The Vanishing Neighbor

by Ava Roberts

For Grace, hosting a party for her affluent, picture-perfect neighbors is not her idea of fun. Slipping away for 30 minutes of alone time seemed like an ideal way to get her through a long night of small talk. But when Sadie, a beloved neighbor, goes missing, those minutes become the key to a murder.

As Grace investigates to clear her family’s name, she finds that Sadie holds a dark past, one that eerily appears to intersect with her own. Her marriage begins to falter under the strain of shocking revelations. When someone tries to lure away her young daughter, Grace fears that the same person who hurt Sadie is after her.

In a neighborhood where appearances are everything, secrets lurk just beneath the surface. How far will Grace go to protect her family?

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

373 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 27, 2023

About the author

Ava Roberts is a clinical psychologist turned suspense novelist who knows that the most unsettling things often lurk just beneath the surface. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and an overactive imagination. Her books include The Vanishing Neighbor, Juniper Isle, the Thistler Thrillers series, and The Summer House Murder (2026). Visit authoravaroberts.com to learn more about Ava and her novels.

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy publication day!

Let me just start with a wild, jubilant cheer. This psychological thriller had it all.

I’m very stingy when it comes to giving psychological thrillers five stars. There are so many out there, that it takes a lot to stand out. In addition I must like the characters, the twist must be a surprise, but not too far-fetched. Hard to please, you say?

Ava Robert nailed it with this one. I absolutely couldn’t put it down and felt very satisfied when I finished it. Those five stars were easy to give.

From the very first pages you are drawn in. Someone is in danger and you feel the persons confusion by the way the situation is described.

Then we meet the main character Grace and I like her from the get-go. We meet her at a party where she doesn’t know anyone and you feel for her as she tries to navigate in uncharted water. The people there remind me a bit of the women in one of us is dead by Jeneva Rose.

Grace comes across as a woman with a huge heart, with the ability to analyze, put prejudices aside and see things from different perspectives. Her personality stays the same even after the murder where her husband is implicated, and I like that. In fact this is one of the strong points of the book, the characters motives match the impression you get when you get to know them.

I thought I had it all figured out when the last chapters came, and although I was not too far off I was still surprised in a positive way. Often I feel disappointed due to the unlikely twists, but here everything fit. It just clicked into place!

I’m very happy to have read the vanishing neighbor, and Ava Robert is a author who already manages to captivate the reader by her ability to craft stories you remember and characters you’ll miss when the book ends.

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava Roberts does it again! She is now definitely an auto- read author! The Vanishing Neighbor hooked me immediately. Not only was it full of unexpected twists, but also characters that I grew to care about and worry for. There were times I thought I knew where the story was going, but then it would take a turn I never saw coming.This thriller is fast paced, original, suspenseful and highly entertaining. This is a must read for all thriller addicts. I look forward to future books by this creative author. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Vanishing Neighbor was a fast paced, page turning domestic thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. There are plenty of twist and turns and an ending that will shock you.

Grace and Jacob are new to the neigbourhood and struggling to fit in. It is an affluent area, the women all dressed in the latest fashions and labels. She is convinced to host a party to get to know the neighbours better and everything is going well...until a guest goes missing. It is the start of nightmares for Grace. Deep, dark secrets start to be revealed and fingers are pointed left right and centre.

The more you read, the more unlikable these characters become. Any of them had a reason to want this guest gone - bit who would actually do something about it.

Thanks to the author, Ava Roberts for sending me an advanced copy of this book to read.

[Sherri Thacker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Vanishing Neighbor by Ava Roberts is a fast paced thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat! Grace moves to a new neighborhood with her husband and all she wants is to “fit in”. Some of the neighbors convince her to have a party and one of them goes missing. Lots of twists throughout and the ending was good! Many thanks to Ava, the author for an advanced copy of this book. I really enjoyed it!

[Jennifer Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Vanishing Neighbor” by Ava Roberts is such a compelling read, that you’ll have a hard time putting it down!

