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Pieter Vos #3
Het derde zusje
Kim en Mia Timmers waren tien jaar toen ze veroordeeld werden voor de moord op de moordenaar van hun familie. De zussen zaten de afgelopen tien jaar in een gesloten inrichting in Marken hun straf uit en worden nu vrijgelaten. Als ze op weg naar een tijdelijke woning verdwijnen, wordt rechercheur Pieter Vos op de zaak gezet.
Naarmate het onderzoek vordert, wordt duidelijk dat er in de inrichting meer aan de hand is en dat de directie grote geheimen verbergt. Zelfs commissaris De Groot, de meerdere van Vos, lijkt bewijs te verdoezelen. Dan wordt het lichaam van een medewerker op het strand van Marken gevonden en neemt de zaak een verrassende wending. Iemand doet zich voor als het derde zusje, dat tien jaar geleden overleed. Wie is dat?
Naarmate het onderzoek vordert, wordt duidelijk dat er in de inrichting meer aan de hand is en dat de directie grote geheimen verbergt. Zelfs commissaris De Groot, de meerdere van Vos, lijkt bewijs te verdoezelen. Dan wordt het lichaam van een medewerker op het strand van Marken gevonden en neemt de zaak een verrassende wending. Iemand doet zich voor als het derde zusje, dat tien jaar geleden overleed. Wie is dat?
440 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2016
20 people are currently reading
430 people want to read
About the author
David Hewson
112 books525 followersDAVID HEWSON was born in Yorkshire in 1953. His books range from the Nic Costa series set in Italy to adaptations of The Killing in Copenhagen and the Pieter Vos series in Amsterdam.
He's adapted Shakespeare for Audible and in 2018 won the Audie for best original work for Romeo and Juliet: A Novel, narrated by Richard Armitage.
2019 sees the release of a new, full-cast Audible drama set in New York, Last Seen Wearing, and a standalone novel set in the Faroe Islands, Devil's Fjord.
Series:
Nic Costa
Pieter Vos
The Killing
He's adapted Shakespeare for Audible and in 2018 won the Audie for best original work for Romeo and Juliet: A Novel, narrated by Richard Armitage.
2019 sees the release of a new, full-cast Audible drama set in New York, Last Seen Wearing, and a standalone novel set in the Faroe Islands, Devil's Fjord.
Series:
Nic Costa
Pieter Vos
The Killing
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
March 6, 2017
Well I was sucked in by the blurb on this one & YES it started off at a fast pace which kept me turning the pages, I had never read David Hewson before & I am not sure I will again. Let me explain my reasoning the plot worked well but I found it dragged a bit was skipping through the chapters to see if the pace picked up I was right it didn't.
The Characters were written okay but thought there was way to many each one did his or her job well finding Kim & Mia's whereabouts as they were being held for murder after the killing of their Mother Freya, father Gus & sister jo, Detective Pieter Vos & his team come in to find the missing sisters.
When all who were involved in the incarceration were found murdered one after the other Vos intensifies his search what he finds is a lot of secrets about their mother Freya who would use anybody she could to get what she wanted.
As the plot deepens Mia shows she has a weakness unlike Kim who is totally opposite they kill to avenge their parents & sister Jo's death.
I also thought the ending was poor a major letdown & kept going from one situation to the other which confused me a little & the pronunciation of the places & people a little hard to pronounce if you know what I mean 2.5 stars.
The Characters were written okay but thought there was way to many each one did his or her job well finding Kim & Mia's whereabouts as they were being held for murder after the killing of their Mother Freya, father Gus & sister jo, Detective Pieter Vos & his team come in to find the missing sisters.
When all who were involved in the incarceration were found murdered one after the other Vos intensifies his search what he finds is a lot of secrets about their mother Freya who would use anybody she could to get what she wanted.
As the plot deepens Mia shows she has a weakness unlike Kim who is totally opposite they kill to avenge their parents & sister Jo's death.
I also thought the ending was poor a major letdown & kept going from one situation to the other which confused me a little & the pronunciation of the places & people a little hard to pronounce if you know what I mean 2.5 stars.
June 7, 2018
Heerlijk boek weer, alleen jammer dat de flaptekst niet klopte.
Hier is die al enigszins aangepast maar staat nog een foutje in.
Hier is die al enigszins aangepast maar staat nog een foutje in.
July 1, 2017
This was a real page turner for me, but maybe I am a bit biased because of the setting. A good series.
