3.5 🌟

I thought there was so much potential at the beginning of this book - I loved the heavy atmosphere and exploration of grief. But about 50% of the way through it felt like nothing much had happened, Bri was going in circles in her own head over and over, and the plot stalled. I wanted more from Bri's semi-haunted house, the effects of generational trauma and curses, and the killer, but I feel like I never got enough. It all got wrapped up neatly in the last 10% of the book, but it was only marginally satisfying. Still a good mood read if you want something fairytale-esque and spooky.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was a fascinating take on the ever-popular genre of dark fairy tales. The plot had me hooked from the get-go. The characters were well-crafted and the prose was absolutely stunning.

Briar Rose is devastated by her mother’s death. She can’t seem to focus on her work, nor can she sleep. The first few chapters are a slow fever dream of insomnia perpetuated by grief. But once we meet the serial killer and his intentions to capture and kill Briar so that he can add her to his collection of “beauties” the book really shifts to a faster gear.

I loved the intertwining of Chicago history with the fairytale of Sleeping Beauty. The prose was very dreamy-like and evocative, creating clear images in your mind, but also allowing you to feel Briar’s frequent dream sequences that interweave with the past and present. I really liked Isaac, a man she befriends on one of her walks that helps her use her dreams as a way to find out the truth about the past that can also help with the present, and help find out who the killer is. This isn’t your typical plot-driven thriller, but more a psychological supernatural character driven one. Pelayo masterfully weaves horror, fairytale, and true crime into this novel in ways that couldn’t be pulled off by a less skilled author.

The reader is quickly sucked into the mystery of trying to figure out who the killer is, why Briar has been seeing an older gentleman passing by her home for many years, and who exactly is Mary – the famous ghost known was the Vanishing Hitchhiker of Archer Avenue. There are moments when walking with Briar along the most haunted places in Chicago that the reader can’t help but feel more terror for the characters encountering live people on their trail than any ghosts – as Pelayo likes to remind us that very often it’s people who are the real monsters, and not the supernatural.

This is a must-read for those who love fairytale retellings with a modern, true-crime twist to it. If you have enjoyed Pelayo’s previous books, then you will love this one a lot, as she has truly mastered her literary brand of intertwining magical realism with the grittiness of true crime. Read this for a haunted, and unforgettable experience.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It started the night journalist Briar Thorne’s mother died in their rambling old mansion on Chicago’s South Side.

The nightmares of a woman in white pleading to come home, music switched on in locked rooms, and the panicked fear of being swallowed by the dark…Bri has almost convinced herself that these stirrings of dread are simply manifestations of grief and not the beyond-world of ghostly impossibilities her mother believed in. And more tangible terrors still lurk outside the decaying Victorian greystone.

A serial killer has claimed the lives of fifty-one women in the Chicago area. When Bri starts researching the murders, she meets a stranger who tells her there’s more to her sleepless nights than bad dreams—they hold the key to putting ghosts to rest and stopping a killer. But the killer has caught on and is closing in, and if Bri doesn’t answer the call of the dead soon, she’ll be walking among them.

Loved it. Will recommend to others.

This one was difficult. I enjoy Cynthia Pelayo's writing, especially in this book. Too many threads were in play during this novel.
A retelling of the Sleeping Beauty tale, almost scholarly at times. Also a primer on haunted spots in Chicago. Mostly a meditation on grief. These parts work separately when they're put at the forefront, but they never really coalesced into a single narrative for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

This was just not for me. There was just way too much going on; fairy tales, urban legends, serial killers, grief, something about the Manhattan Project it was just too much. It also genuinely feels like the MC is just sleep deprived to the point that she should have been hospitalized, and while I think this was supposed to show just how awful it is to lose someone it just becomes too extreme. And maybe that's all this was; some sort of fever dream the MC is having while dealing with the loss of her mother and conquering the serial killer is her conquering her depression brought on by grief but even if that was the case the attempt to tie a serial killer, to a fairy tale (several versions of the same one), to grief was never fully realized. It felt incomplete and disjointed. There are some shining comments on grief and loss, but not enough, and somehow, too many.

Overall, I genuinely can't recommend this, which rarely happens.

As always, thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the eArc.

a nightmarish sense of grief combining fairy tales, ghost stories, and just the feeling you get when you don't feel like you're actually in your body. 5 stars tysm for the arc.

A modern twist on a classic fairytale! As a lover of Sleeping Beauty, this really hit the mark for me. The prose was beautiful and atmospheric and the story really pulls you in and doesn't let go!

