The Missing Sister and an Irish treat

The book: The Missing Sister by Lucinda Riley

Genre: Romance

Published: 2021

The bake: Lemon drizzle Rooibos brack cake

A quick note…

This book is number seven in a series called The Seven Sisters (I’m going to write about each book in future posts). So, I would firstly recommend that you read the preceding six books before flicking open The Missing Sister. That said, this is an amazing series of books that takes the reader on an unforgettable journey.

What’s the story?

In a nutshell, the story revolves around six young women, Maia, Ally, CeCe, Star, Tiggy and Electra. They were all adopted as babies from all over the world by the mysterious Pa Salt. They grew up in luxury in Switzerland on an estate called Atlantis. In the first book, we learn that Pa Salt has recently passed away. He left a clue for each of the women to where they came from. Each book then focuses on one woman and her journey of self-discovery.

Even though the title of the series is The Seven Sisters, there are only SIX. So, a thread running through all the novels is: where is Merope, the seventh sister? The Missing Sister answers this question in mesmerizing fashion. The action takes place all over the world. From New Zealand to England, Canada to Ireland, and of course Atlantis in Switzerland. The six sisters will gather to lay a wreath for Pa Salt on the place they believe he was buried at sea. Of course, they would love to have their missing sister Merope there. Following a series of clues, they believe they have found her in New Zealand. A distinctive star-shaped ring is their only clue.

They believe the missing sister is Mary-Kate, a young woman adopted by Merry and Jock McDougal. Merry has however taken the ring with her on a “Grand Tour” after the death of Jock. Each of the sisters take a turn to try and track down Merry. But, for some reason she is afraid of them and keeps slipping from their grasp. The story of why Merry is so afraid weaves through this main storyline. There are also flashback chapters where we learn more about Merry’s heritage. As the storylines start to merge, we get the full picture. And, a different idea of who the missing sister might be starts to emerge.

Why read it?

A lot of the threads left hanging in the previous six books come together in this one. It’s also the first one where all the sisters play a major part. The previous books each place one sister in the spotlight with the others playing minor roles. I loved reading about all the sisters again, and where their lives have taken them since the end of their stories. I’m a big lover of all things Irish. That’s why I found the history of the Irish Revolution and the start of the Troubles very interesting. West Cork, where Merry is from, is also one of my favorite parts of Ireland. The literary tour to this beautiful place of the world was just wonderful.

Lucinda Riley passed away on 11 June this year, shortly after The Missing Sister was published. I love her books, and it is so sad to think that she has died aged only 55. How many wonderful stories might have flowed from her pen? I’m also wondering where it leaves this series… A lot of mysteries still remain at the end of The Missing Sister. I only hope that she wrote down how she wants the series to end. Hopefully another writer will do her the honor of finishing the story of The Seven Sisters.

Pair it with: Lemon drizzle Rooibos brack cake

I am a massive fan of Ireland. I was lucky enough to visit the Emerald Isle with my husband in 2014. We took a road trip from Dublin around the island, down Wicklow, Cork, Kerry, up Galway, Mayo, and Sligo, and all the way to Northern Ireland. It was an unforgettable trip! I enjoyed this book even more than usual because it’s set mainly in Ireland. In honor of Lucinda Riley (who is Irish), I just had to pair a typically Irish bake with this book. Barmbrack, often shortened to “brack” is a quick bread with sultanas and raisins. This bread (which is more cake than bread) is often mentioned in The Missing Sister. These mentions had me salivating for a slice with a nice cup of Irish Breakfast tea.

I gave it my own South African twist by making it with Rooibos tea. The lovely fresh taste of this red tea elevates the dried fruit and gives the bread a very distinctive taste. I find that cakes baked in a loaf tin can be a bit dry. So, I decided to finish off the loaf with a simple lemon drizzle. Lemons are in season now in South Africa, and the zesty tang of the lemon works well with the rooibos and the fruit.

Some research on brack cake reveals that it is strongly associated with Halloween. Objects are baked into the loaf and are then used almost like a fortune-telling game. For example, if you receive a slice with a pea, it means you will not get married that year. Or if your slice had a coin, you would enjoy good fortune. I’m not one for fortune-telling and superstitions. But, I am a lover of a nice slice of cake in the afternoon. I can predict with confidence that you will love munching on toasted slices of this fruity loaf with a nice lick of butter and a big mug of tea! The recipe is based on one by Caroline’s Cooking.