I have thoroughly enjoyed every single book I have ever read by Anne Perry, and I'm really going to miss having the opportunity to read more of them.

I loved Anne's ability to tell a good story with characters who are vastly different and details so vivid that I feel as they are real people. I also loved how she never felt the need to throw in sex scenes or curse words--additions that are in almost every fiction book I have read in recent years.

As always, this is another 5 star book.

A Christmas Vanishing is a great mystery that happens just before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Mariah is invited to spend Christmas with her friend, Sadie and her husband. They have been friends but haven’t seen each other for years. Upon her arrival, she finds Sadie has gone missing and decides she cannot leave until she finds her. With the help of some locals the mystery begins to unfold but will it be too late to save Sadie from her fate?
This is a great story of jealousy, greed, redemption and forgiveness. Mariah has been through a lot since she last saw Sadie and recognized traits she did not like in herself. She has turned her life to one less self centered and judgmental allowing her to want to reconcile with Sadie. As Mariah tries to find her friend she uncovers a lot of information she might not want to know about Sadie and others. Could it all be true? Does someone plan to kill Sadie to keep secrets hidden? This is a great page turner that will keep the reader engaged until the very satisfying ending.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I always feel as if Anne Perry's annual Christmas story is a gift to her readers. A CHRISTMAS VANISHING finds our intrepid investigator searching for her friend. A shorter, quick read for me but always well worth my reading time.

“A Christmas Vanishing” by Anne Perry
A Cozy Read
I enjoyed my time within this sweet rather cozy mystery story. It kept me wondering just how the story would end. And with every new clue that was revealed, I wondered more. I hope you enjoy this story, too ! Happy Reading ! !
Note: This review expresses my honest opinion.
I requested and received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley.

"Charlotte Pitt's clever grandmother investigates the sudden disappearance of her dear friend in this chilling holiday whodunit by New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry.

Mariah Ellison, Charlotte Pitt's grandmother, accepts her longtime friend Sadie's gracious invitation to spend Christmas with her and her husband, Barton, in their picturesque village. But upon arrival, Mariah discovers that Sadie has vanished without a trace, and Barton rudely rescinds the invitation. Once Mariah finds another acquaintance to stay with during the holiday season, she begins investigating Sadie's disappearance.

Mariah's uncanny knack for solving mysteries serves her well during her search, which is driven by gossip as icy as the December weather. Did Sadie run off with another man? Was she kidnapped? Has someone harmed her? Frustratingly, Mariah's questions reveal more about the villagers themselves than about her friend's whereabouts. Yet in the process of getting to know Sadie's neighbors, Mariah finds a kind of redemption, as she rediscovers her kinder side, and her ability to love.

It is up to Mariah to master her own feelings, drown out the noise, and get to the bottom of what occurred, all before Christmas day. With the holiday rapidly approaching, will she succeed in bringing Sadie home in time for them to celebrate it together - or is that too much to hope for?"

A must read this Christmas and perhaps our last Christmas story from Anne Perry who sadly passed this year.

Every year, I know the Christmas season is approaching when Anne Perry's Christmas novella is released. This 21st installment in this long-running series is another highlight. Perhaps a bit darker than some of the others but enjoyable nonetheless and, in the end, heartwarming with the spirit of the season.

Mariah Ellison (Charlotte Pitt's grandmother) is invited to visit her old friend, Sadie Alsop, in a small British village over the holidays but when Mariah arrives, Sadie is nowhere to be found. Of course, Mariah looks for Sadie.

This is another quick, but enjoyable, read in the Anne Perry Christmas series.

Highly recommended!!

Many thanks to both Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of A Christmas Vanishing. The expected publication date is November 7, 2023.

Mariah Ellison is shocked to discover that her friend, Sadie Alsop has disappeared. Why would she have invited Mariah to visit over the Christmas holidays and then vanish in thin air?? Has Sadie run away? Has she been kidnapped? Has someone harmed her? And how long can she survive if she has no shelter from the bitterly cold weather?

