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Joseph Bridgeman #1
And Then She Vanished
Listening time 9 hours 7 minutes
He only looked away for a second.
Still haunted by the disappearance of his little sister Amy over twenty years ago, Joseph Bridgeman's life has fallen apart. When a friend talks him into seeing hypnotherapist Alexia Finch to help with his insomnia, Joseph accidentally discovers he can time travel. His first trip only takes him back a few minutes, but his new-found ability gives him something he hasn't felt for the longest time: hope.
Joseph sets out to travel back to the night Amy went missing and save her. But after several failed attempts, he discovers the farther back he travels, the less time he gets to stay there. And the clock is ticking.
With the help of Alexia, Joseph embarks on a desperate race against the past to save his sister. Can he master his new skill and solve the mystery of Amy's disappearance before it's too late?
He only looked away for a second.
Still haunted by the disappearance of his little sister Amy over twenty years ago, Joseph Bridgeman's life has fallen apart. When a friend talks him into seeing hypnotherapist Alexia Finch to help with his insomnia, Joseph accidentally discovers he can time travel. His first trip only takes him back a few minutes, but his new-found ability gives him something he hasn't felt for the longest time: hope.
Joseph sets out to travel back to the night Amy went missing and save her. But after several failed attempts, he discovers the farther back he travels, the less time he gets to stay there. And the clock is ticking.
With the help of Alexia, Joseph embarks on a desperate race against the past to save his sister. Can he master his new skill and solve the mystery of Amy's disappearance before it's too late?
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2021
467 people are currently reading
7672 people want to read
About the author
Nick Jones
19 books633 followersAuthor of the Joseph Bridgeman series. Page-turning time travel mysteries.
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March 13, 2022I love Ray Porter as a narrator with all of my heart and ears. He’s the reason I chose this book … that said, who on earth was in charge of casting him? Or made the decision for him to narrate the main body of work & Joe’s speaking with an American accent when the entire book is set in the Britain? Joe is British. There’s not an ounce of “American” in the writing to justify this.
It’s the most distracting thing ever and I just had to stop listening. I don’t even know how to rate a book when this happens.
It’s the most distracting thing ever and I just had to stop listening. I don’t even know how to rate a book when this happens.
March 2, 2021
Favorite Quotes:
Money. When you have it, you don’t think about it, and when you don’t, it’s all you think about. Unless you’re me: Captain Denial of the good ship Penniless.
The walls are adorned with the usual “I’m really qualified” certificates, along with oil paintings depicting calm scenes of shorelines, sunsets, and gardens. The color of the room is soothing. I suspect it has some pretentious name like “Coffee Breath” or “Buffalo Turd at Sunset.” I guess if they just called it “Brown,” they wouldn’t be able to charge as much.
It’s just that I’m taking particle physics and applying it to hair ribbons. I’m struggling with my professional credibility and twenty years of dogma here. If you ever tell anyone about this conversation, I’ll kill you.
My Review:
I rarely read this genre, as in never, but I was intrigued by the synopsis while also feeling the need for a drastic change-up and due for a jackpot – bingo! I’ve struck gold, as this was an unexpected treasure chest of believable oddity that persistently taunted and poked at my curiosity while squeezing my heart.
The well-crafted storylines and agile writing style were engagingly emotive and deceptively evocative, yet despite the bit of imaginative world-building required, it is easy to follow and highly absorbing. I may have done a bit of time traveling myself as I fell right into Mr. Jones’s clever arrangements of words and was lost in Joe’s story for hours before looking up. I vastly enjoy witty snark and the main character of Joe was assembled with a heaping helping. And while it wasn’t a cliffhanger, there is obviously more to come and I will be eagerly awaiting Mr. Bridgeman’s return.
As a bonus, I scored a new addition to my Brit Words and Phrases list with lovely jubbly, which Mr. Google indicated is an exclamation of joy or delight to good news, which is an apt expression of how I felt about stumbling upon this peculiarly compelling tale, it was indeed lovely jubbly.
Money. When you have it, you don’t think about it, and when you don’t, it’s all you think about. Unless you’re me: Captain Denial of the good ship Penniless.
The walls are adorned with the usual “I’m really qualified” certificates, along with oil paintings depicting calm scenes of shorelines, sunsets, and gardens. The color of the room is soothing. I suspect it has some pretentious name like “Coffee Breath” or “Buffalo Turd at Sunset.” I guess if they just called it “Brown,” they wouldn’t be able to charge as much.
It’s just that I’m taking particle physics and applying it to hair ribbons. I’m struggling with my professional credibility and twenty years of dogma here. If you ever tell anyone about this conversation, I’ll kill you.
My Review:
I rarely read this genre, as in never, but I was intrigued by the synopsis while also feeling the need for a drastic change-up and due for a jackpot – bingo! I’ve struck gold, as this was an unexpected treasure chest of believable oddity that persistently taunted and poked at my curiosity while squeezing my heart.
The well-crafted storylines and agile writing style were engagingly emotive and deceptively evocative, yet despite the bit of imaginative world-building required, it is easy to follow and highly absorbing. I may have done a bit of time traveling myself as I fell right into Mr. Jones’s clever arrangements of words and was lost in Joe’s story for hours before looking up. I vastly enjoy witty snark and the main character of Joe was assembled with a heaping helping. And while it wasn’t a cliffhanger, there is obviously more to come and I will be eagerly awaiting Mr. Bridgeman’s return.
As a bonus, I scored a new addition to my Brit Words and Phrases list with lovely jubbly, which Mr. Google indicated is an exclamation of joy or delight to good news, which is an apt expression of how I felt about stumbling upon this peculiarly compelling tale, it was indeed lovely jubbly.
July 19, 2021
What an enjoyable discovery for this infrequent reader of the genre -I don't even have a shelf for it!
I was intrigued by the synopsis, and I needed a break from some other reading when I came upon this book. This novel is an unexpected and creative look at the disappearance of a child - I was engrossed and contemplative on this time-travelling journey.
