Reviews

Then She Vanishes: A Novel by Claire Douglas

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srhsp's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

alibi313's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Told a good story, but started to break down when it got to the resolution. Liked the final page reveal, though. Ended on a slightly off-kilter note.🫨

k_west1984's review against another edition

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5.0

What a good story, really enjoyed this book

emma_jade91's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

clarissep's review against another edition

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4.0

Really heavy subject matter. Really sad story with some really sick people in it. I had some guesses but felt no satisfaction when the truth was finally uncovered and some of my theories turned out to be correct just because I wish no one had to go through all this traumatic shit.

kbranfield's review against another edition

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4.0

4.5 stars.

Then She Vanishes by Claire Douglas is a mesmerizing domestic mystery with a clever storyline.

In the 1990s, Jess Fox becomes close friends with Heather Powell. The two are practically inseparable as they spend their days together. Heather is also quite close with her older sister Flora. All of them have quite a bit of freedom and this enables Flora to enjoy an illicit romance with fair worker Dylan Bird. Relying on Heather and Jess to cover for her, Flora steals as much time as possible with Dylan. But the relationship comes between the two sisters and when Flora vanishes one summer day, Jess and Heather’s friendship falls apart. With no leads, Flora’s case quickly goes cold.

In 2012, Jess and her partner Rory have left London and now live close to the seaside town where the Powell family still reside. A shocking double murder puts Jess back in touch Heather's mum, Margot. Jess works for a local newspaper and she hopes her former ties to the family will give her insider access during the investigation. She and Margot become rather close as she interviews her for an upcoming article. Heather is currently in a coma after her suicide attempt. Heather is also the prime suspect in the double murder of newcomers, seventy-six-year-old Deirdre Wilson and her fifty-eight-year-old son Clive. No one knows why Heather would kill the two in cold blood but Jess hopes to uncover the truth as she spends time with Margot.

Jess cannot shake the feeling that someone has been following her. She is also receiving threatening notes which leave her wondering if these personal threats are related to the reason she left London or the Wilson murders. She is keeping secrets from Rory and their relationship soon begins to buckle under the strain. She is fortunate to be friends with her co-worker Jack Renton but much to her dismay, he is becoming unreliable. Hoping to unearth the truth about Heather and the murders, Jess is stunned when her search takes her to a very unexpected discovery.

Then She Vanishes is an atmospheric domestic mystery that is fast-paced and engrossing. The storyline seamlessly moves back and forth in time as Jess tries to understand why her old friend would murder two people. The characters are vividly developed and multi-faceted. The plot is unique and the settings spring vibrantly to life. With a late in the story plot twist, Claire Douglas brings this brilliant mystery to a breathtaking conclusion.