I love a good Dinah Jefferies but my favourite is still 'Before the Rains'. Some of the plot twists in The Missing Sister I saw coming way before the reveals.

Yet again Dinah Jeffries does not disappoint! Really enjoyed this story and Im going to recommend it to our bookclub!

really really enjoyed this book. the author describes the surroundings beautifully and really transports you.
i found myself invested in Belle's journey.



will be reading more from this author.

The Missing Sister was a lovely read and a perfect combination of powerful description and captured emotions. Set in Burma in the 1930s, Dinah Jefferies' depiction of the richness of the environment and surroundings were so atmospheric and mesmerising. As the main characters struggled to work out who to trust, I also tousled with different accounts of events in an attempt to untangle the myriad of secrets that had affected their lives. I really enjoyed the level of romance as it enhanced the core mystery and essence of the story, without overpowering it.

The conclusion was immensely satisfying and left me with a great sense of well-being. The Missing Sister is a definite must-read for those who enjoy a historical setting or period with the puzzle of a family disappearance.

Belle Hatton has embarked upon an exciting new life far from home: a glamorous job as a nightclub singer in 1930s Burma, with a host of sophisticated new friends and admirers. But Belle is haunted by a mystery from the past - a 25 year old newspaper clipping found in her parents' belongings after their death, saying that the Hattons were leaving Rangoon after the disappearance of their baby daughter, Elvira.

An interesting tale of mild intrigue set against an exotic cultural background, it is a nice story which meanders slowly along to the brief reunion scene. A pleasant read.

I really enjoyed this book
Very moving and well written. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Dinah Jefferies style of writing does not disappoint in this latest novel. Set in pre-war Burma in the 30's when a young Belle Hatton travels there to work as a singer. She has history with Burma as her baby sister disappeared 25 years earlier and her mother, suffering from grief was sent away after being investigated for harming the child.
Belle makes friends with Gloria and Edward who seem keen to help her find out what happened to her sister, Elvira but each lead ends up being a dead end. She also makes friends with journalist Oliver who also helps to try to find any information on the mystery. Belle travels wherever the leads take her and faces danger from an unknown person.

The story flips between Belle's journey and the historical tale of her mothers life after Elvira disappeared. Some of the chapters merge so it can be a little confusing at times but a great tale of grief, loss and a determination to find the truth.

The story takes place in 1936 when Myanmar was the then British controlled Burma , albeit with bad grace from and rumblings of discontent by locals frustrated by colonialism and pompous civil servants running their country. Into this eclectic mix of inhabitants arrives the beautiful and talented young girl, Belle, befriended on the journey by a much older and worldly Gloria who surprisingly seems intent on taking the new arrival under her wing. The writer then introduces us by a clever use of rhetoric and style to experience the sights, sounds and smells of those felt by the new arrival intoxicated by everything about her new country and home. The story line then flips in various chapters between first 1921 and then back even further to 1911 drip feed us an alarming series of events involving Belles mother and a lost baby sister. We now discover there is more than one reason for this trip to Rangoon by Belle, and alarmingly, several locals just as intent on covering up a scandal from prior to her birth. There is much drama, mystery and suspense both related to the protagonist Belle but also to Burma giving us an insight into the political turbulence that occurred during this period. Well researched and believable storyline from a period of history when wealth, position and background allowed devastating events to occur with little or corrupt investigation. Casualties of such events could and were labelled as difficult, unstable and removed from society as a family embarrassment. So after what vies between a love story , a long hidden mystery and dangerous adventure, we are left with a satisfactory tie up of numerous loose ends to the conclusion of this most unusually multi faceted story.

A beautiful story set in atmospheric Burma in the '30s.

Dinah Jefferies writes in such an evocative style that brings the settings of her novels to life. She is so good at describing the landscape and atmosphere of the country where her novel is set and when an outstanding story is also told it becomes almost a perfect novel for me.

