the bound their shared, and particularly curious about a set of twins and an older sister. How does it work? We know the special connection between twins, so how would Carly fit in there? I am an only child, and I always thought I was happy with it, but Louise made me long for sisters. Me?! That says a lot!
The past timeline is engaging, but the author doesn’t neglect the present. A threat hangs in the air. It’s the anniversary of their kidnapping, and the sisters are high on tension. Someone is haunting them, and memories are keeping them in a toxic fog that prevents them from living. Can they escape their past and get rid of their burden? What’s the price of freedom?
Dear friends, I only have one thing to say: buy this book. Put the phone down, lock yourself in your room, grab your blanket and a mug of tea. Take your time and enjoy this magnificent dive into the world of thrillers.
November 20, 2020
I found a lot going on in this book, sometimes to the point I had to stop reading. The further in, however, you can understand why.
Lots of plot twists and guessing games. 3.5*
Lots of plot twists and guessing games. 3.5*
October 2, 2020
WOW, what a book!
There wasn't a single thing I did not like about this book. From the first line to the emotional ending I was totally enthralled with the plot and felt so much empathy for the Sinclair sisters.
We know right from the beginning that the three girls are abducted but survive the ordeal to return home. Carly is older and half-sister to twins Marie and Leah but what is clear is that these children have a bond and a love connecting them which helps them to be brave and resourceful in a way that left me breathless.
In fact you will probably find yourself holding your breath throughout the book as there are so many menacing, shocking, heart-breaking and incredible twists that ensure you do nothing but turn the pages feverishly.
What is amazing about this psychological thriller is the depth of emotion conveyed, the sensitive portrayal of three very different girls/women and the angle taken, that of survivors who suffer endlessly as the result of one decision and a few horrific days in captivity. The sense that life stopped for the girls the day they were abducted is painful and very real. Each one of them has a different way of enduring and yet each way is full of self-blame, guilt, fear and isolation. This makes the reader feel so close to the girls, when they were much younger but also as we follow their lives as adults. The majority of the book is about life after the abduction and the trauma experienced as relationships skew, faith is lost and love suddenly is not enough.
Switching between time frames, when the girls were taken and their subsequent attempts at escape, with the present day as adults, Louis Jensen expertly reveals information drip by relentless drip, providing light and shade to their personalities. Leah is the one we hear the most from but as a reader I felt equally connected to all three women. By the time I had finished the book I did not want to leave them behind and I have awarded five stars to the fictional characters for their courage, bravery, resilience, resourcefulness and love as much as the five stars being for the well written book crafted by Louise Jensen!
It is rare to find a psychological thriller that is so adept at portraying such a wide range of emotional responses, in the characters as well as the reader. The book has the requisite red herrings, the suspicion and doubt as well as the shock reveals that keep you hanging on, desperate for more and more and more, but it also left me wanting to scoop up Carly, Marie and Leah and erase the past, creating safer, happier future lives for them.
The ending was very fitting. Beautifully written and almost made me cry. It was tender but realistic with a lot left unresolved, and with just the right amount of hope.
Even with books I love at the time of reading, sadly the majority sink into the murky depths of my memory, rarely resurfacing, but The Stolen Sisters will stay with me, buoyant and enduring. The Stolen Sisters is entertaining (and disturbing) but also emotionally intelligent and a book I cannot recommend enough times to enough people. Superb!
There wasn't a single thing I did not like about this book. From the first line to the emotional ending I was totally enthralled with the plot and felt so much empathy for the Sinclair sisters.
We know right from the beginning that the three girls are abducted but survive the ordeal to return home. Carly is older and half-sister to twins Marie and Leah but what is clear is that these children have a bond and a love connecting them which helps them to be brave and resourceful in a way that left me breathless.
In fact you will probably find yourself holding your breath throughout the book as there are so many menacing, shocking, heart-breaking and incredible twists that ensure you do nothing but turn the pages feverishly.
