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The Missing Sister
In Paris, her twin sister has vanished, leaving behind three chilling words: Trust no one.
Shayna Darby is finally coming to terms with her parents’ deaths when she’s delivered another blow. The body of her estranged twin sister, Angela—the possible victim of a serial killer—has been pulled from the Seine. Putting what’s left of her life on hold, Shayna heads to Paris. But while cleaning out Angela’s apartment, Shayna makes a startling discovery: a coded message meant for her alone…
Alive. Trust no one.
Taking the warning to heart, Shayna maintains the lie. She makes a positive ID on the remains and works to find out where—and why—her missing sister is hiding. Shayna retraces her sister’s footsteps, and they lead her down into Paris’s underbelly.
As she gets closer to the truth—and to the killer—Shayna’s own life may now be in the balance…
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2020
14638 people are currently reading
15991 people want to read
About the author
Elle Marr
9 books801 followersElle Marr is a #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of seven thrillers. Her work has been featured in PopSugar, Woman’s World Magazine, Goodreads, Audible, and TV affiliates for CBS, ABC, FOX, and NBC. Originally from Sacramento, Elle graduated from UC San Diego before moving to France, where she earned a master’s degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris. She now lives and writes in Oregon with her family.
Last year's THE ALONE TIME was named a Silver Falchion Award Judges' Pick among 2024 Suspense titles. Her following book YOUR DARK SECRETS was her first thriller romance, from Disney Publishing and Hyperion Avenue.
Now, THE LIE SHE WEARS publishes on November 18, and contains one of Elle's favorite twists that she's written. Signed copies are available via indie bookstore, Annie Bloom's Books (and make great gifts!).
For more info, check out ellemarr.com or follow her on social media.
Last year's THE ALONE TIME was named a Silver Falchion Award Judges' Pick among 2024 Suspense titles. Her following book YOUR DARK SECRETS was her first thriller romance, from Disney Publishing and Hyperion Avenue.
Now, THE LIE SHE WEARS publishes on November 18, and contains one of Elle's favorite twists that she's written. Signed copies are available via indie bookstore, Annie Bloom's Books (and make great gifts!).
For more info, check out ellemarr.com or follow her on social media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,288 reviews
July 13, 2021
Hooray! Unpopular review alert! It didn’t reach to let’s stay in the middle kind of three starred Switzerland status. I wish it could.
Beginning of the novel was intriguing and promising made me think I was about to start something action packed, fast paced, exciting but a few chapters later: My jaw started to hurt because of too much yawning. I started to see double and blurry. Nope, of course I didn’t drink more than two glasses of my favorite brand of Chardonnay! I took several naps and when I opened my eyes I saw my husband dearest snoring loudly, holding my iPad in his big palms reminding you of bear claws with stupidest smile on his face. ( he might have wondered what made my knockout and read some chapters to test himself! See boredom is contagious!)
Yes, the book started promising: Shayna Darby, med student finds out her twin sister is dead in Paris so she flies there to deal with paperworks and funeral process but a cryptic message was written in twins’ secret language makes her realize her sister might be alive so she decides to retrace her steps to find out what happened to her.
But after that exciting, great start later, nothing happened. So many pages, so many chapters later still nothing happened and I don’t want to discuss the unsatisfying ending!
Yes, I think I want to go back and erase my memories about reading this book and logging off and restarting my system for better reads after a great night sleep. ( at least this book may be considered a great grimy bedtime story for deep and healthy sleep!)
Beginning of the novel was intriguing and promising made me think I was about to start something action packed, fast paced, exciting but a few chapters later: My jaw started to hurt because of too much yawning. I started to see double and blurry. Nope, of course I didn’t drink more than two glasses of my favorite brand of Chardonnay! I took several naps and when I opened my eyes I saw my husband dearest snoring loudly, holding my iPad in his big palms reminding you of bear claws with stupidest smile on his face. ( he might have wondered what made my knockout and read some chapters to test himself! See boredom is contagious!)
Yes, the book started promising: Shayna Darby, med student finds out her twin sister is dead in Paris so she flies there to deal with paperworks and funeral process but a cryptic message was written in twins’ secret language makes her realize her sister might be alive so she decides to retrace her steps to find out what happened to her.
But after that exciting, great start later, nothing happened. So many pages, so many chapters later still nothing happened and I don’t want to discuss the unsatisfying ending!
Yes, I think I want to go back and erase my memories about reading this book and logging off and restarting my system for better reads after a great night sleep. ( at least this book may be considered a great grimy bedtime story for deep and healthy sleep!)
March 2, 2020
Waste of time.
Shayna goes to Paris after her sister is found dead. She reads a message in their secret twin language that she is really alive, so decides to retrace the steps of her sisters last days to try and find her.
