I’d like to thank Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Vanished’ written by Lynda La Plante in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Elderly Avril Jenkins has reported on numerous occasions that her ex-lodger Adam Border is trying to drive her insane and steal her possessions. The reports are passed to DS Jack Warr who’s asked to visit and have a word with her and although Jack believes Avril there’s little he can do as Adam Border appears to have disappeared. Days later the body of Avril is found murdered in her bedroom and her greenhouse burnt out. Jack is back on the case.

I can’t say that ‘Vanished’ gripped me but it was an enjoyable read. It’s the third part of a series with ‘Buried’ and ‘Judas Horse’ setting the scene but for those who’ve not come across them it can still be read as a standalone novel without missing out on what happened previously. I like the characters especially DS Jack Warr who’s considerate and kind and finds time for feisty and tough Avril Jenkins. Despite the story being up-to-date, it felt somewhat old-fashioned and set in a timespan when policemen had happy families with no divorces or liquid lunches. I think too much of the story concentrates on Jack and Maggie’s wedding with none of the excitement I’ve come to expect from crime thrillers by Ms La Plante. Nevertheless, it’s still a good solid detective novel with interesting characters and a well-written plot and it’s definitely worth reading.

Great story with lots going on keeping you on your toes with what is happening and who is good and who isn't

This is the first book I have read featuring Detective Jack Warr and what a great detective story This well written instalment can easily be read as a standalone. It follows the story of a eccentric widow called Avril who is convinced she has a stalker and Warr is tasked to decide whether elderly widow Avril Jenkins really is being subjected to multiple thefts and harassment by a former lodger or is a confused time-waster. with her constant calls to local police. Days later she is found murdered and what follows is a complex and dark case which keeps you riveted and eager to find out what was really going on and how Avril was involved.
Could not put this down and look forward to reading the other two.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for a advanced copy.

I cannot say that this tale grabbed me and held me but it did entertain me. It was almost as if it had consumed too much caffeine as it seemed jittery in parts and so was not sure which words ought to come next.

That said, it is a worthwhile read because it will have you wondering what comes next; as all good stories should. Worth having in your reading pile, just not at the top.

An interesting book with more than a few facets. An elderly lady is reporting to the police that she is being stalked. She is a widow and quite eccentric so all is not necessarily what it seems. She is, however, brutally murdered and another body is found in the grounds of the house too. This book moves into the realms of large scale drug manufacture and also art fraud / crime so has.lots of areas of potential interest. I did find some of the book a bit slow and it didn’t capture my interest one hundred percent throughout but overall the plot was good and the main detective character was likeable and it was refreshing that he had a good home life instead of the clichéd divorced alcoholic! Worth a read.

Thank you #NetGalley for my e-arc copy of #Vanished by #LyndaLaPlante

Vanished is book #3 in a series however I read it as a stand-alone. Which I found easy to do and didn’t feel as though I was missing a backstory with just enough to still understand each of the characters.

I did however struggle with this novel.

Having read novels by La Plante before I really was expecting that much more.
I found myself becoming somewhat bored as the story progressed as opposed to wanting to carry on reading I was willing it to end.

I found that although La Plante had created a really likeable character in DS Jack Warr, I thought that there was perhaps to much emphasis on his family as opposed to the story that I felt was more important.

Because of all of this unnecessary text that could be refined I feel that I am only able to award this book 3.5 stars.
I must say though that I really haven’t been deterred and have since purchased the previous books in the series.

Detective Jack Warr wonders if he has drawn the short straw when he is asked to investigate the case of an eccentric widow who claims she is being stalked by an ex-lodger. After speaking to her, Jack wonders if there is more to this story than it at first seems, his hunch proving to be correct when she is found brutally murdered in her home. When the case merges with a major drugs invesigation and the former lodger is nowhere to be found, Jack’s past comes back to haunt him. How far will he go to get what he wants?

The third book in the DC Jack Warr series sees the detective investigating a complex case that gets more and more mysterious as it progresses. What initially starts off as a potential stalking case, soon becomes bigger than the dectective could imagine, leaving him to feel guilt-ridden as he wonders if he could have done more. This is what I like about Warr as he will stop at nothing to achieve justice even if it means that he isn’t strictly on the right side of the law. We see a face from a previous book reappear but this does not mean that you have to have read the previous books – Vanished can be read as a standalone.

