The third (and last) in this series with DI Seb Locke. This book is very personal as it involves his own ex wife, a drug addict, Charlie. THe story grabbed me from the start and kept me enthralled throughout. Not always easy reading, as drug abuse and life as a user are fairly graphically described . The book is told from different points of view, Seb, Charlie and by Sam, a social worker involved with the housing estate where drug abuse is rife. Sad to say a lot of the characters have had a difficult youth due to one reason or another, this is also realistically described. There are multiple crimes and although I had my suspicions, which grew as the the book progressed, the perpetrators were not people I initially suspected. I liked the way things were wound up.
Thanks to Net Galley for a great read

The Vanished started with a gripping premise: DI Sebastian Locke’s ex-wife, Charlie, has gone missing, and with her troubled history, he fears the worst. As Seb begins his investigation, he finds himself pulled into a complex case involving missing addicts, all while trying to protect his daughter, Tilly. The personal stakes are high, and I was definitely intrigued by how the case would unfold.

The plot has a lot of potential, especially with the tension surrounding Seb’s search for Charlie and the dark world of drug addiction that is explored. The dynamic between Seb and his daughter also adds an emotional layer that makes you want to keep reading. However, I felt the story dragged a bit in the middle. While the investigation deepens, there were moments when the pacing slowed down, and I found myself longing for more action or faster progression.

The twist at the end does bring everything together, and the resolution is satisfying, even if the journey there felt a little stretched out. Overall, The Vanished is a solid read with strong characters and an interesting premise, but it might leave some readers feeling like they had to wade through a bit of unnecessary padding to get to the good stuff. Still, I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a slow-burn mystery with personal stakes.

**Rounded up from 3.5 stars**

Well, I’m bummed Seb’s story is over but it was a pretty satisfying ending for a great series. I loved this one. In some respects, it was a little difficult at times because some parts of Charlie’s story are very familiar to me. While I’ve never experienced being hooked on dope, I have been sober from alcohol for almost 16 years. And much like Charlie, I was a tornado ripping through not just my life, but the lives of everyone around me. I couldn’t hate her like I’m sure most people reading this story did. And again, I know nothing about being addicted to or kicking dope, but I do know what it’s like to kick alcohol. Some of it is the same, some not. But I thought the author did an excellent job of portraying what it’s like the first few days of getting sober as well as the violent internal struggle of staying sober. Especially the mention of getting a sweet tooth once you’re sober. I still deal with that almost 16 years later! It made me wonder if the author has experience with sobriety themselves because it really was pretty on point. Especially the frustration of the people around those trying to get sober. I didn’t do it the first time. It took a few to stick. And the author is right, it’s incredibly hard to have faith in someone who is constantly failing to live up to their promises. I think Seb and Val were a perfect example of those people. The desire to believe but to not have too much hope so you don’t end up disappointed. And Tilly was an exceptional example of the kids who are the innocent bystanders. Her inward anger and attempt an an outward “it is what it is” attitude reminded me a lot of my son at that time. While this one was hard at times to read because it brought up a lot of bad memories, I thought the author did an amazing job with it. The ending was perfection, and I’m so glad it ended the way it did!

Huge thanks to Hera Books and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

I loved the fast pace of this book. It was interesting learning the history of the characters. What I didn't like was the amount of drug abuse pushed off on the "slums". . I wish there was a disclaimer about addiction. I say this because I have a dear friend that is dealing with an addict daughter. While I got to see an addict's perspective, it's not the normal behavior of people you know. They aren't always in the slums. They are sometimes just your local mail delivery person. I'm too close to a personal story that I was questioning the entire plot. I'm not saying it's a bad read, just not right now.

Thriller where drug addicts are vanishing and being killed. Interesting set of characters and a complicated storyline.

this book instantly felt more frought and personal. because the person concerned was someone close to our DI. his ex wife sadly fell to addiction. it broke him and them apart. but now she is missing and it seems shes not the only one. is someone getting rid of all the addicts in the area? and is she hurt or in danger?
this was a brilliant read. its grabbed you right from the off. i really felt for all involved the victims and the families. and the angst felt more heightened because the di had such close connections to potentially one of the victims.

This is an easy read and although part of a series, it can be read on it's own. It felt a bit drawn out but the plotting is good, centred around drug addiction. I liked the character of DI Locke whose ex wife is an addict and has recently disappeared. It picked up towards the end and overall. it's a good thriller.

This was an overall easy read and a fast paced book that left me engaged. I didn’t realize this book is part of a series and I have not read the other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera for my copy of The Vanished by N Mackay.
Seb is looking for his ex wife Charlie. She’s back in their hometown after walking away from Seb and their daughter Tilly years ago.
Choosing drugs over them. Seb is now a Detective Inspector and hearing that she’s been living local for three months but has disappeared bring back so many memories.
Can he find her? can he save her? Can her protect his daughter?

