I didn't realize Before He Vanished was part of a series, I haven't read any of the other books within the series. I thought this book was not bad.

This is the sixth book in the Winchester, Tennessee series in the Harlequin Intrigue line by Debra Webb.
I am seriously loving these books!!

The story hooked me in from the start & I just had to know what happened!
If you love a good romantic suspense mystery thriller, definitely check out this series. You won’t be disappointed.

Before we start out, I’m getting this out of the way because I will forget to do it if I don’t. I got a review copy from the publisher so I could do my read and review thing. In other words. Per FTC guidelines so I won’t get fined, I’m telling you, the reader, that I got a free book to read from the publisher so I could review it! This doesn’t influence me in any manner because I am an opinionated woman who doesn’t know how to not speak her mind. But I don’t feel like paying the government money for not mentioning the free book thing, so here we are, stuck in this never-ending cycle of having to mention this. I got a free book to read from the publisher so I could talk about whether I liked it or not. Shocking, I know.
We’re returning to Winchester, Tennessee once again today with Before He Vanished and I am actually pretty excited to tell you that Debra Webb delivers two of my favourite tropes to me on a silver platter and I enjoyed every page of it! I’m talking about best friends to lovers and traumatic forgotten childhoods. Oh, my gods, that sounds so bad, but honestly, it’s a “samesies” relatable thing, I swear. Halle Lane and Andy Clark were best friends attached at the hip their entire childhood until Andy disappeared one day when they were seven. Twenty-five years later, Halle is an investigative reporter at the Winchester Gazette and takes the opportunity to launch an investigative series of articles on the anniversary of her friend’s disappearance. And somebody (I love mysterious somebodies) sends her article to Liam Hart in Napa, California. Liam and his sister, Claire, are both surprised to see little Liam’s face in an article about a missing kid from Tennessee twenty-five years ago. Liam’s steadfast that it’s a joke, but Claire’s more open to the idea and suggests he go to Tennessee. I like Claires. They’re always so astute. I need a Claire in my life, please.
The thing that really rubbed. Halle and Liam vacillate between their past and present relationships, Halle likens Liam to Andy every time you turn a page, understandably, but I do wonder if the romance is between Halle and Liam or Halle and Andy. Yes, they're the same guy, but does she love adult Liam because he's Andy and she never got to see that childhood first love thing through or not? I don't really see that explored in the book. The same goes for Liam. Halle was Andy's #1 everything, and twenty-five years later, he has her in his face again and is he Andy or is he Liam? Does he like Halle or did Andy and he's just seeing it through? And this really bothered me, okay?
Before He Vanished was a joy to read in that Webb spins the story in a way that you expect and then she hits you from behind with another twist and you sit there trying to figure out how you got there. I know I said in my previous Winchester review that I was a bit disappointed in the ending, but this time, Webb tied my ends up nice and neat for me, and she gave me cute childhood memories to boot! Before He Vanished has low-heat romance and a couple murders to be solved, oodles of intrigue, and just a splash predictability.
Now, as per usual, I have content warnings for you! If you feel that forewarned is forearmed, all you need to do is click the reveal button and you have the content and trigger warnings. As always, please practise care in your readings if any of these might be problematic for you, and if you have any questions about them, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about them, I'll try my best to remember the details if I can't look them up! Please note that these warnings do contain spoiler materials.
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This book contains the kidnapping of a child, murder, gun violence, a car accident involving a child (non-fatal), arson, and black market children
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Overall, I’m going to be giving Before He Vanished 4 stars and just 1 flame for heat. I’ve enjoyed finding Winchester, Tennessee and I’ve actually bought the The Undertaker’s Daughter series to read in my down-time so I’m obviously recommending this to y’all. This book is available wherever Harlequin romances are sold, so go check it out for yourself.

submitted to Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Amazon pending approval...

