The Girl Who Vanished

by R.M. Ward

Frances Brookman has just received the phone call every mother dreads. Her daughter Naomi has been in a life-threatening accident.

As she races to the hospital, Frances catches sight of a child in another car – a girl screaming for help.

It's a split-second thing and looks can be deceptive.

She could follow the car, but can she live with the delay getting to her daughter? If she does nothing, can she live with herself?

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Fiction, Adult

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2023

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down

A panicked mother, Frances Brookman, drives frantically to a London hospital where her daughter Naomi has been taken after an RTC. She catches sight of a car driving recklessly out of the corner of her eye, there’s a child in the back, clearly distressed and forming the word ‘Help’. Frances stops at the next service station and so does that car and without questioning her actions, she follows them. Frances is clearly in a dilemma. Naomi needs her but so possibly does this child. What to do? If she does nothing could she live with herself? The story is told via the alternating perspectives of Frances, Naomi and The Girl.

First of all. I do like the book and enjoy reading it. It starts really well and effortlessly draws me into the storytelling. The pace is quick and I’m intrigued. At the start it seems to be a mystery thriller but then the pace slows and becomes more of a character driven study and a domestic psychological thriller. Frances’ perspective is done very well and all your sympathy heads in that direction. I’m invested in her story, her emotions are palpable and her trauma feels real. The other characters are less well conveyed but that’s not to say I can’t picture them.

The novel is very easy to read and is told in a straightforward way and it flows. One aspect of the outcome is a surprise but the other big reveal is possible to see from not that far into the book, hence the three star rating.

Overall, this is a solidly written, enjoyable novel with a good premise and strong aspects.

[Jayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

My initial enthusiasm for "The Girl Who Vanished"
quickly vanished.

WHY?

The book started off strong:
The book's protagonist Frances receives a phone call that her daughter Naiomi has been in an accident.

En route to the hospital, Frances passes a car with a terrified little girl screaming for help. 

What should Frances do? 

Should she help this child or continue to drive to the hospital to be there for her own daughter?

The book unfolded from the alternating POVs of Frances, Naomi, and "The Girl".

Although I was instantly hooked on the book's premise, at 30% the book started to fizzle with too much repetitious text.

The overall storyline was fragmented and, quite frankly, as the book progressed, the book became a thriller that lacked thrills.

I listened to the audiobook read by Julie Teal and Sofia Engstrand. The narration was good but not great.

Had the 7.5-hour audiobook been a 4.5-hour audiobook, it would have earned an extra star.   

2 stars, rounded up.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frances Brookman has just received the phone call that every mother dreads. Her daughter Naomi has been in a life-threatening accident. As she races to the hospital, Frances catches sight of another child, in another car - a girl screaming for help. It's a split=second thing and looks can be deceptive. She could follow the car, but can she live with the delay getting to her daughter? If she does nothing, can she live with herself?

With twists, suspense and mystery, this slightly predictable story was right up my street. Frances thinks she is losing her mind, dementia runs in the family. She's convinced she was witness to a kidnapping. She was on her way to hospital to see her daughter when she sees a little girl in the back of a car mouthing "help me." Frances is confused, strange events keep occurring. This story is more about Frances than it is about a girl who vanished, or her daughter who is in hospital. With Frances being an unreliable narrator, it keeps you guessing throughout the book. This is a quick and easy book to read.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #RMWard for my ARC of #TheGirlWhoVanished in exchange for an honest review.

[Atlasi Khoramani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my GOD this was good. from the beginning it is gripping, interesting and captivating. it makes you invested in the narrative and oh boy it does NOT disappoint. a fast read this one! read it in one sitting,
what an ending. I think I enjoyed this one a little too much :D by the last chapters I had goosebumps all over my arms. definitely recommend this one to all mystery lovers out there,
Thanks to NetGally for providing my copy. this was an amazing journey.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. It centers on Frances, who becomes obsessed with a woman that she thinks kidnapped a child. Frances’s daughter Naomi is also a primary character and is worried that Frances nah be developing dementia like her own mom did. Chapters are narrated from both POVs.

I could empathize with both Frances and Naomi and I appreciated the family dynamic on top of the mystery. There were 2 big twists in this book, one that I figured out quickly (because that’s just how my mind works) and one that I thought I had right but went in another direction. The story was fast paced with lots is activity leading up to the culmination of the story. The ending left a little to be desired but left me hopeful.

