I didn’t realise this was book 3 of a series but it didn’t really affect the plot. I hadn’t read a Lynda Le Plante book before and was interested to try one.
Whilst a typical police procedural, the characters are well- drawn and the plot so cunning and twisting. I’m not sure that all the personal family life of DS Warr was necessary but I liked the little snippets that he was not so perfect a policeman after all.
I don’t understand why his mother suddenly disappeared from the story when at the start it was obviously she was in reality a domestic servant in their home, providing, child care , housekeeping, cooking, cleaning – the works.

This third book in the series is full of twists and turns that kept me reading late into the night. There is reports of stalking, a murder and drugs. The book is so good that as you turn the last page it leaves you waiting for the next book in the series. Ohh the storyline was fascinating, deep, intense, thrilling, and shocking!

DS Jack Warr is called to Avril Jenkins, a widow in her seventies, after calling in an intruder in her house. Warr discover she suspects her ex-lodger and they her frequently breaks in and steals items. The next time he is called to Avril’s house, she has been killed and dismembered. Warr and team needs to urgently find the ex-lodger, meanwhile the body count keeps rising. The house reveals there was more to Avril than first meets the eye, what other secrets was she keeping?
Another gem by Lynda La Plante, a great series which is well written and you really get to know Warr’s personal life as well as his professional one. Can’t wait for the next instalment,

This is the first book I’ve read in the DS Jack Warr series and although there are references to previous cases, I still enjoyed it as a standalone but plan to read the previous two books.
Good characterisation with an insight into Jack’s personal life and I found Jack and two of his immediate colleagues, DCI Simon Ridley and DS Laura Wade to be a likeable characters, despite Jack’s flaws.

A great police procedural, the story starts with DS Jack Warr looking into multiple reports made by elderly widow, Avril Jenkins, claiming her former lodger Adam Border breaks in and torments and steals items from her. Jack visits Avril at her rambling old house to review her allegations, after the local Kingston police don’t take her complaints about Adam seriously, writing her off as an eccentric. The plot takes an unexpected turn when Avril is found murdered just days after Jack has visited and evidence of drug activity and art theft are found and Jack’s team are forced to work alongside the drugs squad. Great fast paced plot line and I enjoyed the ending with how the many threads tied up.

I'm a fan of Lynda La Pante's writing and this doesn't disappoint. As I read her previous book on the character DCJack Ware I was keen to read this. Excellent storyline of Jack investigating the murder of an old lady which leads to drugs etc and as usual full of twists to keep the reader guessing.

Definitely recommend this thriller I can’t wait to read the first two now I love DS Jack Warr he is so likeable with a lovely family. It starts where he is investigating a lady called Avril who says her lodger Adam has been stealing from her house but DS Warr is not convinced then she is murdered so the investigation turns more serious. There are a lot of twists and turns to keep you on your toes..

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC

This is the latest instalment in the DC Jack Warr series. The first two have gone on to become Sunday Times Bestsellers and I’d say it’s likely that this one will join them. It is a faultless read.

Now we’re at the third book in the series, Jack’s character has really grown. But this character development hasn’t just been reserved for the lead protagonist, it’s been extended to the supporting cast as well. That extra work is welcome here, as the book contains Jack’s most complex case yet – involving the drugs squad, art forgeries, and a trip abroad to hunt down an elusive suspect.

The book works as a standalone if you don’t want to go back and read the whole series, but I recommend that you do. Over the course of these books I’ve enjoyed seeing the changes in Jack’s private life.

There’s a calm confidence you have as a reader of these series of books, which makes them a really pleasurable read. Even if you can’t work out where the plot is going, you always feel like you’re in safe hands. The book maintains a strong and steady pace all the way through, and it builds to a satisfying finale as the pieces begin to fall into place. This is a series that continues to go from strength to strength.

This is a violent police thriller with an exciting and interesting plot about drugs, crime and families. Although it is mainly a detective story, Jack has skeletons in his own closet, and an interesting approach to justice. The characters were well-written and engaging, and it was nice to meet some old faces from previous books again.

