This is my first book by T.J. Brearton. Though the theme is one I'm very familiar with, it did manage to pique my interest from the getgo. After all, a new cast of characters, different situations, some questionable "friends," and . . . well, you get it. I couldn't wait to see how it would turn out.

The story did manage to keep me vacillating from this person to that person as I flew through the pages. At times it became slightly predictable, but not enough that I could guess the ending. However, as readers know, the end can pretty much make or break a book. Sadly, the end just didn't do it for me. Yes, there was a bit of a twist, but not enough to completely win me over.

What Concerned Me: 
In the past year, I've read several books regarding "disappearing acts" by spouses.

What I liked Best: 
Brearton managed to catch my attention and take me on a wild ride through much of the book.

I would rate it 3.5 stars. But I always round up considering all the time and hard work an author puts into giving birth to his written creation.

Lots of drama and a good thriller. Definite times in suspenseful. Has a common theme but the story comes to life

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

How much do we really know about our Spouse's past ?

When Jane returns from work to find her husband missing so begins a nightmare she wishes would soon end

It's a pretty awful scenario, having someone simply disappear with no warning, other than some mysterious flags only realized in retrospect. I really did feel for Jane, she has a lot on her plate, from her personal history, to attempting to handle her husband's disappearance and all the suspicion that comes with it.

Not so sure I have as much sympathy for some of the other characters, as realistic as they may be.

Twists and turns and an ending I could live with- pretty fast read.

This was my first book by TJ Brearton, it is a standalone story. It is set in Upstate New York and centres on a family, which is seemingly mundane.The story is told from the wife and mothers view, Jane, who is a nurse pratitioner and tells the story of her husband, an ex alcholic writer with their 2 kids. Everything is going like normal, until one day a stranger calls to their house, a stranger to Jane, but an old friend of John. From there the madness begins.

I enjoyed the book even though it slowed a little in the middle, it is worth perservering as it picks back up. The twists were there as well, plenty of them. I would definitely recommend this book for a good read!

Interesting backstory really helps this story come to life - the theme is common, wife suspected of killing her husband after he suddenly vanishes - with great characters that hold your attention until the last page. Several twists, some unexpected, make for an interesting read!

TJ Brearton writes a domestic psychological thriller revolving around what is an apparently ordinary family and the effects of a missing husband on his wife and family, Jane Gable is a nurse returning home after her work shift, only to find her two children have been left alone, and John, her ever reliable other half, a totally responsible man not there. He is a successful published author, a house husband with set routines, and his phone and wallet have been left behind, A friend, Bruce Barnes had visited the previous day, although John was clearly unhappy that he had turned up. Russ, her son, talks of a strange blonde woman. Matters are exacerbated when John's SUV is found, with blood on the steering wheel. Finding herself a suspect, Jane begins to investigate as the world as she knows it begins to slip away from her. There a host of suspects and John, it becomes clear is a man with secrets. This was an okay read, but quite possibly I have had my fill of domestic psychological thrillers as it failed to hold my interest on any deep level.

This was a slow burn thriller where a nurse wife Jane returned home post her duty and found her writer husband John had disappeared at night leaving the sleeping children alone. Then came the cops, and the investigation started.

My first book by author T. J. Brearton saw my interest peaking at points when the different clues and red herrings came to light at strategic points. John’s abandoned car with the blood streaks, old high school friend suddenly popping up for dinner, a blonde found meeting the husband at night, a mysterious mail found in spam, a depleted bank account, a murdered drug dealer, and a bounty hunter, all brought out the sparks of excitement.

Overall a fun read.

Jane and John live in a nice home with their two children. As a nurse practitioner, Jane works at a home for the elderly. John is a writer and has had success at publishing a book series.

Bruce and Rainey Barnes move into town. The first thing Bruce does is visit John, an "old buddy" from elementary school. John is not too keen on Bruce; however, Jane invites Bruce and Rainey, Bruce's wife, for dinner.- they have a rather uncomfortable meal and later John tells Jane that he wouldn't mind if they never saw Bruce, again.

Freeze frame; John is missing one night when Jane returns home from work. Her son and daughter last saw him at 8:30PM and Jane had arrived home just after midnight. A "friend", Karen, gives Jane support at this time, yet the reader is wary of her. Also, we cannot forget that Bruce just came to town... John's car is retrieved and there is blood in it...

Things come to a head when Jane finds herself going from a Person of Interest to a possible suspect.

A very interesting and insightful mystery. Enjoyable if the reader likes to keep changing their mind as to who is guilty - or did John just run away from his family?

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this sweet little gem!

A lovely thriller to get your teeth stuck in.

I was excited to read this after the blurb and I enjoyed it a lot. The story was compelling and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of When He Vanished from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I don't think I have ever read anything quite like this. This novel gripped me from early on...with an uneasy feeling that just would not let go! With a slightly unreliable main character, it was hard to determine whether Jane was responsible in some way but may have been somehow confused on her involvement. (I have to admit, I enjoyed that Jane was not 100% sure of herself.) Because there were so many other possible suspects, I rarely found myself on the right track. John's previously quiet life (fiction writer, home-body, stay at home dad--who is also a recovered alcoholic) and numerous, but slow to develop possible reasons for his sudden disappearance helped to create a very real feeling of empathic fear and dread for Jane. This novel moved so quickly that I didn't even accidentally attempt any predictions. I am also certain that any I could have made (about John's purpose for or method of leaving, what his end result was, etc... )would have been completely wrong--which I LOVED!

