Title: If I Disappear by Eliza Jane Brazier
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: C
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
When her favorite true crime podcast host goes missing, an adrift young woman sets out to investigate and plunges headfirst into the wild backcountry of Northern California and her own dangerous obsession.
Sera loves true crime podcasts. They give her a sense of control in a world where women just like her disappear daily. She’s sure they are preparing her for something. So when Rachel, her favorite podcast host, goes missing, Sera knows it’s time to act. Rachel has always taught her to trust her instincts.
Sera follows the clues hidden in the episodes to an isolated ranch outside Rachel’s small hometown to begin her search. She’s convinced her investigation will make Rachel so proud. But the more Sera digs into this unfamiliar world, the more off things start to feel. Because Rachel is not the first woman to vanish from the ranch, and she won’t be the last…
Rachel did try to warn her.
Review:
If I Disappear by Eliza Jane Brazier is an atmospheric mystery.
When her favorite true crime podcaster Rachel Bard goes dark, Sera Fleece decides to go looking for her. Rachel has dropped enough clues about where she lives that Sera knows exactly where to go. The isolated guest ranch is run down and Rachel’s parents, Addy and Emmett are a bit… eccentric. Horse wrangler Jed Combs is friendly but Sera senses he is not telling her everything. Rachel’s brother Homer is a well-liked preacher and his wife Clementine is quite friendly. The nearest town is mostly deserted, but the people Sera meets immediately warn her to leave. Should Sera heed their warnings? Or should she continue her search for Rachel?
Sera is divorced with few friends. She cannot seem to keep a job and she is obsessed with Rachel’s podcast. When Rachel abruptly stops broadcasting her podcast, Sera impulsively decides to put her investigative skills to use to try to find her. Finding little information, Sera considers leaving, but with nothing to go back to, she remains at the guest ranch.
Sera first accepts Jed’s explanation that his wife Grace returned to West Texas. She soon discovers Jed is not exactly reliable and Addy absolutely detests him. But Sera turns to him for assistance as she searches for clues to Rachel’s disappearance. Does he know more than he is telling her? And did Grace really return to Texas?
If I Disappear is an intriguing mystery with a unique premise. The characters are eclectic but not very well developed. The storyline is interesting but a little repetitive. Sera is a likable character but her obsession with Rachel is a bit off-putting. The ranch springs vibrantly to life and its remote location adds tension to the unfolding story. With unexpected twists, Eliza Jane Brazier brings this suspenseful mystery to a frustratingly ambiguous conclusion.
