This book is so so good. For some reason, this is the first Claire Douglas book I've read however, I've now added all the rest of her books to my TBR. Then She Vanishes is a truly gripping read, with plenty of twists and turns and a clever plot. Told from different POV, it's jumps between the past and present. I really enjoyed this book and was hooked from start to finish.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

And Then She Vanishes is a ,well written, intriguing thriller that had me hooked in from the very first page. There is a chilling prologue which sets the tone for the fascinating story and the characterization and the prose are excellent. Highly recommended.

It's not often I agree with book blurb - but this was spot on!
THE ONLY THING MORE SHOCKING THAN THE FIRST CHAPTER . . . IS THE LAST. . .

The book begins with a quite shocking scene that involves Heather. We then meet Jess who is a reporter and was once Heather's friend when they were young. Of course the editor that Jess now works for immediately sees an in for an exclusive story.

So Jess goes back to her childhood haunts and meets Heather's mother again, who isn't too pleased to see her as Jess left their lives suddenly and cruelly. She also finds that Heather is now married with a child, so how or why would she have committed the crime she is accused of?

This book is a little like the layers of an onion. As you go deeper into it more things keep being revealed, deeper secrets, things that have been left unsaid for years. But, how is it all going to fit together? At one point I thought I had the answer but I was wrong, then came the twist and then a final twist which left me open mouthed.

There are some great supporting characters in the book too - Troy Heather's boyfriend, Jack the photographer who works at the paper, these both contribute to back stories running alongside the main story line. I liked the down to earth feel of the characters - who all felt like people you could meet in real life

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for an ARC to review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Claire Douglas and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for letting me read this un put downable read.

Wow this book is so good, I have read another book by Claire before and I thoroughly ejoyed it, so I thought i would snap up the chance to read this one and I am so glad that I did.

This is an un put downable book from the start, emotional at times but very enjoyable and has a few twists and turns thrown in just when you think that you have worked out who dunnit.

I don't want to spoil it for anyone who wants to read this but I can't recommed it enough.

Well done Claire on giving the readers another fantastic read. I just love how you manage to keep us hooked right the way through and take us in different directions just when we think we have figured it out.

**4.5 stars**
Claire Douglas is definitely on my must read authors list and this was another great twisty book.
For a time in her teenage years, Jess was embraced into her friend Heather’s family. But things feel apart when Heather’s older sister disappeared after a day out. Now Jess is a reporter and is covering a shocking shooting, of which Heather is a suspect.
It take me a little to get into this book but there was always something beneath the surface to keep my interest up. I did like Jess as a character and felt for her as she fought her desire for a story balanced with sympathy for her old friend’s mother.
There are past and present chapters and had no trouble following the time frames. I must admit this book had me guessing the whole time, right to the very end.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

Another riveting story from the pen of Claire Douglas. A real psychological thriller full of twists and turns and unguessable plots. Every time I tried to put it down I just picked it straight back up again. The need to know how the plot would unfold and come to it’s amazing conclusion, was just too strong to ignore. The ending was not what I was expecting. It was infinitely better. Definitely a must read.

This was a fantastic book, I have been unable to put it down. The story was intriguing and for once I couldn't figure out what was happening.
Jess and Heather were best friends when they were younger, untill Heather's older sister Flora disappears.
18 years later Jess is a reporter and is shocked when she is asked to report on a double killing carried out by Heather.
There are so many twists and unexpected secrets in this book, it will have you hooked from the beginning.

Jess is a journalist exiled to a provincial twice weekly paper after being mired in the phone tapping at a London daily. She realises that the suspect in a local shooting is her teenage best friend form years ago. She starts to look into it, knowing she has an intro into the family but not knowing how far she can go - but she needs a scoop to redeem her career. So who did what to whom? You'll turn the pages and find out.