Vanishing Daughters by Cynthia Pelayo is a gripping and emotionally charged thriller that delves into the disturbing realities of missing persons cases, particularly focusing on the violent disappearance of young women. Pelayo crafts a compelling narrative through the eyes of the protagonist, a mother searching for her missing daughter, which is both heart-wrenching and powerful.

The author expertly blends elements of suspense and horror with poignant social commentary on the systemic failures that allow such disappearances to persist, particularly in marginalized communities. The pacing is relentless, drawing readers into the mystery and the emotional turmoil experienced by those left behind. Pelayo's prose is atmospheric and evocative, enhancing the sense of urgency and fear throughout.

While the plot is tight and engaging, the characters, especially the protagonist, are rich with depth and complexity, making their motivations and struggles feel real. The only slight drawback is that the resolution feels somewhat rushed compared to the slow-burn buildup, leaving a few threads untied.

Overall, Vanishing Daughters is a thought-provoking, chilling thriller that balances suspense with a deeply human story. Highly recommended for fans of dark, introspective mysteries with a social conscience. 4.75/5 stars.

Vanishing Daughters by Cynthia Pelayo is marketed as a psychological thriller with hints of fantasy, but for me, it leaned more into philosophical musings than heart-pounding suspense. While there are moments that deliver the promised thriller vibes, these are scattered and often overshadowed by a meandering plot that struggles to find its footing.

The novel’s ambitious attempt to weave in a fairy tale motif didn’t quite land for me. The connections felt tenuous, and I think the story would have been stronger without most of that element. The middle section, in particular, gets bogged down with these threads, making it difficult to stay engaged.

Pelayo’s prose is undeniably thought-provoking, but the heavy philosophical style detracts from the pacing and tension that are hallmarks of the thriller genre. Ultimately, the narrative feels like it could benefit from another round of editing to tighten the plot and clarify its focus.

If you enjoy genre-bending stories that challenge traditional narrative structures and don’t mind a slower, more reflective pace, Vanishing Daughters might appeal to you. For those looking for a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller, however, this one may fall short.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was very good! I definitely find myself gravitating towards Cynthia’s books because her writing is so captivating. Catch me working through her backlist after this one!

This book is so haunting. Pelayo’s writing is enchanting, but this book is still horror which is a rare skill that only Cina can master.

Vanishing Daughters by Cynthia Pelayo is a novel that can be packed into a single word that is a viable review. The writing is simply elegant. The research is impeccable, the insight into Sleeping Beauty the fairy tale is insightful and important. Just the simple fact that in the most important versions Sleeping Beauty is not awakened by true love's kiss, or saved by a Prince. The curse ended. She woke up.

How Pelayo winds all of this into the life of a grieving daughter, living in a clearly haunted house and trying to write about grief is the atristry. This novel is a slow burn. The first parts are beautiful and enticing, but once the action begins things progress at nearly breakneck speed, while losing none of the beauty of the prose.

This is a wonderful novel and I look forward to further stories by this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Vanishing Daughters” by Cynthia Pelayo is a haunting, genre-blending novel that combines dark magical realism, psychological horror, and a deep critique of true crime culture. Set in Chicago, the story follows Briar Rose Thorne, who, after the death of her mother, inherits a family home steeped in mystery and magic. As Briar navigates her grief, she becomes entwined in a chilling tale of urban legends, eerie visions, and an active serial killer terrorizing Chicago.

The book is as much an exploration of grief as it is a psychological thriller. Briar’s journey is rooted in her struggle to reconcile the memories of her mother and the supernatural history she’s inherited. Pelayo portrays Briar’s grief with raw intensity, weaving it through Briar’s sleepless nights and hazy, surreal visions of a ghostly woman desperately seeking a way home. The book does not shy away from the painful depths of loss, and the portrayal of mourning sometimes blurs the line between reality and dream.

Pelayo’s Chicago setting becomes a character in its own right, painted as a gritty yet captivating place with a rich history of urban legends and haunted spaces. The presence of Archer Avenue—a well-known Chicago road believed to hold paranormal energy—adds a layer of folklore that brings out the city’s mysterious, dark side. Pelayo’s evident love for Chicago permeates every page, rooting the story in the city’s unique culture and mythology.

Briar’s inherited house mirrors her emotional state, acting almost as a sentient being, echoing her grief and amplifying her fear. This enchanted, menacing home becomes the focal point where Briar confronts the family’s secrets and the spectral figures that haunt her. With echoes of fairytales, particularly Sleeping Beauty, Pelayo’s book reimagines the “sleeping beauty” as a trapped soul, turning the innocent tale into a darker cautionary story.

