Definitely Barr's best book so far. I thought her last two efforts were poor. I struggled through 'Out of my depth', but The Sisterhood was great. I was gripped from the start. Great characters, dark undertones, and surprising twists and turns. Also, unlike a lot of Barr's other work, this one didn't have a rushed, disappointing ending. It would make a great movie! ( )

Not one of Emily's finest.
Helene is half French, half English and in her mid-20's. She finds evidence of her mother having another child that she gave up for adoption years before. Helene decides she needs to find her and bring her back to her mother to "complete' the family.
Meh, Helene was annoying and really got on my nerves.
Prefer Emily's earlier novels. ( )

This is the second book I’ve read by Emily Barr, so I didn’t have many preconceived ideas about what to expect. What a discovered was a blend between women’s fiction, and a thriller. It’s quite a dark tale, but with lighter moments too.

I have to say that I wasn’t so keen on the beginning section of the book, as I felt it lacked a good introduction to the characters, and their lives. We meet Liz as her relationship crumbles quite dramatically, and Helen as she’s sneaking around in her mother’s belongings. I found it hard to feel anything for Liz, because I hadn’t had time to get to know her, and it felt strange finding Helen snooping, without knowing anything else about her.

However, I persevered, and I’m very glad I did. As you carry on reading, you certainly get to learn more about these two women, and their very different situations, and you can feel the tension starting to build. By the second half of the book, I was fighting against sleep, because I just had to find out what was going to happen next!

As often happens in books such as this, Liz’s pregnancy does seem a rather convenient happening, but it is quite possible. Her choice of partner was also a little unusual, but certainly adds an interesting slant.

The most fascinating character for me however was Helen, and it was her thoughts and actions which kept me hooked. Emily provides a chilling insight into her damaged personality and thought processes.

Going by previous reviews, this isn’t a book for everyone, and I can understand that. It does have some bad points, but I felt that Helen’s character, and the overall growing tension more than made up for them. I believe that this is a book that you need to judge for yourself, but it certainly kept me hooked, and sitting up late!