A fast paced page turner that will keep you guessing. Absolutely riveting and gripping book, fantastic!

When You Disappeared by John Marrs Book Review

When You Disappeared is my first John Marrs book & it certainly won't be my last. I love any book with a George Michael reference.

Do You Ever Think He Just Won't Come Back?

Years ago, my husband was a stay at home dad. He took care of both kids, cleaned, did the laundry, ran errands & much more. He was & is the backbone of our household. One time, we had a particularly difficult morning loading up while traveling with my Aunt. We were all loaded in the car & my husband ran into the hotel to check us out. He was gone for a Really long time & my Aunt asked me in a joking way, "Do you ever think he just won't come back?"

Your Husband is Gone

He did eventually come back to the car & we had an enjoyable trip. Luckily, have a spouse that I love & trust. But, so did Catherine. As a reader, when I put myself in Catherine's place I can't breathe. You've got kids, a house, bills & your husband disappears without a trace. The police arrive, your in-laws are suspicious & your children need their father. He's still missing & you're left to take care of your family- alone.

John Marrs Hooked Me

When You Disappeared is a quick read that is fast-paced & keeps you invested in learning why Simon disappeared. What is he hiding? Did his fatherly roles take a toll on him & he couldn't hang anymore? Is he just an awful person that did his family a favor by leaving them behind? John Marrs hooked me early on & layered this story so well. The ending had my stomach doing flips.

THE VERDICT

I was Really Into This book. It's just what I want when something is billed as a "psychological thriller." I winced, I was on the edge of my seat & I didn't see the ending coming- at all! 

Special thanks to John Marrs, Thomas & Mercer & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

This is simply one of the best books I have read in a long time...... and I love to read. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me start work a little later each day because I wanted to read more. This story is so well written and full of twists and turns. At one point I almost had to stop reading it because one of the themes reflected a situation very close to my heart at the moment, without wishing to spoil the plot.... my best friend (also a member of tbc) is very ill. The way in which the author deals with this is just so true to life and echos exactly what she is going through.
I loved the ending.....I just love this book and can't stop talking about it.
John Marrs, you've done it again. Simply amazing. Thank you

I loved this book, the storytelling draws you in immediately. The main female character is especially well portrayed; you can feel her every emotion. I read this in two sittings and could not wait for the big reveal of the main male character's justification.

This is a tricky book to review, as it is well written with very well developed characters but I can’t really say that I enjoyed it due to the subject of the story. For a husband to walk away from his family, leaving them with no clue as to whether he is dead or alive seems rather callous. As a reader we know that he is alive and well but Catherine and the children can but imagine the worst case scenario when after days, weeks, months and then years pass they have no sign of him.
The years pass and we see Simon living a seemingly carefree life for the majority of the time, anything that happens that threatens his peace causes him to burn his bridges and walk away to start a new chapter of his life in a new place. His methods are definitely questionable as are his morals at some points and I found him to be a very self centred person. Catherine and the children slowly manage to rebuild a new life for themselves but it takes much longer for them to find peace.
Even towards the end of the story when Simon eventually faces his demons – again for selfish reasons I felt – although I understood more about him, I still found him a very unlikeable character. His behaviour changed the lives of many people around him who he purported to love deeply, and even at the end of his story I still felt that he did not accept any responsibility for the pain he had caused. In his eyes, there was always someone else who had made him react the way he did. Because of this, I would say that this is a compelling read which provoked a lot of feeling in me but to say that I enjoyed it would be a step too far.
I can imagine some reviewers marking this book down because of that, but the depth of the personalities of the characters I felt made this a good read. Therefore I would give it a strong 4 stars.

OH! What a book!
I've heard lots of wonderful things about John Marrs as an author and I have to say he really didn't disappoint. I had no idea what to expect when I started this. I didn't read the cover, I just jumped in with both eyes open and waited to see where the story took me. I love doing this with a book and this was perfect for it. I was hooked from the very first page, which is always a great start and I just couldn't devour it quick enough. I HAD to know what happened and i'm not afraid to admit it, but I never saw the end coming until just before it happened as I sat there with my hand over my mouth feeling incredibly sick, in tears and so ANGRY that I thought I was actually going to puke! I don't think that's ever happened to me reading a book before.
I got so drawn into the characters, so emotionally invested I felt like I was journeying with them. It's very hard to even begin to explain how this book made me feel. I laughed, I cried, I shouted at it (cue strange looks from passers by) and every emotion in between but I didn't know how invested I was in the characters until I was faced with a scenario that just boils your blood.
Incredibly well written the story flows effortlessly despite it jumping between different people and time points. I think I would go so far as to say John Marrs is a literary genius and I'm so glad that he's taken to novel writing. I can't wait to read more of his books!

Simply wow. I could not put this down. Where have you been all my life John Marrs? The story follows the lives of Catherine and Simon over 25 years and what a story it is. Twists and turns on every page, both characters shocking you with how they have loved and lost over the years, both together and apart.
Although the story jumped from past to present which can sometimes leave me as a reader confused with the plot it flowed excellently. I had both sympathy and empathy for both of them despite their failings as a parent and a spouse. Thank you to TBC for pointing me in this books direction, will definitely be in my top ten for a long time to come.

I previously read this book under the name "The Wronged Sons."