While “Vanishing Daughters” is a character-driven story, its slow-burn pace may be challenging for anyone expecting a conventional thriller. The tension unfolds gradually as Briar’s mental state unravels, leaving her in a dreamlike limbo between reality and hallucination. The climax was a bit subdued, but the story’s rich themes and evocative prose create a memorable experience that transcends a simple plot-driven thriller.

Overall, “Vanishing Daughters” is as enigmatic as it is unsettling. Fans of Pelayo’s previous work or lovers of psychological horror and magical realism will find a unique and thought-provoking experience here. Pelayo’s blending of supernatural elements with the raw realities of grief ensures that “Vanishing Daughters” lingers long after the final page is turned.

*4.5 stars*
Vanishing Daughters is entirely genre-defying. It is dark magical realism. It is an intense portrayal of grief. It is a love letter to Chicago. It is a rebuke of the way our society obsesses over and is entertained by true crime, in a way that can be validating of the murderers and dehumanizing of the victims. It is a dreamlike, rambling modern fairy tale. It is a mystery. It is all of these things at once, and I have never read a book quite like this before.

Briar Thorne is grieving the death of her mother in her magical inherited home as a serial killer stalks the streets of Chicago. She is haunted by dark dreams and visions: her mother, and the house, need her to do something. But she doesn’t know what. Processing her grief while trying to get to the bottom of her families peculiar legacy, she starts to realize that the killer in her city might be closer than she realizes.

Vanishing Daughters weaves together a modern day psychological thriller with our oldest fairytales and legends, and the result is utterly unique. I really enjoyed this book, but I think it is one that won’t work for every reader. The writing style is dreamlike and rambling; in some chapters, it’s almost a flow of consciousness from our main character Briar. And as I mentioned in the first part of the review, this book covers a lot of themes and topics; and while they’re all handled incredibly well, it can come across as slightly overwhelming at times. But if you are a reader who loves dark modern magical realism, and you don’t mind an atmospheric rather than fast-paced story, I think you will really enjoy Vanishing Daughters. The closest book comp I can think of is not perfect, as they are very different books; but if you enjoyed The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, I think you should give this one a try.

I would say there is a big TW for this book in its intense portrayal of grief over losing a loved one. It is handled extremely well and carries the story, but it is a deep-dive into a very intimate and raw exploration of human grief; and if you as a reader have recently lost a loved one, I would recommend proceeding with caution. It has been several years since I have lost a family member, but this book did move me to tears a few times. This is not a negative; the book is incredibly powerful and moving, and Briar’s journey through grief is inspiring. But just be aware going into the book that it doesn’t pull punches in this area.

Overall, I really enjoyed this darkly beautiful book. I know the story will stay with me a long time, and has actually changed the way I think about some things. It’s rare to find an entirely unique story, and this book is one. I would recommend Vanishing Daughters to readers who enjoy magical realism, stories influenced by fairy tales and myths, and unique reading experiences.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the arc in exchange for a review!

Vanishing Daughters is about a young woman named Briar who has just moved into her childhood home shortly after the death of her beloved mother. The house is a gorgeous but decaying mansion in Chicago that seems to take on a life of its own. A lot of this story feels like a fever dream, you aren't sure what is real or what is just in Briar's grief-stricken and sleep-deprived mind.

Not only is Briar trying to cope and grieve in a possibly haunted house, but there is a serial killer on the loose who is obsessed with taking young women and putting them "permanently to sleep" adding to his collection of sleeping beauties and he has his eye on Briar…

The first 1/3 of this book was so entrancing, and I loved the setup. Towards the middle it got a bit repetitive and maybe even a little off track. There was added general background of serial killers and their motivations which didn't feel necessary to this story. Then the book leaned a little too much into the supernatural vs. reality and ultimately I ended up just liking this one, not loving.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc of this upcoming read!

Well, its official folks, Pelayo is one of my favorite writers. Her prose is delectable and rich without feeling heavy or muddled and she spins a tale with the fierce caliber of so many seasoned writers before her. Bravo

The book was good, but I don't think this is my cup of tea. But I enjoyed reading it until the last page.

I was really excited to read this book as it was something different from my normal reads. I really enjoyed the start but as I reached around 60% through, the storyline seemed to get a little more boring and I don't think I particularly enjoyed the paranormal aspects in the end. Towards the end of the book I had lost a lot of interest which had built up in the first half of the book, which is a real shame.

Not for me. I requested this to read in October, as I always like to stock up on "spooky stories" to get me in the Halloween mood. This wasn't quite what I expected, and not my favorite.