Member Reviews
Twenty years ago, three sisters were taken. They managed to escape but what happened tainted the rest of their lives. Now in the present, Maria drinks to forget, Leah pretends all is well but is struggling and Carly feels responsible, she should have kept the others safe. There's something about what happened that drove a wedge between them. Something preventing them from coming together, to help each other move on, to heal. But, as the story unfolds, it becomes obvious that someone has been lying about what really happened, someone whose actions back then, well... let's just say there's a whole layer of secrets and lies bubbling under the surface of what happened twenty years ago.
Oh My Days! This is the books that keeps on giving. The tension is there pretty much from page one and doesn't let up until the final one is turned, delivering shock after shock all the way through.
But the story wouldn't be enough if the characters didn't evoke the emotional response necessary for it to achieve its goals. And in the three sisters, the author has created some of the best characters I have read about in time. Have to say I do love a dysfunctional family... makes mine seem normal in comparison! I really felt for them along the way. Even when the terrible truth was finally all revealed, even when the secrets, lies and deceit was exposed. It's gripping stuff no doubt about that. And, for me anyway, hard to predict. I lost track of all the supposition running through my head throughout my time reading this book, most of which was so far fetched and very wrong!
Aside from the great character and brilliant storyline, there's also the way the author writes, how she set scenes and ramps up the tension just oozes the perfect level of suspense and psychological intrigue all the way through. It really is the complete package and a great addition to an already very impressive back catalogue, all of which are well worth a read too.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Am I the only person who had never heard of Louise Jensen? What have I been missing out on? Really enjoyed this domestic psychological thriller. Totally hooked from chapter one. This book was gripping and full of unexpected twists. Told from multiple points of view over past and present timescales just added to the tensions. I particularly enjoyed reading the long term emotional and mental health impacts the kidnapping had on the girls. Definitely going to get my hands on Louise Jensen’s other books.
Thank you to @netgalley for access to this arc in exchange for an honest review.
This is a gripping and interesting thriller with a great storyline. The plot took some unexpected turns and kept me enthralled throughout.
I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Stolen Sisters but that has in no way influenced my review.
I am a HUGE Louise Jensen fan. I have read every single psychological thriller she has written, and will continue to do so because she is a master storyteller. I was really, REALLY looking forward to reading The Stolen Sisters and I was not disappointed. I loved this book. It gave me everything I was hoping for and so much more.
Carly, Marie and Leah Sinclair. Three sisters who went through hell twenty years ago when they were snatched from outside their home by two men and locked up in a dank and dilapidated room for days on end. Miraculously, the girls managed to escape, but that was only the beginning. Hell left their prison with them and followed them all the way home. Now, twenty years older, each of the sisters is bearing the brunt of those traumatic days as captives. Leah's compulsions threaten to destroy her marriage and take her young son from her. Marie's drinking problem has spiralled out of control, and Carly has never forgiven herself for not protecting her younger twin sisters enough and won't let anyone get close to her. And let's not forget the secrets. How much longer can the truth be kept hidden...?
The Stolen Sisters is an astonishingly good book and I savoured every moment I had with it. When I wasn't reading this book, I was thinking about it. Pondering on the girls' situation, trying to work out where the author was going to take the story (I failed at that, by the way) and generally relishing the author's ability to tell a blimmin' good story. It's an absolutely cracking novel and if you love a family-driven psychological thriller, make sure you grab a copy. You won't be disappointed.
The story is told from the past - we watch as the girls are taken from near their house at the tender ages of 13 and 8 - and the present day - where the reader witnesses the devastating long-term effects of the trauma suffered by the girls all those years ago. Leah's compulsions, and how they impinge on her life, are eye-opening. The reader gets to see the gradual increase and deterioration of her condition as the anniversary looms. I found her anxiety and fear palpable. So cleverly written by the author. Out of all the characters in the book, we most closely follow Leah so I found myself warming to her more than the other two sisters. The majority of the chapters from the past are told from Carly's point of view and my heart absolutely ached for her. Her disappointment in herself for not protecting her sisters enough and the mother role she took on whilst the girls were trapped, it almost broke me.
If you've read books by this author before you will be aware that she is a master at deceiving her reader (in the very best way possible). This is another wonderful example of why Jensen's books are so incredibly popular. I had no idea where the story was going but when we got there, WOW! Dark and twisted - just how I like my books. I certainly didn't see that one coming! I was gripped from start to finish. Even though it's clear from the outset that the girls escape, the chapters set in the past still had me on the edge of my seat.
Would I recommend this book? I most definitely would, yes. I loved The Stolen Sisters. It's the most enjoyable, absorbing and exciting psychological thriller I have read in a long time. I was 100% in the pages of this book living the story alongside the characters. A highly emotive read that is incredibly tense and the ultimate page-turner. Did I mention that I loved The Stolen Sisters? Oh well, worth mentioning again. I loved The Stolen Sisters! Louise Jensen is a superb writer. It was an absolute joy to read this book and I will savour the memory of it for a long time to come. Highly recommended.
I chose to read and review an eARC of The Stolen Sisters. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
A gripping story about 3 sisters and the secrets they have kept since they were abducted. Their experiences in captivity and the aftermath of their release have haunted them for a long time. Each sister is battling a demon, dealing with feelings of guilt, betrayal and sadness. Ultimately they all have to face their fears. A very good read with lots of twists.