The story was underdeveloped and mystery was short lived. Ending predictable and it was slow to get there. There is little to no build up for the suspense; I was continuously bored and just wanted to just flip to the last few pages because everything in between was so pointless. The whole thing was just a poor quality mystery/suspense novel.
The prose was absolutely ridiculous.
The main character, Shayna, is a pre-med student who is described as very intelligent in the beginning. Her character doesn't seem to maintain this intellectual trait throughout the mystery though.
Total disappointment. I kept reading hoping there might be a major surprise and revelation in the end but there wasn't. It was under 300 pages though, so I suffered through.
Not for me. When I came to rate this I was thinking about any redeeming qualities, but I couldn't really think of anything I liked except that it was over.
Shayna goes to Paris after her sister is found dead. She reads a message in their secret twin language that she is really alive, so decides to retrace the steps of her sisters last days to try and find her.
The story was underdeveloped and mystery was short lived. Ending predictable and it was slow to get there. There is little to no build up for the suspense; I was continuously bored and just wanted to just flip to the last few pages because everything in between was so pointless. The whole thing was just a poor quality mystery/suspense novel.
The prose was absolutely ridiculous.
The main character, Shayna, is a pre-med student who is described as very intelligent in the beginning. Her character doesn't seem to maintain this intellectual trait throughout the mystery though.
Total disappointment. I kept reading hoping there might be a major surprise and revelation in the end but there wasn't. It was under 300 pages though, so I suffered through.
Not for me. When I came to rate this I was thinking about any redeeming qualities, but I couldn't really think of anything I liked except that it was over.
March 6, 2020
The Missing Sister captured me on the first page and did not let me go until the last. It explores the depth of the bond between identical twins, in particular, and brothers and sisters, in general. Shayna has come to Paris after the disappearance and possible murder of her identical twin, Angela. All has not been well with the twins of late, and they have not communicated for the past three years. After arriving in Paris, Shayna discovers a message left for her by Angela in a secret language they developed when they were children. Now knowing that Angela may still be alive, Shayna attempts to follow in Angela's footsteps as she tries to find her. Angela has warned Shayna to trust no one, and she tries to follow this instruction. But she doesn't even speak the language. Many seek to help her. First, there is Seb, Angela's supposed boyfriend. Next, there is Jan-Luc, a worker at the American Embassy. There is also Valentin, the police inspector, who claims to be searching for a serial killer. and what about Mathieu, who leads a tour of bordellos? Do these people really want to assist Shayna, or did one more more of them kidnap and/or kill her?
I enjoyed The Missing Sister immensely. It keeps you guessing, with plenty of twists and turns. Marr develops her characters beautifully, and it's difficult to tell the good guys from the bad. Highly recommended.
I enjoyed The Missing Sister immensely. It keeps you guessing, with plenty of twists and turns. Marr develops her characters beautifully, and it's difficult to tell the good guys from the bad. Highly recommended.
July 13, 2023
Shaina’s twin sister is killed and she’s called to Paris to identify the body. Except when she arrives, a cryptic message in her sister’s apartment that only she can read (in their secret twin language) pleads that she’s not really dead. And to trust no one.
Creepy start.
So Shaina picks up the pieces of her sister’s life, following her footsteps around Paris (this was a cool read if you’re looking for a tourist sort of escape to Paris—really great descriptions of popular sites, particularly the catacombs), unsure if she can trust any of the people claiming they want to help her. Bits of backstory are provided as well. You aren’t really sure if you can trust anyone in this story—Shaina and Angela included. I liked all the twists in this one, particularly as we neared the end. There were lots of surprises and red herrings and I was kept riveted all the way through!
Creepy start.
So Shaina picks up the pieces of her sister’s life, following her footsteps around Paris (this was a cool read if you’re looking for a tourist sort of escape to Paris—really great descriptions of popular sites, particularly the catacombs), unsure if she can trust any of the people claiming they want to help her. Bits of backstory are provided as well. You aren’t really sure if you can trust anyone in this story—Shaina and Angela included. I liked all the twists in this one, particularly as we neared the end. There were lots of surprises and red herrings and I was kept riveted all the way through!
April 1, 2020
Shayna Darby has received a horrible email informing her of the death of her identical twin sister who has been living in Paris for several years.
Leaving her California home and flying to France, she is surprised by Angela's boyfriend, who has a key to Angela's apartment ... just something else Shayna didn't know about her sister. Much to her amazement, there is a message ... meant only for Shayna. As twins and as young children they invented their own secret language. The message, written in this secret language only says .... ALIVE. TRUST NO ONE.
Is her sister actually still alive? Why would she be in hiding?
