If your daughter witnessed a murder could you leave behind your husband and step daughter to go into witness protection with her? That's what happened when Lauren has to leave Aiden and Poppy with Zara as they are whisked away for their safety.
I don't think I've read a book about witness protection before and after a slow start to the book where I wasn't sure I would enjoy it, I found it to be really well written. The characters were well thought out and delivered well.
We live through Lauren and Zara's new identities and also discover how Aiden and Poppy are coping being left behind. Aiden will stop at nothing to make sure his family are safe even if he's not allowed to know where they are or who they are.

WOW. This book is absolutely incredible. I read it in one desperate gulp, genuinely unable to put it down. It's such a joy to read something so utterly absorbing that you completely forget about the rest of the world while you are immersed in it. The plot is clever and twisty, the storyline compelling, but more than that, you fall in love with and care about the characters so deeply. I don't want to say anything else about it because it should remain a total surprise to anyone going in. Can't recommend it highly enough. A very well-deserved five stars.

A good thriller however the characters were difficult to like. I found it quite hard to believe. However a good page turner and you do want to get to the end of it.

I’ve read other books by the author and am quite a fan. I was really looking forward to reading this. The blub on #NetGalley made me want to really read the book. I had high hopes for this book but wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. The book has a really relevant and current premise and I can easily imagine what happens to Zara taking place in the real world. This book is a lesson on who to trust or not to trust as the case may be and to be very careful before you stick your neck above the water. This book is fast paced and intense and there’s barely time to pause for breath as one trauma leads to another. I love books with this sort of pacing. This is a fantastic read. I haven’t read many books by the author so need to catch up on her back catalogue.

This book was addictive, breath taking in places and an emotional rollercoaster. At times, I was so mad at the actions of some of the characters and couldn’t see where everything was going to end up and tie in. I was really rooting for Poppy throughout. She was the only one who seemed to not be breaking the rules. I really warmed to her.

The story ending up revealing such a twist at the end which ended the book perfect

What a great read.

Highly recommended

Yesterday the cover for this gripping story was revealed.
The book is fantastic, I have not been able to put it down this afternoon and have been kept guessing throughout. This one has an interesting plot, likeable characters and a characters you automatically dislike as a reader.
The author has pulled me into this one from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down till I knew the outcome. Definitely a five star read which I highly recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A very good tense... heartbreaking and gripping novel. Characters feel so alive and the story hypnotises you from the first page.

Complex story with an unexpected ending. The power of social media plays a central part along with gang mentality. Fast moving and gripping.

Wow. Just wow. I am lost for words after finishing this book. I feel like I’ve been through the emotional wringer. This is by far Gillian’s best book and I’m not even going to say a single word about the plot or the twists so I don’t spoil it for anyone but all I can say is there is no better way to spend lockdown than to read this book. You will not regret it. Thanks to the author, Penguin and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

#HowToDisappear #NetGalley
Best book I've ever read.
Lauren's daughter Zara witnessed a terrible crime. But speaking up comes with a price, and when Zara's identity is revealed online, it puts a target on her back.The only choice is to disappear. But how and where? Her life is on stake.
It was my first book by this authoress and I must say that she's my favourite now.
Characters of the story are brilliant and creepy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph for giving me an advance copy.

How to Disappear is the first book that I have read by Gillian McAllister and it was fantastic, I will definitely be catching up with all of her previous books.
Lauren’s teenage daughter Zara witnesses a murder and decides to testify in court. Although the police promise to protect her, Zara’s identity is revealed on-line and now she is being hunted by those she spoke up against. When it becomes clear that there is a clear and direct threat to her life, Zara’s family are told that their only option is to enter the witness protection scheme. They will not say goodbye to their loved ones, they will have new identities and a new home. The problem is that Lauren’s husband Aiden is Zara’s step-dad, he has another daughter Poppy and he can’t leave her. Lauren makes the heartbreaking decision to protect her daughter so she leaves everyone and everything she loves in order to protect her daughter. At first Lauren and Zara are almost relieved to be offered this chance of safety but they soon begin to understand just how difficult living a lie is. It’s so easy to slip up, a photo posted here or a desperate message sent to someone from their old life and they are being hunted again.
How to Disappear is quite literally thrilling, I felt as though I was holding my breath as McAliister maintains an unrelenting but perfect pace throughout. It is such a brilliant idea for a book and I loved how she added the conflict within the family so that Aiden has to stay and Lauren has to leave everything behind. I really liked Lauren and she felt so realistic, there are several points where she is brutally honest about the fact that she loves her daughter and would do anything to protect her but she is understandably angry that her daughter’s actions have destroyed the life she loved.
I was so impressed by the final few chapters, twist after twist leapt off the page, it was really well done and unexpected. Gillian McAllister has written a truly captivating story, I can highly recommend it.
Many thanks to Michael Joseph and Netgalley for gifting me a review copy.

Another masterpiece from Gillian McAllister and a definite hit for 2020.
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish and raced through it. Keep them coming Gillian.

After reading her debut, Gillian McAllister quickly became one of my must-read authors. But how to describe this book? I could use so many words, but none would do it justice. Her characters are so rich and realistic, her prose flawless, and the pace is perfect. I simultaneously wanted to race to the end, and to pause and savour the story.

Put simply, this book is heartbreaking, gripping, and utterly brilliant.

