Member Reviews
Loved this, from beginning to end! Well worth the listen / read with some twists and turns and definitely questions of who to trust. This would be a great summer read for poolside or beachside!
This was a psychological thriller that was suspenseful and tried to throw me for a loop at the end. Noelle doesn’t trust her boyfriend, Daniel. Daniel doesn’t trust Noelle. He hid security cameras throughout his and her apartment to spy on her. Daniel is terribly controlling, a narcissist and mentally abusive. Noelle wants out and only sees one way: to pay someone to have herself kidnapped. The story goes back and forth between present day and 14 months ago and switching the point of view between Noelle and Daniel. I did not enjoy Daniel’s chapters. I didn’t really care for many of the characters. There were a lot of plot holes which made it unrealistic and confusing at times. With that said, there was a ton of action which made this a fast-paced read. It was just an OK read. Too many unlikeable characters and plot holes for my taste.
I loved this psychological thriller right from the start and this debut book did not disappoint! It was quick to drag you into the lives of MC Noel, and her boyfriend, Dr. Daniel Ashcroft. Daniel is an Anesthesiologist and Noel is a cardiac ICU Nurse, set in rainy Seattle.
Noel's last relationship was abusive and now she is feeling suffocated in her dysfunctional relationship with Daniel. Some of the "things" he has done are leaning towards controlling and so Noel plans for her own kidnapping. As her kidnapping unrolls, so does a series of events that twist and turn, keeping you guessing to the end.
I feel the author did a good job of leaving enough time at the end to wrap everything up and the pace was great! As for the audio book, the narration was wonderful and easy to listen to!
I really enjoyed this book! 4.5-stars and would definitely recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio version of this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I almost gave up on this book a few chapters in. The principal characters, Noelle and her controlling boyfriend Daniel, were both pretty unsympathetic at the beginning. But, I hung in there and I'm glad that I did. I anticipated that there would be some twists and turns, and I was not disappointed. Once Noelle arranges her own kidnapping the story improved significantly for me, and once that kidnapping does not proceed according to her plan the tension rose. The race to figure out who is controlling who was frantic and captivating. Ultimately, this was an engaging thriller narrated by two excellent voices (Daniel and Noelle deliver the story in alternating chapters). Thanks to NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to review the audiobook of this ARC.
Make Me Disappear is the first novel by American author, Jessica Payne. The audio version is narrated by Josh Wichard and Amelia Sciandra. Fourteen months after meeting popular and strikingly handsome anaesthesiologist Dr Daniel Ashcroft, Seattle cardiac nurse Noelle Thomas understands that desperate measures are needed, and getting herself abducted is the answer. Daniel exercises coercive control, watching her every move via her phone and hidden cameras.
Noelle wonders about one, perhaps two previous girlfriends who have gone missing and, while she has no proof, she believes he murdered her Aunt Beatrice after heart surgery. Noelle had tried to ease away from him, warning that she would need to devote more time to her beloved aunt post-op, but she realises that didn’t suit Daniel’s need for her undivided attention.
Her biggest fear, though, is for her pregnant cousin, Kari, Beatrice’s daughter. She interprets Daniel’s comments about the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth as veiled threats designed to manipulate her into behaving exactly as he wants her to.
His influence at Seattle General, the same hospital where she works, also puts her job in jeopardy. Daniel has decided she is the perfect wife for him: they are meant to be together, and a wealthy doctor’s wife won’t need to work as a lowly nurse.
But getting herself kidnapped: surely that’s a bit drastic? It will mean giving up her job, never seeing Kari again… She rationalises: if Daniel’s cameras show her being taken, Kari will be safe, and Noelle will be free of him. She sets it up, and waits. And is duly kidnapped, but it’s soon clear that her kidnapper is not from Ultimate Kidnapping, but someone else entirely.
Trying to guess who has had her kidnapped (Daniel, so he can heroically rescue her? Her violent ex from Idaho?) is doing her head in, but she does know she needs to escape from the man keeping her captive. Eventually Noelle resolves not to live her life on the run, in hiding, but to take control. Her creativity as she gives this narcissistic sociopath a taste of his own medicine is an absolute delight to witness.
The story is told through two dual-timeline first-person narratives, with Daniel’s words being addressed to Noelle. This makes for a fast-paced tale that is both gripping and entertaining.
