Loved this book!! There are so many twists and turns. I never guessed the ending and it came as a complete surprise. I do know that I never want to live in a cave.

The book focuses on Selma and her daughter Becky. Selma's story is told during the 1990's while Becky's story is set during the present. Becky and Selma did not have a wonderful mother-daughter relationship. When Becky was younger, Selma left her family for a man who appeared to walk on water. She moved into a cave with him and several others and focused on her writing. On Selma's deathbed, Becky learns she has a sister. She travels to caves in Spain, Russia and Slovenia looking for her long lost sister. Along the way she meets some interesting people and starts to learn more about her mom.

I loved reading about the different caves. I felt I was right there with Becky as she was exploring them and looking for clues about her sister. I'm not sure how the group managed to stay so calm when they got accidentally locked in the ice cave, I'm sure the vodka helped, but I would have freaked out. I loved everything about the book-- the story, characters and writing style. The book definitely deals with family relationships and there's a bit of a mystery with solving the whereabouts of Becky's sister. I did like how it alternated between Selma and Becky. Becky eventually meets many of the people Selma initially lived with in the cave and they help her get to know her mom.

I definitely recommend the book. I absolutely loved it and can't wait to read more by the author.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author, Tracy Buchanan, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

Becky’s mum hasn’t really been in her life, she left when Becky was 8 to live in a cave searching for inspiration for her novel. When her mum Selma calls to tell her she is dying and would Becky take her back to the cave to die she is reluctant but does as her mum asks, on her deathbed Selma tells Becky she has a sister.

The story is told by Selma in the past to Becky in the present, it reveals Selma reasons for leaving her family and Becky’s journey in the search for her sister.

An intriguing story with plenty of surprises and an excellent twist which kept me riveted to the end.

There is no doubt that Selma loves her young daughter Becky, but never-the-less she is determined to become an author. With one published novel under her belt she suffers from crippling author’s block until one day when she witnesses a man known as Idris rescue a young classmate of Becky’s when he gets into trouble in the sea. Idris is living in a cave in the cliffs under a hotel called The Bay Hotel. It is the long hot summer of 1991 and his followers look up to him as a leader. Selma becomes fascinated by him and his philosophies. His followers are all creative artists in some way and Selma believes that there, amongst the small, tight, supportive community, she will be able to write her second book. She feels full of hope and inspiration. She leaves her husband and daughter behind and joins the group. Indeed she is totally captivated by Idris and is soon well into writing her second novel.
Estranged from her husband and daughter, Selma soon becomes pregnant by Idris. She hides it from her family because she harbours hopes that through the courts she will be able to have joint access to her daughter when the cave is made more child-friendly and secure. Her husband will not allow Becky to visit her mother in the cave, and indeed Becky suffers from bullying at school because of her mother and becomes ambivalent about even seeing her. She is hurt that her once loving mother has left home. Then one day Becky announces that they are moving away. The cave dwellers suffer casualties when one of the caves collapses on them, seriously injuring a child. This ends all hope of Selma having any overnight access to Becky and she falls into a deep depression, just like when she had post natal depression.
Years later Becky is living independently and working as a Vet when she hears from her mother, now wealthy and a very famous author. She tells Becky that she hasn’t got long to live and above all things, she would like to be reunited with her daughter. Becky pays her mother a visit and under these sad circumstances they are reunited. Becky is full of nostalgia and regret as her mother deteriorates until on her deathbed she tells Becky that she has a sister by Idris. Becky is determined to find her sister and starts her own investigations, leading her to various destinations all over the world as she travels from one group of caves to another looking for Idris and his daughter.
I quite enjoyed reading this novel, especially nearer the end when a series of shocking and exciting plot twists were revealed. I found the first part of the book quite slow moving but was determined to read on. I found Selma to be very manipulative and self obsessed and didn’t warm to her character at all. Idris was a huge enigma to me because his personality seemed to change from the first part of the novel to the second part. But I didn’t like him either. I found some of the cave scenes quite unbelievable but also ingenious and intriguing. I liked the idea of new beginnings after this very sad story and enjoyed the warm romances within it, which I thought was well written and fluent.
Thank you for my complimentary copy of ‘The Lost Sister’ received through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Avon, all in return for an honest unbiased review. I had never read any of Tracy Buchanan’s novels before this one and I was excited to try something different. It’s a 3* review from me. I didn’t relate to the story or characters and I didn’t find it very believable, but there were some very good parts that I did enjoy.

Amazing book! An absolute page-turner! Had me hooked from the first 3 pages.

I really loved the idea of a community inside a cave, where everyone has their own little slice of peacefulness. I was so saddened by the life and lies that overtook Selma. She seemed such a strong woman, and to have it all change.