Shayna retraces her sister's footsteps and finds herself the possible target of a serial killer, who supposedly murdered her sister.
Who can she trust? Her sister's boyfriend she never knew about? The embassy liaison who incidentally lives in the apartment above where her sister lived? The police who seem not to be telling her anything?
Lots of action, lots of suspense leads to an unpredictable ending.
Many thanks to the author / Thomas & Mercer / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 1, 2020
Shayna goes to Paris when she heard that her twin sister, Angela had been murdered. Angela had left a message for Shayna saying "trust no one", it was written in a code the twins had made up. Shayna and Angela had not spoken since their parents died in a car crash three years ago. Now, part of a school shooting, Angela is presumed dead. Shayna tried to find out what happened to her sister.
Thenstory is told from Shayna's perspective. It has a beautiful and descriptive style in writing. A serial killer is on the loose along with human traffickers. Thenoace is fast from the beginning. Indid feel there were some loose ends that still needed tied up. There's a few twists that will keep you guessing. We meet several shady characters along the way.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author Elle Marr for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thenstory is told from Shayna's perspective. It has a beautiful and descriptive style in writing. A serial killer is on the loose along with human traffickers. Thenoace is fast from the beginning. Indid feel there were some loose ends that still needed tied up. There's a few twists that will keep you guessing. We meet several shady characters along the way.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author Elle Marr for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2020
Reading the blurb I thought this would be a great read. Instead it was a big dissapointment. Try as I might I didn't get into the story at all. I love it when you can't stop turning pages cause you NEED to find out what will happen next. "The missing sister" was exactly the opposite. The story was all over the place, there was no rhythm at all, as soon as it seemed to pick up then it was slowed down again with nothing happening for several chapters... I felt like I had to force myself to keep on reading. I didn't connect with either twin and certains aspects of their relationship felt lacking. And that ending! The villain's motivation was completely bonkers!! It was pretty underwhelming.
Promising plot that sadly didn't deliver.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Promising plot that sadly didn't deliver.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 14, 2019
Arrete
C’est ici l’empire de la mort
Stop
For here is the empire of death
Shayna Darby knows about loss.
She lost both of her parents when she was only 21 years old and now she has to fly to Paris to identify her estranged twin sister’s body in the morgue.
When she arrives in France and goes to her sister’s apartment she finds a message that only she can decipher:
Alive. Trust no one.
From then on it’s a race against time to find her twin and discover the truth beneath the layers of lies and the masses of people that her twin surrounded herself with.
There’s trips to the catacombs, expensive restaurants, and brothels.
The outcome could cost Shayna’s freedom and also her life.
Everything about this book, the format, the characters, the sporadic emails sent from her twin, Angela, are great. No relationship, no family is perfect and this highlights it. I especially love reading about twins and that bond they have because it’s creepy but also touching at the same time.
Shayna is a complex character and she knows it. She never had time to be the fun twin. She had to take things more seriously while Angela took hold of living life loosely. There’s turbulence on both sides and even when we get to the climax we feel the tension but we never lose sight of their love for one another.
Elle Marr is a great writer. She nails these emotions and slips in details that you overlook at first but you make sure to notice because it all comes into play later. I look forward to reading more from her. This was a quick read but mostly because I didn’t want to put it down for one second.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Ready for your burial, Moon?
October 4, 2019
The Missing Sister by Elle Marr is an ambitious novel and, I must admit, I am struggling to articulate my thoughts. The writing and premise are excellent, however I did grapple with the execution of a plot that I think tries to tackle too much, and becomes a bit chaotic at times as a result..
Shayna Darby flies to Paris to identify the body of her twin sister Angela who has purportedly been murdered. While trying to come to grips with this, Shayna sees a coded message that only she and her sister could recognize; Alive. Trust no one. The search is on for the missing twin, and it will take Shayna from the catacombs of Paris to the nefarious brothels that inhabit the City of Light. While I did find events rather difficult to follow with any real degree of engagement, I loved the writing style and did enjoy the descriptions of Paris as the city seems to become a character in and of itself. Unfortunately, this is a story that I didn't fully connect with, however I do recognize its merits and believe it will hit the spot with many others.
3.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.
Shayna Darby flies to Paris to identify the body of her twin sister Angela who has purportedly been murdered. While trying to come to grips with this, Shayna sees a coded message that only she and her sister could recognize; Alive. Trust no one. The search is on for the missing twin, and it will take Shayna from the catacombs of Paris to the nefarious brothels that inhabit the City of Light. While I did find events rather difficult to follow with any real degree of engagement, I loved the writing style and did enjoy the descriptions of Paris as the city seems to become a character in and of itself. Unfortunately, this is a story that I didn't fully connect with, however I do recognize its merits and believe it will hit the spot with many others.
