Name: Pam Sartain's review of The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley
Item: The Shadow Sister
Rating: 3
Author: Pam Sartain

Lucinda Riley

“Riley’s engaging and mesmerizing story of self-discovery and love...can be perfectly read as a stand-alone. This book will appeal to readers of Edwardian novels and Jane Austen-style fiction.” —Library Journal (starred review) “[Lucinda Riley] is a master of plotting…This substantial book is a surprisingly quick and easy read, with engaging characters, a tantalizing glimpse of Edwardian society, and dual storylines that are inventive and intriguing.” —Historical Novel Society In this spellbinding novel, two independent women—separated by a hundred years but linked by forces larger than themselves—discover the secrets of their birth in the spellbinding third book of an epic series by New York Times bestselling author Lucinda Riley Star D’Aplièse is at a crossroads in her life after the sudden death of her beloved father—the elusive billionaire, affectionately called Pa Salt by his six daughters, all adopted from across the four corners of the world. He has left each of them a clue to their true heritage, and Star’s clue leads her to an antiquarian bookshop in London, and the start of a new journey. A hundred years earlier, headstrong and independent Flora MacNichol vows she will never marry. She is happy in her home in England’s picturesque Lake District—just a stone’s throw away from her childhood idol, Beatrix Potter. But when circumstances carry her to London, and into the home of one of Edwardian England’s most notorious society hostesses, Alice Keppel, she finds herself a pawn in a larger game; forced to choose between passionate love and duty to her family. That is, until a meeting with a mysterious gentleman reveals answers Flora has been searching for… Star’s voyage of discovery takes her deep into Flora’s remarkable story, and into her own past. But the more she uncovers, the more Star begins to question herself, and her place in the world. Ideal for fans of Downton Abbey and the historical fiction of Kate Morton and Kristin Hannah, The Shadow Sister is the “perfect curl-up-in-an-armchair read” (Daily Mail) for anyone who wants to travel through the lush English countryside and explore the lives and loves of the British aristocracy.

Book Three

The Shadow Sister

Taking in the vineyards of New Zealand and the majestic landscape of Ireland, The Story of the Missing Sister is the seventh instalment in Lucinda Riley's multimillion-selling epic series The Seven Sisters.

The Missing Sister

Tanja Lovric 

Pam Sartain

Ally D'Aplièse is about to compete in one of the world's most perilous yacht races, when she hears the news of her adoptive father's sudden, mysterious death. Rushing back to meet her five sisters at their family home, she discovers that her father - an elusive billionaire affectionately known to his daughters as Pa Salt - has left each of them a tantalising clue to their true heritage. Ally has also recently embarked on a deeply passionate love affair that will change her destiny forever. But with her life now turned upside down, Ally decides to leave the open seas and follow the trail that her father left her, which leads her to the icy beauty of Norway . . . There, Ally begins to discover her roots - and how her story is inextricably bound to that of a young unknown singer, Anna Landvik, who lived there over a hundred years before, and sang in the first performance of Grieg's iconic music set to Ibsen's play 'Peer Gynt'. As Ally learns more about Anna, she also begins to question who her father, Pa Salt, really was. And why is the seventh sister missing?Following the bestselling The Seven Sisters, The Storm Sister is the second book in Lucinda Riley's spellbinding series based loosely on the mythology surrounding the famous star constellation.

The Storm Sister

Agnes Johansson

Two immersive stories mashed into one. While reading, I found myself relating with the characters and the environment descriptions are amazing. It even got me interested in norwegian classical music! I haven’t read the first book in the series but reading this sequel made me intrigued by this strange family. I must admit I expected to learn more of why Pa Salt adopted seven girls but I guess that is another reason to continue reading the series!

"Ally D'Aplièse is about to compete in one of the world's most perilous yacht races when she hears the news of her adoptive father's sudden, mysterious death. Rushing back to meet her five sisters at their family home, she discovers that her father--an elusive billionaire affectionately known to his daughters as Pa Salt--has left each of them a tantalizing clue to their true heritage. But the timing couldn't be worse: Ally had only recently fallen into a new and deeply passionate love affair, but with her life now turned upside down, she decides to leave the open seas and follow the trail that her father left her, which leads her to the icy beauty of Norway... There, Ally begins to discover her roots and how her story is inextricably bound to that of a young unknown singer, Anna Landvik, who lived over a century before and sang in the first performance of Grieg's iconic music set to Ibsen's play Peer Gynt. As Ally learns more about Anna, she also begins to question who her father, Pa Salt, really was--and why is the seventh sister missing?"--Amazon.

Book Two

Sarah Ryan

Loving this series. I think I enjoyed this even more than the first book.

