Julia White is getting over her mother’s death and writes a book about her mother. Not long after publisher her book a famous photographer gives her a photograph of a woman jumping off a railway bridge holding a baby.

The photographer asks Julia to find out why the woman jumped and write about her life in a book.

I loved the way Julia travels to the town where the woman lived to find her story. Set mostly in the 1960’s and the present time mostly in the town of Gray Station in Kentucky.

This was about families, friendships and mental health. Lots of twists and turns.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher Mira for a chance to read this E-Book. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Act of Disappearing is written with multiple narrators in alternate chapters and timelines. In the present, Julia is an author who is currently working in a bar when she is approached to write the story based on a photograph showing a young woman and a baby falling from a bridge. The other alternate chapters are all set in the early 60s and feature the family of the woman in the photo. To say anymore would be spoiling, but Gower deftly and slowly revealed the plot in such a way that I was thoroughly engrossed.

There could be several trigger warnings - the topics and conflicts Gower includes are quite distressing at times. The major theme running throughout is mental health and the hopelessness and lack of understanding society had surrounding it in the 60s, and too, unfortunately, to an extent still today.

Somehow, despite all its heavy themes, Gower makes the book an uplifting read. There are moments of humour and many quotable passages that I would call beautiful as well as thought provoking.

My only beef with the book would be the cover. I think it markets the book as maybe a romance and not the dramatic mystery it is.

Recommended. 4 ½ out of 5

This book grabbed me right from the start and never let go. It’s full of secrets and twists that kept me hooked until the end. Julia, a struggling writer and bartender, is approached by famous photographer Johnathon Astor. He shows her a never-before-seen photo of a woman jumping off a bridge with a baby and offers her money to find out the story behind it. Julia agrees and travels to Gray Station, Kentucky to investigate. The book alternates between the present and 1963, introducing various characters along the way. It’s a fantastic read with lots of mystery and surprises. Julia uncovers much more than she expected about the woman in the photo and herself. I

This book … wow! It is magical … it is emotional. It leaves you asking questions and guessing at answers, and wondering so much! The story shifts between two main time zones and several stories. The main characters are Julia, who is in the present and looking into the other main story, which is of Kathryn/Kate in the early 1960’s. With the challenge given to investigate the story behind an old photo taken by a famous photographer, Julia heads from New York to Kentucky with very little to go on and discovers so much more than she ever expected including about herself. There are also many other characters who play large roles within the story which adds to the complexity. With strongly sensitive topics addressed including mental illness, suicide, miscarriages, sexual assault and more there is a lot to unpack and i’m still thinking parts of this story through. How these issues were dealt with back in the sixties and the contrast to present times is also fascinating showing where we have changed and all the progress that is still needed. I think this book is one that will stick in my mind to be mulled over further, which is always a good sign. Although I had guessed early some of what was coming, I especially enjoyed the ending. Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for the advanced copy in exchange for my review. Due to be released 31 July 2024!