Thank you to Oceanview Publishing for sending an advance copy of Disappeared.

Julie and her sister Fay love to take exotic trips to blow off the steam of everyday life. They live by the motto that the journey is the real destination, often finding themselves where they never expected. On their latest trip to Morocco, Julie wakes up to a note from Fay saying she’ll be back in 2 days. When she doesn’t return Julie starts to worry and ask around. Due to a conflict with the hotel, the pair has their room changed and that very night a woman in their old room is killed. After playing amateur detective and gathering some clues, Julie sets off for a remote location in the desert to track her sister down. The sisters reunite in a prison and Julie learns the deep secrets that Fay has kept from her. Pairing up with an imprisoned mother/daughter/grandchild trio, this group of unlikely allies put their will to the test to survive.

I’ve recently been reading a lot of ‘travel thrillers’ (didn’t even know that was a genre, to be honest…is it a newer trend?) and I’ve got to say I’m obsessed. I don’t know if being stuck with no serious travel for a couple of years is a catalyst or what, but I’m loving these books about vacations going awry. I really enjoyed this one being set in Morocco because it’s an uncommon setting to my knowledge, and I was able to read an entertaining story while also learning some new info.

I liked Julie a lot, I could basically see her rolling her eyes and huffing and then going after her sister in true sibling fashion. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for her family and that’s really the theme to this book. The side characters we meet are so lovable. I’m writing this review weeks after the read so I am blanking on some names, but the hotel clerk that helped Julie and the wife of the restaurant owner that Julie met were fantastic additions to the story and I wish I knew more about them. The family that Julie and Fay meet in the prison is great as well, wholly dedicated to each other and ensuring they remain together and safe.

The descriptions are vivid, I definitely got a feel for Morocco, both the cities and the desert. It’s a place that is pretty high on my bucket list and this book did nothing but make me want to experience it more (which sounds very weird to say after reading a thriller set there!)

I think I'm biased because I studied abroad in Morocco and love returning there in my books, but I found this captivating and compelling.

Disappeared - Bonnar spring

I’m sorry, I had so many other things going on I just couldn’t read it, didn’t hold my interest.

This is an interesting, colourful read as the setting of Morocco is vividly described.

Two sisters travel on holiday and then one seems to disappear. This isn’t a straight forward thriller though, as Julie searches for her sister, Faye, there’s a darker story being told as well as a highlighting of strangers generosity. It’s very different and at times far fetched and slow, but, overall I found it a decent 3* read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview publishers for the opportunity to preview.

Julie is so overjoyed when her sister contacts her to suggest going to exotic Morocco this year.

Julie and Fay used to go together on spring getaway often; until Fay married Gil and they moved to New York. After her move, Fay had seemed disinterested when Julie suggested trips. Both their lives have changed so much and Julie sees this trip bringing them together again.

They are stopped and searched by Police in the first two days of arrival. Julie then feels she is being followed.

This action adventure kept me reading to the conclusion.

Morocco is on my bucket list of places to visit, so I when I started on Disappeared, I was excited, and looking forward to the experience. Bonnar Spring does not disappoint. The story of two sisters out on vacation where one goes missing starts off like many others, but takes an unusual turn and the suspense builds from there.

The writing at the sentence level is stunning, and I would have read the book for that alone, but Spring also weaves an engaging tale of mystery, high tension, political intrigue, and family relationships. I could feel the heat of the desert, the sand on my skin, hear the sounds of Moroccan streets. I was there for the celebrations of religious holidays, the clothes and the delicious food. I rooted for Julie throughout, and stayed awake turning the pages deep into the night, and closed the book satisfied with the nail-biting ending!

Thanks to Netgalley and Oceanview publishing for my copy! I hope to read more from Bonnar Spring.

I was torn trying to rate Disappeared. It's unlike anything I've ever read, but I never felt wholly engaged in the story.

