There are no words to describe how amazing this book is! It is now one of my all time favorites (as are the rest of the books in this series). I was hooked from the first paragraph, because Susanna Kearsley has a gift of being able to describe every emotion with such a sublime beauty that I often held my breath until the end of a passage.

While reading The Vanished Days, everything else around me seemed somehow trivial and unimportant compared to what was happening to Lilly and Graeme. I could not put the book down until I knew their complete story.

This book truly has it all! The characters are so real, that I felt I was going through everything together with them--I was right there! Lilly, Graeme, and the narrator are some of the best characters in historical fiction, full of angst and longing and stoic self-sacrifice--such noble souls! They were worthy of our respect and caring. The "villains," though hateful, were totally believable and their motives made sense. There was no "telling" in the book--just showing by the characters' actions.

There was a compelling mystery! Susanna Kearsley has the ability to find a real historical mystery, character or event (one that is not too well known by modern readers), and weave it into a saga that is wholly probable, and fascinating.

The background of eighteenth century Scotland was written with an authenticity and historical detail that immersed me into that era. I kept thinking of the movie, "Somewhere in Time" and how a character from the future traveling back to the past, found a modern penny in his pocket and that brought him back to the present. There were no pennies in this book. It was as if Susanna Kearsley was writing about something in her own time.

It took me weeks after reading this book to stop reliving it in my mind. I was sad to finish it because I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these beloved characters. I hope this series continues. I just cannot get enough!

This ARC was provided by NetGalley, and this review was voluntarily written.
# TheVanishedDays #NetGalley

The Vanished Days is truly a gripping novel that follows the inquiries of Sergeant Adam Williamson as he works with a clerk named Gilroy to determine whether the claims of a woman named Lily Graeme that she was married to the deceased Jamie Graime are true. If her marriage can be proven then she is eligible to collect his owed wages from a government settlement. There are many layers to this novel which jumps back and forth in time between Lily's childhood and the inquiry itself. What at first seems like a simple investigation proves to have many levels which tie into the politics of the time. The more Williamson learns of Lily's past life, the more he is drawn to her. Lily is an interesting character who has overcome many obstacles including being abandoned by her true love. The further you read into the novel, the more you realize that an intricate web of consequences has been created and can't help but wonder how there can be a satisfying end. Much to my delight, the ending did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed The Vanished Days for not only it's careful plotting but also the way Susanna Kearsley painted such a vivid picture in my mind of the world in which Lily lived. I could almost feel the sea breeze at my back!!! .

I’ve been a fan of Susannah Kearsley’s writing for years and have read all of her books, so I was thrilled to be granted an ARC of her latest novel by Simon and Schuster Australia via Netgalley. It didn’t disappoint.

Kearsley is back to her brilliant best with this latest addition to her Jacobite storyline. The Vanished Days serves as a kind of companion or prequel to The Winter Sea and gives background and leadup to that story. She also introduces some of the characters from the other books.

Unlike the earlier Jacobite books there is no supernatural element and the dual time periods are both historical, but this did not, in any way, detract from my enjoyment of this wonderful story. It’s filled with historical detail, heart-wrenching and heart-warming storylines of familial and romantic love, adventure and danger, and a jaw-dropping revelation at the end that I truly didn’t see coming. Now I need to go back and read the novel again to see if there were any clues I missed!

Fans of Susannah Kearsley are sure to feel like they’re back with old friends again. Her previous book, Bellwether was only a 4-star read for me, but The Vanished Days is some of her best writing ever. I thoroughly recommend this novel to her fans, those who love impeccably researched historical romantic fiction, and those who love reading about Scotland.

I’m now going to reread the Jacobite novels in order of their timeline - The Vanished Days, The Winter Sea, The Firebird and A Desperate Fortune.

Oh how I love Susanna Kearsley's beautifully written tales of Scottish history! "The Winter Sea" was a five-star read for me and this prequel (which also can be read as a stand-alone novel) is almost as great. Ms. Kearsley is an incredible storyteller and deftly weaves fact and fiction into a riveting tale of romance and intrigue. She has a talent for breathing life into little-known historical figures and crafting a story around them. "The Vanished Days" has everything I want from historical fiction; vivid characters, an authentic historical backdrop, strong and independent women, a twist of romance, and of course, danger to liven things up. Though the plot was slow to develop at first, I quickly became captivated by Lily's story and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. This is the kind of book for which you forgo your lunch break so that you can read!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.

