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The Vanishing Point
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From the dangerous alleys of her past to the dark corners of her present, Amanda must decide who to trust, even as every new revelation drags her closer to a shocking truth.
In the idyllic town of Silver Creek, a night of celebration turns into a nightmare when Clara mysteriously disappears during the Harvest Festival. Her older sister, Amanda, is left shattered, consumed by the mystery of Clara’s vanishing and the haunting silence that follows. For five long years, Amanda has scoured every inch of Silver Creek with Detective Robert—her steadfast ally and burgeoning love interest—only to be met with dead ends and unanswered questions.
But just when hope seems lost, a cryptic note appears on Amanda’s desk, thrusting her back into the mystery she can’t escape. As more ominous and baffling clues surface, Amanda finds herself unraveling secrets buried deep within Silver Creek, secrets that cast a shadow on everyone around her. Friends become suspects, and strangers reveal unsettling connections to Clara’s fate.
Haunted by betrayal and lured by half-truths, Amanda’s journey to find her sister takes her to places she never imagined. Long-forgotten memories resurface, tied to a sinister web of crime that has plagued Silver Creek for decades.
Will Amanda uncover what truly happened to Clara, or will Silver Creek’s secrets consume her too?
Find out for yourself in “The Vanishing Point”—an edge-of-your-seat crime and mystery thriller that compels you to turn page after page. Grab your copy today and find out just how dark the secrets surrounding Amanda can truly get!
From the dangerous alleys of her past to the dark corners of her present, Amanda must decide who to trust, even as every new revelation drags her closer to a shocking truth.
In the idyllic town of Silver Creek, a night of celebration turns into a nightmare when Clara mysteriously disappears during the Harvest Festival. Her older sister, Amanda, is left shattered, consumed by the mystery of Clara’s vanishing and the haunting silence that follows. For five long years, Amanda has scoured every inch of Silver Creek with Detective Robert—her steadfast ally and burgeoning love interest—only to be met with dead ends and unanswered questions.
But just when hope seems lost, a cryptic note appears on Amanda’s desk, thrusting her back into the mystery she can’t escape. As more ominous and baffling clues surface, Amanda finds herself unraveling secrets buried deep within Silver Creek, secrets that cast a shadow on everyone around her. Friends become suspects, and strangers reveal unsettling connections to Clara’s fate.
Haunted by betrayal and lured by half-truths, Amanda’s journey to find her sister takes her to places she never imagined. Long-forgotten memories resurface, tied to a sinister web of crime that has plagued Silver Creek for decades.
Will Amanda uncover what truly happened to Clara, or will Silver Creek’s secrets consume her too?
Find out for yourself in “The Vanishing Point”—an edge-of-your-seat crime and mystery thriller that compels you to turn page after page. Grab your copy today and find out just how dark the secrets surrounding Amanda can truly get!
186 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 12, 2024
4 people are currently reading
1674 people want to read
About the author
Bushra Hafeez
1 book10 followersBushra Hafeez, who grew up amidst the vibrant, diverse cultures of New York, is a thriller enthusiast inviting you to explore her debut novel, The Vanishing Point, through the eyes of suspects. Her stories blend imagination and reality, filled with "what ifs" and "buts," taking you on a journey of twists and turns. Bushra's writing style features strong, character-driven plots, past events leading to present consequences, fast-paced situations, and lives at stake. Each page holds a secret. Her deep interest in observing and analyzing human behavior and studied minor in psychology fuels her storytelling. Take a seat as she unveils her story!
Hi, the giveaway of my book The Vanishing Point, ends today. Thank you to everyone who participated! If you didn’t win, don’t worry—you can still get a free chapter here !
Happy Reading!
Follow Bushra - Instagram: www.instagram.com/bhfveil.press/
Hi, the giveaway of my book The Vanishing Point, ends today. Thank you to everyone who participated! If you didn’t win, don’t worry—you can still get a free chapter here !
Happy Reading!
Follow Bushra - Instagram: www.instagram.com/bhfveil.press/
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 29, 2024
Small Town Secrets
In the picture-perfect town of Silver Creek, Clara's vanishing act during the Harvest Festival is another missing persons case that lights a five-year fuse of secrets, lies, and buried truths.
Amanda, Clara's sister, has been turning over every rock in town with Detective Robert (hello, complicated romance!), only to hit more dead ends than a maze - until a mysterious note lands on her desk like a bomb waiting to explode.
