Book Review: The Half Sister by Sandie Jones

Set in London, England, The Half Sister opens in the waiting room of a doctor’s office. Kate, one of two sisters, and her husband are waiting to see their IVF doctor. After many unsuccessful pregnancies they are trying one last time. At least that is their hope. The story moves on to a family dinner at their mother’s home. Every two weeks, Kate and Lauren and their husbands have gone to their parent’s home for many years. One seat at the table has been empty for a year - their father, Harry passed away the previous year. While Kate and her husband Matt, happily married, are trying desperately to conceive. Lauren and her husband Simon, in a very rocky marriage, have three young children. Their stories begin to unravel when a woman comes to the door, drops a bomb shell on this apparently almost perfect family and is quickly ushered out.

Messy family dynamics, suspicions, sibling rivalry, and DNA all while the truth is expertly revealed. With short chapters, alternating between Kate’s life and Lauren’s life, Sandie Jones expertly weaves a very tangled web. She unravelled it all at the end, with an almost predictable surprise - but not quite. I sighed with relief. Relief that I could slow down and breath! This page turner is an excellent fast read. One comment on the book jacket stated: “a great summer read”. Well, it’s mid winter and, I can attest, it’s a great mid-winter read too. 

Discussion this evening over Zoom with the Regina book club I joined last summer was lively. In general, The Half Sister was felt to have many loose ends, some that didn’t seem quite logical. Some felt that the ending was weak, although satisfying.

“Oh what a tangled web we weave

When first we practice to deceive…..”

~ Sir Walter Scott, 

From the poem Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field.

Author: Sandie Jones

Copyright: 2020

Publisher: St. Martin’s Publishing Group

Type: Mystery

Format: Fiction

ISBN - 978-1-250-26551-7 (Hardcover)

ISBN - 978-1-250-77499-6 (International, Sold outside of the U.S.)

ISBN - 978-1-250-265523-4 (ebook)