I guess I expected a bit more joy in this Christmas novella. It felt a little dreary to me, until the end. I really enjoyed the only other Christmas novella I'd read by this author (A Christmas Legacy) so I was positive I would love A Christmas Vanishing, as well. This one had a message of responsibility and redemption, as well as life lessons ... but it felt a wee bit too dreary to me.

Mariah Ellison goes to a distant village to visit her friend, Sadie, who invited her to come spend the Christmas holidays with her and her husband. Upon arrival, Sadie's husband chooses to not let Mariah stay there and Sadie seems to be gone. Mariah finds another friend who allows her to stay with her and the search for Sadie is on. Everyone in the village has at one time or another, been treated poorly by Sadie and they all seem to not care that she is missing. Mariah was once a bitter, mean-spirited woman who suffered abuse at the hands of her husband. She becomes concerned that Sadie has indeed been kidnapped or even worse, murdered. The search is on.

This is one of the last of the Christmas novellas by the late Anne Perry. Wondered as I read it, if it had been fully edited before Perry's death, as the ending seemed very rushed.

In a small English town in the countryside unusual things are happening. A woman, Mariah Ellison, from London, is invited to an old friends home for the upcoming Christmas holiday. When Mariah arrives; her friend is missing and the husband knows nothing of her invitation to the house. Troubled, Mariah finds a place to stay and begins to look for clues leading to the events that lead to the disappearance of her friend. Along the way Mariah begins to learn things about herself and her friend that she doesn't like. Mariah decides to change her ways and hopes that she can find her friend in time.
This is a wonderfully crafted story that happens in the days leading up the Christmas. The story is woven into an intricate tale about criminal activity, self-awareness, kidnapping, and good sleuthing by an 80 year-old woman and a new friend.

I have read so many Anne Perry books over the last 30 years and have enjoyed every one. That said, my feelings about "A Christmas Vanishing" were different. The main character was Charlotte Pitt's grandmother, Mariah Ellison. Mariah's friend, Sadie, invited her to visit over Christmas but then wasn't there to meet her. No one knew where Sadie was. Mariah encouraged everyone in the small village to look for her.

During the course of this search for the missing woman, Mariah comes to realize that we all have secrets we would rather not have other people know. And we all need forgiveness for something we've done.

The writing was so personal and poignant that I wondered whether Miss Perry realized that her time left on earth was short. Even if other readers don't view the book in that way, I think the messages about lessons learned and offenses forgiven will come through.

"A Christmas Vanishing" is a powerful story that should appeal to many readers. I highly recommend it.

I requested to read and review this book for free from Ballantine Books an Imprint of Random House. This book had mystery, drama, maybe a little romance and betrayal. This has karma written all about it. What happens when a friend disappears? Do you investigate or do you let the police handle it? What happens when the person you know you might not actually know? Forgiveness is it for everyone? Can anyone be forgave? Is there certain action that we do that can't be forgiven ? Mariah and the village of St. Helen's will find out first hand if they can. This book can be read by anyone and anywhere.

I discovered these Christmas novels late, although I’m a long-time fan of Anne Perry’s historical mystery series featuring Thomas Pitt and William Monk. I read and enjoyed the last two and was a bit surprised to be offered this third, given that the author died earlier this year.

Part of the fun is watching how much Perry can pack into less than 200 pages, and “A Christmas Vanishing” does not disappoint. It begins with Mariah Ellison, a Londoner in her eighties who has been reevaluating her own past behavior and not much liking what she’s found. She doesn’t get along with her family well enough to be invited to spend Christmas with them, but she has received an urgent invitation to visit Sadie Alsop, a friend of forty to fifty years before. Mariah travels to St. Helens, only to discover when she arrives in freezing temperatures that Sadie has vanished. Sadie’s husband claims ignorance of his wife’s whereabouts, and so does the rest of the town. But Mariah can’t let matters rest there. She is determined to find an answer, even as long-buried secrets emerge and it becomes clear that she may not have known the real Sadie at all.