One morning, Catherine wakes up and finds that her husband Simon is gone. He's just gone. For 25 years he is missing from her life. Then one day he re-appears. He left thinking one thing about their life together and he was wrong - the entire time. Had he just stayed and had they communicated he would have known it. Yet he walked away, leaving his wife to care for their three children.

I found the writing to be stilted, the storyline to be completely unbelievable and characters to be poorly written.

I loved this book which I discovered was based on a real letter that appeared in a newspaper about a man who just disappeared from his family one day. I really disliked Simon who disappeared (I think I was meant to!), his behaviour was based on assumption, arrogance and lack of understanding. Great book , couldn't put it down

An amazing read! I was gripped the whole time! A well written story. I can't wait to read another of John's books

I ran across "When You Disappeared" and the description sounded interesting. Overall, it was a far-fetched tale, but kept me coming back to find out how it would end.

It is a good example of perceptions and the stories we tell ourselves sometimes with little relevance to the actual facts.

I'm glad I read this versus listening to audiobook because it was a little confusing keeping track of the timeline and point of view, both of which jumped around wildly. I found myself often turning back a few pages to remember where/when/who was narrating at that point.

While I did end with a typical "wow" sensation usually left by thrillers, I don't see this one sticking with me for very long because so much of the story was just too unbelievable to consider.

It was a slowish read, but I did enjoy it.

Hard to put down, interesting story-line. Would consider this a thriller based on how it kept me on my toes! Loved it, would definitely recommend.

Catherine and Simon had been married for 10 years and have 3 young children. Their marriage seems fine, although there is a hint of problems and repercussions from broken relationships with both of their parents. One day, Simon vanishes and leaves Catherine searching and wondering why. Twenty-five years later, Simon appears on her doorstep and proceeds to explain to her why he left. The story alternates between present day, when Simon is explaining his reasons for leaving, and the past, from the point of view of both Simon and Catherine. Simon is a very damaged person, partly due to his horrible family life, a mother who kept abandoning him. At one point he does become a bit more sympathetic, but by that time, we have seen him do so many awful things that it is hardly redeeming. Catherine has got on with her life, and prospered, and discovered talents and independence she could not have imagined while in her role as a stay at home mom.
Sometimes the story dragged a bit, and it seemed to take a long time to finally reveal what had happened in the past to justify Simon's actions, but overall, an interesting read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this. Despite it bouncing back and forth a tad too much and a few too many hints being given, so much so that it kind of gave the game away, the story was well devised with interesting characters who responded to what life dealt them with differing approaches, depending on how situations were perceived. Great read.

i loved how when you disappeared is not afraid of being very dark. Sometimes i feel the psychological thrillers don't always pack a punch but John Marrs definitely does! Read this book - it kept me on my toes throughout the two sittings i read it in!

A well crafted full on drama of betrayal, secrets and lies that drew me into its web instantly and maintained momentum throughout. As it builds to its climax the suspense and anticipation is brilliant, with lots of mini cliff hangers to leave you on the edge of your seat, making it at times very difficult to put down. Look forward to reading more by Mr Marrs!

I was very excited for this book because I loved The One. This book was great, the story was interesting if a little unbelievable. I enjoyed reading it but was glad when it was over. If you're going to read a book by this author, The One is the one to read.

This was a compelling, well written read that I thoroughly recommend. It has lots of twists and turns and is very unpredictable. It held my attention from the very first page to the last and I read late into the the night to finish it.
5 shiny stars!!!

My review as posted on Goodreads:

I gather that this book was previously published under the title 'The Wronged Sons'

This story certainly grew on me as it progressed. John Marrs has created a cast of superb characters in this book. It is a beautifully written novel which explores a very disjointed family.

It is written over two time frames. As the two time frames come together, an unexpected set of events explains both of the titles which have been used 'When You Disappeared' and 'The Wronged Sons'.

I liked the way the characters are crafted and developed. This is a book which keeps creating ever more elaborate questions.
Who can you trust?
Who is fooling whom?
A the deceit develops, will we ever learn the truth?

The book keeps some of the best secrets to last.

I will certainly look out for future books by John Marrs on the strength of this.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy in exchange for this review.

A Traveling Sister read with Brenda and Lindsay!
3.5*
Catherine wakes up in the morning oblivious that her world is about to change forever. Her husband is gone! And she is frantic! He never showed up to work…maybe lying injured or dead in a ditch somewhere. The hours turn into days and eventually fall away into years. Simon has never been heard from again…until now!
We’re also given a view into Simon’s world during his disappearance. What would have motivated him to leave his family? What is the unforgivable act that triggered his vanishing act? And why stay away so long? There are whispers throughout this book of what drove a wedge between Catherine and Simon and eventually led to Simon leaving. There-in lies the mystery, buried deep within the pages. (Unfortunately not deep enough for me as I guessed most of it early on. I know…junior detective in the makings…Lol!).
Told in past and present tense from the POV of both Catherine and Simon. Including the journey Simon traveled to find himself in his new life. Which at times became soooo far-fetched! He was not at all a likable character.
In fact, I ended up having a love-hate relationship with this book. I absolutely loathed everything about Simon, wishing him ill-will at every turn. Yet, I couldn't pull myself away from tale he told.
Aren't the best books the ones that make you feel unsettled, setting off a wave of emotion within you? Especially if that emotion may be a troubling one. Well this book did just that!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas &Mercer and John Marrs for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For this review and our Full traveling sister review please visit Norma and Brenda’s fantastic book blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereading.wordpress.com