I had looked forward to reading this story since I enjoy Susanna Kearsley's writing but unfortunately I really found this book to drag.. The book jumps back and forth between Lily's childhood and teen years and then back to the present when they are investigating her story. The Scottish history seemed to weigh the story down and while it might be important I had a hard time keeping track of who was on which side. The only redeeming item in this book is the ending which came as a surprise to me and still leaves me with some questions about what was happening throughout the book.
I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This was the first book I've read by Susanna Kearsley, so I was unfamiliar with her style. This is a slow book and took me some time to finish but I really enjoyed it. I understand that it can be read as a stand alone or as part of her Scottish series. Lily Aitcheson has brought forth a claim to the government for compensation over the death of her husband, James Graham. With the validity of her claim called into question, she is interviewed by a man named Adam Williamson, who upon receiving a request to visit a friend in Edinburgh finds himself standing in the man's place on the inquiry into Lily's claim. Lily's story begins to unfold, bringing with it a harsh past, a deep love, and a great twist at the end. All the characters came to life in this book and the setting was one I hadn't encountered before. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys well researched historical fiction and light historical romance. Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. I've been a big fan of Kearsley's writing for years. In fact, the The Winter Sea was my first adult foray into historical fiction, so I was pleased to see a prequel to what I thought should've been a much longer series. I'll admit, this one was a bit harder to get into at first, simply because I hadn't recently read the other 2 books and I was worried there were parts of the story that I'd miss out on or not get by having read them more recently. I think this does well if you haven't read the other 2 books, recently or at all. I'm always a fan of Scottish history, because so few books I've read cover the Jacobites and their history. This was a great read, and I really enjoyed the story of Lily and Adam. Kearsley's books always show a passion for historical research and accuracy. A great, sweeping read for the cooler months!

I was drawn in to this telling of Lily's life, from her happy childhood through events which necessitated her vanishing and starting over with new family. The political and religious turmoil of the times only emphasize the dangers of everyday life and her strength in meeting them. The ending of the book made me sit up straight and wonder what clues I missed. I am going to go back and review certain sections of the story to see how I went astray. This is a very rich, complicated, and at times, heartbreaking story.

It's well written and well researched, the characters are fleshed but the pace was too slow and the story didn't keep my attention.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is a tough review to write because I have loved every Susanna Kearsley book I've read until now. I did not love The Vanished Days. Now, don't get me wrong, the book is excellently researched and written with the kind of detail that brings the place and time period to life. There is a wide range of characters that are all interesting in their own ways. The plot was engaging and unique enough to keep me reading. However, I have two main issues that kept me from loving this book. First, there were a lot of slow moving parts in a story that was already a bit complicated and required more careful attention. This made for some tedious reading. Second, the big plot twist did not track with the rest of the book. There were just too many plot holes for that to make sense when I looked back at previous scenes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for access to this arc.

This is an historical fiction set in early 18th century with flashbacks to late 17th century. This book revolves around Lily and how she survived that time period (one of many rough times for women) and the people in her life who helped or protected her (except for two nasty characters); and the narrator's life; all amid the turmoil of wars and rebellions in America and Scotland during that time.

There is a great deal of historical fact that was interesting to learn (esp. as it related to areas my ancestors are from), but it also made the story difficult to read for long periods of time. It took me over a week to read it because of this. My average is 2-4 days even for large books.

Am I sorry I spent that much time reading it? Heck no! It was a great book and the author wove in the backstories of characters at the perfect time to explain current actions, thoughts, or dialogue. I had quiet tears running down my face several times throughout this book..

I can't really tell you more as it will ruin it. I can tell you it was a surprise although I was on the right track and there is a happy ending. Now, I'll have to go back and read the others in this series as this is my first Susanna Kearsley book.

At the end it was fascinating to read about all the research done by the author and how she took real people with facts from their lives and crafted a fictional story in-between them.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC copy in exchange for an impartial review.

I really enjoyed The Winter Sea, the sequel to The Vanished Day, so was certain I would equally like the prequel. The premise is really interesting but, for me, I found the story very slow and the novel too long and involved. I just could not connect with the main characters or become engaged in the story. Filled with historical detail, I found the telling of the story became almost overwhelmed by the amount of detail included and it impeded the flow and pace of the story. I also found it difficult to keep track of the numerous characters. I skim read the last part of the novel. I was very sorry not to have enjoyed this one as I like Susanna Kearsley and historical fiction.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

Susanna Kearsley's The Vanished Days is a beautifully-written novel that tells the story of Adam Williamson, a soldier who had fought valiantly at Toubacanti - which I learned was a failed Scottish settlement in the 1700s in, of all places, Panama. Adam visits a friend he had served with in the war and is recruited to help the Government to verify whether a widow, Lily Aitcheson, was legally married and is therefore entitled to collect her dead husband's wages. The novel started out a little slowly but by halfway through, I was hooked on the story, which alternated back and forth between Lily's memories of the past (in the late 1600s) and the time period of the investigation (1707), all the while weaving in the fascinating history of the timeperiod. This is a prequel to the author's The Winter Sea which I had read 10 years ago and loved. I also enjoyed when Adam talked about his friends the Wildes, who were featured in the author's previous novel Bellewether. No spoilers, but I will tell you that the tale comes to a satisfying and happy ending. This is one I know I will want to re-read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book. This book wasn’t for me but I did appreciate trying a new author.

Set in the late 1600s, early 1700s with dueling timelines the novel had moments of interest for me, especially as the story moved to Lily’s time in Barbara’s home. But there were moments it felt it was a bit drawn out and my interest waned. It does all come together well in the end but in general I don’t think I’m the target reader for this novel.