What is amazing about this psychological thriller is the depth of emotion conveyed, the sensitive portrayal of three very different girls/women and the angle taken, that of survivors who suffer endlessly as the result of one decision and a few horrific days in captivity. The sense that life stopped for the girls the day they were abducted is painful and very real. Each one of them has a different way of enduring and yet each way is full of self-blame, guilt, fear and isolation. This makes the reader feel so close to the girls, when they were much younger but also as we follow their lives as adults. The majority of the book is about life after the abduction and the trauma experienced as relationships skew, faith is lost and love suddenly is not enough.
Switching between time frames, when the girls were taken and their subsequent attempts at escape, with the present day as adults, Louis Jensen expertly reveals information drip by relentless drip, providing light and shade to their personalities. Leah is the one we hear the most from but as a reader I felt equally connected to all three women. By the time I had finished the book I did not want to leave them behind and I have awarded five stars to the fictional characters for their courage, bravery, resilience, resourcefulness and love as much as the five stars being for the well written book crafted by Louise Jensen!
It is rare to find a psychological thriller that is so adept at portraying such a wide range of emotional responses, in the characters as well as the reader. The book has the requisite red herrings, the suspicion and doubt as well as the shock reveals that keep you hanging on, desperate for more and more and more, but it also left me wanting to scoop up Carly, Marie and Leah and erase the past, creating safer, happier future lives for them.
The ending was very fitting. Beautifully written and almost made me cry. It was tender but realistic with a lot left unresolved, and with just the right amount of hope.
Even with books I love at the time of reading, sadly the majority sink into the murky depths of my memory, rarely resurfacing, but The Stolen Sisters will stay with me, buoyant and enduring. The Stolen Sisters is entertaining (and disturbing) but also emotionally intelligent and a book I cannot recommend enough times to enough people. Superb!
October 1, 2020
What a fantastic book this is! This fast paced thriller had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.I feel as though I got to know each of the characters personally and as such this was a very emotional journey and one which will stay with me for a long time. There were many twists and turns along the way and I did not see the ending coming at all! I thoroughly recommend this book, you will not be disappointed!
September 17, 2020
This was such a great book! Louise Jensen never manages to disappoint!
I was hooked right from the start. The writing style was really engaging. I loved the short chapters and the different perspectives.
The main thing I loved about this book was the representation of OCD. You don't normally see mental illness portrayed in thrillers and if you do it's not normally done well.
However, as someone who has OCD I thought the rep was done very accurately and did not fall into common stereotypes. I was very impressed with how well it was handled.
I felt a deep connection to Leah who suffered from OCD. I really cared for her and felt really sorry for her and her sisters.
The plot was really interesting and different. I didn't see the ending coming. It was definitely a shocker.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was there was a couple of overdone tropes used which I don't want to discuss as it would give away spoilers for the book.
But apart from that it was a really enjoyable and gripping read. Lousie Jensen is definitely becoming a new favourite thriller author
TW: violence, abduction, OCD, gaslighting and suicide
I was hooked right from the start. The writing style was really engaging. I loved the short chapters and the different perspectives.
The main thing I loved about this book was the representation of OCD. You don't normally see mental illness portrayed in thrillers and if you do it's not normally done well.
However, as someone who has OCD I thought the rep was done very accurately and did not fall into common stereotypes. I was very impressed with how well it was handled.
I felt a deep connection to Leah who suffered from OCD. I really cared for her and felt really sorry for her and her sisters.
The plot was really interesting and different. I didn't see the ending coming. It was definitely a shocker.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was there was a couple of overdone tropes used which I don't want to discuss as it would give away spoilers for the book.
But apart from that it was a really enjoyable and gripping read. Lousie Jensen is definitely becoming a new favourite thriller author
TW: violence, abduction, OCD, gaslighting and suicide
June 27, 2023
I couldn't put this book down. Just when I thought I had figured it out, there was another twist.
November 5, 2020
A story that flicks from past to present with the present chapters mainly told from the point of view of Leah.
