What an incredible, gripping book- a real page turner with an unexpected twist for an ending. Thoroughly good read!

Zara is just an average teenager. She goes to school, she lives at home with her mother, Lauren and stepfather, Aidan. But her life changes dramatically when she was a witness to a heinous crime. She testified in court to get justice, something that took a lot of strength for someone so young to do. But, when a twist in the court case proceedings occurs. This is when Zara's life is put in danger. The only option for her and her family is to go into witness protection and disappear from the life they have lived.

There are tough choices to make when entering witness protection, and we see the greatest effect on Aidan. He must make the choice of going with Lauren and Zara or staying with his daughter and terminally ill ex wife. A blended family who must make the ultimate sacrifice.

I can't fault How To Disappear I raced through this book, I've recommended it to everyone and I just want to shout from the hilltops for everyone to goddam read this book. It's definitely a five star read.

I love how we get the story from the perspectives of the four main characters. Lauren, Aidan, Zara and Poppy. We get to see how hard it is for each of them to deal with the new way of life. Zara and Poppy are teenagers and naturally they want acceptance from their peers. So, this leads to a few occasions were I shouted at the book "No, will you stop saying that!!" And, don't get me started then on Lauren and Aidan who should have known better. But, seemed to be worse than the kids in divulging information that should be well hidden.

How To Disappear highlights and gives us an insight into the world of witness protection. Gillian McAllister states that she had to use a lot of artistic license when writing as finding out information into it is undoubtedly hard.

Towards the end of the story I don't think I breathed, it was very thrilling and I was worrying about each character. I felt so involved in their stories and wanted everything to turn out right. But, when they are inadvertently leaking information to their whereabouts it's very much edge of your seat stuff as to what will happen next.

I feel I can't express in words properly how good this book is. The best I can do is say, go get a copy and immerse yourself into the story. You won't be disappointed.

Thanks to Michael Joseph Books for my gifted copy.

I’ve read three books by Gillian McAllister and enjoyed each one so I was delighted when I saw that she has a new book, How To Disappear published today. But, I have mixed feelings about this book, because although it is so tense in parts and is compulsive reading – I really wanted to know what happens next – I did have difficulty in suspending my disbelief for a large part of it. I liked the originality of the story – a murder mystery that is not a police procedural or an amateur detective story, but the story of a family devastated by their experience of being in witness protection. Although I’ve seen TV dramas about witness protection I’ve never read a novel before about it.

I thought it began well, although, it’s written in the present tense, often a stumbling block for me, setting the scene and establishing the characters. Zara is fourteen when she witnesses the murder of a homeless man by two teenagers. A year later she gives evidence as Girl A, to protect her identity, at the trial of two teenage footballers. But it all goes wrong, the boys are freed and after the trial a search is on to discover her identity and make her pay for what she did. As the situation escalates she is forced to go into witness protection.

This is a dark, intense story about what happened next, and going into more detail about what led up to the murder. It’s told from the four main characters’ viewpoints – Zara, Lauren her mother, Aidan her stepfather and his daughter Ruby. It moves along at quite a good pace, although sometimes I thought it was a bit repetitive about long hot baths or lack of a long hot bath, comfort eating cakes, and compulsive shopping.

The main themes of the book are about witness protection, parenting and family relationships. Gillian McAllister explains in her Author’s Note that there are many blanks she was unable to fill in, ‘due to the UK’s protection service not wishing to reveal their secrets’ to her. She hopes it is ‘believable despite basically having … made it up.’ I found it believable up to a point, but it was the characters’ behaviour that I found so far-fetched. However, it certainly made me wonder how I would cope in witness protection, faced with being unable to contact the family I’d left behind in anyway for fear of the consequences. But, most of all, I didn’t enjoy reading it, and for me that is important when I’m reading a novel. It left me drained – and the ending felt so contrived that it really spoiled the whole book for me.

This was not an easy book for me to review, especially as I was expecting to enjoy it as much as her earlier books!

Wow, probably my favourite thriller I've read in years. Okay, you had to suspend belief in places on the convoluted plot and idiocy of witness protection / the main characters, but this was such a fun and fresh read. Very gripping.

The set-up is such that you really feel for the characters (although really do two of the main three female characters defining characteristics need to be that they like to shop? sigh.) A fun and fast thriller.

I really liked the premise of the book and the use of witness protection. I thought this book was incredibly well written and fast paced but then I found myself losing interest in the characters and the storyline as a whole. I managed to guess the ending and was slightly disappointed.

