I thought I knew what had happened. I was wrong! Great read!

Great read, in the vein of Girl in Cabin 10. Quick pacing make the book go by quickly. The characters are interesting enough to want to continue reading.

This story starts out with a family enjoying a day on the beach. Mom Billie goes out hiking and does not come back. Her daughter starts to see visions of her mother and feels that she is still alive. The husband starts to investigate and the story unfolds.

Watch Me Disappear read more like a YA novel to me. I didn't like Gone Girl or The Girl On The Train so I guess it's no surprise that I didn't like this either (although I hoped I would). The situations and plot twists seemed contrived and flimsy. Everything was overly explained at the end, which became boring. The characters were in denial the whole way through, they didn't feel real and didn't seem to live in real world or know how to interact with other people.

I received this book "Watch Me Disappear" from Netgalley for my honest review.

I did enjoy this book. There are twists and turns and I am so glad that the author wrote a great ending. The ending really surprised me. The story is about Billie the mom who is a free spirit, her husband Jonathan and their daughter Olive. Although I felt the beginning was dragging for me I'm glad that I kept reading. How well do you really know someone? No one really knows the real you, everyone has secrets and things that they keep to themselves. Because of the surprise ending I need to give this a 5 even though it started off slow for me.

I devoured this psychological thriller/suspense novel in less than 24 hours. Once I started reading, I could not stop!

“Watch Me Disappear” by Janelle Brown is the story of Billie, a seemingly perfect wife and mother who was able to “spin magic... to be such a terrific parent when she’d had such bad ones”. Billie disappears and is presumed dead during a solo hike in Desolation Wilderness. Making the story even sadder is that the family was just about as close to perfect as you could get. Johnathan, Billie’s husband, is a senior editor at a flourishing magazine/web site and Olive, her daughter, is a student at a prestigious private school. Everyone seems to love Billie and want to be around her. She is beautiful and a great wife and mother. The author had me loving her; she reads Tana French… how could I not! However, as the story progresses, we realize all is not as it seems.

Most of the story takes place a few weeks shy of the year anniversary of Billie’s death. It makes us question how well we know those around us.

The author writes a perfect story that leaves you guessing what truly happens until the last few paragraphs. She answers every question that is raised throughout the book. Often, with suspense/thrillers, an author throws out bait to make several characters seem guilty or to make the reader question different characters and their motives. Often, some of those little nagging tidbits are never addressed. The author addressed each and every one!

The book did drag a tiny bit in the first few chapters, but the reader needed to get a feel for the characters, their backgrounds and personalities. I felt like a time or two the author got out the dictionary and added some big words (I had to look up a few like ennui, ineffably, nascent, fugging, carapace). Neither of these is a deal breaker… just pointing out.

I enjoyed this book so much that after finishing this review, I plan to purchase and read her previous novels.

Release/Publication Date: July 11, 2017

Genre: Psychological, thriller, suspense

Cover: Perfect. I liked how the text disappears into the water. At first, I did not care for the cover as the mountains play such a large part in this book. However, upon finishing the novel, I realize that the ocean is a perfect depiction.

Source: I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thanks you!

Rating: 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an ARC of Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown.
Billie Finnigan is a bit of a free spirit. She bucks tradition and values independence and freedom. She sets out for a solo hike, telling her husband and daughter, she'll return in a few days time. Billie never returns. Her family is left wondering did Billie die,did she intentionally disappear or was she taken? Daughter Olive is convinced her mom is still alive and in trouble. Olive insists Billie has been visiting her in dreams, requesting help. Husband Jonathan, would like to put the past behind him and learn to begin again. Billie was certainly his soul mate, but chasing ghosts is not healthy. When father and daughter begin to piece together the past and present, certain events begin to haunt them.
This was my first time reading Janelle Brown and I was not sure what to expect. The beginning started slow for me and I was having trouble connecting with all the characters. The first third of the book, I found myself questioning the author's plot devices and decisions. It wasn't until the last third, that this story really picked up speed and became a full on twisty unexpected thriller. While I still never learned to care for the characters, I did become a fan of Janelle Brown. I would recommend this book, as a good beach read!

I enjoyed the story and learning more about Billie and her family. It was an interesting take on a mom who disappears and how those who love her won't give up. You learn about the family dynamic of a grieving dad and daughter who have their different lives, opinions on their loved one, and how they are all managing to move on (or not).

It dragged on at times, and I was hoping for a bit more suspense. Instead, everything interesting happened toward the end of the book. And at that point it felt rushed and late - especially with a long Epilogue.

It was an interesting take on family life and personal investigation, but I was hoping for more of a gripping, page-turner.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC, for which I have given an honest and unbiased review*

Watch Me Disappear was an interesting read for me. I was simultaneously drawn in by the story and completely repulsed by the main character. Everything about this story expect for Billie worked for me. The mystery, the slow-burn pace, the way we discovery truths at the same time as the characters, and even the over-arching story line worked for me. What didn't work for me was the complete selfishness of Billie. I finished this book and threw it against the wall, but I still couldn't stop thinking about it days later.

