When I Disappear is a fast paced thriller with some fun twists. While I guessed the twist earlier on then I would like, I still enjoyed the journey. For some reason the book feels a little disjointed. Like the first half was a 5 star read and I was glued to the pages, and then things started to fall apart a little by the second half. There almost was a dual plot at times and the ending left me with some questions. Overall, I enjoyed this thriller and it definitely was a page turner!

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Twenty years ago Marjorie Stone was murdered. Now daughter, Sylvia lives alone as a spinster, rarely leaving her home--even having her hairdresser come to her, But when twenty-eight-year old Jesse Taylor goes missing, there's suspicion the two events could be connected--especially because the convicted killer of Marjorie (Rhett) Is now being released from prison. Sylvia begins getting strange notes: some with random times on them and one chilling that simply says, "You're next!" This is one of those great, convoluted novels that has you reading at break-neck speed as there are so many suspects and even the police are flummoxed!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Twenty years after Sylvia Stone’s mother was brutally murdered, she receives a letter on her doorstep that Rhett Cohen, the man accused of her mother's murder and sent to prison for twenty years, is innocent of the murder. When Rhett is released from prison, she receives three more letters. The final letter she received ended with the message, you’re next, and suddenly Sylvia disappears.
It's an absolute thriller you won’t put down until the shocking ending, one that you could never guess.
Twenty years after Sylvia Stone’s mother was brutally murdered, she receives a letter on her doorstep that Rhett Cohen, the man accused of her mother's murder and sent to prison for twenty years, is innocent of the murder. When Rhett is released from prison, she receives three more letters. The final letter she received ended with the message, you’re next, and suddenly Sylvia disappears.
It's an absolute thriller you won’t put down until the shocking ending, one that you could never guess.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. An enjoyable, fast paced thriller with a unique twist. I did guess the twist pretty early on, which was disappointing, but I felt like it was such a different ending that I wasn't super mad.

I liked the multiple perspectives and felt like they really worked for this story. The characters were all interesting. And the writing was solid- made for a super quick thriller read, which I love!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Wow!!
I really enjoyed this one. So many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Definitely recommend.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this arc

I loved that the chapters were short and easy to get through. But I didn't love that there was a lot going on. Some of it probably wasn't necessary either.

Overall, this was average read. Short chapters meant it was a quick and easy to get through but it could have done with some stuff being left out so that you could spend more time getting to know the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

Here’s the translation:

“I don’t know what to think after what I just read.

As a big fan of thrillers and crime novels, I take a lot into account before rating a book.

I figured out the culprit before reaching 30% of the book, and for me, that’s just a no-go.

There were a lot of inconsistencies that disappointed me; I would have rated the book higher if the details were coherent, but unfortunately, there were things that just didn’t add up.

I’m disappointed with the plot twist as well as the ending.”

Had to finish half way through. It felt like the first half was edited and the second wasn't, loads of mistakes in spelling , words missing, words repeated 2-3 times in one sentence. Sylvia stops thinking the man she accused of murdering her mum is innocent on the basis of basically nothing, and spends more time thinking about she fancies him than about her dead family.

This was good! It was good in a predictable way, but oddly enough that didn’t take away anything for me. I liked the characters, and I so badly wanted justice for Rhett that it made me root for him through it all.
The writing was fast paced and the plot moved at a good speed, making it an easy read.
If you need a quick read or a safe thriller - this is it. Won’t blow your mind but very enjoyable

Sylvie's mom was murdered 20 years ago, Rhett was convicted of the crime, largely because of Sylvie's testimony. When Rhett is released from prison Sylvie receives a set of letters that reinvigorate the interest of the past and leave us wondering what's going to happen in the future.

This book started off very strongly, I really liked where this was going, and Sylvie became endearing to me in an odd way. Unfortunately, for me, about 70% of the way through I guessed the twist, which I rarely do, and it wasn't what I personally was hoping for. I rushed through to the end to see if I was going to be correct and I was, which was a bit of a letdown.

We also learn some details that felt like they were purposefully left out to add to the twist but left me wondering why we didn't get those details earlier. I get that it would have fed into the twist earlier, but I felt like they could have been used as carefully planted breadcrumbs rather than leaving feel like it was a plot hole. Intentional or not I am still left thinking about the book, and it's plot several hours after I finished.

“A surprising amount of flies, considering the cold temperature, spiral around the carcass, zipping in and out of the wounds.”