The one thing that I was envious of with these characters is the bond between the sisters when they were younger. Carly the older sister is half sister to the twins Marie and Leah. Even though a typical teen, it’s obvious how much she cares for her sisters. Even more so when they are abducted. She will do whatever to protect them.
In the present, it was sad to see how much this previous incident has affected their lives. As much as I had every empathy for Leah especially, I couldn’t help but feel for her husband George when he has had years of her dealing with different mental health issues. These worsen when it gets nearer to the anniversary of their abduction with the press still hounding them for new information.
This author is a wonderful storyteller. I was gripped from the first page, desperate to know what had happened to the girls in the past as well as the strange things happening in the present. Whilst this is every bit a story of psychological suspense, it went deeper than that. These girls/women stole a piece of my heart and I felt bereft when it came to the end knowing I wouldn’t be reading about them anymore.
The Stolen Sisters was so many things for me. It had me fully engaged and the mystery and suspense thrilled me. There are some jaw dropping twists and turns which bowled me over at what I was reading. I was so certain about some aspects only to be well and truly wrong. As thrilling and exciting as it was, it was also quite emotional and heart-breaking in places. Louise Jensen is a writer who knows how to get under your skin with her characters. It heightens the whole reading experience and this is another outstanding read from her.
The one thing that I was envious of with these characters is the bond between the sisters when they were younger. Carly the older sister is half sister to the twins Marie and Leah. Even though a typical teen, it’s obvious how much she cares for her sisters. Even more so when they are abducted. She will do whatever to protect them.
In the present, it was sad to see how much this previous incident has affected their lives. As much as I had every empathy for Leah especially, I couldn’t help but feel for her husband George when he has had years of her dealing with different mental health issues. These worsen when it gets nearer to the anniversary of their abduction with the press still hounding them for new information.
This author is a wonderful storyteller. I was gripped from the first page, desperate to know what had happened to the girls in the past as well as the strange things happening in the present. Whilst this is every bit a story of psychological suspense, it went deeper than that. These girls/women stole a piece of my heart and I felt bereft when it came to the end knowing I wouldn’t be reading about them anymore.
The Stolen Sisters was so many things for me. It had me fully engaged and the mystery and suspense thrilled me. There are some jaw dropping twists and turns which bowled me over at what I was reading. I was so certain about some aspects only to be well and truly wrong. As thrilling and exciting as it was, it was also quite emotional and heart-breaking in places. Louise Jensen is a writer who knows how to get under your skin with her characters. It heightens the whole reading experience and this is another outstanding read from her.
July 27, 2020
I’m not sure where to start with this review because I’m pretty sure my words won’t properly portray how bloody fabulous this book was!
Louise Jensen is the most phenomenal psychological thriller writer I’ve had the pleasure to read and this novel is a great example of everything you want this genre to be.
The storyline was complex, with duel timelines that interwove through the lives of The Sinclair Sisters.
After reading each of the narratives I was thrown into their lives as children; willing them to be safe, then as adults as they try to rebuild their lives with the threat of an anniversary looming and every year shaping them each in different ways.
Each sister has their own demons they have to bear after the day they went missing. These events have changed each of them so differently and those realisations are shocking!
I was rooting for them throughout but what I wasn’t expecting was the various ways Jensen flipped their stories! To create such a masterpiece in a nov, that was seamless, the revaluations that unfolded and an ending that was just so perfect, I’m speechless to her talent.
I’m not sure Louise Jensen can top this exceptionally well written and thought out novel. She certainly has got her work cut out for book seven because this book just went straight to the top of my list as best book of 2020!
November 22, 2020
The Stolen Sisters is a twisted psychological drama that is dark and sinister that seems perfect on the outside but is disturbing on the inside.
A domestic thriller that’s heavy on the domestic and light on the thriller.
The Sinclair sisters have a unique bond and share a past of tragedy.
