Then She Vanishes

A Novel

De: Claire Douglas

Narrado por: Sian Thomas, Katie O'Flynn, Nathalie Buscombe, Olivia Dowd

“Then She Vanishes lifts the stone on a cold case disappearance and asks chilling questions about friendship, loyalty, love, and obsession.”—New York Times bestselling author Gilly Macmillan

A twisty, compulsive thriller full of jolting shocks and startling secrets involving two sisters, a disappearance, a double murder, and a reporter determined to find the truth from the bestselling author of Local Girl Missing, Last Seen Alive, and Do Not Disturb.

Everything changed the night she disappeared . . .

On a summer's night in 1994, sixteen-year-old Flora Powell vanished from her sleepy seaside town without a trace. Their hearts shattered, Flora’s mother, her sister Heather, and Heather’s best friend Jess had to somehow carry on not knowing what happened.

Twenty-five years later, tragedy strikes again when Heather walks into a stranger's house and allegedly kills two people in cold blood.

Why would this loving wife and doting new mother commit such a heinous crime? Jess, now a reporter, returns to the hometown she left behind to cover the case and dig for answers. But this isn’t like any other story. Jess was like a sister to the Powell girls, until the summer that tore them all apart.

What happened to the girl she used to know?

The question haunts Jess and propels her to find the key that may unlock the mysteries involving both sisters. But the search may reveal more . . . a darker side to this idyllic place she thought she knew.

Superior to others in its genre

I don't give 5 star reviews often. I wish I could give this a 4.8, but it feel wrong to give 4 stars to any one aspect of this book, so I'm okay with the 5. The character development was excellent, and the twists weren't contrived. At no point did I feel misled by the setup for a twist; even though there was some misdirection, it was well-done and still made sense, unlike some intentional misdirection that ends up not making any sense after the twist is revealed. There was one character in the book that I really took issue with, and was really upset that this character got a free pass, and had planned to dock stars for that, but just at the end, that character ended up being called out for their actions, and it solidified that this was a flawless story with a great plot, wonderful characters, and fantastic pacing. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Spellbinding

I went through this book in just over 24 hours. Well worth every minute. Get listening now.

The end!!!

This story kept me going from person to person trying to find who to blame. Great novel.

Unsuspecting twists and turns!

Enjoyed this audio book and so will you. Stay focused in order to keep up.

Great twist!

Great storyline! Beautifully performed! I didn’t see the couple of twists in the end coming!

Fantastic!

Narrator did a fantastic job and the story just had me at the edge of my seat until the last minute. So glad I got it.

Not my fave

My mind was wandering off a lot during this one. It seemed to drag on at times. Could have just been me. Narration was great. Still a fan of the author tho.

Lots of twists and turns!

I like the characters and that they seem believable. It did start to drag on a little bit longer than I would have liked it, but it was very well written. I always enjoy her books.

It was Ok

Narration was fine and the story was alright. Not great, but OK. I fell asleep for about an hour in the middle and didn’t miss anything.

Unraveling the secrets of the past

Claire Douglas weaves an intricate and engaging tale in “Then She Vanishes.” Expertly narrated by Sian Thomas, Katie O'Flynn, Nathalie Buscombe and Olivia Dowd, this story follows Jess, a reporter, as she returns to her hometown to cover a shocking crime committed by her childhood friend. As Jess digs deeper, she uncovers secrets and lies that lead her to question everything she thought she knew about her friends, her hometown and herself. The narrative flips between past and present, slowly revealing the events that led to a disappearance 25 years earlier. Narration is spot-on as the talented foursome bring the characters to vivid life. Douglas' writing is complexellent and suspenseful, making it easy to become fully engrossed. While the book is lengthy, it's an enjoyable listen, with plenty of twists and turns. However, a lesson learned: It’s essential to pay close attention, as subtle clues and subplots are woven throughout. Overall, "Then She Vanishes" is a gripping mystery that I recommend. I have a quite the collection of Douglas’ books and will be on the lookout for more.