This is an interesting read featuring a young man with a tragic past. Foster Treherne is a well respected artist who never knew his father and his mother committed suicide when he was a baby. His father had disappeared on a hiking trip and never returned. Imagine Foster’s surprise when his body is finally discovered....entombed in a glacier. This sets him on a journey to learn about the father he never knew and to investigate the idea that his death might not have been an accident.

This book begs the saying, “be careful what you wish for.”

*Thanks to netgalley and Amazon publishing UK for an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review*
Ok, let's begin.
First of all, i really liked the story, the idea was well written and easy to make you feel hooked from the beginning.
The protagonist was a really good character, he was relatable and real, he was a down-to-earth artist and a good person overall, i liked the pace of his thoughts and the transition from an idea to another.
About the writing, in some places the book felt a little bit stretched, like it can lose some paragraphs.
The pace was good in general, the writing craft is impeccable, the author has a good way with his words.
Overall, a good read.

How well do you really know your friends? Well enough for them to hide a terrible secret for you? Foster Treherne, in Kevin Wignall’s ‘Those Who Disappeared,’ knows all too well about the extent friends will go to keep something buried. You’ll have to wait until March 4th, 2021 to find out what Foster already knows. It’ll be worth the wait. It was for him.

Imagine growing up not knowing your parents and not experiencing love nor having a relationship with your paternal or maternal grandparents. What if you didn’t even know if your father was still alive? That’s the burden Foster has been living with since the day he was born. His father, Charles, disappeared 32 years ago on a glacier hike in the Bernese Alps when his girlfriend was 3 months pregnant. He was never found. His mom, having returned to England after meeting Charlie on a vacation in Italy, committed suicide a year after her son was born. Foster has grown into a charming man and a famous and well-respected artist. One day a visitor comes into his gallery and utters the words he’s been wanting to hear his whole life – we think we’ve found your father.

Wignall has written an exceptional story. Not only is it filled with unexpected twists, sharply written and evenly paced, it’s also believable. It’s more than just a story about a guy with a tragic background who is looking for his father; it’s about exploring the issue that we can become lost and alone even when surrounded by people. Wignall’s mystery reminds us not to believe everything we hear, and that oftentimes what we see on the surface is not what lurks below. This superbly written book begs to be made into a movie!

Thank you to Kevin Wignall, Amazon Publishing UK, and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’m delighted to have been afforded an advanced reading copy via NetGalley and having read this novel to review and recommend it without reservation.

My opinions are my own and could not be influenced in such a process but I have to declare at the start that Kevin Wignall is one of my favourite authors and I have read his many books with interest and pleasure.

Those who disappeared is a wonderful story. It is written with great skill that engages the reader throughout. Whether this tension is wrapped up in the narrative or just my imagination I’ll leave you to judge. For this is unlike his previous works where secret agents, contract killers, nefarious plots with spies, government duplicity and double-cross fill the pages.

It is about a successful artist who grew up not knowing his parents. His mother took her own life shortly after his birth and his father disappeared some months before that, having ventured alone on a mountain walk. Foster has grown up without any real sense of belonging; his staff team has almost become his family and his art a place of solace and comfort. All this changes when an incident within a glacier reveals a body which is believed to be his dad. Frozen in time within the ice for some thirty-two years.

The book is a clever story about the casual nature of fame Foster has, as an artist, while having no clear identity of who he really is due to a fractured childhood. He has always felt abandoned by his mum. He was rejected by his maternal grandparents which compounded this disconnect. He had always believed his dad had been indisposed by events or delayed on a secret mission but would one day return for his boy.

Along with the body a perfectly preserved journal of his father was discovered. The book is about his interpretation of those writings, unexplained issues about the state of the body, insufficient to merit an investigation or to suggest anything other than accidental death from a fall.

In searching for some closure; answers to what may have happened, his father’s state of mind and relationship with his mother. Foster hunts down his dad’s post graduate friends who were part of a secret society. This becomes frustrating as each one seems to be concealing things and spinning half truths that mean his grasp of his father becomes muddled. In a sense this is mirror to his own life where he once was part of a group of talented artists who never quite made the break through he achieved.

Within this story are tensions from his father’s past with questions of why the surviving members appear to be closing ranks and avoiding him while Foster’s own past seems to be threatening his immediate success. This dual tension leaves the reader always on edge regarding individual’s motives and intent towards Foster, who he can trust and if he himself is in danger.

Hopefully others may see this within a novel that is about identity, the need to face the truth and the true worth of friendship. In the process we are taken to many wonderful locations and touch the world of art, frat houses and smell conspiracy. In the end the author asks whether it is more important to seek the truth or take revenge.
Wignall also demonstrates that without points of reference, we can lose more than memories when we bury the past. The symbolic unearthing of his father’s body from the glacier is also the catalyst to garner the truth and see oneself in that revealed light.
Those who disappeared is reclaiming those that are lost, forgotten and ignored. In this sense it is a grown up novel by an author who tells a good story but until this point has just thrilled and entertained.
This novel has those qualities still but provides a deeper response that resonates with my whole being. This is why I will continue to enjoy his books and easily recommend then to others.

Kevin Wignall never disappoints! “Those Who Disappeared” is a well-paced mystery with some great characters. Foster Treherne never knew his father who disappeared in a mountain-climbing accident 30 years prior. When Charles Treherne’s body is found, Foster begins the search for who his father really was. Was Charles’s death really an accident or was it murder?

Foster is an intriguing character who I wouldn’t mind meeting again in a future book. I couldn’t put this down and finished it in a single day. Some might find the pacing a little slow but it’s a book that will keep you guessing until the end.

Not my normal type of read and thought I might abandon it how ever continued to the end and found it intriguing. An interesting read.

I really liked the hero in this book, there was more I would have liked to know about his art, but that is a minor part. Having never known his father, dead before he was born, or his mother, who killed herself months later, he has struggled to understand his family and where he came from.
When the body of his father is revealed after decades, his search for meaning becomes more urgent and mysterious. Pursuing more info brings more questions than answers, initially.
By the end, the threads of the story come together in a satisfying manner-
This was a very pleasant book to read, will look for more by this author. 4;5 stars

Those Who Disappear is a beautifully woven mystery and a compelling story of one man's relationship with the Father he never knew.

A glacier gives up a body - accident is assumed but the answers lie in the past, when a young man and his close knit group of friends are just beginning to come into their own.. until tragedy strikes.

I love the way the author layers his characters and offers up a lot to think about...whether or not there is foul play involved is very much secondary to the human drama playing out on the page. The resolution is emotionally resonant, the setting is described with perfect intensity and overall this was an absolutely excellent read.

Recommended.

This was a really interesting, well written mystery. But it was more than that - it was a story about family, and about friendship. I enjoyed the story, and escaped into the world that Kevin Wignall built.

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC, which did not impact my review.

I received Those Who Disappeared from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Those Who Disappeared is an adequate story, but it's not much of a mystery and not a strong story. The main character, Foster, investigates, but he's too reliant on people telling him what happened rather than figuring it out in other ways. The telling is a problem with the story. Mysteries become bland when they have several characters simply telling what happened. Also, from pretty early on it becomes clear who did it, and then why is filled in fairly shortly after the who. The end only confirms it.

Where the book shined is the exposure perpetrator, what he'd done to a victim, and how Foster grapples with and settles his mind around it to shift his focus from the perpetrator to the victim. I think that could have been a better focus of the story than the mystery element.

Daniella's character felt unnecessary. Her role in the investigation could easily have been better fulfilled by other, more realistic characters, and her role as a love interest was boring and did nothing for the story.

