Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson

Penny and Nix are sisters. Born three minutes apart the two have always been extremely close, doing everything together. When Nix dies tragically after college it changes Penny’s life forever. 

Years after her sister’s death, Penny, wanting to make the world a little safer as Nix had always wanted to do, has become a police officer. Her very first murder scene hits hard. It is the body of one of the men she blames for Nix’s death and not long before another of them had been found dead. Is someone seeking justice for her sister’s death. This thought really doesn’t bother Penny at all. They deserve to pay for what they did. Then she notices a woman covered in blood at the scene and Penny feels an instant connection with her. This woman utters a single word, ‘sisters’, while implying this death has to do with the sister bond and revenge. That’s all it takes for Penny to forget she’s a cop and tell this woman to run. As Penny begins to investigate on her own and try to find this mystery woman she finds that not only is her career in jeopardy, but also her life. 

Penny is a great character with a fierce love for her family especially her sweet, if not troublesome, niece. Being a good person and wanting to do good yet at the same time wanting justice for her sister weighs heavily on her. What kind of cop is she letting a murderer go?  She just can’t find it within herself to feel sorry for the deaths of men who hurt her sister. It makes you question what you yourself would do or feel in this situation. 

I always love to be surprised by an ending and this story unfolded in many unexpected ways. As I turned the last page I felt a sense of loss at having to say goodbye to these characters I had grown to care about 

but also a sense of satisfaction with where and how the story ended. As a note there are some really sensitive issues in this novel such as addiction, sexual assault, and violence so take care. 

In Missing Sister, Joshilyn Jackson takes us on an intense, page-turning ride and I loved it!  It is a suspenseful story that will keep you guessing until the very end. I adore anything Joshilyn Jackson writes and Missing Sister is another to add to the list!

Previously published on The Gloss. Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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