July 8, 2017
I like David Hewson's take on the Netherlands. It's so real with his descriptions of the land and the water. The boat he lives on is so like what I would like to have it's crazy. I like to let my mind work out as if I am working the case with Vos. This time he makes DeGroot do the impossible. Wonder what's next.
July 15, 2016
Little Sister – Another Lowlands Thriller
Kim and Mia Timmers are twins who have spent the majority of their life locked up in a mental health facility, after being found guilty of murdering the lead singer of a once world renowned band called The Cupids. What little is known from that time is shrouded in mystery, and all the locals of the Dutch fishing village, Voldendam.
As the Timmers twins reach 21 they should no longer be kept in the facility out on the edge of the island of Marken, hidden away and forgotten, all local people knew was that it was a facility for female juvenile criminals. The girls are being assessed to see if they should be released out to a safe house in Amsterdam, where they would be able to integrate slowly back in to society.
When they do not turn up at the safe house, and nobody has heard from their nurse escort, after nearly 24 hours the police are finally informed. Pieter Vos is given the job of finding the girls and what happened to the nurse, it does not help when he tries to find the old police files on the Timmers has been deleted and paper copies shredded.
When Vos travels out to Voldendam with Laura Bakker his colleague they are in for an investigation, that the authorities want closed rapidly and no mention of the history. When they travel out to Marken, they are sure that they are not being told anywhere near the truth. When the body of the nurse escort turns washed up along Marken they know they are going to be up against things.
David Hewson draws the reader in very quickly and feel that you are at the heart of the investigation, and can see the various characters, how they think and act. Kim and Mia are written well and are completely dislikeable girls, who are angry, confused and not sure what is happening to them, there is a sort of innocence but even that does not help them.
Vos is an effective but slightly defective detective, someone the leaders can trust to get the job done, but absolutely terrible at the internal police politics. How Vos likes and trusts those officers around him and does not enjoy change, any challenge to that and it throws his equilibrium off kilter.
As the story unfolds there is an uncomfortable truth that all the police and the locals need to deal with which slowly seeps in to the story. Which helps to understand why the Timmers twins are so damaged and shows them in a more favourable light.
David Hewson’s story telling is second to none, using the skill of a scriptwriter to draw the reader in and keep them at the centre of the story throughout. The thriller with its various twists and turns, shocks and occasional violence keeps the read intrigued and wanting to know what happens next.
A truly excellent book, Little Sister is an excellent development of the Pieter Vos series, and shows why it will continue to go from strength to strength.
Kim and Mia Timmers are twins who have spent the majority of their life locked up in a mental health facility, after being found guilty of murdering the lead singer of a once world renowned band called The Cupids. What little is known from that time is shrouded in mystery, and all the locals of the Dutch fishing village, Voldendam.
As the Timmers twins reach 21 they should no longer be kept in the facility out on the edge of the island of Marken, hidden away and forgotten, all local people knew was that it was a facility for female juvenile criminals. The girls are being assessed to see if they should be released out to a safe house in Amsterdam, where they would be able to integrate slowly back in to society.
When they do not turn up at the safe house, and nobody has heard from their nurse escort, after nearly 24 hours the police are finally informed. Pieter Vos is given the job of finding the girls and what happened to the nurse, it does not help when he tries to find the old police files on the Timmers has been deleted and paper copies shredded.
When Vos travels out to Voldendam with Laura Bakker his colleague they are in for an investigation, that the authorities want closed rapidly and no mention of the history. When they travel out to Marken, they are sure that they are not being told anywhere near the truth. When the body of the nurse escort turns washed up along Marken they know they are going to be up against things.
David Hewson draws the reader in very quickly and feel that you are at the heart of the investigation, and can see the various characters, how they think and act. Kim and Mia are written well and are completely dislikeable girls, who are angry, confused and not sure what is happening to them, there is a sort of innocence but even that does not help them.
Vos is an effective but slightly defective detective, someone the leaders can trust to get the job done, but absolutely terrible at the internal police politics. How Vos likes and trusts those officers around him and does not enjoy change, any challenge to that and it throws his equilibrium off kilter.
As the story unfolds there is an uncomfortable truth that all the police and the locals need to deal with which slowly seeps in to the story. Which helps to understand why the Timmers twins are so damaged and shows them in a more favourable light.
David Hewson’s story telling is second to none, using the skill of a scriptwriter to draw the reader in and keep them at the centre of the story throughout. The thriller with its various twists and turns, shocks and occasional violence keeps the read intrigued and wanting to know what happens next.