Jessica Fox is newspaper journalist who’s returned to her hometown after a phone hacking scandal in London. Her editor has tasked her with reporting on a double murder which her childhood friend, Heather, has been accused of. Jess and Heather haven’t been in touch with each other for 18 years - they went their separate ways when Heather’s older sister Flora went missing. Can Jess remain objective when reporting on the case as she can’t believe the Heather she knew years ago could ever carry out such a crime especially now she’s a wife and mother.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. A well paced story with plenty of twists and turns.

Thanks to Netgalley, Penguin Random House and Claire Douglas for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley to review, below is the blurb.

"Everything changed the night Flora disappeared.
Heather and Jess were best friends - until the night Heather's sister vanished.
Jess has never forgiven herself for the lie she told that night. Nor has Heather.
But now Heather is accused of an awful crime.
And Jess is forced to return to the sleepy seaside town where they grew up, to ask the question she's avoided for so long:
What really happened the night Flora disappeared?"

Absolutely loved this book, it writes from different people's points of view and switches between the present and to the past when Flora disappeared and the events leading up to her disappearance. The final chapter was not really a big reveal as I sort of guessed the outcome, however, this did not spoil the read along the way. I enjoyed how Jess struggled between wanting to write an exclusive story on the murders and wanting to rekindle ties with Heather and her mum Margot. Great read and would suggest a good holiday read while relaxing by the pool.

Great book, fast paced and I really wanted to know the outcome hence I had trouble putting it down! I guessed what I thought was the outcome about 3/4 of the way through and was feeling smug with myself but the final chapter threw that all out the window!
On a side note, coming from Bristol, I don't understand why the author chose to create a fictional town and fictional newspapers when everything else about Bristol was correct! That did spoil it for me slightly but that's just a personal niggle. This would make a great beach or wet weekend read.

A highly readable story from Claire Douglas. I was drawn in from the beginning. Carefully drawn characters that feel realistic but many with hidden secrets . Jess, a local reporter, goes to cover the story associated with her long lost friend Heather who is in hospital accused of murder and assumed to have tried to take her own life. The two friends became estranged after the disappearance of Heathers Sister many years previous. The two friends become reconciled after Truths emerge but in the end who has told the truth?

This is the fourth book by Claire Douglas I read and she is getting better and better. This was a good psychological thriller that delivered a few punches and surprises. As in other books by Dougles it is the past that comes back to haunt people.
Initially, there are three girls: Heather who is 14, her friend Jess and her sister Flora, two years older. We know that something happened, Flora went missing and Jess and Heather were no longer friends but we don't know what really happened until nearly the end of the book.
Now we have two grown-up women: Heather who has just allegedly shot dead two people and then shot herself and Jess who is a reporter. Once the shooting happens, Jess who is now back in the area after living in London for years reports the event and gets in touch with Heather's mother, Margot. Margot and Jess want to believe that Heather is innocent and it does not look like she had a motive.
I can't write more without revealing the twisted plot, but I can say that it is a good psychological thriller. Obviously, for people who read lots of psychological thrillers, not plot is that surprising, you get used to think of every possible outcome and often you get it right. But what makes the book in this case are the characters, they are all far from perfect but sounds quite real and I ended up caring what happened to them. I have read psychological thrillers that did not make me to care for any of the characters and when that happens, it is not that enjoyable.

A fantastic story, an absolute rollercoaster! I was gripped, at the edge of my seat...I could hardly put it down! Full of unexpected twists and turns, Ms Douglas kept me hooked all the way through. I loved it.

For me Claire Douglas is fast becoming one of those authors who can do no wrong. I loved Last Seen Alive, Local Girl Missing and Do Not Disturb so for me choosing to read Then She Vanishes was easy.

Jess is a disgraced former Daily newspaper journalist being given a second chance by a small Bi-Weekly newspaper. When news of a double murder in her hometown comes in Jess knows this could be her chance at redemption.