Overall, this was a good mystery with a lot of action and surprising twists. I would recommend to those who enjoy the domestic suspense genre. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Janaya Kabamba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got nothing done today because once I started this book, I couldnt put it down. The writing flows really nicely and the story is kept moving aping at a good pave. There are lots of twists and turns thrown in and you trully don't know who to believe for the entire book! The characters are well written and it's hard not to become invested in their journey, both mother and daughter. I did have a slight suspicion about how it would end but I absolutely had no idea about 90% of what was to come! Loved every second, don't have a bad thing to say about this. A perfect example of a domestic noir

[Donna Mallery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. I read it in a few short hours. Instead of focusing on a missing girl, it seems to portray the anguish and frustrations of a woman who may be approaching dementia. It is told from multiple points of view, and , at times, you wonder how much is real or imagined. I can’t say much without giving parts away, but this book is highly satisfying. It also wraps up any remaining questions very nicely. Give it a go! You won’t be disappointed!

[bookhoarderclt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of R.M Ward that I have read and I enjoyed it! This book kept me entertained and it was hard put it down. The only reason I did not mark it higher is because I felt the ending was a little drawn out but overall it is a really entertaining read, I’d certainly read more books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Klaudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

jakaś zła passe mam

[Vaishnavi · Rating 4 out of 5]

to begin with, this have been a good read. The story has kept me engrossed. The plot has been very interesting. The way the story unveils, the development on the characters was so thrilling.
Throughout the story, the author has kept us guessing about what might have happened, but the ending is completely unbelievable, unexpected. The characterisation and the struggles of the lead has been portrayed well. The interrelations aspects between the characters has been described well. The mental toll, the confusion, the feeling of losing reality, the sense of fear, the feeling of impending doom, to say almost all the feelings of the lead and also of those surrounding her have been well portrayed.
Looking forward to more books by the author.
Coming to my rating : out of 5 stars
Title : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ interesting
Cover :⭐️⭐️⭐️ attractive
Character development :⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ nicely executed
Writing style :⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ very understandable and decent use of words
Originality :⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot :⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ well developed
Overall :⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ overall I would give this book a 4 star.

[Paula Leblanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you R.M. Ward, Harper Publishers and Netgalley for my ARC. I really enjoyed this book. i liked the twist that was in it. The book kept me guessing. I would recommend reading this book. I just wished they didn't end it how it did. It felt like it was missing a chapter. Overall I really enjoyed the book and will read R.M. Wards other books.

[Collette Mcgaahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very much a middle of the road read for me. It was fairly obvious what was going on from quite early in the story and unfortunately I simply couldn’t work up much anticipation. Francis was a nice enough character but the whole thing just seemed a bit predictable.

[Shelley Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

A brilliant read. I did suspect who the culprit was early on but was surprised they got arrested quickly.

I was also surprised by the ending, I was not expecting that at all. It's nice that there was a conclusion for the character, I would have liked a longer ending, though, an epilogue, perhaps? What her daughter and husband thought. Was the first child discovered, etc.

[Lucie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually incorrect about every single guess I had. 😂

[Stephanie Hawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow in the beginning but turned out to be really good!!👍🏻

[Claire Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unreliable narrator or an unsuspecting victim?

I’ve not read from this author before but I was compelled to pick it up purely based on the synopsis and wow am I glad I did! Right from the start this book’s plot line moves quickly and doesn’t fail to grab your attention. Beautifully written, this book was effortlessly to read and only made me read it quicker than expected.

I loved how as a reader need to decide whether the narrator is reliable? Whether what they saw was true or imagined? And if it were true, why this is all happening? It’s spun in a way that you can’t help believing everything and yet believing nothing.

Told from the perspective of Frances and her daughter Naomi you get to see the actions and reactions that surround the situations that Frances gets herself involved in. Added to this the book also throws in a chapter here and there telling the story of ‘the girl’ who has been abducted and is now living with her ‘new’ mummy and daddy.

