I've enjoyed Dinah Jefferies' previous novels but it would be kinder to say nothing about this one. I couldn't believe in the main character or anything that happened to her.

Another gripping read from Dinah Jeffries. She captures the mystery and potential dangers of 1930’s Burma. I loved it.

Dinah Jefferies has done it again. There hasn’t been one of her books that I’ve not enjoyed. Always managing to transport you back to an era long gone. This time to Burma while it was still part of the British empire. She has such a way in describing Burma that you get a clear picture of it’s culture, history and the country’s beauty.

Belle’s journey starts with the death of her father. In clearing out her fathers possessions she comes across a cutting from an old newspaper, where she discovers that she had an older sister that was taken from the family home in Rangoon Burma.

Before Belle found out about a missing sister she had already accepted a job as a singer in one of Rangoon’s wealthy hotels. With the little knowledge she has about her missing sister and the lives of her parents while living in Burma, Belle becomes intrigued to see if she can find out anything about what happened to her family all those years ago. Taking her on a journey of discovery & betrayal, and not knowing who she can really trust.

The story goes back and forth with Belle’s life in 1930’s Rangoon and her mother’s life in the 1910’s though to 1920’s.

An excellent read as always.

Belle Hatton travels to Burma to take up a job as singer in a hotel, following the death of her father. Her mother had been distant during her childhood and had left when Belle was young. On clearing the family home, Belle discovers newspaper clippings concerning the disappearance of her elder sister, Elvira, who had vanished as a baby from the family home in Rangoon. According to the reports, her mother was the prime suspect and so Belle decides to try and uncover the truth.

Set in 1930s Burma, Belle’s story is interwoven with the growing unrest in the country and the attitudes and behaviour of the British of the time. The characters and the settings are well described and the story is well thought out and moves along st a steady pace. My only criticism would be whether the characters would have remembered small events of 25 years previously. However, I did enjoy reading the book.

An enjoyable read, with a story to keep the reader interested to the end,

As good as the other Dinah Jeffries books - definitely worth waiting for. She mixes cultures in different eras and transforms them into a wonderful mix. At one stage I could smell the spices and hear the noises as though I was part of the story the description was so good. Can’t wait for her next book

I wasn't too sure whether this book would be for me but I loved it! The story is so much more than described and is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end!

After the death of her father, Belle heads to Rangoon to work as as singer. Having found press cuttings about a missing baby 25 years ago she decided to try and find her missing sister.

Plenty of intrigue and romance along the way.

Another great read from the author, telling the story of Belle in 1936 and her mother Diane in 1922. Belle ends up in Rangoon, where her family used to live and discovers she has an older sister who went missing as a baby.

Belle Hatton embarks on a career as a singer in 1930s Burma. Whilst there she wants to see if she can uncover any information regarding her elder sister who disappeared from her parents' house when she was a small baby. Who can Belle trust and who is not all what they seem.

Yet again as Dinah Jefferies takes you back to the recent past with a tale of love and betrayal set in pre war Burma. Beautifully atmospheric a page turner

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and could not put it down. Another excellent and captivating story from this very skilled author. Definitely recommended to everyone.

Set in Burma whilst still a British Colony this novel provides a series of colourful descriptions of Burma during this time, with an enthralling mystery at its heart. The main characters are Belle, a singer drawn to Burma as her parents lived there at the time her sister disappeared, and Oliver, a journalist, who helps Belle to understand what happened to her sister. A great read, with plenty of false trails to uncover along the way, whilst all the time enjoying the writing of Ms Jefferies that brings the period and the location to colourful life.

SPOILER ALERT**
This was a well written, 'easy' read. I felt that some of the description of pre-war Burma was a little 'preachy' in places though it made a change to read about a place slightly off the tourist track. Some of the plot felt shoe-horned in and the hurried ending was fairly predictable. There were a few ends left undone, for example who was behind the bomb in Myanmar? I'd like to have known more about Edward and Gloria's involvement in the death scares and the relationships between mothers and daughters were touched on and I felt should either have been left out or gone into in more detail... perhaps another book?

This is such a beautifully written book that really feels like you're there with how descriptive it is without being over the top with it. It really is also such a gripping story that makes this book such an enjoyable read.

The Missing Sister is the third book I have read written by Dinah Jefferies and I have loved them all .This story is set in Burma in the 1930;s .It is the story of Bella who becomes a night club singer in Burma but she is also looking for her older sister who was abducted from the family home when they were living in Burma many years ago .The story is atmospheric with such beautiful descriptions of colours and sound that I felt I was actually there !This is such a compelling story,beautifully written I thoroughly enjoyed it .Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .

Such an evocative read, this story of loss, political unrest and a quest for the truth takes place in Burma during the 1930s, with slips back in time to 1911 and the 1920s.

Belle has left England, for a life as a singer in exotic Rangoon. She’s not the usual type of singer they have, but her talent and independent spirit bring her both admirers and adversaries.

Her mother’s failing mental health blighted her childhood, but after her father’s death, she discovers her parents once lived in Rangoon and had and lost a child there. Can this terrible tragedy explain her mother’s illness and what happened to her missing sister?

Belle’s search for the fate of her missing sister reveals more questions and answers, Oliver an attractive journalist offers to help, but can she trust his motives, or should she rely on the establishment to help her?

The plot is engaging. The perfect pacing adds to the story’s sense of mystery and menace. The political climate is dangerous, and Belle shows her emotional strength as she witnesses unspeakable violence and prejudice.

Full of powerful imagery, both in terms of the geographical and historical setting and the vivid characterisation, this story enthrals the reader. There is a mystery to solve a family tragedy to witness and empathise, and a lovely romance.

A lovely escapist read, which will touch your emotions and inspire your imagination.

I received a copy of this book from Penguin UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Another stunner! I've got to say I've loved every one of Dinah Jefferies books they're like a cosy blanket that you just sink into to and The Missing Sister is no exception.
The writing style is sublime, the vistas descriptions made me feel like I was actually in Burma seeing the sights and sounds. I don't do story roundups in my reviews, but I will say for me this book could easily have a sequel (although that could be me being greedy!).
Another cracking read from Dinah Jefferies which i will be recommending to all of my friends and I'm now waiting for the next.

Dinah Jefferies writes the most captivating books. You can almost be there in the story with Belle.
The story was compelling and excellently written.
Just wonderful. I loved Belle's character.

Thanks to Netgalley, Dinah Jefferies and Penguin Books for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

This was such a captivating read. It really was difficult to put down. I loved the descriptive passages, the smells, the sounds , the whole atmosphere of the area was brought alive. Then there was the mystery to be solved, of Belle’s sister. Belle and Oliver were such likeable characters but there was also the problem of who she should trust. It is mainly set in the 1930s but there are flashbacks to what happened to her mother in the 1920s and also her mother’s recollection of the events of 1911. These fit seamlessly into the storyline and add to it rather than detract. There are a number of dangerous episodes and one event near the end that was quite emotional. A story I didn’t want to end! I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love historical fiction – it’s such a diverse and varied genre. I was delighted when I got approved for an ARC of The missing sister by Dinah Jefferies. I have looked at a couple of her books previously but until very recently I hadn’t gotten around to reading any.

Well, that was a mistake.

A big mistake.

Because as it turns out – I am a Dinah Jefferies fan.

She writes the sort of historical novels I love.

And I enjoyed The missing sister by Dinah Jefferies, a lot.

The missing sister by Dinah Jefferies was a great read and I knew from the very beginning that it was going to be a book for me. I loved the writing, the setting, the characters – well most of them, and I really enjoyed the mystery element of the plot.

It was all very atmospheric of a bygone era.

Going into the novel I knew very little about Burma in the 1930s, and I very much enjoyed getting immersed into the world Belle was living in. In fact, I would love to know more. It was clear from reading the story that Dinah Jefferies had done her research. I would love to visit Rangoon, which is now called Yangon – and from having a look through google images, it looks like an immensely beautiful place that is steeped in history.


When I was reading The missing sister by Dinah Jefferies I was reminded slightly (and in a very positive way) of The man in the brown suit by Agatha Christie – which is one of my all-time favourite Agatha Christie reads. It was maybe the mystery element or that Belle reminded me of adventurous Anne, but while I was reading the story I really wanted to go back and revisit with The man in the brown suit.

Belle was a fantastic character, but I thought that some of the others fell a bit flat. In particular, I didn’t connect with Oliver even though I wanted too. He was a bit boring. A bit one-dimensional and I felt he lacked substance. I could have taken him or left him. Edward was only a bit better, I still felt he could have been written a lot stronger. These are only very small criticisms because as I’ve said I did very much enjoy the book from cover to cover.

Since finishing The missing sister by Dinah Jefferies I have gone and purchased several of the author’s earlier books, which I intend to get stuck into whenever the mood strikes.

Absolutely worth a read.

The missing sister by Dinah Jefferies is due to be published in Kindle format on the 28th Feb 2019.

I received a copy of The missing sister by Dinah Jefferies from the publisher via NetGalley, the review is my own opinion.