I'd recommend this to someone who likes simple mysteries. It's short and quick to read, so it doesn't feel like a wasted effort, especially given what works in the story. I'll look from more from the author, because I think there are some strengths in his writing that may be the star of another book.

A well-written interesting story involving young man’s search for the truth—or perhaps, truths. When his father’s body, lost for years, is found, Foster begins a quest to learn about the death, his father, his mother, and their friends , who seem to be keeping secrets.

4/5 stars

Foster Treherne is rich and an artist, initially part of a group called ‘The New Painters’ but he alone has had great success. There is jealousy that he is the one who has made a name for himself as he gets a series of unpleasant anonymous notes making various accusations. Foster never knew his parents as his father Charlie disappears near a glacier in Switzerland before he is born and his mother commits suicide when he’s a baby. He’s raised very much at arms length by his maternal grandparents. A preserved body is found in a glacier revealed by boulders from an avalanche which proves to be Charlie. Following an oddity from the post mortem, Foster is determined to learn what he can about how and why Charlie died. It’s a fascinating truth seeking journey into his father’s university life and membership of a tight knit group known as The Pirensi Group with Indiana Jones aspirations. It is also a journey of self discovery.

I’ve read several books by Kevin Wignall and enjoyed them all. This one is especially clever as it’s a very understated novel about identity, in seeking to learn about his father and give him an identity he discovers more about himself. It’s also about abandonment, loneliness and a sense of belonging which understandably Foster has always felt. Where does Foster belong? Maybe the search for his father’s identity will give him roots somewhere and settle an itch he didn’t realise he had. This part of the novel really pulls at your heartstrings as no one really cares for him or shows him love as he grows up and yet despite this he becomes a fine, likeable man with a strong moral code. As he digs into his father’s background and tracks down members of the Pirensi group there’s a definite air of tension and rank closing as they wish to conceal and bury the past for ‘Those who disappeared ‘ which is so intriguing. The storytelling takes you in unexpected directions and into some wonderful settings. There are moments of tension and menace especially from the note sender and a good atmosphere builds as the mystery of Charlie deepens. He does get to the truth on both counts which gives him some closure and the ability to move on with his life and find happiness to accompany his success.

Overall, a good novel with multiple strands which keeps you interested throughout.

With thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the arc for an honest review

A new twist in the thriller genre. Imagine living with a story of how your father dies to find out that everyone else on the mountain lied about the real truth. A truly amazing story of a child not giving up until the truth is revealed

Kevin Witgnall just keeps getting better at writing well-plotted, engrossing mysteries with engaging characters with complex inner lives who get around to interesting places. The protagonist of this one is Foster, a successful painter whose father disappeared while hiking in a Swiss glacier before he was born. When his body is d disinterested from the ice decades later, a journal found in the backpack that was also buried with him leads Foster on a quest to learn more about a man he never knew, and not all of it is welcome news. Setting out to meet the friends he mentioned in the journal, members in their post graduate years of an in-group that called itself the Piranesi Society, the circumstances of disappearance and the reactions of the friends Foster contacts suggest murder. All the suspects are well-developed minor characters, and the developing love story with an embassy staffer assigned to help Foster repatriate his father's body is a nice coda to his journey of discovery.

This mystery has a great plot, and, as usual, the storytelling is very smooth. The characters are fantastic, and all in all this is a very entertaining and intriguing book.

This is a nice mystery. Foster, a famous artist finds out that the body of his father was discovered, after 30 years, in Switzerland. He was expecting that his body will surface one day, but he understands it was not an accident. Foster will not stop until he is finding out who did it. It was an easy read.
Thank you Netgalley for this nice book.

What a freaking page turner. Book had me guessing from page to page and I never wanted to put it down. Literally did not see the end coming. At all. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received an ARC copy of #ThoseWhoDisappeared from #NetGalleyfor a review.

The premise of the book was interesting, but the overall story was lacking. I had a hard time getting into it. There were a lot of parts that could have shortened down a lot, and there was one character that really didn't add much to the story at all. She was there simply for the sake of being there. It was also fairly predictable.

Some thirty years after he has gone missing, an avalanche uncovers the body of Charlie Treherne. For his son Foster, a now famous artist, it a chance to say goodbye to a man he never knew, a man who disappeared before he was born. When the autopsy reveals there may have been foul play, Foster starts to question his fathers associates and finds himself quickly shut out. As he goes from place to place doggedly pursuing his fathers friends, the more they close ranks and don’t want to tell him the truth. It is sounding to Foster that his father isn’t the saintly person he imagined him to be and this makes him more earnest than ever to uncover the truth.
It’s a great read from a great storyteller.
#netgalley #thosewhodisappeared

Those Who Disappeared by Kevin Wignall – This was an excellent read for me, as have been all of the books that I have read by the author

I read this within a day, and once I started it - I just could not wait to continue and see where the storyline was headed

The main character Foster Treherne is a successful and wealthy artist, who finds out at the beginning of the book that the body of the father who he never knew was just found

He has had a great deal of success in his life, however, is also quite alone. This finding opens up a search into the life and circumstances of the death, was this natural or intentional?

I will read more of Kevin Wignall’s books, and they are well written, interesting, and very enjoyable

4.5 Stars

Thank You to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, and Author Kevin Wignall for my advanced copy to read and review

#ThoseWhoDisappeared #NetGalley

Thanks to NetGalley, along with Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer for this free advance copy in return for an honest review.

A glacier, an avalanche and an artist’s search for truth, all come together in this wonderfully conceived book by Kevin Wignall, an author I never read before and who has done a great job of exploring one mans journey to find the truth about his father and how he died.
After 32 years the body of Charlie Treherne is uncovered as the result of an avalanche on a Swiss glacier. Luckily, the body had been very well preserved over that time since Charlie’s disappearance, and his passport and diary had been wrapped in plastic so the coroner was able to at least identify the body.
Famous modern artist, Foster Treherne receives an unexpected visit from a State Department official informing him of the discovery of his father, Charlie. And this sets up the dramatic plot of one man’s attempt to learn the truth about his father’s death and existence. Charlie’s death had occurred before Foster was born, and to complicate matters his mother committed suicide when he was only one year old.
Basically raised by a nanny, and shipped off to boarding schools, Foster had no photos of his father, and really knew nothing of the man or his life, which was fine with Foster. But despite achieving worldwide artistic fame Foster has always had a hole in his psyche due to tragic circumstances surrounding the death of his parents, as well as his grandparents rather hands off and uncaring interest in his upbringing.
But, as so often happens, one little bit of information leads to another, and eventually Foster is convinced that his father’s death was not a mere accidental hiking death, but rather a murder. The discovery of a group photo now propels Foster on a journey of discovery and enlightenment. Who really were his mother and father, how did his father really die, and if it was not an innocent hiking accident who is to blame?
That Wignall is able to cover all of this in a short 232 page novel tells us about his ability as a writer. It is an action mystery, that really has little physical action. It is a detective story without a detective, and it is one man’s surprising desire to learn about his father. Foster is able to discover the identity of the people in the photo, but their memories of the day his father died are either incomplete or give the indications of a conspiracy. But was there a killer or was it truly an accident, and his desire to learn the truth also uncovers some facts about his father he never had known and which he might have been happy not to know.
This is a short, fast read. Yet it is a book that moves action around at a reasonable pace and teaches us that our past is not always what we think it is, and that our parents are not always who we believe they were. Fascinating, and a very good read with no violence, sex or any graphic sequences.