3.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.
March 18, 2021
An interesting synopsis that caught my attention immediately. Unfortunately it's a bit of a slow read, I had a tough time connecting and kept putting it down. I powered through the last 20% because I HAD to know the outcome. The French writing tripped me up quite a bit, not knowing the language and having it come up often - sometimes without the translation was a bit frustrating. Overall this was just an ok read.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my review copy!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my review copy!
March 27, 2020
Would have rated it higher, but ultimately flunked it because, if she was going leave her sister a message, why not leave the name of her kidnapper? I mean, really? Her clues could not have been worse!
March 4, 2020
This is my Kindle First selection for this month. I think all in all I found it a little too heavy on the descriptive for my personal liking, though the story IS an intriguing one. What merited it an additional star for me was that there are NO MISTAKES and if you happen across any of my reviews you'll know this is a bloody miracle !!! It is so impressive and proves it can be done, which is why I get so irritated when 99% of digital books are slung out there with heaps of mistakes.
I was fascinated to learn about this secret city beneath Paris I had never heard of before. I hadn't a clue it existed and so many dead are interred below !! And I've visited Paris but no mention was made anyplace that I saw. Most peculiar.
Our leading lady Shayna did annoy me quite a lot, I must say. At times she was horribly rude or stroppy and for somebody so intelligent on paper, she did some pretty idiotic things, which did not endear her to me in the least. Some actions she embarked upon I did find a little too far-fetched as well. My favourite character is Madame Chang. She's an amazing creation.
I happened upon the most bizarre analogy I ever expect to read anyplace in this book, too: "...shadows climb the opposite stone walls like in a Charlton Heston film" !! She was referring to an inner courtyard of The Sorbonne at the time but still.....that was very strange to me. Another thing the author referred to in her Acknowledgements also baffled me when she said she first recalls seeing mixed-race couples and their children on-screen in the mid-2000s !!! Surely that can't be right ?
So all in all, I enjoyed the story but I was more satisfied with the presentation than the tale.
I was fascinated to learn about this secret city beneath Paris I had never heard of before. I hadn't a clue it existed and so many dead are interred below !! And I've visited Paris but no mention was made anyplace that I saw. Most peculiar.
Our leading lady Shayna did annoy me quite a lot, I must say. At times she was horribly rude or stroppy and for somebody so intelligent on paper, she did some pretty idiotic things, which did not endear her to me in the least. Some actions she embarked upon I did find a little too far-fetched as well. My favourite character is Madame Chang. She's an amazing creation.
I happened upon the most bizarre analogy I ever expect to read anyplace in this book, too: "...shadows climb the opposite stone walls like in a Charlton Heston film" !! She was referring to an inner courtyard of The Sorbonne at the time but still.....that was very strange to me. Another thing the author referred to in her Acknowledgements also baffled me when she said she first recalls seeing mixed-race couples and their children on-screen in the mid-2000s !!! Surely that can't be right ?
So all in all, I enjoyed the story but I was more satisfied with the presentation than the tale.
April 21, 2020
Shayna’s parents have both passed away in an accident and just when she is beginning to process this, she has news that her twin sister has been killed. Shayna was estranged from her sister since her parents death, but she knows she needs to go to Paris, where her sister Angela was living, to find out what happened. When she arrives she is told police have recovered her body, but it is mostly unidentifiable. She also finds police have a theory she was killed by a serial killer. With so many unanswered questions, Shayna starts to try to solve the mystery. Then she finds a message in her sisters home, ‘Alive. Trust no one’.
I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of this novel and I loved the setting, being in Paris. The characters were well developed and it was suspenseful. The only downside for me was that it had a lot going on and it covered so many issues. That said, it was fast paced, intrigued me right the way through and it was enjoyable.
I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of this novel and I loved the setting, being in Paris. The characters were well developed and it was suspenseful. The only downside for me was that it had a lot going on and it covered so many issues. That said, it was fast paced, intrigued me right the way through and it was enjoyable.
January 31, 2020
This one is so hard for me to review!
The synopsis (that I'm sure you've already seen, but I'm going to tell you again anyway) hooked me - Sister gets a message that her twin is dead and she needs to ID her body. She flies to Paris and goes to her sister's apartment only to find a cryptic message on her whiteboard "Alive. Trust No One." Like woah. I'm there for that. What happened to the sister? Where is she? What shady thing is she involved in?
I'd like to start with the good stuff - 1. The synopsis haha. 2. The beginning was interesting. I did like the beginning and trying to understand everything going on. Characters were introduced quickly and with the "trust no one" bit, I was trying to figure out if it was the boyfriend, embassy official, or even the police officer. It was fun trying to make my guess.
