The Forgotten Sister

Content warnings: murder, imprisonment, drowning

Amelia Lester's death is connected to her Tudor ancestor Amy Robsart.

During the Tudor era, Amy Robsart marries Robert Dudley and is suspicious of his affection for Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth I). Her death casts a cloud of suspicion and doubt over Dudley, who will never be able to marry Elizabeth after the scandal.

In present-day London, Lizzie Kingdom is a child star turned children's author who is currently gearing up for her spot on a Dancing With the Stars-style show. Her childhood and current best friend Dudley Lester isn't as successful as Lizzie, but they've remained close over the years. When his wife Amelia dies, Dudley is under investigation by the police.

Lizzie has psychometry, which allows her to see and know things from touching objects. She encounters a gem at Dudley and Amelia's wedding which gives her insight into Amy Robsart (or possibly Amelia's) death. After Amelia dies, her brother Johnny Robsart contacts Lizzie about her death because he believes the events are tied to his ancestor Amy. The links between the past and present are obvious, especially with the characters having almost identical names.

I picked up this novel looking for a Tudor mystery, but it is in essence two different stories — a Tudor historical fiction with a contemporary supernatural mystery. With the addition of psychometry and time travel, the story falls further away from my expectations.

Recommended for readers looking for a supernatural mystery who also like historical fiction.

Nicola Cornick is an award-winning and bestselling English author. She now focuses on writing books about her native area of England. She is currently a historian and guide for the National Trust in the Berkshire Downs.

Publisher: Graydon House

Narrator: Kristin Atherton

Running Time: 11 hours, 23 minutes

Length: 368 pages

Release Date: November 10, 2020

I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.