Just when you think that Gillian McAllister cannot possibly get any better….she does. An author that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, Gillian is a truly excellent writer. She combines family life, drama, mystery, police procedural and so much more into one book that makes her almost unique in her ‘genre’ style and the creator of something completely different.

This book. This book this book this book. THIS BOOK. I honestly, will never do this book justice in my review. Why? Because you have to read it. You have to read this book to understand how truly incredible it is. I can’t even begin to describe it – not least because all of the excellent elements of this book will give away major plot spoilers if I wrote about them. I have never said this before in a review – but here it is – trust me – read this book – buy this book – pre-order this book – you will not regret it.

I fell in love with the main characters almost instantly – Aidan and Lauren are a typical down to earth couple. Gillian paints a very neutral, very workable, blended family throughout the story. It’s so refreshing to read this – I was expecting and waiting for the step-parent elements to take the turn that they so typically do in novels – that negative twist – but they didn’t. It was warming. Then came the impossible dilemma. The one that really had me questioning exactly what I would do in the same situation. It brought tears to my eyes. It was painful to read…a book that makes you feel the dilemma that the main characters are going through is extremely clever. The dilemma was so challenging – so real – that I actually relayed it to my partner over breakfast and asked ‘What would you do? What would WE do? How would we decide?’ Impossible dilemmas need to be realistic, they need to be down to earth, they also need to challenge our own thinking and decision making – Gillian McAllister has that spot on.

Gillian McAllister has written a stunning story – one that will have you laughing and frustrated in equal measures. The ending is explosive. Literally. I was so angry when I read it – a book that can make you feel such emotion is just incredibly powerful. This is THE book of 2020. The one that will be talked about again and again and again.

What can I say, another amazing book from Gillian McAllister. This story reels you in right from the beginning and keeps you gripped until the very end! I read this in 24hrs and would definitely recommend

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. I am on the fence about this one. It was hard for me to believe some of the situation with the gang and the police regarding protection. I went back and forth from I don't think it would be this way, to wow that's some good suspense. I was ready to rate it average until the ending...she hit it out of the park with the ending. While this is not my favorite book by her, the plot was good and the struggle with the characters were good.

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin UK, Michael Joseph and Gillian McAllister for my ARC of ‘How To Disappear’ in return for my honest review.

I have read most of Gillian McAllister’s novels and always find them compelling. This is another one that I couldn’t put down and managed to demolish it within a day.

Zara, a teenager and daughter to Lauren and stepdaughter to Aidan, witnesses a murder on her way home and gives evidence in court. Her identity is protected and she is known as ‘Girl A’. As a result of the trial and what happens her identity is released and she is deemed to be in danger for her life and offered witness protection.

After deliberation Aidan, who has a daughter from his first marriage, decides not to go into witness protection but stay behind. The scenes of the decision and where Lauren and Zara are taken into witness protection, I found heart wrenching.

Aidan makes a decision to find out who is threatening his stepdaughter and bring the gang to justice so that he can be reunited with the two of them.

The characters, situations and relationships are clever, believable and wonderfully portrayed in a tumultuous situation for all of them. The twists and turns continue from start to finish and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Excellent read. Highly recommended.

Gillian McAllister quickly became a must-read author and she hasn't disappointed with this, her fifth standalone novel.

Zara, a fifteen year old girl witnesses a murder and we first meet her and her family properly when it goes to court. Don't be fooled though, this isn't some straightforward court drama, the story is very firmly about what happened before, and after the court case.

Taking in the world of footballers and the homeless, blended families and divided loyalties and with the killer question always being about who you can trust, this is a completely novel read.

What an extremely brilliant and clever read this was! I am a huge fan of Gillian but I have to say that How to Disappear is my favourite and one of the best books I’ve read in a while!

Zara witnesses the murder of a homeless man on her way home and has to stand up in court and give evidence. Although her identity is protected there are people that are determined to find her. Her mum Lauren decides the only way to protect her daughter is for them both to disappear and to start a new life in the witness protection programme. Lauren’s husband cannot come with them as he has a daughter of his own to care for, but he does all he can to protect them!

I was thoroughly gripped throughout and as others have said, I’d love to see this on the big screen!

All Gillian McAllister’s books have been excellent, but How to Disappear is, in my opinion, the best by a country mile, and one of the best books I’ve read in quite some time.

You’re better not knowing too much, so here are the bare bones: when London teenager Zara witnesses a crime and has to give evidence in court, her identity is protected - she’s identified only as “Girl A”. But as a result of what happens in the trial, there are people determined to find her, and when they do, there’s only one way to protect her - she and mum Lauren will have to disappear, leaving their old lives and identities completely behind.

Lauren’s husband and Zara’s stepdad, Aidan, has to stay behind, but he can’t just do nothing when his wife and stepdaughter are in danger, far away, and forbidden to contact him - maybe for ever. What happens as a result does perhaps strain credibility a little at times, but it’s never less than gripping.

The story follows Lauren and Zara as they struggle to adjust to new lives and identities - to the fact that they’re not Lauren and Zara anymore - and Aidan as he puts his own safety on the line to bring the guilty to justice. Lauren, Aidan and Zara are all believable, likeable characters you can really get invested in, and as a result the story is a true emotional rollercoaster. I read it over the course of a weekend, resenting every interruption.

And yes, the ending had me in floods of tears. Why would you do this to me, Gillian McAllister?!

The author, in her acknowledgements at the end, refers to it as a “stone cold love story”. That it is. But you’ll have to read it to really understand why.