Member Reviews

I thought this was a great read! The way the perspective switches back and forth between the 2 main characters keeps you on your toes! I really enjoyed the twist and definitely didn’t see it coming! I thought the author did an amazing job with the tidbits you get throughout the timeline, it was really fun to try to connect the dots. I would definitely read this author again!

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Amanda McKinney delivers a gripping tale in When I Disappear, blending a dark and twisted narrative with emotional depth. This psychological thriller explores the ripple effects of a single fateful night, unraveling how one event can fracture lives and expose buried secrets.

The story is steeped in suspense, keeping readers on edge as each page reveals shocking truths and heart-wrenching moments. McKinney’s writing strikes a delicate balance between intensity and poignancy, drawing readers into the complex web of her characters’ lives. The emotional weight of the story is palpable, particularly as the characters grapple with the long-term consequences of their decisions.

What truly sets this book apart is its pacing. McKinney knows how to keep readers hooked, providing just enough intrigue to make it nearly impossible to put down. The twists are expertly woven, offering surprises without feeling contrived.

When I Disappear is not only a suspenseful thriller but also a moving exploration of guilt, loss, and redemption. It’s a haunting reminder of how the past shapes the present, and it leaves a lasting impression on those who journey through its pages. A must-read for fans of psychological suspense and emotionally charged narratives.

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Sylvia Stone put Rhett Chen in prison for murdering her mother. He always proclaimed his innocents. Sylvia received letters saying “Your Next”. Rhett finally gets released after serving 20 years in prison. They found he was imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. When he gets released, he goes to see Sylvia asking to see the letters. Rhett is set on finding who set him up. Sylvia does everything she can to make it up to him. Until she goes missing. The ending was not expected. The narrator was very easy to follow along with. I had to finish it in one setting.
Thank you NetGalley, and Dreamscape Select/Storm Publinshing for the ARC.

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I amnew to the world of audiobooks. I stayed up way too late, listening to When I Disappear, and finished it the next morning. I liked the narrator, Elise Roth.It took me a bit to get used to a female narrator, voicing Rhett, but I am sure that happens often with audiobooks that do not have more than one narrator.
Rhett has been in prison, convicted of murdering Sylvia’s mother Marjorie. 20 years pass, and he is released. Rhett is determined to find the real killer; having always sworn he was innocent. If he did not kill Marjorie, who did? I had my suspicions about whodunnit and amazingly enough my guess was correct. I did not figure out the why though. There were plenty of twists and I especially like how it ended.

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4.5* I enjoyed When I Disappear a lot!

From the plot build up, to the dual timeline, to the character development and the calculated delivery of the storyline.

It played out so well and I found it easy to root for characters.

The lone narrator flawlessly delivered all character dialog, creating a super listener experience.

I definitely recommend this fast-paced thriller!

With thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the advance listening copy.

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Not sure I’ve read this author before, but this was a sick book!

We start out with an attempted murder, and then an actual murder!

And then we jump 20 years into the future!! 😮🫣

Sylvia is the daughter of a murdered woman. She put the accused killer (Rhett) behind bars with her testimony… BUT, he’s served his time… and he’s getting out soon.

Just as we realize this, Sylvia starts to receive dark messages. And the weird thing is that ONLY THE REAL KILLER could know these things. And he’s in prison, right? So who is dropping off these notes to Sylvia??

As the police start to investigate this they realize that it couldn’t have been Rhett… all those years ago. But now, some crazy stuff starts to come out too!

Lots of twists and turns in this one, but I kind of had a feeling…

3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 4!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #DreamscapeSelect and #StormPublishing for an ARC of the audiobook which is due to be released TOMORROW, 1.24.25! So, look 👀 for it on shelves then!

#WhenIDisappear by #AmandaMcKinney and narrated beautifully by #EliseRoth.

As for me… You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads.
Insta: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

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Yooo! What was that! 1st thriller of the year that has kept me interesting from start to finish! I wasn't expecting that ending at all, that was quite a freaking ride! I must find more by this author

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I received an audio version of When I Disappear. The narration was really well done.

I think the story and characters were well written. The twist, or twists, are exactly what I look for in a thriller.

Sometimes I got lost in the time-line. Also, the big twist could be seen as predictable. But I didn't know I had it figured out until the end.

Overall, I really enjoyed this audiobook. Started and finished in less than 24 hours.

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did not finish. was not a good listen and I did not like the narrator. could be the author but i could not connect with the writing

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When I started reading this book, I was sure it was going to be a 5 ⭐ read; however, like a couple other reviewers have said, I was waiting for the zing/twist, and it never came. I was a little disappointed with what could have been truly phenomenal. That being said, I do read A LOT of thrillers, and I do mean A. LOT. So, it may just be that I just need something very weird and too funky to throw me off the scent.

So, what I like to mention in many of my reviews, read it for yourself. If there is a lot of really promising reviews, but a couple that give it a 2 or 3 ⭐, so you ditch it? You may be missing out on something you love just because someone you don't know, doesn't.

Give it a chance. I think most people would see this as a 4-star book or higher. And the narration is great. That for me was a full star.

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Premise - Twenty years after he's sent to jail for the murder of Sylvia Stone's mother, Rhett Butler is free from jail and Sylvia is receiving anonymous letters that suggest Rhett was falsely convicted. Rhett is on a payback mission, but Sylvia finds him hard to resist...

I'm not sure what it was, but the pacing felt a little off to me. It was easier to put this down than I wanted it to be. I also didn't fully believe the characters, especially Sylvia. At times it felt like she was lying to the reader when we were inside her head, which didn't make sense since she doesn't know we voyeurs are in there snooping. The premise was overall interesting, but something about the delivery just didn't quite work for me. Still, it was solidly entertaining, so 3 stars feels right.