I feel like I'm one of the only people who didnt love this book! However I will be reading more of Gillian McAllister's work as I really liked her writing style.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!!!!! This book is amazing!!

I cannot rate it highly enough, it has me gripped from start to finish and was an emotional rollercoaster!

I love the characters, so flawed , imperfect and real. Zara is so relatable and I love it when she finally found someone she could be herself around.

My heart went out to Aiden as he has to choose between his step family and his daughter. Such a hideous choice.

It’s hard to write much without giving away key details but this is brilliantly written and will have you laughing and crying.

How To Disappear is the best book I’ve read this year by a long shot.
Ok so I love a psychological thriller and also crime books so to find myself in tears at almost 25% through this book was a shock. This is a deeply emotional and dark read that I devoured in a day.
Zara lives in London with her mum, Lauren and her step dad, Aiden who also has a daughter, Poppy who is a carer for her mother so lives with her the majority of the time. Zara witnesses a murder of a homeless person by two young football players and here life freefalls as Zara known as Girl A goes to court to help convict the players but finds herself lying about the murder. Family members of the acquitted try and find out who Girl A is and as a result has to go into witness protection.
Reading Lauren and Zara’s attempt at a new life and having to deal with emotional loss, new place, new names really brought it home how hard this must actually be. I’m not saying anything else about the storyline as it would spoil it for you.
I have read every book by Gillian McAllister and just when I think it can’t get any better out pops this beauty and this really is her best by a long shot. An emotional read as I was dragged right in through the wonderful writing making everything seem believable.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK, Michael Joseph for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this was soooo good - one of the only times I've been glad I've been having trouble sleeping as I read well into the night!

Teenager Zara witnessed a murder - she does the right thing she comes forward as a witness and once the case goes to trial her identity is kept secret and she is known as 'Girl A' Her family have faith in this system, that is until her testimony is ripped apart and it becomes Zara told a lie, a lie that she feels justified the means.

Zara's real identity is discovered and her life is in danger, the only option is for herself and he family to do into witness protection.

The issue with that, is her stepdad , Aiden wants to take his daughter, but she wont leave her mum who is ill so he has no option but to stay behind whilst his wife and step daughter leave, he has no idea where they will be going or what their new names will be.

Aiden can't leave it like that though an hides a burner phone in his wife, Lauren's suitcase. Then he decided to infiltrate the gang who is after Zara so he can get them arrested and get his family back.

This is a real rollercoaster of a book and many times I found myself thinking what a horrific situation this must be for an family to be cut off from everyone they love.

A gripping read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion.

Few times a book has gripped me so much. Couldn’t put i down. Incredible crime thriller with a very interesting narrative structure. Devoured it in two days.

When London teenager Zara witnesses a crime she has to give evidence for in court, she is only known as "Girl A". But now there are people who are determined to find her. Zara and her mum, Lauren must change their identities and start afresh somewhere new. Lauren's husband Aiden had to make the difficult choice to stay behind to support his daughter Poppy who cares for her mother who has MS. But he longs to see his wife and step-daughter.

This is another one of those books that the less you know before you start to read it the better. A story about the witness protection scheme. I liked the three main characters who take us on an emotional roller coaster ride. The pace is steady. The story is told from Lauren, Zara, Aiden and Poppy's perspectives. The plotline has been cleverly crafted. It's a gripping, chilling and thrilling.read. You won't be able to turn the pages quickly enough. i was hooked from the beginning.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books UK - Michael Joseph and the author .Gillian McAllister for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow,wow,wow. This is definitely in my top 10 for this year. This is the second book by Gillian that I have read, the last one being The Evidence Against You which for me was an ok read so I'm really glad that I gave the author another try.
This is about Aiden, Lauren and Zara and what Zara witnesses, goes to court and then the fallout.
It's a bit of an insight to witness protection. I won't say too much without giving away spoilers but to say it's a gripping read that keeps you on the edge if your seat. I found myself shouting out at times No, don't do it.
Absolutely 💯 recommend.
Thank you to the publishers, Gillian and Netgalley for a fantastic read

How To Disappear
Gillian McAllister
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication Date 9 July 2020

4.5 stars out of 5. Highly recommended.