Belle is a young singer who comes to Burma to continue her career. This is a bold move for a single girl of 23 but she is determined to be a success and Burma is especially close to her heart as 25 years ago her sister Elvira was mysteriously abducted from the garden of her parents' house while her mother, Diana, was sitting there. Naturally, Diana is suspected of being involved in this and both her and her husband, Doug, move back to England hurriedly only throwing more suspicion on Diana.

Diana's life is absolutely devastated by this tragedy, her husband is unable to cope with her, and she is sent to live in a small cottage near Cheltenham, is made to resume her maiden name and give up her youngest daughter Belle.

Belle has been told her mother is dead and her father has also passed away which makes her only more determined to try and find out the truth about the sister that she has never met. She has met Gloria De Clemente on her trip over to Burma, a society lady who knows all the right people and is introduced to her brother Edward, a man high up in the government of Burma. Gloria takes Belle under her wing and takes her to high society events at one of which she meets Oliver, an American journalist. Belle is immediately attracted to him but is warned by Diana and Edward to avoid him as he is a womaniser. She also receives a threatening note warning her off trying to investigate her sister’s disappearance.

The story is also told from Diana's point of view, and we find out the background to the tragedy and how it affected her life.

I really enjoyed this book, it was an excellent story but was made all the better by the beautiful descriptions of Burma in the 30s, the way the Burmese people are beginning to agitate for independence and the snobbery and racist ways of the British. Together with the beautiful descriptions of Rangoon and the surrounding area which brought the country to life I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great plot enhanced by beautiful writing.


Dexter

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

This book is a riveting story or persistence, love and forgiveness. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the scene, culture and the characters and my heart ached for Belle as she kept pressing on against mounting obstacles. Loved the blossoming romance in the story and was deeply moved as I read the accounts of the mother as she outlived her tragedy and went through the various stages of dealing with the loss of her daughter.

Well Dinah Jefferies has certainly pulled something special out of the bag with The Missing Sister, it's a real tear jerker!
As all readers of Dinah will know, we can luxuriously immerse ourselves in wonderful descriptions of exotic climes without having to buy a safari suit, or even swat away a mosquito. (Although I did read this off the West coast of Africa)
The Missing Sister, in my opinion, is much better than her previous novel; The Sapphire Widow. The reactions between the main characters at the finale have been well considered, not all sweetness and light but animosity too. Bearing in mind the time in which it was set, very plausible indeed. The affairs which were tolerated in the tropics is an interesting one. Everyone so far from home, for some it's a society prison and largely for the menfolk a playground.
Minster Lovell was a good choice for someone to find their true self. I visited the Hall over forty years ago and with the Windrush babbling past, the location had an almost hypnotic sense of peace.
The initial exploration of Belle's parents home and overgrown garden was extremely foolish as anyone who has lived in such a country will tell you. It will have been taken over by reptiles and nasty insects. Forcing your way through the undergrowth is asking for trouble. So, a little lacking in experience me thinks.
Dinah does have her funny quirks though, in The Sapphire Widow it was the overuse of 'breeze, salt and ocean' in copious sentences. In The Missing Sister, Belle is constantly affronted by the smell of fish!

The setting of the story was excellent, you could feel the heat in Burma and the undercurrent of unrest and imperialism with the storm of change that was gathering. Although the story was enjoyable and a light read it lacked depth.

The Missing Sister is a sumptuous story set in pre war Burma. A young singer travels to the troubled country and discovers a mystery concerning her family several years previously. Beautifully atmospheric and researched the reader is transported to the time and place.

This excellent mystery set in what used to be Burma is really well written. I could feel the heat, see the vivid colours and taste the spices of the country - cooling off when the monsoon hit. Belle is searching for what happened to the sister who disappeared as a baby - taken or murdered by her mother? The story is woven around many characters and the author very cleverly leads us down different paths so we are left unsure of whom to trust.

I particularly enjoyed the way the story is told in the present and then we’re transported back to hear her mother’s story from the 1920’s to be given a picture of her life at the time her child disappears. She certainly suffers mental anguish, so is she perhaps a victim of post natal depression and false accusation or the perpetrator of infanticide?