The strong story arc and beautiful writing style created a world that seemed far more realistic than I would have given it credit for from the book cover. I held my breath each time he needed to travel, and I could clearly picture the world Jones was constructing. I was totally absorbed in his need to save his sister. I got lost in Joe’s story, family and relationships and found myself contemplating the bigger questions such as should we alter the course of life? Is it fate or destiny, or is it something we can control?
Wit, compassion and a dose of cynicism had me travelling with Joe on the quest for answers as to where his sister disappeared to all those years ago.
I was intrigued by the synopsis, and I needed a break from some other reading when I came upon this book. This novel is an unexpected and creative look at the disappearance of a child - I was engrossed and contemplative on this time-travelling journey.
The strong story arc and beautiful writing style created a world that seemed far more realistic than I would have given it credit for from the book cover. I held my breath each time he needed to travel, and I could clearly picture the world Jones was constructing. I was totally absorbed in his need to save his sister. I got lost in Joe’s story, family and relationships and found myself contemplating the bigger questions such as should we alter the course of life? Is it fate or destiny, or is it something we can control?
Wit, compassion and a dose of cynicism had me travelling with Joe on the quest for answers as to where his sister disappeared to all those years ago.
June 23, 2023
Time travel has been done so many times in so many different ways but I loved the idea of it coming from within for Joe. I can't say too much without giving something away but it is a fun idea using the power of your mind.
In addition, the character building of Joe was done quite well. You could really feel his heartache, pain, regret, and determination to try to save his sister.
The end was also a lovely twist that I didn't expect but really rounded out the story perfectly and left me wanting more! Can't wait to read book 2.
Oh and I listened to the audible version, Ray Porter is by far one of the best narrators out there though I must say it was odd that Joe was the only character without a British accent 🤔
In addition, the character building of Joe was done quite well. You could really feel his heartache, pain, regret, and determination to try to save his sister.
The end was also a lovely twist that I didn't expect but really rounded out the story perfectly and left me wanting more! Can't wait to read book 2.
Oh and I listened to the audible version, Ray Porter is by far one of the best narrators out there though I must say it was odd that Joe was the only character without a British accent 🤔
January 18, 2021
I really wanted to love this book because the synopsis sounded so intriguing and I'm always here for time-travel stories! Alas, I think the writing severely dampened my enjoyment. I'm not opposed to simple writing style but here it was too simplistic and clunky. It read like the first draft of a novice writer and because of that I didn't much care about the characters and even had to skim the flashback chapters because they seemed so unnecessary. I guess they were there to make me more in love with the little sister whom the protagonist tried to save, but I just felt nothing.
The last third had an interesting reveal and finally made me feel excited about the plot. It broached a very interesting topic but then had to introduce a cheesy tie-in to the next book in the series, and I think this should just be a standalone. I did enjoy the time-travel itself and finished the book in just one day. So if you think this type of writing won't bother you, check it out.
Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for my ARC.
The last third had an interesting reveal and finally made me feel excited about the plot. It broached a very interesting topic but then had to introduce a cheesy tie-in to the next book in the series, and I think this should just be a standalone. I did enjoy the time-travel itself and finished the book in just one day. So if you think this type of writing won't bother you, check it out.
Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for my ARC.
November 5, 2023
I will give most books about time travel a try, even though it is very unlikely to actually be possible (IMHO). This book has a reasonable story, and I really liked the main characters, so it was easy to be invested in them.
January 18, 2021
I received a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily...
And Then She Vanished is about the disappearance of Joseph Bridgeman's little sister, Amy. Teenaged Joe accompanies 7 year old Amy to the local fair. While there, she mysteriously disappears. Twenty years later, the family has been torn apart and Joe still blames himself for her disappearance. After seeing a hypnotherapist for his insomnia, he discovers that he can time travel. Using this gift, he makes up his mind to go back and save Amy.
This story was quite good and I loved the surprise twist at the end. I truly did not expect that. The plot moved quickly and I found myself fully immersed in the story.
The character development was done quite well. It was heartbreaking to see how the disappearance affected the family. As a parent of two children with the same age difference as Joe and Amy, it was hard to think about. On the lighter side, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Vinny, Joe's closest friend.
I enjoyed this author's writing and would definitely try more books by him.
This book can be read by teens and adults. There was a suicide mentioned within this book as well as an accidental death which can be disturbing for younger readers. There was very little sexual content (kissing).
And Then She Vanished is about the disappearance of Joseph Bridgeman's little sister, Amy. Teenaged Joe accompanies 7 year old Amy to the local fair. While there, she mysteriously disappears. Twenty years later, the family has been torn apart and Joe still blames himself for her disappearance. After seeing a hypnotherapist for his insomnia, he discovers that he can time travel. Using this gift, he makes up his mind to go back and save Amy.
This story was quite good and I loved the surprise twist at the end. I truly did not expect that. The plot moved quickly and I found myself fully immersed in the story.
The character development was done quite well. It was heartbreaking to see how the disappearance affected the family. As a parent of two children with the same age difference as Joe and Amy, it was hard to think about. On the lighter side, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Vinny, Joe's closest friend.
I enjoyed this author's writing and would definitely try more books by him.
This book can be read by teens and adults. There was a suicide mentioned within this book as well as an accidental death which can be disturbing for younger readers. There was very little sexual content (kissing).
December 23, 2020
This is a wonderful book. I was so happily surprised and pleased to lose myself in the story and become immersed in the characters and details of the plot that I just did not want it to end. AND THEN SHE VANISHED seemed to be one of the many mystery thrillers written to tax minds with clues about serial killers but, no, this isn’t that kind of book at all. Author Nick Jones has written a wonder of a tale that delights on so many levels. Devoted siblings, lives torn asunder, friendships left undone, and bits of magical connections waiting to be heard all conspire to create a great tale. The author’s website indicates there’s a second in a series and here’s hoping it gets published as well. I can’t wait. I received my copy from the publisher through Netgalley.
