A thoroughly beautiful novel. The sights and smells were almost intoxicating. Such a skill to convey surroundings so unbelievably well. Intriguing mystery and a ballsy heroine I loved.

This has all the features fans of Dinah Jefferies have come to expect-exotic location,feisty heroine,strong plot.This book is set in pre-war Burma,still a British colony at that time.Annabelle returns there to work as a singer in a grand hotel but also to try and find out what happened when her baby sister was stolen from the garden of the family home in Rangoon twenty five years previously.This had all sorts of repercussions for Annabelle and for her mother,whose story is also told.
As always,Dinah Jefferies writes beautifully about the place,with all the sights,sounds and smells associated with the East.She doesn't shy away from the prejudice shown by the British to the native people of Burma,or the violent events of the time.
It's a strong plot which holds the reader's attention and reaches a satisfying conclusion which I enjoyed very much.

A mystery, thriller and love story but who to love. Bella is a singer working in Burma. Her family lived in Burma 20 plus years previously when her sister, an infant, was taken but who took her, why or is something more sinister going on. Living in a foreign country Bella goes in search of her older sister but who can she trust?

Another fantastic read from dinah Jefferies. Set in Burma, Jefferies weaves a brilliant tale- evoking the city and its sights and smells, the glamour and glitz, and the dark dangerous world of corruption. I couldn’t put this down and tore through it.

A beautifully written book set in 1936 Burma, about Belle, a singer, looking for her long lost sister, Also looking back to Diana, Belle's mother, in 1921, when her daughter was stolen from her. An intriguing read, Belle never knowing who she could trust, Gloria, Edward, Oliver, Harry? It kept me intrigued and guessing about who I would trust in her situation.

I would not normally read a historical romance book but I shall certainly look out for other titles by Dinah Jefferies.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is set in Burma and is about Belle; a singer who sets about trying to solve a family mystery. As a child Belle's sister went missing and whilst in Burma she finds out that her family once lived nearby. With the help of some new found friends she embarks on trying to find out what happened to her sister in the past... was she kidnapped, is she alive, what did her parents have to do with the disappearance?
This is the first book I have read by Dinah Jefferies but I will be looking out for more to read.

I wouldn’t normally read historical books but having read Dinah Jefferies before I was keen to read this book, I was not disappointed. Another beautiful read, romance and intrigue without being sentimental. It lived up to my expectation and I now look forward to the next book by this author.

The Missing Sister isn't my usual sort of read but when I saw the beautiful cover and read the blurb, I was intrigued. What followed was an enchanting and, at times, heartbreaking story of a British baby, Elvira, stolen in 1911 from her parents' garden in Burma.

Gossip-mongers suspect the baby may have been killed by the mother, Diana, but no charges are brought. Diana gives birth to a second child, Belle, but unable to recover from the loss of Elvira and now suffering mental health issues, her husband packs her off to England with an understanding that it's in Belle's best interest she never sees her mother again.

Fast forward to 1936 and an adult Belle has accepted a job as a nightclub singer in Rangoon, Burma. With both parents now dead, she's determined to discover what happened to her sister all those years earlier - is she still alive and if so, what became of her? But when Belle starts asking questions, it soon becomes apparent Elvira's disappearance has been covered up. . .

Although I have all of Dinah Jefferies' previous novels on my bookcase, The Missing Sister is the first I've read. I was transported to another time and place with the author's beautiful, vivid descriptions. It felt authentic - I could smell the spices in the marketplace and feel the sun's heat beating down on me. The expressive and faultless writing will stay with me for a very long time.

Characterisation was superb; especially Belle and Diana. To have a child stolen and then be expected to pick up the pieces of a shattered life is beyond comprehension and without compassion. The pre-war British 'stiff upper lip' was excellently portrayed with any hint of a scandal being swept under the carpet.

I thought this was a great piece of historical romantic fiction and it's opened my eyes to the possibility that actually yes, I maybe do kind of like this genre after all.

Another solid read by Dinah jefferies. I found this one a little long but still as enthralling as the rest. A fab look into Burmese society on the cusp of Ww2 and the rising tensions as a backdrop to a mystery

I loved the format of being with Belle in 1936 and Diana’s narrative moving forwards from 1921. As Belle becomes more caught up in the search for Elvira the past slowly unravels. The anxiety of fight or flight, of being hyper alert, is portrayed well and used to great effect. I had so much empathy for Diana and willed her to mental wellness. Belle has much strength in her quest to find the truth and I loved her spirit of adventure.

Dinah Jefferies settings are always vivid and vibrant and The Missing Sister is no exception. All of my senses and emotions were drawn in and as a ‘visual’ reader, I experienced it all. In fact, there is one particular scene in the Indian quarter in Rangoon that had more of an effect of me than I realised. It was only after I had related a dream to colleagues and friends and I was trying to pinpoint if anything had been going on in my life that I realised the connection! My subconscious had translated it as an experience into my world. Belle’s anguish and fear had become my own … One of my favourite scenes has to be the hot air balloon ride – not just for the things that I saw but the effect it had on Belle. Epiphany.

I really had no idea who I should trust. Gloria? Her brother Edward? Oliver? They all seemed to have their own agenda but who was trying to cover up this secret and what would they do to stop Belle finding out the truth? I was suspicious of Belle’s room-mate Rebecca and even Diana’s best friend Simone … This kept me ready to spot any inconsistencies and I wavered between them all. Except for Harry! It was obvious he was up to something but I didn’t think for one moment it would have the conclusion it did.

Near the end of the story I cried. Not just a few tears wending their way down my face but big ugly tears with sobs. Perfect.