The victims were Clive Wilson aged 58 and his mother Deidre ages 76. The suspected shooter turns out to be a 32-year-old woman named Heather, Jess’ childhood best friend. Heather is in hospital in a coma after shooting herself.

Jess begins to question where her priorities lie should she use her history with the family to further her career or should her loyalties lie with Heather and her mother Margot who Jess once saw as her ideal of what a mother should be.

Then She Vanishes has the best beginning to a book I have read in a long time.

“I feel calm as I watch the sun rise behind the row of icecream-coloured houses. Not as I imagined a person would feel who is about to commit murder now, in this moment, I’m overcome, with a kind of peace. As though everything that has happened in my life has led to this point. “

There was so much detail in this book that made it easy for the reader to imagine themselves there along with the central characters.

Then She Vanishes was an amazing book with a lot of brilliant twists, a prime example of the best of the genre. It wasn't that I couldn't put it down it was that I didn't want to.

Thanks to Penguin and Louise Douglas for the advanced copy of this book to review. An exciting pageturner that sees Jess a journalist cover a story in her home town. Heather, her childhood friend has been accused of murder. An exciting book with plenty to keep you guessing. The last chapter will have you on the edge of your seat.

Slightly slow to start and I didn’t quite know where it would go.....but an excellent read that really picked up pace and gripped me! Thank you

First encounter with Claire Douglas a brilliant read, fabulous story line. Lots of twists and turns, keeps the reader guessing right to the very end. Didn’t have a clue and a totally surprising end. Well recommended

I must tell you the line ‘ my insides fizzed like a refresher on my tongue when I saw him’ probably wins description of the year 😃😎😃 a brilliant line!

This book was described by an author as a ‘page turning slow burn’, I would concur with this

The book revolves around sisters Flora and Heather and best friend Jess, one now missing presumed dead, one in hospital unconscious accused of a double murder and one a journalist
The book starts with a ‘on the edge of your seat’ chapter and then carefully and steadily introduces you to all 3 and their past’s and how they have become as they are now
There are many secrets along the way that have to be unpicked and t’s crossed and i’s dotted and all are done with the reader in mind so you are brought along with the story and what could be pretty confusing isent!
As the story nears it end the pieces fall into place and you realise what really has gone on and what a great and multi layered tale it is
The ending is 2 pronged, it all makes perfect sense and then its turned on its head and shaken around and you finally realise the truth!!
A sterling cast, loved Jess the journo and also Margot the 2 girls Mum and Jack who was Jess’s colleague at the newspaper
Good descriptions of Bristol and Somerset brought back memories and a different take on domestic abuse was a clever by line to the story
Thoroughly enjoyable
10/10 5 Stars

THEN SHE VANISHES – CLAIRE DOUGLAS 

 

Happy publication day to Claire Douglas for her brilliant new thriller ‘Then She Vanishes’ and many thanks to my friends over at Penguin Random House UK for the gifted ARC.

 

The only thing more shocking then the first chapter, is the last. Never have I read words more accurate to describe a book then this statement. That last chapter threw me. It disrupted my calm, my peace and just when you think you see a light at the end of the tunnel you are dragged back into darkness and have no closure.

 

Psychological thrillers are a common genre that dominates my reading repertoire and having read a few fantastic reviews my expectations for this book were high. Unnecessary pressure? Yes, but the book didn’t disappoint, and I can see why it is becoming a favourite with many thriller fans.

 

The writing is beautiful and deftly layered with emotions. Each character gives their own account of feelings and versions of events, which I thought was a brilliant way of to put together the puzzle that was forming in my mind. Fusing past with present we are introduced to the characters on a much deeper level.

 

I did find however, that the author was trying to cram a lot of topics within the pages. I know some were used as reasons for past actions but at some point, in the book they were made to seem as integral parts. Phone hacking, abusive partners, paedophilia…. there was just a lot mentioned in passing but never really explored.

 

Perfect holiday read that you can finish in one sitting if you have the time. 

 

Zubs