For many years, Lynda La Plante has been one of my favourite writers, having been a fan of the Prime Suspect, Anna Travis and Tennison series. In Jack Warr, she has created another fascinating, well-rounded character who is part of a brilliant series of books. Although Vanished has a complex, multifaceted plot, La Plante’s writing makes it easy to follow and as a result I found the book highly engrossing and intriguing. I was certainly kept on my toes throughout my reading as the twists and turns kept occurring – I could certainly empathise with Jack as he tried to solve this baffling case!

If you haven’t read any Lynda La Plante books before, you won’t go far wrong if you start with this one!

This is the second book from Lynda La Plante featuring DS Jack Warr.
A horrendous murder to an older lady ,alone in a large house. Jack investigates having met her previous to the murder. Her gardener ,who ha disappeared is number one suspect ,cannot be found. But who is this mysterious person of interest ?.

The case begins to unfold taking the team headed up by Jacks boss DCI Simon Ridley into areas nobody want to go in. Jack is in the process of marrying his partner Maggie a hospital doctor and has leave to take this personal investigation further. Surprise after surprise leads Jack to his very childhood and a past he wants to keep hidden.

Another twisting tale that has the reader daring to finish the book in order to unravel the mystery .Great really loved this novel. The character with Jack Warr is likeable and becomes a friend .

My thanks to Lynda and NetGalley for allowing me to read Vanished before the publication date.
This is a real page turner.

Avril is an elderly widow who lives in a large property with a collection of arts and antiques.
She has made many complaints to the local police about her former lodger, Adam, entering her home and stealing her belongings.
With no evidence, she is thought to be lonely and makes the complaints to get attention.
When she claims that Adam is threatening her, DS Jack Warr is given the case.
Avril is found dead and it seems that there was a whole lot more to Avril than anyone would have believed.
When DCI Lewis demands that his drug squad take the lead , Jack is left to investigate the murder whilst avoiding Lewis’s wrath.

There are lots of red herrings in this story and some startling revelations.
Lynda has created several intriguing storylines and many interesting characters, some of whom I am sure we will meet again in future books.

This one is a real page turner! The first of Lynda La Plante’s books for this reviewer and it stands very well on its own, even though it is the third book in a series.

Jack Warr, a police sergeant is asked to visit a difficult elderly lady who is convinced that her ex-lodger is stealing valuable antiques and paintings from her. No one else has believed her, but Jack is investigating her assertions when she is found brutally murdered in her home. A straightforward murder investigation you might think, but there is so much else going on here, and the really excellent characterisations and intertwined story lines make this a gripping thriller. Huge respect is due to any writer who can control such a complex plot and a such a large cast without leaving the reader floundering. If you like a brilliant thriller and don’t mind a bit of gore read this - you won’t be disappointed!

3rd book featuring detective Jack Warr who is investigating an old lady claiming to be stalked but all is not as it seems and Jack discovers that a lot has been going on in the house where she lives.
Really good read and a lovely long book.

This is the third Jack Warr book in the series, and it was just as good as the previous two.

I really enjoy reading this new series, as it reminds me of her earlier Anna Travis series, which is one of my all time favourites.

No one believes the old lady claiming she has a stalker. Except Jack. He gets tangled up in so much more, but at the heart lies this stalker case.

Gritty and heart pounding, this one doesn't disappoint - if you are new to Lynda La Plante then I would urge you to go back and read more of hers, but to seasoned fans of hers, such as myself, this is a solid instalment and has everything we've come to know and love from her books.

Recommended to fans of crime thrillers, police procedurals and general crime fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bonner Books UK Zaffre and Lynda La Plante for my ARC of Vanished in return for my honest review.

This is part of a series with Detective Jack Warr as the central character but can easily be read as a stand-alone. Jack is a flawed, detective sergeant with a strong, likeable personality.

He is sent to see an eccentric widow who keeps complaining to the local police that she is being stalked and robbed by her former lodger.

