Enjoyable. I have to admit that I guessed the identity of the 'masked man' almost immediately but the actual ringleader was a surprise and so was the motivation behind the kidnapping. The final twist was also deliciously satisfying and, again, I didn't see it coming.
I thought the kid- Luca would have more of a part since he also knew who the masked man was but it seemed that thread was dropped.
The parents were mostly terrible people having affairs left and right and seemingly uncaring of who they hurt. I wasn't rooting for any of them but the story was gripping because you wanted to know who and how.

Thank you for the advanced readers copy for an honest opinion / review

The book starts with a group of kids going on a school trip which started late. When they were due to arrive back, they were no where to be seen

Where had the kids been taken? And by whom?

This book had such great promise, then just fell apart at the end. Everything leads up to the end of who, what , where. Then nothing really happens, like that's it, that's the big reveal. ugh
Thanks NetGalley for advance copy

This is a really fun novel. Obviously its a gritty subject including child abduction but there is a somewhat light hearted quality about it which makes it a really good read. Its not a realistic premise which probably also helps. The children are the real stars as none of the adults are particularly nice, and there are a lot of characters!

The Vanishing of Class 3B started out very strong. An interesting premise of a whole class of students on a field trip suddenly disappearing, along with their four teachers. Soon, the parents, many of them rich and famous, all get a ransom message saying that all this is because one of them has a huge secret, and to pay up. As the reader we start to get views into the wide cast of characters and their increasing paranoia about their personal secret being the cause of all this. But none of the secrets seem heavy enough to warrant a whole class of kids and their teachers disappearing.

It's not until the end that we finally learn what the secret was and who's behind all this. But, as one of the characters said themselves "That's it?". That's very much how I felt. A strong start, interesting premise, but lacklustre conclusion and reveal in my opinion. On the upside, this was a very easily digestible, fast-paced story. I flew through it, even though I wasn't too interested in the story itself. I felt it started to trickle reveal things all throughout the story that I think were meant to have some sort of shock value, but because things were slowly revealed all throughout it did the opposite for me. I wasn't surprised by any of the reveals or twists. It made it less fun to find out what actually happened because it almost felt like I was spoiled before it was time. Also, the cops were kind of dumb? It didn't feel super believable. However, if you want a fast-paced book that's easy to get into, isn't in any way scary, but offers a mystery to be solved, this may be right up your alley! It just didn't work for me

Overall, strong start, interesting premise, unsatisfying execution. 2.5, rounded up.

I really enjoyed this book. Engaging throughout as the parents had to reveal their deepest secrets. Maybe a little far fetched at times but the best stories are!

I liked this story, told from several perspectives. It took me awhile to sort out the different relationships. This isn't really a thriller or a whodunit -- more of a drama with crimes thrown in. No huge surprises, but a solid, well-written book which kept my interest, which is a big accomplishment.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A bus full of young children disappears after a fun day out. As each minute passes, families become more alarmed. Then an anonymous message comes in alluding that this happened because of a secret someone has. What possible secret? Who could have a secret so bad that it causes the events to happen? This book gripped from the beginning and held my attention. Reading this book will not disappoint you.

Got engrossed in this story straight away
Liked the plot, felt it was different
I thought finding out why this happened was viable
I didn't expect the ending, which I thought was clever
Will be reading more by this author

Thank you netgalley, Jackie Kabler and One more chapter

This book started out really strong, but fell flat completely in the end. Even the author seemed let down by the “big reveal” when they have a character say something along the lines of “that’s it? That’s the whole reason this happened?” And I couldn't agree more. After all the build up and suspense and red herrings, the author went down a path I thought was completely lame and that required pretty much none of the plot and details leading up to the conclusion. It almost feels like I read two different books, and I’d really like to read the ending to the story I starter, not the one I finished. Disappointing overall when it started with such promise.

I really liked the the sound of The Vanishing of Class 3b and it really didn't disappoint. I mean, it wasn't just the idea of children disappearing, even if I'm not the greatest fan of rug rats of any age, but just that whole idea that you entrust your nearest and dearest to teachers every single day on the understanding nothing can, or will, go wrong, School trips are a staple of the educational experience and, with the odd exception due to bad traffic during the trip, nearly always end with a group of overly tired and yet overwhelmingly hyperactive little ones bouncing off the bus at the end of the day. So how, as a parent, would you react if your over tired, hyperactive, little darling just didn't come home? And what if you thought that it was all your fault?