December 3, 2022
And Then She Vanished is the first book in the Joseph Bridgeman series by Nick Jones. While fourteen-year-old Joseph was busy trying to win his adored little sister Amy a plush toy at the 1997 King’s fun fair in Cheltenham, she vanished. No one saw where the seven-year-old went, and she was never found so, Joseph reasons, she could still be alive, somewhere.
Twenty-three years on, his mum is in a care facility with dementia, his dad absent, and his accountant and good friend, Martin is telling him the family home is in danger of repossession. Joseph is again plagued with the nightmares that replay the moment of Amy’s disappearance. It’s playing havoc with his sleep, and his online antiques business, usually assisted by his psychometric ability, is suffering.
Just to please Martin, he sees hypnotherapist, Alexia Finch, who teaches him a somewhat successful relaxation technique. In a bizarre side-effect, or maybe coincidentally, he finds he’s time travelling. He’s not quite sure how it works, so he’s being cautious not to change anything, but his immediate thought is to return to 1997 and prevent Amy from vanishing.
Needing to learn more about it, he does a few jumps back in time, sorting out his immediate financial problems in one instance, but his return to 1997 is too short to learn anything. He takes his good friend, Vinny into his confidence. Vinny is excited and enthusiastic, but ultimately Joe decides he needs the expertise of his friend, Mark D’Stellar, a Professor of Mathematical Sciences.
While Vinny took little convincing, Mark needs a demo, but then both are on board to help him save his little sister, with good advice, support and theory on how and why. Dreams of Amy, and his psychometric ability (visions from objects) help to narrow down the search, but even following Mark’s logical suggestions, Joe fails. Something else is needed…
In this first book of the series, Jones gives the reader an intriguing mystery with a clever twist, and time travel that’s not too complicated to follow. His characters are fairly likeable, with believable quirks and flaws, and it will be interesting to see where the second book, The Shadows Of London, takes them. A very enjoyable time-travel mystery.
Twenty-three years on, his mum is in a care facility with dementia, his dad absent, and his accountant and good friend, Martin is telling him the family home is in danger of repossession. Joseph is again plagued with the nightmares that replay the moment of Amy’s disappearance. It’s playing havoc with his sleep, and his online antiques business, usually assisted by his psychometric ability, is suffering.
Just to please Martin, he sees hypnotherapist, Alexia Finch, who teaches him a somewhat successful relaxation technique. In a bizarre side-effect, or maybe coincidentally, he finds he’s time travelling. He’s not quite sure how it works, so he’s being cautious not to change anything, but his immediate thought is to return to 1997 and prevent Amy from vanishing.
Needing to learn more about it, he does a few jumps back in time, sorting out his immediate financial problems in one instance, but his return to 1997 is too short to learn anything. He takes his good friend, Vinny into his confidence. Vinny is excited and enthusiastic, but ultimately Joe decides he needs the expertise of his friend, Mark D’Stellar, a Professor of Mathematical Sciences.
While Vinny took little convincing, Mark needs a demo, but then both are on board to help him save his little sister, with good advice, support and theory on how and why. Dreams of Amy, and his psychometric ability (visions from objects) help to narrow down the search, but even following Mark’s logical suggestions, Joe fails. Something else is needed…
In this first book of the series, Jones gives the reader an intriguing mystery with a clever twist, and time travel that’s not too complicated to follow. His characters are fairly likeable, with believable quirks and flaws, and it will be interesting to see where the second book, The Shadows Of London, takes them. A very enjoyable time-travel mystery.
January 23, 2021
I'm a sucker for a well done time-travel story and this fits the bill. There are always a lot of potential traps with time travel but this manages to avoid them. I don't want to spoil the ending but it's a good one that had a little twist I didn't see coming. There was enough there about the mechanisms of his time travel without getting bogged down in hard core, ultra technical sci-fi science.
The characters are actually believable and likable which is rare. They have flaws without being awful people. It is especially nice to see the strong sibling bond between Joe and Amy.
The door was left open for a sequel that doesn't look like it will just be a retelling of the first story which I appreciate. I also appreciate that, while a sequel is implied, this book is self contained and doesn't end on a cliffhanger. Authors take note: if you write a good book I will pick up the next one. You don't have to resort to the emotional blackmail of not finishing your story.
The characters are actually believable and likable which is rare. They have flaws without being awful people. It is especially nice to see the strong sibling bond between Joe and Amy.
The door was left open for a sequel that doesn't look like it will just be a retelling of the first story which I appreciate. I also appreciate that, while a sequel is implied, this book is self contained and doesn't end on a cliffhanger. Authors take note: if you write a good book I will pick up the next one. You don't have to resort to the emotional blackmail of not finishing your story.
October 4, 2021
I generally love time travel stories but this is the first of the genre' that I really did not enjoy.
Usually, T.T. stories have hardware and physics that have to be dealt with and then once that is explained and developed in more or less coherent fashion there needs to be a story that makes sense and of course, it helps greatly if the book is well written. This book has none of these things. The lead character, Joe, basically uses some kind of "think system", connecting with some piece of memorabilia or concrete object with a link to the past, which then allows him to pop out of existence in the present and land more or less in a time and place that was intended. A pretty unexciting way to go, IMO.
Then you have the characters themselves who are all poorly depicted making it difficult to empathize or even identify with any of them. Joe himself is basically a schlub who has been haunted his entire life by the mysterious loss of a little sister who he was supposed to have been watching at a county fair. Because of this one thing his life and that of the rest of his family are ruined. There's a a female hypnotherapist (and possible love interest) about whom we can't really make out very many details as well a friend (another schlub), a former friend who happens to be a famous physicist and his accountant who's only real purpose is to tell Joe he has no money left and to arrange a meeting with the hypnotherapist who unwittingly unlocks his time traveling ability.