A truly excellent book, Little Sister is an excellent development of the Pieter Vos series, and shows why it will continue to go from strength to strength.
August 24, 2016
Every now and again, I love my mystery and serial killer novels but I like them to be captivating and have a great storyline otherwise I have no interest as if they can't grab me then I put them back and when it comes to this genre, I find I am quite fussy. Little Sister by David Hewson had a great blurb and I was intrigued to read it as another favourite of mine to read in this genre is when the children have committed the crime as it makes it more fascinating without sounding like a psychopath. In Little Sister it introduces us to two girls Kim and Mia who are the remaining two of their family left as ten years ago, their mother/father and sister as they were triplets were murdered. Kim and Mia decided to take revenge into their own hands and kill the person they thought was responsible for their deaths. The girls 11 years old at the time were sent to a juvie mental institution where they have been patients until now. Since the girls have aged out and the doctors agree they are no longer a risk to the society, they are being let out into the "real world". Turns out though that in the "real world" they are not in for sanctuary as now that the girls are out and can tell the actual truth of what happened that night,someone is cleaning house and harming everyone involved and of course who better to frame than the two girls who already have murder on their rap sheets. I have to admit, I did find the storylines good but once it became a massive and I mean massive conspiracy, the book started to lose my interest but I kept reading hoping to come to the truth and discover what really happened that night with Kim and Mia . When we finally did get the answers, I have to admit I was a little disappointed in the ending especially when the truth was revealed about the final moments of Kim and Mia's family. This was the first of David Hewson's books I had read and I have to say that though I did enjoy it , unless there is another captivating blurb he won't be one of my go-to authors for mystery and serial killer novels.
July 7, 2019
Wederom een goede thriller. Al kwam het verhaal dit keer door de vele personages en verhaallijnen soms wat rommelig over. Al paste dat juist ook weer bij het plot. Op sommige momenten vroeg ik me echt af of ze het mysterie ooit nog zouden oplossen. Gelukkig ging het balletje rollen door iemand van buitenaf. Het einde vond ik wel krachtig. Ook worden er op het laatst nog een paar dingen ontdekt waardoor je heel anders aankijkt tegen gebeurtenissen uit het verleden. Op naar deel 4.
October 13, 2025
Wonderful
October 23, 2016
Booktrail literary destinations: Little Sister booktrail
There’s something very moreish about this author. Having read his novels in order, I am always left wanting more and wanting to return to Amsterdam. He’s one of the authors who for me not only uses his settings well but really weaves them in and out of every aspect of the plot. His writing and characters are just so evocative of time and place and really make the settings more than backdrops. The island setting in particular shows a unique side to the Netherlands and the contrast to bustling Amsterdam.
This one had the added chill of being set outside of Amsterdam for the most part and the idea that an island ‘prison’ was at the heart of the story. There was a great sense of foreboding, a chilling sense of unease throughout and two lead characters who were the most unreliable narrators I’ve ever encountered. I kept imaging them as ghostly figures staring straight ahead whilst holding hands – or maybe I’v been reading too many ghostly stories with children at the centre.
There’s always something new and different about Hewson’s novel and writing – Vos in particular is a great character – different, unique and lives on a boat which gives him an odd and endearing quality. It’s a wonder his many faults and foibles don’t sink it but then that’s part of the plot.
With an old case being reopened and a new one set to explode, this is a great standalone and third episode in the Vos series. Very evocative and the writing always takes it that level higher.
There’s something very moreish about this author. Having read his novels in order, I am always left wanting more and wanting to return to Amsterdam. He’s one of the authors who for me not only uses his settings well but really weaves them in and out of every aspect of the plot. His writing and characters are just so evocative of time and place and really make the settings more than backdrops. The island setting in particular shows a unique side to the Netherlands and the contrast to bustling Amsterdam.
This one had the added chill of being set outside of Amsterdam for the most part and the idea that an island ‘prison’ was at the heart of the story. There was a great sense of foreboding, a chilling sense of unease throughout and two lead characters who were the most unreliable narrators I’ve ever encountered. I kept imaging them as ghostly figures staring straight ahead whilst holding hands – or maybe I’v been reading too many ghostly stories with children at the centre.
There’s always something new and different about Hewson’s novel and writing – Vos in particular is a great character – different, unique and lives on a boat which gives him an odd and endearing quality. It’s a wonder his many faults and foibles don’t sink it but then that’s part of the plot.
