This book was as beautifully written as the thriller storyline was gruesome. Ravishing descriptions of the scenery and an in detail description of how grief breaks us This book leaves you wondering and wanting to put all the puzzle pieces of the story together. And if you think you haven’t figured out by the end, you will be surprised.

This book has a really good foundation. Briar inherits her mother's home after her passing, and while dealing with her grief, she also has to deal with weird, cryptic dreams. At the same time, there’s also a disturbing serial killer terrorizing Chicago.

As unsettling as this book was, I didn’t feel any build-up of suspense like a thriller should. If there was time spent building the reader's suspense throughout the book, it would’ve been 5-stars. I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, unfortunately.

This was a strong suspenseful novel and enjoyed the idea of fairy tales for a real life concept. The characters were everything that I wanted and enjoyed about a serial killer story. It worked well in this genre and was glad I got to read this. Cynthia Pelayo wrote a suspenseful and well developed story and can’t wait to read more.

This was a really interesting and gripping novel about Briar, a young woman who inherits her family's home after her mother's passing. As she navigates her grief, she begins experiencing eerie dreams and unsettling encounters within the house. Meanwhile, a serial killer is terrorizing Chicago, and Briar starts to suspect a connection between the murders and her own strange occurrences. The book had a compelling storyline and was an easy, engaging read. What a fascinating plot! I really enjoyed this read! A very spooky book that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

4 stars
when briar's mother passes away she inherits the family house. while struggling with her grief she starts having weird dreams and weird encounters in her house- simultaneously there is a serial killer roaming the streets of chicago. the dreams and the killings are somehow connected and briar has to get to the bottom of it. overall it was a pretty good book with a decent storyline and was easy to read- i just kind of feel with the ending it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. i enjoyed the premise of the book just some things felt a little far fetched for me.

I got this Arc not really being a mystery/thriller reader. So I went in not knowing what to really expect. It was a rollercoaster of a ride. A ride I would ride again.

Keys and Gates and Locks and Thorns.

Vanishing Daughters is a brilliant story of grief, true crime, fairy tales, and history all weaved together in a haunting plot. For one woman’s common survival in modern day Chicago turns even more sinister when a ruthless serial killer has his eyes set on her. As our main character tries to come to terms with immense grief and a house that is desperately trying to give her answers to questions left unsaid.
Pelayo has us in her clutches and all we can do is watch and hope a nightmare cycle of lost souls will come to an end.

I had such high hopes for this book and honestly it just wasn't my cup of tea. The style was far too contemplative for my taste and nothing much happens for the first half of the book.

The story follows the main character, Briar Rose, as she lives and wanders about the house she inherited after her mothers passing. There is a lot of musing on grief and the manifestations of it (house seemingly haunted). There's also a serial killer in the neighborhood and some chapters are from that perspective but written in the same philosophical style as Bri's chapters.

The writing in this story was absolutely beautiful, it just really wasn't my cup of tea. If you're wanting to sit down and revel in the musings of the main character as she deals with the manifestations of grief, this is a fantastic book. It's haunting and lyrical and there is definitely a vibe there, just not one I was really enjoying. I got to 43% done and just found myself groaning as I read and wanting to skim as nothing much had happened and there were still many similar ruminations from the main character. This was one of those books that gave me a disjointed feel and I don't love that.

Giving this 3 stars as I do feel like it was *ok*, it just really wasn't my cup of tea. :)

Blending fairy tales and a serial killer might seem like an odd mix, but in the very capable hands of Cynthia Pelayo, Vanishing Daughters is a heartfelt story about grief and fear, urban legends and the woman at the center of it all.

Our main character, Bri, is adjusting to life after the death of her mother, who often spoke of the fantastical as if it were real. As one day blends into the next, Bri deals with a house that is more sentient than not, friends she keeps trying to push away, and the killer who targets young women and seeks to deny them not just life, but eternal rest.

We get the killer's POV, we learn of the motivation and the methods they've used and what they plan to do next, and as more clues and details are revealed, the pace of the book begins its gallop towards the inevitable ending, where all the various threads come together.

The characters, even the minor ones, are well rounded; the story is a compelling one, and , even weaving in some local Chicago lore. I will read anything Cynthia Pelayo writes.

Vanishing Daughters is a psychological thriller about a woman who has recently lost her mother. She inherits a house that has been in her family for generations, located in a specific place where the boundary between the world of the living and the dead is thin. On top of that, there’s a serial killer in the neighborhood.

First of all, the title is very captivating, and the cover is impeccable. In terms of genre, I would emphasize the word "psychological" and place "thriller" in the background. Bri, the main character, is dealing with grief. She repeatedly thinks about her mother, recalls her childhood, and overanalyzes the meaning of death. This was interesting at first, as we learned a lot about her as a person, but with the constant repetition, it becomes boring toward the end. Like really boring. Like please-stop-repeating-yourself-or-I-throw-my-tablet-away-and-then-I-will-not-know-the-ending boring.

As Bri grieves, she also has trouble sleeping. Her sleep is disturbed by nightmares. These were confusing to me at times, as she loses touch with reality during these moments, but I guess this was done on purpose. So, good job on that.

Through her inner monologue, we also learn about some of Chicago’s urban legends and haunted places. I had to google these places because I was fascinated by their history, and seeing the photos only added to the dark, misty, cold atmosphere. Bonus points go to the interweaving of different versions of Sleeping Beauty into the story.

I felt strong, resentful feelings toward the killer. His/her (no spoilers) thoughts were absolutely disturbing, and I became allergic to his/her catchphrase “my beauties.” Again, good job there.

On the negative side, I didn’t feel any growing suspense. The story was more character-driven than plot-driven; the climax came too late and was too short, so I didn’t care much about the ending.

To summarize, I did enjoy the book. It was a quick, easy read, good for passing dark winter afternoons. However, I prefer thrillers with more plot and action.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Gosh this was such an interesting book to read! I love the perspective the book was told in. I really enjoyed thos book it's not like anything I've read before

Thanks to NetGallery for the arc

This is one of those books with a dark and haunting atmosphere that is perfect for the spooky season. The unique blend of grief, fairy tales, and a serial killer made the story very interesting. I will definitely be reading more from this author as I really liked her writing style.

A book about a woman who has recently lost her mother and through the process she explores boundaries of the dead vs being alive, the good vs the bad, almost losing touch with reality.
I was expecting more of a thriller but it’s heavier on the psychological side. Bri the FMC is learning how to cope with the loss of a loved one and having to confront reality with a person no longer present, does become repetitive at some point and towards the end, I just wanted the book to finish.
I found interesting when I was reading about the killer and his internal thoughts. He is very disturbed individual who has killed 51 women and is obsessed with putting them to sleep like Sleeping Beauty.
On the negative side the story felt more like a paranormal historical fiction than a thriller. Too much emphasis on the FMC grieving and dealing with the loss of a loved one, that didn’t feel there was much of a suspense that kept me at the edge.

This psychological suspense novel is a breathtaking blend of haunting atmosphere and intense fear. The narrative is a masterful exploration of dread and suspense, with each page dripping with chilling intensity. This book will grip you with its darkly mesmerising prose and keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I would highly be recommending it.

Blending fairy tales, serial killers, and grief into one haunting and lyrical novel, Vanishing Daughters is a novel not to be missed. Equal parts spooky and sad, Pelayo has created a book that really gets to the heart of losing someone that is incredibly vital and special to your life and how that trauma reverberates through your whole life and relationships. It is also an extremely suspenseful and satisfying thriller, with a beautiful ending that will bring a tear to your eye.