This is the sixth book in the Winchester Tennessee series. I did not read any of the previous books in this series, I situation I will be remedying, but I had no issues following this story at all.

Halle Lane has recently returned home to Winchester Tennessee after breaking off her engagement as well as losing her job at the paper in Nashville. She is working for the local paper trying to make a name for herself. When she suggests a story about a missing boy in the 25th anniversary, her editor gives the go ahead for her to try and get an interview with the boy’s mother. That is the easy part, as Halle was the missing boy’s neighbour and best friend before his disappearance when they were only seven years old. When Liam Hart receives an anonymous copy of Halle’s article in the mail, he realizes that he looks like the boy in the article. At his sister’s insistence, he heads to Winchester to talk to this reporter and find out why someone sent him the article.

Wow, this was a great story. I was hooked from the first page and was gripped until the end. I agreed with Halle that this was Andy, her missing friend, but how and why did he end up in California? When other people end up dead, the mystery ratchets up as well as the suspense. As Liam and Halle work together, Liam begins to remember things and he and Halle realize that the feelings they had when they were little, are quickly developing into something more serious. They seem to be racing against the clock to find out what is going on before someone else ends up dead. This was a relatively short book, but the plot and characters were well developed. I felt the tension as more clues were revealed and another twist occured. I loved the ending and epilogue of this story. After everything Liam and Halle went through, they deserved a happy ending. I definitely recommend this one to those who enjoy a mystery, a romantic suspense or a story with just enough twists to lead the reader on an enjoyable search.

I really enjoyed this book. I don't do a lot of suspense novels, but I loved the storyline on this one. A little boy was kidnapped from his home and isn't heard of again until someone lets Liam Hart know about an article that appeared in a local newspaper, 25 years after the fact. It's a mesmerizing tale of suspense, murder, romance, intrigue, and people not being who you thought they were. I wanted the main characters to get together because they were childhood sweethearts. You'll have to read the book to figure that one out!

What was the romance novel that got you hooked on the genre (or: What was the romance
novel that inspired you to become a romance author?)

A: I’ve always written stories, but it wasn’t until about a year after I started writing with a goal of
actually being published that I understood what I wanted to do. A friend who had a home library
that looked much like a small Barnes & Noble store read my newest completed manuscript and
announced that I was writing romance. She thrust a book from her extensive library at me and
said, “read this.” The book was Perfect Partners by Jayne Ann Krentz! I was hooked!

2. Please share in your own words what it means to experience That Harlequin Feeling

A: Sometimes life can throw some really tough times your way. There is nothing like a great
book to give you a mini-vacation away from those less pleasant times. Harlequin has published
about 60 books in my Colby Agency series. I’ve received a great deal of fan mail about Victoria
Colby and her team. One I remember well was from a lady who needed extensive eye surgery
and would literally be unable to read for an entire year. At the end of her ordeal once her eyes
started to recover, she wrote to me and said that one thing that helped her get through that
dark period was the four Colby books that were released during that time. She couldn’t wait to
see what would happen next with the Colby Agency.

3. What was the name of your first published novel, and tell us a bit about that experience?

A: Safe By His Side, a Harlequin Intrigue! When I received “the call,” I was in the middle of
preparing for my local school’s annual harvest festival. I was the PTA president and in charge of
the event! I was so overwhelmed by emotion that I couldn’t stop crying during the call. The
editor said she would call me the next day. The rest of that day all I wanted to do was tell
everyone and celebrate, but I couldn’t! Not to worry, I celebrated plenty later!

WOW! Debra keeps you on the edge of your chair when reading her books. Before He Vanished kept me reading from the first page to the very last page and left me with a very short sleep because I could not put this read down.

I really loved this book. It is part of a series but I read it as a stand alone and loved it. The characters and their relationship was perfect and I loved the ending. The twist at the end of the book was surprising and it tied up all of the loose ends perfectly. Highly recommended

This really is an intriguing read, with great characters, an excellent plot and a surprising twist!