No spoilers.
This is the first book I have read by this author but definitely won’t be the last. Thrilling and thought provoking, it would make a great book club read and tv series/film. It certainly highlights how difficult it is to disappear in a world where so much of our lives are online. This definitely wasn’t a predictable read, the twists and turns kept me turning the pages and I didn’t see the ending coming.

I’d like to thank the author, publisher and netgalley for providing me with this advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I’m in two minds about this book as I just couldn’t accept the premise of the story. Teenager Zara witnesses the murder of a homeless person by two young boys from the local football team. When cross examined in court, behind a screen as she is a minor, Zara admits that she lied and that the homeless person provoked the young boys first so they cannot be charged with murder. The case is thrown out of court and the two boys have lost a year of their lives while on remand. Zara, known in the media as Girl A, is now in danger as a gang form who want revenge. Zara and her mother Lauren are put into witness protection but Zara’s step-father, Aiden, choose not to join them as it would mean leaving his daughter, Poppy, and her mother.

This is where I suspended belief as I found the premise of going into witness protection unbelievable. Not just the reason but also the idea of moving someone away within hours and giving them a whole new identity and back story within a day or so with only one contact person and no counselling/tuition on how to cope just seems completely implausible. I spent so much of the book thinking of how this was all going to come unstuck. Lauren was given fictitious previous employers and references so she could apply for a job but what when the new potential employer Googles them and find no trace? This is just one example of many things that distracted me from the story.

Within days Lauren and Aiden are contacting each other on burner phones which seemed crazy. If your daughter’s life is in mortal danger would you really take such risks so soon? A more elaborate and foolproof way of communicating other than using mobile phones which can be found or traced and store information you would not want to get into the wrong hands might have been more plausible.

I liked the ending but would have liked to hear more about that part. It’s well written and punchy but just a little too far-fetched for me but I can see that others will love it.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Teenage Zara witnessed the murder of a homeless man by two youths. At the trial at the Old Bailey a year later Zara changes the statement she originally gave the police and the two defendants go free. Why did she lie?. Then an online hunt begins to find the identity of a Girl A as she was known. When they find her everything changes. After two threats to Zaras life the police offer Witness Protection and Zara and her Mum go into hiding. What follows describes the trials, tribulations and loneliness of a life uprooted from the ones they love. This a pact thriller which builds to an exciting climax. There is less courtroom drama than Gillian McAllister's previous books I thoroughly enjoyed it and am recommending it to all my reader friends.

Really like the premise of this book and it started well as a fast-paced thriller.
It became a little predictable about half way through and I guessed the ending, but it was still a good read.

When Zara witnesses the murder of a homeless man she knew, her life changed completely. The life of her family changed and what she knew was taken away from her. I'm not giving away any plot lines at all as this book should be devoured and enjoyed!
I am a huge fan of Gillian's books and have all been five star reads from me but this one, without a shadow of a doubt, is my favourite read of 2020 and my favourite out of her books. I was totally speeding through the last third of the book and whether you have read this author's books before or haven't then I highly recommend you read it!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Lauren is an extrovert; bubbly, loud, full of life and is never happier than when she is sharing photos online of her latest bargain from the shops or catching up with her sister to put the world to rights. Daughter Zara is the polar opposite: a bookish type, quiet and happy in her own company. She never felt like she fitted in with anyone really until she helped out at the local homeless charity and started chatting to the regular visitors out on the streets. Her desire for the world to be a fairer place, for the homeless community to be supported more and have a voice pushes her out of her comfort zone and she befriends a young man named Jamie. Then one day she is horrified to see her new friend become the victim of a vicious crime it becomes her mission to ensure she gets justice for him now he can no longer speak up for himself. Until the day of the trial when her house of cards tumbles spectacularly to ruins, putting not only her own life but that of her whole family -and others - at risk.

The decisions Lauren, Zara and their family have to make must be the hardest any family ever have to go through. Author Gillian McAllister handles the whole court case and the ensuing bombshells sensitively and from all points of view. Zara is young and very naïve; she thinks the situation will be solved overnight with the evidence she gave to the police. But the reality of standing in court and putting her version of events to a judge and jury is much harder than she expected. Lauren is there to support her daughter every step of the way yet finds herself questioning whether she and her daughter are strong enough to get through this together. Stepdad Aidan is my favourite character of the whole book. Is he right to make the choices he does? My heart broke for him as he faced the biggest challenge of his life in order to keep his own daughter and his extended family safe yet I wondered at times if he was being far too reckless in his actions. How far would any man go to put things right and have their loved ones safe again?