Review🌸: I would like to add a trigger warning due to this book being based around a few characters who struggle badly with addiction. This is a mystery/thriller book that keeps you guessing the ENTIRE time!!! The book follows a detective who usually deals with homicides in his area, however, when he discovers his ex-wife is missing, he can’t help but to investigate. This book is based in the UK but is really easy to follow, me being a reader in the US. I loved how fast paced this book was. I never felt for one second that it was dragging on, I just had to get to the end!!! I also really enjoyed the character development and how the characters dealt with their situations and made the best out of them. This book had me screaming “I KNEW IT” but in the best way possible. Overall this book is 10/10 and I would definitely recommend if you need a good fast paced read. This author will definitely be added to my list of favorites.

p.s. Bad research on my part, but i had no idea this book was part of a series!! (which didn’t impact this book at all being as it’s the third and final book in the series). But, the two previous books will for sure be added to my TBR

I had a difficult time getting invested in The Vanished” by N. Mackay. While the premise had the potential for a gripping mystery, the execution fell short in several areas. First, the pacing of the story felt uneven. There were moments that dragged on longer than necessary, particularly during Seb’s introspection about his ex-wife, Charlie. These sections, while meant to add depth, often disrupted the flow of the narrative and left me feeling less engaged. I found myself skimming through parts that should have built suspense. Also, DI Sebastian Locke came across as a rather one-dimensional protagonist. His struggle with his past and his complicated emotions regarding Charlie felt superficial, and there wasn’t enough depth to make me truly care about his plight or the stakes involved. The plot, while intriguing, relied heavily on familiar tropes of the crime genre. The mystery unfolded in a way that felt predictable, with few twists and turns that surprised me.

Overall, “The Vanished” didn’t live up to its potential for me and left me wanting more from what could have been a compelling narrative. It’s a missed opportunity for a deeper exploration of addiction and the impact it has on relationships and families.

#TheVanished #NetGalley

Having not read the first two books in the series, I did not feel like I had missed out on anything and was able to keep up with the book and the characters like it was a stand alone book.

The book itself was an easy read, with the chapters jumping between three characters and their stories within the book.

The plot was good and the issues covered in the book where relevant and dealt with well. However the, main 'action' of the book happens in the last two chapters and therefore it feels long and drawn out to get there. And the it feels like it is over with in a flash and the book ends. I would have, personally, liked some more context and history of the 'bad guys' and how they were doing what they were doing.

Having said that, it was still an enjoyable read and I would like recommend it to a friend for an easy read.

I have not read any other of the books in the series but this book can be read as a stand alone. DI Seb Locke gets a call that his drug user ex wife has gone missing. The story follows Seb investigating his ex wifes disapperance . It is not a fast paced book but felt the ending was rushed. It was an OK read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hera books for ARC.

DI Sebastian Locke has had is fair share of knocks and when he recieves a call that is drug addict ex wife is missing he finds himself tasked with finding her.

Her boyfriend is not much help and this slow burn of a read tells of how Locke races to discover the facts and find Charlie.

I have not read the other books in this series and this read well as a standalone, however as it is about Locke's ex wife I feel that I should have read the others just to catch the backstory.

I found this an OK read, it is what I call a bedtime read, and I am looking forward to the next instalment

I loved this DI Sebastian Locke mystery which I demolished in one sitting! Although part of a series, I enjoyed this as a stand-alone and was able to follow along fine. This is a thrilling read with well written characters that jump from the page! Plenty of mystery and suspense, a recipe for the perfect thriller.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

I really enjoyed this instalment in the series.and really love and enjoy this authors work. A dark and mysterious search for the truth, a.really thought provoking story. Five stars

A wonderfully DI Sebastian Locke mystery which i read in two sittings.
Engaging and thrilling read with well written characters.
Plenty of mystery and suspense here.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

DI Sebastian Locke's ex-wife, Charlie is a drug addict. She abandoned him, and her daughter Tilly for drugs.
Now she has been reported missing, and her drug dealer boyfriend has been found dead.

This third DI Locke book fell short for me. It was slow moving, and I struggled to get to the end, tempted to DNF.

The second book in the series was absolutely fantastic, but this book barely gripped my attention at all. For fans, I think that you might enjoy it, but I did not.

It is the final book in the series.
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.

A detective searches for the missing, his ex-wife is next, When DI Sebastian Locke gets a call about his ex-wife, Charlie, he fears the worst. Charlie has been a drug addict for years, so Seb has anticipated discovering her death, and wonders how he will tell Tilly, their teenaged daughter. But it’s Charlie’s boyfriend whose body he finds at the squalid flat and Charlie is nowhere to be found! Good book! This book had great suspense, mystery, murder, kidnapping, drug trial testing, and some chilling moments! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!