This was a delightful book exploring the early 1700’s Scotland time period concerning several common families on the edges of the Jacobite revolution but really focusing on the lives of those families and not the royalty and who was in power. The romance woven into this story was convoluted but I found the ending thoroughly satisfying. This was quite well done and I would read more stories featuring these people. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for this copy of #thevanisheddays to read and review.

Susanna Kearsley is one of my favorite historical fiction authors, and I was looking forward to reading her new book. I probably wouldn't have picked up The Vanished Days just based on the synopsis, but I knew Susanna would 't disappoint me because her writing is so engrossing. The Vanished Days has everything I love in a historical fiction book: interesting historical events, fascinating and compelling characters (real and fictional), a little bit of mystery, and a little bit of romance. The Vanished Days is a prequel to The Winter Sea, which I've read and loved years ago, and after reading The Vanished Days, I want to reread The Winter Sea. I highly recommend The Vanished Days to historical fiction and Outlander fans.

I felt the story had a very slow start and was a little hard to follow the laws and political workings of that particular time period.

The Vanished Days
by Susanna Kearsley
Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
Simon and Schuester

A sweeping love story set against the Jacobite revolution from much-loved, million-copy bestselling author Susanna Kearsley

There are many who believe they know what happened, but they do not know the whole of it. The rumors spread, and grow, and take their hold, and so to end them I have been persuaded now to take my pen in hand and tell the story as it should be told…
The story started slow, but I developed a quick attachment to Lilly & her story is what kept me plowing through. I struggled a bit trying to follow the laws & political workings of this time period. I loved the "twist" at the end that I did not see coming. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuester for the ARC. Great book!
5star

This novel drew my attention immediately when I saw the Scottish connection. It kept my attention with lovely story-telling blended with historical knowledge. Ms. Kearsley painted a vivid picture of life during the late 1600's into early 1700's. The value of women was so little and it's heartbreaking to think about. In addition, the brutality of the time was difficult to imagine.

The Vanished Days not only provides a rich historical account of the time period, it also gives the reader an engrossing love story that spans years. Even though there is a lovely romance, this book also provides a story that reflects the love of family and friends. It shows dedication and respect that could be provided by one person even though the next person could be callous and cruel. It seems it was often difficult to know who you could trust.

The main character, Lily had lived a difficult life. She'd been loved and supported by some and failed by many. Her ability to trust others had been altered by life's experiences. Yet, she forges on through life and strives to protect those she loves. I had an incredible amount of respect for this character and everything she had lived through. The many people who she knew and loved along the way all helped to shape her into the person she became - - a loyal woman who prioritized her family and still held hope for a better tomorrow.

I enjoyed the entire book - - and my experience was improved even more towards the end when the author added in a clever twist. Wonderful story telling.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This is such a beautifully, captivating story. Kearsley writes such vivid stories that transport you to a different time. I was hooked from the very beginning. And I’m definitely going to read it again because I feel like there were so many details that I missed; I just couldn’t put it down the first time. There is so much emotion and vibrant detail in this story so take your time if you can. The ending is perfection and makes the experienced heartache worthwhile.

Read if you like: Outlander, Scottish history!
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I loved how this book bounced back and forth between 1707 and the events leading up to this dates. We follow the story of Lily, whose life gets interrupted after a traumatic event and she is forced to flee her home.
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The book looks at the time after the English civil war, as well as the exiled young Jacobite king and the preparation for his invasion! I loved the history and the time period. I was fully immersed in this story!
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CW: execution, imprisonment, adultery, sexual assault and harassment, death of a loved one, violence, war, colonialism.

Susanna Kearsley is one of my favorite authors and I’ve been looking forward to this ever since I found out it would be a prequel to the Slains series, now renamed as the Scottish series. In this historical novel, Adam is called in to investigate a marriage claim brought forth by Lily. They’re drawn to each other and this both spurs on and impedes Adam’s tangled investigation as he seeks to learn who Lily is. I didn’t know anything about the failed Darien expedition and it was interesting to learn about it through the lens of its failure, especially alongside the Jacobite quest. It’s difficult to say much more about the story because the enjoyment lies in the way the story unfolds.