This review was previously published at www.mysteryandsuspense.com

#ThoseWhoDisappeared #NetGalley

Thanks NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, Kevin Wignall for an ARC to review.
When a man's body was discovered in a glacier after thirty years, Foster Treherne his son the famous artist found his lost father.
He begins a journey investigating the 30 years old puzzle and if it wasn't just an accident.
I loved the writing style, the characters and the book's setting.

A Catalogue Of Events.....
Much to consider in this solid mystery of truth, secrets, family and identity. The discovery of a body in a glacier sparks a catalogue of events, particularly when circumstances surrounding the death appear sinister. Populated with a cast of realistic characters, and a convincing protagonist, the well written plot moves at a good pace. Engaging reading.

I have read several books by Kevin Wignall which I really enjoyed. So, I was happy to request this one from Net Galley for an honest review. Foster is a successful artist whose father went missing and his mother committed suicide.
The body of his father is found in a glacier. Now the questions begin. There were signs of a struggle so what happened? Foster goes to his father’s friends to find out some answers.
This book is complex – the mystery of his father, Foster’s life as an artist, and what really happened.

The writing was excellent, and I loved the way the story slowly unfolded with each revelation bringing a little more insight to the mystery and to Foster’s life.
I recommend this book and others written by Mr. Wignall.

I thought the book was very well done, and the ending exceptional. Good development of subject matter and characters.. Again, I thought the ending showed creativity, and deserved extra points for how completely it tied everything together.I will look forward to his next book.

A well known painter who’s father disappeared many years ago suddenly finds himself asking questions of his father’s friends when his body is found after an avalanche. It was a good story and kept me turning the pages quickly.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

Rating: Very Good

Genre: Mystery Thriller

This is a story about a famous artist, Foster Treherne. One day Foster is informed that a body has been discovered in a glacier in Switzerland and that body is believed to be his father who has been missing for thirty years. Despite never knowing his father, Foster decides to dig for the truth after he suspects that his father’s accident might have been more than that. Fortunately, the father has left a diary and a picture that shows the group of friends the old man belonged to.

This is the first time I read something written by Kevin Wignall and I have to say that the story was quite enjoyable. I liked how things kept unraveling at a steady pace. As I progressed in the book I felt the mystery kept getting more interesting. The book is around 232 pages yet it has lots of meat to offer without the need to resort to unnecessary fillers. The characters were interesting especially the members of The Piranesi Society that the deceased father belonged to. The suspense to know and understand these characters and their motives added more intensity to the story along with the diary inclusion which was a crucial part of Foster’s discovery of the mystery.

Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for this honest and unbiased review.

Oh wow, what a book! I read this one in less than 24 hours & that never happens.
This story follows Foster, a successful artist who recently discovered the body of his dad was just found. This opens up the question to us readers if the death was intentional or not.
I loved this story about a father and son. Being a first time mom, it really tugged at my heart strings while also being a gripping tale.
Thank you so much Netgalley for my ARC copy! I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from Wignall!

I very much wanted to read this book. I have to regretfully say I dnf it. The writing style is great, the subject of the story is great and inventive. My only problem was connecting with the main character. I will recommend it to others but it is just not for me.

This was my first book to read by this author and I was very impressed! I can't wait to read more by this author!!

I could not put this book down. It’s filled with quite a few unexpected twists and is beautifully written. Overall an excellent read.

Foster Treherne’s father disappeared 30 years ago while hiking. His mother died a year and a half later. Now, all of a sudden, his father’s body is found preserved within in a Swiss glacier. Foster is hoping he can finally put his memory to rest and have the knowledge of what actually happened, but that is not the case. It appears possible his father was in a struggle near the time of his death, and Foster is determined to find out why. As he tracks down his father’s former friends, he become increasingly entangled in a web of lies and mistrust. Will he ever discover what actually happened and who his father truly was?

This book didn’t really do it for me. The idea was good, but it was too predictable. I wasn’t really able to get into it until after the first quarter of the book, when the mystery really started to pick up. However, once I made it to about the 75% point, the answer was basically spoon-fed to you and there was no big twist or surprise.

Overall, the major prevailing themes are uncovering family truths and realizing life isn’t always how you picture it in your mind.

Warning: rape, abortion, and suicide are mentioned within this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge Kevin Wignall fan. He has set a high standard for terse, well written, suspense novels. Unfortunately, THOSE WHO DISAPPEARED, falls short of his usual excellence. Foster Treherne, a renowned artist, searches for clues about his father’s death, which was before he was born. Charles Treherne’s body was found in a glacier 32 years after he died. Was it murder, or just an unfortunate accident? His son, Foster, is determined to find his father’s college friends to find out the truth about his father. The wealthy friends seem to be hiding the entire story from Foster. He jet sets across Europe to investigate. The languid storyline is enveloped by art aficionados, and lovely European scenery. Of course he has an obligatory love affair with the Government agent assigned to help him. A meaningless blackmail story muddles the tale even further. This is an unremarkable book by a remarkable author.

"He called the emergency services. He'd found a body, and somewhere out there were loved ones who'd been waiting years maybe even decades for news of the man whose body was suspended in front of Brett now, like an insect preserved in amber from another age."

Those Who Disappeared starting off strong. with a tense atmosphere surrounding the discovery of famed artist Foster Treherne's father who has been missing for 30 years. I was hooked from the start, but for me the book started to get repetitive as Foster was visiting his Father's old friends trying to unearth the truth about his Father's final days. The ending was also a disappointing as I was able to guess what happened really quite early on in the book.

Overall Those Who Disappear is a quick read, and a simple mystery surrounding family secrets.

This starts off with a body being found in a glacier, a body who you find out belongs to Charlie Treherne who went missing 30 years prior. His son Foster who never even got to meet his dad jumps right into trying to find out what happened that day his father went missing. When he went to view the body there were slight signs of a struggle, also was able to get his dad's journal and belongings. Immediately he starts finding each person in the photo to try and get some insight on his parents. It is pretty apparent something was being hidden from the others in the photo, and I don't like how it seemed to drag on and on. There was no big climax in the story. In the end he does find out who murdered his father and gets the closure he needed. Pretty good read! Also thanks to NetGalley for my arc for an honest review!

Also shared this to my Goodreads account!

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Those Who Disappeared" is the story of an artist's search for the truth of his father's disappearance and death.

This book is beautifully written. The descriptions and details absorb the reader and make you feel you know the characters and locations personally. The workings of the art world are vividly imagined, and the emotions of love and loss are felt throughout, due to the author's use of descriptive phrasing.

I would recommend this book, and would rate it five out of five.

This was a gentle read, I thought there might have been a twist at the end. A sad story as a boy’s illusions about his father are destroyed by investigating his death. Enjoyable

First of all, I think Foster might be one of my favorite characters from a thriller...ever. He seemed so personable and down to earth, especially given the horrors in his past. All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun ride and the air of mystery followed you basically until the last page. I will say I wish there had been a bit more of a twist, but it's still a wonderful read without it! Thank you so much to both Kevin Wignall and Thomas & Mercer for letting me read and review this book!

I found this a bit slow to get into but once I did, I enjoyed it, A story of a father and son who never knew each other and the journey of the son discovering who his father was and the life he led.. This was very different to Kevin Wignall's other books, more of a mystery and I have to say I prefer his spy stories but in saying so still a fine effort. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book..

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Foster learns that is Father's body was found near a glacier. He went missing over three decades. When Foster tries to talk to his fathers friends, he hits a roadblock. This book kept me interested from start to finish.

