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    The Vanishing
    The Vanishing
    The Vanishing
    Audiobook8 hours

    The Vanishing

    Written by Wendy Webb

    Narrated by Xe Sands

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Recently widowed and rendered penniless by her Ponzi-scheming husband, Julia Bishop is eager to start anew. So when a stranger appears on her doorstep with a job offer, she finds herself accepting the mysterious yet unique position: caretaker to his mother, Amaris Sinclair, the famous and rather eccentric horror novelist whom Julia has always admired...and who the world believes is dead.

    When she arrives at the Sinclairs' enormous estate on Lake Superior, Julia begins to suspect that there may be sinister undercurrents to her "too-good-to-be-true" position. As Julia delves into the reasons of why Amaris chose to abandon her successful writing career and withdraw from the public eye, her search leads to unsettling connections to her own family tree, making her wonder why she really was invited to Havenwood in the first place, and what monstrous secrets are still held prisoner within its walls.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateApr 8, 2014
    ISBN9781494570576
    The Vanishing
    Author

    Wendy Webb

    Wendy Webb is the #1 Amazon Charts and Indie bestselling, multiple award–winning author of seven novels of gothic suspense, including The Keepers of Metsan Valo, The Haunting of Brynn Wilder, Daughters of the Lake, The Vanishing, The Fate of Mercy Alban, The Tale of Halcyon Crane, and The End of Temperance Dare, which has been optioned for both film and television. Her books are sold worldwide and have been translated into more than ten languages. Dubbed “Queen of the Northern Gothic” by reviewers, Wendy sets her stories on the windswept, rocky shores of the Great Lakes. She lives in Minneapolis, where she is at work on her next novel when she’s not walking a good dog along the parkway and lakes near her home. For more information visit her at www.wendykwebb.com.

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    Reviews for The Vanishing

    3.5/5

    240 ratings30 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Excellent writing, exquisite storyline! Looking forward to more from Wendy.
      Starting reading and could not put it down until I finished th3 entire book.
    • 3/5
      No climactic ending whatsoever. It was a good book up until then but nothing happened. Wrapped up super quick
    • 4/5
      I wish i could give it 3.5 stars because the chapters were cutting out in the end. I didn't know where to report this.
      Other than that, it was a brilliant story, not too spooky, not too unreal.
      The scenarios really drew you in. Beautiful writing!
    • 5/5
      This was amazing book. It needs a 2. Explain more about that dream she had the end. I can see that book going many directions.
    • 1/5
      The. Worst. Book. Ever. Stupid plot, stupid characters. Just plain bad.
    • 5/5
      Such an interesting story. So many secrets to unravel as the plot develops.
    • 5/5
      What an enjoyable and keeping you intrigued story! I have a feeling I could listen to this one again! So good!
    • 5/5
      This was captivating and romantic...a great story! I Loved it!
    • 4/5
      A ghost story that takes place in a haunted mansion in the middle of nowhere. I haven’t read anything similar in a long time and I really enjoyed it.
    • 5/5
      I love this story had me guessing till the end
    • 3/5
      The Vanishing
      3 Stars

      After the revelation of her husband's criminal activities and his subsequent suicide, Julia Bishop is left friendless and penniless. So, when a stranger appears on her doorstep offering a position as a companion to a well-known writer whom the world believes is dead, Julia jumps at the chance. However, upon her arrival at the Woodhaven estate, she quickly comes to realize that there is something decidedly odd and perhaps even sinister occurring. Why did Amaris Sinclair abandon her successful career? Why was Julia offered this job? And who or what is behind the series of mystifying and frightening events in the house?

      Putting aside Julia's TSTL decision to accept the offer of a questionable position from a complete stranger and leave her entire life behind at his suggestion, the underlying plot revolving around an eccentric and reclusive author living in a huge gothic mansion with a mysterious history has a certain appeal.

      The gothic elements interspersed throughout the book are well-developed, and the kernels for several intriguing explanations, including Native American folklore, reincarnation, hallucinations, and even an ancient evil, create a somewhat spooky atmosphere. Unfortunately, the story progresses at such a slow pace that by the time anything truly interesting happens it is too late to actually care about the fates of any of the characters. Moreover, despite one or two good twists, the ultimate resolution is anti-climactic and lackluster.