This is your typical small-town mystery—a pressure cooker of decades-old crimes in which every friendly face could be hiding the darkest secrets, and trust is a mistake.
Just when Amanda thinks she's got a handle on things, Silver Creek starts spilling its guts faster than a confessional booth during Easter, forcing her to question everything and everyone she thought she knew.
Between dodging deadly threats and unraveling cryptic clues, Amanda's search for Clara turns into a white-knuckle race against time that'll have you flipping pages faster than a caffeinated card dealer.
Read this mystery and start peeling back the pretty wallpaper of small-town life to reveal the rot beneath until the last page.
In the picture-perfect town of Silver Creek, Clara's vanishing act during the Harvest Festival is another missing persons case that lights a five-year fuse of secrets, lies, and buried truths.
Amanda, Clara's sister, has been turning over every rock in town with Detective Robert (hello, complicated romance!), only to hit more dead ends than a maze - until a mysterious note lands on her desk like a bomb waiting to explode.
This is your typical small-town mystery—a pressure cooker of decades-old crimes in which every friendly face could be hiding the darkest secrets, and trust is a mistake.
Just when Amanda thinks she's got a handle on things, Silver Creek starts spilling its guts faster than a confessional booth during Easter, forcing her to question everything and everyone she thought she knew.
Between dodging deadly threats and unraveling cryptic clues, Amanda's search for Clara turns into a white-knuckle race against time that'll have you flipping pages faster than a caffeinated card dealer.
Read this mystery and start peeling back the pretty wallpaper of small-town life to reveal the rot beneath until the last page.
December 4, 2024
I am a romance reader trying to venture to mystery/thriller. This was my first adult thriller read, so it took me a while to finish it. The author I feel was really descriptive, I was able to picture the small town nestled with the Appalachian Mountains. On the hunt for her sister Clara, Amanda had found love and the secrets of the person who she thought cared for her and her sister. I enjoyed the twist and the ongoing mystery with the touch of thriller from underlying secrets.
February 11, 2025
I’d like to Thank Bushra Hafeez and Goodreads for the giveaway and chance to read your book.
I enjoyed the small town story and drama behind the missing girl.
I was surprised by the quick engagement and announcement of love after being out of town caring for his mother for a lengthy time. No mention of a previous relationship was kind of confusing and then engaged?
Overall good story and positive outcome!
I enjoyed the small town story and drama behind the missing girl.
I was surprised by the quick engagement and announcement of love after being out of town caring for his mother for a lengthy time. No mention of a previous relationship was kind of confusing and then engaged?
Overall good story and positive outcome!
December 11, 2024
Well-Written but Flimsy
The Vanishing Point (by Bushra Hafeez) is a small-town-with-dark-secrets crime mystery tale. As soon as I started reading it, I was struck by the competence of the writing style, which is remarkably smooth and melodious and moody. The words flow with effortless precision, and the book is worth the read just to experience this verbal mastery.
But alas, then there’s the story. Suspenseful and riveting it is not. For a crime mystery, things fall into place much too easily. Clues turn up as needed like serendipitous clockwork. And the characters have industrial-strength luck in getting out of tight scrapes, so much so that the reader never has an inkling that they could fail. And as for the secret horror they ultimately confront, think of the melodramatically worst thing you can imagine and this will rival it in terribleness, but it is treated so antiseptically that it is drained of its shock value.
The love life of the protagonist, or at least any physical manifestation of it, is similarly shortchanged. The typical reader of today will hardly be satisfied with her incredibly chaste relationship with her fiancé (though perhaps the idea is to offend no one’s sensibilities whatsoever). The guy pops the ring toward the beginning of the story before there is any sense that she has passionate feelings for him, though she instantly accepts his offer. Then he only hugs his newly betrothed once or twice throughout their entire adventure, and they never kiss at all, though they do finally get around to holding hands after their marriage near the story’s end.
Five stars for the author’s great way with words, but the less-than-realistic and less-than-thrilling story drags this crime mystery’s score down.
The Vanishing Point (by Bushra Hafeez) is a small-town-with-dark-secrets crime mystery tale. As soon as I started reading it, I was struck by the competence of the writing style, which is remarkably smooth and melodious and moody. The words flow with effortless precision, and the book is worth the read just to experience this verbal mastery.
