Rosamund Lupton
Sister is a murder mystery, a medical thriller, and the story of the love that exists between sisters. Rosamund Lupton is an author who is new to me, so I really took a chance purchasing it for my Kindle.
Beatrice is the older sister. Raised in London, she has moved to New York and made a life for herself there. She has a demanding job, a fiance, and a lovely apartment. One Sunday, she receives a phone call from her mother. Her younger sister, Tess, has gone missing.
But Tess is young, irresponsible. She is an art student living in a cheap flat in London. Although her mother does not know this at the time, Tess is pregnant by a married man, one of her instructors.
Beatrice flies to London as quickly as possible. And the search for Tess begins. Although they live an ocean apart and lead very different lives, Tess and Beatrice are unusually close. Part of their bond is due to the childhood death of their brother Leo from Cystic Fibrosis. Tess’ baby was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis in utero, and Tess was part of a clinical trial of a gene therapy designed to cure the dread disease.
Does Tess’ disappearance have anything to with the trial? Or is her married lover to blame? What about the fellow student who has been stalking her? There are lots of questions. And it takes until the end of the book to learn the answers. Along the way there are false leads and red herrings. As Beatrice searches for the answers, she undergoes some life defining moments. Her personal relationships change as her obsession with Tess grows.
There are so many layers here, it is sometimes hard to figure out what Lupton is trying to accomplish. It this book truly about the sisterly bond? Or maybe it is about the evils of the British National Health System and gene therapy. Anyway, it does seem a bit muddled. However, it is a quick read-good for an airplane ride or the beach. I did not guess the ending, but then I really didn’t try. I didn’t care that much about any of the characters, but since I paid for the book, I wanted to finish it.
In USA:
Published in softcover-Broadway Books-2011
La Bibliofille 