Throw on your detective hat and buckle up for a twisty ride. Told by multiple point of views and a dual timeline, which are my favorite. Amanda throws a giant curveball in this one. And that ending came out of nowhere! This is a fast paced thriller with short chapters to fly through.

wow wow wow! What a great psychological thriller. I could NOT guess these twists and was instantly drawn in. I could not put this book down! I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers and suspense!

Such a twisty, turny delight of a story that had me glued to my screen late into the night! Great characters, creepy setting and an interesting plot makes this a real page turner. A must read for anyone who loves a good thriller!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (5)

Very well written on the edge of your seat thriller! Fans of McFadden, Lisa Jewell will love! I was so excited to see Amanda’s newest work after reading a Marriage of Lies and this one did not disappoint!! Fast paced short chapters that are well paced make for a psychological thriller with a great twist!

When I Disappear
By: Amanda McKinney
Pub Date: January 24, 2025
Publisher: Storm Publishing

Twenty years ago, Sylvia Stone’s mother was killed, and Rhett Cohen was convicted of killer her. Now she opens her door to find a letter suggesting that Rhett was innocent.

When Rhett is released from prison, more letters arrive claiming Sylvia is next.

This novel took a crazy turn as Sylvia and Rhett work together to find out “who framed him” and sent him to prison. As Sylvia’s attraction to Rhett heats up, things don’t add up.

I enjoyed this one as the town’s secrets come out. Is Rhett really innocent? Is the murder closer to home?

Thank you to McKinney for the advanced gifted ARC. We at Thriller Lovers The Pulse are thrilled to read this and share our thoughts. I read her last one “ A Marriage of Lies” and enjoyed that one as well.

The story starts with Sylvia Stone waking up at 2:00 a.m. to find a cryptic letter on her doorstep hinting that Rhett Cohen,the man she testified against for her mother’s murder twenty years ago, might be innocent. More letters follow, each one revealing details only the real killer would know, leaving Sylvia to question everything she thought she knew. As Rhett is finally released from prison, a final letter arrives with a chilling message: You're next.

The suspense had me hooked from the start and I found myself tearing through the pages. The characters are well-developed, with backstories that add to the mystery. Every interaction seemed meaningful at first, and the story pulled me in further, as I pieced together clues alongside Sylvia’s unraveling certainty.

But as much as I enjoyed the book, I have to admit I was let down by the twist.

I consider myself pretty adept at predicting endings. But with this one, I didn’t see it coming and not in a good way. The twist lands primarily because of omitted details that feel intentionally hidden from the reader. It’s not uncommon for thrillers to use this device, but here, it’s a bit too apparent; the story leaves gaps rather than layering subtle clues. The result is a surprise twist, yes, but one that doesn’t quite feel earned through the characters' actions or prior hints.

In retrospect, several parts of the narrative felt excessive. Some subplots seemed added purely to inject more suspense, rather than serving the core mystery. These extra elements occasionally bogged down the pacing, distracting from what could have been a more focused, intense storyline.

Still, it was a thrilling read overall, and for anyone who enjoys unpredictable endings and layered characters, it’s worth the ride, even if the twist doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Amanda McKinney does it again in the psychological thriller genre, it uses the concept perfectly and was glad I got to go on this journey from start to finish. The characters were what I wanted in this type of book and thought it was suspenseful and had me on the edge of my seat. The plot worked overall and was glad I was able to read this, I hope to read more from Amanda McKinney.

This was such a great book. It was so creepy and I could feel the paranoia for the main character. The letters, the memories, and the secrets, and all the twists and turns were so good. It kept me on the edge of my seat while reading this book.!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

20 years ago Rhett Cohen was jailed for the murder of Marjorie Stone. He was convicted after evidence given by her daughter Sylvia.
Now Sylvia is receiving anonymous notes through her door and the last one has the bloodstained necklace in that her mother was wearing when she was killed with the chilling line, you are next.
Rhett is released on parole and the first place he goes is to Sylvia's house. He wants revenge on the person who really killed Marjorie and is determined to find answers.
This was a fairly fast paced novel with a few red herrings thrown into the mix. Although I correctly guessed the murderer a little way into the book it didn't affect my enjoyment
I'm grateful to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this advanced copy. I will leave my review on Goodreads, Bookmory and Storygraph now and then on Amazon on publication day

When I Disappear by Amanda McKinney ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was so brilliant. I couldn’t put it down!


For the past 20 years Rhett Cohen has been behind bars for the murder of Sylvia Stones mother. Sylvia begins to get anonymous letters: “you’re next”. Rhett is then released from prison and she disappears .

J a w DROPPING!

Thank you for the ARC.