Becky turned from a neglected child into a strong willed woman, intent on finding her lost sister.

When I read about baby Catherine, I nearly cried, having to go and hug my three children separately, so touching!!

I will recommend this book and author to many of my friends.

Amazing work again Tracy! Keep it up!!

When Becky is a little girl, her mother (who is very unhappy) goes to live in a cave with some other cave dwellers. Over the years Becky and Selma (the mother) see each other, but their relationship is always strained. At the beginning of the story Selma calls Becky and asks her to help her get back to the cave because she is dying. Just before she dies, she tells Becky that she had a sister. This is told from two viewpoints-Selma and Becky. At times I wasn't sure what this was all leading to, but the author did a great job of wrapping up everything at the end. I enjoyed this book-lots of twists and turns.

I love Tracy Buchanan as a writer and I really hoped this location was real as it sounds lovely! Realised it's based on a real one so I'll be heading there anyway.
The writing is as good as ever, descriptive and nicely flowing. The characters are also nicely drawn and the use of two stories across the years was a nice touch which worked well. The story as a whole however didn't ring true for me. The things which happen to the children and the baby...no spoilers but I didn't like where the novel went. I understand the issues behind it and the story of the mother did suggest this but it left a bad taste in my mouth. Just one opinion though and it hasn't put me off Tracy's next books at all. Bring on the next! I need some more of that lovely warm writing and nice turn of phrase.

This was a lovely story told from the perspectives of mother and daughter. Becky the daughter is on a quest to find her lost sister, the sister that she learns about on the death bed of her mother. After I finished reading I now know why Selma wanted to die in the cave, at first it was a bit strange but the reader will understand at the end. I also think that Becky finds closure after searching for her mother. I felt that I could connect with all the characters even those that had a supporting role. Great writing by a great author. I would recommend this book to all readers.

This book didn't keep my attention. It seemed like it was written well just didn't capture my interest.

Wow! Tracy has done it again. I have just spent the last few hours totally absorbed in the story of Selma and Becky.
I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this story from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story unfolds over 2 time periods, told from Becky’s perspective and from her mother Selma’s.
There were a few occasions where it was a little unclear which character was talking during dialogue scenes but I believe this is due to my copy being an advanced readers copy and I’m sure with final publication these problems will be solved. It certainly didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the story.
I would highly recommend this book

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy of this book.
I usually enjoy Tracy Buchanan's books, but this one was just o.k. for me.
A mother suffering PPS or depression decides to leave her husband and daughter and live in a cave with a cult. She becomes pregnant with the cult leader and kills the infant and later becomes a famous author.
I realize that mental illness occurs in women, but I don't like to read about child abuse.

I enjoy Tracy Buchanan's style of writing so was excited to read her latest novel. We are told the story through past and present from Becky and Selma. Selma is Becky's Mum and left her to live with a group of cave dwellers when Becky was eight years old.
Reunited in Selma's last days Becky learns she has a sister, she goes on a journey to find her. All the while we learn Selma's side of the past as she tells her story of leaving Becky as a child and finding her new journey in life.
I found the book easy to keep up with and there was a brilliant twist at the end that I wasn't expecting which tied everything together and answered all my questions.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Lost Sister was just a bit too far out for me. People running away from life to live in caves is not something I can imagine. The characters were not believable and I found myself skimming, inpatient to get it over with.

I have read books from this author previously and left bed them, and I so wanted to love this one, but I found it really hard to get into, it didn't hold my attention and I found myself skimming over pages.

I truly wanted to like this book as the synopsis drew me in, but alas, I couldn't get into it at all. I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy.

Tracy Buchanan does it again!
I have read all of her books and enjoyed them all; The Lost Sister is no exception.

This story follows two perspectives; Selma, who escapes her marriage, leaving young daughter Becky at home with her Dad, and Becky herself in her early 30s, struggling to come to terms with the fact she has a sister she never knew.

This is a beautifully written book, that truly sucks you in. Intriguing, likable and hugely relatable characters plus scenery so gorgeous you can't help but wish you were living alongside them. Amazing work Tracy, I hope plenty of people pick up this amazing book - would be a perfect summer read for those who like mysteries with plenty of twists and turns.

Ecellent and powerful storyline with well developed characters throughout the book.
Keeps the reader guessing througout the book,a real page turner,with a startling twist at the end.

How far would you go to save the sister you never knew you had? Becky’s mother left her family during a disastrous summer beach vacation ten years ago and Becky has had nothing to do with her in the intervening years. Now with her mother on her death-bed, Becky decides to try to bury the past to say goodbye to her mother. Imagine her surprise when she learns she has a sister no one ever told her about and that Becky is the only one who can save her.