Thank you to NetGalley and T.J. Brearton for the ARC!

So like most psychological thrillers, I feel like the less I say the better because I don’t want to spoil it for you, which makes reviewing it that bit harder but I’ll try my best!

Jane comes home from her night shift to find her writer husband John has disappeared leaving their two children alone in their house. John is usually so responsible and level-headed but he seemed to have changed after the arrival of his old friend Bruce Barnes.

After his car is found abandoned, Jane feels that she’s a suspect and goes about investigating herself, finding that her husband has secrets that will put their family at risk. Will she find out the truth before it’s too late.
This is a stand-alone psychological thriller by TJ Brearton that I think would really appeal to those of you who love a good bit of domestic noir.

I felt for Jane so much, she’s got a troubled past which really comes back to haunt her through the course of book. Her desperation and paranoid really comes off the page, so much so, I found myself looking over my shoulder occasionally as I was reading it.

Truthfully it wasn’t the most shocking or twisty book I’ve read this year but it’s a good solid thriller with plenty of drama.

When he vanished is drama packed mystery with realistic characters that was both unsettling and intriguing.

Although the plot seems predictable, yet I was invested in the characters and they held my attention till the end.
The story is about a seemingly normal family until the husband mysteriously vanished without a trace.

There is a number of twists and turn as well as mysterious strangers who may or may not be linked to the husband's disappearance. Who are those and what secrets lies behind the facade of a so-called perfect family?

I voluntarily reviewed the title through Netgalley, thanks also to the publisher and the author.

Jane Gable returns home from her shift at the hospital to find her children are both sleeping ... but her husband, John, is missing. He has left no note, no text message, hasn't talked to their kids about leaving for an errand, perhaps ... nothing.

Has it something to do with a man calling himself Bruce Barnes ... an old friend of John's who showed up on their doorstep the day before he disappeared?

Their young son told Jane that dad had been talking outside to a blond woman while she was at work. Who is she? Could John be having an affair?

And who is driving the SUV that seems to follow her everywhere?

Then John’s abandoned car is found with blood on the steering wheel and Jane fears the worst. And there is a revelation that will make her question her own sanity.

This is a super-duper thriller with twists and turns that boggle the mind. The author's depiction of these characters brings them to life on the pages. The story is riveting from the very first page to the very end.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Books n All Book Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I usually very much enjoy Brearton's crime fiction but this was not quite up to the same standards as its predecessors. Sadly, I found it rather monotonous and had to push myself to complete it despite wanting to put it down to pick up something better. There are ample twists and turns, however, many of them I, and many other seasoned thriller readers will predict long before they happen; you could pretty much see where the plot was going.

On the other hand, it's well written as always with Brearton although that isn't enough to award it any more than two stars I'm afraid. It really could've done with better editing and deeper attention to detail regarding character development. Overall, this is far from the author's best work, however, I would pick up another of his novels in the future which will hopefully have better page-turner potential. Many thanks to Joffe Books for an ARC.

I really struggled with this book. The plot has been done so many times. In places this read was confusing. Unfortunately it did not hold my attention. Not for me.
I would like to thank the author, Joffre Books and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Unfortunately, this well written story has a weak plot, and there isn't much suspense besides the mystery.

This is a gripping read! The premise is that Jane returns from work one evening to find her husband John has disappeared, leaving their two children alone. This then sets off a rollercoaster ride as the evidence mounts. Has her husband run off with another woman, gone back to drinking, or turned to drug dealing to finance his failing career? The discovery of his car, complete with bloodstains, raises the stakes as Jane begins to accept the worst may have happened. Entwined around the tale is the sudden re-appearance of an old school friend, who John did not seem keen to see in their home and had never previously mentioned. Do we ever know the people we share our lives with?

We are unsure who is the culprit and who is the victim as the book races to the final climax. Pacy, entertaining, a good plot and realistic characters, I really enjoyed the tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books For an advance copy of When He Vanished, a stand alone thriller set in upstate New York.

Jane Gable returns from work to find her children sleeping and her husband, John, missing. When his car is found abandoned with blood on the steering wheel Jane comes under suspicion and desperately tries to make sense of some odd incidents, an SUV following them, the sudden appearance of John’s childhood friend, Bruce Barnes and John’s aversion to him a mysterious blond her son says he saw at their house.

I thoroughly enjoyed When He Vanished which is, perhaps, not as tense as some of Mr Brearton’s other works but still has a good plot with plenty of twists and turns. It is told in the first person by Jane Gable so the emphasis is on her experience. It is not pretty when the little evidence there is puts her under suspicion and all her family secrets are gradually revealed. I found it very realistic the way little, seemingly unrelated details can be twisted to any narrative the interpreter chooses as is seen when Jane hears about the town gossip. The solution, when it comes, is ingenious.

There is a crime in this novel and perhaps not the one the reader expects but the emphasis is squarely on how Jane reacts to John’s disappearance. It is an addictive study of disaster in a mundane household. They are in a rut and Jane is at a loss to explain John’s actions. She comes up with various scenarios, a drunken binge, another woman etc. but the more she investigates the more she realises something is wrong. It is her strength of character and drive that push the novel forward.

When He Vanished is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.