Seeking answers from the past…

Never having known his parents Foster Treherne, a renowned artist, hasn’t given them much thought until now, he was raised by grandparents who at best were distant, nannies, and boarding school. After 32 years the body of his father is found in the Swiss Alps, his remains disinterred by an avalanche on a glacier. As a child, Foster wondered if the father who had disappeared would someday walk into his life, and his father has but not in the way the child in Foster could have imagined. Contacted with the news by an embassy worker who is a fan of his works Foster embarks on a journey of discovery of who his parents were and we see how it affects him, the good and the bad things he learns, and the mystery that his father’s death turned out to be. There is a level of curiosity in all of us and the thought that there might have been more to his father’s death than a tragic accident on the slopes demands he investigate. Foster’s search begins within the pages of the journal found on his father’s person, and those the man once befriended described in the only thoughts Foster has ever had of his father.

The tragic circumstances surrounding Foster’s beginnings have always defined him, a father who mysteriously vanished months before his birth, a mother who committed suicide a year after he was born. This story is the psychological study of a man who has had to make his way on his own and in his thirties seeks to obtain some closure, some understanding of where he came from, and the knowledge he obtains inevitably alters his life, his relationships, and his perception of all he had known. Foster is a likable, relatable complex character, though much a loner type of individual his internal dialogue shows us how much more there is to him than people around him are allowed to see. Foster is an individual who understands what it is to be lost amongst a crowd yet he is a highly functional insightful person. I liked the use of published articles about the artist to tell us what the world knew of him.

This is not the first time I have read this author and won’t be the last. The story was well-written and nicely paced, it had a captivating storyline, a decades-long mystery, the unraveling of secrets long kept, well-developed characters, and descriptions that so easily visually take you into the world you are reading about.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

Interesting book.
First time I've read a book by Kevin Wignall. I didn't love this book, but also didn't dislike it.
It was interesting because there was no big reveal and the typical bad guy (but was he bad? You never really quite know for sure) was already dead.

All I can really say is interesting

Book Review: Those Who Disappeared by Kevin Wignall
(Published by Amazon Publishing UK, March 15, 2021)

4.25 Stars.

32 years earlier, Handeck, Bern, Switzerland.

It was a relatively warm Alpine October day. Twenty-five-year-old Charles Treherne, nature lover, privileged background, educated at Bennington, a boarding school in New Hampshire, Yale degree, postgraduate history student at the University of Bologna, Italy, sets out with his backpack from the Swiss pension at daybreak for a day's hike on an isolated mountain trail atop the nearby glacier.

That morning, he goes without his travel companion who wasn't feeling well. He knew he was taking a risk.

It was the last people would see of him alive.

Charles joined the long list of many of those who disappeared, lost and buried in the Alpine mountain range...

32 years later.

Thirty two-year-old Berlin-based American figurative painter Foster Treherne, renowned "Little Boy Lost of American Art" on account of his heritage, is firmly established at the top tier on the world stage.

He gets a phone call from Bern.

The body of his long-lost father - the father he never knew, was found by a hiker at the "accumulation zone", the higher part of a glacier, uncovered after an avalanche.

They'd also recovered Charles Treherne's backpack, his hiking boots, jacket and a journal. Three buttons in a row were missing on the jacket, possibly the sign of a struggle. But if he'd fallen off an ice ledge, anything could have happened.

"ICE BODY IS LEADING ARTIST'S LONG-LOST FATHER". The New York Times publishes a story of the grim recovery with a photo. It is of Charles Treherne with five friends in Italy, including Foster's mom, then 23-year-old Lucy Foster, a English student also at the U. of Bologna. His parents were never married. She'd committed suicide a year after his birth.

The NYT story includes only one other name in the caption apart from Treherne. The second name, Chris Hamblyn, is now a journalist at the Rome bureau of the Times.

Foster decides to call Mr. Hamblyn to find anything he could tell about his father - his parents.

He also remembers the same Times photo in the belongings of Charles packed and given to him by his paternal grandma.

That photo has seven instead of six people - six friends with Charles Treherne.

The photo presented with the NYT report had been doctored. Someone's been carefully airbrushed off the picture...

-----

With a writing style so fluid and easy to speed-read, Author Kevin Wignall's stories specialize in compartmentalized dust-ups, power plays, and confrontations, no major paradigm shifts in the singularity - and yet ever so original and quite creative - and keeps you at the edge of your seat.

The protagonists in his stories are flawed, tragic, and invariably are determined and out to set things right. Which are precisely what make them compelling and easy to empathize with.

"Those Who Disappeared" is no exception. Another great read from the author!

Review based on an ARC from Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley.

This is a rattling good mystery yarn that keeps the reader turning the pages. Much hangs on an old photograph of which I won't say too much here.
Kevin Wignall takes the reader into several worlds: irresponsible graduate student parties, the world of high art (and high prices), an Alpine terrain and the perrenial theme of the mystery - romantic entanglement,
There is a hint of the formulaic as the plot unfolds; and a deliberate glossing over of the mundane details of taking flights, hiring cars, renting hotel rooms - "assistants" are there to do all that as in the James Bond plotlines. Perhaps a film script is tucked inside these pages too?

Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for this honest and unbiased review. First time I've read a book by Kevin Wignall. I love this book but not very much turn and twisted. A well-written interesting story involving young man’s search for the truth. I found the writing incredibly engaging, with a well crafted plot and incredibly interesting characters. This mystery has a great plot, and, as usual, the storytelling is very smooth. The characters are fantastic, and all in all this is a very entertaining and intriguing book. This book has those qualities still but provides a deeper response that resonates with my whole being. This is why I will continue to enjoy his books and easily recommend then to others.

This book follows Foster, a rising artist who had never met his father and lost his mother young, so he created what he thought his parents were. When the long lost body of his father is recovered, the fairy tale he created about the man starts to dissolve. Curious to know who he was, leads Foster to dig deeper in the short life his father led, the relationships he had with Foster's mother and their tight-knit group of friends and how that might have contributed to his disappearance.

It is interesting to dissect what we think of our parents. If we resent them, put them on a pedestal, or if we even know who they are outside of "Mom" or "Dad". How much is hidden from us? How much are we just blind to?

As Foster continues down this path, the reader is asked to contemplate if we really ever fully know who are are parents are, especially before having us. Do our past mistakes taint our futures? What happens when a parent doesn't live up to your expectations?

I think sometimes we don't really think about our parents as "people". They had lives before us (whether short or long) and any mistakes, issues, personality quirks, or life choices make them human, just like us.

What are my kids going to think of me when I'm older?

I couldn’t put this book down. It’s writing and characters are so addictive that I had to read everything in one sitting and barely been aware of what’s going on around me.
I was intrigued to know more of each character and what actually happened thirty years ago with Foster’s father and if his assumptions were correct or not.
It was interesting to see him traveling around Europe and met with some very interesting characters and retelling stories from those years when they lived so freely or so it seemed like.
It was my first book by the author but won’t be the last I’ll be reading for sure.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a unique and fascinating story that kept me reading to the very end. I enjoyed the premise and the development and reveal of the characters throughout. The length was perfect as was the degree of detail. Based on this novel, I would seek out more books by Kevin Wignall.

This is the first novel I’ve read by Kevin Wignall and I really enjoyed it. Foster Trehearne is a successful artist who never knew his parents. When his father’s body is found in the ice where he disappeared whilst hiking in bad weather, it should bring him closure. Instead, a few things don’t quite add up and he starts questioning his parents’ friends from that time, trying to work out the truth.
An easy suspenseful read.

