The Missing Sister

​Having had progressively mediocre reading experiences with books in this series (The Seven Sisters), it took me a while to face this epic penultimate instalment in which the “missing sister” finally comes to light.
 
Mary-Kate lives in New Zealand and is grieving the loss of her father. Although she is aware she was adopted, she’s disinterested in her biological ancestry until two strange women show up from Australia and tell her things about her past and her connection to the other adopted sisters in the amazing D’Aplièse family of Geneva, Switzerland. The truth of this can only be fully verified by seeing a ring belonging to Mary-Kate but currently worn by her mother, Merry.

Except that Merry has been forewarned and doesn’t want to be found. A trip overseas to visit friends following the death of her husband turns into an intercontinental chase instead, with various sisters hot on her heels. Why is Merry so scared and what is she hiding?
 
Told from various viewpoints in 2008 and going back to the fight for Irish independence during the 20th Century, surprisingly this is a far better novel than some of the others (e.g. my least favourites being The Pearl Sister and The Sun Sister). This is partly because the new main characters are more likeable, even if complex, and generally less self-absorbed or “angsty” as those in some previous novels. There are the usual problems of florid prose and overwriting in this series - 800+ pages in this one alone – but the numerous mysteries, plot twists and turns were absorbing and kept me hooked.
 
The narrative set in Ireland in the past raises the book’s status considerably, with its sympathetic handling in describing the difficulties faced by those living with political and religious conflict, particularly the history of the secret involvement of women in the cause and which hasn’t had the coverage given to men.
 
My major recommendation is do not attempt this novel without having first read the earlier books in this series. Although I have, I still had difficulty in juggling and remembering all of their stories and characters!
 
It’s not quite all over. There are still gaps and more mysteries to be revealed and the final instalment – the story of the father of the adopted Seven Sisters, Pa Salt – awaits.
 
Four-and-a-half Stars
 
 
amazon.com
 
amazon.co.uk
 
Dymocks Australia

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