I plan to include this novel in the holiday roundup on my blog (link below) in November 2023. It’s a fun read and very short, but still a worthy legacy of a deservedly beloved author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"A Christmas Vanishing" by Anne Perry is the latest of Perry's holiday novellas; this one follows Mariah Ellison, who readers were introduced to in the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt series. Mariah is a complex character, and some of that comes across in this story through her interactions with others and her perspective. I was hoping that this would be a cozy holiday mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie, but it was often quite sad and the "mystery" wasn't as fun to unravel. Although it was a quick read, the grammar and writing style was strange and often difficult to read, unlike other works by Anne Perry. Long story short, if you want a cozy holiday mystery, you're better off with Agatha Christie; if you want to read a fantastic, complex historical mystery series, check out Perry's Pitt novels.

A CHRISTMAS VANISHING by Anne Perry
In this story we find Mariah and she's traveled to visit her friend Sadie, via train schedule she had been sent. She is to spend time with her for Christmas and she's remembering their past lifes together growing up.
When she arrives Sadie is not there and her spouse has no idea when she will return. She travels to her other friends in the neighbored and finds a sister of a friend will welcome her graciously.
She gets along just perfect and she feels very welcome. She then dives into the disappearance of her friend. After talking to many in the town she found out others have a secret involving Sadie and it's troubling to Mariah. She has many who want to help her locale Sadie and it all comes together Christmas eve.
Clues are adding up and the people searching for her scurry through the town while it's snowing out...
Love this type of mystery and I can never guess until it's written down. I also guess someone else.
Sad to learn the author has passed away this year, I have many of her works and can't wait to read the older ones.
Received this review copy from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.
#AChristmasVanishing #NetGalley

Mariah is invited by her friend Sadie to spend the Christmas holidays with her. When Mariah arrives Sadie's husband turns her away saying she has disappeared. Mariah seeks shelter with another old friend and begins trying to find Sadie. During her search she finds her heart softening and caring.

This book was so good right from the beginning. I could hardly put it down. The characters were well developed and extremely likeable. I loved the holiday atmosphere and it made me feel like it was Christmas time even though I read this in the summer. Amazing book!

This was a little repetitive but I’m always impressed at how much scene setting and character development Anne Perry can cram into a novella. It has the forgiveness ending you expect for a Christmas-themed story and I’m hopeful there were a few more finished manuscripts in her drawer.

Anne Perry's final Christmas novella, A Christmas Vanishing, shines a spotlight on Mariah Ellison, the acerbic and once-cruel grandmother of Charlotte Pitt. Mariah was always a character I enjoyed in the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt novels. But after it was revealed that she suffered abuse at the hands of her husband, the character made few appearances in the final Pitt novels. Unfortunately, in A Christmas Vanishing, the Mariah that I once enjoyed is a mere shadow of herself. I know this is a Christmas story, and it's supposed to be uplifting. But without all her sharp edges, the character isn't much fun.

The mystery focuses on the disappearance of Mariah's friend, Sadie. Mariah spends the Christmas season investigating her friend's unexplained absence. But the search leads nowhere, and as Christmas draws near, she worries that Sadie may have been murdered.. The village is full of potential suspects, but which of them would want to kill Sadie?

Perry's Christmas novella was more sentimental than I would have preferred, and at times the narrative seemed overly repetitive. But someone looking for a Hallmark-type of movie with a historical setting may find it enjoyable.

Mariah Ellison, Charlotte Pitt’s widowed grandmother, travels by train to visit Sadie and Barton Alsop for Christmas. Sadie’s fear, implied in her invitation letter, worries Mariah. What’s going on with Sadie? Mariah intends to find out.

My understanding is that Mariah Ellison is a “spin+off character” from Anne Perry’s Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series. This novella is a perfect addition to her Christmas series. It saddens me that Anne Perry has died, but I’m happy she left us this book. There are times while reading this book when it seems like Anne Perry is considering some of her own life’s regrets. I consider this a satisfying slow-paced read. Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review A CHRISTMAS VANISHING.

A Christmas Vanishing is the story of an octogenarian woman who stumbles across a mystery when she is invited to spend Christmas with a friend, but upon arrival, the friend has disappeared. There’s a large collection of characters who all appear to be potential suspects. The setting is industrial revolution era Britain. Although the writing is a little disjointed, the main character is a strong personality. There are hints to her background, and how it affects her views of the various characters in the small town. This book is a quick cozy read just right for a winter afternoon.