The writing itself is sophomoric, written in the first person to the level of a 12 year old. (Maybe this should have been a "YA" book?) The story itself is boring with a huge number of time traveling plot holes. Joe wants to go back in time and observe his teenage self and his sister, find out where she disappeared to and prevent it from happening. Seems simple enough but the effort to do this is drawn out the entire length of the book. He can't go back the required number of years in one jump...he needs to learn how to split it up into two smaller ones. The entire story is a big yawn and also, unfortunately, very predictable.
There's a sequel (of COURSE there's a sequel!) which I may or may not read because frankly, I didn't really like Joe and the author didn't go through a whole lot of effort that would allow the reader to care very much about him.
Usually, T.T. stories have hardware and physics that have to be dealt with and then once that is explained and developed in more or less coherent fashion there needs to be a story that makes sense and of course, it helps greatly if the book is well written. This book has none of these things. The lead character, Joe, basically uses some kind of "think system", connecting with some piece of memorabilia or concrete object with a link to the past, which then allows him to pop out of existence in the present and land more or less in a time and place that was intended. A pretty unexciting way to go, IMO.
Then you have the characters themselves who are all poorly depicted making it difficult to empathize or even identify with any of them. Joe himself is basically a schlub who has been haunted his entire life by the mysterious loss of a little sister who he was supposed to have been watching at a county fair. Because of this one thing his life and that of the rest of his family are ruined. There's a a female hypnotherapist (and possible love interest) about whom we can't really make out very many details as well a friend (another schlub), a former friend who happens to be a famous physicist and his accountant who's only real purpose is to tell Joe he has no money left and to arrange a meeting with the hypnotherapist who unwittingly unlocks his time traveling ability.
The writing itself is sophomoric, written in the first person to the level of a 12 year old. (Maybe this should have been a "YA" book?) The story itself is boring with a huge number of time traveling plot holes. Joe wants to go back in time and observe his teenage self and his sister, find out where she disappeared to and prevent it from happening. Seems simple enough but the effort to do this is drawn out the entire length of the book. He can't go back the required number of years in one jump...he needs to learn how to split it up into two smaller ones. The entire story is a big yawn and also, unfortunately, very predictable.
There's a sequel (of COURSE there's a sequel!) which I may or may not read because frankly, I didn't really like Joe and the author didn't go through a whole lot of effort that would allow the reader to care very much about him.
January 23, 2021
A man obsessed with the mystery of his sister’s disappearance 20 years ago.
An accidental discovery that time travel is possible.
A chance to save his sister.
I really loved the premise for this book, and the story lived up to my expectations! The time-travel was fun, exciting, and unexpected. I enjoyed the main character’s drive and determination about finding his sister, and I loved how the story wrapped up!
The main character, Joe, is absolutely a wreck from the disappearance of his sister. He’s become a recluse and is about to lose his home. His life and family fell apart after Amy went missing. I enjoyed this distraught behavior in him in the beginning. It created such a character arc as he discovers his ability to time travel. I thought he was a good MC and I enjoyed his story from start to finish. There were a few other side characters that I really enjoyed as well. One, a record store owner, brings some light moments that made me smile a lot.
I liked Joe’s time travel situation. I really enjoy time travel because there are so many ways an author can take the story. This one had some fun rules that made the story really interesting and helped move the plot along.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was hard for me to put aside, and when I wasn’t reading, I was wondering what Joe was up to!
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
An accidental discovery that time travel is possible.
A chance to save his sister.
I really loved the premise for this book, and the story lived up to my expectations! The time-travel was fun, exciting, and unexpected. I enjoyed the main character’s drive and determination about finding his sister, and I loved how the story wrapped up!
The main character, Joe, is absolutely a wreck from the disappearance of his sister. He’s become a recluse and is about to lose his home. His life and family fell apart after Amy went missing. I enjoyed this distraught behavior in him in the beginning. It created such a character arc as he discovers his ability to time travel. I thought he was a good MC and I enjoyed his story from start to finish. There were a few other side characters that I really enjoyed as well. One, a record store owner, brings some light moments that made me smile a lot.
I liked Joe’s time travel situation. I really enjoy time travel because there are so many ways an author can take the story. This one had some fun rules that made the story really interesting and helped move the plot along.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was hard for me to put aside, and when I wasn’t reading, I was wondering what Joe was up to!
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
January 23, 2021
OMG what an amazing read! The author drew me in from the very start with this fantastic and addictive storyline. It’s emotional but exciting and a total rollercoaster ride as we follow Joe on his quest to save his missing sister. I absolutely did not see the time travel element coming and to tell you the truth I was in two minds as to whether or not it was actually happening or if it was all in his head and the twist near the end, hell I did not see that coming!! Loved all the characters from Joe and Alexia to Vinnie and Mark and Amy. There’s trauma, despair, hope, and yep I shed more then a few tears at times, some sad, others happy and the way it ended, well I cannot wait to read book two!
February 24, 2021
I bought this because I saw that the follow up was on Netgalley and I looooove a good time travel story. To my surprise, I was so addicted to this book I was up until 3 AM finishing it. If you love the genre as I do, I urge you to give this series a chance.
June 22, 2021
Have you ever talked to someone and knew what they were going to say but it took them 15 min to say it and you had to suffer through listening for the whole 15 min? Also present tense writing really sucks in my opinion.
January 29, 2021
LOVED IT!!
After browsing for a time travel story, I found "And then she vanished" and I was intrigued right away. And it didn't disappoint...it got me hooked! It is a real page turner and every chapter makes you want to find out more about Joe`s journey, more time travel, more reading fun. What else is there to say without giving out any spoilers? If you are interested in time travel, and/or simply an entertaining read with a twist, then "And then she vanished" is the book for you.