I've been a longstanding fan of Lynda La Plante's books but admit I haven't read one of her books in a good number of years. However I'm glad I picked this one up. I read this one as a standalone, which was easy to do, and I didn't feel like I was missing a backstory. Good steady pace, classic whodunnit - recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I really like Jack Warr as a character. Intrepid Detective, he lives by his instincts, usually spot on, but has been known in the past to step maybe a fraction outside of the law, with (mostly) the best of intentions, obviously. When he is drawn into the world of widower Avril Jenkins, a woman who is sure that her former lodger is tormenting her by breaking in to her home at night, Jack is almost ready to write her off as eccentric just as many of his colleagues have already done. Almost ... but not quite, and when Avril is found brutally murdered, it seems his instincts are proven correct once again. The investigation leads Jack and the team in a very unexpected direction, with revelations about the widow and her rambling property that no-one could have foreseen, not even Jack.

This was a really intriguing story. Perhaps slower in pace than its predecessors, it took me off in a direction I definitely hadn't expected, as we are drawn into a world of drug dealing, murder and difficult family relationships. And it's terrible timing for Jack with his wedding on the horizon and relations with his boss and mentor, DCI Simon Ridley, taking a decidedly frosty turn for reasons Jack just cannot fathom. There are plenty of twists in this story and the old house holds many secrets that are slowly uncovered. Just when you think the team have seen it all, there is a new revelation, and the whereabouts of Avril's mysterious former tenant add another layer of uncertainty to an already complicated investigation. Add in some interdepartmental conflict between the team and the Drug Squad, as well as an accusation of potential misconduct that comes a little too close to home for Jack and it makes for quite a heady mix of a story.

In honesty, it was some of the quieter moments that really worked for me in this book. Seeing Jack in his domestic setting, preparing for his wedding in spite of all the distractions, and the tender relationship he has with his mother, really adds a different dimension to these stories. There is a strong emphasis on family throughout the story, not just Jack's, but also Avril's and that of one of Maggie's colleagues and hit daughter. The story also brings Jack face to face with someone from his past too, someone who could derail his future but may also hold the key to one element of the investigation too.

As always, the tension and pacing is just right, the mystery and the emotion perfectly blended, tears fallin when needed, laughter and anger flowing in abundance too. It had a different feel, a slightly different tone, to the last book, but it was still a story I really enjoyed. There are moments of darkness, when we understand the full extent of the violence that Avril is subjected to, but seeing Jack finally having his perfect moment with Maggie is a real heartwarming touch and brought a much needed smile to my face. I'm keen to see what is next for Jack and the team. I'm really growing to like them.

You always know if you are reading a book written by Lynda La Plante you are going to enjoy it and this book was no exception ! I didn't realise there were two previous books in this series but Vanished is a good standalone book .I liked DS Jack Warr a very interesting complex character .The story is exciting with multiple layers ,fast paced a real page turner .The story starts with an elderly lady complaining to the Police about being stalked and turns into a complicated plot involving drugs and Art thefts .A brilliant book that I thoroughly enjoyed and look forward to reading the next book in the series .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

A really good book.
I love her writing and stories.
5****
Would recommend this to others who ask what it is like kept me reading for ages

Entertainment from the first to the last page I absolutely loved it. There is so much going on, the descriptions draw you into the book, making the scenes very easy to visualise. I found it hard to put down.and said to myself "just one more chapter" over and over again. DS Jack Warr is a complicated character who doesn't always do things by the book or follow commands from above but once he is on a case he gives it his all. The back story is just right with family life playing a part in getting to know Jack and giving some relief from the fast-paced and intense story. Five stars don't seem enough for this brilliant read.

I always enjoy Lynda’s books, terrific plots and well written so they draw you in. This is the 3rd Jack Warr in the series (I have yet to catch up on the first) but it reads as a stand alone. What starts out as an elderly lady complaining about theft and stalking by a former lodger broadens out into a complicated plot involving drugs and art theft. it becomes so big it evolves into two teams working the case with simmering tensions between them As usual Jack goes his own way, taking time to get married during the case, beautifully described with a light hand, and a break from the day to day procedural. I found it hard to put down I was so immersed in the plot and happily give it 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Bonnier Books UK Zaffre and NetGalley for an Arc. My opinions are my own.