But alas, then there’s the story. Suspenseful and riveting it is not. For a crime mystery, things fall into place much too easily. Clues turn up as needed like serendipitous clockwork. And the characters have industrial-strength luck in getting out of tight scrapes, so much so that the reader never has an inkling that they could fail. And as for the secret horror they ultimately confront, think of the melodramatically worst thing you can imagine and this will rival it in terribleness, but it is treated so antiseptically that it is drained of its shock value.
The love life of the protagonist, or at least any physical manifestation of it, is similarly shortchanged. The typical reader of today will hardly be satisfied with her incredibly chaste relationship with her fiancé (though perhaps the idea is to offend no one’s sensibilities whatsoever). The guy pops the ring toward the beginning of the story before there is any sense that she has passionate feelings for him, though she instantly accepts his offer. Then he only hugs his newly betrothed once or twice throughout their entire adventure, and they never kiss at all, though they do finally get around to holding hands after their marriage near the story’s end.
Five stars for the author’s great way with words, but the less-than-realistic and less-than-thrilling story drags this crime mystery’s score down.
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September 19, 2024I love suspense novels, and this book “The Vanishing” by Bushra Hafeez did not let me down!
It grabbed my attention from the very beginning, and gained momentum and intensity as the story progressed.
The characters were believable, and as we learned more about them they became very relatable, as well. The plot twists in the story were by no means predictable. There were a number of surprises that enhanced the richness of the story without diminishing its authenticity. I have been a big fan of true crime books, documentaries and podcasts. I thought I must have encountered just about every criminal conspiracy and actual crime there was, but Bushra Hafeez’s story is fresh and imaginative. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of the private investigator, Robert. I felt that I was hoping that the missing person would be found simply to give Robert a happy ending to his long years of dedication.
I’m not normally a fan of overly romantic novels, but there was just enough to provide another reason to hope the search for Clara would be successful. I thoroughly enjoyed the changes and development in and of the characters. Seeing the maturation of the characters, and the evolution of the criminal enterprise at the heart of the story kept me glued to my screen.
By the time I finished “The Vanishing “ I found myself hoping for a sequel. But, until that is hopefully released, I will be seeking other works written by this very talented author!
It grabbed my attention from the very beginning, and gained momentum and intensity as the story progressed.
The characters were believable, and as we learned more about them they became very relatable, as well. The plot twists in the story were by no means predictable. There were a number of surprises that enhanced the richness of the story without diminishing its authenticity. I have been a big fan of true crime books, documentaries and podcasts. I thought I must have encountered just about every criminal conspiracy and actual crime there was, but Bushra Hafeez’s story is fresh and imaginative. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of the private investigator, Robert. I felt that I was hoping that the missing person would be found simply to give Robert a happy ending to his long years of dedication.
I’m not normally a fan of overly romantic novels, but there was just enough to provide another reason to hope the search for Clara would be successful. I thoroughly enjoyed the changes and development in and of the characters. Seeing the maturation of the characters, and the evolution of the criminal enterprise at the heart of the story kept me glued to my screen.
By the time I finished “The Vanishing “ I found myself hoping for a sequel. But, until that is hopefully released, I will be seeking other works written by this very talented author!
September 20, 2024
I love suspense novels, and this book “The Vanishing” by Bushra Hafeez did not let me down!
It grabbed my attention from the very beginning, and gained momentum and intensity as the story progressed.
The characters were believable, and as we learned more about them they became very relatable, as well. The plot twists in the story were by no means predictable. There were a number of surprises that enhanced the richness of the story without diminishing its authenticity. I have been a big fan of true crime books, documentaries and podcasts. I thought I must have encountered just about every criminal conspiracy and actual crime there was, but Bushra Hafeez’s story is fresh and imaginative. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of the private investigator, Robert. I felt that I was hoping that the missing person would be found simply to give Robert a happy ending to his long years of dedication.
I’m not normally a fan of overly romantic novels, but there was just enough to provide another reason to hope the search for Clara would be successful. I thoroughly enjoyed the changes and development in and of the characters. Seeing the maturation of the characters, and the evolution of the criminal enterprise at the heart of the story kept me glued to my screen.
By the time I finished “The Vanishing “ I found myself hoping for a sequel. But, until that is hopefully released, I will be seeking other works written by this very talented author!
It grabbed my attention from the very beginning, and gained momentum and intensity as the story progressed.