I grew on the characters, they are introduced nicely and connect very well. In fact, they develop throughout the story and get more intense. After losing Amy, Joe's family falls apart and he blames himself for her disappearance. Right from the beginning you can feel his pain, his agony and his desperate wish to put things "back in order" to the way they used to be. He discovers that he can time travel and he only has one goal: to find Amy. With the help of his friend Vinny and Alexia Finch he manages to find a way to find out what happened to his sister. I loved the twist about her disappearance and how the story continued. While you are reading, every detail makes you think about how a tiny change can change everything. Of course, we cannot time travel, but it makes you think: what if we could.... really well thought out - all of it, well written and a very enjoyable read.
A huge Thank you to Nick Jones and Blackstone Publishing for the ability to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.
After browsing for a time travel story, I found "And then she vanished" and I was intrigued right away. And it didn't disappoint...it got me hooked! It is a real page turner and every chapter makes you want to find out more about Joe`s journey, more time travel, more reading fun. What else is there to say without giving out any spoilers? If you are interested in time travel, and/or simply an entertaining read with a twist, then "And then she vanished" is the book for you.
I grew on the characters, they are introduced nicely and connect very well. In fact, they develop throughout the story and get more intense. After losing Amy, Joe's family falls apart and he blames himself for her disappearance. Right from the beginning you can feel his pain, his agony and his desperate wish to put things "back in order" to the way they used to be. He discovers that he can time travel and he only has one goal: to find Amy. With the help of his friend Vinny and Alexia Finch he manages to find a way to find out what happened to his sister. I loved the twist about her disappearance and how the story continued. While you are reading, every detail makes you think about how a tiny change can change everything. Of course, we cannot time travel, but it makes you think: what if we could.... really well thought out - all of it, well written and a very enjoyable read.
A huge Thank you to Nick Jones and Blackstone Publishing for the ability to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.
March 21, 2022
When Joe Bridgeman was 14 years old, he went to a fair with his 7-year-old beloved sister. She vanished.
23 years later. Joe is still grieving for the loss of his sister; he is depressed and suffers from insomnia.
His friend Martin sends him to a hypnotherapist, and her breathing lesson triggers him to travel in time. Just for a few minutes, but form there it is not a huge step to get obsessed with the idea to travel back to 1997 and save his sister.
Huge time travel paradox: Because he is grieving, he decides to go back in time to save his sister. Once the sister is saved, he won’t be grieving anymore. And thus, not go back. *huh*
This was my biggest peeve with the story, but also
- Who the heck is Martin? Where did he pick this guy up as a friend who seems to have so much influence on him?
- What did all these flashbacks add to the story?
- What does our main protagonist even look like?
There were so many holes in the story, it felt somewhat disconnected. His proof that he can change the past? Picking up winning lottery numbers and using them in the present. Where did this change the past?
Conclusion: great story idea, mediocre execution.
Humor: n/a
General writing style: 3 stars
Story line idea: 4 stars
Story line execution: 2 stars
Plot: 2 stars
Annoy factors: unnecessary flash backs, time travel paradox 2 stars
Narration: 1st person POV, present tense
Main Location: contemporary town in England
Main protagonist: Joe Bridgeman, 37, antique furniture dealer
23 years later. Joe is still grieving for the loss of his sister; he is depressed and suffers from insomnia.
His friend Martin sends him to a hypnotherapist, and her breathing lesson triggers him to travel in time. Just for a few minutes, but form there it is not a huge step to get obsessed with the idea to travel back to 1997 and save his sister.
Huge time travel paradox: Because he is grieving, he decides to go back in time to save his sister. Once the sister is saved, he won’t be grieving anymore. And thus, not go back. *huh*
This was my biggest peeve with the story, but also
- Who the heck is Martin? Where did he pick this guy up as a friend who seems to have so much influence on him?
- What did all these flashbacks add to the story?
- What does our main protagonist even look like?
There were so many holes in the story, it felt somewhat disconnected. His proof that he can change the past? Picking up winning lottery numbers and using them in the present. Where did this change the past?
Conclusion: great story idea, mediocre execution.
Humor: n/a
General writing style: 3 stars
Story line idea: 4 stars
Story line execution: 2 stars
Plot: 2 stars
Annoy factors: unnecessary flash backs, time travel paradox 2 stars
Narration: 1st person POV, present tense
Main Location: contemporary town in England
Main protagonist: Joe Bridgeman, 37, antique furniture dealer
October 2, 2024
Just have time for a quick review of a really fantastic book. I absolutely loved it!!
If you love time travel books to go back in time, this is the book for you! It has it all! Joe accidentally finds out that he has the ability to travel through time. He goes back 23 years to find his missing 7 years old sister, Amy..does he find her in time to save her life? It's a race against time to save Amy.
It's so fantastic that I couldn't put it down! I truly read it in 2 days! It's emotional, full of love and Joe's desperation to find his sister.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫💫
If you love time travel books to go back in time, this is the book for you! It has it all! Joe accidentally finds out that he has the ability to travel through time. He goes back 23 years to find his missing 7 years old sister, Amy..does he find her in time to save her life? It's a race against time to save Amy.
It's so fantastic that I couldn't put it down! I truly read it in 2 days! It's emotional, full of love and Joe's desperation to find his sister.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫💫
November 3, 2022
3¾⭐
Ɱ◎◎ĐႽ…
➨ Time Travel ➨ Fantastical/Magical Realism ➨ Hypnotherapy ➨ A brother trying to save his sister ➨ With a bit of a Twist ➨ Series Starter
Everybody on the Audiobooks Addicts Group on Facebook is loving this, so I felt I needed to see what the fuss was about. If you like time travel stories…without much in the way of explanation, like the sciency-stuff, then you’ll love this. This time travel Is more fantastical than the scientific variety. It was, however, a little bit depressing being in Joe's head throughout most of this book. With that being said, I do believe the subsequent books will have Joe in a better headspace. So, I think I will continue the series.
➨ Narrated by: 🎙️Ray Porter 📣 He’s pretty awesome, I’m not going to lie. He has something like a cult following.