Belle’s search takes her into some very dangerous situations and she gets lost in the city one day and stumbles across an area that looks like a blood bath. People dead and dying everywhere. There also appears to be someone out to frighten her and stop her search as she receives anonymous notes of warning and a restaurant she is taken to, is bombed. The mystery deepens of why and who still wants the story hidden. Will she find out the truth of her missing sister and the mother she never knew? Will she pick the right person to trust?

A definite must read.

I was given a copy of The Missing Sister by Dinah Jefferies by the publisher for an honest review. I have read previous books by Dinah Jefferies so was excited to read her latest book, it didn't disappoint.
The book is set in Burma in the 1930's. It tells the story of Belle who after her father dies finds an article from 25 years ago in Burma about his new born daughter's disappearance. Belle's mother died when she was young, Belle decides to go to Burma to find out about her sister's disappearance. The book is well written and describes Life in Burma in the 1930's under British rule. This is a fantastic story, I loved the characters and the mystery as Belle worked out more about her mother and who she could trust. One of Dinah's best books yet!

I love books by Dinah Jefferies. Full of great descriptions and completely transported me, and immersed me in Burma. Fantastic, well developed characters.

A book to get lost in and enjoy the sights sounds and smells of another country. This book was set in Burma early in the twentieth century. It's a poignant tale of a young girl setting out to uncover the truth of a dated newspaper report. Belle ends up looking for a sister but is unsure if she is still alive. The fascination of the book is the setting and the thought that something like this could have happened then. It pleased me from many different avenues, the history, the setting and the family drama. It is a book that was always a pleasure to pick up and that I knew I would get to the end fairly quickly.

Belle's new job in Burma will change her life forever.

Settling down to read one of Dinah Jefferies books is always a real pleasure and The Missing Sister was no exception.

As always, I was completely transported to the setting. I can think of very few other writers who convey a sense of place more beautifully or accurately through their descriptions. The scents and sounds of Rangoon, the noise of the markets and so on are all so perfectly created. I love that area of the world and every time I read a Dinah Jefferies book it feels as if I'm actually there.

However, what I found fascinating this time was that in The Missing Sister there is a darker and more menacing feel than in the previous Dinah Jefferies books I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed this slight change. There's an underlying menace and a real sense of mystery throughout as Bell has no real idea who she can trust as she tries to find her missing sister. Some of the events that take place have a sharper and more political edge than I'm used to with Dinah Jefferies' writing and I thought they were enthralling. The plot twists and turns whilst exploring themes that are relevant to today's word as well as the 1920-30s of the narrative.

Themes of corruption, racism, social hierarchy, religion, superstition and mental health meld seamlessly with romance, history and geography so that I felt The Missing Sister was a brilliantly rounded novel full of suspense and interest that held me in its thrall.

I loved the characterisation too. Although the exciting narrative revolves around Belle who is vivid and feisty, it was Diana who gained my sympathy most. I simply couldn't forgive Douglas for his behaviour towards her, regardless of his motives. I thought the way Dinah Jefferies balanced Dinah's story with Belle's was poised to perfection and the manner in which the men underpin the action, but never overly dominate it, made the book feel well balanced and hugely satisfying to read.

The Missing Sister is another triumph from Dinah Jefferies. It's emotive, transporting and engaging. Above all else, it's a hugely entertaining story too. I recommend curling up with it and reading it in one go. You won't regret it!

I have read other books written by Dinah Jeffries so decided to try this one. It certainly did not disappoint. The detail and description of Burma made me feel that I was there. I enjoyed the plot and the mystery surrounding it. Thoroughly recommended.

Another brilliant story and travel through another country. Dinah really makes you feel as though you are in the same country and predicament as the character. Although our heroine is told to trust no one it is soon apparent as to whom she can trust and who not too. The revelation as it unfolds is true to Dinah's style . Where will the next one be set? I can't wait to find out.