Those Who Disappeared is a literary cold case mystery, about an artist searching for the truth about his father, who disappeared while climbing in the Alps before he was born, by a British author who is new to me. I’m fortunate to be Pre-Approved by Amazon UK on NetGalley, and was drawn to the stunning cover image, so downloaded this on a whim, and ended up enjoying the writing as well as the gentle unraveling of the truth. It’s not a thriller, there’s not much suspense, and it takes a while to get going, but it’s a short fluid read and never boring.

Foster Treherne is a successful Anglo-American painter in his early thirties, whose career took off early, causing some jealousy amongst his peers, and now lives a quiet life in Berlin. Left an orphan by the suicide of his mother while he was still an infant, he has kept his distance from close relationships, to focus on his work. When the body of his father, Charlie, is found preserved in ice after an avalanche, showing evidence of a possible altercation, Foster is determined to learn more about the man he always dreamed would return for him. Tracking down his parents’ friends from that time, a secretive group who called themselves the Piranesi club, he senses they are hiding something from him, so armed with Charlie’s journal, his convenient wealth, and assisted by a beautiful diplomatic aide, Foster embarks on an obsessive quest for the truth that will change everything he thought he knew about his life.

I know almost nothing about the Art world, so it was fun to have our protagonist be a famous artist who’s unafraid to use his celebrity and connections to further his investigation, but he is refreshingly down to earth, considerate and modest at the same time. It’s a kind of Coming of Age story as Foster finds out the truth about his parents and matures emotionally as a result. There are some likeable support characters, a romance that doesn’t get in the way of the plot, no sex or violence and the mystery was interesting enough to keep me guessing. The side-plot about the threatening letters was a bit of a letdown, although does become relevant later.
I’d happily read more from this author. Thanks to Amazon UK & NetGalley for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Those Who Disappeared is published on March 15th.

This book caught my attention at the beginning with the avalanche and a body found. At that point, I thought to myself it was going to be a thriller, but it really wasn't. Foster Treherne has never met his father and he thought he never would until the body is identified as that of his father, Foster is forced to follow a trail of clues to find out how who his father really was. The more he investigates, the more puzzling the case becomes. He meets some of his father’s friends who seem to know very little or or don't seem to care at all.

The writer's grasp on each of the characters and locales is amazing! It made me want to travel to these places. What I got out of this story is that secrets can destroy you or make you a better person. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

Thank you #NetGalley for the AC!

A commendable work of blending friendship, family and a quest for truth in a cold case of three decades. The characters are all relatable and garner sympathy. The final pages emphasise the value of human relations beyond lust. The unintended victimisation of children is adequately highlighted. Well done.

4.25 Stars — A thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC of this meaty thriller in return for a sincere and completely honest and impartial review.

A captivating and quite original mystery, Kevin Wignall’s latest thriller has many things going for it. The authors use of tension is on-point here but ultimately, it is the strongly humanised and relatable narrative that is weaponised most effectively here, pulling me in nice and close, to the point where I caught myself turning the page with just a touch of timidly seasoned trepidation on not one — but several — occasions.

The narrative reaches its well-timed crescendo about 70% in and after what I’d call a banal opening sixty pages or so, the author is able to flush out well-to-do characters that are painted with a touch of naivety I suspect in order to aid the assumptive-errors the reader may presume which serves the twists and turns rather well indeed. The message Wignall is flagging for us throughout, is that despite often believing otherwise, we never truly know anyone, even those in the closest of proximities. A message we all should heed more and also less at the same time (go figure).

Foster is a straightforward protagonist in most manners, he is too trusting and a little naive at first but his Witt and adaptability under pressure holds him in good stead and unlike many other mystery-solving hero’s, he is flawed but not to the point of exhaustion. Wignall has done a very solid job in developing his lead character and I for one hope to see this a continuing trend in crime novels, all-too-often we are left with a lead character whom is predictably equipped to deal with his or her own flaws, which ostensibly then contradicts those very flaws in the first place, refreshingly Foster is just a man, whom senses his father has met with foul-play and is both created by and haunted from a horrific three-decades of not knowing what had come of his dear old dad.

An excellent read that I am glad I read, not perfect but more enjoyable each chapter which is the key to all decent novels, getting the reader to turn that page. Well done Kevin!

Foster Treherne's father went missing before he was born. A man's body has recently been found in a Swiss glacier. Foster has always wanted closure, to find out why he was abandoned by his father. Now he knows.

The medical examiner has found that the man was in some kind of struggle before he died. And maybe the accident wasn't really an accident.

Foster needs/wants more information. A diary of sorts is found along side his father. He starts tracking down his father's old friends. But he's getting nothing. They all seem to be hiding something .... but what? Who ... or what are they trying to protect? And why all of a sudden is he receiving threatening messages?

Lies and secrets can only be buried so long.....

Well written story about a man who wants to know who he really is. His father seemed to have abandoned his family and his pregnant wife at the time committed suicide. Hard not to understand a child's longing to know the answers for his questions. Characters are solidly drawn and live amid a swirl of mystery. Tension is felt from start to finish, the ending is unexpected.

Many thanks to the author / Amazon Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this mystery/crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I was dissapointed when reading this book. From the very start, Foster is suspicious that his father's death wasn't an accident, and immediately starts to investigate. Each person he interviews conveniently gives him all the information he needs, and it's almost to easy for him to figure out what happened to his father 30 years ago. I would've liked a little more intrigue, and fewer sanctimonious lectures from the characters.


Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Amazon Publishing UK for the electronic copy.

This is a really absorbing and intriguing read. I thoroughly enjoyed it; it's well-written with good dialogue and you get a good sense of the wealth and power of the main characters as the reader is taken across Europe and the States following Foster Treherne's quest to solve the mystery which has dogged his entire life.

Foster Treherne is a wealthy and talented artist. He started, with then girlfriend Polly, a painting studio called The New Painters after meeting at a London art school. However, following their first exhibition if was Foster alone who became famous - not least because of his tragic background. His father Charles Treherne disappeared whilst hiking alone in the Swiss Alps thirty-two years previously. His mother, Lucy Foster, killed herself in England when he was a baby. Raised by unloving American grandparents who pushed him off to boarding schools, Foster has never known what having a family is really about. He regards his staff and agents working with him across the world as his family. Even his girlfriends leave when they can't put up with his lifestyle or work ethic. Everyone leaves, don't they?
He always fantasised that his father would return one day - and he does.. Dramatically his body is discovered, preserved by a glacier. With the help of his father's diary and Daniela Herrera from the American Embassy in Germany, he resolves to find the other members of his father's close group of friends, identified only by initials in the diary, but he does have a photograph. Gradually, Foster realises not everything is right about that group of friends. None of them is available to attend the funeral; they become evasive and hard to reach - he convinces himself his father was murdered. But by whom, and why? What are they all hiding?

Slowly his investigation yields the answers he craves, with surprises and twists along the way.
Very good.

Everything I've read by Kevin Wignall has shown solid craftsmanship, has been well-researched, and has deftly incorporated geopolitics and human nature into its plot. Those Who Disappeared shares most of those characteristics, but it is less about nations or corporations and more about the ties of family and friendship.

Still, these themes are played out on a global stage. A young man with a tragic beginning has stumbled into top-tier success as an artist. Foster Trehene's father disappeared before his birth, presumably in an alpine accident, and his mother committed suicide before he had formed any memories of her.

After a privileged but cold upbringing among prosperous relatives, Foster shows artistic talent and helps launch a young artists' collective. He couldn't have predicted that his tragic backstory would propel him, and him alone of the group's members, into fabled success and wealth and fame.

