My thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘When I Disappear’ written by Amanda McKinney in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Sylvia Stone is having mysterious letters put through her letter-box during the night and from the contents they appear to be connected to the murder of her mother Marjorie twenty years ago. The carpenter Rhett Cohen who was fitting new cupboards in Marjorie’s kitchen was jailed for her murder and is still in prison so it wouldn’t have been possible for him to deliver the letters. Could someone else have killed Marjorie and he was innocent all along?

‘When I Disappear’ is an intriguing thriller written in the dual timelines of what happened to Marjorie twenty years ago and Sylvia at the present time. I got confused at the beginning as the chapters moved from Marjorie to Sylvia but the story soon got me hooked as Rhett is released and returns to Thorncrest to try and clear his name while Sylvia disappears. The story didn’t have the suspense I’d expected but the twists and turns were enough to keep me involved and wanting to keep reading.

Sylvia Stone starts getting anonymous letters implying her mother’s murderer is innocent. Just as he’s released from prison, she receives the final letter that states “you’re next.”

It took me about halfway to really get hooked on this one, but once those hooks got me, I couldn’t put it down. Despite the fact that I liked both main characters, I was worried it would turn into a “romantic suspense”, but it went in a different direction… and I was shocked, despite some hints throughout.

“I don’t need a halfway house, friends or family, I need a goal. One that does not allow for murdering another human being.”

When I Disappear comes out 1/24.

Another great read by Amanda McKinney! I could not put this book down, I read it in one afternoon. Filled with secrets, lies and family ties. Lots of tension.
Thank you NetGalley, Amanda McKinney and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this gem of a book.

Secrets, murder, and deception made for a gripping, intriguing, and shocking book! When I Disappear tells the story of Sylvia Stone who begins receiving letters twenty years after her mother Marjorie's murder. It also tells the story of Rhett Cohen, the man who spent twenty years in jail after being convicted for murdering Sylvia's mother, Marjorie. Rhett has always stated that he is innocent and never hurt anyone. If he is not the killer, then who is? When Sylvia receives the last letter informing her that she is next, Rhett is determined to unveil the real killer before he takes the blame once again.

I thought I knew where this book was going. I had my list of suspects lined up and changed my mind on whodunit throughout the book. Many may have guessed the final reveal, but it was a shocker for me. I enjoyed reading the POV's of both Sylvia and Rhett. This kept the story going at a nice pace, my interest piqued and had me turning the pages. I also enjoyed the tension, the sense of dread, the twist, the turns and the suspense that grew throughout the book.

Well written, well thought out, thrilling, shocking, and hard to put down!

I absolutely loved A Marriage of Lies and I was super excited about getting my hands on this one! This book was well written and had me second guessing everything I thought I knew. I loved the well placed red herrings that caused me to think I was unraveling the mystery. Told in multiple POV’s and dual timelines, you get a look into the characters’ lives to try and out the pieces together. This was a good one my friends!!! Make sure to check out When I Disappear on January 24th!!!

4 stars ⭐️ I was hooked early on! It's a really good fast-paced book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A good fast paced thriller although I worked out the plot. It’s very difficult these days not to but maybe that’s because I’m so suspicious.
Written over two timelines about a killer released from jail and a woman who goes missing after receiving anonymous notes.
Pretty sure you will enjoy this tucked up on a cold day staying cosy.

Thank you for an advanced copy.

When I Disappear had me hooked from the first chapter! I loved the fast-paced writing and found myself staying up late to get a few more chapters in. Sometimes I struggle with dual timelines and multiple POVs but these were so well-written! The red herrings and side plot were just as compelling as the main storyline. One of the best thrillers I’ve read in a while! Will definitely be reading more from Amanda McKinney. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rhett Cohen is imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. Sylvia Stone is the daughter of the murder victim. She gets hand delivered letters, the last one said "You are next". Sylvia disappears and everyone is looking at Rhett. A page turning psychological thriller with a twist in the conclusion.

First of all Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read this for my review.

So i was looking around to see if everyone kind of thought the same thing i did, after i finished and yes it seems everyone else predicted the plot pretty early on as well, I wonder what makes the book so predictable!? I mean I read a lot of mystery thrillers, so I am pretty good at figuring what is going on, but either way this one just has all the perfect ingredients for being a pretty easy but still a fast paced, very enjoyable thriller.

Do not read this book if you have anything to do for the day, because let me tell you, predictable or not, I could not put it down until I fell asleep with my kindle on my face! The second I woke up this morning I was back up at it again reading as fast as i could to figure out If i was right on my prediction! Predicting the plot DOES NOT take away from the book at all, I was still just as interested the entire time and it was a hell of a wild ride. First few chapters with the POV switching was a little confusing until I figured out who everyone was then i got the hang of it and it then it really was getting good. Def kept me hooked all the way up until the last word!

This book was originally titled The Stone Secret written under Amanda McKinney's new pen name, Amanda Tisevich, and although its been updated and re-released under Amanda McKinney, it's still one heck of a thriller. I read this book in one sitting, seriously could not put it down. Lots of twists and turns, just when you thought you had the killer pegged another twist was thrown into the mix. I seriously don't know how this author continues to write these stories that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. I live in a rural area, among trees and forest areas, and let me tell you the unease I felt reading this book! This is definitely one to be read, preferably in the light of day! Loved Rhett and the support cast of characters. Incredible book!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary copy.

I read this story when it was first published as The Stone Secret and really enjoyed it. My initial review holds true even after reading it with the changes and new title. A great read.

