A gripping and beautifully crafted middle‑grade mystery that enchants and unsettles

From the very first page, I was utterly hooked. Kirsty Applebaum weaves together two parallel narratives with such finesse that the eerie atmosphere and mounting tension feel irresistible. The story of Fran, her mysterious cousin Imogen, and Imogen’s forgotten best friend Bex unfolds in layers, with each chapter deepening the mystery and the magic.

The setting of Stillness Hall and its hidden garden, complete with twelve enigmatic statues, is both haunting and atmospheric. Applebaum’s prose is subtle yet powerful, creating a sense of wonder and unease in equal measure. I simply couldn’t put the book down – by the halfway point I was desperate for more, and by the end I was already yearning for a sequel.

What I loved most was the emotional core of the story. Beneath the twists and turns lies a beautiful message about the power of friendship – a reminder that it’s never too late to be a true friend. The characters feel deeply human and their relationships evolve in subtle, meaningful ways that stay with you long after you finish reading.

This is a superb read for ages nine and up – and for adults too – offering chills, wonder and heartfelt emotion. If you love a smart, eerie mystery that keeps you thinking long after the last page, this book delivers. Five stars without hesitation!

This is the perfect horror story for UKS2 students. It is eerie enough to keep you going, yet not so scary that it will stop you from continue reading it. At the core of the story is a beautiful friendship that proves to be stronger than magic, or maybe friendship itself carries magic with it? The characters sound real and relatable.

A fabulous book. One that I'll be recommending to my kids at work.
Creepy and gripping.

4.5 Stars
One Liner: Love it!

Fran doesn’t want to stay with her uncle and aunt or their daughter, her annoying cousin Imogen. Doesn’t matter if it is only for a week. However, even Fran doesn’t expect what she sees. Imogen has disappeared, and no one remembers her, not even her parents or her best friend, Bex!
Fran is not willing to let it go. She will find out where Imogen is. But first, Fran has to determine what the hidden garden on the Stillness Estate has to do with it.
The story comes in the first-person POV of Fran, the third-person POV of Imogen and Bex, and the third-person POV of another character.

My Thoughts:
Nosy Crow is fast becoming a favorite middle-grade publisher. Their books are short, quick, and entertaining! This one is no different.
It has short chapters, 2-3 pages each, and maintains a wonderful tempo. I finished the entire book in a single sitting. Also, the cover is apt for the book.
The storytelling stands out here. We get the story in different POVs and a dual timeline narrative. That ensures that we can know what has happened and see how it affects the present. This also prevents the need for an info dump at a later stage and keeps the reader hooked.
Though Fran is the protagonist, she is not the only main character. Imogen and Bex also play major roles. I like that Imogen gets a third-person POV while Fran has the first-person (since her narration is a bit more). Kids will not be confused about whose story they are reading.
Moreover, the three girls are distinct from each other. They are layered while still being kids. Neither of them is perfect. They learn, they change, and they grow – all without making the story preachy or boring.
The actual mystery surrounding the disappearance is really intriguing. I wish we had more details about the thing, but kids will enjoy the plot as it is. There’s adventure, suspense, and danger.
The ending feels a bit abrupt, but I can see why it ended that way. It’s perfect for the plot.
After asking for illustrations, I did get one in this book. The first page of each chapter has the illustration of an element from the cover. I won’t mind more, though!

To summarize, The Strange Disappearance of Imogen Good is a wonderful blend of fantasy, mystery, a bit of adventure, danger, and kids who learn to look beyond appearances.
Thank you, NetGalley and Nosy Crow, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

A well told multi-narrative with interesting characters and a gripping premise.

I liked how Kirsty Applebaum tied in the story of the statues in alternating chapters before switching to the two characters' dual-narrative - it really painted the background of Stillness' enchantment.

The ending was well thought out with plenty of room for a sequel, which I would definitely read!