Unfortunately I felt there were more bad things about the book (hence the 2 stars). I unfortunately didn't connect with the writing style. I felt there were odd terms that aren't in every day language so it made the dialogue seem somewhat unnatural. There were also a lot of things said in french, but there wasn't a clear translation and that slowed me down a little. Then the ending... It was actually a pretty big letdown for me. And there is a secret that hangs over the entire story about the main character and when that was revealed I was actually mad. It was a dumb secret and it really didn't have anything to do with her - I can't really say more without giving it away.
Anyway. 2/5 stars. It was okay. I probably hyped it up too much in my head. I'll do a short spoiler post about it on my blog (readwithnatasha.com) because I need to get it off my chest and if I were reading this I'd want to know the spoilers without actually reading the book haha.
The synopsis (that I'm sure you've already seen, but I'm going to tell you again anyway) hooked me - Sister gets a message that her twin is dead and she needs to ID her body. She flies to Paris and goes to her sister's apartment only to find a cryptic message on her whiteboard "Alive. Trust No One." Like woah. I'm there for that. What happened to the sister? Where is she? What shady thing is she involved in?
I'd like to start with the good stuff - 1. The synopsis haha. 2. The beginning was interesting. I did like the beginning and trying to understand everything going on. Characters were introduced quickly and with the "trust no one" bit, I was trying to figure out if it was the boyfriend, embassy official, or even the police officer. It was fun trying to make my guess.
Unfortunately I felt there were more bad things about the book (hence the 2 stars). I unfortunately didn't connect with the writing style. I felt there were odd terms that aren't in every day language so it made the dialogue seem somewhat unnatural. There were also a lot of things said in french, but there wasn't a clear translation and that slowed me down a little. Then the ending... It was actually a pretty big letdown for me. And there is a secret that hangs over the entire story about the main character and when that was revealed I was actually mad. It was a dumb secret and it really didn't have anything to do with her - I can't really say more without giving it away.
Anyway. 2/5 stars. It was okay. I probably hyped it up too much in my head. I'll do a short spoiler post about it on my blog (readwithnatasha.com) because I need to get it off my chest and if I were reading this I'd want to know the spoilers without actually reading the book haha.
November 2, 2019
I delayed reading this book, as I didn’t think it would be exciting. Boy, was I wrong - it was EXCELLENT! One twin goes to Paris to search for her missing sister, and finds a clue that she is alive, but to trust no one. There are many dynamics at play here - how twins “know” things about each other, estrangement, betrayal, trust issues, with each other and nearly everyone they encounter. I thought the story started a little slow and meandering, but the pace quickly picked up, and the ending was a scary, creepy surprise - and it was all good! There are a lot of characters to get to know, and the plot was very twisty but not difficult to follow. Just when I thought I had guessed something, I was wrong - several times. If you like thrillers and mysteries with family drama interwoven, and a touch of horror you will enjoy this book. 5 stars and I highly recommend it. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 4, 2021
This story started out so strong - great premise, intrigue, suspense, and then it fell totally flat. After the first few chapters, nothing was happening to advance the plot; Shayna was merely touring the city of Paris.
I was about half way through the story, still nothing happening, and decided to skip ahead to the last few chapters, just to see what happened. Once again, I was disappointed. The situations, the characters, the dialogue--all felt inane, cardboard, implausible.
Frustrated because the story had so much potential. On a positive note, the author did have some clever turns of phrase, and I enjoyed learning more about Paris.
I was about half way through the story, still nothing happening, and decided to skip ahead to the last few chapters, just to see what happened. Once again, I was disappointed. The situations, the characters, the dialogue--all felt inane, cardboard, implausible.
Frustrated because the story had so much potential. On a positive note, the author did have some clever turns of phrase, and I enjoyed learning more about Paris.
January 30, 2022
the book is off to a terrific start ... more to say later ... tension builds throughout, all the way to the end ... there are some bizarre and unlikely twists, but it just keeps going ... some very brutal parts not for the faint of heart
October 8, 2019
I am a twin, so I loved this book, primarily about twins, from the start. When Shayna's sister goes missing in Paris, Shayna has to travel to this unfamiliar city to find out if she's dead or alive, and if alive, where? The author has a great hook at the start, and keeps the reader guessing and urging the protagonist on. A great thriller!
The only two things that turned me off of this book is one, the over-done-ness of the twin thing. I am a twin, and I have never in my life referred to my other sisters, or anyone else as a "single birth." These twins are a bit over the top with the twin references. The second thing was the reluctance to go to the police, for almost ANYTHING. I found myself shouting at the poor girl "GO TO THE POLICE." And even at the end, well, let's just say avoiding the police was higher on the priority list than anything else - highly implausible that you could even get away with that. There wouldn't have been any suspense lost, I don't think, if a few more visits to the police station occurred.