The characters were believable, and as we learned more about them they became very relatable, as well. The plot twists in the story were by no means predictable. There were a number of surprises that enhanced the richness of the story without diminishing its authenticity. I have been a big fan of true crime books, documentaries and podcasts. I thought I must have encountered just about every criminal conspiracy and actual crime there was, but Bushra Hafeez’s story is fresh and imaginative. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of the private investigator, Robert. I felt that I was hoping that the missing person would be found simply to give Robert a happy ending to his long years of dedication.
I’m not normally a fan of overly romantic novels, but there was just enough to provide another reason to hope the search for Clara would be successful. I thoroughly enjoyed the changes and development in and of the characters. Seeing the maturation of the characters, and the evolution of the criminal enterprise at the heart of the story kept me glued to my screen.
By the time I finished “The Vanishing “ I found myself hoping for a sequel. But, until that is hopefully released, I will be seeking other works written by this very talented author!
November 11, 2024
This book started out okay, but it slowly and gradually began to go downhill. The constant grammatical and punctuation errors made it very difficult to read and focus on the story. Quotations are missing in way too many places. Sometimes you don't even know who is speaking or if anyone is speaking at all.
The transitions from scene to scene are very sloppy and confusing. Multiple times throughout the story I had to go back and reread the previous page to try and figure out how they suddenly ended up somewhere else with little to no explanation. The story seems decent, but it's not an enjoyable read due to the many, many punctuation and grammar errors. The wording was awkward in a lot of places and the pacing of the story was very off.
I strongly recommend an editor. I implore this author to seek out a professional editorial team to make what is so obviously an intriguing story read so much better. Right now, this book reads like a raw, first rough draft that should have spent more time in development before being published.
The transitions from scene to scene are very sloppy and confusing. Multiple times throughout the story I had to go back and reread the previous page to try and figure out how they suddenly ended up somewhere else with little to no explanation. The story seems decent, but it's not an enjoyable read due to the many, many punctuation and grammar errors. The wording was awkward in a lot of places and the pacing of the story was very off.
I strongly recommend an editor. I implore this author to seek out a professional editorial team to make what is so obviously an intriguing story read so much better. Right now, this book reads like a raw, first rough draft that should have spent more time in development before being published.
November 22, 2024
A messy story with traces of AI writing
I enjoy a good mystery/thriller and wanted to like this one based on its premise. Unfortunately it had telltale signs of AI writing or heavy AI editing. The story is convoluted and the plot as well as character actions are not believable. The dialogue is canned and unnatural, and often people say the name of the person they are speaking to. The romantic aspect comes out of nowhere and is not convincing. That subplot and several others also have continuity issues.
Other things in this book I’ve seen in several new books from indie authors using AI. Like being told repeatedly about the weight of the situation and the character’s resolve. Being told which emotions are in a voice, facial expressions, or eyes, and these are often a mixture of two very different emotions in the same look. Dialogue tags are overused and infused with the same telling of emotions, breaking the conversation’s flow. These reek of AI.
I enjoy a good mystery/thriller and wanted to like this one based on its premise. Unfortunately it had telltale signs of AI writing or heavy AI editing. The story is convoluted and the plot as well as character actions are not believable. The dialogue is canned and unnatural, and often people say the name of the person they are speaking to. The romantic aspect comes out of nowhere and is not convincing. That subplot and several others also have continuity issues.
Other things in this book I’ve seen in several new books from indie authors using AI. Like being told repeatedly about the weight of the situation and the character’s resolve. Being told which emotions are in a voice, facial expressions, or eyes, and these are often a mixture of two very different emotions in the same look. Dialogue tags are overused and infused with the same telling of emotions, breaking the conversation’s flow. These reek of AI.
November 25, 2024
The story is set in the town of Silver Creek in the Appalachian mountains, and the scene is set in the description of the town: “Beneath its picturesque surface, something dark seems to fester, waiting to be uncovered”. The book begins when Amanda’s sister Clara suddenly disappears for no reason and with no explanation.
The story follows Amanda’s search to find her sister, helped by friend and private detective Robert. Their hunt leads them to discover the town’s dark secrets. I enjoyed the writing style. However, sometimes solutions to problems seem to happen a little too easily. There are some good plot devices which are hardly used and so much more could have been made of them to increase the suspense and intrigue. Some very important events are skated over quickly, and so the reader is not given the chance to anticipate and enjoy them to the full.
Overall it is a good story with a satisfying ending. However, for me it was not as suspenseful as it could have been.