One of the story's plotlines involves the jealousy and resentment of the other collective members. The primary narrative thread, though, involves the discovery of Foster's father, whose corpse has been preserved in the ice of the Swiss Alps.

Following his growing obsession with what happened to his father, Foster discovers that the ties of youthful friendship can mature into something quite tenacious and twisted.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas& Mercer for an advance readers copy.

I really enjoyed this book by a new author for me. 30 years after his father disappeared Fosters body is found on a mountain underneath melting snow. A tragedy or a mystery. Foster is convinced that he father was murdered.. Foster starts his own investigation and finds out previously unknown facts. A very interesting book that I could not put down. Love that I was allowed to read this review copy. Will now look for more books by this author.

A thirty-year-old mystery is investigated by a son after his father’s body is discovered in a Swiss glacier. In digging up the past, Foster Treherne must deal with the lack of assistance from his father’s friends and truths that will not stay buried forever. In learning more about his parents, Foster’s work and life is challenged by fundamental questions of a person’s true nature and its impact on you. An interesting family saga history that rates three-stars. With thanks to NetGalley and the author for a preview copy for review purposes. All opinions expressed herein are freely given and totally my own.

The premise of this story really grabbed me and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!
The writing style and premise seemed very Hitchcockian to me. There’s a lot of slow-burn mystery and travel involved at the core of unraveling the events of the past.
I also think the ending was very fitting. If you’re looking for a quick and interesting suspense story, I’d give this one a try!

Successful artist, Foster Treherne, has always wondered what happened to his father thirty years before. His father went missing before Foster was born whilst his mother committed suicide when he was one year old. Now an avalanche uncovers a frozen body in a Swiss glacier. Foster travels to see the body and the autopsy reveals signs of possible accidental death or foul play. Believing his father's journal may hold the clues, Foster decides to investigate his father's death, and starts to track down members of a group his father was with in the weeks before his death. Foster soon gets the impression that there are things that the members of the group want to keep secret, perhaps even murder.

This was a good mystery which had some twists and turns in the investigation but didn't draw things out too long. I liked most of the present-day characters apart from Daniela. Her role in the story was paper thin and I'm not a fan of female characters who are there mainly to provide the romance. Overall though I did enjoy reading it so I would rate it 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4).

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Those Who Disappeared is an engrossing literary mystery that reminds us that sometimes, through careful consideration, we discover we don't really know the people we feel we are closest to at all and that despite the facades people hide behind these people often don't have our best interests at heart. 32 years ago near the alpine village of Handeck in the municipality of Guttannen in Bern, Switzerland, 25-year-old Charles Treherne decided to take a trip hiking up the mountain to reach the Handeck glacier as it was a balmy October day. He loved the pristine natural environment and the isolation as it gave him time to ruminate on life and appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature. Hailing from an affluent family, Charles was a pupil at Bennington, an elite boarding school in New Hampshire before becoming an undergraduate at Yale and an ex-pat postgraduate history student at the University of Bologna in Italy. On the day of his disappearance, he had ventured out alone as apparently his companion who was visiting the area with him didn’t walk that day, and told the authorities that Charles didn't indicate the route he planned to take. There had been heavy snowfall, which made the climb even more dangerous, but this didn't stop him and he set off with his backpack that contained his passport, journal, water bottle, candy bar, a pen, spare socks—and his hiking boots and jacket. He was never to be seen again and it was assumed that like many tourists who tackle the trails that he had either gotten lost or injured and subsequently perished. Fast forward 32 years and prominent 32-year-old American figurative painter Foster Treherne, who is based out of a studio complex in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, has beaten the odds and hit the big time.

He is a former member of the group 'The New Painters', an idea brought about by his then-girlfriend, Polly, who used to support each other as struggling artists. But when Foster's career took off he left them behind and many of them became jealous of his success. After his masterpiece 'Little Boy Lost of American Art' he became one of the top tier artists in the world. He has been receiving sinister anonymous notes ever since. One day when he rolls up to his studio, the receptionist, Natsuko, informs him that Daniela Herrera from the American Embassy is waiting for him. She tells him that after an avalanche in Switzerland two days prior, a man’s body had been found entombed in ice and preserved by the cold high above the Handeck glacier in the accumulation zone. He was found with his backpack and on further inspection, among the injuries consistent with a fall was a suspicious blunt force trauma to the back of the head and 3 buttons were missing from his shirt signifying a struggle may have taken place. The New York Times publishes an article on the cold case but the photograph sent to them and printed alongside the article only had 6 people in it. However, the photo Foster received from his paternal grandmother had the same 6 people present but a seventh too. Why was the photo doctored and someone airbrushed out of it, and what exactly happened that day? This is a compulsive and enthralling mystery with an unusual plot and a whole lot of atmosphere. The descriptions of the landscape transported me there instantly and there's never a dull moment. It is a slow-burn literary mystery so if you're looking for a thriller with twists and punchy action this is not it. This is a story about seeking one's identity and wanting to know your origins and a rich character study of Foster. Highly recommended.

Those Who Disappeared by Kevin Wignall
Posted on March 16, 2021 by Kevin Holtsberry / 0 Comment
Having read all of the awesomely named Kevin Wignall‘s books, when given the opportunity to grab Those Who Disappeared on NetGalley I jumped at the chance. And like most Wignall books, I can say that I enjoyed this one and read it pretty quickly.


Those Who Disappeared
Kevin Wignall
Fiction
Thomas & Mercer
March 4, 2021
238
NetGalley
When a man’s body is discovered in a Swiss glacier thirty years after he went missing, his son, Foster Treherne, hopes he’ll finally have closure on what happened to the father he never met. But then the autopsy reveals signs of a struggle, and what was assumed to be a tragic accident suddenly looks more sinister.

Foster tracks down his father’s old friends, but when he starts to ask questions it becomes clear that there’s something they don’t want to tell him. While some are evasive, others seem to wish the body had never been found. What exactly is their connection to each other, and why are they so reluctant to discuss the day his father disappeared? Who are they trying to protect?

If he wants to uncover what really happened, Foster must follow the trail of secrets and lies—no matter how devastating the consequences, and what they might reveal about his father. Because the truth can only stay buried for so long…

It was a thought provoking and engaging read. Wignall’s characters are always interesting and unique and Faster is no exception

However, I was kind of put off by the ending (which I won’t spoil). I think it was the lack of clarity or resolution that left me unsatisfied.

Like many of Wignall’s books, particularly the early ones, there is moral question(s) in play that sometimes make me uncomfortable/annoyed. There were a couple of interactions between characters where I felt like either I was missing something or the characters seemed off morally. The conversation between Foster and Tolman in particular.

It could be that I just have an issue with characters that bring a cold/amoral perspective and Wignall enjoys exploring this exact type of character.

But no matter if some of these characters get under my skin, I keep reading Kevin’s books and I recommend you do the same.

This is a new author for me and what a great pick. Loved it. It was interesting and was a steady moving plot that kept me guessing till the end. For not having any information about the book prior to reading it , I thought it was a really great read.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I will need to read more.
In this standalone book, Foster Treherne, a wealthy artist finds out that the body of his father has been found in a glacier. His father disappeared more than thirty years prior and before Foster was born. His mother committed suicide when he was a baby, so knowledge of his parents is next to zero.
After the discovery of the body Foster becomes determined to find out more about his father and his subsequent death. Through a journal found with the body Foster discovers that his father was part of a small secretive group called the Piranesi Society and that the living members of this group are trying to cover something up.
This is not a fast, action-packed story, rather a progressive story of the past unfolding verbally among the various characters. Intriguing without all the violence and adrenalin.
Thank you Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Those Who Disappeared by Kevin Wignall.