Halle Lane is a journalist who has returned to her Tennessee home town after a disastrous end to her marriage also resulted in the end of her job there. She’s working on the local bi-weekly paper and hopes to be able to carry out more investigative journalism. She suggests they do a feature regarding the disappearance of her childhood best friend and neighbour, Adam, as this will be the twenty-fifth anniversary of that event. Little did she know just what she’d trigger or the surprises in store for her!

A copy of the article she wrote is sent to Liam Hart and he’s astonished to see photographs of his younger self included in it. How could he be that missing child? What is the explanation? He’s determined to find out and travels to speak with the journalist concerned.

Halle is convinced that Liam is the same person she knew as a child. He can’t believe it. However, he has flash backs to memories and wants to know more. As the two work together to uncover the truth, there will be unexpected consequences, including murders and kidnapping. The childhood friendship and connection is still there but will that be enough to help them solve the mystery and live to tell the tale?

This story is a real page turner that had me engrossed from the start. The characters are well developed and easy to relate to and the romance grows as the story progresses. There are plenty of leads to be followed but all are not what they purport to be, placing them both in danger. This is another fantastic read by Debra Webb and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it to anyone who enjoys reading intriguing romantic suspense!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it and being unable to put it down until I’d finished it!

Halle Lane’s best friend Liam was the person she most felt herself with 25 years ago.

Liam Hart arrives in Winchester and Halle is certain the man is the same child who vanished. Liam wants Hallie to help uncover past mysteries.....but will it be too late or will a killer get to Liam first?

I loved this Harlequin Intrigue novel! Debra Webb is so skilled at building suspense. showing relationships and keeping the reader hooked, I can tell. And this is my first novel by her.

I felt for Halle and Liam and the way their story was woven into the novel in an early chapter was a good tactic. I felt for Liam's mother and the atmosphere was absorbing all the time.

Thanks to Debra Webb and Harlequin Intrigue for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I'll DEFINITELY be seeking out more by Debra Webb!

5 stars.

Never a dull moment. Fast, suspenseful heartfelt and gripping. I only wish I had discovered this series earlier.

Liam receives a newspaper article in the mail. It is a story about a lost boy over twenty-five years ago. This story sends his life into a tailspin. He decides to find out more. He travels to Tennessee to find the reporter and get to the bottom of this problem.

Halle knows the instant she lays eyes on Liam. This is her lost friend. However, Liam does not believe this at all. Then…there is a murder. And Liam just gets pulled closer and closer to the truth.

This novel is more mystery and suspense than I expected. I was really caught up in Liam’s story. The where, when and the WHY….had me captivated from the very start.

I really believe Debra Webb has become one of my favorite southern authors. She has fabulous stories with wonderful characters. Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Before He Vanished in part of the Winchester TN series. It can be read as a stand alone. In this story, Halle has never forgotten her best friend Andy after he vanished when they were severn. Now a reporter, she is determined to figure out what happened. Liam gets a mysterious letter in the mail that leads him down a path that will change his life forever.

I really enjoyed this one. I am quickly becoming a fan of this author's writing. She has the ability to suck me right into a mystery and leave me not wanting to stop reading until I reach the conclusion. The solution to what happened to Alex was not what I was expecting. Sprinkled throughout the story are scenes of Halle and Andy when they were little. I loved those scenes. You could tell that they would have remained close friends had he not disappeared. . I highly recommend this one!

Here's the thing with Harlequin y'all (and I'm new to the imprint), you know you're going to get a good story. Whether it's love or suspense or a combination of the two, what you find in the pages will keep you reading.

This one is about Halle Lane, a reporter where her own story she just can't forget. Twenty five years ago, her best friend Andy vanished. She's never forgotten that friendship, and all these years later she still longs for answers as to where her friend has gone. She decides to write an article about the mystery.