Astute readers will have settled on the person behind all the nastiness early on, but that in no way diminishes the enjoyment of the journey to the jaw-dropping climax, and even if disbelief suspenders need to be donned for the more extreme aspects of characters and plot, it’s easy to just go with the flow. This is an outstanding debut novel.
This unbiased review is from an audio copy provided by NetGalley and Bookouture.
In that didn’t go the way I thought news, wow. Talk about a twisty read.
I wish there was more resolution of one storyline but other than that this was a crazy ride.
The narrators were awesome and added such depth to the story.
Make Me Disappear, by Jessica Payne, is a well-paced, intense novel of psychological suspense.
It is told in alternating first person POVs of hospital nurse Noelle, and her handsome fiancée physician, Daniel Ashcroft, with whom she has been romantically involved for about a year. When Noelle finds cameras hidden in her apartment by Daniel, and she learns of his previous girlfriend’s unexplained disappearance, Noelle realizes he is obsessive and controlling, perhaps even dangerous, and knows she must end the relationship. But how??
No spoilers here! This is the story about an intrepid young woman figuring out how to loosen a sociopath’s grip on her, while trying to protect her loved ones from harm and retaliation by him.
The action is fast-paced and exciting. The first person narration by both Noelle and Daniel really gives insight into and strengthens reader’s investment in their characters. A few interesting ancillary characters contribute to the depth of the story and the action.
There were a number of twists and unexpected revelations that made this an outstanding, suspenseful book!
The writing and plotting is so strong, so I was surprised to learn this is Ms. Payne’s debut novel.
I look forward to enjoying her future novels. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy strong women and taut psychological suspense.
I very much enjoyed listening to the audio book, skillfully narrated by Amelia Sciandra and Josh Wichard.
Thank you to the author, Bookoutre and NetGalley for the audio ARC. This is my honest review.
4.5 stars
WOW! This is the author's debut? It was a great story that had me on the edge of my seat, I finished it in one day! Noel had to deal with so much, I would've wanted to disappear too! Daniel, oops I mean…Dr. Daniel Ashcroft was so conceited, misogynistic, and flashy, he made you want to roll your eyes and gag. But not everything is as it seems! Loved all the twists in this story! I would definitely read more from this author. The narration for the audiobook was ON POINT!
Thank you for NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in return of my honest review.
Immediately I'm drawn. I have a few ohhhhs and a few hmmms, and then the vibes of Living With the Enemy begin and my yeps started as I saw similarities. There are extreme differences. However, not enough. This is the author's debute, and I take that into consideration. The problem without half stars is where to go. This is a 2.5 star book with an asterisk in my notes to look for and read future work.
In addition to the above, the story drags in more than one spot. Once again, the author and publisher are saved a DNF from me as I requested from NetGalley to read and review. The apparent twists are old and overdone, and here they are not thought out; just thrown in. A couple of times I wondered why prior to printing, no one asked for an explanation (I'm not spoiling). The female narrator was okay (Thankfully, I may have turned the book back to NetGalley otherwise.). The male narrator has a place, but not here. His voice seemed young teen to young adult.
I hope the author expands on character development, adding in twists like a puzzle, and doesn't go for word count filler. Kudos to Jessica Payne for keeping swearing to a minimum and that takes this to 3 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for accepting my request to read and review Make Me Disappear.
I received a review copy of the audiobook version of this novel and this is my honest, unbiased review.
I enjoy twisty psychological thrillers, so this seemed like a perfect book for me. However, I found it really hard to get into. I think in part the American narrators and the very US-slanted dialogue and plot were off-putting for me. I couldn’t relate to the book or the story so I didn’t like it as much as I have others in the genre.
Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture and Jessica Payne for this ARC
I really enjoyed this book! I had the pleasure of both listening to the audio and reading the ebook.
The narration was great in the audio and I felt it was a perfectly paced book that kept me entertained throughout!
The characters were great and I was wondering the whole time whether Noelene was going to be a reliable or unreliable narrator the whole time...
Great storyline, easy to great short chapters and lots of elements to keep the story shrouded in mystery. I loved it!