This story will keep you intrigued as you journey the streets of Rangoon and on the river to Mandalay. There will be sights and sounds you never thought you would see or hear. You’ll see the worst of human nature and the best; the consequences of the past and how it affects people in the future. You’ll experience melancholy, sadness, fear and love. The Missing Sister packs a powerful emotional punch. Highly recommended.

As with all Dinah Jefferies books you are instantly drawn into the mystery of what has happened to the sister. Burma and the intrigue of the place feels real and is obviously well researched and experienced. The characters feel real and take you on the journey with them, it soon becomes obvious who to trust and those that are more sinister. Will there be a happy ending? Yes but as the truth is revealed there are surprises along the way. Well worth the read.

Here's an author that writes with passion and describes everything with so much beautiful detail.
When you open any of her books to read, you become apart of the story. Her books are so addictive and you just want more.
So when The Missing Sister by Dinah Jefferies came available to read I had to request it.

WoW.........What a wonderful book this was......It just took my breath away. So beautifully written throughout, describing the smells, sounds etc and the atmosphere of the area's Bella visited.
This book came alive, You're living the story. This book was very hard to put down.

Her latest book takes us to Burma in the 1930's. Belle Hatton is the main character who has been employed as a singer in a nightclub. She becomes friends with lots of people and has lots of admirers as well. There is a reason why Belle went to Burma she is haunted by her past. An old newspaper clipping from 25 years ago was found in her parent's belongings after their death "Saying that the Hatton's were leaving Rangoon after the disappearance of their baby daughter Elvira"
Who is Elvira? Belle's parents never mentioned she had an older sister when they were alive!

Belle is desperate to find out what happened to the sister Elvira she never knew she had.
She starts asking questions, and is confronted with unsettling rumours, malicious gossip, and outright threats.

Will Belle find out what happened to her sister?

Is she still alive?

WoW.........What a book......Once you start to read this new book I couldn't put it down I was hooked.

I highly Recommend Dinah's new Book......It was brilliant!

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

Gorgeous book - did not turn out as I expected it to from the start, but yet again, Dinah Jeffries makes me want to travel to where she has set her book. Loved it. Can’t wait for her next one.

When Belle Hatton arrived in Burma, she felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension. It was the 1930s and her father had recently passed. Among his papers she found an old newspaper clipping which told of a baby’s disappearance from her pram in her parent’s garden in Rangoon. Belle had been rocked to learn she had had a sister – she had thought she was an only child; her mother had died years earlier. Now, her determination to discover what had happened ran through her thoughts continually.

Belle loved her new job – singing was her passion; to become a nightclub singer felt glamorous and held promise that she could advance her career over the years. But Belle’s questions about that long ago kidnapping obviously made some people uncomfortable. Was Belle putting herself in danger? Oliver, an American journalist she had met, used his contacts to help her – but could she trust him? The anonymous notes were beginning to scare her…

The Missing Sister is another excellent historical fiction novel by this extremely talented author. I have loved everything Dinah Jefferies has written, and this one didn’t disappoint. Strong characters, mystery, intrigue and danger all blended with fascinating details of Burma and surrounds. Always well written, I have no hesitation in highly recommending The Missing Sister to fans of historical fiction.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, I have just finished this book and was blown away. The description of Burma and Mandalay and the events throughout the 1930's were enthralling. Belle's story and family circumstances both in Burma and Cheltenham held me to the end. I will definitely be reading more of Dinah Jeffries books.

Another excellent book by Dinah Jefferies. It is set in 1930's Burma and whilst working there as a singer Belle tries to find her sister. Has good background information about Burma and again is another brilliant book by this author.
I love her books.

Belle is due to take up a job as a singer in a hotel in Burma in the 1930s when she comes across a newspaper cutting in her late father's belongings about a sister that she never knew she had going missing! Determined to find out the truth once she arrives in Burma she finds that she doesn't know who she can trust......and is she putting herself in danger!

Another great book by this author, I have visited Burma and loved it so jumped at the chance when I saw this book was about Burma. The storyline is compelling and works well with the dual timeline of Belle in the 1930s and her mother in the 1910s.

I don't know any author who paints scenes as vividly as Dinah Jefferies. The book is set mostly in 1930s Burma where Belle Hatton arrives to begin a glamorous job as a nightclub singer. But she is intrigued by a family secret: a 25 year-old newspaper cutting discovered in her parents' belongings after their deaths tells of their rapid departure from Rangoon in 1911 after the disappearance of their baby daughter, Elvira. Belle is determined to find out what happened to the sister she never realised she had. Details emerge showing that her mother was thought responsible for the baby's death although this was never proved but as Belle delves further into the mystery she finds herself in danger from someone who clearly wants the truth to remain hidden - but who should she trust?

If ever a novel had the power to transport me to another place, it's this one! I could feel the oppressive heat, see the glittering gold-roofed pagodas, hear the temple bells and imagine myself walking down the streets swarming with rickshaws, bicycles, cars and horse-drawn gharries. 

Life for the British people when Belle's mother arrived in the early 1900s was glamourous and exciting:

"Cocktails, dinner parties and those lavish, night-long garden parties. The sheer joy of a Parisian silk dress skimming my skin...Then, having drunk too much champagne, watching pink and orange lanterns swaying in the breeze as the sky turned indigo just before dawn. But oh, the garden, with its perfumed flowers and the huge canopies of trees where monkeys swung in the branches."

So what went wrong?

Some sections are told from the mother's point of view, describing her post-natal experience, the collapse of their marriage and her altered life back in England and the impossible condition to which she was forced to agree.

I found both viewpoints equally absorbing and they are skilfully woven together to reach a satisfying conclusion. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries set in exotic locations.

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.

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.