A Kind of Vanishing - by Lesley Thomson (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A spellbinding mystery of obsession and guilt by Lesley Thomson, this is also the poignant story of what happens to those left behind when a child vanishes without a trace.

It is the summer of 1968, the day Senator Robert Kennedy is shot. Two nine-year-old girls are playing hide-and-seek in the ruins of a deserted village. Alice has discovered a secret about Eleanor Ramsay's mother and is taunting the other girl. When it is Eleanor's turn to hide, Alice disappears.

Years later, an extraordinary turn of events opens up shocking truths for the Ramsay family and all who knew the missing girl.

Review Quotes

'Lesley Thomson is a class above, and A Kind of Vanishing is a novel to treasure.' - Ian Rankin

'Warmly recommended.' - Promoting Crime Fiction

'A masterful exploration of human feelings... Full of unexpected twists, this is a crime story that will leave you wondering until the end whether a crime has, in fact, been committed at all.' - Book After Book

'A touch of Susan Hill or Ruth Rendell (Barbara Vine) in her gothic mode.' - Abbey's Bookshop, Sydney

'This is a completely gripping book, both as a psycho-social study and as a psychological thriller.' - Morning Star

'A beautifully written story, the characters and characterisation are thoughtful and believable. A book to read curled up in an armchair.' - Mystery Women

'A sensitively written story, evocatively described... an unusual thriller in that it easily bears a second reading.' - Argus

'Complex, disturbing and surprising.' - Candis

'If you enjoy a good thriller with more twists and turns than a corkscrew, I recommend it' - The Parkinson

'This is a dark, hauntingly chilling read. An expose of minds, relationships, families and passion.' - Anne Cater

'A thoughtful, well-observed story about families and relationships and what happens to both when a tragedy occurs. It reminded me of Kate Atkinson.' - Scott Pack, Me and My Big Mouth

'This emotionally charged thriller grips from the first paragraph, and a nail-biting level of suspense is maintained throughout. A great novel.' - She Magazine Book of the Month

'Thomson skilfully evokes the era and the slow-moving quality of childhood summers, suggesting the menace lurking just beyond the vision of her young protagonists.' - The Guardian

'The strength of the writing and the author's brilliant evocation of how a child's mind works combine to terrifying effect. Lesley Thomson has a masterly control of detail... A novel one cannot forget.' - Shotsmag