      Finally, the weird epilogue is superfluous and adds little to a story that has already been resolved, albeit not satisfactorily. Despite these issues, I am interested enough in this author's style to try another of her book in the future.
    • 2/5
      This book was fairly disappointing, but I should have known better. Most of the comparisons I read paired this with The Thirteenth Tale, which I think is fair. Sadly for me, it was similar on all of the points I found dreary in Setterfield. Multiple adjectives for every noun, the narrator pulling on endless pairs of jeans and turtlenecks, and an "eccentric" character I found abrasive, though I was told by the author repeatedly that I should find said character charming. It's a quick read for a rainy October night. A definite skip for spring and summer.
    • 4/5
      This novel is incredibly well done. I enjoyed every single bit of it, especially how the story unfolded as the many happenings became more clear. Layer upon layer unfolded, making this a novel you enjoy very much, while curling up in a comfy chair with your favorite drink, and spend the afternoon immersed in.
      There were many twists and turns in the plot line, only a few of which I saw coming or could guess might be happening in the novel. And it didn’t really matter that I could see one or two twists coming, as I enjoyed the ride through to the very end.
      There was a moment there near the end when I couldn’t even physically DO anything at all anymore, and I’d found myself holding my breath, because the whole story line was all coming together, making me slightly tense, and I was completely engrossed because of the scene and characters involved.
      The narrator for this audiobook is Xe Sands, who is a very talented narrator and she should be used a great deal in the future for more audiobooks. Her different characterizations were very well done, completely separate, and the little girl’s sing-song voice was very eerie.
      The ending though..... my goodness that ending! A true WTF moment, that I truly couldn’t possibly have seen coming in a million years. I was stunned, and I keep turning this epilogue over and over in my mind, thinking about it...... which shows what a damn good novel this really is.
      4.5 stars, and highly recommended to all and sundry. Seriously, go see if your local library has a copy of the audiobook, immediately! You’ll thank me later.
    • 5/5
      A bit of everything, thrilling, gothic and romance - her best! Liked it very much!
    • 5/5
      Everyone who knew Jeremy and Julia Bishop thought that they were living such a perfect life. However when Jeremy dies unexpectedly, Julia discovers just what a perfect lie her Ponzi-scheming husband was actually living. Devastated by his sudden death and enraged by Jeremy's duplicity, Julia is desperate to start her life over again. So when a stranger appears on her doorstep offering her a unique position, Julia finds herself eagerly accepting it.After experiencing some measure of fame earlier in her career, the eccentric horror author Amaris Sinclair has completely withdrawn from the public eye. Although the entire world believes that she has been dead for the past decade, she actually has been living in seclusion at her family's palatial estate: Havenwood. Now the reclusive novelist's son Adrian has suddenly turned up on Julia Bishop's doorstep looking for someone to act as a companion and caretaker to his elderly mother. Julia is definitely intrigued by his story.While it certainly sounds unique, Adrian Sinclair's offer is also an extraordinary one. Julia has always admired Amaris Sinclair; and the chance to meet such an illustrious author is almost too good to refuse. With her once-secure life collapsing around her, she is absolutely certain that accepting Adrian's position will change her life. While she is not sure if that change will be entirely beneficial, Julia nevertheless jumps at this chance for a completely fresh start.Havenwood is a magnificent, centuries-old mansion situated in the middle of the wilderness near Lake Superior. When Julia eventually arrives there, she begins to suspect that her too-good-to-be-true job offer is exactly that. Although she appreciates Havenwood's apparent solitude, there is still a certain eerieness to the house's location.Julia can almost sense the multitude of disturbing secrets and painful memories that haunt the halls of the Sinclairs' home. There is also no denying that certain unexplained mysteries and the remnants of a troubling past still dwell somewhere in the forest beyond. As a matter of fact, Julia has several questions of her own that she would like answered...Why would such a celebrated author as Amaris Sinclair choose to vanish from the public eye more than a decade earlier? What are the whispers that Julia hears? And why, exactly, was Julia brought to Havenwood in the first place?For answers, Julia turns to Drew McCullough, the great-grandson of the mysterious Scottish nobleman who built Havenwood. Together, they soon realize that something horribly sinister and very close to Julia's own family history is emerging from the past. Something that wants to gain access to the present. With extraordinary twists and turns, spine-tingling scenes, and an ingenious plot, The Vanishing by Wendy Webb is an intriguing and chilling story.Although it took me much longer to read this book than I anticipated, I thoroughly enjoyed it. In my opinion, the story was frightening and appropriately suspenseful. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future and would certainly give this book an A!
    • 2/5
      This book started with an interesting concept, and there are certainly some scary scenes in the book, but I feel ultimately the execution does not live up to the idea. Primarily I felt that the pacing was uneven, the books build slowly, then seems incredibly rushed over the final few pages.
    • 2/5
      Predictable. Story could have been told in 100 pages
    • 3/5
      Julia bishop is recently widowed by her husband’s suicide. His death left her penniless and in serious legal trouble due to his Ponzi scheme gone wrong. She wishes nothing more than to be able to disappear and forget all about her husband’s scheme and all the people including friends and family that he hurt. When a stranger shows up at her door with the unusual offer of being able to make that exact thing happen Julia is apprehensive, yet intrigued. The only thing Julia needed to do was be a companion to the man’s mother, Amaris Sinclair. Amaris Sinclair was a well-known author of horror stories who, unexplainably, stopped writing and now the whole world believed she was dead. When Julia decides to accept the offer and arrives at Havenwood, the estate on the shores of Lake Superior, strange things happen right from the start.