Ɱ◎◎ĐႽ…
➨ Time Travel ➨ Fantastical/Magical Realism ➨ Hypnotherapy ➨ A brother trying to save his sister ➨ With a bit of a Twist ➨ Series Starter
Everybody on the Audiobooks Addicts Group on Facebook is loving this, so I felt I needed to see what the fuss was about. If you like time travel stories…without much in the way of explanation, like the sciency-stuff, then you’ll love this. This time travel Is more fantastical than the scientific variety. It was, however, a little bit depressing being in Joe's head throughout most of this book. With that being said, I do believe the subsequent books will have Joe in a better headspace. So, I think I will continue the series.
➨ Narrated by: 🎙️Ray Porter 📣 He’s pretty awesome, I’m not going to lie. He has something like a cult following.
November 10, 2022
I had a lot of fun listening to the audiobook version of And Then She Vanished. Ray Porter narrates it, and his voice-acting skills continue to impress me.
The story is simple and constructed to appeal to a wide audience. One might say it's simplistic, and there's truth to it. Written with simple language, filled with a small number of sympathetic characters, and deeply personal stakes, it's easy to follow and understand.
Joseph Bridgerman was supposed to take her of his sister Amy. He lost her from sight for a second, but it was enough for her to vanish. The event has been tormenting him for years, resulting in insomnia and no family life. But! Joseph has a giftof psychometry - objects he touches tell him stories of the people who owned them. That makes him more or less succeed as antics seller. Soon it turns out he's even more special and can travel in time. Once he discovers the new skill, ho masters it to change the past and serve his sister.
I had a lot of fun listening to the audiobook version of And Then She Vanished. Ray Porter narrates it, and his voice-acting skills continue to impress me.
The story is simple and constructed to appeal to a wide audience. One might say it's simplistic, and there's truth to it. The simple language, focus on a small number of likable characters, and the very personal stakes make it easy to follow and understand.
Joseph Bridgerman was supposed to take care of his sister Amy. He lost sight of her just for a second, but that was enough to make her disappear. The event has been tormenting him for years, causing insomnia and no family life. But! Joseph has the gift of psychometry - objects he touches tell him stories about the people they belong to. This allows him to succeed as an antics seller. Soon it turns out he's even more special and can travel in time. When he discovers the new ability, he uses it to change the past and serve his sister. Color me shocked.
Once you approach this book as a simple pleasure, it works fine. It lacks nuance and deep characterization, but its linear structure makes it easy to follow and perfect for commute.
It's a simple, well-crafted story, elevated by a brilliant narration by Ray Porter. I think I'll continue with the series.
The story is simple and constructed to appeal to a wide audience. One might say it's simplistic, and there's truth to it. Written with simple language, filled with a small number of sympathetic characters, and deeply personal stakes, it's easy to follow and understand.
Joseph Bridgerman was supposed to take her of his sister Amy. He lost her from sight for a second, but it was enough for her to vanish. The event has been tormenting him for years, resulting in insomnia and no family life. But! Joseph has a giftof psychometry - objects he touches tell him stories of the people who owned them. That makes him more or less succeed as antics seller. Soon it turns out he's even more special and can travel in time. Once he discovers the new skill, ho masters it to change the past and serve his sister.
I had a lot of fun listening to the audiobook version of And Then She Vanished. Ray Porter narrates it, and his voice-acting skills continue to impress me.
The story is simple and constructed to appeal to a wide audience. One might say it's simplistic, and there's truth to it. The simple language, focus on a small number of likable characters, and the very personal stakes make it easy to follow and understand.
Joseph Bridgerman was supposed to take care of his sister Amy. He lost sight of her just for a second, but that was enough to make her disappear. The event has been tormenting him for years, causing insomnia and no family life. But! Joseph has the gift of psychometry - objects he touches tell him stories about the people they belong to. This allows him to succeed as an antics seller. Soon it turns out he's even more special and can travel in time. When he discovers the new ability, he uses it to change the past and serve his sister. Color me shocked.
Once you approach this book as a simple pleasure, it works fine. It lacks nuance and deep characterization, but its linear structure makes it easy to follow and perfect for commute.
It's a simple, well-crafted story, elevated by a brilliant narration by Ray Porter. I think I'll continue with the series.
September 18, 2024
If you’re a fan of time travel, or on the lookout for a captivating and compelling book that will keep you thoroughly engaged and invested in the protagonist’s journey. This book certainly fits the bill. I was deeply invested in the outcome of the main character’s mission, and I found a strong connection with his choices, desires, and his relentless pursuit of completing his task to save the one he loves the most.
February 1, 2021
3.5/5
RTC
RTC
February 8, 2025
2025 reread:
I decided to go back and listen to this and I enjoyed it just as much although I didn't remember that it basically ended on a cliffhanger. Yes, the main part of this story is resolved. But it does leave us hanging, so I will have to jump into the second book as soon as I get caught up with other books! I definitely enjoyed this just as much this time around.
4.5 stars
I discovered this series because NetGalley had the third book available for request and I decided if they granted my request, I would want to have read the first two books. So I grabbed the first two books from Audible (it was part of the Plus catalog) and started listening. What a great discovery. I loved this story from beginning to end. Joseph Bridgeman is a very likable protagonist and while time travel stories can be hit or miss, the story on this one ended up being very well done and I couldn't put it down. The story begins with Joseph and his sister at a carnival, and after he takes his eyes off of her for literally 5 seconds, she seems to disappear into thin air. Fast forward many years into the future and his life has been pretty much a disaster since then. He is now an adult and even though it's been decades, his family (and he) have not coped well. He's basically become a hermit, he's lost his father, his mom is in advanced stages of dementia, he's basically not sleeping, and he's about to lose everything. In desperation, he agrees to see a hypnotherapist, which leads to the rest of this story. With one exception, this story is wonderfully narrated by Ray Porter. His ability with voices means that I never had to rewind to figure out who was talking, and I had no trouble following the story. The one exception is that for some unknown reason, Joseph Bridgeman is narrated with an American accent, even though the rest of the characters speak with British accents and this story definitely takes place in London. There was a moment when I paused and did a search, thinking that maybe he was an American who decided to settle in England after studying there, but he was living in his parent's house. Note, I didn't figure this out until the SECOND book when his mom started talking to him and she also had a British accent. When I first started this book, I just thought that he had a number of British friends, lol. This does not mean that Ray Porter was not an excellent narrator. He really did a great job. I'm not British, but I thought his British accents for the rest of the characters were very well done, so it's not like he couldn't have narrated Joseph Bridgeman with a British accent. But perhaps being American it would have been more challenging to do the majority of the story with that accent?
