Seraphina takes you on a journey to a small town where multiple go missing or end up dead with a similar method of horror and torture. The way you move through the main characters and how they end up intertwined is riveting. I could not put this one down and did not see the twist and turn ending. Another outstanding novel written eloquently. You must read this one!

Thank you HTP and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest.

Writing: 4/5 | Plot: 3/5 | Ending: ugh

SYNOPSIS

A mother who won't give up searching for her daughter. A man forced to return home after his father goes missing. A woman of indeterminate age hiding from the world. And a series of events that bring them all together.

MY OPINION

This is my first from Seraphina (love that name) and I was quite impressed... for most of it.

I love a multi-pov but I really don't understand why authors use different narratives. In this case, there's two povs in third person, and one in first person. I guess it's a way to point out which pov is the main hoe, but that doens't even apply here because the synopsis is all about Grace, yet Kira's pov is first person??? So??? Anyways, I will say that the first person pov didn't grind my gears, which is a rarity. I usually prefer a third person because I don't really wanna be in their head like that.

Tbh I found the characters were well-done for the most part. I liked Kira's dark humor and I found Aden's dysfunctional family funny (it reminded me of that New Girl episode where Jake goes home for his dad's funeral). Miss innkeeper (Grace) was the weakest of the bunch; she's supposedly super paranoid and doesn't trust anyone, but the she's hella thirsty for Aden immediately after they met and let's Vince invade her private space again and again. The stuff with Aden was sooo eye-roll inducing. We don't need insta-love in a thriller. We don't need sexual tension at all tbh. I'm just gonna pretend like they're Barbie dolls with no parts because we have a sadistic serial killer afoot, now is not the time to give into your neanderthal urges!

So where this really falls apart is the last 25%. This is a citizens gone rogue vibe and it toes the line of ridiculous throughout, but then they just go what line?? at the end and it all goes to shit. I was also confused with one of the timelines and if my thinking is right, then we've also got my least type of unreliable narrator: the liar for funsies. The ending is waaaayyyy OTT – they're pretty much gunning for the moon at that point. So disappointing because it went from a solid 4 (which is hard to come by for a citizens gone rogue thriller) to a very generous 3. More like a 2.5 if I'm feeling like a hard ass.

However, I can see a lot of people liking the ending since ya'll seem to vibe with sh!t like this all the time (no shade). Soooo... enjoy bookstahoes! (fyi - this would make a great Netflix movie/series).

PROS AND CONS

Pros: well-written, 2/3 characters were well-done, good humor in Grace's pov

Cons: predictable (you could see the twist coming even with a blindfold on), ending crumbled like feta cheese, unreliable narrator for funsies, random insta-love between two characters that nobody asked for, Grace's character acted hella illogical

The blurb made me intrigued. But reading this didn't do it for me. Missing people back ab and forth stories that didn't draw me in at all. Boring..the end was good but by then I was uninterested.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

This story follows a few different characters who all have something in common- missing family members from Rock Harbor.

They call it the Vanishing Hour. Over the years, several young girls have gone missing. Most have ended up dead. When Kira’s daughter goes missing, she fits the bill. Kira will leave no stone unturned in trying to find her daughter.

Aden’s father, an elderly man, goes missing around the same time, along with another elderly man in the area- but they don’t seem to fit the bill of all the other missing people. Are all of these cases related?

This was a really quick read that had you turning pages. It was very well written and I truly felt Kira’s anguish. The end was interesting. Overall, worth a read!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5⭐

In Rock Harbor, Maine, “The Strip” on Hemlock Lane is a shady part of town that people tend to avoid after 10.00 p.m. (dubbed "the vanishing hour” by the locals) that earned its reputation partly on account of separate instances of the disappearance of several people who were last seen that vicinity. The recent disappearance is that of nineteen-year-old, Brooke Everett whose mother Kira is frantically searching for her missing daughter. Another recent disappearance is that of long-time resident, Martin Coleman, whose friend, an affluent businessman who was also reported missing, was recently discovered to have been murdered. The narrative is presented to us from three perspectives – Grace Holloway (third person limited PoV), a kidnapping survivor who is haunted by the traumatic events that occurred eight years ago and leads an otherwise reclusive life save for managing the local inn where Aden rents a room for the duration of his stay, Brooke’s mother Kira Everett (first person PoV) and Aden Coleman(third person limited PoV), who is called back home by his mother when his father disappears.