With an old case being reopened and a new one set to explode, this is a great standalone and third episode in the Vos series. Very evocative and the writing always takes it that level higher.
March 15, 2023
Minor niggle... Hewson doesn't really seem to know what Dutch pancakes are like. Think more like a large crepe (often savoury, but sweet ones also popular), not like american breakfast pancakes.
He always lets me down on the food... Luckily the books are otherwise pretty good!
He always lets me down on the food... Luckily the books are otherwise pretty good!
August 18, 2018
Goed boek een mooie 4 sterren.
October 7, 2017
wat een geweldig schitterende ontknoping van een subliem en spannend verhaal
megagoed dit 3e deel van de "Amsterdam "serie
megagoed dit 3e deel van de "Amsterdam "serie
October 11, 2021
Having skipped book 2 of this series (waiting to see if I can get it from the library), I immediately started book 3 after finishing the first. I feel there may be some events from book 2 that impact on where the characters are in this novel - I hope to be able to read it at some point.
Once more, I was hooked on this book from the first chapter. For most of time, the book drags you along at full speed - there are a few moments where it slows, but you need that change of pace. It would be more exhausting without those moments. Again, I think Laura Bakkar really steals the show in this novel, and deserves her own series. It was great to see Vos having even more of a steel backbone in this case. The author has done a great job with character development.
Yet, I didn't totally believe the characters of Mia and Kim - they were certainly intriguing and engaging, but they seemed a little stretched.
The crime is much like the first novel in the series. It's not a terrible thing, but maybe a little more imagination to have different types would make this even better.
Once more, I was hooked on this book from the first chapter. For most of time, the book drags you along at full speed - there are a few moments where it slows, but you need that change of pace. It would be more exhausting without those moments. Again, I think Laura Bakkar really steals the show in this novel, and deserves her own series. It was great to see Vos having even more of a steel backbone in this case. The author has done a great job with character development.
Yet, I didn't totally believe the characters of Mia and Kim - they were certainly intriguing and engaging, but they seemed a little stretched.
The crime is much like the first novel in the series. It's not a terrible thing, but maybe a little more imagination to have different types would make this even better.
June 15, 2018
At first, looking at the book cover and reading the summary, I expect a mystery/horror story. I am severely disappointed. Frankly, I don't know how to categorize this book. Mystery? Pieter Vos is a super detective that he can guess what's going on based only on so few leads (sarcastic mode on). Horror? I think the scary part has already been broken if you read the summary.
In the beginning, the readers were presented with a complicated storyline that turns out on a very disappointing result. It's also hard to read with so many conversations (too many, in my opinion) going on. Furthermore, the characters are not developed until the end.
I just couldn't get myself into the story and I have to force myself to finish it.
In the beginning, the readers were presented with a complicated storyline that turns out on a very disappointing result. It's also hard to read with so many conversations (too many, in my opinion) going on. Furthermore, the characters are not developed until the end.
I just couldn't get myself into the story and I have to force myself to finish it.
May 12, 2020
Superb as usual, Pieter Vos, Laura Bakker and particularly the long suffering, and longserving, beer fan Dirk van der Berg are believeable and interesting characters. Much as I enjoyed David Hewson's complicated plot set against his wonderful knowledge of Amsterdam (I am back in the Cafe Eland simply by reading his books) and in this case Waterland, 'Little Sister' is different from his usual offering. It is very dark and the theme may not suit all readers, also for a while I struggled with the (necessary) length of time spent 'setting the scene'. Another change from Hewson's norm was the vast number of short sharp chapters (110 in all) needed to encompass the many changes of scene occurring throughout the book. 5 star again, I love the author, his brilliantly contructed plots and of course the setting but if he returns to Amsterdam again please can we have a good old armed robbery / gangster type tale.
April 18, 2018
A good premise but unfortunately David Hewson just can’t write very well and the book reads as though it was written by someone for whom English is a second language they don’t speak very often. But the worst thing is that the author seems to have an aversion to the word ‘said’ and does everything in his power to avoid using it. Everyone insists, adds, cries, interrupts, announces, asks, screams, cuts in, agrees, whimpers, pleads or declares - anything but says! Once you notice this the book is almost impossible to read.
August 15, 2025
Latest or possibly the last in the Pieter Vos series and I loved it.
His sidekick Laura Bakker is a great character who has difficulty containing herself when confronted by arrogant, entitled upstarts. A bit like me 🤣
A really good crime novel where and who are not what they seem.