The beginning is a little muddled, making it difficult to figure out what's going on. Unfortunately, that feeling lasted farther into the book than it should, and I kept waiting for things to get started. While it eventually leads to an incredible adventure filled with real danger, there were too many lucky coincidences to ever really relax into the narrative.

Disappeared is a unique and incredibly thrilling story; I think I was a little too caught up in the details to enjoy it fully.

A great read. Julie Welch’s sister, Fay Lariviere, disappears from their hotel in Morocco. Although she leaves a note that she’ll be back in two days, Fay doesn’t return.
Wow what a book. I am still sat thinking about this book even though I finished it a few days ago. I cannot write a review to do this book justice. I was hooked from the first page. The writing is superb and enthralling and overall, I just loved this gripping book.

Disappeared was an enjoyable, tense read. Two American women, sisters - Fay and Julie - go to Morocco, purportedly on their yearly holiday/catch up. One is harbouring secrets from the other and for her it is a lot more than just a vacation. Before you know it both are in jeopardy.

Sisters, a strange land, secrets, encounters with the police, unwelcome attention, a disappearance, concern, resentment. tension, danger, a narrow escape, lost family, political enemies, encounters with the military, imprisonment, a re-union, answers and forgiveness, ill-health, medical concerns, escape, flight, betrayal, and more before our outcome.

I enjoyed the Moroccan setting and the local flavour of the novel. The author certainly seems to know the country and there's a real sense of place in the narrative..... the weather, the terrain, the food, the dress sense and customs, the celebrations and religious holidays, and the people we encounter through the course of the book.

There's an initial curiosity as to why Fay has disappeared and Julie's initial annoyance transforms into worry and then action, despite the sense of isolation and bewilderment she is feeling. Julie is never quite sure who can be trusted in her quest to find Fay. Any interaction with a local, apart from a shared meal and some hospitality from a Moroccan family before her concerns over Fay set in, are viewed through a lens of suspicion and apprehension. All transactions are cautious and tentative and this adds a layer of tension to the book. The indifference of the local on the ground US authorities to Fay's nysterious absence adds to Julie's woes.

Eventually we get to understand the reasons for Fay's secrecy and her actions. Her second husband, Gil - a bit of a mystery man to Julie anyway - has received news of his estranged family in Morocco; Yasmin, his mother and Nadia, his sister have smuggled a message out to him in the US, after many years of him fearing them dead.

From then on it's sisters reunited, along with some additional 'baggage' in the form of extended family. Two in jeopardy becomes five. There are some daunting obstacles still to overcome before they can truly consider themselves and Gil's family, including a young nephew, Hamid safe.

I really enjoyed the story. It was interesting to get a glimpse into a culture and society where personal freedoms are more limited than the liberties I enjoy and take for granted. There's a real kind of east meets west vibe to the book. (And yes I know Morocco is in North Africa.)

Overall an exciting mystery/thriller. There's a decent pace, well drawn characters with depth and tension in their relationships and a satisfying ending.

4 from 5

Read - May, 2022
Published - 2022
Page count - 313
Source - review copy via Net Galley
Format - Kindle

http://col2910.blogspot.com/2022/05/bonnar-spring-disappeared-2022.html

Disappeared by Bonnar Spring is an exciting thriller and adventure tale set in Morocco, circa 2005, a time of unrest in the region. Two sisters, Fay and Julie, historically have taken girl trips together and they plan to meet in Morocco. When Fay does not appear at the hotel, Julie begins investigating and discovers that her sister has been abducted. No spoilers here—the rest of the novel is an action-packed, exciting account of Julie’s quest to find Fay and get her to safety.

The descriptive writing is excellent, with clever touches of humor, and is wonderfully immersive in the scenery, culture and people of Morocco and the Sahara. While some of the action seemed a bit implausible and Indiana Jones-esque, the story kept me fully engaged in the suspense, and cheering for Julie’s ingenuity and determination. The underlying themes of sisterly loyalty and plucky, intelligent women overshadow any doubts about the plot.