The only two things that turned me off of this book is one, the over-done-ness of the twin thing. I am a twin, and I have never in my life referred to my other sisters, or anyone else as a "single birth." These twins are a bit over the top with the twin references. The second thing was the reluctance to go to the police, for almost ANYTHING. I found myself shouting at the poor girl "GO TO THE POLICE." And even at the end, well, let's just say avoiding the police was higher on the priority list than anything else - highly implausible that you could even get away with that. There wouldn't have been any suspense lost, I don't think, if a few more visits to the police station occurred.
March 19, 2020
Frustratingly ridiculous!
What I liked: in the first third of the book, the author does a good job of building suspense and developing several suspects of a missing woman. How I wished the author had continued with this excellent beginning!
What I hated: everything else. There were too many named characters, few of them memorable, their names would appear randomly, with no explanation and I found myself not remembering who was who. About two thirds into the book things get boring and that continues to the end. The descriptions become way to detailed, much of it doesn't make sense....ramblings...pet peeve: uses the trendy "not enough bandwidth" twice.
Lastly the mystery at the end is SO unbelievable, it is just stupid. The whole plot falls apart.
Spoiler alert here: This gives away the ending: but saves you wasted time: a psychopath kidnaps a girl, she escapes, but doesn't go to the police because he has her passport and she won't be able to leave and he might "frame" her, so she leaves bizarre clues for her sister to figure out and hides until her sister figures it out. Dumb!
What I liked: in the first third of the book, the author does a good job of building suspense and developing several suspects of a missing woman. How I wished the author had continued with this excellent beginning!
What I hated: everything else. There were too many named characters, few of them memorable, their names would appear randomly, with no explanation and I found myself not remembering who was who. About two thirds into the book things get boring and that continues to the end. The descriptions become way to detailed, much of it doesn't make sense....ramblings...pet peeve: uses the trendy "not enough bandwidth" twice.
Lastly the mystery at the end is SO unbelievable, it is just stupid. The whole plot falls apart.
Spoiler alert here: This gives away the ending: but saves you wasted time: a psychopath kidnaps a girl, she escapes, but doesn't go to the police because he has her passport and she won't be able to leave and he might "frame" her, so she leaves bizarre clues for her sister to figure out and hides until her sister figures it out. Dumb!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2019
Identical twins Angela and Shayna have been estranged for a few years until Angela who lives in Paris goes missing.
Shayna flies from America to try to find her missing sister and finds a message from her sister wrote in a secret script they used growing up. Everyone else thinks she’s dead.
Shayna then has to try to discover the truth... Trips to the catacombs, restaurants, secret underground brothels.
Elle Marr is a great writer but I found it difficult to connect to the characters. Shayna seemed difficult to warm too. Lots of confusing thoughts running through her head flipping between different time periods.
I liked the mystery element and the secret language between the two twins without revealing more spoilers but felt the plot could go elsewhere.
Thank you to the publishers, author and Net galley for the advanced copy in exchange for my opinion.
Shayna flies from America to try to find her missing sister and finds a message from her sister wrote in a secret script they used growing up. Everyone else thinks she’s dead.
Shayna then has to try to discover the truth... Trips to the catacombs, restaurants, secret underground brothels.
Elle Marr is a great writer but I found it difficult to connect to the characters. Shayna seemed difficult to warm too. Lots of confusing thoughts running through her head flipping between different time periods.
I liked the mystery element and the secret language between the two twins without revealing more spoilers but felt the plot could go elsewhere.
Thank you to the publishers, author and Net galley for the advanced copy in exchange for my opinion.
September 9, 2019
I loved this book so much.
I couldn't stop reading after the first chapter. It's engaging and the mystery is so well done.
I liked the idea of mixed race twins , the description of Paris , all the small details from the taxi drive to the hotel, cafeteria and every shop or surrounding. The underworld as well because we often don't get to much insight about one of the most visited city in the world.
As for the story itself, it's full of mystery and will keep you on the edge until you finished the last page.
I'm recommending this great book to all mystery/thrillers lovers.
I couldn't stop reading after the first chapter. It's engaging and the mystery is so well done.
I liked the idea of mixed race twins , the description of Paris , all the small details from the taxi drive to the hotel, cafeteria and every shop or surrounding. The underworld as well because we often don't get to much insight about one of the most visited city in the world.
As for the story itself, it's full of mystery and will keep you on the edge until you finished the last page.
I'm recommending this great book to all mystery/thrillers lovers.
September 8, 2019
An excellent book! Had fun reading it, and kept me on my toes the whole time. Great character development and fascinating storyline.