Kearsley’s books typically feature dual timelines and tend to have a light paranormal element. The Vanished Days is a departure on both fronts, with nary a paranormal element. With its two settings of 1707 and flashbacks to 1683, I suppose this is technically a dual timeline novel. However, Kearsley usually has a more contemporary POV anchoring the story and then flashes back to the historical timeline with a different character’s POV. That is my preference as I’m much more of a contemporary reader. I was more invested in the 1707 storyline, where the action of solving the mystery unfolded. Whenever we’d flash back to Lily’s earlier life, I was less interested in reading, in part because it starts with her POV as a child and then the many hard things that befell her.

If I was more of a historical fiction reader, this one likely would have worked from the start. Because I’m not, it was trickier for me to get lost in the story. I enjoyed what I was reading but it didn’t completely grip me until I got to the last 100 pages. Then I couldn’t read fast enough because things started to come together and we left most of the past storyline behind. Up to that point, I wasn’t really sure where the story was heading. Once everything turned, I was impressed, to say the least. Now that I know why it was structured the way it was, I suspect I will enjoy this even more the second time around and my rating will go up higher. I don’t want to spoil one bit of what unfolds because it’s worth hanging in there but I also want to go back and see what I missed the first time. Even though this isn’t one of my favorite Kearsleys, it was richly researched and still thoroughly enjoyable.

Fans of the Slains books will find a slew of familiar names. I read The Winter Sea five years ago and The Firebird four years ago so most of the time, I wasn’t sure if I was recognizing a character or not. The Author’s Note at the end is thorough and well worth reading through for confirmation. Now I want to re-read both while the details are fresh in my mind.

Turmoil in Scotland in the early 18th Century

In 1707, Scotland was in turmoil. The country was joined in an uneasy union with England. It was a time of religious strife with Protestants and Catholics at war with each other. France was also a player planning to send the Stuart heir back to Scotland to reclaim his kingdom.

In an attempt to sooth the Scots, Queen Anne provided funds to compensate the Scots for their part in the disastrous Darien scheme. Lily Aitcheson has had a difficult life. Her early upbringing was a series of different family where abuse was often present. During this time, she met Jaime Graeme, her best friend. He was killed during the Darien scheme and now she is trying to claim his compensation. The problem is that she cannot prove she was married to Jaime.

Adam Williamson and his friend Gilroy have been assigned to question her about her marriage and determine whether she is entitled to the compensation. The story revolves around the questioning with flashbacks to the late 17th century where we learn about Lily’s early life. Clearly, Adam is fascinated by Lily, but he also has his duty.

The story is primarily told by Adam so the book details his early life as well as Lily’s. I thought both characters were well developed. The author did a good job of showing the tension between them. The book is rather slow with lots of detail about the political situation, but there are twists that keep the story interesting. It’s hard to guess the ending.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

This story started very slowly for me and I had a hard time caring about the characters. Since Lieutenant Turnbull is out of town, Adam Williamson has agreed to step in for him. As such, he is tasked with determining whether or not Lily and James Graeme were actually married. If yes, then she is entitled to money owed to Mr. Graeme. If not, then she isn’t entitled to any money. Since the marriage was not properly recorded, they need to find proof elsewhere.

I have been a fan of Susanna Kearsley since I read The Shadowy Horses years ago (still my favorite). I was excited to receive a copy of The Vanished Days. This book was a bit of a change from her usual novels as there were no supernatural/time-slip plots. This book is strictly historical fiction, but still an excellent read,

The novel follows the investigation by Sergeant Adam Williamson into the claim for a widow’s pension by Lily Aitcheson Graeme. Lily claims to be the widow of Jamie Graeme but has no proof to supply the men investigating her claim. The novel is set in two time periods, the investigation takes place in 1707.. The story then transports the reader back to 1683 and follows Lily growing up, and how she came to claim the pension. Lily grew up with an idyllic childhood in the country with Jamie as her best friend, but then was transplanted to Edinburgh to live with her father and stepmother, where her life became much less idyllic. The late 1600’s to mid 1700’s were a turbulent time for Scotland amidst the unsuccessful Jacobite rebellions. Living as a woman in that time without the protection of a man or family was also hard. This book covers those times well.

I would recommend the book for lovers of historical fiction, especially Scottish history based around the Jacobite rebellion. Though I did miss the time slip element of Susanna’s other books. I felt this was a good book that segues well with her other books on the Jacobites and Scottish history.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark and especially the author Susanna Kearsley for the chance to read and review this book.

𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯!

