Claire Kendal 2017 Harper Collins
I was keen to read this book having previously enjoyed The Book of You by the same author. The Second Sister tells the story of grieving Ella, whose older sister disappeared without trace 10 years previously. Determined to find out the truth about what happened to Miranda, Ella is relentless in her pursuit of justice. As new evidence emerges Ella engages on a risky journey engaging a notorious and violent criminal in a secure hospital who may have had contact with Miranda.
‘Clever, claustrophobic and chillingly good’ Good Housekeeping
Generally speaking I enjoyed this book, it was a relatively quick read despite being over 400 pages long and while it is clearly a psychological thriller this is it not fast paced but rather a slow burner. Written entirely in the first person of Ella and at times via her internal dialogue with her missing sister, her grief is tangible and she is unyielding in her pursuit of answers as the10th anniversary of being missing approaches.
I liked the way this story unfolded as Ella uncovered new information and in its conclusion everything was neatly tied up, which personally I prefer. Ella’s contact with Jason Thorne in the secure hospital was reminiscent for me of Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter and this frustrated me a little, I guess because what villain can really live up to the amazingly sinister and psychopathic Dr Lecter? Aside from this one aspect the book was really rather good, the characters were well developed and in the most part likeable, the plot was layered and comprehensive. The ending I did guess but not too early and there were aspects that I hadn’t got and none of this mattered. All in all a decent psychological thriller, not for those who want high tension and pace but otherwise recommended for sure.
Happy Reading.
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