And then Liam shows up. The resemblance to her friend Andy is uncanny. It just has to be him! Only problem is Liam has absolutely no idea who/what Halle is talking about. Liam has his own recollections of the past, and that certainly doesn't involve a childhood as Andy.

The story is then Halle and Liam trying to figure out their connection. Halle remains convinced Liam might be the answer to Andy's disappearance. With time, Liam starts to wonder if their childhood connection is true as outlandish as that seems.

This is a quick, easy read. The twists and turns are well-paced, and it keeps you turning the pages. The intrigue about Liam's identity also kept me guessing as it seemed like he had to be Andy, but also, how could he be Andy? The way this connects to Halle's past and present was also really well done as the two parts of her story were also an important driving force.

Overall, this one just met that need for a good suspenseful read. It was well-written and and gave me that hit of intrigue and mystery I'm perpetually craving.

This is an excellent suspence that kept me on the edge and turning pages as fast as I could.
It's not the first book I read by Ms Webb and I know she can surely writes book that are page-turner.
This one was no exception.
The plot is well crafted and keeps you guessing till the end that came as a surprise to me.
I liked the characters, they're likeable and well thought, and rooted for Halle and Liam, appreciating how strong their chemistry is.
The setting is vivid and well described, a place I'd like to visit.
I liked how she described the sufferance of the family and how she developed the plot, full of twist and turns.
It was an engrossing and entertaining read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Loved tbe story as well as the characters can`t wait to read more by this author, loved how fast pace it was and kept me guessing

Reporter Halle Lane has never forgotten her childhood best friend, Andy, who mysteriously disappeared twenty five years ago. In the intervening years, Andy’s parents have never given any interviews about their lost son. Andy’s father has since died, and Halle decides to approach his mother, who, surprisingly agrees to be interviewed. She makes a cryptic statement about finally telling the whole story, but before the interview takes place, she is murdered.

Meanwhile, across the country, Liam Hart receives an anonymous letter, which contains a copy of the newspaper article about Andy’s kidnapping. The pictures of the young boy show that he looks identical to Liam in his childhood photos. Ironically, Liam’s family have no pictures of him before he was seven years old, telling him that those photos were lost in a fire. With his father deceased, and his stepmother on an extended European trip, Liam impulsively decides to travel to Tennessee, to confront the reporter who wrote the story.

Almost as soon as Halle sees Liam, she is positive he is the little boy, Andy, she loved as a seven year old child. Liam is not convinced at all, and in fact, totally rejects the idea. He has no memories of this town, or of Halle. He does, however, agree to accompany her as they follow the trail of young Andy’s life. When the evidence begins to suggest the unthinkable, Liam struggles with the fact that his whole life, as he knows it, may be a lie.

This is my first book by Debra Webb, and I was genuinely wowed! Though it’s a suspense novel, it has such heart and emotion. The story alternates between the present and twenty five years ago, to the solid love between two seven year old best friends, who appeared to be true soul mates even back then. Their affection, closeness, and joy in each other was so honestly portrayed, that my heart broke at their cruel separation. Today, Liam can’t deny that he feels a strong pull toward Halle, even though his world is crumbling. Is what they’re both feeling for each other now just a continuation of that childhood love, or is it a whole new attraction? I love the kind and thoughtful person Liam is, and I love how Halle didn’t try to bulldoze him into accepting that he was Andy. She calmly presented her facts, and supported Liam as they worked their way through the layers of lies and deception to the shocking truth. BEFORE HE VANISHED is a shorter book, and flows along at a quick and exciting pace -- one of those I didn’t want to end, yet couldn’t wait to get to the end. It’s so well written, and I believe it holds great appeal for readers who love tantalizing suspense as well as heartfelt romance.