In the end, it was only a minor distraction because it was excellently narrated and I loved the story. As I mentioned, Joseph Bridgeman was a likable protagonist, and while some of the rules of time travel were a little different than you would expect, I liked the way he and his friend went about figuring out the possible rules systematically. I also liked his psychometry ability and the use of self-hypnosis to better access and control his ability. Overall, this was an excellent tale with a compelling storyline, great characters, and the right mix of science fiction, humor, action, drama, and even a dash of romance. Highly recommended.
I decided to go back and listen to this and I enjoyed it just as much although I didn't remember that it basically ended on a cliffhanger. Yes, the main part of this story is resolved. But it does leave us hanging, so I will have to jump into the second book as soon as I get caught up with other books! I definitely enjoyed this just as much this time around.
4.5 stars
I discovered this series because NetGalley had the third book available for request and I decided if they granted my request, I would want to have read the first two books. So I grabbed the first two books from Audible (it was part of the Plus catalog) and started listening. What a great discovery. I loved this story from beginning to end. Joseph Bridgeman is a very likable protagonist and while time travel stories can be hit or miss, the story on this one ended up being very well done and I couldn't put it down. The story begins with Joseph and his sister at a carnival, and after he takes his eyes off of her for literally 5 seconds, she seems to disappear into thin air. Fast forward many years into the future and his life has been pretty much a disaster since then. He is now an adult and even though it's been decades, his family (and he) have not coped well. He's basically become a hermit, he's lost his father, his mom is in advanced stages of dementia, he's basically not sleeping, and he's about to lose everything. In desperation, he agrees to see a hypnotherapist, which leads to the rest of this story. With one exception, this story is wonderfully narrated by Ray Porter. His ability with voices means that I never had to rewind to figure out who was talking, and I had no trouble following the story. The one exception is that for some unknown reason, Joseph Bridgeman is narrated with an American accent, even though the rest of the characters speak with British accents and this story definitely takes place in London. There was a moment when I paused and did a search, thinking that maybe he was an American who decided to settle in England after studying there, but he was living in his parent's house. Note, I didn't figure this out until the SECOND book when his mom started talking to him and she also had a British accent. When I first started this book, I just thought that he had a number of British friends, lol. This does not mean that Ray Porter was not an excellent narrator. He really did a great job. I'm not British, but I thought his British accents for the rest of the characters were very well done, so it's not like he couldn't have narrated Joseph Bridgeman with a British accent. But perhaps being American it would have been more challenging to do the majority of the story with that accent?
In the end, it was only a minor distraction because it was excellently narrated and I loved the story. As I mentioned, Joseph Bridgeman was a likable protagonist, and while some of the rules of time travel were a little different than you would expect, I liked the way he and his friend went about figuring out the possible rules systematically. I also liked his psychometry ability and the use of self-hypnosis to better access and control his ability. Overall, this was an excellent tale with a compelling storyline, great characters, and the right mix of science fiction, humor, action, drama, and even a dash of romance. Highly recommended.
August 26, 2023
2.5 stars
I have some conflicting feelings about this book. It wasn't exactly bad, but some plot points kind of ruined the whole experience for me.
On one side this book is kind of an origin-story, and as such it takes a while (most of the book) to get the main character settled with his new powers. It took a bit longer than I would have liked to get the whole time travelling going in a way that made it "useful" rather than something quirky and random to explore.
On the other side, there's a mystery imbedded in the story.
The actual motor that keeps the main character going is the missing sister - however it took me 5 seconds to figure out what was obviously going to be the big plot-twist and that made the book feel a lot more boring than I guess it would be if I had never read or seen any books or movies involving time travel before.
As far as time travel goes, it's not a favourite theme of mine.
I had forgotten this book wasn't a pure murder mystery when I pressed play. At first I thought it was rather well executed, but the further things loped along, the more annoyed I got with what should have been obvious to anyone with half a brain the same moment the main character realised he can time travel.
His little sister just disappeared out of thin air . . . (!!!)
The ending left me feeling a bit: "So... Now what?"
The main character is left with a new life, but it's technically not his life - and all sorts of awkwardness and weirdness is certainly in store for him.
I'm unsure if I will tag along further though. The book was OK, but not all that smart.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I have some conflicting feelings about this book. It wasn't exactly bad, but some plot points kind of ruined the whole experience for me.
On one side this book is kind of an origin-story, and as such it takes a while (most of the book) to get the main character settled with his new powers. It took a bit longer than I would have liked to get the whole time travelling going in a way that made it "useful" rather than something quirky and random to explore.
On the other side, there's a mystery imbedded in the story.
The actual motor that keeps the main character going is the missing sister - however it took me 5 seconds to figure out what was obviously going to be the big plot-twist and that made the book feel a lot more boring than I guess it would be if I had never read or seen any books or movies involving time travel before.
As far as time travel goes, it's not a favourite theme of mine.
I had forgotten this book wasn't a pure murder mystery when I pressed play. At first I thought it was rather well executed, but the further things loped along, the more annoyed I got with what should have been obvious to anyone with half a brain the same moment the main character realised he can time travel.
His little sister just disappeared out of thin air . . . (!!!)
The ending left me feeling a bit: "So... Now what?"