I've read and enjoyed previous Jennifer Jaynes novels, so it was a treat to be approved for "Watch Me Disappear". The characters were terrific, well-developed and realistic. The problem is that this book moved too slowly. The first two chapters I zipped through, but after that I kept finding reasons to not pick the book back up.

This is never a good sign for a reader, and though I forced myself to finish this book it certainly took the scenic route getting to the end. The resolution to this story was ok, but nothing to crow about.

Such a good book! This is a real page turner! I give it 5 stars and a strong recommendation!

Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown immediately pulls the reader into an interesting story but before you realize it you have a difficult time putting down the book. Watch Me Disappear becomes a compelling page turner. I definitely want to read more by Ms Brown. I was given an early copy to review.

.3.5. Stars
I loved the prose! I loved the premise! I loved the pace of the plot...until I didn't.

Watch Me Disappear is an enticing read! The suspenseful storyline was engaging. I was thoroughly immersed in the clever plot. The dynamic, multi dimensional characters were authentic and each voice distinct and believable.The author's writing style was so very enjoyable; her word choice and vivid imagery was delightfully beautiful. The denouement was satisfying and non predictable. The exceptional skill of the author is evident in the denouement. Outstanding ending!

Having said that, I must say this: at the 50% point in reading, I felt the pace slow to a crawl; enough of the twists and red herrings; get on with it! And that was a problem- too MUCH detail and irrelevant sub plots did nothing to push the plot forward, and my interest stagnated. I skipped to the 80% point, and didn't feel I had " missed" anything; I was able to resume reading with clarity and understanding.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

At last, a story I can whole-heartedly recommend! A father and daughter must cope with the disappearance and probable death of their larger-than-life wife and mother. An image of Billie is revealed through alternating chapters told by the father and daughter. At first impression Billie seems like the cliche of every woman of literature who dazzles her awestruck family by her spontaneity, her boldness and her uncompromising principles. Soon, however the facade begins to crack. The reader begins to suspect Billie's actions and motives. The author does a superb job of revealing just enough information to keep the reader engaged and looking for answers. Right up to the last sentence the story unfolds in ways that will keep you guessing. A very entertaining story with characters who grow and leave you hopeful.

This was not one of my favorite books. I found it to be very slow-moving story of Billie (a mother/wife) who disappears while hiking alone. She has been missing for a year without a trace. At this point, the husband would like her legally declared dead so that he can move on, and so that he may collect the life insurance because he and his daughter have hardly any money left. It is at this point that the daughter, Olive begins seeing her mother in visions from beyond. (I am not into this psychic stuff.)
Having said that, I did feel that the book started to move along and become more interesting as we started to find out more about Billie's past life. I truly appreciated the ending since it really did explain how everyone was coping and what truly happened to Billie. I didn't see that coming!

I found myself stopping and starting this book often. For me, it didn't really pick up until chapter three; once the possibility that the wife may have had an affair. I feel like this book could be about 50 or 60 pages shorter if some of the excess is trimmed away. There was so many details (like Olive realizing she's gay) that don't lead the reader anywhere important, nor do they help develop the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this book! It was more of a 4.5, for me. Its about a mom that goes missing and just before the one year anniversary of her disappearance, the daughter starts having visions of her mom and believes she is still alive and wants her daughter to find her. The story takes so many unseen twists and keeps you guessing to the very end. It causes you to ponder how much one actually knows about a spouses past. You will not be able to put this book down, simply because, you just have to know...

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book held my interest and is very well written. I recommend it highly.

This was a page turner! I loved the relationship between the father and his daughter - very real for a teenager in crisis! Hope there is a sequel to this one. Thanks for a fun read!

The prologue of this story sets the tone and lets you know that you are in for an interesting ride. Small bits of foreshadowing along the way begin to chip away at the belief that everyone has lived with for the past year. The two main characters, Jonathan and his daughter Olive, each work on different theories as they continue to investigate the disappearance of Billie. Olive is haunted by cryptic visions of her mother while Jonathan uncovers gaps and inconsistencies in Billie's past, casting doubt on whether or not he actually really knew his wife at all. The whole situation has put an enormous strain on Jonathan and Olive's relationship, complicated by the fact that Olive is a typical teenager and Jonathan is somewhat clueless as to how to deal with her.

As the story progresses, more secrets come to light. Jonathan and Olive begin to grow closer together as they convince each other that things are not as they once seemed, and their beliefs start to coincide as their investigations continue to uncover more strange happenings from the past and present.

There is an alternate storyline that focuses on a memoir that Jonathan is writing about his life and times with Billie. From this we get glimpses into how their relationship was formed and shaped, but as the story progresses Jonathan begins to question the certainty of it all. The character development in this novel is slow and methodical. Every detail is perfectly placed, keeping you guessing until the very end.

I would recommend this book to fans of mysteries and thrillers. I received this as a free ARC from Spiegel & Grau, Random House, on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.