This is only the second book I've read in Debra Webb's Winchester, Tennessee series, but I'm really enjoying these characters. Like the last book, this one does work as a standalone, as the author does give us any backstory we may need as this one progresses. I liked the mystery in this one, and while I had some guesses about some of it, I didn't have it all figured out. I will say that the reveal was a bit convoluted, but not so much that I was put off by it. Halle and Liam were both likable characters and there was good chemistry between them from the beginning, and they were easy to root for. We also get some glimpses of Halle and Andy when they were children that were not only sweet, but they make these characters even more endearing. To sum it up, the romance is sweet, the mystery is - well, mysterious, and the story moves at a good pace for an entertaining read that has this series firmly on my radar.

Before He Vanished by Debra Webb has Halle Lane back in Winchester, Tennessee and working at the Winchester Gazette. Her best friend, Andy Clark disappeared twenty-five years ago on his way home from school. Andy’s mother, Nancy has never talked to a reporter. Halle is given the assignment of interviewing Nancy for an article. Halle is pleased when Nancy agrees to an interview and the article is picked up by other papers. Liam Hart gets an envelope in the mail with a copy of Halle’s article. The pictures of young Andy Clark look just like his childhood photos. Liam arrives in Winchester looking for answers. Halle is shocked when she looks in Liam’s eyes and sees those of her missing friend. Halle and Liam begin digging into the past searching for answers. Before He Vanished has such an intriguing premise (it is why I picked up this book). You cannot help but wonder what happened to Andy Clark. Is Liam really Andy or just a look alike? There is suspense, murder, mystery, romance and intrigue. The mystery moves the story forward as they search for the truth. The story moves back-and-forth between the past (then) and present (now). Before He Vanished has a clever mystery with surprising twists (my type of mystery). There is romance (of course) as Halle and Liam search for the truth. I liked the epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story. Before He Vanished can be read on its own if you have not read the other novels in A Winchester, Tennessee Thriller series (this is the sixth installment). This is the second book I have read by Debra Webb and I am looking forward to reading more. Before He Vanished is an intriguing romantic suspense with a kidnapped child, a resolved reporter, a mystified man and a curious crime.

Romantic suspense virtuoso Debra Webb is back with a nail-biting page-turner which once again kept me reading all through the night: Before He Vanished, the latest stand-alone instalment in her fabulous, Winchester, Tennessee series.

Halle Lane never imagined that her life would turn out like this. Back home after she was let go from her job and the breakdown of her marriage, Halle is eking out a living working as a journalist in a small town where she is relegated to covering stories her colleagues are not interested in. Halle would love nothing more than to be back in the field chasing exciting leads and writing thrilling copy like she used to in Nashville before things went south for her. However, could being back home end up giving Halle not just the story of a lifetime, but the chance to solve a decades old mystery involving her childhood best friend who had vanished off the face of the earth twenty-five years ago? Halle finds herself bringing to the fore long-buried secrets and old demons that had lain dormant for nearly three decades, but is she ready to go down dark and twisted roads that could plunge her into all manner of danger and jeopardy? Halle must tread with caution because one wrong move could end up ruining everything and she could end up paying the ultimate price for her curiosity…

Liam Hart had always believed that he had the perfect childhood. Adored by his parents and brought up in a safe and loving environment, Liam had always thought that he knew who he was and where he came from – until he received a newspaper cutting that ends up shaking the foundation of his entire world. Liam is flabbergasted when he sees his childhood photo staring up at him from a newspaper article from twenty-five years ago about a missing child. As all manner of questions come to the fore about a past which seems shrouded in mystery and secrets, Liam realizes that the only way he can find the answers to his questions is if he goes to Winchester himself and speaks to the reporter investigating this story, Halle Lane.

Halle is convinced that Liam is her childhood friend and as together they begin to piece the shattered fragments of what really happened twenty-five years ago, they find themselves developing an attraction to one another. As their feelings for each other intensify, Liam and Halle realize that if they want to get to the truth about what happened twenty-five years ago, then they must work together because they do not have a lot of time on their hands as a dangerous killer is on the loose determined to keep the past buried.