The story follows Amanda’s search to find her sister, helped by friend and private detective Robert. Their hunt leads them to discover the town’s dark secrets. I enjoyed the writing style. However, sometimes solutions to problems seem to happen a little too easily. There are some good plot devices which are hardly used and so much more could have been made of them to increase the suspense and intrigue. Some very important events are skated over quickly, and so the reader is not given the chance to anticipate and enjoy them to the full.
Overall it is a good story with a satisfying ending. However, for me it was not as suspenseful as it could have been.
December 6, 2024
This cover is fantastic and grabbed me right away. This book starts out really well. I was absolutely pulled in by the premise and just the desire to know the reason for Clara's disappearance kept me going. Amanda is a likeable main character and is well described as a bit of a recluse, enjoying her time alone in the library, and musing about the otherworldly nature of her small town at night. After those first few chapters, though, the book does use a lot of exposition. The exposition did keep the pace quick and the rising stakes and climax were well done and exciting but I felt that the characters shrugged off the trauma of what they had been through very quickly in the race to cleanly tie up the story. There were small editing issues throughout that were a bit distracting. I feel like this author is a natural storyteller and their next books will be excellent!
September 22, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Years after Clara, Amanda's sister goes missing, Amanda is still trying to find out what happened. New leads are coming to light. They are secrets that people does not want to be exposed. Amanda wants the case back opened and with the help of a Detective they try to find out what happened. Will Amanda uncover what happened to her sister.
September 16, 2025
The Vanishing Point is not a perfect mystery, but it has a lot going for it. It’s a compelling debut with an emotionally driven core, an atmosphere of secrets, and enough plot momentum to make it an engaging read. If you enjoy mysteries set in small towns, where the setting itself feels like another character, this will likely appeal to you.
If I were to give it a rating, I’d say 3.5 / 5: strong on premise, good on emotional tension, but held back somewhat by predictability and polish issues.
If I were to give it a rating, I’d say 3.5 / 5: strong on premise, good on emotional tension, but held back somewhat by predictability and polish issues.
November 4, 2024
Needs work
Reviewing because I received this thru a giveaway. It was an interesting story & I wanted to read the whole thing to see how it ended. But, it was a difficult read... there were many grammar errors and continuity problems. Character development was lacking with things just popping into the story. Maybe I have an early copy & editing has corrected these issues?
Reviewing because I received this thru a giveaway. It was an interesting story & I wanted to read the whole thing to see how it ended. But, it was a difficult read... there were many grammar errors and continuity problems. Character development was lacking with things just popping into the story. Maybe I have an early copy & editing has corrected these issues?
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November 16, 2024***ANOUNCEMNET FOR THE GIVEAWAY WINNERS***
**YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL FROM KDP REGARDING UPDATED EBOOK WITHIN 24/hr** (Nov 16, 2024)
Please stay tuned for that. Then you can use the OPTION "Manage Your Content and Devices" page on the Amazon page to receive your book updates.
Thank you all for your patience and feedback—it means so much to me!
**YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL FROM KDP REGARDING UPDATED EBOOK WITHIN 24/hr** (Nov 16, 2024)
Please stay tuned for that. Then you can use the OPTION "Manage Your Content and Devices" page on the Amazon page to receive your book updates.
Thank you all for your patience and feedback—it means so much to me!
February 18, 2025
I read this book to the end, because as a Giveaway winner I’m encouraged to write a review.
One could attribute the many grammar and punctuation errors to insufficient editing, since Giveaway books are not final copies. But the story doesn’t flow well, and many things violate basic intuition. Furthermore, while there are detailed physical descriptions of people and places, the people themselves have no personalities. And developments which should be horrifying have no emotional impact on characters or narrator.
After a while I realized this was probably written by an AI, and then I found it more interesting to read with that in mind.
On the plus side, the story moves along quickly, and all the good guys get a happy ending.
One could attribute the many grammar and punctuation errors to insufficient editing, since Giveaway books are not final copies. But the story doesn’t flow well, and many things violate basic intuition. Furthermore, while there are detailed physical descriptions of people and places, the people themselves have no personalities. And developments which should be horrifying have no emotional impact on characters or narrator.
After a while I realized this was probably written by an AI, and then I found it more interesting to read with that in mind.
On the plus side, the story moves along quickly, and all the good guys get a happy ending.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews