When you disappeared is a corker of a read. It tells the story of Simon and Catherine in the present time and going back 25 years when Simon walked away from his marriage, 3 young children and a thriving business. He takes nothing with him and the police, family and friends have no idea why he would leave, or what has happened to him.
This book takes you gradually through the past years from both Simon's and Catherine's point of views. It's a slow burn at first but boy does it heat up. I can't say anymore because I'm so worrried about giving away any spoilers, you need to take yourself on this journey and try work things out for yourself. What I will say though is what ever you imagine you will never believe or guess how this great story unfolds and ends.
By the end I felt Like a wet rag, thoroughly washed out after such an emotional read.
This author has a fantastic ability to surprise and shock...well done and thank you.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for opportunity to review this book honestly.
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This was an interesting read about a woman named Catherine who's husband disappears. I have to say this is book keeps you interested with turns I wasn't expecting. I would suggest anyone who likes a good mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat I would read this book.

I really enjoyed When you disappeared by John Marrs. I enjoyed the different points of view and how the story was told but I really did not like Simon. Simon is a very selfish man that only thinks about himself. My heart went out to Catherine and I had great admiration for how she coped with difficult situations.
This is the second John Marrs book that I have read and I look forward to reading many more by him.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer via Netgalley for the copy.

Brilliant book with complex and interesting characters. An unpredictable plot and ending which kept me engaged from start to finish. Highly recommend.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as The One. Felt a bit dragged out. For my personal taste.

An interesting psychological story about Catherine and Simon who have 3 children under 10 years old and a baby that died not long ago. Simon just disappears one day without warning while Catherine is sleeping. Twenty five years later he shows up on her doorstep and they spend the day telling each other what has happened to them in that time after he left. Each of their lives became so different from the one they were living together. They each have many twists & turns to the life they found before them. Catherine never moves from the house they shared while Simon has traveled the world. You see how the influence of their childhood affects what paths they take too. Simon left for one reason and all these years he had what he thought he knew and what really was true were two different things. This was such a different read for me but interesting even when I wondered where the story was going.

Stumbling across this book, I had no idea about the journey I was to embark upon. It seemed so benign at the outset, yet the turns continued to surprise me and ultimately break this reader's heart.
Deep & unspoken beliefs and unexpressed feelings and actu.ions set in motion a tangled tale.
Written from different voices and times, the author drags us forward as the single precipitating action sets in motion reactions, behaviors and feelings that all carry tremendous repercussions across families.
The final explanations are crushing- and unexpected. Well written & tough to get out of my mind.

What a great story! This is unlike anything I've read before - mysterious, heart wrenching, unpredictable. A great illustration of the importance of communication!

Oh so good!!!! I couldn't put it down!!!! I read this is record time! Edge of my seat ride!!!! Thanks!! I will be buying some copies for the store for sure!!!!!

I've just finished this and I would say that it's one of those books that resonate for a few days after finishing. As the story unravels, you become more and more intrigued, yet it is very sad in places. A gripping read.

Catherine cannot take the truth of her husband’s disappearance. So she carries out a charade of being the waiting and grieving wife – at least for the children’s sake, she tells herself. She even arranges a touching funeral and celebration of his life and achievements. But Simon’s reasons for deserting his wife and children are potent and all consuming, although he blames everyone but himself. He may be wrong there.
He makes new lives for himself several times during his absence, running away again when the going gets tough. It’s what he always does. He travels the world, finally finding wealth, peace and acceptance and this is when he feels ready to confront the demons of his past and come clean to Catherine. He definitely needs to go home and tell her the truth for two very different and important reasons. He simply cannot put it off any longer.
Catherine has moved on at long last. It’s twenty five years since she last saw Simon and all she wants is the truth. It’s her burning desire. She has tortured herself for long enough. She has made a success of her life and her children have grown up and moved out. But when Simon arrives home on his own doorstep, smartly dressed and ready to unburden himself, Catherine finds out that you should be careful what you wish for. For once the secrets are out of the box they can never be put away again.
“When You Disappeared” is the revised edition of “The Wronged Sons” which was first published in 2014. It’s a book I missed out reading at that time, so I was pleased to get the opportunity to read this new version. It’s a powerful story about lies and half truths, fear and desire, misunderstandings and blame. The stories of Catherine and Simon are compelling and diverse, reflecting their stability and the vulnerability of different personalities. It was heartbreaking in one part and equally horrifying in another, particularly in how far rage can drive, divide and define. I much preferred Catherine’s story although I did not admire her at all. I though Simon was damaged, impulsive and amoral. I intensely disliked him and found his behaviour and actions despicable.
I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for my copy of this novel, sent in return for an honest review. It’s a 7/10 from me. I enjoyed reading the novel but thought some parts of it did not always flow as easily as others. It’s definitely worth a read.

