I really enjoyed this book - a quick read, short chapters, making me unable to put it down. Just one more, just one more......
It's the first I've read by this author and I enjoyed the style and the pace.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First book I’ve read by this author. This is a good, solid book. A man released from prison for a murder from 20 yrs ago…..who claims he’s innocent. One slip up and he’s back in prison. Proving his innocence won’t be easy. I like that there aren’t too many people to keep track of. Plenty of twists and by 25% through the book, you are fully invested and can’t wait to see what happens next. I would recommend this book to friends.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A 20-year old murder case is revived when threatening letters start arriving at Sylvia’s door days before her mother’s convicted killer is released. But if he’s still in prison - who is leaving her letters?

The story is set in the always spooky and enchanting backwoods of Vermont, where small-town gossip and high-school heroes rule over all.

I really enjoyed this book, right up until the ending. I just didn’t buy it, and admittedly it wasn’t the ending I wanted for these characters. I still recommend it as a good read, especially if you are like me and a sucker for the natural horror-story settings that are the sparsely populated corners of our world.

This was my first Amanda McKinney book. I did enjoy this book. While I enjoyed it I was able to guess the antagonist of the story from early on. Although not confirmed until the end, wouldn’t be a story if it was, I had it figured out. I read a lot of thrillers and suspense so that may be why I could guess who it was that killed Marjorie. I don’t want to give too much away. 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4.

Wow...what a ride...that heads hurtling down the tracks with reckless abandon! This was definitely an easy one on which to keep turning those pages. I was sucked in by Sylvia's story with a tragic past and her paths crossing once again with the man accused of murdering her mother. Rhett is a misunderstood man, understandably out for revenge. But just what has he stumbled upon after two decades gone. Their story leads to places you'll never expect! I liked the unpredictability but it definitely had me shaking my head...like, what just happened here? This is a good one for those that like a fast-paced thriller without gore and terror.
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

Woah!

This book blew me away. I just kept on reading again and again turning the pages.

This was one of the best thrillers i've read this year.

This was a great read! Rhett is convicted of killing Marjorie. Twenty years later he is released and learns of Marjorie’s daughter, Sylvia, is receiving threatening letters. He knows he is innocent and is determined to find the real killer. Lots of action quickly follows making for a gripping read!

Everyone at @thrillerbookloversthepulse is talking about this addicting psychological thriller that I could not put down. I stayed up way past my bedtime because I needed to know what happened. Flawed and well fleshed out characters some that you love to hate. Sylvia and Rhett are an unlikely duo. This twisty rollercoaster ride grabbed me from the first chapter and didn't let go until the OMG ending! Don't miss this one!
Thank you Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the ebook.

WHEN I DISAPPEAR was filled with twists and turns. I honestly had a hard time putting it down. I would recommend it to all those who enjoy a fast paced thriller.

Many thanks for my gifted copy.

A psychological thriller, When I Disappear (2025) by Amanda McKinney has a dark, atmospheric opening and murder. Sylvia Stone is struggling with life, having lost her job and she rarely leaves her house. A letter is dropped on her doorstep in the middle of the night, followed by three more, warning her she is next. The letters refer to Sylvia’s mother's murder twenty years earlier, with the man responsible, soon to be paroled. The story is told from Slyvia and her mother’s perspective, as past traumas and family history are revealed in a gripping tale. There are plenty of twists and turns, with gritty reveals and an overall ominous feel that is a suspenseful four star read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement. With thanks to Storm Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

Amanda McKinney knows how to grab your attention immediately so that you remain hooked until you read the last page. The two main characters are as different as night and day, and each have their own set of problems. This makes the characters easier to relate or get to know as you read about their lives because although they are fictional characters, they seem real.

Sylvia Stone does not really care about anything or anyone since she lost her job. She only cares about her bottles of wine. Hygiene, makeup and hair went out the window a while back, except for an occasional visit from her local hair stylist. Her dull life is about to get interesting when she starts receiving strange letters with very little typed on them. It was just enough to intrigue and frighten her. Then she receives the news that the man who is in prison for killing her mother is being released. Rhett Cohen has spent 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit and Sylvia helped put him there. When he shows up at her door, she is not sure whether to run and hide or invite him in.