This is a very good, fast-paced thriller with a warm heart and the theme of women helping women at its core, set in a fascinating country and culture. I recommend it, and look forward to reading more novels by Ms. Spring.

4.5 stars

Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. These are my own opinions.

Okay… what did I just read? Julie is absolutely paranoid and the story starts off with so many questions. There were so many pieces to the puzzle and there was always something going on. I was so intrigued and never knew what to expect. I kept thinking someone was trustworthy and I would be blindsided.
The book is set in Morocco and some of the text is in French with no translation. If you don’t understand the language, you might miss out on some information.
Overall, this book was a page-turner and very interesting. It was funny reading about a group of women trying to devise a plan to escape with the few items they had in their possession.
Near the end, it was obvious that the story was coming to a closing but I found the ending to be lacking and sudden. I expected more of a happy ending with a family gathering or something.
Rated: 3.75 Stars

The second novel by Bonnar Spring, Disappeared is another action adventure where the hero must endure physical danger in order to right a wrong. Two sisters are enjoying travelling in Morocco, when one of them disappears. Julie finds a note from her sister Fay, telling her she will return in two days but Julie sets out, determined to find her sister. As the narrative unfolds, a tale of a dangerous adventure, subterfuge, travelogue and the meaning of family are revealed. This is a slow paced thriller of an ordinary woman, needing to overcome obstacles and surprises, in order to find her sister. Despite its exotic location and enjoyable characters, it felt somewhat deficient and so a three star mystery-suspense rating. With thanks to Oceanview Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

Atmospheric Mystery Turns Nail Biting Thriller. This is one of those visceral, atmospheric type tales where you truly feel immersed in the (for most readers) exotic locale. Spring does a tremendous job of showing the breadth of Morocco, from its urban and more modern (ish) areas to its much more remote and tribal areas, from its dazzling seascapes to the bleak Saharan Desert. Much of the tale is a mystery of a woman trying to find her sister, who she arrived in-country with but has now disappeared. Later revelations turn the tale into a desperate attempt to survive and to flee the country, and this is where the book begins to take on much more of its thriller vibe (though there was at least some tinge of foreshadowing of this during the more mystery-oriented section of the tale). Truly a remarkable work, and very much recommended.

Julie is confused and angry when her sister Fay takes off on her own during their sister trip to Morcco, leaving only a cryptic note about doing something for her husband Gil. It's 2004 and the politics of the region are more fraught than Julie knew before arriving. And then it's clear someone is stalking her. Julie hires a guide, who abandons her, to find Fay. What is Gil's secret? There's a trip through the desert, a military compound, an escape, and will the sisters survive? No spoilers from me. This is implausible in more ways than one but the atmospherics are good. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

A decent book, not quite the noir I was expecting though, which is no ones fault.. Good pacing and character development. Overall adequate read.

Julie and Fay are sisters. They often travel together and when Fay suggests a trip to Morocco, Julie jumps at the chance. They have a little trouble and get stopped by the police when they arrive in Morocco, but once there the trip is going well. One day Julie wakes up to a not that Fay had to run an errand for her husband and will return the following day. When Fay has not returned when she said she would, Julie tries to find out what happened to her sister.

The following day, the hotel asks Julie to switch rooms, which she hesitantly does. That evening, the person who is staying in the room Julie just left was murdered. Julie is convinced it was meant to be her and she realizes that Fay must be in a lot of trouble.

What follows is an absolutely incredible journey as Julie goes to extreme lengths to find out what happened to Fay.

This was a great and exciting read. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book!

Wow Bonnar Spring, you have quite literally taken my breath away!

This was an intense psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from early on. To say I was living in suspense would be an understatement. I am not actually sure if I took a breath the entire book.

As I turned purple from the lurking anxiousness in my throat, I quickly turned the page in anticipation of what was going to happen next. This is a book that I believe with out one doubt will be picked up and turned into a movie.

This was a character driven book that not only was suspenseful but also showed the love and devotion family has to one another.