April 22, 2020
The Missing Sister by Elle Marr was one of those thrillers that has you gripped from the start, and I really enjoyed how suspenseful it was.
The pace was very steady, and I couldn't wait to find out what had happened to Angela and who the killer was. I think Marr did a really good job of making you suspicious of everyone and even though I wasn't super shocked by the ending, a couple of things definitely surprised me. The end merges into disturbing and a touch gory, but the majority of the book isn't like that at all so if you are squeamish I think you should be able to read this just fine.
I was captivated by the mystery, and the catacombs in Paris was such a unique and fascinating setting. I liked reading about Paris in general, but I knew nothing about the catacombs going into it and it made the book quite creepy and even more interesting.
I was also a huge fan of the twin aspect. I haven't read many books about twins, so it was nice to have something different. There was definitely a lot going on, but The Missing Sister was a solid, suspenseful thriller and I look forward to seeing what Marr comes up with next!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
The pace was very steady, and I couldn't wait to find out what had happened to Angela and who the killer was. I think Marr did a really good job of making you suspicious of everyone and even though I wasn't super shocked by the ending, a couple of things definitely surprised me. The end merges into disturbing and a touch gory, but the majority of the book isn't like that at all so if you are squeamish I think you should be able to read this just fine.
I was captivated by the mystery, and the catacombs in Paris was such a unique and fascinating setting. I liked reading about Paris in general, but I knew nothing about the catacombs going into it and it made the book quite creepy and even more interesting.
I was also a huge fan of the twin aspect. I haven't read many books about twins, so it was nice to have something different. There was definitely a lot going on, but The Missing Sister was a solid, suspenseful thriller and I look forward to seeing what Marr comes up with next!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
September 29, 2019
Angela is missing and her twin sets out to find her. There is a message that she is alive and to trust no one. Surely that warning doesn't extend to her missing twins boyfriend.
In the search for her twin she will encounter all kinds of people. None of them are whom they appear to be.
In the end the only one she can trust is herself. Her determination to find her sister leads her into the most dangerous and difficult places she will ever go. And in the end she does have to learn who to trust and who to run from.
Interesting, intriguing!
In the search for her twin she will encounter all kinds of people. None of them are whom they appear to be.
In the end the only one she can trust is herself. Her determination to find her sister leads her into the most dangerous and difficult places she will ever go. And in the end she does have to learn who to trust and who to run from.
Interesting, intriguing!
April 23, 2020
I want to start off with thanking Goodreads for this Kindle Giveaway. The Missing Sister was an intriguing mystery-thriller about a twin, Shayna, who comes to Paris to identify the body of her twin sister, Angela, who was murdered. However, once she is in her sister’s apartment, she discovers a message in their twin code that says “Trust No One.” So begins Shayna’s journey for the truth of what happened to her sister. There were many twists and turns and I enjoyed reading to the satisfying conclusion.
November 12, 2019
After learning that her twin sister is dead, Shayna travels to Paris to identify her body. But once she arrives she sees a message written by Angela,saying that Angela is alive and that Shayna should not trust anyone.
I really liked 2 things about this novel. First, that our main characters were of mix race. They were born in the US,while being half Chinese (and half Irish, if I'm not mistaken). So there were interesting discussions on what that feels like,on the sense of belonging, on how rude people can be. The author made me feel these things, this part was done beautifully.
The second thing I liked was the writing style itself. Like I said,the author can practically make you feel what she is writing about. What it is like to be of mixed heritage, to be a twin,to be a foreigner, to be a child,to be a sibling. Elle Marr goes deep on the theme of the twin bond,all the love and hate in that bond. It was easy to see that Marr is a talented writer.
Now, the things I didn't like are mainly the plot and the pacing. There wasn't much of a plot in this book, that was my biggest problem. I was more than half way through and nothing more that what I told about the synopsis of this book happened. The plot starts to get going and then quickly resolves itself in the last 40 pages and I hate it when books do that.
The pacing was another problem. It jumps from past to present, drowns you in so much unnecessary stuff that it becomes boring. And this book is supposed to be a thriller, boring is the last word that should be used to describe it.
With this beautiful writing style I think Elle Marr could write amazing books in the literary or historical fiction genre, but not thrillers.
Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked 2 things about this novel. First, that our main characters were of mix race. They were born in the US,while being half Chinese (and half Irish, if I'm not mistaken). So there were interesting discussions on what that feels like,on the sense of belonging, on how rude people can be. The author made me feel these things, this part was done beautifully.