Twenty years ago they were abducted and while the incident left scars when they got home the trauma was much more severe.
Leah has the perfect marriage and family but seems to be still dealing with the past.
To cope, Marie drinks far too much.
Carly feels the most guilt, she feels she couldn’t save her younger sisters.
Will the truth set them free?
A very interesting take on the the usually child abduction story.
A devastating tense tale that you think can’t get any more destructive but think again because it does.
Told from numerous different characters and the past and present, it’s a lively story that will keep you guessing and you may not be able to sit still.
Now while I really enjoyed the premise and the twists, although slightly predictable, there was something that just didn’t sit right with me and I just can’t seem to put my finger in it.
There’s lots of amazing reviews for this one but I’m in the minority, so I suggest if you like a good thriller check it out and make your own decision.
A domestic thriller that’s heavy on the domestic and light on the thriller.
The Sinclair sisters have a unique bond and share a past of tragedy.
Twenty years ago they were abducted and while the incident left scars when they got home the trauma was much more severe.
Leah has the perfect marriage and family but seems to be still dealing with the past.
To cope, Marie drinks far too much.
Carly feels the most guilt, she feels she couldn’t save her younger sisters.
Will the truth set them free?
A very interesting take on the the usually child abduction story.
A devastating tense tale that you think can’t get any more destructive but think again because it does.
Told from numerous different characters and the past and present, it’s a lively story that will keep you guessing and you may not be able to sit still.
Now while I really enjoyed the premise and the twists, although slightly predictable, there was something that just didn’t sit right with me and I just can’t seem to put my finger in it.
There’s lots of amazing reviews for this one but I’m in the minority, so I suggest if you like a good thriller check it out and make your own decision.
May 26, 2021
There were times when I loved it and times I was a bit bored as it felt a bit drawn out. It was well written and although I’d guessed some parts, not all. I’m guessing I’m erring towards a 3 rather than a 4 as I’m fed up of reading stories with characters I dislike. I didn’t like any of the adults in this one other than Carly and even she went a bit downhill at the end!
October 1, 2020
Wow! What an absolutely fantastic read that was! I read it in staves on Pigeonhole, but I know that if I'd had an actual copy of the book I would have read it in one sitting!
Carly, Leah and Marie were kidnapped and whilst we know that they escaped (without any physical harm), the story interchanges between the 'now' and 'then'. In the 'now' the 20th Anniversary since they had been kidnapped is fast approaching and things aren't going well. Leah is struggling with OCD and feels like the man behind the kidnapping is back and coming after her. Carly and Marie are struggling with guilt, with Marie also struggling with drugs.
In the 'then' we get talked through the kidnapping and how they escaped. You would think that being kidnapped is the worst thing that could have happened to anyone, but in this case what came after is even worse. You might think that's not possible, but in this case what came after really was worse.
Carly, Leah and Marie wormed their way into my heart and I won't be forgetting their story in a hurry. The book was so beautifully written that I found myself living through the girls'/women's terror, heartbreak, pain, sadness. I actually found myself crying during the last few chapters. Carly was my favourite and (without giving away the why) I literally felt my heart breaking for her. I loved her for her bravery and courage.
This is by far one of the best books I've read this year and I would highly recommend it!
Thank you to Pigeonhole and Louise Jensen for the chance to read this fantastic book!
Carly, Leah and Marie were kidnapped and whilst we know that they escaped (without any physical harm), the story interchanges between the 'now' and 'then'. In the 'now' the 20th Anniversary since they had been kidnapped is fast approaching and things aren't going well. Leah is struggling with OCD and feels like the man behind the kidnapping is back and coming after her. Carly and Marie are struggling with guilt, with Marie also struggling with drugs.
In the 'then' we get talked through the kidnapping and how they escaped. You would think that being kidnapped is the worst thing that could have happened to anyone, but in this case what came after is even worse. You might think that's not possible, but in this case what came after really was worse.
