Title: The Night She Disappeared by Kevin O’Brien
Publisher: Pinnacle Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 496 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
For fans of Gone Girl and of Harlan Coben and Linwood Barclay’s domestic suspense—a gripping novel by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kevin O’Brien, in which “the other woman” becomes the prime suspect when the wife goes missing.
Some nightmares you can’t forget
From the depths of sleep, Seattle TV reporter Anna Malone awakens to her phone ringing. She rarely drinks, and this hangover is brutal. Why can’t she shake the feeling that something terrible happened last night? And why can’t she recall any of it?
But even worse
What Anna does remember: an awkward restaurant meal with her married lover, Russ Knoll, and his unsuspecting wife, Courtney. Russ’s phone call reveals that Courtney is missing, and as days go by with no trace, he comes under police scrutiny. Anna’s in the spotlight too, thanks to a TV rival with a grudge. Anna’s not proud of her affair, but she and Russ aren’t bad people. They’re certainly not the killing kind.
Is the one you can’t remember . . .
Anna already suspected that Courtney—a successful, charming author—might have a darker side. Is she truly missing? Perhaps the sudden disturbances in Anna’s life aren’t accidental after all. But no scenario that Anna imagines can compare to the twisted game unfolding around her, one chilling piece at a time . . .
Review:
The Night She Disappeared by Kevin O’Brien is an intriguing mystery with plenty of suspense.
Seattle TV Reporter Anna Malone is relieved her current project is almost over. She has been working on a segment starring young adult author Courtney Knoll. Working with her has been very uncomfortable but Anna cannot say no to Courtney’s dinner invitation. Anna dreads the upcoming evening and her dread turns to shock when she sees Courtney’s pediatrician husband Russ at the table.
Anna has nothing against Russ but the last thing she wants to do is spend an evening with the man she has been dating and his wife. Drinking way more than she is used to, Anna has no memory of most of the previous night when she learns Courtney has gone missing. Then Anna notices someone is following her and she begins receiving menacing phone calls. What has happened to Courtney? And why can’t Anna remember what happened the night before?
Anna is a popular reporter without any close immediate family. Both her parents are deceased and her older brother Stuart has been missing for several years. She has never had a serious relationship until she meets Russ. Anna trusts Russ’s assertions his marriage is over but doubts creep in after she begins working with Courtney. Relieved the filming is finally over, Anna is surprised by her videographer George Danziger’s observations about the things he noticed when the two women were working together.
Anna does not agree with Russ’s suggestions about how she should deal with Courtney’s inexplicable disappearance. Anna does hold a few things back when she is questioned by police. However, she does not believe these details have any bearing on why Courtney has vanished. But Anna continues to be troubled by some of her choices and she then makes another decision she soon comes to regret.
The Night She Disappeared is a clever whodunit that is fast-paced and engaging. The storyline is well-written and filled with unexpected twists and turns. Despite her affair, Anna is a likable woman who is a little naïve. The various settings spring vividly to life and one place in particular eventually plays a pivotal role in current events. With plenty of tension, Kevin O’Brien brings this suspenseful mystery to an unanticipated conclusion.