This was a strange partnership, but as it ends up, it was completely necessary. One convicted felon and one wino have found a kinship and a mystery to solve.

The short chapters made this a quick read for me. The end of each chapter made you hunger for more, so you had to read the next one, and then next one, until I found myself awake at 2:00 a.m. finishing this mystery. I had a good idea of where this book would end up, but I was still a little shocked at some of the reveals. Regardless, it was still worth the time reading it because it was that good and exceptionally chilling as well.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Firstly thank you to the publishers for my early access in exchange for a review.
I’ve reviewed a few of this authors books and this is definitely one of their strongest .
Thought provoking and well written

When I Disappear
Amanda McKinney
Storm Publishing
01/24/2025

Amanda McKinney continues to give readers that over the top psychological thriller that we love to devour!

The story starts and I am 100% certain that I am in this story. Told directly to me from the perspective of the killer. I was even thinking ‘oh yeah I get that’. Like how did I find myself sympathetic to a murderer (but I did - facts)

Told between alternating time lines and POV’s this is a barn burner that you could easily read in one sitting. I can’t wait to see what she writes next !

I was really intrigued by this book When I Disappear by Amanda McKinney. I enjoyed reading about the characters and how they are connected along with diary entries from the victim. The diary entries gives the reader insight into their relationships and life before death yet gives slight clues of what caused why they were murdered. Has twists and turns which keeps you guessing on what occurred. I rather liked on how the story ended

This book started off with an intriguing premise that drew me in with a promise of mystery and spine tingling suspense, wondering who was leaving Sylvia those notes and the threat on her life? And what about Rhett... will he want revenge for the 20 years he lost?

While it started off intriguing, I found the narrative became predictable , some things felt a little off, and overall, it fell short of my expectations.

Sylvia's character seemed all over the place, and I couldn't connect with her. I think she would have benefitted from more development.

There were some good twists that kept me reading , but the final reveal just needed something more to hit that level of utter shock and disbelief one hopes for in a thriller.

Overall, that being said, the book was an entertaining mystery, and I will certainly pick up her future books.

When I Disappear will be out January 24, 2025

My thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for my gifted copy. My review was voluntary.


http://www.instagram.com/sheilasenchantedbookshelf

I am grateful to have received an advanced copy, and to have been given the opportunity to offer an honest review. I LOVED this book. It was an easy, smooth, entertaining read. The novel easily and clearly shifts between time periods, which adds to the development of the story. I greatly appreciated the lead up to the climax, and felt it was well paced and built up, as opposed to many books I have read that seems to just desperately crash at the end. I was able to predict the ending and outcome of the mystery, however, that did not take away from my enjoyment of the book whatsoever. In fact, it was fun to find the little breadcrumbs of hints left by the author that lead me to be able to solve the mystery. It was a great read!

I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller. It’s 20 years later and letters start arriving on Sylvia’s doorstep, the man who murdered her mother has just been released. Rhett who was convicted for the murder comes to help Sylvia. A throughly enjoyable story that will keep you reading. It’s a gripping thriller that got me hooked, the main character is believable and the twist at the end got me. A 4 star read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

The second book from Amanda McKinney I have read and another brilliant psychological thriller. It kept me gripped from first to last page. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley the chance to ARC this book.

Literally jaw dropping is how I would describe this book!!

I was instantly hooked when I started reading. Twenty years ago, Sylvia’s mom was murder and the man convicted for her murder is about to be released. Sylvia starts receiving anonymous notes, which lead her to think maybe the police got it wrong all those years ago. A few days after receiving those letters Sylvia disappears, we are left to question who might be behind her disappearance and why is she next after so many years have passed since her mom’s murder.

The story is dark, twisted and super fast paced. It gripped me from the moment I grabbed my kindle. We get to see multiple POVs in the story and are left to wonder if where we are being lead to is the actual truth. I went through so many emotions as I was reading this book and completely enjoyed it on a rainy day.

Thanks Netgalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC.

I wanted to like this one but unfortunately I didnt. I like my books unpredictable and this one was just too predictable. It just didnt have the wow factor for me.