4.5/5⭐️

I love Kearsley. Going in, I didn’t realize that this one is a prequel to The Winter Sea (which I haven’t read yet but am looking forward to).

Set in Scotland and told in alternating timelines (1687-1707), this story is told against the backdrop of religious division, revolution and intrigue and centers around Lily, a young woman (seen from age 7-adulthood as a widow).

I won’t get into specifics except to say that Lily’s quest is to receive compensation for the death of her husband (a sailor). There’s joy, tears, despair, danger, hope and a sweet love story here.

I enjoyed this book but felt like it was a bit of a slow starter compared to some of her others. And I found it a bit hard to work out a certain twist toward the end (as it took some backtracking). But as always, her writing triggers all sorts of emotions, and I simply can’t say enough about the AMOUNT of research and detail she includes in her stories. Characters are well-drawn, and I fell especially hard for Lily, Adam and Jamie. Definitely recommended.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #SourceBooksLandmark for providing me the free early arc for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

More adventures among the Graeme family, this time though I was not as invested in the characters as I was in the other stories. The book takes place solely in the past and a lot of time is spent reiterating a woman's uncertain place in this time. I was interested in some of the history like the siege of Bass, but I did not keep the factions and the Jamie's straight in this one.

The Vanished Days, Susanna Kearsley's new novel (expected publication October 5, 2021), is set around the time of the union between England and Scotland, a time of turmoil in Scotland awash with rumors about a return of the exiled King James. But, The Vanished Days is Lily's story. Lily has filed a claim to recover monies owed her for the loss of her husband, a sailor on the Darien expedition. Her claim has been challenged, and Adam is asked to investigate. During the course of this investigation, we learn Lily's story.

I was especially looking forward to The Vanished Days as I was under the impression that it was a prequel to The Winter Sea, my favorite of Kearsley's books. I was puzzled, after completing the book, as it did not strike me as being a prequel; I then saw the book referred to as a "companion novel" (or, a "prequel and companion novel"). Although the book is not really a prequel, much of it does involve the Graemes, the Morays, Captain Thomas Gordon, and others well known from The Winter Sea.

The Vanished Days meanders through Lily's story in typical Kearsley fashion until the end where Kearsley included a plot twist that left me feeling a bit like I had been sucker punched. After taking a quick spin through The Winter Sea (because of the prequel issue, noted above), I immediately began reading The Vanished Days once again. I have a few concerns whether the "plot twist" works, but as that involves spoilers, I won't pursue that further here.

One of my favorite parts of all Kearsley novels is her author's notes, entitled "About the Characters." In this, Kearsley notes what is historically accurate, what historical support she has, what she has introduced and why, and the like. And, her "About the Characters" in The Vanished Days does not disappoint. I love how Kearsley respects historical accuracy and weaves the fiction around what can be found.

I am a longtime Kearsley fan and usually love everything that she writes. I do not love The Vanished Days; it is probably my least favorite Kearsley book. To be clear, although it may be my least favorite, it is, nonetheless, a Kearsley book, and, hence, held in very high regard. I did not particularly care for Lily. Throughout the book, I felt like I was learning about Lily as an outside observer (like I was reading about her); more often with Kearsley books, I feel like the characters draw me into the book with them. And, the book felt a bit choppy, like it jumped from stage to stage in Lily's life. Although Kearsley has masterfully smoothed out some of that "jumpiness," those transitions seemed more tenuous than is typical for her.

Nonetheless, The Vanished Days does provide welcome background for The Winter Sea. It is a solid addition to Kearsley's complex weaving about Scottish history and the Jacobites. Highly Recommended.

I have loved Susanna Kearsley’s books for years. I have not read any for awhile, so when I saw a chance to read an ARC of this one through Net Galley, I jumped at the chance. It did not disappoint. The story in this one takes us to a time prior to The Winter Sea. Some characters are in both while the main storyline and characters in this one are different. Susanna gives a long explanation at that end of this book. I wish I had read it first. It explains which are based on real people and which are from her imagination. It would have added some clarity to the story and reminded me of the story in The Winter Sea. I read that one a long time ago! Still, I absolutely loved this book. It reminded me of why I used to devour Kearsley’s books. I may have to go back and reread some of them.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

I absolutely loved The Winter Sea, so I was delighted for the chance to read this one. I admit I did not enjoy it as much. I loved the writer storyline in The Winter Sea, which was missing in this new installment. The Vanished Days goes back in time to the 1680s and introduces the reader to the Moray and Graeme families from the first book. Lily is a widow trying to claim her husband's wages, and much of the story revolves around the investigation into her marriage papers to see if she is indeed telling the truth. The characters and historical research are excellent, but I felt the story to be slow moving and hard to follow at times. I still don't quite get the ending. I did enjoy the writing style, but it just did not have what I loved from the first book. Readers who love Scottish history should really enjoy this book - just not for me.