      A gothic mansion, a strange séance very long ago, strange whispers, locked rooms, an eccentric matriarch and a couple of handsome men … what’s not to like about this book? It has its share of shivers and surprises but without being ghoulish and gruesome. The book is quite clever, with some very interesting red herrings, twists and turns. Several times, just as I thought I had it all figured out, I was surprised to find I may have jumped to conclusions?

      If it’s a dreary afternoon and you are in the mood for a good old-fashioned ghost story, this book fits the bill. This book is an example of what Wendy Webb does best … 20th century gothic horror … spine tingling without graphic gore. My only complaint? I would have been quite happy had Ms. Webb not included the final chapter.
    • 4/5
      The Vanishing by Wendy Webb is a compelling, contemporary supernatural thriller with a mixture of mystery, ghosts, psychological suspense and gothic elements.

      Desperate, broke, alone and down on her luck, Julia Bishop finds herself at loss after her husband, Jeremy commits suicide after taking money and life savings in a Bernie Madoff Ponzi-scheme.

      Three months later, Julia, novelist, has nowhere or no one to turn to for help. Out of nowhere a stranger shows up, Adrian Sinclair with a plan to offer Julia a new life and a job as a companion to his elderly mother at their northern Minnesota estate, Havenwood. Is this her way to escape her troubles?

      Julia is also facing lawsuits and possible jail time, and looks at this opportunity as a saving grace and answer to her problems. When she learns Adrian’s eccentric mother is a famous horror writer, Amaris Sinclair, who supposedly died ten years earlier, she is astounded.

      Havenwood has all sorts of secrets, involving a famous 19th century spiritualist, Seraphina, a murder, and spirits which linger. As Julia dives deeper into why Amaris chooses to abandon her successful writing career and withdraw from the public eye, she finds unsettling connections to her own family tree, making her wonder the real reason why she really was invited to Havenwood and what kind of secrets are still held prisoner within the walls of this haunted house.

      I enjoyed the audiobook, narrated by Xe Sands, as have listened to other audiobooks by her, Mariah Stewart, as she has such a pleasant soothing voice. At times I had to laugh as Sinclair was the last name of the elderly lady in one of her books by Stewart, and I kept thinking I was listening to the other book, trying to recall the name of the book.

      I liked Amaris and Julia’s characters together, with the clothes, entertaining, the writing, secrets, and the intrigue; a compelling and haunting tale with an array of characters and ghosts and the author did a good job in connecting the past and present.

