THE TRUTH

Sisters Kate and Lauren meet for Sunday lunch every week without fail, especially after the loss of their father.

THE LIE

But a knock at the door is about to change everything. A young woman by the name of Jess holds a note with the results of a DNA test, claiming to be their half sister.

THE UNTHINKABLE

As the fallout starts, it's clear that they are all hiding secrets, and perhaps this family isn't as perfect as it appears.

A top literary agent once told me that if a manuscript doesn't hook her within the first couple of pages, she’ll put it down and reach for the next submission in her pile. I understand why: Given all the terrific books out there, why force yourself to read something that doesn't thoroughly engage you? Luckily for us Sandie Jones fans, her new novel, The Half Sister, illustrates once again that she's a writer who can command our attention.

The book opens with sisters Kate and Lauren, who are visiting their widowed mother's house for a family meal. Plenty of sibling rivalry and old grievances are served up along with the roast beef and vegetables. But this family really starts to crack apart after the doorbell rings, and a complete stranger standing on the stoop claims she's the third sister.

Jones has a breezy, engaging writing style—perhaps due to her background as a celebrity journalist—and the surprise twists keep popping up like fireworks. If, like me, you’ve been desperately craving an escape, this book is the ideal prescription.