Grace, her husband Jacob, and their three-year-old daughter, Elenor, move into their new home in a beautiful and upscale neighborhood. In order to get to know the neighbors better and find playmates for their daughter, Grace decides to host a Labor Day party.

It’s finally the day of the party and Grace is extremely nervous, but after a few hours in, everything seems to be running smoothly. People are smiling, laughing, and engaging in conversation. The wine is flowing and everyone looks happy. It’s perfect…until someone suddenly goes missing…

From there, the story begins to unfold from the events of that tragic night. An investigation ensues and we learn about the dark secrets, deceit, and questionable circumstances among the neighbors. Not everyone is as they seem and the secrets you learn will shock you!

“The Vanishing Neighbor” is an engaging read with its short chapters and intriguing storyline that will keep you guessing. If you’re looking for a thriller that’s nicely paced, entertaining, and keeps you on the edge of your seat…then you must read this one!

Thank you, Author Ava Roberts, for this advanced reader copy of “The Vanishing Neighbor” in exchange for my honest review.

[Misfits farm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A book I started and really didn’t want to put down- and couldn’t!

Grace and her family have not long moved into a new neighbourhood, having bought a house that requires some renovation. Grace soon meets several of the neighbours, some nice, some not so much. Prue comes across as lovely and not condescending as some of the others appear to be especially Sadie who is rather critical of everything. At a gathering one evening at Grace’s house, Sadie goes missing. Very soon afterwards one of Sadie’s inner circle tells Grace that Jacob, Grace’s husband, was having an affair with Sadie and hence that they are both under the spotlight. To add to the stress it appears that someone is trying to lure some of the children by telling them they have lost pets or cute puppies. Who is this? Is it connected to the disappearance of Sadie and why ?

I was very quickly drawn in by the premise. This is a very well written book and only the second by this author (I'm about to read the first one ) and is written as if by a seasoned author. I couldn’t help but like Grace and Prue who came across very well, opposing the scathing of some of the other characters. To me this is the skill of a talented author- to get across characters that you love and hate and a tension between the pages that kept me turning and turning. Oh Boy! Sit down and hang on to your seat! There are twists and turns galore, this is one belter of a read. A huge 5*. I can't wait to read the next one.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author is a hit or miss with me. I saw the good reviews for this book, so decided to give it a read. It was not what I expected at all. It's more of a domestic drama. Grace and Jacob and their little girl move into a new neighborhood that is posh and upscale. Grace is trying to make friends with the other women. She finds them very different than herself and difficult to be friends with. She finds a friend in Prue and they soon become best friends. Prue convinces Grace to hold the annual Labor Day party which she does. At the party, one of the neighbors, Sadie, disappears. The story goes from there with the police suspecting Jacob of committing the crime since Sadie had told everyone they were having an affair. The book talks about how everyone is in danger, etc. I didn't feel any of that or any thrilling aspect. It played out as a drama to me which was disappointing. There are also a lot of typos in the book which really irks me. 3 stars in the best I can give for this book.

[Cassidy Milton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A big Thank You to Ms Ava Roberts for providing me with an advance copy of this fun thriller! I had a great time guessing where we were going and where we would end up in the end. 4.5 stars rounded up ☺️

[Crystal Rees · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a rollercoaster ride! Just when you think you have things figured out the story bounces you into another direction. I read this in just two sitting because when I wasn’t reading it I was wondering what was next. A nail biting domestic thriller at its finest. A must read.

[Tabitha Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not enjoy the book due to the multitude of grammatical errors and typos as well as wrong character names and genders. This was a mess! Also I don't want to put a spoiler so I'll just say there is a problem with the plot. I trudged on to finish the book but the errors were so overwhelming (even in the 1st 15% of reading) I couldn't look past them.

[Missi Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good Mystery

This book had me hooked. Couldn’t put it down. There were grammatical errors, but in all a very good book.