The second thing I liked was the writing style itself. Like I said,the author can practically make you feel what she is writing about. What it is like to be of mixed heritage, to be a twin,to be a foreigner, to be a child,to be a sibling. Elle Marr goes deep on the theme of the twin bond,all the love and hate in that bond. It was easy to see that Marr is a talented writer.
Now, the things I didn't like are mainly the plot and the pacing. There wasn't much of a plot in this book, that was my biggest problem. I was more than half way through and nothing more that what I told about the synopsis of this book happened. The plot starts to get going and then quickly resolves itself in the last 40 pages and I hate it when books do that.
The pacing was another problem. It jumps from past to present, drowns you in so much unnecessary stuff that it becomes boring. And this book is supposed to be a thriller, boring is the last word that should be used to describe it.
With this beautiful writing style I think Elle Marr could write amazing books in the literary or historical fiction genre, but not thrillers.
Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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May 5, 2022
Come to Paris. Your sister is dead.
Shayna Darby has already felt deep loss but then she gets message that her estranged twin sister, Angela, has been pulled from the Seine. Shayna heads to Paris to make an ID on the remains found. When she arrive to her sister's appartment she discover a coded message meant for her alone…
Alive. Trust no one.
MISSING SISTER had an intriguing premise and I liked the setting of Paris...
...but this story was kinda slow and boring. Its told in the 1st person narrative which sometimes work for me but didn't work in this one. Also I didn't like the writing at all. I want to see, not to be told!
I felt like I've landed in the middle of the story. I felt I had missed an opening to Shayna and her twin sister's story. I wish author had established the context and given more background details better. Didn't care for the characters. The clues sounded stupid and pointless . I didn’t find myself eager to know what would happen next.
Before this story I read Little Secrets which I really enjoyed, perhaps after good story it's more difficult to be content with less grabbing story. Or perhaps I had too high expectations. Hopefully other readers will like it more.
Shayna Darby has already felt deep loss but then she gets message that her estranged twin sister, Angela, has been pulled from the Seine. Shayna heads to Paris to make an ID on the remains found. When she arrive to her sister's appartment she discover a coded message meant for her alone…
Alive. Trust no one.
MISSING SISTER had an intriguing premise and I liked the setting of Paris...
...but this story was kinda slow and boring. Its told in the 1st person narrative which sometimes work for me but didn't work in this one. Also I didn't like the writing at all. I want to see, not to be told!
I felt like I've landed in the middle of the story. I felt I had missed an opening to Shayna and her twin sister's story. I wish author had established the context and given more background details better. Didn't care for the characters. The clues sounded stupid and pointless . I didn’t find myself eager to know what would happen next.
Before this story I read Little Secrets which I really enjoyed, perhaps after good story it's more difficult to be content with less grabbing story. Or perhaps I had too high expectations. Hopefully other readers will like it more.
September 30, 2019
This book was sent to me in ebook form by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. As always with NetGalley, the cover and description are what really drew me to this book!
I admit this book was a struggle for me to get through. It wasn't a quick read, and it didn't have enough action to keep me turning the pages. However, the synopsis and the characters are what kept me reading. I wanted to know what happened to Angela and more about their childhood, secret language, and what really happened the night of their parents' accident.
While sometimes it was difficult to understand Shayna's thought process, especially towards the end of the book, the history of Paris, the catacombs, the mystery, and the fascinating cast of side characters, kept my interest.
Personally, I didn't figure out the true culprit so I feel like this was a good debut novel and I would be interested in reading another book by this author. I also thought it was cool and interesting that the main characters were biracial. This is something the author mentions was important to her as well in the acknowledgments.
P.S. Twin for the win.
I admit this book was a struggle for me to get through. It wasn't a quick read, and it didn't have enough action to keep me turning the pages. However, the synopsis and the characters are what kept me reading. I wanted to know what happened to Angela and more about their childhood, secret language, and what really happened the night of their parents' accident.
While sometimes it was difficult to understand Shayna's thought process, especially towards the end of the book, the history of Paris, the catacombs, the mystery, and the fascinating cast of side characters, kept my interest.
Personally, I didn't figure out the true culprit so I feel like this was a good debut novel and I would be interested in reading another book by this author. I also thought it was cool and interesting that the main characters were biracial. This is something the author mentions was important to her as well in the acknowledgments.
P.S. Twin for the win.
September 29, 2019
I am sorry for the shorter review but I’m heading to work and will update a more in depth review at a later date. Let me just say I really found this to be a great read with the perfect amount of suspense.
Thank you Netgalley for the Arc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and are completely unbiased!
Thank you Netgalley for the Arc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and are completely unbiased!
March 16, 2020
Finished reading: March 15th 2020
"Grief is a bizarre beast that can make us see and do things that don't make sense. Memory adjusts and omits with the slightest nudge, let alone under circumstances like mine."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
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