From the Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author comes the latest instalment in the epic multimillion-selling series, The Seven Sisters.The story of Merope, the missing sister, is waiting to be told . . .

I didn’t realise this was set in Ireland and really enjoyed it. I recently read another book set during the Easter Rising and the aftermath and this one was far superior. You really understood the horrors of what the Irish families went through. Looking forward to the final instalment next year!

Loved this one! So much talk of books within the storyline. Loved that one of the characters was friends with Beatrix Potter!

An epic and transporting novel, the latest installment of the “heart-wrenching, uplifting, and utterly enthralling” (Lucy Foley, author of The Guest List) Seven Sisters series, unravelling between the dazzling streets of modern-day New York City and the breathtaking plains of 1940s colonial Kenya. Electra d’Aplièse is a top model who seems to have it all: beauty, fame, and wealth. But beneath the glittery veneer, she’s cracking under all the pressure. When her father dies, she turns to alcohol and drugs to ease the pain. As friends and colleagues fear for her health, Electra receives a shocking letter from a stranger who claims to be her grandmother. In 1939, New Yorker Cecily Huntley-Morgan arrives in Kenya’s Lake Naivasha region for the exciting chance to stay with her godmother, the famous socialite Kiki Preston. But after a sheltered upbringing, she’s astounded by the hedonistic antics of the other ex-pats in the infamous Happy Valley set. Cecily soon grows to love her stunning but complicated new home, and she even accepts a proposal of marriage from an enigmatic older cattle farmer. After a shocking discovery and with war looming, Cecily feels isolated and alone. Until she meets a young woman in the woods and makes her a promise that will change the course of her life forever. Featuring Lucinda Riley’s “engaging and mesmerizing” (Library Journal, starred review) storytelling and filled with unforgettable and moving characters, The Sun Sister explores how love can cross seemingly impossible boundaries.

A Novel

The Sun Sister

My least favourite book of the series although still enjoyable enough.

Riley never fails to surprise me. I loved every part of this book, firstly because there was much more interaction between the sisters (and I LOVE this kind of things) and secondly because I love Ireland and knowing part of its story from my favorite author was amazing. I look forward to reading the very last book of this serie even if I’ll miss waiting for the continuum every year. 

mirta <3

Charvi Goyal

The story of the second of the Seven Sisters was an empowering, feel good and heart warming read

From the frenetic atmosphere of Manhattan to the magnificent wide-open plains of Africa, The Sun Sister is the sixth epic tale in the Seven Sisters series by the number one bestseller Lucinda Riley. A breathtaking story of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the famous star constellation. To the outside world, Electra D’Aplièse seems to have it all: as one of the world’s top models, she is beautiful, rich and famous. Yet Electra’s already tenuous control over her state of mind has been rocked by the death of her father, Pa Salt, the elusive billionaire who adopted his six daughters from across the globe. Struggling to cope, she turns to alcohol and drugs. As those around her fear for her health, Electra receives a letter from a stranger claiming to be her grandmother . . . In 1939, Cecily Huntley-Morgan arrives in Kenya from New York to nurse a broken heart. Staying with her godmother, a member of the infamous Happy Valley set, she meets Bill Forsythe, a notorious bachelor and cattle farmer with close connections to the proud Maasai tribe. But after a shocking discovery, and with war looming, Cecily has few options. Moving up into the Wanjohi Valley, she is isolated and alone. Until she meets a young woman in the woods and makes her a promise that will change the course of her life for ever. The addictive series continues with The Missing Sister. ‘Heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling. The Seven Sisters series is Lucinda Riley at the top of her game: a magical storyteller who creates characters we fall in love with and who stay with us long after we finish reading. Dazzlingly good.’ – Lucy Foley, bestselling author of The Hunting Party.

Lenka Franceus

It took longer to be invested in the story of this sister. Once I was invested I could not put the book down. But with the other books I was invested much faster

Penny 

Nadine 

Getting a bit formulaic but it’s summer ... a bit annoying when “historical” fiction includes a bit too much invention...

Somewhat better than the 2nd one, a bit more authentic and interesting weaving of British history

Judy McClure

Excellent addition to the series. Especially since Electra wasn't a likeable character in the other books.

Victoria Justice

After following the D'Aplièse sisters journeys to find out their heritage, The Missing Sister follows their quest to find the seventh sister who never arrived into their family. 

This story felt a little bit farfetched to begin with, with the sisters pursuing a lead in the search for their missing sister. There was moments that made me cringe, and others that left me a bit flummoxed as to how the story was being written. But then we entered Ireland, and Lucinda Riley's beautiful writing about her home country really immersed me into the story (and made me want to visit Dublin again).

The story revealed gradually, in the way we have come to expect from this series, really began to grip me as I tried to work out how the D'Aplièse sisters fitted in.