      Am not normally drawn to this type of genre; however, love old homes, and the secrets of its past. In between reading ARCs, enjoy my audiobooks for entertainment, while doing other things. I particularly enjoy when narrated by a performer I like. My first book by Webb and look forward to reading more!
    • 5/5
      Oh, wow! This book was awesome! It kept me guessing from page one! I loved it! Were Adrian, Drew, and Amaris friends or enemies? Was Drew a real man or a centuries-old ghost? I love Wendy Webb's novels and I do believe this is my favorite. This is one of those books to take along on a vacation, or to dive into on a long snow day. You will not want to put it down. You need time to savor each and every page. One thing I love about Wendy Webb's writing is that she doesn't waste time on boring detail. Each page has a twist or turn that leaves you thinking the opposite of what you thought on the page before. She is an awesome writer. This book contains just the right mix of reality and the supernatural in an amazing setting. The book left me thinking, "huh?" but I won't ruin it for anyone. It is waaaay to good for that. THIS is the book to take along when you have some time to sink into a really awesome novel.
    • 1/5
      Suitably gothic, The Vanishing wasn't the book I wanted it to be. It had all the right shadings, set pieces, and plot devices - the isolated house, the mysterious family, the endangered heroine - but somehow it all felt a bit flat. The characterization wasn't strong enough, the writing was clunky and it was all way too predictable. I finished it and didn't hate it, but that's not saying a whole lot. Re-read Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier for a classic gothic tale that truly delivers.
    • 5/5
      The Vanishing by Wendy Webb is my kind of book. It's a ghost story and the ghosts are important, but the focus is more on the lead character, Julia Bishop, as she deals with rough circumstances in her life. Her husband has committed suicide after losing the life fortunes of investors in a Bernie Madoff style Ponzi scheme. He has left Julia alone and friendless since everyone she knows believes she was aware of her husband's scam. She doesn't have any options to get out of the mess she's in when Adrian Sinclair shows up at her home and offers to take her away. He claims he can hide her where the press and the people her husband cheated can't find her. And on top of that, her job will be to serve as a companion for his mother, Amaris Sinclair, a renowned author of horror novels whom Julia, also a writer, has always admired. There's no way she can pass up this opportunity.The setting is an old, haunted manor on a large estate in Minnesota. For Julia it's like stepping back in time and into a Gothic novel. There's also romance in the form of Andrew, a handsome man whose ancestor built the estate. Drew keeps horses and likes to take Julia on rides through the woods. He also watches out for her when she needs him.There are a couple of scary moments, but in general this isn't the kind of ghost story that will frighten the reader. Instead, this book is filled with plot twists and turns that at first seem to conflict, but work out in interesting ways. It's fun to try to figure out what's going on and to determine whom Julia should trust.Steve Lindahl - author of White Horse Regressions and Motherless Soul
    • 3/5
      When Julia’s husband commits suicide after getting caught bilking people of millions, the courts come after all their assets, and reporters are hounding her, she doesn’t know what to do. So when Adrian Sinclair offers her a chance to come work as his mother’s companion and disappear off the radar, she takes the opportunity and leaves on the spot. But there are a few odd things about the situation; Amaris Sinclair has officially been dead for ten years, for starters. Their mansion is in the middle of untouched forest near Lake Superior, and they own the only town near it. Julia is having trouble remembering the actual trip to Havenwood. Her medications have been dumped. The only phone she’s found in the house vanishes after she makes one call. It’s obvious there are a lot of secrets- and ghosts. The story starts out rather chilling. The sense that Julia is in danger is palpable, and she doesn’t know who she can trust. But it turns out somewhat fluffy, and many things are never explained- while other things are explained to death, with long expositions that tell rather than show. There are hints of reincarnation that are never explored. The story frustrated me, because it had a lot of potential and I didn’t feel it was done as well as it could have been. Not a great book by any means but if you want some creepies on a dark and stormy night it’s okay.
    • 2/5
      Not impressed. I actually quit reading this about 20 pages before the end, because I just didn't care about how it was going to end. The writing wasn't great and the story itself didn't flow very well. I love Gothic/psychological types of stories (like The Haunting of Hill House or Rebecca), and this didn't even come close. Very disappointing!
