Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson

Pacing and plot of a thriller, heart and soul of a literary novel.

Short version: Missing Sister is a perfectly executed page-turner, with the tension and suspense of a fast-paced thriller, and the depth and complexity of a family drama. Jackson will set your heart racing so she can break it later.

Rookie cop Penny Albright lost her twin sister, and it feels like her family is going to be feeling the reverberations of that loss forever. Of course she’d hypothetically love to murder the assholes responsible for her twin’s demise, but when one of them is killed, and then another turns up dead literally at her feet, it starts to seem like maybe she won’t have to. Moral dilemmas, torn loyalties, and difficult choices abound as the story unfolds, and reader, when Penny meets stone cold Thalia Grey, you’ll be right in the middle of those dilemmas along with her. She is one compelling woman, soaked in blood though she may be.

I can already hear the book club discussions spawning from the friendship, beautiful and also horrifying, that develops between this pair. The conversations between friends — What chapter are you on? No spoilers! Hurry up and get to to the next scene! Everyone loves a book they can confidently share with friends, but we all have our recommendation pipelines, right? Sally doesn’t mind cannibalism, Frieda abhors a religious character, Ralph needs a happy ending, etc. The beauty of Missing Sister is that it is action-driven and character-driven at the same time, satisfying a wide swath of readers. This complexity might make it a little hard for the bookstores to shelve it, but the depth makes it very easy, and pleasing, to read it, whatever your favorite genre may be.

Are you in a book club? Got a group where you tussle between factions, trading choices and hostilities? Missing Sister is your next favorite pick, as Jackson writes a devilishly twisty plot, but with beautiful sentences and characters that are so much more than obstacles and objects. I guarantee a lively discussion over anti-hero Thalia Gray, and an enthusiastic cheering section for the hero, Penny Albright. And here's another reason Missing Sister will be a great book club read: People will actually finish it, because they won't be able to put it down.

This is a story that will challenge your mind, and leave you with a full heart. A family drama with the EKG of a thriller. A catalyst for discussion, and a mirror for reflection. Clear your appointments and dive in.