This is the first book I’ve read by Amanda and it is a fantastic book. I could not out it down and binge read in one day. The storyline and characters are so interesting and intriguing. Just when I thought “who it was” there were more twists and turns that left me guessing until the end.

Sylvia is an interesting character that will have you scratching your head…she’s smart, caring but also traumatized by the death of several family members.

Rhett is a man in a mission. He needs to find who framed him and he will stop at nothing.

Rhett and Sylvia have an interesting relationship because they want to find out who framed Rhett. There are so many other characters in this book that are also very interesting and you are not sure who to believe or trust.

Amanda gives us so much detail of the surroundings and characters you can visualize the story.

Looking forward to reading other books by Amanda.

Captivating! I was hooked from the start and enthralled to the very end. I love Amanda McKinney's writing style. Her characters are believable and relatable, complete, even with scars and flaws. The supporting cast are just as fleshed out to add to the melting plot and propel the story to the very end. Her descriptions of settings are almost poetic, adding another layer to her writing. However, the chemistry between the main characters Rhett and Sylvia is where the "juice" really is. It's just enough to leave you wondering/hoping for things to progress, while still holding back to not overwhelm the story. Rhett, wrongly accused of murdering Sylvia's mother, is freed after serving twenty years in prison. His freedom however seems to have triggered the killer to start again. Sylvia insists on helping Rhett to find the real killer to clear his name (or in Rhett's case get his revenge). The twisted thriller that enfolds is riveting! The red herrings sprinkled throughout the novel, along with parts of the story told by Marjorie (Sylvia's mother who was killed) leaves you guessing and wondering who the killer could be. Even though it was hinted at in the beginning, it still lands with a bit of a shock at the end. I recommend this novel to all readers, particularly those interested in twisted thrillers.

Thank you, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for this eARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Good Old Mystery.
When I disappear by Amanda McKinney is a beautifully written phycological thriller. Rhett Cohen spent 20 years on jail for a murder he did not commit. This book has plenty of twists and turns as the story unfolds Syria Stone receives 4 letters in the middle of the night and the last one says you will be next. Cohen spent the 20 years in prison accused of Stones mum's murder. Without giving the story away This book has plenty of action and suspense, with intense characters, and a good old mystery. This is a brilliant book has a very intricate plot and is a psychologically acute thriller. The ending you will not see coming. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

✨ First read of the year, and it did NOT disappoint! ✨
This quick, suspenseful read was packed with surprises, twists, and unpredictability. It was my first Amanda McKinney book, and now I’m hooked—this definitely won’t be my last!
The story is set in a small, atmospheric town, following Sylvia, whose life has been shadowed by the brutal murder of her mother. The case seemed closed when Rhett Cohen, the ruggedly handsome carpenter, was convicted of the crime. 20 years later, everything changes when Sylvia receives an anonymous letter suggesting Rhett might be innocent. As more letters arrive, secrets unravel, and Sylvia begins to question everything she thought she knew about her mother’s death. If you love multi-POV, multi-timeline mysteries that keep you guessing, When I Disappear is a must-read. It’s a perfect blend of suspense, revenge, emotional depth, and a touch of obsession that will have you hooked from start to finish.

📚 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pub Date: January 24, 2025

QOTD: If someone you thought was guilty was proven innocent years later, how would you react?

Although I feel this book is worth reading, I felt it was lacking in some areas. For example, I didn’t find it to be very thrilling. I felt the story wasn’t exactly as described in the blurb, which was disappointing. But I did enjoy the dual timelines and some twists I didn’t guess.

At 2:00 a.m. Sylvia Stone awakens to a letter on her doorstep suggesting the handsome carpenter, Rhett Cohen, who was convicted of murdering her mother twenty years earlier, is innocent. The anonymous letters continue, each one revealing details only the true killer would know, making Sylvia question her testimony years ago.
But as Rhett is released from prison, the fourth and final letter arrives with one chilling message: You’re next.
Then Sylvia disappears.

Wow, oh wow!! This one one of those stories that keep you guessing as you are reading it and don't want to put it down! Yes, I was up WAY To late reading this cause I had to finish it. You keep wondering, is he innocent, what happened back then, where is Sylvia, what is going on??

Total mind blown!! And I loved it!!! You have to read this one!!

What a wild ride! This is the first book I’ve read by Amanda McKinney, and once I got into it, I flew through it! This multi-POV, multi-timeline story takes place in a small town where secrets run deep. After the murder of her mother, Sylvia seals the fate of the accused, Rhett, and he serves his 20 year sentence. Upon release, he returns to clear his name once and for all.

This story had a lot of different paths to go done. I found the pacing a little bit off, slow and building excitement, then ended quickly and almost nonchalantly. I could see the story going in multiple different directions, but the end was clear and wrapped up nicely. Overall a good story, you just have to suspend belief for some of the more mundane tasks that are apart of life.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.
Wow! What a fantastic story! It hit all the right places for a thriller. It was fast-paced, suspenseful with lots of twists and turns. I loved the characters. I didn't know what was going to happen next so it kept me sucked in.

The blurb - wow! I was all in for this one!

Unfortunately, it appears the blurb was written for a different book as I struggled to engage with this at all and I lost interest very quickly.

Sylvia's mother was violently murdered 20 years ago and the man she helped convict is now thought to be innocent. Much of the story was randomly based around Sylvia fancying this bloke and the plot was messy and didn't really make a lot of sense.

Ok for a holiday read if there's nothing much else going on.

2 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.