How far would you go for the ones you love?

Disappeared, by Bonnar Spring, is a detailed suspense novel with an international bent. I liked the main characters, the story line and all the interesting details about Morocco. Unfortunately, there were several slow spots full of details that didn't seem all that relevant to the story. I did end up liking the story, though.
When Julie Welch and her sister, Fay, travel to Morocco she's looking forward to exploring and spending plenty of "quality sister time". But then Fay ends up going off on a side trip without telling Julie. It isn't until the day after Fay has disappeared that Julie gets a note, from Fay, saying that she'll be back in two days. But Fay doesn’t return. Then an attack meant Julie ends up murdering another woman.
When Julie finally figures out where Fay has gone, she tries to get to her so that she can warn her. But Julie only ends up finding herself sharing a prison cell with Fay. Now Fay must bring Julie into the loop and hope they figure a way out of their troubles.

3.5 Stars. I found this a difficult book to rate and review because I was never wholly engaged in its story. It had all the elements that should have absorbed me. There was a loving relationship between the two sisters, their love for their family back home, and the determination to protect family members and keep them from harm. There was plenty of suspense, exotic locations, political intrigue, impulsive risks, danger, capture, and desperate escape attempts.

Two sisters, Julie and Fay, are enjoying the vibrant sights in a city in Morocco. They visited the colourful souks looked at souvenirs and local crafts, enjoyed the traditional spicy food and made plans to visit the tourist sites. Fay disappears from their hotel, leaving a note that she will return in two days. She gave no reason for leaving, and no destination was given. When she doesn't return, Julie is angered and then becomes worried. On the streets, Julie keeps noticing a Moroccan man who seems to be stalking her. Her fear for her sister and now for herself is intensified when a woman is killed at the hotel. It was evident to Julie that the murdered woman had been mistaken for her.

She realizes that Fay's life may be in danger, and her life is also in jeopardy for some unknown reason. She learns that Fay was headed to a remote village on the edge of the desert, but why? Julie rushes to the village to find her sister but learns that Fay has travelled deeper into the Saharan
desert.

Fueled by anger, anxiety, and desire to protect Fay, she obtains a guide in the local settlement to take her into the desert. The journey is a hazardous one for Julie. She takes pills to regulate her heartbeat, and her increasing stress and fear puts her health in jeopardy. The guide abandons her in the desert. Alone, she stumbles on a rock and sprains her ankle. After much hardship, she finds Fay, who has been imprisoned in an army barracks near the hostile Algerian border. Julie is also incarcerated. In their barracks room are two Moroccan women and a young child. The angry and terrified Julie learns from Fay the identity of the others who have spent years in prison and the reason for Fay's mysterious mission. There are few resources, but they devise a frantic escape plan that includes the child, his mother, and the elderly Moroccan grandmother. This is carried out with some loss of lives. They are now hunted fugitives.

I regret the plot didn't fully engage me as I expected. We get details about the sister's past relationships, travel, and important family ties back home. This is a detailed and well-plotted story that should appeal to many readers. The story vividly describes locations extending from the city into the countryside, the small settlements along the way, and into the desert. The reader learns about the traditions, the holiday feasts, and the delicious food. Julie had found the people kind and welcoming, but she now understands there were some ruthless villains. Who could be trusted? Will their dangerous escape plans work out? How will their hopes of getting home end? I failed to be fully immersed in the locations. I have only spent one day in a Moroccan city and its surroundings but camped deep in the Saharan desert for several weeks. A lot was going on in the plot, but maybe too much for me? There certainly was a lot of action and suspense. The book's cover is very appealing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author, Bonnar Spring, and Ocean View Publishing for the ARC of this travel adventure. I would read more of her books. I believe many readers will enjoy this thrilling story set in an exotic location.

Really enjoyed this journey to Morocco When is it safe to know who to trust? An adventure taken by sisters Fay and Julie. Lots of twists and turns in this one. Plenty to keep me guessing until the very end.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.