My absolute favourite author but as this wasn’t in the same vein as previous books l was a little apprehensive but should not have doubted the story telling skill hooked straight into the family picturing each character and started to live their lives. Great insight into witness protection- how scary to be put in that position and how strong you would have to be - many unforeseen twists and turns I did anticipate the ending but that didn’t dilute my enjoyment of this book - sad it’s finished but will recommend it to anyone who will listen - pure gold thank you Gillian McAllister 🤗

Yes, yes, yes what a book I was just glued to it it’s an absolutely stunning read !! This is by far the best Gillian McAllister book I have read so far it was a thrill a minute story, full of suspense and a very different plot line that just took over my life until I had finished it and what a brilliant ending also I honestly can’t fault the book I loved it.
So How to Disappear is the title and that is exactly what it all about just how easy is it leaving friends,family and all you care about and start a new life but constantly looking over your shoulder wondering if you have been found. This is what happens to Zara/ girl A when she becomes a discredited witness at a murder trial and her and her mother Lauren have to start a new life as Zara is in serious danger from some very nasty people. It’s a real complex story that’s so much more as just how do you choose between leaving all you love and keeping your daughter safe this is the heartbreaking choice Lauren has to make but can she do it, well you will just read this wonderful book to find out so please don’t miss it.
So no hesitation in giving this 5 massive stars and can absolutely recommend it it’s amazing, many many thanks to Gillian McAllister you have a winner here.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

‘How to Disappear’ focuses on people who have to go into witness protection and how this affects them and their family when they do. As Gillian McAllister admits in her Author’s note, it’s not easy to research witness protection and so much of the detail come from her imagination. However, for the most part, the various scenarios feel really authentic and the narrative is structured in such a way that it’s very hard to put down!
Teenager Zara witnesses the murder of Jamie, a homeless man whom she knows. In court she is denounced as an unreliable witness and the accused and his supporters begin a vendetta against her. When the police suggest the witness protection scheme as the only way to guarantee Zara’s safety, it’s clear that the situation is even more complex than at first appears. Step-father Aidan cannot abandon his daughter Poppy, who is a carer for her invalid mother, and yet he cannot comprehend life without his wife, Lauren, and Zara. What to do?
When Lauren and Zara leave – for ever – Aidan and Poppy are devastated. It’s an impossible situation. McAllister clearly understands how conflicted people would be in such a situation and, whilst bearing in mind that those under pressure often make terrible decisions, she tells their versions of the story sensitively through their different narrative voices. The author’s use of emotion, dialogue and domestic detail allows us to see each of them as three-dimensional people, flawed yet with a real sense of what they have all lost.
McAllister has chosen a gripping and little-explored subject for her latest novel and the reader is likely to become invested in the main characters’ outcomes. Whilst I found the conclusion both far-fetched and a little too neat, I appreciate that most readers will be delighted by it! Overall, a fascinating read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

How To Disappear is another rip roaring tale from the pen of Gillian McAlister, an edge of the seat yet deeply emotional thriller that I read in one sitting.

I've always loved this authors blend of legal and psychological drama - the characters are always full of depth and highly relatable and the storytelling razor sharp with a huge quality of writing.

This was no different as a family unit falls apart when two of their number have to go into hiding after witnessing a murder. From there on in this is pacy and addictively flowing and I simply couldn't put it down until I was done.

Brilliant. Highly recommended.

Wow. Still reeling from one of the fastest, gripping endings I have read in years! Absolutely loved it. I am a huge fan of this author and knew I was in for a treat. This was a slightly different novel to her usual legal thrillers, but a hugely fascinating one and really made me think about the witness protection system and what people leave behind and how they adapt to their new lives.
Wonderful!

How to Disappear is a superbly tense and fast paced thriller that packs a punch. It's dark, twisty and book you cannot help but read in one or two sittings.

As usual with Gillian McAllister’s writing I found myself pondering what I would do if I found myself in her characters’ situation. How easy would it be, like Lauren and Zara, to walk away from your family and friends and cease all contact with them? Or if you were left behind, like Aidan and Poppy, could you resist the temptation to search for those who left? Twenty years ago this was probably not such a dilemma but we are so connected in this digital age that it is a huge ask. I think what struck me here was just how realistic and flawed the characters are. Even as I was shouting at the kindle for them to do the ‘right’ thing I knew they were doing what the majority of folk would do. I read most of this with an anxious twisty feeling in my stomach and there was a tear filled moment. Fans of Gillian’s earlier books will not be disappointed and I would think this one will earn her a lot of new fans. Highly recommended for anyone who reads.