I really enjoyed this book. It's not a genre I would usually read. I tend to stick more to realistic mysteries when it comes to middle grade books, but the dissappearance elements made me give it a shot anyways. I'm really glad it did. There was something quite magical about reading this book. At times I struggled a bit with the shifting POVs, but I'm glad they were included. I feel like the story wouldn't be half as great without them. I also really enjoyed the storyteller's chapters. It really made the whole book feel like a fairy tale

A truly enchanting, poignant and captivating mystery. The Strange Disappearance of Imogen Good is a gorgeous adventure about family, friendship, loss and the consequences of a heartbreaking wish. I love Fran, Imogen and Bex as well as the way the answers start to come to light, it’s complex and the ending made me hopeful for a sequel. Five stars. Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

The chapters are split between the current-day narrative, in which Fran must solve the mystery of her cousin Imogen's disappearance, and an older narrative that tells the history of a strange and sinister garden on the Estate Imogen lives in. This was such a wonderful book. From the very beginning, the story is beautifully paced and manages to introduce the various characters' problems with friendship/growing pains with a fast-moving and enchanting plot. The historical narrative that looks at the magic that brought about the current situation is also full of poignant reflections on the nature of storytelling itself, beautifully encouraging younger readers to reflect upon this in the midst of this heady and fast-moving book. A lovely treat.

A perfect mix of magic and mystery, this is my favourite book I have read this year. I loved the interweaving of past and present, the clever resolution and the exciting narrative. I devoured this brilliant tale and can’t wait to recommend it as a pick for my School Book Group!

I am so annoyed that I didn’t have this book when I was younger! Thankfully I can still enjoy it now and my inner child is doing the Snoopy happy dance. A bit of chiller and with a touch of magic and enchantment this is a wonderful book for readers young and old who want to keep hold of that magic and mystery of childhood. Engaging and with beautiful writing it’s so easy to get drawn into this magical tale. I loved Fran and Bex and how their friendship grows throughout. The pace is fantastic and best of all keeps you engaged throughout.
As always thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

This one had me hooked from the very first page. Fran is sent to stay with her aunt, uncle, and her prickly cousin Imogen – except Imogen isn’t just unfriendly… she’s missing. And here’s the twist: no one even remembers she exists. Not her parents, not her best friend, not anyone.

It’s a deliciously unsettling premise – the kind of story that makes you lean in closer, itching to know what’s real and what’s slipping through the cracks. Fran refuses to let Imogen vanish without answers, and as she digs deeper (roping in Bex, who doesn’t even remember being Imogen’s best friend), the mystery circles around Stillness Hall and its eerie hidden garden, with twelve statues watching over it all.

Kirsty Applebaum blends gothic atmosphere with pacey storytelling, making it the sort of book you can’t stop thinking about even when you’ve put it down. I loved how it balanced the creepiness of vanishing memories with the courage of one girl determined to hold on to the truth.

The Strange Disappearance of Imogen Good is a smart, mysterious, and slightly spooky read – perfect if you love stories that twist reality and keep you guessing until the very end.

Fran is dreading staying at her Aunt and Uncle’s for a week because of her bossy cousin, Imogen. However, when she arrives, Fran is confused to find that Imogen is nowhere to be seen and no one seems to have even heard of someone called Imogen. She thinks it’s all a joke, but the longer it goes on, the more Fran starts to doubt this. There’s also something odd about the big house in the village, ‘Stillness Hall’ and Ms Quincey, the owner, who insists that no one can go near the garden. Fran makes friends with local girl, Bex and sets about trying to work out what has happened to Imogen and how it’s all connected to Stillness Hall.

Some of the chapters tell the story of ‘The Twelve Statues of Stillness Hall’, allowing the reader to find out more about Stillness Hall and how the garden came to be as it is. The rest of the chapters are from Fran’s perspective.

I love how unique the story is; it’s a great mystery and I couldn’t wait to read more and find out what was going on. The dual perspective of the narrative is really clever and I think this will hook a lot of readers. Ideal for children in Year 4 and up, it would make a good class read aloud or independent read for older children.

Recommend-O-Meter: Big big yes for any kid!

Oh, this one was fun! I’m very young at heart and exactly the type of person who loves middle-grade books, and this particular title is definitely a gem amongst them.

We follow Fran, a kid who dreads having to interact with her dearly behated cousin, Imogen, during a short stay at her aunt and uncle’s place. Except the problem is, Imogen isn’t there and no one seems to remember she even exists. So of course, Fran takes it upon herself to solve the mystery, and what a ride it was! I won’t say anything more, but do know it’s both overflowing with magic and also just the right amount of creepy to be interesting. Every page felt like it was bursting with life and every unearthed piece of the puzzle was fascinating to behold.

It’s exactly the kind of book that my childhood self would’ve adored to bits (and that my adult self still did). I’d wholeheartedly recommend this one to any young reader, plus I’ll definitely be checking out Applebaum’s other work while I’m at it.