Carly, Leah and Marie wormed their way into my heart and I won't be forgetting their story in a hurry. The book was so beautifully written that I found myself living through the girls'/women's terror, heartbreak, pain, sadness. I actually found myself crying during the last few chapters. Carly was my favourite and (without giving away the why) I literally felt my heart breaking for her. I loved her for her bravery and courage.
This is by far one of the best books I've read this year and I would highly recommend it!
Thank you to Pigeonhole and Louise Jensen for the chance to read this fantastic book!
July 28, 2021
I own this book.
Leah, Marie and Carly's life changed forever 20 years ago when they were kidnapped from their house as kids and taken to an abandoned army base where they had to endure neglect and eventually escape their captors. We follow the girls as it draws closer and close to the 20th anniversary of them becoming the "Sinclair Sisters". Each girl is dealing with things in their own way; Leah's OCD has flared up worse than ever, Marie's drinking is worse than ever and Carly has begun retreating into herself again. The story is mainly told by Leah as she deals with the fact that days before the anniversary, Marie goes missing and no one will believe her. She is seeing their freshly released captor everywhere and her husband is having an affair. She's also receiving letters counting down to something happening on the day of the anniversary.
I'm struggling to summarise this book as so much happened. Literally, every single page included new details, new plot twists and when we reached Part 2, I literally was in shock. I couldn't believe the outcome of this book, the truths, the twists. All of it had me going. I don't feel like this is an all time favourite due to the ending. I think Leah forgives too easily and that's all I will say.
Leah, Marie and Carly's life changed forever 20 years ago when they were kidnapped from their house as kids and taken to an abandoned army base where they had to endure neglect and eventually escape their captors. We follow the girls as it draws closer and close to the 20th anniversary of them becoming the "Sinclair Sisters". Each girl is dealing with things in their own way; Leah's OCD has flared up worse than ever, Marie's drinking is worse than ever and Carly has begun retreating into herself again. The story is mainly told by Leah as she deals with the fact that days before the anniversary, Marie goes missing and no one will believe her. She is seeing their freshly released captor everywhere and her husband is having an affair. She's also receiving letters counting down to something happening on the day of the anniversary.
I'm struggling to summarise this book as so much happened. Literally, every single page included new details, new plot twists and when we reached Part 2, I literally was in shock. I couldn't believe the outcome of this book, the truths, the twists. All of it had me going. I don't feel like this is an all time favourite due to the ending. I think Leah forgives too easily and that's all I will say.
September 7, 2020
The title of this book The Stolen Sisters sums up the plot so well, three young sisters kidnapped from outside their home. Carly aged 11 and her twin step sisters Leah and Marie aged 8. As a mother of three children myself the thought of them being kidnapped is unimaginable.
The ordeal the girls went through not only affected them at the time but had many repercussions in their adult life. They may have been physically unharmed but emotionally and mentally untold damage has taken place. As grown ups their closeness seems to have disappeared and as the story progresses it’s heartbreaking to see how circumstances and secrets can tear a family apart.
Childhood experiences can affect our lives more than we imagine and this was brilliantly portrayed. The chapters which are written from each sisters viewpoint added deeper understanding to each girls private battle.
Louise Jensen has written a tense, thought provoking thriller , I did not see many of the twists in the plot coming and was gripped right to the end. The Sinclair sisters and their story will stay with me. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this brilliant book.
The ordeal the girls went through not only affected them at the time but had many repercussions in their adult life. They may have been physically unharmed but emotionally and mentally untold damage has taken place. As grown ups their closeness seems to have disappeared and as the story progresses it’s heartbreaking to see how circumstances and secrets can tear a family apart.
Childhood experiences can affect our lives more than we imagine and this was brilliantly portrayed. The chapters which are written from each sisters viewpoint added deeper understanding to each girls private battle.
Louise Jensen has written a tense, thought provoking thriller , I did not see many of the twists in the plot coming and was gripped right to the end. The Sinclair sisters and their story will stay with me. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this brilliant book.
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