[Elizabeth Socha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a fast read, but I personally didn't enjoy the writing. There were no big plot twists and the ending was kind of expected/boring. I enjoyed seeing Grace become closer with her other neighbors, though.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Will Keep You Guessing

Lots of suspicion, lots of possible suspects, waaaaaaaay too much history with the characters..... and a HUGE forgotten thing mentioned earlier in the story..... leaving the ending, incorrect.

[Debra Furlong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!!

Ava Roberts (I'll take liberty of calling her Ava) writes beautifully. Ava is adept at developing her characters so that her readers can identify with and feel their joy, their pain & sorrow, but most of all the vulnerability that we all have within us in some form. This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I am now sorry that I've finished reading it! I want MORE & will read more from this author. Well done, Ava!!

[Lynn DeSimone · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. Read this book in one day. Couldn’t put it down. So many characters in this neighborhood and the story just keeps going intertwining them all. Long ago secrets are the reason for this crime gone wrong.

[Rebecca Winemiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking in a good way

I was surprised by who the killer really was, which doesn't happen often. 🙂
But the bigger surprise was the moral dilemma of the main character and what she chose to do. It was a hard choice, and I really appreciated how the author handled that. 👏

[Sandy Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything a good thriller, mystery story should be. It kept you guessing and best of all, no ugly words or explicit sex!! The characters were well thought-out and portrayed. Every thing and location seemed real. I could picture it all. I recommend it if you like this genre!

[Tammy Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gripped from the beginning and couldn't put it down.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a terrific read!!! Literally spent most of my day off work today reading this book, I just couldn't put it down! Definitely one of the best domestic thriller books❤️

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Grace and husband Jacob move from New York to Green Meadow they think that they have the perfect home in a wealthy neighbourhood just so their daughter Eleanor can have a better life.
It is not easy moving somewhere new and making new friends is never easy but, she makes a friend with neighbour Prue. There rest of her neighbours are not so easy with their big houses and designer clothes. But Grace wants to get on with them, so she decides to throw a party inviting everyone including Sadie who seems to have it all but is quite intimidating, the party is going well until Grace escapes to have a little time to herself. She is quite the introvert but trying to make friends in her new surroundings. When she returns to the party with more wine the party has gone quite only to find that Sadie has disappeared. Which ruins the party and everyone either goes to search for Sadie or goes home. Grace thinks that she has gone for a walk somewhere and will return home.
But when Grace goes to ask the rest of her neighbours how Sadie is, she gets more than she bargains for, and the rest of her neighbours have accused her husband of having an affair with Sadie. They tell her go and ask Jacob where she is? When she confronts him, she get more troubles than she bargains for. Has Sadie’s disappearance got anything to do with this? Does Jacob know where she is?
When Sadie’s body is found drowned on a beach. Grace wonders if it was suicide or was, she murdered and why?
Thank you, Ava Roberts, for a copy of ‘The vanishing neighbour’. This is the first book from the author I have read. And I will look forward to reading the other book that she has written. I enjoyed this domestic thriller, with its twists and turns. The story is about a couple trying to fit in, in their new neighbourhood even going as far as pretending to be someone else just to get along. But also, about revenge, secrets and lies and redemption from being wronged. 4 stars from me.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feeling like an outsider amongst her neighbors, Grace Young slowly becomes more enmeshed in their lives after the murder of Sadie- a socialite who is the key to a multitude of disturbing possibilities. As the strings of connections unfurl, the prospective culprit(s) weave a tangled web of deception and betrayal.

It was fun to be in the perspective of Grace. Shoved into the role of an amateur sleuth by circumstances that hit close to home, we follow Grace as she questions the truth of those she thought she knew and discovers disturbing revelations about the people that live next door.

I was intrigued by the mystery and the story built the tension really well. I had several scenarios in my head and I had a hard time putting this book down so that I could find out which one was right!