The storyline deals with cold cases from 10 years and 5 years ago as well as crimes committed in the present day.
Very easy to follow and it is difficult to know who the murderer(s) is/are.
Love the way this author writes and will now continue with his Nic Costa series👍
His sidekick Laura Bakker is a great character who has difficulty containing herself when confronted by arrogant, entitled upstarts. A bit like me 🤣
A really good crime novel where and who are not what they seem.
The storyline deals with cold cases from 10 years and 5 years ago as well as crimes committed in the present day.
Very easy to follow and it is difficult to know who the murderer(s) is/are.
Love the way this author writes and will now continue with his Nic Costa series👍
Read
November 10, 2019Het begon een beetje traag met twee zusjes die ontslagen worden uit een gesloten inrichting. Zij verbleven daar omdat zij 10 jaar daarvoor iemand vermoord hadden. Op de dag van hun ontslag gaan ze op pad met Simon Klerk, psychiatrisch verpleegkundige, die hen naar een doorgangshuis zal brengen. Daar komen ze echter nooit aan. Pieter Vos en Laura Bakker worden op de zaak gezet. Langzamerhand blijkt dat er meer aan de hand is en wordt het boek ook steeds spannender.
April 11, 2021
Complex mystery. Easy read. Twin sisters aged 21 are released from psychiatric institution after a 10 year sentence for alleged murder committed when they were 11 and at the same time as they lost their parents and triplet sister. Are they repentant? Were they guilty? The subject matter is hard work and there are some credible but nasty characters. The unravelling at the end was not as exciting as hoped.
January 3, 2017
This is the third installment of the Vos/Bakker series and it was suspenseful like the other two and kept my interest. I did find it a little less gripping than the first two. A few too many characters and not enough on Vos or Bakker -- at times they seemed almost like secondary characters. I hope there is a fourth installment.
July 21, 2017
Really haunting thriller about two sisters who (allegedly) murdered a man 10 years ago when both their parents and their triplet sister got killed. A real pageturner. Although I'm Dutch I'm not very familiar with the region Waterland, though everybody knows Volendam offcourse.
For me this was the best book in the series so far.
For me this was the best book in the series so far.
June 21, 2019
A slow start but picked up
I found this book quite slow to start with but stuck with it because I like David Hewsons books so much and I love the characters in this series, I feel comfortable with them.
The book did pick up pace but there were no gasp moments at the end and it sort of just ended.
I found this book quite slow to start with but stuck with it because I like David Hewsons books so much and I love the characters in this series, I feel comfortable with them.
The book did pick up pace but there were no gasp moments at the end and it sort of just ended.
June 25, 2020
Het was een spannend boek wat als je er eenmaal inzit in een keer uit wil lezen. Het plot was onverwachts en behoorlijk schokerend. Minpunt was alleen dat het te traag op gang kwam en eerste helft van het boek alles wazig gehouden wordt waardoor je met veel vragen zit waarvan je weet dat ze pas op het einde beantwoord worden.
October 10, 2023
Another worthy entry in the Amsterdam series. It did seem to drag a little while the detectives wandered around completely lost, but I can understand the emphasis in this. It was nice to see Laura come into her own, even though her actions could have ruined the case. Plus marks for character development.
May 27, 2017
Third in a really great crime series set in Amsterdam. I have thoroughly enjoyed all three. The plots have been unusual with great twists and a lot of atmosphere. Will definitely put Hewson on my long list of authors to read! Read this in one sitting.
July 15, 2017
Boeiend tot de laatste pagina. Het decor: Amsterdam, Volendam, Marken. Dubbele lagen en dan nog de politie zelf... ingrediënten voor een uitstekend derde deel in de serie over rechercheur Pieter Vos. Wat jammer dat deel 4 nog niet vertaald is anders zou ik direct het volgende deel pakken.
January 18, 2017
A good writer and a good style but for some reason I did not love this. Moments of horror that felt a little contrived and some rather tense moments that were very well done.
May 14, 2017
Was een leuk Waterlands onderonsje. Niet alle details kloppen bij de aangegeven dorpen en plaatsen, maar ik ben weer vermaakt. 4 sterren voor mij.
September 6, 2017
I enjoyed this, but not as much as I enjoyed some of the other books. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series though.
April 29, 2018
Good average series. Perfect for a drizzly day on the couch when you don't want anything too taxing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews