Those looking for an uplifting contemporary read with interesting twists and turns may find what they are looking for in Nick Jones’ And Then She Vanished [Blackstone Publishing, February 2, 2021]. This humorous take on a young man discovering he can time travel who then searches the past for his long-lost sister proves to be a fun and captivating read from beginning to end.
The first in the Joseph Bridgeman series, And Then She Vanished follows the story of Joseph Bridgeman, a young man who finds himself and his life falling apart around him. His mother, his only family, is in a nursing home with dementia, his father is dead, and his sister Amy disappeared before his very eyes when he was just fourteen years old. For the past decade Joseph has blamed himself for Amy’s disappearance and has thus punished himself every day since. However, after his friend Martin suggests Joseph goes to see a hypnotherapist, Joseph finds his world turned upside down when he learns one night that he is able to travel back in time. Joseph has always had some sort of a “sixth sense” since objects are able to “tell” him things and show him their stories. With his powers of psychometry and time traveling, Joseph realises that now may be his only change to change the tides of time and save his beloved sister.
Throughout the novel, there is a distinct humorous aspect that separates the dark cloud Joseph finds himself in from the reader. The humour comes from many of the interesting characters Joe runs into during his daily life, one of them being Vinny. Vinny owns a record shop that Joe has been visiting for a handful of years and the two have a special relationship. The pair go for morning walks together, participate in their curry club, and they even confide in one another during troubling times. With Vinny’s boisterous attitude and zest for life, his character proves to be a ray of sunshine for both Joe and the reader.
Aside from some of the quirky friends Joe interacts with during his life, the memories that Joe shares with the reader about his relationship with Amy provides necessary insight into just how different Joe’s life is since Amy vanished. From the time Joseph and Amy met on a cold December night to the vacation the family took to France, the little tidbits of information that is conveyed to the reader is both entertaining and filled with warmth the reader can feel. Through these sections the reader is able to understand just how important Amy was to not only Joseph, but his entire family. Amy’s character is a source of joy for each member of her family and in each scene in the novel where Amy is present, there is little to no reason for the reader to not have a smile on their face.
When it comes to the powers Joe possesses when it comes to his psychometry and time traveling there are some aspects to his powers that could use more explaining. It would be helpful not only to the reader but also to the development of the novel as a whole if Joe experimented more with his gifts. It is mentioned early in the novel that Amy’s disappearance is what triggered Joe’s psychometry. However, it would have been really interesting to have a scene in the past when Joe discovers his gift. This could be a flashback chapter, or the time Joe jumps back to when he is experimenting with time travel. This information would help the reader connect with Joe more as well as understand how his gifts work better.
Overall, And Then She Vanished is a positive contemporary read with the right elements of sci-fi to bring a little bit of magic into the story. From the humour Vinny brings to the novel to the light-hearted banter Joe and Amy share during their youth, there are always scenes in the story that will bring a smile to the reader’s face—something many readers could use during their dark days.
And Then She Vanished is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of February 2nd 2021.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
He only looked away for a second.
Still haunted by the disappearance of his little sister Amy over twenty years ago, Joseph Bridgeman’s life has fallen apart. When a friend talks him into seeing hypnotherapist Alexia Finch to help with his insomnia, Joseph accidentally discovers he can time travel. His first trip only takes him back a few minutes, but his new-found ability gives him something he hasn’t felt for the longest time: hope.
Joseph sets out to travel back to the night Amy went missing and save her. But after several failed attempts, he discovers the farther back he travels, the less time he gets to stay there. And the clock is ticking.
With the help of Alexia, Joseph embarks on a desperate race against the past to save his sister. Can he master his new skill and solve the mystery of Amy’s disappearance before it’s too late?