I will admit, I had predicted the ending, but at the same time it left me with more questions than answers and eager for the final, unexpected book so I can discover Pa Salt's story and how these seven women fit into it.

An intriguing tomb of a book to sweep you away into the past of countries I'm eager to visit.

The Sun Sister by Lucinda Riley is number 6 in the Seven Sisters books.  It's just over 1,000 pages long, but don't let that put you off as it's a book that will drag you in, and take you to different places!  In this book we visit New York, Switzerland and Kenya.

The first book in the series is  The Seven Sisters , and you can read my review of it  here!   I don't read many family sagas but I've been enjoying this series, and I'm looking forward to book 7 coming out, which is apparently 2021.

My suggestion for this series is to read them in order, as they interweave with one another as you go on, and they are all set in 2007-2008.

Electra is the youngest sister, and is the one that's termed the most difficult.  She screamed as a baby, and has always been headstrong and known what she doesn't want to do.  Unfortunately, she has a drug and alcohol problem, which she tries to hide from her family.  This is her book of finding out more about where she has come from, which has an impact on where she is now.

Spoilers for the series below!

Yes, the books have a formula - sister struggles in present day, maybe she goes on search of her past, maybe it plops in front of her, then learning about her great grandmother will help her know more about her present day and see the way out of her issue.  But, it isn't a formula that hurts the series!  Instead, it means you anticipate where the sister is going to go, how they're going to find out what they need to know.

The mystery of Pa Salt... he's been an elusive figure in all of the books, but one that all of the great grandmothers have met!  There's a good  Reddit  on all of the encounters.  There's been hints all along that maybe he isn't really dead.  No one knows how he makes his money or where he goes off to when he leaves home.  It's all very strange, and I'm looking forward (hoping!) for a wrap up in book 7!

 The Sun Sister  was published on 13th October 2019, and is available from  Amazon ,  Waterstones , and your  local independent bookshop .

You can follow Lucinda Riley on  Twitter ,  Instagram  and her  website. 

I read this book through my library, on the BorrowBox app.

The Missing Sister by Lucinda Riley (The Seven Sisters 7) has the six sisters finally be given information about their missing seventh sister, and so they start looking for her.  They are given by their family lawyer a clue, an image of a star shaped emerald ring, and this is a search that involves all of the sisters, and goes on all over the world!

The other half of this story is set in Ireland in 1920s, 1950s and 1970s, and tells a tale of sacrifice and love.  It was another sweeping drama, with more reveals that just made me want to read the next book as I'm looking forward to a lot of answers to all the questions I've built up over this series!

Lucinda Riley sadly died earlier this year, but the last book in this series is coming out next year.

 The Missing Sister  was published on 27th May 2021 and is available from  Amazon ,  Waterstones  and  Bookshop.org .

You can read my reviews of previous books in this series:

 The Seven Sisters  (book 1)

 The Sun Sister  (book 6)

The second book in the Seven Sisters series, and it tells Ally's story, weaving in some sections from Maia's story. I can't decide if there will be some scenes done to death, letting us see all the sister's view of time spent at their home called Atlantis, or not.

There was some similarities to Maia's story, namely going on an adventure to uncover a female ancestor's past, but I think that's fine as it's something I would expect all the books to have.

I will keep reading the series as I'm interested, and whilst the books are large (and I managed to get a hardback from the library for this one!), they are an enjoyable read.

Star is the quiet sister, the one who practically has a twin in Cece, who was adopted only months after Star, and who is happy talking to people, whilst Star is happiest not saying anything. But Star is starting to feel irritated at Cece's need to control everything.

I wasn't sure how this story would go, as I knew from previous books that Star and Cece were practically joined at the hip, and I didn't know where in the world Star would find her origin point. 

I thought this was another well written book, and liked the journey it took me on. I am really enjoying the historical elements that are being brought to life.