The main character is left with a new life, but it's technically not his life - and all sorts of awkwardness and weirdness is certainly in store for him.
I'm unsure if I will tag along further though. The book was OK, but not all that smart.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
June 19, 2022
I loved all characters, Joe was extremely likable and I also liked the secondary characters. Joe had some friends who were a really nice addition to the story. I just love this kind of main characters: not perfect is perfect for my liking.
I loved the setting as well so much!! I don't know many things that intrigues me more than mystery combined with fairground.
There were some twists that I knew were coming and I was surprised how Joe didn't even give a thought to those options. There were also some tiniest holes in logic. This was still really intriguing story.
I enjoyed so much and I am so glad for reading this book.
I loved the setting as well so much!! I don't know many things that intrigues me more than mystery combined with fairground.
There were some twists that I knew were coming and I was surprised how Joe didn't even give a thought to those options. There were also some tiniest holes in logic. This was still really intriguing story.
I enjoyed so much and I am so glad for reading this book.
January 29, 2021
And then she vanished, and vanished she did. But how, and what happened to her. When I first started reading this book, it felt like I'd settled into a very comfortable chair. I've come to the realisation that I know what I want from a book and it's the first page that starts my journey as to whether I'll get to the other end. No problem here. I was hooked from the beginning and one of the things that hooked me was how easy it was to read. No delving deep into the depth of time continuum, or the mechanics and physics of how it all works, but works it does. You can feel the heartbreak "Joe" our untimely hero go's through after losing little Amy all those years ago. and when the chance comes that he might be able to go back in time and save her you'll start turning the pages faster. Settle down into "your" comfortable chair and enjoy a very good read.
February 26, 2025
It's been a long while since I read a good Time Travel novel (specifically Jack Finney's TIME AND AGAIN, which I read in the 90s), so this one hit the spot. I love the premise that one can potentially go back and change something from the past--but also the philosophical questions that arise from that sort of speculation.
A fun read, and a compelling one.
A fun read, and a compelling one.
March 28, 2024
This was overall a great story! I feel like it was written in a way that anyone could get pulled in and enjoy it. Even if it may not be their typical read. It had a little bit of everything.. adventure, mystery, suspense, laughs, sad times, and a lot of time travel! If there’s a mention of time travel in a book I’m pretty much sold. It has me at time travel almost every time. 🤷♀️ (except The Time Traveler’s Wife stressed me out, but I’ll probably give it another shot some time though.)
This book starts at a traveling fair with a young 12 year old boy named Joe and his little 7 year old sister Amy. Then staying true to the name.. the sister pretty much just vanished. As you can imagine this really messed this poor boys life up! Eventually , well into his adulthood, he gets persuaded into trying some hypnotherapy and it seems to have unlocked something. Resulting in Joe accidentally time traveling. His current life goal becomes him traveling back in time to figure out what actually happened to his sister and possibly saving her in the process.
I listened to the audiobook and I thought it was great! I truly believe anyone and everyone could enjoy this story. It’s well put together. It pulled me in instantly and the science was explained in a manner that would make it easily understood by many. Overall it was fun and exciting. I recommend. ✌️
SPOILER!!!!!
My favorite part of this book is that you realize in the end that the whole story never happened in the first place…..
This book starts at a traveling fair with a young 12 year old boy named Joe and his little 7 year old sister Amy. Then staying true to the name.. the sister pretty much just vanished. As you can imagine this really messed this poor boys life up! Eventually , well into his adulthood, he gets persuaded into trying some hypnotherapy and it seems to have unlocked something. Resulting in Joe accidentally time traveling. His current life goal becomes him traveling back in time to figure out what actually happened to his sister and possibly saving her in the process.
I listened to the audiobook and I thought it was great! I truly believe anyone and everyone could enjoy this story. It’s well put together. It pulled me in instantly and the science was explained in a manner that would make it easily understood by many. Overall it was fun and exciting. I recommend. ✌️
SPOILER!!!!!
My favorite part of this book is that you realize in the end that the whole story never happened in the first place…..
December 3, 2024
3.5 🌟
The writing was solid, the storyline had me entirely gripped, as the story progressed Joe’s character developed beautifully and I was immersed in his mission to travel back to when his sister disappeared.
I thoroughly enjoyed the play out of Joe developing his skill, it was believable and relatable,
When I think time travel I think Dr. Who, or Quantum Leap both of which I cannot stand, but now I’ll think of Joe and probably give more time travel titles a chance.
Now the narration was lovely, however for a large portion of the book I assumed there was a Cheltenham in the US and was a bit confused as to why all the side characters had English accents (I say English, u mean Dick Van Dyke English) did I miss the family migrating to England? I don’t think I did.
Currently included with audible 🎧
The writing was solid, the storyline had me entirely gripped, as the story progressed Joe’s character developed beautifully and I was immersed in his mission to travel back to when his sister disappeared.
I thoroughly enjoyed the play out of Joe developing his skill, it was believable and relatable,
When I think time travel I think Dr. Who, or Quantum Leap both of which I cannot stand, but now I’ll think of Joe and probably give more time travel titles a chance.
Now the narration was lovely, however for a large portion of the book I assumed there was a Cheltenham in the US and was a bit confused as to why all the side characters had English accents (I say English, u mean Dick Van Dyke English) did I miss the family migrating to England? I don’t think I did.
Currently included with audible 🎧
April 1, 2022
I am somewhat surprised by all the overly generous reviews for this book. The whole premise of the plot seemed contrived - like it was made up as the story progressed. Time travel is not an easy subject to tackle and due to its inherent complexity it shouldn’t be taken lightly. I don’t see self-hypnosis by several different people to be a believable or rational premise. Aside from the simplistic writing and lack of character development, I found the flash back chapters totally unnecessary. Characters seemed to appear out of nowhere, coincidentally just when they were needed to aid the main character. Needless to say, I don’t plan to read further books in the series.
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