There were a few timing and pacing issues in the crafting of this story. They were minor and could be attributed to the fact that I am not reading the final copy. So take this with a grain of salt as this may be remedied in the finished book.

If you are a reader who likes semi-dark domestic thrillers with that whodunnit and amateur sleuth component then this would be a book I would recommend checking out.

3.5 ✨'s

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Vanishing Neighbor is a compelling read that you'll want to finish in one sitting. It was hard to put down because I just had to know what happened to Sadie! I really enjoyed the story, but I did have one issue. The police ruled Sadie's death a suicide or accident because her lungs were full of saltwater, and she had drugs and alcohol in her system. However, when Prue confesses, she says Sadie was dead when they put her in the ocean. Now as far as I know, you don't have lungs full of water unless you drowned. I kept waiting for the police to contradict her and say that Sadie was alive when she went in the water but that never happened. So that was confusing to me. Other than that though, Grace was likable, and I liked the short chapters and fast pace, as well as the intriguing storyline. I'm looking forward to reading more by Ava Roberts!

[AM SMOLANDER · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this intriguing and thrilling thriller. It was suspenseful also. It had so many twists and turns, secrets and lies, and felt like a proper ‘who had done it?’ mystery. It gripped my attention and interest from page one and held it until the very last.
Best part of reading this thriller is that I loved discovering a brand new author for me whose writing style I love. I’m in no doubt that I will be reading more novels by the author in the future.
I’m giving this novel 5 stars as I’m confident that those readers who like to read thrillers will love this one as much as I did.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Eileen Wolejsza · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this mystery is to find out what happened to one of the neighborhood moms after she goes missing at a home party. I wish I enjoyed listening to this audiobook more, but unfortunately it didn’t hold my interest. Also it was a bit confusing trying to keep organized all the women in the clique. I think if the storyline was tighter and shorter it would have been much better.

I received a complimentary audio review copy for my honest opinion.

SPOILER ALERT
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Plus there was no answer to who approached the main character’s daughter on the school playground. Unless I missed it, there was no revelation which was frustrating.

[Pamela Faust · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grace and her family live in a new neighborhood. They have a new neighbor, named Sadie, who is a nuisance. She’s annoying and tries to make a play for Grace’s husband, Jacob. When Grace has a party, Sadie is there, but she disappears. Oops...now she’s dead. Grace spends the rest of the book trying to figure out who, among every single person in the neighborhood, could have done it. There were a lot of distracting typos in the book that I didn’t enjoy and I also didn’t like how much Grace adored her tiny, beautiful, charming and every other way you could describe a good child.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt like it took me forever to finish! I love that I was not able to truly have a guess on the ending, I was not able to predict who did it, or what would happen next. Usually that is an easy give away for me and doesn't hold my interest. However, this book was GREAT up until the end! Totally not the ending I was expecting. I don't think I was expecting such a happy and easy ending. I think I was expecting the ending or suspect to be a little more juicy. Overall though I did really enjoy this book and it was an easy read that kept my attention the whole time!

[Dan Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book was awesome. The story was a great read and also pulled me into the story. It's been awhile since i read a book that did that. Buy it and enjoy it like i did. Can't wait to see what is next. I really enjoyed this book and will be buying it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great concept for a thriller novel, it had a great story going on and the characters worked with this story. I enjoyed what I read and looking forward to reading more from Ava Roberts. . It had a tense atmosphere and worked overall.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anita · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of telling, especially toward the end, not enough "showing". By the end it all began to feel a little sanctimonious with everyone, especially super-moral Grace, supposedly doing the right thing. Certain details were completely glossed over and the grammatical mistakes were distracting. Overall, disappointing.

[Amelia Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grace is hosting a neighbourhood party when Sadie goes missing . When goes missing Grace is absent from the party.
Face with question from the neighbour and husband face charges for the sadis disperence it up to Grace to prove her family innocence.
I worked the plot from chapter 3 I sped read it as found Hard to engage with