Journey to the dusty plains of Central Australia in The Pearl Sister, the fourth book in the number one bestselling Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley. A spellbinding story of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the famous star constellation. CeCe D’Aplièse has never felt she fitted in anywhere. Following the death of her father, the elusive billionaire Pa Salt – so-called by the six daughters he adopted from around the globe and named after the Seven Sisters star cluster – she finds herself at breaking point. Dropping out of art college, CeCe watches as Star, her beloved sister, distances herself to follow her new love, leaving her completely alone. In desperation, she decides to flee England and discover her past; the only clues she has are a black-and-white photograph and the name of a woman pioneer who lived in Australia over one hundred years ago. En-route to Sydney, CeCe heads to the one place she has ever felt close to being herself: the stunning beaches of Krabi, Thailand. There amongst the backpackers, she meets the mysterious Ace, a man as lonely as she is and whom she subsequently realizes has a secret to hide . . . A hundred years earlier, Kitty McBride, daughter of an Edinburgh clergyman, is given the opportunity to travel to Australia as the companion of the wealthy Mrs McCrombie. In Adelaide, her fate becomes entwined with Mrs McCrombie’s family, including the identical, yet very different, twin brothers: impetuous Drummond, and ambitious Andrew, the heir to a pearling fortune. When CeCe finally reaches the searing heat of the Red Centre of Australia, she begins the search for her past. As something deep within her responds to the energy of the area and the ancient culture of the Aboriginal people, her creativity reawakens once more. With help from those she meets on her journey, CeCe begins to believe that this wild, vast continent could offer her something she never thought possible: a sense of belonging, and a home . . . The epic multi-million selling series continues with The Moon Sister. 'Delicious reading' - Daily Mail

The Pearl Sister

CeCe discovers her family in Australia, and learns about her ancestors. Another enjoyable read, and fast, considering the size of the book!

I think it's the combination of history and the family drama that I'm enjoying!

Experience the grandeur of the remote Scottish Highlands and Madrid in this USA TODAY bestselling “beautifully written...magical adventure” (Woman’s World) following two women connected across time and distance as they search for the truth of their place in the world. Tiggy D’Aplièse spends her days reveling in the raw beauty of the Scottish Highlands, where she works at a deer sanctuary. But when the sanctuary is forced to close, she decides to take a job as a wildlife consultant on the vast estate of the elusive and troubled Charlie Kinnaird. She has no idea that the move will not only irrevocably alter her future, but also bring her face-to-face with her past. At the estate, she meets Chilly, an elderly Romani man who fled from Spain seventy years earlier. He tells her that not only does she possess a sixth sense passed down from her ancestors, but it was foretold long ago that he would be the one to send her back home. Back in 1912, in the poor Romani community outside the city walls of Granada, Lucía Amaya-Albaycin is born. At the tender age of ten, Lucía is whisked away by her ambitious father to dance in the flamenco bars of Barcelona. And while Lucía perfects her skills—eventually becoming the greatest flamenco dancer of her generation—tensions in Spain boil over into civil war, forcing Lucía and her troupe of dancers to flee for their lives. As they travel in search of a safe haven, Lucía’s long-held dream of going to New York may be in grasp. But to pursue it, she must choose between her love for her career and the man she adores. “A breathtaking adventure brimming with cruelty, tragedy, passion, [and] obsession” (Lancashire Evening Post, UK), The Moon Sister follows these two women on their journey to discover their true destinies—but at the risk of potentially losing the men they had hoped to build futures with.

The Moon Sister

There continues to be questions about Pa Salt, who he was and is he really dead?

All of these stories of the sister's biological families are sad, hence their adoption, but all very interesting and evocative!

Paulina R.

It is amazing how every book fits so well into the series while still being so different from the others and so unique. I also enjoy the pieces of history Lucinda Riley managed to weave in masterfully 😊. Can't (and won't) wait to start the next one 😇

What an incredible book and such an interesting ending! Can't wait for the next one 😁

Natasja

The seventh book of The Seven Sisters series. Again, I LOVED it. To be honest I’d probably rate most of the books from this series 5/5. 

The six D’Aplièse sisters have each been on their own incredible journey to discover their heritage, but they still have one question left unanswered: who and where is the seventh sister?
The search to find the missing sister will take them across the globe – from New Zealand to Canada, England, France and Ireland – uniting them all in their mission to complete their family at last.

I’ve been so curious for the seventh sister, and even though it was a lot of information to take in I read it as fast as I could. A lot of new characters to meet, and to love. New countries and cities that I wish I could visit someday. And another historical story that blows your mind when you make the connections. A book I’d recommend to historical fiction fans

Laura

Even thought I didn't get the answers I was looking so forward to I really enjoyed reading this book as well as all the others of the Seven Sisters Series. As in nearly all of the authors books the story was very foreseen but still it had some very interesting parts in it which I didn't expect. I definately can't wait to read the (hopefully) last book next year.

Lisette Wijkhuijs

Initially, I started reading this book in Dutch, but the conversations between the sisters annoyed me so much that I had a hard time reading the book. The conversations seemed very childlike and not even close to a normal way of speaking. 
I really wanted to know what happened so I listened to it as an audiobook in English. This made all the difference in the world. I was finally able to enjoy the book. 

The parts on Irish history were very interesting and why Mary would be the missing sister was also very intriguing. But the chase by the sisters was also a bit weird. The best thing about the book was the ending, with revelations on Mary's family and Pa Salt.

Pam Sartain &
The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley

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