PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
Dinah Jefferies was born in Malaysia and moved to England at the age of nine. Her idyllic childhood always held a special place in her imagination, and when she began writing novels in her sixties, she was able to return there - first in her fiction and then on annual research trips for each new novel. Dinah Jefferies is the author of five novels, The Separation, The Tea Planter's Wife - a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller, The Silk Merchant's Daughter, Before the Rains and The Sapphire Widow. She lives in Gloucestershire.
A fabulous read -- Elizabeth Buchan A gorgeous novel. Deliciously transporting -- Eve Chase Dinah Jefferies has a knack of getting under the skin of her exotic locations and this story about loss and love, set in sultry Burma during the troubled 1930s, is no exception. -- Kate Riordan The Missing Sister is a pacy, intriguing novel. Set in an exotic, little-known location, it draws you in to its secrets and dangers; the dark recesses of Burma. I stayed up all night reading. -- Carol Drinkwater A sweeping tale, beautifully written in a wonderful setting, heart rending yet ultimately uplifting. Gorgeous. -- Katie Fforde on 'The Sapphire Widow' My ideal read - I couldn't put it down -- Santa Montefiore on 'The Tea Planter's Wife' Dinah has an infallible ability to draw us into deliciously exotic worlds, and The Missing Sister is no exception. The superficial glamour of late colonial-era Burma reveals unsettling undercurrents and growing unrest, the perfect backdrop for the thrilling tale of a singer's desperate search for her lost sister. A wonderfully compelling, immersive read with characters that stay with you long afterwards. -- Liz Trenow I positively raced through The Missing Sister this week and adored it! It's full of Dinah Jefferies' trademark atmosphere, with the colours and scents and wildlife of Burma described so vividly I felt I was there - and there's a terrific story too. -- Gill Paul The Missing Sister is a rich and enjoyable read on so many levels. It's an intriguing mystery, a deliciously rewarding romance, and a searing portrait of mental breakdown. 1930s Burma is vividly evoked and the plot is worked out to a conclusion that is not simply satisfying, but almost magical. This is a moving and complex story, beautifully told. -- Isabel Wolff I was gripped, moved and utterly in thrall to this deeply emotional and compelling tale. Jefferies is truly a master of her craft. She writes so vividly I could feel the Rangoon grit under my finger nails and the humidity heavy on my skin. This powerful story explores the all-consuming impact of family and lifts the lid with an intimate sensitivity on how we deal with loss and betrayal in our lives. Belle and Diana are wonderful characters who leapt effortlessly into my life and whirled me through a helter-skelter of danger and suspicion that had me turning the pages late into the night. As always with a Dinah Jefferies book the research was meticulous. I loved it. * Kate Furnivall *