I loved it! This book kept me entertained for hours. The only reason I didn’t mark it higher is because I felt the ending was drawn out much longer than necessary and was too neat and tidy. I like a little ‘what happened next’ to be left for my own imagination and for me, this book didn’t do that. But overall a really decent read, I’d certainly look out for another from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Pam Kovalic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book that had me very intrigued the whole way through. The main character, Frances, receives a call that her daughter is in the hospital. As she is driving there, she sees a young girl, who she believes has been kidnapped. Her daughter isn’t in the hospital, and ends up meeting Frances and helping her get home. Is Frances losing her mind, is she developing dementia like her mother, we just aren’t sure. I thought the plot moved along well and went back and forth with who was narrating, either Frances or Naomi, her daughter. The anguish and emotion that Frances is dealing with was very palpable. There were several twists which I won’t give away, but I found them to very well done.

I highly recommend this book. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Crimson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and HQ Digital for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The writing itself was a bit blunt and awkward, but the story was fast-paced and kept me wanting to read. The plot was really good and pulled you right in. It was hard to put the book down and was a very quick read. The characters were a bit cookie cutter at some points, but it didn't detract too much from the story. There wasn't anything too amazing or outlandish about it- but it was still very reliable and easy to read, which is exactly what I look for in a thriller. If you're looking for a solid and fast-paced thriller, I would definitely recommend this one.

[Bri (whatbriannaread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT A WILD RIDE. This book had my head spinning the entire time. It had me trying to decipher what was really happening and what was imagined. Throughout the book my mind was constantly being changed as to what the end result was going to be. I felt I was really able to connect to some of the characters and rooted for the successes. The family drama and mysteries kept me guessing until the very end. If you’re looking for a page turner with a thrilling ending, look no further.
CW: gaslighting, kidnapping, abuse

[UnproductiveMother89 · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

A very fast paced read, it started really well and was quite intriguing. It slowed down to wards the middle and turned more character driven domestic than a thriller read, however it did pick up again towards the end and back into the thriller category.
There was one twist that came as a surprise but the main one seemed quite obvious to me from quite early on. The characters were interesting and you really did root for Frances.
Overall an easy read with some good writing.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was nothing particularly wrong with this, but it felt a little too similar to other thrillers. I didn't dislike it, but there was nothing about it that really stood out for me, and I didn't really connect with or relate to any of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

[Lisa Aiello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not put this one down and raced through it in a day. I love me an unreliable narrator, and Frances is certainly that. She seems to be crazy on top of paranoid wrapped with a bit of hysteria - and I'm there for it all. Strap on your seatbelts, kids...this is going to be a deliciously devious ride.

[Sarah Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the start of a great book but towards the end it bored me

[Wendy Del Toro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is a mix of 2 'plots' that I've read several times. The woman who may be going crazy....or is she being gaslit by someone? AND the child that was kidnapped by a childless person who then raise her as their own. In this case, both were very obvious. Someone is definitely gaslighting our dear Frances you just have to figure out who and why. The suspect pool is small so it's not that difficult and the motive is hinted at. And the "girl" chapters, the child who was kidnapped, well it's very obvious who she grows up to be. So overall it was not a very original story for me; it was just an average read with no "wow" factor.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Girl Who Vanished had such an exciting premises but I had to force myself to keep reading. The story started out with a bang then just slowed to a snails pace.

Despite the story jumping around I was able to keep track of all the characters easily. Other then struggling a bit with some of the British English I pretty much figured out everything including the big mystery fairly early in the story. Really I should have just skipped ahead and read the ending to see that I was correct in my assumption.

[Valerie Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wattsy

I have read a few psychological books but this one had me gripped from the very first page,excellent read never even guessed who the wrong person was till nearer the end brilliant read,definitely will recommend this book to family and friends,would have given more than 5 stars of I could.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps it was a mistake to read 3 thrillers in about 2 weeks because in my head they all seem to blur together. I'm not sure the hyperbole that I have seen in other reviews are apt ("edge of my seat stuff", "explosive", " exceptional") because I could put the book down when I wanted and I was never on the edge of my seat. But it was an enjoyable read.

[Katie Lambeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in a day. I couldn’t put it down. You read and wonder where the heck the story is going. Especially when it’s revealed early that the main character may have memory issues. I really enjoyed reading this!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wild. When you think you know. You don't. So many twists and turns. When I started reading this book I thought it was obvious what was happening. I couldn't have been more wrong. Ward keeps you guessing.

[spirulina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty easy read with a simple writing style but ohhh my god! The twists! I selected this sort of randomly and didn't expect to get so much enjoyment out of it, but it was great. Wish there was a bit more on WHY though (iykyk).