The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass is a dark, atmospheric and gritty thriller. Having read and loved the author’s "On a Quiet Street", I was eager to read the author’s latest offering. I found the narrative disjointed for the larger part of the story. Perhaps using multiple perspectives wasn’t the best way to tell this story. Though it takes a while to weave the three narratives into a coherent narrative, I did not lose interest at any point and eagerly followed the narrative as the plot progressed. Plenty of red herrings and plot twists kept me engaged. However, I didn’t quite like the ending. As far as the identity of the culprit is concerned, I had my suspicions but I was surprised (which is a good thing) at how we got there. Having said that, I found the ending rushed and more than a tad unconvincing after the suspenseful build-up preceding it. Overall, while I did not dislike this thriller , I didn't enjoy it as much as "On a Quiet Street" .But I do look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. This book is due to be published on May 30, 2023.

The Vanishing Hour vanished in three days for me because I couldn't stop reading it. It weaves the story of three people who are connected by the mysterious disappearances happening in Rock Harbor, Maine. Grace, who runs the local inn and keeps to herself, was once a kidnapping victim who managed to escape. Kira, whose daughter Brooke went missing months ago, keeps trying to find reasons to hope for her safe return. Aden comes home to Rock Harbor when his mother tells him his father Martin has disappeared. The police think Brooke and Martin's cases are connected but have no solid leads. When Grace, Aden and Kira finally come together to share information the book twists in an unexpected direction I didn't see coming. The reader feels the anxiety and desperation of the characters in this book and it adds to the suspense. Another good book by Seraphina Nova Glass. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The story takes place in Rock Harbor, Maine and is told by three different narrators, switching back and forth throughout the novel. Grace Holloway is a kidnapping survivor who now lives a reclusive life running a small inn in town. Kira Everett is the mother of Brooke Everett who while staying for the summer in Rock Harbor, has disappeared. Kira is frantically searching for Brooke in a race against the clock to save her daughter. Aden Coleman is alerted by his mother that his father Martin has gone missing and she asks for him to come to Rock Harbor to help in the search. These three storylines slowly converge and the three main characters end up trying to help one another with their separate struggles and searches. Grace thinks she knows what is behind all of the disappearances but is hesitant to come forward, fearing for her own safety. Kira thinks she knows her daughter well..but Brooke may have had some secrets well hidden. And Aden begins to question who the man he called his father really was… Time is running out and as the story escalates the reader is unsure if all is as it seems…who is hiding secrets and who will come forward with the truth? This was a fast paced read with some great plot twists. I gave this novel 3.5 stars.

Seraphina Nova Glass does it again!!! A thrilling book that keeps you turning the pages until the shocking ending. Full of twists and turns and shocks. Brilliant!

I’m definitely a fan of the authors style of suspense, there’s something quiet and haunting about her style and this was no exception. You get three viewpoints here and I was equally intrigued by all of them. Grace is a survivor of kidnapping and she managed to escape a tragic and horrific death, Aden returns to his hometown when his father goes missing and Kira is desperately searching for her missing daughter. The way these three storylines merged and came together was clever and satisfying, I didn’t have things totally figured out and that’s always the sign of a strong thriller for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House Books, for the opportunity to read an arc of 'The Vanishing Hour'. (Pub Date: May 30, 2023)

I started the book yesterday, and I finished it today. It got me. Thanks goodness for spring break!

Listen, I was enjoying the book. But, from chapter 19 on, I was IN. VES. TED. (I've never read Seraphina Nova Glass before, so I don't know if her last name is Nova Glass, or just Glass. So, I'm going to refer to her as Nova Glass.)

Nova Glass had me going back and forth on who I thought the culprit was. I was second-guessing myself. Triple guessing myself. Anytime I was certain it was someone, I was led to believe that it was someone completely different. So, I really enjoyed that. Because often, I can figure out who done it very early on in a book. Which, doesn't really bother me too much, but I love a good surprise!