I love books set in Scotland so for me this was a must read and what a fascinating, thrilling and unique story. It starts a little slow, but it pulls you in bit by bit and by the it was impossible to put down. And that ending, just wow!

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦: 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘈𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘚𝘤𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley is a prequel and companion novel to The Winter Sea and some of the action overlaps that book. Susanna Kearsley has an amazing talent of taking the history that probably put you to sleep in class and breathing life into it and making it compelling and fascinating… edge of your seat reading. This story features Lilias Aitcheson Graeme, a widow whose husband died while on the Darien Expedition and Sergeant Adam Williamson, who has been charged with verifying the validity of her claim to her husband's wages from that failed expedition. Secret plots and machinations abound and a twist that will have you mentally retracing the story with a bit of wonder when all is revealed. I enjoyed this book immensely and highly reccomend reading it. Content Warning: Violence, child abuse, parental deaths, a character who is a prostitute, and a secondary character who is a pedophile. Steam Level: Kissing Only on page. Publishing Date: October 5, 2021. #TheVanishedDays #SusannaKearsley #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalFictionReader #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #HistoricalRomance #HistoricalRomanceReader #SourcebooksLandmark #Sourcebooks #NetGalley

This masterfully crafted tale is one of Susanna Kearsley's best. Full of unexpected plot twists, this lyrically written novel is set against the atmospheric backdrop of Jacobite Scotland. With impeccable attention to detail, Kearsley is one of the best at bringing to life history within the pages of a novel. This perfect blend of history, mystery and romance will have readers enthralled long after the last page has been read.

I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher and Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Other than reading the Outlander series which is set slightly later than this book, I don’t know that much about this time in Scotland’s history. Set during the Jacobite rebellion with flashbacks to the late 17th Century you get a good feeling of what it was like to live during this troubled time when the change in monarchy also meant a change in accepted religions. You also learned a lot about what it meant to be female during this times and were made glad that you live now versus then. Narrated through the investigator, Adam Williamson’s eyes, we learn of Lily’s life from childhood to adult and as we do we serve as judge and jury in deciding if we believe in her story.

During the flashbacks we learned about Lily’s life. Her mother died when she was very young and her father sent her to his mother to be raised in the country where she met her childhood best friend Jamie. Although they were from different levels of society her country upbringing allowed her a closeness with his family that she wouldn’t have had in a city environment. When she moved to Edinburgh and her father dies she is raised by her Stepmother but circumstances force her into becoming a maid to help bring in money. As she grows older her circumstances change again but she still stays on that lower rung of Scottish society and it was really interesting to read, especially in how she viewed herself at these different times of her life. Did it help Adam Williamson determine the truth? You’ll have to read this one to find out. I will say I became very engrossed with her story.

When I read a historical mystery I like a nice methodical pace and The Vanished Days was a slow moving book. Despite the author stating this is book 3 in the series, the characters are not interconnected and this can be read as a standalone novel. If you are like me and really like historical mysteries with a hint of romance I think you’ll really enjoy this novel. The characters were believable, had emotional depth, and I got invested in their story very quickly. This was a good book!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review and it was honest!

I've learned that when I pick up one of Susanna Kearsley's books, I should expect an immersive experience, and this book certainly met those expectations in it's depictions of 17th/18th century Scotland. Besides the settings, the characters were well developed too, as was the story. The story moved me and at times brought me to tears. It also kept me in suspense with it's twists and turns through a game of cat and mouse. I also appreciated the author's extensive notes at the end.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or who just wants to be transported to another time and place.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early read.

4 Take Me Back in Time stars

This one fulfilled my Scottish historical fiction spot! I was completely transported to days filled with royalty, intrigue and plotting, romance, the Jacobite rebellion, power and politics, and hidden identities.

Author Susanna Kearsley cast her spell on me and for the hours I spent reading this one I was engrossed in the story, the characters, and the adventure. I especially liked the story of Lily, a young woman who has been raised in a multitude of households, manipulated and yet she remains a strong woman. Forced into a life of serving others, she’s now claiming the small payment due to her husband now lost at sea.

There’s an inquiry though to disprove her claim of marriage and we discover her whole story in the course of the proceedings. My heart went out to Lily and I so rooted for her happiness and fulfillment. Would she ultimately be successful and get the money? There’s much at stake in this one.