I was very much into this for most of the way through although I found the ending incredibly rushed and actually quite unrealistic. The whole premise about witness protection is very interesting and I appreciated the many moving parts and characters and plots that kept me reading avidly. As I said I just wish the ending hadn’t happened all at once and in a way that made me roll my eyes violently ;)

Anxious, bookish Zara has become Girl A, and her life as she knew it is now over.
How to disappear has a slightly different feel to previous Gillian McAllister books. A thriller with plenty of characters mulling over their options but the players- teenage Zara and her daft, fun-loving mum and their family issues are a changed backdrop for this writer. The subject matter (no spoilers) by its nature, as revealed in the afterword is not the easiest to research, so any comments on the credibility of some issues are fatuous. Nevertheless, there are times when Aidan is weirdly reckless and Jon oddly unsupportive.
But I completely loved this page turner. Just the ticket for burying your head in the sand. Read it and enjoy it.
With thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph

Always an avid reader, I had lost my reading mojo lately, and surprise surprise there it was, right in the pages of Gillian McAlister's latest work.

Of Gillian's novels, this one stands head and shoulders above the rest for me, it will stay with me for a long time. A fast paced thriller with a fascinating story line that gave us a glimpse into the rarely seen world of personal protection. Perhaps that alone was enough to create a story, but this book goes one further by carefully weaving in additional characters who strengthen the narrative and add another perspective.

For me the main characters were likeable and suitably flawed to make them come alive on the pages. The feelings of teenage angst and parental protection, all too real.

I always enjoy the way this author sets the scene and creates the atmosphere without needing pages of rambling description, and this book was no exception. A true page turner and an excellent read.

Thank you Netgally for the opportunity to read this book and review it before it's general release.

I'm a huge fan of Gillian McAllister so I was delighted to receive an ARC of her latest book. I think this is possibly her best yet. A very original plot with believable characters which had me gripped throughout. Some of the scenes featuring Aidan were truly heart pounding. I loved it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters, Zara and Lauren in particular, are complex, nuanced and thoroughly believable. The premise itself is absolutely fantastic - what happens when you witness a crime and have to disappear, but end up having to leave part of your family behind. I could completely relate to the dilemma that all the characters found themselves in, and McAllister manages to pull your emotions so cleverly in all different directions. There were some genuine gasp out loud moments throughout the book and I genuinely had to keep reading to find out what happened.

Wow.. just wow! Only two books in my whole life have made me cry - Gillian McAllister's previous novel The Evidence Against You and now this one.

From the very beginning, my heart was fully with these characters. Every decision they had to make had me feeling emotional and wondering what on earth I would do in the same position. I absolutely loved the characters. The main four were all lovely people but realistically flawed, and I hated the villains with a passion!

The story was paced perfectly - I loved that we really got to know the characters rather than just having action scene after action scene. The story would not have worked if the reader hadn't been so engaged with the characters.

The ending.. what can I say about the ending?! At 96% I was crying heartbroken tears, and at 99% those tears turned into ones of joy. A real emotional rollercoaster and one I will never forget.

This is far and away the best book I have read this year and I will be recommending it to anyone and everyone.

Firstly, my thanks to Netgalley for my copy of How to Disappear, possibly the best psychological thriller I have ever read.

It has everything you could possibly want; well rounded characters that you get so well acquainted with you feel you actually know them. A compelling plot; twists and turns; true love; deep fear...

It was actually emotionally draining as the story panned out, not only due to the plot but also the theoretical questions it posed, what would I do? Who could I live without? Would I be brave enough? Because, basically, the situation Lauren, Aiden and Zara found themselves in could happen to anyone of us and through no fault of your own you could be forced to turn your back on your life, reject everyone and everything you know and hold dear.
And truth be told we might actually have met someone in a similar situation and never realised.

Totally recommend reading How to Disappear, you will not be disappointed.

Zara is a teenager who is a little different to the usual Instagramming, TikTokers that we would think of. She like to read (so obviously we like her!), isnt into make up and beauty and spends her time helping with the support for the local homeless community. She should be inspiring others. Instead on her way home one night she saw two local football players attacking a homeless man. A man who was her friend and trying to get his life back together. She was too late to save him and now has become 'Girl A' who will testify anonymously. 

Lauren is quite laid back as a mum, and along with her stepdad Aiden they make a well rounded family. Only it all goes horribly wrong and Zara and Lauren have to assume new identities whilst Aiden plays night in shining armour in various ways. 

I must admit there were so many things I suspected that would happen that didn't. There was one or two things that I thought I had worked out - I was right but only because it clicked at the last minute. Which is exactly how I like a book to be - When it spoils itself I get so annoyed!

Lauren and Zara have to move, and become new people. I cant imagine what it must be like to cut ties with everyone and everything you've every known. To start again and not even be able to talk about the past. This is a new start for Zara though - she doesnt have to be the same girl she was before, she can be different. More likeable and have more friends even if she has to lie about her old life. 

Towards the end there is a curveball that I didnt expect. At the time you accept the story, and feel that thats how life it. When you finish the last chapter if you re like me you can almost feel how good it is for people to get their come-uppance and justice to find a way to prevail. I guess thats called karma. 

