Book Review | If I Disappear

Sera's lost her husband, her job, her baby. Now all she has left is her favorite true crime podcast: Murder, She Spoke. However, when the host Rachel mysteriously stops uploading episodes, Sera takes it a upon herself to travel to her small hometown and begin unraveling clues.

First things first, I’ve got to point out how gorgeous and fitting the cover is! It depicts a woman being peeled back to reveal the blackberry brambles behind her, and its surrealist body horror is what first drew me in to the book in the first place.

The author paints Sera's obsession well. However, her obsession is so all-consuming that it leaves little room for any definable characteristics outside of the narrator’s obsession with true crime and Rachel. This makes her a bit one-dimensional and I wish that she and the rest of the characters had been fleshed out more.

Overall though, If I Disappear is a delicious slow burn, filled with twists and turns. As I was reading along, I found myself having a lot of fun guessing and wondering: is Sera going mad ... or is she actually onto something here?

In a world of social media and parasocial relationships, this is a timely mystery with a chilling end, perfect for true crime podcast lovers. I can't wait for the TV adaptation that’s currently in development as well!

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details:

Publication Date : December 26, 2020

Publisher : Berkley Publishing Group

ISBN : 0593198220
Pages : 304

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