Vanishings: The Wythic Wood Mysteries Series, Book One

by Catharina Steel

For fans of Amanda Foody and Debbie Watson comes a magical adventure story about an eleven-year-old girl who will do anything to help a friend—but could use a lesson or two in looking before she leaps.

Tilly’s friend Michael disappeared from Wythic Wood a year ago, and he’s still missing. Convinced that no one’s searching for him, Tilly convinces her gran to allow her to spend the summer with Opa, their family’s magical teacher and wizard, at his home in Clayton Forest—which just so happens to be right next to Wythic Wood.

In Clayton Forest, alongside her twin cousins, Jess and Zach, Tilly meets magical beings like fairies and gnomes, gets lessons in potion-making and a goblin style of martial arts called Gobight fighting, and starts to understand her own magic better. But none of this excitement distracts her from her real goal, and with Jess and Zach at her side, she soon embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth about Michael’s vanishing. But as usual, impulsive Tilly doesn’t exactly think ahead—and she and her cousins soon find themselves hunted by the Witch of Wythic Wood and the creatures under her command.

An enchanting escapade perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and The Wingfeather Saga, Vanishings is a tale of friendship and teamwork in a realm where magic can be wielded for both good and evil purposes.

272 pages, Paperback

Published May 20, 2025

About the author

Catharina Steel has an adventurous spirit and enjoys traveling and exploring. The forests in The Wythic Wood Mysteries series stem from her love for hiking, the outdoors, and the enchanting essence found in these settings. She’s had various pets over the years, among them a young goat named “Billy,” named after the famous “Billy the Kid.” Her current cherished companion is Macherie, a gentle and sweet greyhound. During her leisure time, Catharina enjoys viewing properties, walking in the southwest region of Western Australia where she dwells, reading, sketching, and watching TV series.

Subscribe to Catharina Steel's Substack https://cathsteel.substack.com for her regular newsletter and blog post emails—including updates, news, and more.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vanishings by Catharina Steel is a fantasy book for children. It caught my interest very quickly. I like characters who want to learn, probably because I love to learn, and 12-year-old Tilly begins the book by trying to persuade her grandmother to let her study magic. Her grandmother denies the existence, but Tilly knows better. I also like stories with bonds of good friendship. Michael, Tilly’s best friend and cousin, had gone to study magic the year before with an older member of the family - Opa. Opa trains the members of the family when they reach 12 years old. He lives next to the dangerous Wythic Woods, and Michael disappeared into the woods while he was studying magic with Opa the year before. Tilly is determined to rescue Michael, one way or another.

Tilly doesn’t always think about the consequences of her actions so can get into trouble, but she learns from it. She has a kind heart. Two of her cousins, Jess and Zach, have also come to study with Opa that summer. They all have their own traits, and all contribute to the story. The story takes place in Australia, and a few plants and animals of Australia are mentioned. The creatures in Opa’s Clayton Forest include fairies, gnomes, goblins, and a good witch. The nearby Wythic Woods also has elves, werewolves, and an evil witch.

I enjoyed this story, but I would have liked a little more background. I think this book is 3 1/2 stars. I received a free copy through LibraryThing.

[Dulee Paranavitana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with deep characters

I loved reading this book so much. It had great characters that popped off the page from Opa to Tilly, I loved how the story explored complex character dynamics such as the bond between Tilly and her grandmother and Opa. The search for the missing cousins brought back fond memories from the famous five series - which I loved very much as a kid. If you love middle grade fantasy you should give this book a read! Wishing the author future success in her writing journey! Hopefully I will have the chance to read many books from her in the future!

[Mima Tipper · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Vanishings, Steel creates a fun fantasy where young Tilly, Jess and Zach learn about their own magical powers, and work together to take on a world full of witches, goblins, elves, fairies and other assorted magical creatures. Readers, especially young readers, will delight in this enchanting adventure.

[Country Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanishings by Catharina Steel is the first book in The Wythic Wood Mysteries Series by the author. The book has so many creatures and magic in this story! Our MC is named Tilly and she has been invited to her Opa's place for the summer. Along with distant cousins. But to start magic training which her grandmother doesn't like at all. In fact Tilly's Grandma refuses to admit magic is real at all! I liked that part about the book as most grown ups fail to admit any magic is real and frown on magical books and ideas in some families.
The author set the book in Australia and the forest is so magical in this book overall. I loved the magic aspects of everything in this book! Later in the book we run into an evil witch who has a very child like behavior set. I think this was an excellent debut to a new series and I hope to read the next books again.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanishings is a spooky, slow-burn mystery and is a gripping start to a new series. set in a small village on the edge of a creepy forest. When people start disappearing, things get tense fast and the deeper the Tilly digs, the stranger it all becomes.

Catharina Steel nails the eerie atmosphere. Wythic Wood practically breathes on the page, and the mix of folklore and suspense keeps you hooked. It’s not just about scares though there’s heart here too, with themes of loss and belief woven into the mystery. Overall it was a great read! Thank you Books Forward PR and Catharina Steel for sharing this book with me!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanishings is the first book in the Wythic Wood Mystery series. It has the feel of Fabelhaven's magical creature preserve, meets Alice in Wonderland's shrinking and growth potion, meets the Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the Wicked Witch of the West with her winged monkeys/ravens in the current story. At twelve-years-old, Tilly is a very determined girl, and not easily swayed from her task to rescue Michael. She's a doer, and she needs answers. I really enjoyed that her thoughts appear in italics on the page. Tilly isn't entirely honest with her cousins and withholds a lot of information from them, she means well, but is pretty impulsive. I also enjoyed how her dream came in little pieces, first just footsteps, and then a key in a lock, etc. How we are never quite sure what this vision is trying to tell her.

