Audiobook Review: How to Disappear by Gillian McAllister

You can run, you can hide, but can you disappear for good?

Lauren's daughter Zara witnessed a terrible crime. But speaking up comes with a price, and when Zara's identity is revealed online, it puts a target on her back.

The only choice is to disappear.

To keep Zara safe, Lauren will give up everything and everyone she loves, even her husband.

There will be no goodbyes. Their pasts will be rewritten. New names, new home, new lives.

The rules are strict for a reason. They are being hunted. One mistake - a text, an Instagram like - could bring their old lives crashing into the new.

They can never assume someone isn't watching, waiting.

As Lauren will learn, disappearing is easy. Staying hidden is harder.

As a big fan of Gillian McAllister, I've been looking forward to reading How to Disappear for a while, but with a TBR as tall as me, and NetGalley reviews due, I'd been saving it. When I found out the one and only Nicola Walker was the narrator on the audiobook version, I had to buy that version too! If her voice acting is as good as her screen acting, then I knew I was going to be in for a treat. Spoiler alert: it's amazing. 

This gripping psychological-suspense thriller is told from the viewpoints of four characters - Lauren, her daughter Zara, her husband Aiden and her stepdaughter Poppy... a family torn apart by the ripple effect of an awful crime. Each and every character feels as real as you and me, with quirks and flaws that make them leap off the page. In fact, it's one of the best books I've read in terms of character (and if you've read any of my other reviews, you'll know how important characters are to me). These very real characters made this book so emotional because I felt like I really got to know them and genuinely cared what happened to them. 

The plot itself is unpredictable, twisting and turning all over the place. I found myself listening at every opportunity... in the bath, in the car, before bed (not recommended if you actually want to sleep!). I was completely and utterly addicted to this. The settings of London, the Lake District and York are so wonderfully brought to life in each scene. 

What really brought this book to life was the audiobook narration. I know, I know, I'm biased because I love Nicola Walker so much. But she really did this book justice. I'm quite new to audiobooks, this being the second one I've listened to, and now my expectations for all future audiobooks are sky-high! Nicola is the perfect choice of narrator for this type of book, bringing crystal-clear narration with perfect pacing and effective nuances for each character, so you know who's speaking even without her telling you. 

This is not only the best book Gillian has ever written, but it's one of the best psychological thrillers I've ever read. It's tense, chilling and beautifully-written - all the ingredients required for a compelling, keep-you-up-at-night thriller. I already know this will make my top ten books of 2020!

You can get your hands on How to Disappear in paperback, ebook and audiobook now. 

Roxie

@RoxieAdelleKey

About the author

Gillian McAllister is the Sunday Times Top 10 bestselling author of Everything But The Truth, Anything You Do Say, No Further Questions and The Evidence Against You. How To Disappear is her latest release, a witness protection thriller. She is published in ten countries around the world. 

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon 

www.gillianmcallister.com