    • 3/5
      This book was interesting, but didn't really feel fully realized. It started out a little like vintage Graham Masterton - an offer was presented to the main character, out of the blue, that seemed right away to involve her in some kind of spiritualistic summoning ritual that we could see coming, but she couldn't. It continues along in that vein, but feels hurried, and nearly every interesting mystery remains unsolved at the end. After building up tension for most of the book, the book deals with the main 'baddy' in one short chapter that leaves you saying, "That was it?" You wouldn't be surprised to find that all of the characters are ghosts, or that none of them are, or that Julia remains in a catatonic state from which she never awakened. I was simultaneously entertained and disappointed.
    • 3/5
      The age of spiritualism, a mansion and extensive grounds built by a Scottish Laird, seances attended by all the big names of the time including Charles Dickens and Conan Doyle, and a beautiful medium named Seraphin. Something goes wrong and something horrifying is released. The future, House and grounds still intact, yet echoes from the past never die, as Julia who arrives fleeing her past, finds when she arrives as a caretaker to a famous, author thought to be dead.Some of the conversations I thought were a bit awkward, and a few of the decisions Julia made had me shaking my head, but when reading these types of books a certain amount of rationality must be suspended> I mean who am I to say how I would act if strange things in a house were after me? Fun, slightly chilling foray into the dark side. Easy read, enjoyable, loved unraveling what was going on with the house and its inhabitants.
    • 3/5
      I love creaky old houses, dusty attics and ghost stories. So does Wendy Webb. She's taken on the modern Gothic in her last two novels and again with her latest book, The Vanishing. Webb sets the stage with a prologue from 1875 - a seance gone horribly wrong in the mansion known as Havenwood. Present day. Julia Bishop's life is a mess. Her husband has died - but not before he swindled hundreds of people of their savings. He's gone, the money is gone and any friends Julia had are gone. She has no family either. So, when a stranger shows up offering her a job as a companion to his reclusive mother, she has nothing left to lose by saying yes. He's offering her the opportunity to start again and completely vanish from her current life. Oh, the job just happens to be at Havenwood.... Now, there's nothing better than immersing yourself in a spooky tale on a cold winter's night. So, although I found the premise a little bit flimsy and questioned some of Julia's actions, I just went with it. Because, I really wanted to see what secrets the mansion held. What happened there in 1875? Why has Julia been sought out as a companion? Where would Webb take her story from this beginning? I had great fun imagining walking through the many wings of Havenwood - the library particularly caught me! All the hallmarks of a great ghost story are here - mysterious family matriarch, son who travels a lot but discourages others from leaving the estate, handsome stable hand, a wonderful set of dogs who can sense things not seen and more. While not overly frightening, The Vanishing was a lovely, atmospheric read for a miserable day. (The power goes out during a snowstorm at the mansion. This actually happened at my house that day as well!) Webb throws in a delicious twist at the end that was perfect.
    • 3/5
      Julia Bishop is left alone and completely destitute when her husband commits suicide after it was discovered he had swindled out all their family and friends out of their life savings with a Ponzi scheme. She’s accused of being a co-conspirator in her husband’s shady dealings and is left friendless as well. Unexpectedly a man arrives on her doorstep to offer her a job taking care of her mother, the well-known but presumed dead author Amaris Sinclair. Accepting this job would also allow her to vanish from her current life issues so she readily accepts not truly understanding why she is being trusted with this job.‘The truth finds its way into the light, no matter what you’ve done to contain it.’There is little to say about this novel for fear of giving away spoilers. The Vanishing lacks in complexity but makes up for it in riveting storytelling. It often requires a suspension of disbelief because of the incredulity of much that occurs within these pages. For the better part of this novel, I found myself enthralled. A beautiful house in the middle of nowhere with a story all its own. A group of people with secrets. An unreliable narrator that puts everything into question. I love a good Gothic novel and I was well overdue. I greedily consumed the pages eager for the much anticipated twist that is a critical part of any Gothic novel. And that’s where I was left feeling cheated and completely dissatisfied. Simply put, my suspension of disbelief was pushed to excess and rationality intervened. As the author states at the end:‘With my novels, I’m not trying to define a generation, right any great wrongs, or change the way you think about the world or your place init. I just want to craft a good story that will delight you, entertain you, grab you and not let go, and send some shivers up your spine along the way.’The Vanishing did entertain me and there was the occasional shiver. Unfortunately, the ending was an unsatisfactory conclusion to an exiting tale that left me perplexed and discontented. As a whole, this was a very enjoyable novel and I can still honestly say that I’m glad to have read it.