If you are looking for an escapist historical read, this one fits the bill! Meticulously researched and the reader is firmly placed in this time.

The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley is historical fiction set in both Edinburgh and Leith, Scotland. The time periods vary from the late 1600s to the early 1700s, which both included the famous and oft-chronicled Jacobite uprisings. It’s a story of a young woman and the various (mostly non-biological) families she’s a part of during her youth.

During those times, young girls often began working in service to another family at quite a young age. Such is the case for Lily Aitcheson. Early on, her grandmother cares for her, and they live near a wealthy estate in rural Scotland. But as her grandmother gets older, she moves to Edinburgh when her father remarries. In doing so, she’s ripped away from her childhood playmates. These young people, related to the owner of the nearby estate, still figure in the rest of her story.

And yet, Lily’s basically on her own before she’s even got two digits in her age. She’s in service to a few families, some more loving than others. Told in hindsight, the whole story happens because she’s part of a governmental inquiry into her marital status. This commission determines whether people are truly entitled to even the smallest inheritances left by deceased men.

Most of Lily’s story is told by Sergeant Adam Williamson, lately of the colonies. He pieces together the story by talking to people who knew Lily, some long ago and others more recently. And while he does talk with her, he mostly seeks evidence beyond her assertions. It’s a sideways story about her life.

My conclusions
This particular storytelling method—mostly from second-hand knowledge—is frustrating. I often thought, “Well, is this new narrator reliable or lying?” And that’s the struggle our main narrator, Sergeant Williamson, faces as well. It’s his job to judge the evidence and, in fact, Lily herself.

In the midst of all the information about Lily, The Vanished Days conveys the complicated history of Scotland and England. The Scots fight for independence. The English dominate. And the Jacobites try again to bring King James and his descendants back to rule Scotland. The complex political story captivates authors and readers in many forms.

Unfortunately, I found long passages of Kearsley’s writing uncomfortably dry. I drifted through those sections and perked up again when focus returned to Lily and her crew of unique compatriots.

And hidden amongst all of this is a story of uncommon families and love. In this vanished society, some families treated their servants as family. Others used and abused them. And sometimes the line between those two states became hopelessly blurred. Kearsley makes a strong commentary on families of origin versus families of convenience, whether chosen or not.

Where Lily finds lasting love is among the other young people in her life. Whether she knew them in the days with her grandmother or in her city life, these friends never forget her. Nor does she fully forsake them, even when she must leave. This theme warmed my heart and kept me going through the historical complexities.

I always think of Kearsley as writing with a slightly magical component. In this case, that element is missing and I regret that. However, if you like straight historical fiction and the world of Jacobite revolts, then give The Vanished Days a try.

Acknowledgments
Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review. The publication date is October 5, 2021.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 Q: who’s one of your favorite Scottish heroes or heroines?

I’m still thinking about Susannah Kearsley’s The Vanished Days. Seemingly heavily researched but effortlessly romantic this historical fiction with romantic elements book kept my attention.

Set up as an old man’s recollection of earlier events—augmented with notes from an investigation he & a colleague conducted—the book focuses on the life of Lily Aitcheson & a mystery surrounding whether she was in fact married to a sailor who was part of the African Company & whether she’s entitled to any inheritance as a result of his passing.

The recollections explore as early as 1707, when religious & political loyalties divide & troubles with monarchs influence what religion someone might be forced to follow. When the possibility of Jacobite uprisings could either inspire hope or dread.

Those conflicts & loyalties could sometimes be hard for me to remember and/or grasp, but maybe that’s part of the point.

With a great twist, a fantastic setting, & a remarkable mystery told by a keen storyteller, The Vanished Days is lovely and effective historical fiction + only-kissing-on-the-page romance.

4.5 ⭐️. Out tomorrow!


CW: sexual abuse of child; main character’s father shot by town guard.


[ID: a white woman wearing a navy floral dress holds an ebook with the cover while she’s standing against a roll-top desk. The wall behind her is greenish-gray.]

The Vanished Days is set between 2 timelines, 1707 and 1684. Lily makes a claim of marriage to a deceased soldier looking for her pay, but without proof of her marriage, Adam needs to investigate if he claim could be real.

Set against the backdrop of the Jacobite rebellion, this is perfect for the Outlander fans of the world! I was engrossed in this story…then I got to the end, was shocked, and wanted to read the whole thing again!!