Vanished is another book from this wonderful author featuring DS Jack Warr, it is an immensely engaging and entertaining read with a great cast of characters good and bad.
An eccentric rich widow claims she is being stalked by her ex lodger, and despite tight security he is entering her house at night and stealing various items. After over ten call outs and no sign of break ins the local police investigating feel she just an attention seeking time waster.
Jack is tasked with checking in with her after She has made a complaint about the previous police investigations, he feels there is something to her story.
A few days later she is found brutally murdered at home and when the police on the scene find an industrial size greenhouse full of cannabis plants and a drug making laboratory in her basement the reason for the murder takes a different turn.
This is a wonderful police thriller, and I do like Jack Warr, particularly his relationship with his wife and boss, though he has occasionally twisted rules to suit himself, he is a decent man.
My thanks to net galley and publishers for the opportunity to review this book honestly

This is the third in the Jack Warr series, the first two books having been hugely popular. The story begins with DS Jack Warr investigating if the elderly widow Avril Jenkins is being subjected to a series of thefts and stalking by a former lodger, Adam Border. It has been passed over from another station, and Jack’s boss is keen for Jack to sign it off, and hand it back as closed.

Avril is a cantankerous, unlikable woman in her 70s, who doesn’t do much to get along with people. Despite this, Jack follows due diligence and investigates all her claims by the book. Something is making him think there is more here than seems. Eventually he has to admit defeat, and is just about to sign the case back over to the original officers when there is a horrific discovery.

This throws Jack into what becomes an increasingly complex investigation, involving international drug production and smuggling, cannabis farms, art theft, murder and more. Jack has to try and pick his way through it all to get to the bottom of it all, and finding Adam Border is the key. Oh and Jack is due to get married shortly too, so factor in wedding planning and taking the time to actually get married.

I enjoyed this book, it kept up a rapid pace, and every page turn had you engrossed in a new clue or happening to keep you saying ‘just one more chapter’. I do find DC Jack Warr a bit of a flawed character, as I would question his ability to be so disrespectful to senior officers, and how he gets away with some of his less, well, police like behaviours regarding property ownership is also dubious. But that aside, it is a great, fast paced read, which will keep you on your toes until the end.

*I received this copy from NetGalley for review but all opinions are my own.

Third Jack Warr book and they just get better and better
Intense, gripping and completely submerged in the plot
Good characters and a crafty little twist at the end

Thank you netgalley, Lynda La Plant and Bonnier Books UK

This fast paced book is the 3rd in the Detective Jack Warr series, (though easy to read as a stand-alone).
Eccentric widow Avril Jenkins has made numerous complaints to the police about her former lodger who she says is breaking in, tormenting her and stealing items from her home.
It all kicks off when she’s found brutally murdered, the main suspect has disappeared and Jack Warr ends up investigating a complex case including an international drugs ring, arts thefts and another gruesome murder, as well as discovering hidden rooms and secrets in Avril’s home.
The book stretches credibility at times, but it’s well written with the myriad threads all coming together by the end. I enjoyed reading about Jack’s relationships with his colleagues and his personal life where you get to see him as a loving family man, it made a good contrast to all the case action.
Definitely a worthwhile and enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley & Bonnier Books UK for an ARC













































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I have to say I love reading Lynda’s books and would even read the phone directory if she had a hand in writing it. This story had my attention from the first page and I’m already looking forward to seeing what’s next for Jack , there are a few hints as to what could be one of the storylines .

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for an advance copy of Vanished, the third novel to feature DS Jack Warr of the Met.

Wealthy widow Avril Jenkins keeps calling the police, saying that her former lodger, Adam Border, is stalking her and stealing from her. Nobody is taking her seriously except Jack, who thinks the story is strange enough to merit a bit of looking into, but before he can decide Avril is brutally murdered and evidence of large scale drug activity found.

I thoroughly enjoyed Vanished, which held my attention from start to finish. I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about the previous novels in the series, so this is by far the best in terms of engagement. My concentration has been poor recently, so any novel that holds my attention and calls me back when I put it down is worth 5* to me.

I love the plot, because it throws up so many possibilities from the start. Why would Adam Border want to stalk Avril, if in fact he is? Who would want to kill Avril and why? What about the drugs? Where is the mysterious Adam Border and what’s his involvement? The twists keep coming and I can confidently state that what I thought would happen didn’t, so I was surprised at every turn. It kept me turning the pages in search of the correct answers, because, obviously, I couldn’t get there on my own. I think the resolution is satisfying with most of the loose ends tied up and even more ambiguity about Jack Warr’s actions.

Jack Warr is an interesting protagonist. On the surface he is a dedicated detective with a determination to solve his cases and bring the killers to justice and just the right amount of insubordination to prove this determination, but there is a dark side to him with acts that could lose him his job or worse. It’s the old nature versus nurture scenario as his birth father was a gangster, but he was raised by a loving couple. I don’t think I like him, although familiarity brings a certain level of forgiveness. Whatever, I’m already looking forward to his next outing.

Vanished is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.