I don't even know where to start with this book.. i am really torn between loving and hating it!
Ok so the book is basically about a woman whose husband disappears/walks out on her 25 years previous and then turns up on her door in the present day ready to give her the answers she has been waiting all those years for.
I have never hated a character so much in my life as i hate Simon!! I found his character to be selfish, inconsiderate, evil, spiteful, disgusting.. just a huge jackass. I just could not wrap my head around him justifying his actions all the time. No matter what has happened in the past or what your wife has done etc.. it does not make it okay to act the way he did. I think for me, i just could not relate to him in any way. Not once did i feel sorry for him or sympathize or understand where he was coming from. So i think this is why i found the book so hard to read.. because i just couldn't imagine someone actually acting that way for the reasons he did and how he was so damn calm about it all!! It just pissed me right off!!
However.. i know this sounds contradictory, but, i couldn't put the book down! Despite my pure hatred of Simon i really wanted to get to the bottom of it all. Why he actually left..What happened to their child.. Why he was telling her it all now. It felt really strange to be so compelled into reading a story while hating the main characters guts.
I also love the way Catherine was portrayed. I really felt for her, i think the writer did an amazing job in really making you go through this experience with her. I love how strong she is shown to be, even though she doesn't know it herself at first. I love how even when i was wondering what the hell she did to make her husband up and leave her and 3 kids, i still loved her as a character.
I found that the way the chapters were set up was a bit disorientating at first, like it will switch from Catherine's POV to Simon's and it will be set in the present day and then switch to a previous year. But once you get into the book it starts to get a bit easier to follow.
I would definitely recommend reading this book.. just be prepared to hate Simon with a passion!!!

Absolutely fantastic book. Read it in two sittings. I could not get to sleep till i had read it. I went through a lot of emotions throughout the book but mainly anger and frustration. Look forward to reading more from John Marrs.

Catherine wakes up one morning to find her husband gone. She checks his shoes .. no his running shoes are right where they always are. His car is still there, his keys are not missing. His wallet is on the dresser. Where is he and what has happened to him?

Twenty Five years later Simon appears on her doorstep. He has all the answers, and he knows it's time that Catherine had them, too.

But neither of them know the whole truth!

The story line is perfect. When Simon shows up, he confesses to all he's done in the past years. Every other chapter or so the reader hears Catherine's voice .. to learn how her life has turned out. And of course, the one question she wants answered ... Why?

I have to share with you .. I did not like Simon. I could not find any redeeming qualities. His total disregard of his family .. just disappearing. Did he never think about how they were .. were they eating... where were they living? It got worse with each story that Simon had to share.

The ending is stupendous. Never, ever had any inkling of what was coming. Excellent writing.

Revised edition: Previously published as The Wronged Sons, this edition of When You Disappeared includes editorial revisions.

Many thanks to the author / Thomas & Mercer /Negalley for the advanced digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I really enjoyed this book which was set in different time periods with two separate accounts of what had happened to end a once happy relationship. Were their assumptions right or wrong ? there seems to have been many secrets untold.

The beginning of this book started out well with a lot of suspense and the wish to keep reading. I found the ending to be kind of a let down and the more explanations were given for Simon's behavior the less I wanted to keep reading. All though Catherine is a likeable character that you root for Simon had no positive qualities and his wish at the end to confide everything to Catherine was something I didn't care for.

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This was a extremely entertaining. So many twists and great depth of character.

This is the second John Marrs book I’ve read and again I really enjoyed it. He sure tells a great story! We learn about the mysterious and sudden disappearance of Catherine’s husband, Simon, from both their points of view, and Marrs swings between the present and the past. But at no point is it confusing – instead Marrs uses these mechanisms to gradually reveal what really happened all those years ago – and the events that have unfolded since. We’re told early on that the couple had lost their youngest child some time before Simon’s disappearance. Marrs only explains the circumstances around this at the end. While he doesn’t belabour the death, I got the feeling early on that the question of what really happened would be vitally important to the story – and this added to the suspense I felt while reading this book. Much as I did while reading The One, I felt as though I was getting several great stories for the price of one as I read this book. Thank you for the opportunity of reading this.

Review posted to original title The Wronged Sons
What a great book. Well written. Really admired the way the author as a man was able to be so sympathetic in his views from the female perspective. Another book that I just didn't want to finish.