Debra Webb certainly knows how to make her readers’ hearts pound and she does this and more in her latest novel, Before He Vanished. Expertly intertwining romance, emotion, danger and suspense, Before He Vanished is a captivating, thrilling and immensely enjoyable tale that will keep readers on the edge of their seats throughout.

Halle and Liam are two terrific characters who are wonderfully written, brilliantly rendered and sure to have readers cheering for them as they find themselves totally caught up in their mesmerizing story.

When readers pick up a novel by Debra Webb, they know they are in good hands and Before He Vanished is another phenomenal read from this outstanding storyteller.

Halle Lane is a reporter who has returned home after a divorce to try and revive her career as a reporter. She has an idea for a story that would get her back in the papers, but she will need to convince the mother of her best friend to give her an interview. Her best friend Andy disappeared when he was a child with no clues as to his whereabouts. Twenty five years later, there are still no leads, but Halle wants to tell his story to honor his memory.

Liam is working at his family’s vineyard when he gets an anonymous envelope in the mail. Inside is a new article about a missing boy from twenty five years ago with a photo. When Liam looks at the photo, he recognizes himself…how could this be? And who sent the article? Liam decides to travel to the town where this boy disappeared to find some answers.

When Halle meets Liam, she immediately knows that he is Andy, but how did he just show up in town? Halle and Liam quickly team up to find some answers. Can she prove to him that he is the lost boy? When someone gets murdered, things quickly heat up and can they figure out what really happened so long ago?

I love the mystery of the story as well as the characters. This book is the sixth in the series, and not reading the previous books, I had no problem reading the book as a stand a lone novel. It had all the ingredients to tell a brilliant story, love, loss, intrigue and murder. I couldn’t put this book down and read it in one day. Now I’m off to find the first books in the series to catch up. Thank you so much to the author, Debra Webb, Harlequin and Netgalley for an advanced copy of the book to read and review. It was fabulous.

I grabbed this book because I really love the author. I’ve read many books by her before and I was excited to give this one a try. The storyline was intriguing: a 25 year-old mystery of “the lost boy” from Winchester, TN.

There is a previous mystery mentioned at the start of this book, so I’m guessing it’s part of a series (likely written by different authors, as Harlequin tends to do). That said, I never felt as if I was missing anything. Really, the two main characters, Halle and Liam, are who we have featured about 95% of the time, so it doesn’t have an ensemble feel to it. I certainly wasn’t lost at all and it doesn’t have a lead in to another mystery, so it’s solidly a standalone.

I like Halle a lot. She was besties with the boy who disappeared, and some of the story is told in brief flashbacks where you can tell how close they were, even as very young children. She never could completely move on with her life because of his disappearance. It affected things, including her failed marriage.

Liam took some time to grow on me. I understand his confusion and denial, but sometimes he came across as throwing a temper tantrum instead of handling things like an adult who’s also a very successful businessman. Some of the story was very obvious and he wouldn’t accept anything, even things that clearly were factual and true. I get that it meant his entire life was a lie, but he was occasionally cruel in his behavior, figuratively slapping Halle with his words.

I also didn’t feel chemistry between them as adults. The funny thing was, in the flashbacks they were so close and easy with each other…I could tell if they’d been allowed to grow up they would have always been close. It was during those scenes I could absolutely believe they’d fall in love and be together forever. But as adults, Liam spent so much time being angry around Halle, I struggled with their relationship, and the HEA ending didn’t feel believeable.

The mystery was decent, though, and although I figured out much of it, the actual complete truth was something I didn’t see. Wanting to see how it all played out kept me turning pages. And, like all of the author’s books, the writing was vivid and evocative, allowing images to play out in my mind as I read the words.

So, while this may not have been Ms. Webb’s strongest book (in my opinion), it’s certainly entertaining and I’m glad I read it. And, I’m definitely excited to try whatever she has coming out next.