Foster's life is completely shaken when the body of his long missing father is discovered 30 years after his disappearance. And in a Swiss glacier! Now, in attempts to put the pieces together of this new discovery, Foster has to dive into a completely unknown world of what kind of man his father was, and how his body ended up in a glacier.

First off, if you are looking for a fun mystery for your bookclub, but worried about inappropriate content, this is your book, nary a swear to be found.

And also, if you are looking for a fun mystery to read and enjoy, I also recommend this book. It's got a strong start, and stays strong until the end. Lots of intriguing characters, great relationship development, and unique premise. I had a great time with this one.

The book was actually better than I expected. Having lost his parents so early in life he had no reason to care so much about what happened to them. Yet as the book progresses we learn about friendships that were so close then fell apart. By the end of the book there is a pretty good view of what happened to his dad and why. We also get a view of how a young artist becomes popular and wealthy. I thought the story was interesting.

A quick well written mystery, this book is not only about discovering what happened to the MMC’s father, but it’s also about discovering more about oneself.

The main focus of this novel is, of course, the discovery of a body 30 years after the man went missing. The body turns out to be the father of the MMC, Foster. Someone he had never known, Foster begins to unravel who his father really was and what happened to him that fateful day. It’s a relatively short book but the discoveries, new information, solving pieces of the puzzle and the eventual conclusion are all revealed in a well timed manner. Things happen quickly but efficiently, enough to keep your interest throughout.

Secondary to this mystery is Foster learning more about himself by solving this mystery and meeting those who had known his parents. Not too much is explicitly focused on this but you can see it as different things fall into place.

An easy read, the mystery and it’s revelations keep you interested throughout. No crazy twists and turns, minimal action but the steady pace of pieces being revealed, new information and the painting of a much larger picture help complete this novel and maintain your attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book to review. This review is my own opinion.

I finished this book in one sitting. Slow paced at the beginning but very engrossing mystery. It made me think whether do we really know our friends and loved ones? How well do we know them?

Foster grew up with his maternal grandparents, not experiencing love. His father Charlie, disappeared 32 years ago on a glacier hike in the Bernese Alps. He was never found. Foster's mother had committed suicide after Foster was born. He's always thought that his father will walk into his life one day.

All that changes when an incident within the glacier reveals a body which believed to be Charlie. They also find this passport and journal wrapped in plastic bag with his backpack.

It's revealed that his death isn't accident and they found unexplained issues related to his body. Foster starts to investigate further by tracking Charlie's friends. As he digs into his father's life, he feels the tension amongst his friends and their wish to conceal and bury the past. But who are they protecting? You'll have to read the book to find out I'm afraid.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style. It's very fluid and easy to follow. Brilliantly written progressive story. This is my first book by the author and can't wait for more.

I want to thank Netgally for giving me this book to read in exchange for my honest review.

Those Who Disappeared is a stimulating and thought-provoking character drama, following the quest of a famous and successful modern artist to solve the mystery surrounding his father's death.
Charles Treherne, then a 25-year-old postgraduate student, disappeared high on the (fictional) Handeck Glacier in Switzerland, while hiking alone. Thirty-two years later, his remains emerge from the glacier (a not uncommon occurrence in real life). Berlin-based artist Foster Treherne is his sole surviving next-of-kin, a curious situation, since he was in utero at the time of Charles' disappearance.
Somewhat thrown by the discovery, Foster is accompanied to Bern by an American diplomatic aide, Daniela Herrera, to attend a forensic facility and accept his father's few personal effects. It's here that he's made aware that not all is straightforward as it seems - Charles' body bears signs of a fight, inconsistent with postmortem injuries caused by the movement of the glacier. As the forensic director speculates, "...if someone had been on the mountain [with him], they might have had some questions to answer.".
Among his father's personal effects is his journal, covering the time of his postgraduate days in Bologna, mentioning various friends (Foster's English mother included) and associates from the mysterious Piranesi Society and a few personal animosities. With the assistance of Daniela and his P.I.-on-retainer, Sigrid, Foster begins to track down the members of his parents' circle and determine who really was on the mountain the day Charles disappeared. Given that his mother committed suicide when Foster was only a year old, he receives some level of sympathy from the now fifty-something group of potential suspects, but he feels he's being stonewalled.
Foster's investigations take him to various points around western Europe, across the Atlantic to New York and Connecticut, and ultimately to a final showdown which coincides with his attendance at the famed Venice bienniale art festival.
I found this an engaging and intriguing story about a young man who has grown up with plenty of talent, money and a privileged education, but largely without family roots (neither set of grandparents were particularly interested in his upbringing). Not unsurprisingly, his search for the truth about his father's (and mother's) deaths becomes, to some extent, a voyage of discovery into himself. There were several surprising twists and turns, culminating in a satisfying resolution that felt realistic, in spite of the dramatic circumstances.
My thanks to the author, Kevin Wignall, publisher Amazon Publishing UK / Thomas Mercer and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Kevin Wignall has a knack for picking unconventional protagonists for his crime novels, and Those Who Disappeared is no exception. Foster Treherne is a famous artist, and when his father’s body is recovered on a mountain in Switzerland 32 years after he went missing, Foster’s convinced it wasn’t an accident. On the surface, it isn’t surprising that Foster wants to learn more about the father he never knew, since his father died months before he was born. Foster’s grown up without any real family, since his mother committed suicide when he was one, and his grandparents seemed to want nothing to do with him.

Foster’s personal growth arc feels organic and fresh. Initially, he doesn’t feel much about his father’s body being found, because he never knew him. When the emotions do start to take hold, they’re complex. He begins to discover who his father was through a journal that was recovered with his body. I found Foster’s actions believable. Given his wealth and privilege, it wasn’t surprising that he started to take the time to investigate his father and the mysterious group of friends his father had. Since the friends don’t seem to want to give Foster straight answers, it only serves to fuel his conviction that his dad’s death wasn’t a hiking accident, and he starts looking through boxes of his father’s belongings to learn more about him.

Meanwhile, Foster’s receiving anonymous threats and has a private investigator trying to determine who’s responsible. The threats ultimately remind Foster of a group of people he once knew, like his father’s college friends. His history with those friends, his failure to help them achieve success, and his dad’s group of college friends prompt some self-evaluation, which contributes to his natural growth arc.

It isn’t surprising that Foster’s the type of person who keeps people at arm’s length and has difficulty committing to relationships, but when he meets Daniela Herrera, even that seems to change. The more he learns about his father, the more he’s prompted to evaluate his own choices to decide what kind of person he wants to be and what he wants from life.

Those Who Disappeared is what I’d call a quiet story. There are no car or foot chases that get the protagonist’s adrenaline pumping. This is a story about unraveling truths and poking and prodding until you get the answers you need. It may not appeal to those who love action-packed stories, but it will appeal to readers who’re drawn to character-driven stories.

To avoid even the hint of spoilers, I’ll address one element in greater detail under a spoiler link, so those who don’t mind spoilers can read it if they choose. I’ll only note here that there’s a point where the story takes a hard left turn, and it led to a powerful resolution that was both heartbreaking and beautiful.

Wignall has a fluid, effortless style that draws readers in and carries them through the story. I was immediately invested in the protagonist and interested in this journey, and wasn’t disappointed. This is another strong crime novel from Wignall. It avoids the trappings of many amateur sleuth stories and the structure of procedures while telling a personal story that’s as much about a man coming to terms with his own loss and disappointment as it is about what really happened on a mountain in Switzerland 32 years ago.

