VBT# Long-Lost Sister - NL Hinkens

VBT# Long Lost Sister - NL Hinkens - September 2025



Long Lost Sister by NL Hinkens explores the dangerous territory of family secrets and misplaced trust, delivering a psychological thriller that kept me turning pages even when I wasn't entirely convinced by every plot point.

Piper's journey resonates on a deeply personal level with me right now. As someone who recently discovered through Ancestry.com that my father has a half-sister named Lisa Phillips, I found myself drawn into Piper's desperate search for belonging and family connection. The yearning to understand where you come from, to find that missing piece of your identity, is something that hits close to home. Like Piper, I've been reaching out to a long-lost relative (though Lisa hasn't been active on the platform for over a year), hoping to bridge decades of separation and discover new family stories.

NL Hinkens crafts an intriguing premise: Piper, fresh out of prison for vigilante justice against those who hurt her best friend Emma, discovers she has a half-sister in Callie Madden. The contrast between the sisters is stark – Piper, hardened by experience and living on society's margins, versus Callie, who appears to have everything: wealth, success, and a beautiful home. This dynamic immediately establishes tension and raises questions about the nature versus nurture debate.

The story takes a dark turn when Callie's seemingly perfect life reveals its cracks through her allegedly abusive husband. When he turns up dead and Callie frantically calls Piper for help, the sisters find themselves disposing of a body and staging a suicide. NL Hinkens does an adequate job building suspense around whether Callie is the victim she claims to be or a master manipulator using Piper as her perfect patsy.

Where the novel succeeds is in its exploration of how far someone might go for family, especially when that family connection feels fragile and new. Piper's vulnerability, stemming from her criminal record and desperate need for belonging, makes her both sympathetic and frustrating as she repeatedly ignores obvious red flags.

Despite these flaws, Long Lost Sister offers an engaging exploration of family bonds, trust, and the lengths we'll go to protect those we love – or think we love. It's a solid three-star read that will appeal to fans of domestic thrillers, especially those intrigued by the complexities of found family relationships.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/45aqxmf