BOOK REVIEW- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts: Thank you so much to @netgalley, @jessicapayne.writer, and @bookouture audio for an advance listening copy of this twisty psychological thriller in exchange for an honest review! This is my type of thriller- short chapters, twists upon twists, and multiple POVs, what isn't there to love?! The story kept me extremely invested and I finished it in two sittings because I had to figure out what was happening! I did guess one of the twists but it didn't take anything away from my experience. This one is out on 5.16.22 and I can't recommend it enough! I look forward to more from the author in the future!! ✨
I don't have a lot to say about this one, either good or bad. It was right down the middle for me. The plot did have some original elements that I liked and the narrator was good, but this will not be an audiobook that I remember in a year.
Read and listened it in a day with barely any breaks, but the breaks that I took just meant that I was thinking about it and wanted to get back to it! It was a really gripping read with lots of twists and turns to keep me wanting more……. The story is tense and thrilling and keeps you turning the pages until the end. Recommended!
This book reminded me of Gone Girl with You mixed in! I absolutely loved it! The dual narrators for the two main characters made the listening experience so good!! Such a great, cleverly done domestic thriller! Felt original, and fresh, hard to believe it is a debut! Some parts were a little predictable, but overall I really enjoyed the book and can’t wait to see what Jessica Payne comes out with next!
A gripping tale about the negative side of love and infatuation.
Mainly focusing on the story of Noelle, a nurse in Seattle who is trying to start her life anew, having escaped an abusive relationship. The story charts her new relationship with possessive (and easy to despise) Daniel up to and including the point where she decides that arranging for herself to be kidnapped is the only way to escape.
Moving to a dual narrative partway through the book, the reader is offered a chance to hear Daniel's point of view. Due to the writing however; although it could have been the excellent narration too, my opinion of him didn't change, until the end.
While I did work out the twist early on, it was cleverly concealed and an interesting alternative to the route most often chosen.
Fast paced and filled with a cast of troubled characters. I will be checking out more books by Jessica in print and audio.
Dr Daniel Ashcroft was perfect: handsome, romantic, protective. I thought I was so lucky. But then I heard the rumours about his previous girlfriend, that she had vanished without a trace. That’s when I found the cameras in my apartment. I was trapped – Daniel made it clear I couldn’t leave him, not without risking the lives of everyone I loved. By the time I realised the truth about Daniel, it was too late. But the truth about me? He never saw that coming… I had to disappear, so I arranged my own kidnapping. I should have known Daniel would never let me get away that easily. But he could never have predicted what I’d do next…
I absolutely loved this book and was surprised to learn that this is Jessica Payne’s debut thriller! This book had everything I love in a thriller; it was fast-paced and twisty, there was bucket loads of suspense throughout and strong, fully formed characters that were seriously creepy at times. There were no half measures with this book and I had a lot of fun listening to the audiobook. The two narrators, Amelia Sciandra and Josh Wichard we’re amazing and gave an already brilliant book that extra something special. I’d recommend listening to the audiobook for sure with this one! I couldn’t get over the fact that (to me) Amelia’s voice kept reminding me of Drew Barrymore’s lovely voice too. I also got major ‘You’ vibes while listening – mostly from Daniel’s character. The way he narrated as if he were talking to Noelle, in the same way, that Joe Goldberg creepily narrated his inner monologue to ‘You’.
“If ‘you’ were a fan of the book or Netflix series, ‘you’ should love this too! I would say that Daniel and Joe would be friends, but there wouldn’t be enough room for friendship with the size of both of their egos!!
My thanks to the author and Bookouture Audio for my advance copy to review via Netgalley. Due to be released 16th May 2022!
Make Me Disappear for me was a quick listen and easy to follow. The narration was very good. Where it didn’t work for me was in the area of believability. It’s just a bit over the top and far fetched. The last few thrillers I’ve read had the young and handsome doctor as the villain, so I think that’s being overused. Lots of people I know will love the surprise twists and turns here, but it wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance audio copy. This is my honest review.
Noelle is trapped in an abusive relationship with the ‘perfect’ boyfriend: rich, charismatic, popular Dr. Daniel Ashcroft.
Daniel has made it clear to Noelle that she can’t never leave him, so she decides to fake her own kidnapping to make her disappear.
Things don’t go as planned unfortunately and after many twists and turns a very unexpected ending is revealed.
I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and the two narrators did a great job of portraying the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for letting me review this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Noelle is in an overprotective, emotionally abusive relationship with Daniel, the narcissistic doctor. When she decides to fake her own kidnapping to escape him, things take some twisty turns.
This is the perfect audiobook. I loved the dual POV and two narrators. Pick this up if you like a binge worthy psychological thrill.