I love it when I spot a bargain for the Kindle, and I spotted an absolute bargain when I saw that ‘Then She Vanishes’ was on offer for a steal. I was (like so many of my go-to authors) introduced to the books of Claire Douglas by The Book Taster and it is another introduction I am glad was made.
‘Then She Vanishes’ is from Claire’s backlist, first published in 2019 (another thing I love about being introduced to new authors, you often have a backlist to look up to), and I am glad that it is a book that made it onto my tbr list as it was an absolute treat to read. I picked this after a rather delayed flight situation and knew I needed something that would grab my attention, and that is something that I can rely on the books of Claire Douglas to do. This is an author who always offers a guranteed page-turner and this one was no different – in fact, that may have been my favourite so far and that is quite a statement as I have enjoyed each and every one of the books that I have read.
I think the reason why I may have liked this one just a little bit more is that there were a number of mysteries that needed unravelling – there were just so many secrets amongst its pages, that you really were not sure who you should trust or what was really the truth.
There appears to be no reason for Heather to have taken a gun and shot a mother and son who are new in town, and then turn the gun on herself. When her old friend Jess hears about this chain of events, she takes a professional interest as a local journalist, but is soon drawn further into these events than she intends. But, along the way, the dark secrets of the past are brought to the fore – and there has always been the mystery of the disappearance of Heather’s sister Flora; could that have triggered what has recently taken place?
Spoiler-free means all I can say is that you will have to read it to find out how all this comes together in a conclusion; I just cannot possibly say if that conclusion is tidy or not. But, I can say that this is a very well-constructed story told with the odd first-person chapter, and events from both the past and present that keep you even more invested in the story.
So, all in all, this is a great thriller and means I am just going to have find more of Claire Douglas’ backlist to read; in fact, I think there may be one on my tbr pile as we speak…