There're facts about mushrooms to include the various types that can be eaten, and which kinds to avoid for being poisonous. Even a bit about cooking being a bit like potions in terms of adding just the right mix of things. The magical creatures that are found within Clayton Forest are interesting and don't distract from the plot. Each character's skills were helpful in getting them through the Wythic Woods or to evade detection. The story cumulates in a big battle, but I have to admit that I was a little let down with the ending. Everyone just seems to return home. So many unanswered questions, like what about the weredog curse? The hidden elves and ancient magic, what's the wicked witches plans now?

In the acknowledgements, Steel states that the story was inspired by Enid Blyton, C.S. Lewis and Lewis Carroll's books. The next book in the series is Magical Piet: Opa's Origin Story which is available upon following the authors website. Overall, I really enjoyed the adventure and am looking forward to any future books in the series.

**A huge thank you to Books Forward for the Paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review**

[Theresa Sandifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is hard for me to review. At first it seems to be a pleasant Middle Grade fantasy with a reasonable plot. Three cousins at their grandfather’s (?)(Opa) house. I am actually not sure of Opa’s relationship to the twins. Tilly and the twins (Jess and Zach) are something like 10th cousins so it gets a bit confusing. They are supposed to be learning about their magic but they end up going to find 2 other relatives (relationships confusing) who went missing in the Withic Wood which is under control of a wicked witch. You can imagine the plot or at least give some good guesses but I don’t want to spoil it. Instead let’s talk about the characters, the world, and the message of the book.

There were a lot of characters in this book. Too many. Besides the three cousins and Opa, there was a fairy, a gnome, an elf, a goblin and a were dog who helped with the quest. I think I might be missing a few. The book was not that long, and as a result, none of the characters were very developed, not even the main character, Tilly. I still can’t decide if I like her. She was headstrong, not necessarily in a good way and really irritable. Of the two cousins, Jess is a wimp and Zach is totally undeveloped. Other than his magic I couldn’t tell you much about him. The magical creatures were there solely for their abilities, and Opa is, of course, there because they needed an authority figure.

The world is the most confusing hodgepodge I have encountered in a very long time. There seems to be a magical part and a non magical part but their relationship is vague other than everyone seems able to move between them at will. The familial relationships are not standard and clearly confusing. Tilly lives with her grandma who is all anti-magic for reasons the author doesn’t share, and is related to Opa, I think, through another cousinship. Nobody really seems to know the rules associated with the magic except the magical creatures who don’t share a lot of info. Don’t even get me started on the shrinking and growing potions. One minute they are in short supply and need to be conserved, and the next they are changing sizes multiple times per hour. Whiplash.

Then we have the message. I think maybe the plot wasn’t that important. It was a vehicle to promote politeness and positive reinforcement of others. I didn’t notice it at first, but once I did, I couldn’t unsee it. Every time somebody says something even slightly critical an adult/responsible person gently remonstrates reminding them to think of the other person. Most of the time comments made are unfailingly polite and gentle. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that it is a negative but it seems like maybe it was a reason for writing the book.

Last, the ending. This is the third or fourth book I have read recently where the exciting part of the plot ends and then the author ends the book with a few pages of “ everyone says goodbye and goes home,” leaving most things unaddressed and unresolved. I understand there is probably a sequel but then set me up for it by revisiting the issues that remain for a bit more than four or five pages.

I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whimsical creatures and powerful villains with dark intentions lay the foundation for a group of cousins, who are making their first steps into the world of magic.

Tilly's grandma has always refused to admit it, but magic is real. The most magical person of all, Opa, has invited Tilly to his place for the summer to begin her training...much to Grandma's annoyance, since the woods near his home harbors something evil. Two relatives have already disappeared in the forest, the last was Tilly's dearest friend. With the secret intention to try to save her friend, Tilly arrives at Opa's along with a set of distant cousin twins. The wonder that awaits them is beyond what Tilly ever dreamed, and the magic inside of her is blooming fast. Or somewhat. There's something dampening her talents, and with the evil witch of the forest taking special interest in her and her relatives, this isn't good news. Still, Tilly's determined to save her friend, even if she disappears into the forest like the others did.

Although the surmise holds dark and dangerous tones, this read also takes on quite a bit of whimsical fun, especially in the beginning. The good side of the forest, where Opa lives, holds adorable details and enjoyable creatures. These invite into the world and will have readers imagining the amazing things, wishing they could be there with Tilly to see them too. Still, this book is set in modern day Australia to give it a very slight, realistic hint. The forest is a hidden oasis of magic, and it feels like stepping into another world but with characters, who are easy to identify with thanks to their origins. The fantastical aspects are magical and imaginative, and yet, they don't seem over the top, either. The wonderful personalities of each creature adds to the atmosphere to build a lovely world and set off the series nicely.

As the book goes on, the scenes and plot darkens. At first, the evil witch comes across with a touch of child-like personality but this turns more evil as the tale continues. It's nothing past what works for the age group but offers the needed tension to keep those pages turning and the reader wondering what will happen next. The fight does involve an entire group of characters, who support Tilly directly, and each of these uses their talents to harmonize into a group effort. The goodness surrounding this cooperation adds a wholesome, warming touch and makes the entire group to cheer for. It will be interesting to see what they come up against next and root for them again.