One of the most difficult skills to learn in life is discovering who one can trust. I daresay it’s a skill that takes a lifetime to learn, even though some people say they are a good judge of character. Annaleigh Calvert learns this lesson the hard way in Sophia Tobin’s The Vanishing, a gripping thriller set in Yorkshire in 1815. By the end of this book, I had had my socks knocked right off. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started it. And I loved every chapter of it.
The Vanishing opens as Annaleigh makes her way to her new place of employment. She has just been turned out of her home in London by her foster family. She has no one else to turn to to help her make her way in the world, so she takes a position as a trainee housekeeper at a remote Yorkshire country house called White Windows. When she arrives, there are ample clues that things are not right. The master of the house often flies into rages and can only be soothed when his sister dips into her medicine box. There are only two servants and Annaleigh has to get dispensation to hire extra help on laundry days. It doesn’t help that other people are constantly warning her not to trust either the master of the house or the handsome, kind man who all the local girls seem to be in love with.
Novels like Jane Eyre might lead us to trust the troubled Mr. Twentyman. He broods. He clearly has reasons for his inappropriateness. But Mr. Twentyman is a lot more sinister than Mr. Rochester. As the chapters progress, we learn just how far he is willing to go to get what he wants. The tentative expectations the novel set up with its similarities to a Brontë novel go right out the window as the novel gets darker and darker. For all its similarities to those Gothic classics, this book goes places that none of the Brontës would have dared to go.
The Vanishing is a roller coaster. The longer I read, the more I liked it because it kept me guessing. This book is packed with atmosphere and Annaleigh is a fascinating character. I felt like I was riding on her shoulder as she struggles to work out who she can really trust—and who she can love—over the course of this novel. This book was such a great read.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration. It will be released 5 June 2018.
This looks so good! I love novels set in 19th century England. And I like how it has higher stakes than the classics that are set during that time. Definitely going to have to check this out. Great review!
This sounds right up my alley! Will definitely be adding it to my TBR. Thanks for sharing!