The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde: The spellbinding mystery from the Richard & Judy bestselling author of The Glass House

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I'd class The Vanishing as that cliché of 'a beach read', except sadly we haven't been on the beach, so it's a garden step read. Evocative, beautiful, and heartbreaking are just some of the words that I would use to describe this breathtaking novel but even they do not do it the justice it requires. Chase summons up an enchanted and enchanting environment - reminiscent of classic British literature * Belfast Telegraph * There are sisters in the modern-day section too, which contrasts nicely with the sibling relationship of the Wildlings that is tested that summer of 1959. It’s not clear how close their more contemporary counterparts are in reality until they, too, are put to the test but factors such as their age gap, being part of a blended family and some worrying sleepwalking all have a part to play, as does the core mystery.

The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde: ‘Sisters. Bonded by blood’ The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde: ‘Sisters. Bonded by blood’

This is a delightful dual timeline story about a lovely English home called Applecote Manor set in the Cotswolds England. Present-day Jessie is aborting the chaos of London life and transporting her family to gorgeous Applecote Manor. Nestled in the depths of the English countryside she images this rural retreat will be the miracle that will restore her fissured family. However, her husband still finds himself reeling from a life split between week-day London and weekends in the countryside, and Jessie finds herself isolated with a toddler demanding constant attention and a teenage step-daughter who continues to despise her and still grieve for her deceased mother. When fifteen-year-old Margot Wilde and her three sisters arrive at Applecote Manor in July 1959, they expect a quiet English country summer. Instead, they find their aunt and uncle still reeling from the disappearance of their daughter, Audrey, five years before. As the arrival of two handsome neighbors divides the sisters’ loyalties, Margot finds herself drawn into the life Audrey left behind and the mystery of her vanishing. But when the summer takes a deadly turn, the girls must unite behind an unthinkable choice or find themselves torn apart forever. Nancy Alton remains a beacon of beauty and grace throughout the novel. Why do you think Eve Chase wrote her as an American? In what ways is she different from Caroline? Are the two women ever alike, and should they be?She wonders about the other thing lying dormant at Applecote, waiting for the right conditions to come alive.’ A long hot summer, a Cotswolds manor house fallen into ruin, a dark secret hidden since the 1950s . . . all perfect ingredients for an addictive read, and The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde delivers atmosphere in spades * Good Housekeeping * Beautifully written with a gripping plot, I couldn't stop reading this -- Katie Fforde * Number One Sunday Times bestselling author of A Secret Garden * They find their uncle and aunt still reeling from the disappearance of their only daughter, five years before. An undercurrent of dread runs through the house. Why did Audrey vanish? Who is keeping her fate secret? There are so many books described as being, ‘perfect for Kate Morton fans’ that I was a little sceptical when I started this book. However I needn’t have worried as I thought this book was fantastic and well deserved the comparison.

The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde - Penguin Books UK

The second timeline features Jesse, a young mother and stepmother, who has fallen in love with Applecote Manor and is trying to make it into a home for her family. Though I was afraid that I would not love the present timeline as much as the sisters’, I was soon won over by this young family, who were (almost) as compelling and interesting as the Wilde sisters. Of course the house is a bit reluctant to give up its secrets, revealing them slowly and gradually, until we finally find out what happened to Audrey all those years ago. What does being a “good mother” mean to you? Are there gray areas to that term? Have you been faced with a situation that toes the line of that definition for you? Beautifully written with superb characters, this is a deeply satisfying novel which glows with texture and emotion -- Elizabeth Buchan * Sunday Times bestselling author of The New Mrs Clifton * However, trouble starts almost immediately. Her stepdaughter becomes increasingly difficult to handle, her husband is always away at work, and disturbing rumors about the house finally reach her ears. As her stepdaughter becomes nearly obsessed with the strange disappearance of a former resident, Jesse feels her life is slowly unraveling. Margot and her sisters were a delight. I found the humour in these sections a lively addition and there were plenty of moments where I laughed out loud at the sister’s observations:The Wilde Sisters arrive at the Applecote manor in 1959 to spend the summer with their aunt. The girls, Dot, Flora, Pam, and Margot are close and protective of each other. But, their visit to the lovely country estate is dampened by their aunt’s struggle to overcome her daughter, Audrey’s disappearance, five years earlier. The mystery consumes the girls, but the closer they get to the truth, the closer they come to possible danger, and tensions begin to arise between them over two handsome boys.