    • 4/5
      Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost."No, today the sky is too blue and bright for a tale as dark as that one."Fun fact about me: if I read a book that scares me, I will run past the windows in my house. It's been like that ever since I was super young - if I watch a scary movie, I run past the windows. It goes both ways - and let me tell you, The Vanishing definitely incurred some window-running. Which in my mind, is always a good thing!I picked this one up on a whim, and I'm glad I did! Because it turned out to be a fantastic read, with a wonderful atmosphere! It reads like a modern gothic novel, taking place in an old old house. The writing alone was enough to give me chills. (And it did, repeatedly.) I found myself constantly questioning each decision made, and each and every character. I felt like I couldn't trust any of them, so I just... didn't.The premise intrigued me - a woman who's supposed to be dead, living out in a haunted house, and her son who arranges for a caretaker - who doesn't really appear to be needed. I found Julia to be a rather likable character. She just... aside from seeing things and hearing things, she seems like a fairly normal person. When the house is empty and something talks to her... she runs. Like any sane person in her situation would do! I just nearly clapped when that happened - I was afraid that she might try to go all paranormally and talk to it - but no. She did good.I also liked the "love interest", Andrew McCullough. He was super adorable, and really very sweet. He was all Scottish and manly and just adorable - I have such a weakness for the Scottish.I enjoyed Mrs. Sinclair - she was eccentric as all get out, but she had a good heart, even if it was hidden in a delightfully weird packaging. I hope I'm a cool old lady like her - when I get that old, of course. ;)Serious chills happened with the ghosties, though. Serious chills. There was a moment in the beginning - a little girl, floating, singing. "Sing a song of sixpence / A pocketful of rye". That's pretty much imprinted in my mind. There were several moments that made me freak out - in a good way.I loved the fact that the whole novel was focused on the build-up, but I feel like the end scene was a little rushed. The epilogue completely made up for it, though. It left me with a sense of not everything adding up - and it was good. It made me wonder how crazy our main character was; and I just didn't want it to end.All in all, I definitely recommend The Vanishing. I want you all to read it, because I loved it. I tweeted this when I finished, and it definitely still applies.I am literally terrified right now. @wendykwebb 's The Vanishing is genius you guys, genius. That ending was fantastically creepy. O.o— Megan@The Book Babe (@MVTheBookBabe) December 10, 2013
    • 4/5
      I was so happy to get to curl up with this book on a beautiful snowy day. This is a perfect book to read on a snowy day or night, I am a wimp and get scared easily so I decided to read it during the day. This is a story about a recently widowed woman, Julia, who takes a job being a companion to an elderly woman in an old mysterious mansion. She takes the job because she wants to get away from her life after she, and the rest of the world, find out her husband has been stealing from investors. When odd things start happening at the mansion she wonders what exactly it is that she agreed to.I was drawn to this book because of the mysterious yet enormous mansion, Havenwood. It seemed like the perfect spooky setting for this book. I was easily drawn into the story and found myself progressing through it very fast. I loved getting to read about the history of Havenwood and seeing how it all connected to the present events. All the events in the book build to the end where revelations where made about what truly had happened at Havenwood. I was dying to know what had happened and so when the first few twists were unfolded at the end I was happy to finally find out what had happened. Then the other twists started coming and it was just twist upon twist. It almost seemed like the author didn't know how she wanted to end the story so she just threw in a bunch of twists so she could include all her different endings. Usually I am a huge fan of twists and turns in a book but it just seemed a bit excessive.I would highly recommend curling up in front of the fireplace with this book on a snowy winter's day or night. You will be hooked into this book and left with chills.Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the chance to read this book.