I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by Elise Roth. She performed a really solid read, but oddly I actually preferred her treatment of Rhett to her treatment of Sylvia. Maybe it's due to the nature of the character, but Sylvia's read didn't feel as consistent as Rhett's. Then again, I don't know how much of that is the reader and how much of that is inconsistency written into Sylvia's character.

Thanks, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you NetGalley and DreamScape for my gifted ALC. All opinions are my own.

I was able to binge this baby I'm a day. Elise Roth did a phenomenal job narrating this story. I would have preferred a male to represent Rhett's POV, but it truly didn't make or break the audio for me.

I loved the plot for this one. It was fast-paced and unique. I think I may read too many thrillers because I was able to guess the ending nearly right away - but that doesn't mean it was a bad ending. This was a perfect house cleaning day listen. I was able to start and finish it the same day.

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Three distinct points of view, tied together seamlessly by a skilled narrator, made this story both engaging and easy to follow. Each character was well-defined and consistent, making it effortless to distinguish between them. The pacing was brisk and kept me hooked from start to finish—this is definitely a book best experienced in audio format.

The storyline was captivating, centered around the mystery of the letters left on Sylvia’s doorstep. The tension surrounding Rhett’s impending release from prison (the man convicted of her mother’s murder) added an edge of suspense. Flashbacks to her mother’s diary provided intriguing insights into Sylvia’s character and motivations. The author’s dry humor, particularly through Sylvia’s perspective, was a clever and enjoyable touch.

Just when I thought I had the ending figured out, the twists proved me completely wrong! If you enjoy fast-paced, action-packed whodunit mysteries with a thrilling edge, Amanda McKinney will not disappoint.

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A great start, I was totally invested and loved all the little bread crumbs and different mysteries peppered about.
Then we got to the halfway point where things started to get a little laboured and slow but not enough where I didn’t think this book would be at least a 4 star read but then things really started to go left.
Why are we treating Kyle like a teenager who grew up with nothing when he’s actually 28 and from an affluent family who want to support him?
A couple other bugbears but I can see why they were there but the biggest let down was the ‘who did it’ or ‘twist’ as it never came. It’s was so obvious to the point where I thought it couldn’t possibly be who I thought it was and was waiting for a twist right until the last line but it never came. I never felt any peril or slightly tense which is such a shame because it started off so well.
Great narrator.

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Fast paced thriller- small town murder resurfaces 20 years later after the accused is released and wants to clear his name. Follows multiple POVs. One POV from Sylvia, her mother was the one murdered and she’s been getting notes about secrets related to those events from long ago.

Did both audiobook and ebook for this one and I must say..10/10 narration- excellent pacing and expression

Quick read, short chapters, would read more from this author. It just didn’t make my jaw drop or have me gasping/ obsessing over the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review, release date 1/24/25

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Thorough enjoyed this novel by a brand new author. Story was gripping from the very first page, and didn't let go until the final word. Bravo!

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Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeSelect for the book #WhenIDisappear by #AmandaMcKinney. Holy smokes this book is crazy and wild and I could not get enough of it. Rhett spent 20 years in prison for killing Majorie Stone even though he still denies to this day. After new evidence that her daughter, Sylvia brings to light, he is released. But if he didn’t kill her, who did? And why is Sylvia being threatened now?

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★★★★

Sylvia lives an isolated life. She seems content without a social circle, spending her days watching reality TV with her only companion, Shirley, her Sphynx cat (yes, the hairless variety). But when she starts receiving anonymous letters in the middle of the night hinting that the man convicted of her mother’s horrific murder 20 years ago might be innocent, she becomes alarmed about what this could mean for her. She contacts the police, urging them to investigate.

Meanwhile, Rhett has finally been released from prison. Despite numerous attempts at parole, he was always rejected due to the seriousness of his crime—or was it his crime? Now that he is free, Rhett is determined to seek revenge. His sole mission is to find the real killer who murdered Sylvia’s mother and caused him to lose 20 years of his life.

When Sylvia suddenly disappears, Rhett becomes the prime suspect once again. Could history be repeating itself?

This was my first book by Amanda McKinney, and I devoured it in a single sitting! As the blurb suggests, you’ll definitely want to cancel your plans… The story is told across multiple timelines and perspectives. It’s fast-paced, with short chapters and no unnecessary distractions.

I have to admit, I was initially unsure about Sylvia and Rhett teaming up, but they make surprisingly effective sleuths and uncover dark secrets hidden within their seemingly idyllic neighborhood. Amanda McKinney offers compelling insights into the challenges faced by people after being released from prison, including the stigma, barriers to reintegrating into society, and the threats they face—often leading to a high risk of suicide.

The reveal almost caught me off guard—well done! I also loved the hopeful ending, which emphasized accepting each day and making the best of it, despite all odds.

If you’re looking for an addictive read with some truly unique characters, I highly recommend When I Disappear. Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Amanda McKinney for a copy. All opinions are my own.

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“When I Disappear” is a psychological thriller.

Thank you Dreamscape Select and Netgalley for the ALC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rhett Cohen was convicted to 20 years in jail for murder. Now Sylvia Stone receives some letters that suggest that he is inocent. Shortly after he is released Sylvia disappears and he is a suspect.

The story has a fast pace and many twists, but the ending was predictable (at least for me).
The audiobook is narrated by Elise Roth but there are 3 POVs ( Rhett, Sylvia and her mother). I think that the experience would have been better if this was a dual narration. Even if Elise does a good job with male voices, it would have been easier to differentiate the POVs change.
Overall this thriller is for you of you enjoy mystery with many twists.

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