I feel like I learnt so much in this book too. About love, family and also dogs. I like to think my dogs would miss me. And often think no matter what I would probably pay it ( even when they re nudging me to go for a walk when Im reading!) but I couldnt imagine what people do as guide dog foster families, or what you pay of you choose to keep the dog. I havent checked to see how true to life that part of the story is but I suspect its pretty realistic. Also - I couldnt help but picture the dog as Gillians dog that is often the feature in her instagrams posts.

This is a heart pounding thriller of the best kind! It pulls you in and doesn’t let up until the end. I agree with a previous reviewer, the epilogue was a tad unbelievable. A great Read overall though!

How to Disappear is horrifying! (In a good way)

My emotions were all over the place reading this, I love a story that makes me forgot it’s fiction. I was really worried for Lauren and Zara.

Zara is the best character of the story; she’s kind, quiet and bookish. Unsure of herself but remarkably strong!

I’m removing a star for the last chapter. It ruined the book and brought me back to earth. Unbelievable and silly. The epilogue needs to go! Otherwise it was perfect.

Phew, let me catch my breath! Gillian McAllister is one of my favourite authors but I think even by her high standards she’s excelled herself with this one! What a rollercoaster, breathtaking, phenomenal read. I don’t want to say too much about the plot but the story starts when Zara witnesses a fight in which a homeless man dies. Two young men, about to sign up for the full squad of Premier League Holloway FC are charged with murder. It goes to court but the case falls apart as Zara gives evidence as Girl A. After this, some people are baying for revengeful blood on social media, Zara is identified and she and her mother Lauren go into witness protection, leaving stepfather Aidan behind as he cannot leave his daughter Poppy from his first marriage. The story is told in alternating perspectives by Lauren, Zara, Aidan and Poppy.

This story is action packed from start to finish. There’s danger at every turn for the whole family, there’s bravery as their life implodes and changes irrevocably and I like the way the author explores the personal ramifications for the main characters. One very strong theme is love, especially love for your child and the sacrifice you are prepared to make is a core theme and there is also tremendous resolve, strength and determination to see something through no matter the personal cost. The characters are excellent, Zara has an amazing moral code, she’s bookish, anxious, a bit of a loner but has internal steel. Lauren is sunny, optimistic, full of fun but these events test her to her limits, her resolve wavers and at times she struggles. Aidan is a stress head, he faces a rotten dilemma but he is stoic and he too finds his inner brave and goes above and beyond for his family. The effect on Poppy is interesting as she is close to Zara and Lauren and she is pivotal to a lot of what unfolds. At times the story is emotional and reflective, at others there’s threat and danger, there are shocks as we learn more about what lies behind the original crime and then the story zips in a direction you don’t expect which can be surprising, very chilling and scary. You feel the characters anger, fear and emotional turmoil. As for the ending - don’t you just love it when you don’t see that one coming???

Overall, a fantastic book with a perfectly paced plot, with believable dialogue, characters you can like and invest in and some jaw dropping moments. What more can you ask for??!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the ARC.

OMG – my heart is still pounding, my sphincter is still clenching and my breath is still ragged and I can’t express how much I loved this book, but as I am a blogger and you are here to read my reviews I will try….

This is Gillian’s latest standalone books and like her previous books How to Disappear has a clever and unique legal theme with a major moral dilemma. In How To Disappear the author creates the most unimaginative situation that you can’t help but imagine.. does that even make sense? (It sounded better in my head) and I was taken on a seriously scary journey putting myself in the characters shoes and trying to work out if I would do the same.

Mum Lauren is incredibly happy, blissfully married to Aidan, raising her teenage daughter Zara and co-parenting Aidan’s teenage daughter Poppy in their Islington home. Their blended family works perfectly and harmoniously until the day Zara witnesses a horrific and violent crime. When the case goes to trial everything falls apart and Zara’s life is in danger. The only option left is to go into Witness Protection.

Here lies the moral dilemma. Aidan loves his wife and step-daughter, but he also loves his daughter Poppy who lives with her mum and can’t leave them behind, so he makes the almost unimaginable decision to let Lauren and Zara go – shattering his world and heart into a tiny thousand pieces, leaving him a broken man.

Lauren doesn’t want to leave Aidan – he is her soulmate, her better half, her best friend, but her daughter Zara is in mortal danger and so she reluctantly leaves her family, friends, job, home and entire life to ensure Zara is safe.

Honestly, I can’t stop thinking about this book. The characters were so believable and the situation they were thrust into was so awful that I defy any reader not to feel some sort of emotion or reaction.

I am not going to go on and on.. although I probably could but I will say that this is definitely going into my Top Ten of 2020 and that I 100% recommend it to everyone and don’t get me started on THAT ending!!!

This is a stunning thriller which kept me reading for hours. Relationships are at the heart of this and Aiden. Lauren, Zara and Poppy are all well depicted and believable characters. I found Lauren to be very annoying; impulsive and immature, unlike her daughter, who shows real strength, even though she is not a particularly confident person. The situation that they find themselves in is unique and horrendous and affects them all in different ways. But the author is not telling us everything and there are some twists along the way. The plot is not totally believable but who cares - it is a great read!