The police aren’t certain that she is telling the truth but the enquiry takes a brutal and strange turn which takes Jack around the country and his colleagues overseas to see if they can get to the truth.

Superbly written with plenty of twists and turns.

Highly recommended.

I naturally expected a lot from this book as it was penned by an amazing author notorious for dramatic and slick police dramas. If it was a debut novel from a newly published author I would have been very impressed, but somehow I was disappointed. The storyline was very original as were the crimes and characters. But I just couldn’t visualise Jack and Maggie. How old are they, what do they look like, what are their interests, how did they meet? Penny, Jacks mother seemed more real to me. Perhaps there is an earlier book with these characters that answers all these questions in which case I apologise. If you are reading this as a stand alone novel, as I did, it would have been useful to have some background information. I was also disappointed with the unsatisfactory ending where we are led to believe that part of the mystery will continue. Sorry, it just wasn’t one of Lynda’s best books in my opinion, although having said that, all the police personnel were excellently portrayed and the often frustrating processes in a drugs and murder case.

My first Lynda La Plante and it won't be my last. I was very engrossed in the story and really liked Jack Warr and his family. Gruesome bits but not enough to put me off. I didn't feel lost having not read the first two in the series as the background is filled in where needed. Altogether a good crime thriller.

Heart thumping, edge of your seat thriller, such a great well written book. With wonderful characters and a really gripping storyline.

I love the way this book escalates so rapidly from an eccentric old lady thinking someone is in her home, stealing her stuff and that the person she suspects is her ex-lodger into a massive drugs operation bust with bodies piling up.
Warr is a great character- plenty of personality and a willingness to stray to the wrong side of the law he upholds to get answers and Avril is exceptional in her frailty and confusion- exactly the type to be targeted for her home.
A great and complex read that leaves you wondering who is in on what and how!

When an elderly widow keeps reporting that someone is breaking into her secluded house in the dead of night to scare her, her local police force think she is confused.
It gets passed to DS Jack Warr, when he meets Avril Jenkins he finds her stubborn and irascible but she doesn't seem confused.
Jack is looking into who her mysterious visitor could be when Avril is found dead days later. Not only has Avril been murdered but they find a massive drugs operation that was operating from the house.
The drugs squad are brought in but they don't care about getting justice for Avril, only about finding who was running the drugs operation. Determined to find her killer, Jack finds himself getting on the wrong side of the DI from the drug squad but how far will he go and what will he put at risk?
Jack Warr is a loving husband, father and son but when he is on a case he is single minded, focused and determined. He is a great character and Lynda La Plante has again written a captivating, pacey and tense story based around him. Jack Warr has quickly become one of my favourite characters

I'm in the minority as I am not a fan of the author's Widow series, but the third in the Jack Warr series was an excellent read.. It is probably best if the first two are read before this one but, other than one section that was totally irrelevant to this story, I don't think it essential. To be frank, I don't really want to know how Warr came to be the detective he is now. He is sufficiently disrespectful of his seniors and tending to go off and do his own thing for him to have been, probably, an unpleasant character at the start. A complete maverick. The story is tense and complex as to be expected - an elderly widow being subject to thievery and stalking, not quite as she seems, her being murdered, cannabis farms, serious drugs and organised crime - with Jack and team taking one step forward and two back much of the time. All fits neatly by the end but with scope for more I suspect. Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third in a series featuring the police officer Jack Warr. Although I had not read the other two, I didn't find it marred my enjoyment as there was sufficient reference to his back story without this becoming tedious. The novel finds Jack searching for the killer of a cantankerous old woman whom he has visited after she claimed she was being repeatedly robbed. The story proves to be far more than this and Jack has his work cut out bringing her killers to justice whilst sharing the case with another branch of law enforcement whose goals are at odds with his own. At the same time, his boss is behaving strangely thereby adding to the difficulties Jack is facing. What I liked about the story was that many of the characters, including Jack have flaws as well as positive attributes. This neither saint nor sinner approach was revisited throughout the novel even into the final showdown, creating greater depth to the whole plot. This is a book for readers who enjoy procedural crime where the reader follows behind the detective. There are no clues for the reader to follow, just the enjoyment of watching the plot unfurl.