I loved this book! A gripping tale about three abducted sisters and although they are rescued, the nightmare is far from over. A compelling read with great twists and turns, and credible characters battling their individual issues. Highly recommended.
Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC copy of this novel. I look forward to reading more books by Louise Jensen. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A so-so book for me. Found it a bit slow to get to the thrilling part. Not very likeable characters and far fetched at times. That being said I would definitely read her next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.
This was such a great book! Louise Jensen never manages to disappoint!
I was hooked right from the start. The writing style was really engaging. I loved the short chapters and the different perspectives.
The main thing I loved about this book was the representation of OCD. You don't normally see mental illness portrayed in thrillers and if you do it's not normally done well.
However, as someone who has OCD I thought the rep was done very accurately and did not fall into common stereotypes. I was very impressed with how well it was handled.
I felt a deep connection to Leah who suffered from OCD. I really cared for her and felt really sorry for her and her sisters.
The plot was really interesting and different. I didn't see the ending coming. It was definitely a shocker.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was there was a couple of overdone tropes used which I don't want to discuss as it would give away spoilers for the book.
But apart from that it was a really enjoyable and gripping read. Lousie Jensen is definitely becoming a new favourite thriller author
TW: violence, abduction, OCD, gaslighting and suicide
This is a truly gripping read by the brilliant Louise Jensen. I was absolutely hooked from page one. It is the disturbing story of the Sinclair sisters who, as young girls, twenty years ago were abducted. The plot is mainly based in the present day with flashbacks to the kidnapping. All three sisters have been affected by what happened to them and they bear some disturbing scars and feelings of individual guilt.
This is a tense and thought provoking psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns in the plot. I really felt for all the sisters and the trials they continue to face. This is a really fast paced, well written, page turner of a book with an ending that is as stunning as it is heart-breaking.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Twenty years ago the Sinclair sisters were abducted.
Carly and her half sisters, twins Leah and Marie.
Twenty years later, although they escaped, they have never escaped their nightmares. One of their abductors has just been released from prison and the anniversary of their ordeal is days away.
But secrets have a habit of being revealed. Who knows more than they are letting on? And what will the consequences be for the Sinclair Sisters?
I’ve yet to read a Louise Jenson that I haven’t enjoyed. Yet again, Jenson has produced a compelling and fascinating read. The tension was breathtaking and I loved this book. Another fantastic read from this author.
I really enjoyed this book. It tells the story of three sisters who were kidnapped as young children, with chapters from multiple viewpoints and from when it happened as well as the present day. I really enjoyed the twists in this book and liked many of the characters. I have already sought out some of the author's other books.
Firstly a big thank you to HQ for my copy to review on netgalley. I am a massive fan of Louises and have been since her debut .
Ive been quite slow recently with my reading so to devour a thriller felt like my soul was reignited.
Fantastic from start to finish . Compelling and addictive. These sisters have been through a lot and life doesnt seem to easing up for any if them. So when their past comes calling its bound to create some stress!
All is not as it seems as the layers are pulled back and the truth is bared.
Completely unpredictable and exciting.
Louise is a amazing author who creates the pergect atmosphere for her story and has you hooked from page one.
Published 1st October
I thought this book was very good and very well written. It was a interesting story different from others I have read and I enjoyed it a lot. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
Wow! I was absolutely hooked by this story, finished in 2 sittings. It was my first read from Louise Jensen but it certainly won't be the last.
I really liked how it was written jumping from past to present and there were so many twists and turns I was fooled and completely blindsided more than once.
I loved all 3 of the sisters and just wanted things to go well for them, even though it was clear from the start that it wasn't that simple.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for my eARC in return for my honest review.
This was a solid psychological thriller. The story was an interesting one, but as it revolved around a kidnapping it wasn't one for me, as this is a trope I typically don't enjoy. I will say the writing was very engaging.
It definitely has its place and I think readers will enjoy it even though it wasn't my cup of tea
A book full of twists and turns and shocks around every corner. An excellent read and one that gripped me for the full day until I had finished it. An absolutely amazing and well written book
Oh my. What a fabulously engrossing tale with lots of twists and turns. Louise quite rightly fooled us into thinking somethings when they were something else completely. I was hooked from beginning to end.
WOW I have just finished The Stolen Sisters by Louise Jensen. The book is full of shocks and surprises I couldn’t keep up and there were many twists and turns in it too.
The Sinclair sisters, thirteen-year-old Carly and eight-year-old twins and half-sisters Leah and Marie were abducted from their family home. They managed to escape their abductors but left long lasting damage that changes their lives together. Twenty years later the eve of the anniversary of their abduction Leah thinks that she has been followed and reckons it’s one of them come back to seek revenge. Carly still blames herself for that day and Marie’s life is not all that is cracked up to be either. The story is set in the past and the present and mainly centres around Leah who is now married and has one son Archie. But still suffers to what happened all the years ago as she suffers from OCD and her husband thinks she is going mad and things that are going on are all in her head.
I will tell you now, this is not your usual child abduction with a happy ever after story line. This is has a unique story line and so different to others that I have read of this type. This is the first book in a long time that shouted out loud and questioned this book and said what the hell is going on? Luckily, I was on my own or someone would have thought I was going mad lol. This is also gripping that kept me to the edge of my seat. The is a great book. I highly recommend.
thank you for the opportunity to read this book.
i was gripped from the start, i love how ir keeping you addicted by bouncing to and fro from past to present, so many twists and turns,
proper page Turner this book was
fully recommended