As stated earlier, chapters 19 and on were really good. There was a point where I was even cooking some pasta and reading this book. Couldn't stop. Wouldn't stop. Additionally, I thought for a moment that I might be having a heart attack because I was held in such suspense.

It was a good story, it held my attention, and I think that my mom will love this book. So, she can expect to see it as a birthday or Christmas gift later this year. Highly recommend!

I like the ending, because things were nicely wrapped up, there was a twinge of melancholy, but also a good amount of hope for the future.

Thank you for an advance copy of this thriller. Grace is a loner living in an old hotel in a town where young girls are going missing. Grace knows something about it...and the secrets and past start to be revealed. This was a decent thriller, I just wanted a little more of a faster pace and the characters were a bit dull at times. But overall I was intrigued to keep reading and see what happens!

I thought this book would be something totally up my alley, but the way it was written didn't grab me. The characters were pretty dull, which in turn made the plot rather boring as well. Not for me.

What would you do if the town you lived in appeared to have a problem with people vanishing during the same hour of night, later to be discovered brutally murdered? What if one of the recently vanished (but not yet found) was your own daughter? Throughout this story, we follow three narrators with very different situations: the mom who is anxiously searching for her missing teenage daughter with few clues to follow, the son searching for his dad who seemed to disappear out of thin air, and a young girl just trying to stay alive.

The premise was there- I was hooked immediately on "back cover" description. However, while I am the biggest fan of multiple POVs storytelling, it just didn't work in this book. The narration would randomly switch and the stories felt rather disjointed as they jumped back and forth- there just seemed to be no ebb and flow between the various storytelling. Additionally, there was a lack of character development that kept me from feeling any connection to the different characters.

This is the second of this author's books that I haven't been particularly crazy about, but I think there is just something in her style that doesn't jive with me. Will be ordering a copy for circulation.

The Vanishing Hour was a total thrill ride! Told from multiple POVs - we have Grace, who survived a brutal kidnapping and now is living an isolated life, avoiding people as much as possible. Aden, who comes to town to look for his missing father, and Kira, who is frantically searching for her missing teenage daughter in a town that likes to keep it's secrets.

I loved the story told from the separate POVs! Several times I thought I had figured out what was going on and how Grace, Aden and Kira were connected, but I was completely wrong - which is the sign of a great mystery!

The Vanishing Hour had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I read another book from the same author "On a Quiet Street" that was also great, which made me choose this one this time, and I am so happy I did!
It's a great story that will keep you guessing the whole time, and you might still get it all wrong at the end.
Surprising ending with shocking twists. Perfect combination on a book.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced digital copy. This book will be available on May 30, 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. WOW! This book had me reading all day long; I couldn't put it down. I really loved how the author intertwined all of the characters and their stories into one big mystery. I would have given this book 5 stars, and I don't want to give the ending away, but one aspect of the it didn't sit well with me. Still a must read!

The Vanishing Hour - Seraphina Nova Glass

The first book I've read by Seraphina Nova Glass, I've seen a lot of praise for her other books so was eager to try.

Young women have been going missing. Keira's daughter is the latest.

Grace was one who got away, she's living as a recluse in an out of season hotel.

The body of an older man is found, Ade's father is missing.

Told through chapters from the perspectives of these three characters, it's a bit different and a nice balance, two characters desperately searching for missing relatives and another hiding from life.

With the three stories it didn't really pick up the pace until later on. There are some big twists and things get a bit darker. It didn't really drag me along for the ride. I felt like I watch watching the rollercoaster rather than sitting in the front seat screaming.

Not bad, I would've like more pace sooner.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing

It's a race against time for the mother of a missing young woman. What can she learn from prior crimes against other young women taken from the same part of town during "the vanishing hour"? And, is the current search for a missing older man related to her daughter in some way? In Seraphina Nova Glass' newest thriller, interconnected characters frantically seek answers, but also keep secrets. This book will keep you guessing until the heart-stopping conclusion. Don't expect to put it down once you start!!

Hands down yet again a 5 star in my eyes! I love a dark and twisty on my toes and that's exactly what this is! Trust me when I say get your hands on this.