It really was a gripping read. The families in question are a mixed bunch, but it's fair to say that Littleford has mire than its fair share of the well to do - celebrity chef, TV personality, former footballer - any of whom could be a target for a ransom demand. But then the bus also has children whose parents just about make do. Who don't have salaries in the hundreds of thousands. A ransom demand for the return of their children would be fruitless. So is the answer really that simple? Well, Jackie Kabler has played a very careful game. It takes time to really understand what this is all about, cryptic communications and furtive behaviour hiding the truth in plain sight. It really makes you think and with more than the occasional bout out strange behaviour and furtive looks amongst the families, you get the feeling that anything can happen.

I actually liked the way in which the author used the perspective of the children to inform the story. Point of view moves between the key characters, including the police, as we start to piece together the back story of all of the key players, but that extra angle adds a layer of mystery to the whole affair, muddying the waters somewhat. Young Luca, sone of TV personality Reynold Lyon, really is an astute young man and I loved the scenes from his point of view. It captured exactly the kind of thoughts I'd expect from someone of that age, the distracted nature of their attention, but also the curiosity and the way in which children often see and understand far more than you might credit them for.

There is a sense of anguish and fear that threads through the book, more so for the characters than readers as we see and learn far more of what is happening than the victims. The frustrations of the police as the parents fail to be completely honest and work against their best advice feel authentic, and the fact that several parents are identified as suspects in the whole affair is no surprise, even if some behaviour is more unexpected than others. There is such duplicity amongst the adults that I have to be honest, whilst I initially liked most, my feelings did change quite rapidly throughout the course of the book. As I said before - a very careful execution of the story by the author - canny and effective.

It really is an intriguing story, one where I wanted to understand what was really behind everything that happened. The ending ... was it justice? Maybe, maybe not, but it certainly felt like just desserts. Fans of the author will love it.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review

The Vanishing of Class 3B is a story full of twists and turns. An innocent class outing turns into a nightmare for the parents, the school and the police. Time is running out , where are the children and their teachers. What has led to their disappearance without a trace. Are the parents to blame with their secrets and lies. Which secret will destroy a family and reputation.

This is an ingenious thriller told from the children, the parents , the teachers and the police perspectives. The story has surprising twists and turns all to keep the reader guessing to the end of the book.
5 stars

The Vanishing of Class 3B
Jackie Kabler

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Thanks a million to Netgalley and the author Jackie Kabler for an ARC of Jackies latest book in exchange for an honest review.

I've have read a few of Jackie's previous novels and loved them so when I saw she had a new release due out later this year, I was so eager to request it and was chuffed to be approved and got stuck in straight away.

While I did enjoy this one, its defo not my favourite of hers and I didnt rate it quite as much as her other books. That being said, it was a quick easy read and one I raced through and had finished in a couple ot sittings. A little predictable at times and I wasnt rooting for any character as all just fell a little flat for me but the plot was good and will keep ya sleuthing away to find out who the kidnappers were and why they did what they did. The storyline of a missing child is quite common in thriller reads now a days but this one was slightly different with the vanishing of a whole class.

Overall it was well written, with short fast paced chapters. Perfect for fans of the thriller genre that just want a quick easy read to get their teeth into.

I'm looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a story told from various points of view, it could be easy to get confused but this wasn’t the case and added to the tension. It was clever that we got to see things from all sides, especially as it was only after the initial part of the story. Very clever, as I was filled with tension and was desperate to know what was happening.
With a group of parents, each with their own hidden secret, had to work together whilst
their lives are being torn to pieces. Dark secrets rip apart many relationships but are their confessions going to be worth it?
I was hooked from the start, I didn’t really see the twists coming, I had my suspicions about some characters - who you never warn to as a reader - but everything played out in a very clever way.

This was my favorite book by Jackie by far! An entire class disappears while on a field trip. The parents anxiously wait to find out what happened to their kids, when they get a ransom demand saying secrets will be exposed if the money is not paid. Who has a secret? Who doesn't have a secret. It was obvious from the first couple of pages that some people were having affairs; but is that the secret? i figured out very quickly who the "visitor" was, but had no idea the culprits and the connections to everyone. This was a great book! Especially if you like kidnapping thrillers.