I enjoyed this one a lot. One man's journey to learn more about his father and what happened to him years ago. I wouldn't say this was an "edge of your seat" type of mystery. But it was well written, engaging, had interesting characters. And kept me interested throughout. 👍👍

Great writing, decent story, just not as climactic as I would have liked it to be, but still an enjoyable read.

This book started at a slower pace but hints and suspect made it a burning mystery.

Foster grew up with his grandparents, his dad disappeared 32 years ago on a glacier hike. He was never found. He thought that his father will walk into his life at some point.

A later incident within the same area his father disappeared reveals a body, believed to be his dad. They also find a passport and journal wrapped in bag with his bag.

Overall a good plot and I enjoyed the premise of the book. A reminder that not everyone is your friend. The end fell a little flat for me but overall 4/5

Those Who Disappeared tells the story of Foster Treherne, an incredibly successful American artist with a tragic upbringing. Foster's father disappeared in the Swiss Alps before he was even born and his mother died shortly after he was born, leaving him to be raised by distant grandparents and a nanny. Foster is now in his thirties and living in Europe when his father's body is finally found in a glacier. Finally finding out what happened to his father should bring Foster some closure but ends up leaving him with more questions then answers. Convinced that not all is what it seems in regards to his father's death and armed with the journal his father kept leading up to his death Foster begins to look into his father's past to try and find out what really happened.

What worked for me: This is my 2nd Kevin Wignall book and I must say I really enjoy his writing style. I thought the book was well written and there were some lines in the book that were so perfectly poignant; they got to me. I would also say that Wignall does a good job of introducing his readers to concepts they may not be familiar with. I know nothing about the art world/scene or mountain climbing but whenever there was something I didn't recognize/understand the author was good about explaining it some way. Some of his methods were maybe a little heavy handed but still effective so I didn't mind them. I would say his ability to make things realistic and make sense really speaks to the author's writing skill.

I also really loved the concept and the characters here. I went in to this expecting a full blown mystery and while there was certainly a mystery underlining the book and there were mystery like elements I would say this is more of a general fiction novel. This book really is a character study on Foster, it does a deep dive into his identity and what has built him into who he is today. While he's trying to figure out what happened to his father he is also seeing parallels in his own life and as he learns more about his parents it really makes him question what he's always known about himself. I thought it was really well executed in that regard and Foster is an incredibly sympathetic character to read about. His loneliness really draws you in and I honestly just wanted good things for him. There were some parts of his development that might have been a little rushed but ultimately I still enjoyed it.

Also the setting(s), I don't have a ton to say here but I did like all the different places the book went and the glimpses we saw of different locations.

What didn't work for me:the mystery elements are the weakest to me so I think trying to bill this as a mystery/or looking at it through the lens of "is this a good mystery novel" is a mistake. That being said, the way the mystery is handled pretty much my only complaint. There were parts of the mystery that felt rushed, like they just had to be put out there so the story could continue and I felt like the mystery did take a back seat at times. I definitely don't think the mystery was the most important part of the story so I probably wouldn't emphasize it/sell it to someone that way. It's also pretty obvious from the beginning that there's more going on so it didn't really feel like a big reveal when we finally find out the what.

The book flew by so I have no complaints there but I honestly think this book would have benefited from being longer. There were some things that I felt could have been more developed and I think an extra 50-100 pages would have really helped there.

Overall: I'm a little torn on how to feel about this because while I really enjoyed it I also just wish there could have been more so we could see everything get fully developed. This is probably a 3.5ish star for me and while I think the first book I read by Kevin Wignall is still my favourite I really liked this one and I absolutely want to check out more of what he's written.

this was a great premise for a mystery, the atmosphere really hooks you in from the beginning. It had great characters and I had a fun time reading this book.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliant young artist is faced with the discovery of his missing father's body. Although the experts believe the death to have been an accident, the son is compelled to research his father's life and look for possible motives. Hid discoveries lead him to a better understanding of his own talents.

A rare gem of a book. This story had a clever plot with a message of identity.
Many thanks to Amazon UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Interesting storyline that kept me reading. Enjoyed the concept of investigating Foster's parents history and trying to work out how the story was going to come together. Would recommend for anyone who likes a short, sharp mystery.

I really really enjoyed this book. I read it quickly after half way through as I was just really loving it. I loved the tension that was building and just loved how it was written. Although I found it a bit of a slow start. The ending was well written but was somehow hoping for more.

For this book I must say the writing was much better than the plot.
Author did a good job, has a good writing style but sadly overall plot didn't thrill me at all. I was quite bored and thought of giving up (which does not happen to me often) but made it to the end.

Novel started with the body found, interestingly body of a man who was gone for 30 years. So far so good. We learn that the body is a father of a famous artist Foster Treherne. Who should observe and identify the body, but the doctor tells him there are small details which don’t fit with the suicide as was initial death cause said to be. Foster gets his father dairy and founds his old friends, to which Charlie refers only by initials. All characters in this book lie and lie and lie, although there is almost no reason (which angered me pretty much when I read the book till end). Anyway each person who was hiding something more or less decided to give up all their secrets.

At the end we learned what happened and why Charlie had to die and everyone lived happily. This book is not overall bad, but if you are searching for a thriller which is better than average, then you should pick something else.

This book is about a son who after thirty years learns that his father's body has been discovered and he decides to go investigate. This is a things aren't always what they seem type of book. I enjoyed the storyline. There was enough happening that I stayed interested the whole time.

Those Who Disappeared by Kevin Wignall was a really good read and especially as Kevin is a new author to me, I was hooked within the first few pages and couldn't put this book down. It starts off with a body being found in a glacier and later on within the book you find out it's Charlie Treherne who went missing 30 years ago prior. Foster, who is Charlie's son jumps at a chance to find out what happened to his dad who he never met. Foster, goes and views the body of his dad and notices there was slights signs of a struggle. He has all his dad's journals, belongings and a photo. Immediately he starts finding each person in the photo to try and get some insight on his parents and is determined to find out what happened to his dad. .Someone knows what happened to his dad and Foster will find out how he died!

Big thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the arc for an honest review

A well written, well developed storyline with interesting characters.

A body is found preserved in a glacier, his son tries to find out what happened on the mountain that day before he was born.

An interesting read about the lengths people will go to in order to protect themselves and each other. Just how many secrets are your friends keeping from you, how well do you really know each other and what do they really think of you?

**Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this book in return for an honest review.

Foster Traherne has been alone his whole life. His mother killed herself shortly after his birth and his father disappeared during a storm on a Swiss glacier over thirty years ago. As a child Foster would imagine his father had survived and came back for him, and even thirty years later he still has hope that could happen. But when his father's body is found encased inside the glacier, that hope disappears. What's worse, during the autopsy, it's discovered that it may not have been an accident. Now Foster is on a mission to track down his father's friends and get the true story of what happened the day his father died.
While this story did contain some twists that kept me guessing, it's not exactly the action packed adventure story I was expecting. I was glad Foster finally got the truth, but the ending just seemed too anticlimactic for me.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

This was the first book by this Author I could not get into it to start with but aa I read through the book it grabbed my attention & I really wanted to know who the killer was I would read another of this Author's book I liked it & enjoyed it was a quick easy read I gave it 4 stars rating

I thought the writing was great but I didn't find the book very exciting. I wasn't invested in the book and I didn't connect with any of the characters.

New characters from Kevin Wignall, but teh same high standard of intrigue and mystery to be resolved