The Name of the Sister

Author: Gail Jones 

Publisher: Text Publishing 

Genre: Australian, Crime, Fiction 

Year of release: 2025

Release date 03/06/25

Rating 🌟🌟🌟

TW Kidnapping, forced imprisonment, trauma, loss, grief, death of a domestic pet, missing persons  teen suicide Death. 

Synopsis 

A young woman stumbles onto an outback road at night and is lit up in the headlights of an approaching car. Who is she? Nobody knows, and she has lost the ability to speak. 

This is how the story of the Unknown Woman begins. Angie, a freelance journalist, joins her childhood friend Bev, the police officer in charge of the case, to try to solve the mystery. 

Dozens of people claim to know the speech-less woman. The stories multiply. In an urgent, unexpected finale, more questions arise.

Review 

A gaunt woman is found wandering naked along a remote road near Broken Hill, NSW, late at night. She has no identification and is unable to speak. With no way to confirm her identity, police refer to her as Jane Doe and issue a public appeal for information.

Freelance journalist Angie feels an unexpected pull towards the mystery woman. Teaming up with Bev—her childhood friend and the lead investigator—the pair begin a search for answers, unravelling a case that soon captures the attention of the nation.

A young woman appears out of the darkness, caught in the glare of headlights on a remote outback road. No name. No voice. No answers. Just silence. From that opening, I was all in. And the cover? I stared at it for chapters, convinced I was seeing a flamingo… until the truth it was an Ibis—like everything in this story—shifted into something far more unsettling. 

Our protagonist, Angie, is a brilliant choice to lead readers through this story. In the opening chapters, she’s a relatable character I came to trust as the story progressed. However, there were times I grew concerned about some of the choices she made. I struggled to see the motivation behind her actions. That said, she never becomes unlikeable or arrogant—thankfully. Still, there were moments where I felt like she’d taken me down a rabbit hole without fully exploring the “why”. By the end of the novel, though, she shifts from teetering on the edge of becoming a static character to regaining her depth in the closing chapters.

The minor characters in The Name of the Sister are particularly memorable. DI Beverley Calder is a standout—both a great friend to Angie and a tough but caring policewoman. I was pleased the author avoided falling into clichés with this role.

Gail Jones also steers clear of the, in my opinion, often overused subplot of female friendships breaking down due to jealousy or falling out of touch. It was refreshing to see a story where women support each other without drama. While “women at war” can be compelling, it often feels tiring—so this was a welcome change.

Angie’s husband, high school teacher Sam, is an interesting character. He’s not physically abusive, but he does tend to criticise Angie’s decision to pursue freelance journalism. He rarely seems engaged—or even interested—when they talk. It made for a different kind of character arc than I’m used to. Now that I’ve finished the book, I’m still unsure whether to appreciate him for inadvertently giving Angie the push to be brave and seek the truth despite his lack of support, or to resent him for not being there for her the way she is for him.

The characters tasked with sharing their experiences of missing loved ones were so well written, I often forgot I was reading fiction. Their stories were heartbreakingly real, reminding me of real-life missing persons cases and stirring a genuine longing for their families to be reunited. This sensitive and difficult subject matter is handled with great care and compassion.

I found myself struggling at times to fully grasp and keep track of all the little details that were meant to keep the reader in the loop. There were so many different threads woven around the main plotline to keep the story moving that, by the time we reached the gun-wielding menace, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d missed something. How did we get here, and why? It left me feeling a little lost—which is ultimately why I landed on a three-star rating.

I applaud author Gail Jones for unveiling the main plotline surrounding Jane Doe early on—such a refreshing change from stories that leave everything to the final chapters. It kept me engaged throughout. If you’re after a slow to medium-paced story with a unique angle in the crime fiction space, The Name of the Sister is well worth considering next time you’re choosing your next read.

I must admit, I wasn’t expecting to be drawn to a book about missing people—I must be going mad! I’m usually a reader who leans towards character-driven stories, so I run the risk of getting a little too attached. That said, I’m proud to say I’m holding strong to my goal of reading a little further outside my comfort zone in 2025—especially when it comes to crime novels.

Subplots and tropes included in The Name of the Sister:

• Aboriginal culture
• Australian Outback
• Death
• Depression
• Family reunited
• Female friendship
• Grief
• International media attention
• Kidnapping
• Marriage
• Missing persons
• Novice aiding with the local community
• Physical abuse – male to female
• Police investigation
• Self-discovery
• Self-reflection
• Teen suicide
• Woman in power

The ending surprised me—I was expecting a more detailed account of where Angie and Sam ended up in the future. That said, I did appreciate finding out what happened with certain characters, but I’ll avoid spoilers for current and future readers.

I recommend this book to a mature audience. Fans of Australian crime fiction featuring a strong female protagonist should consider adding The Name of the Sister to their bookshelf.

With continued thanks to Text Publishing and author Gail Jones for sending a physical copy of this book to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.