The research which has gone into this book must have been extremely difficult as the world of witness protection is clearly not something which the authorities are going to make public. How does it work? How much can they protect people? In a world where almost everyone has a digital footprint and with cameras everywhere you go it can't be easy to just disappear from your daily life then arrive elsewhere with a whole new identity that nobody can ever know is not real. We all have roots somewhere and it's not until reading this that I have really thought about how much of ourselves we share with other people on a day to day basis. Where do you come from? What school/college you went to? What are your interests and hobbies? Siblings, grandparents, cousins - all things we talk about with those we mix with all the time and don't give a second thought to.

This is certainly a book which makes you think. It would make a wonderful book club read as there are moral dilemmas and decisions to discuss all the way through. Its content is serious but without being a heavy read. The emotions I went through with each of the characters were surprising. The innocence of a teenage girl just wanting to do the right thing, the heartbreak her parents had to go through, the consequences Zara's actions had even for her step-sister then on the flip side, those involved in the initial crime, their families and the effects the court case had upon them - even the feelings of the official from the witness protection scheme were represented. I found this to be a very balanced and emotional read which had a far bigger impact on me than I expected it to.

This review will appear on my blog www.sandiesbookshelves.blogspot.co.uk 18th July as part of the blog tour

This would make a great book group read - there's lots to discuss. I've enjoyed all of Gillian McAllister's books and this didn't disappoint. When Zara witnesses a crime, she can't imagine how drastically it will affect her life and that it will break her family apart. A target is put on her back by those that want her silenced so she is put into witness protection. So begins a heart breaking and tense narrative as both Zara and her mother Lauren try to accept their new reality. It's a compelling read - I really felt for the characters, particularly Lauren and Aiden - they had to make an incredibly tough decision. With a real threat of danger throughout, the tension builds to the ending I didn't see coming. Fab.

Zara witnesses the death of a homeless man, but when she lies about it in court, the two accused walk free. When the lives of Zara and her family are threatened, they have to go into protective custody, but her stepfather won’t leave his own daughter and mother, so the family is split. Can Zara and her mum stay safe in their new identities, and can those left behind come to terms with their disappearance and stop the threat from becoming real,
A powerful story, built around how far a parent will go to protect and support their children. It made me cry, when Lauren and Zara left Aidan and Bill Gates (the dog) behind to start their new lives; it made me angry, when it seemed like the club could get away with anything (even murder!); and it kept me guessing, who was betraying who? At times in the middle I felt the story getting a little muddled in my head, there were so many code names for people that I got a little confused, and the ending seemed to rush along so fast that I was a little disappointed. But then, the Later chapter tied up all the loose ends which helped a great deal, and finally the Epilogue, which just made everything settle nicely.
Thoroughly enjoyed, would recommend to fans of thrillers.

I’m thrilled to share my review for this page turner of a book by a new author to me, Gillian McAllister. Thank you to Penguin Books – Micheal Joseph for a digital review copy via Net Galley – my thoughts are my own and not influenced by the gift.

Synopsis:

You can run, you can hide, but can you disappear for good?

Lauren’s daughter Zara witnessed a terrible crime. But speaking up comes with a price, and when Zara’s identity is revealed online, it puts a target on her back.

The only choice is to disappear.

From their family, their friends, even from Lauren’s husband.

No goodbyes. Just new names, new home, new lives.

One mistake – a text, an Instagram like – could bring their old lives crashing into the new.

As Lauren will learn, disappearing is easy.

Staying hidden is much harder . . .

My thoughts:

Over the years, I’ve watched many TV shows and films where people disappear into witness protection without really thinking about the implications of how this works. This book made me sit back and think about what the reality would be like.

The story starts with the death of a young homeless man and one witness. As the story develops, we discover that Zara hadn’t been totally honest about what she witnessed and now a gang are out to silence her for ruining the life of a young and talented footballer.

The story looks at Zara’s relationship with her mum, her step dad and step sister, and how all four of them will deal with the life changes and dangers they face.

This is a no spoiler review so I will say no more about the story except to say it is excellent. This was a book I didn’t want to put down (always the sign of a good thriller) and wanted to discuss with my family. This is well written, full of tension and intrigue, where no one actually appears to know the full truth. One of my favourite thrillers of 2020 (a 5 star read) and I will be busy recommending this book (and looking to read Gillian’s previous books).