So of course I was reeled in by the premise of an entire class going missing on the day of a field trip. You know from the start that something will happen when the vehicle they were originally going to travel in has a malfunction and they have to locate a backup. Too much of a coincidence right there. And then by the evening, they have disappeared and everyone starts panicking and the story takes off. The narrative is from multiple perspectives throughout the story as we read about the parents of the missing kids, the police involved in the investigation, and the missing kids and teachers.

The story mostly focuses on the parents because they have their own drama occurring while dealing with the disappearances. There's plenty of obvious foreshadowing by the comments the parents make and their internal monologues. I'm not sure if the author was trying to create suspense as far as what is going on with the parents, but it's exactly what you think it is, once revealed. And then you think, ok, well there are more important things to deal with like all of their children missing, but it does turn out to be vaguely relevant to the disappearances. I don't want to give away too much but the more you find out about what happened and why, the more the pace picks up and the more intriguing it gets.

It was a definite page-turner for me, I had to see how it was all going to tie together. It was even better than I expected, there was just one big reveal after another and the way justice was delivered was surprising, yet satisfying. It was a fun, breezy read and I can't wait to see what this author has in store for next time!

So I have read lots of Jackie Kabler novels and loved them so when this came up on NetGalley I did not hesitate in requesting the novel and I was so excited to see that I was accepted and started the novel as soon as I could.

Having loved Kabler's previous novels before, I was quite disappointed to not enjoy this as much as the other books. The novel opens with parents in the playground waiting to wave Class 3B on their school trip and we are introduced to a few different characters. Class 3B are off on the trip but the schools new van isn't working so they have to get one in which is definitely more run down. The parents wait for the return of their children but 3B have vanished.

The characters were flawed and unlikeable and I just could not immerse myself into this novel like I have with other reads by Jackie Kabler.

For me personally, there was nothing much to hold my attention and I found myself skipping parts of the text.

Thanks to Jackie Kabler, Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Missing child thrillers are ten a penny these days, but an entire missing class? That had to be worth a read.

Among the parents living in the affluent Cotswolds catchment area of Littleford Primary School are a TV chat show host (with the unlikely name of Reynold Lyon), a celebrity chef, an ex-footballer... there's plenty of money around, but not everyone is rich and famous.

Class 3B head off on a day trip with their teachers, but their bus never arrives back at the school. How can ten children, four adults and the bus they're travelling in really just vanish into thin air? The world is soon watching this extraordinary story as the local police struggle to find any leads. Meanwhile, the bereft parents are at a loss about what to do, at least until the text messages start to arrive. Someone has a secret, and it's coming back to haunt them...

Unlikely though it is, the story of the missing children clearly made some impression on me, because I actually had a dream about it one night when halfway through the book.

This was my first read by Jackie Kabler and I enjoyed it - the premise was implausible but intriguing, though I never felt a vast amount of suspense. There are various secrets, but none of them are that earth shattering when revealed, and I wasn't enchanted by the ending, but this was a good read overall. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jackie Kabler & HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an arc of The Vanishing of Class 3B in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

As a parent, this would be one of my worst nightmares. A bus full of children and teachers leave on a field trip, but as the parents gather to collect their children after the trip, the bus never shows up. The children & teachers have vanished.

Expected Release is May 11, 2023

This story was just “ok” for me. The synopsis sounded interesting enough for me to want to read it, but the actual story fell a little short for me. I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t really like it either.

I wasn’t a fan of many of the characters, the writing, the pacing – it was all just a bit off for me. I definitely think it could have been better than it was.

I’m not recommending it, but not telling you not to read it either. Everyone is different and I can definitely see some people liking this one.

For me, I’m being generous with 3/5 Stars.

I loved this book and raced through it! Ostensibly it's about an ordinary field trip with several children and three teachers, but they disappear and even the bus is missing! When the ransom note demands $5o,0000 all the parents meet to discuss. But of course there are secrets, lies, and complicated lives behind each of these families and even they aren't sure who is targeted or why. It's a great cat-and-mouse game that moves along at breakneck speed until the end!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!