There are books that end up being completely different than you thought and turn out as a disappointment, but there are also those books that go a bit different that turn out better than you could’ve expected. How to Disappear Completely by Liz Kerin squarely fits into the latter category. A surprising, atmospheric, and terrifying genre-blend novel that left me in awe after the final page turn.
When Hazel was thirteen, her sister Kira believed she’d received a message from another world after a strange paranormal encounter. The mystery consumed her. Then she disappeared. Twenty years later, Hazel remains haunted by anxiety, grief, and intense episodes of a cryptic déjà vu. When Hazel is introduced to a podcast called The Satellites, she realizes that a group of people from her town had the same experience Kira did. Before long, what once felt like tragedy begins to feel more like conspiracy.
Determined to unravel the truth of what happened to her sister, Hazel reluctantly teams up with Silas, the mysterious man behind the podcast. And against her better judgement, they tumble headfirst into a dark, twisted romance. But then members of the group start turning up dead. And the more Hazel and Silas investigate, the worse Hazel’s episodes get. What happened to Kira is bigger and deadlier than Hazel ever realized, and if she can’t solve it, she might be the next to disappear.
After getting back-to-back years with a Kerin novel in Night’s Edge and First Light, we had to wait two-and-a-half years for How to Disappear Completely. You know what…it was worth the wait. I know Liz had life to tend to over the past few years, and never expect author’s to pump out a novel every year, but with the books she scribes, I always want more and am a bit impatient. But, again, this novel was worth the freaking wait.
How to Disappear Completely falls between the thriller and horror genres in such a wonderful way. The dreadful suspense of the story allows it to seep under your skin in a way that made me feel uncomfortable at moments, as I connected with Hazel and the struggles she is facing. Losing a loved one is never easy, but in the fashion she did, I can’t even imagine. But that is just the beginning, How to Disappear Completely goes on a journey of discovery and even more unsettling reveals that made for a captivating adventure where nothing really is as it seems.
I say a blend of horror and thriller, but there is also a bit of spicy storytelling that one would sometimes find in a popular romance novel. I knew going into this book there would be a bit of this, but still was shocked when I finally came upon the first moment. As someone who typically doesn’t read much spice, it was a nice addition to this story. It also is there for a point, a purpose, not just for shock or dirty for dirty sake. Kerin lays a foundation with it that reveals itself later, but also just a nice bit a spice.
This story is about a search for answers to questions that might seem a bit far fetched, but without any other solutions is the only way to go. But it’s also about dealing with loss and the actual repercussions of a life without concrete answers. The disappearance of a loved one is obviously not a great thing for that loved one but can have a ripple effect in those family members and friends surrounding the missing person. Life can unravel as you know it when the questions surrounding this loss are unanswered and mysterious. It’s how you deal with this that sets your future in place, a not-so-easy thing to deal with.
Writing reviews can sometimes be easy, sometimes are extremely hard. Usually this is because you are unsure how you feel about said book, but you know what, sometimes its because the reveal is so much of what the story is about, but can’t say it as the vast majority have not been able to read the story. The only way to really understand how wonderful How to Disappear Completely is to experience it for yourself. An incredible journey, but an ending that makes the story feel complete.
How to Disappear Completely is an unpredictable and wonderfully unsettling novel where the scariest mysteries are sometimes the ones we desperately need answered. Liz Kerin crafts an atmospheric and emotional novel, with a touch of spice, with an ending that made everything that came before it hit even harder. How to Disappear Completely is a beautiful genre-bending story that was worth the wait!
How to Disappear Completely hits bookstores everywhere on February 9, 2027 from Poisoned Pen Press. The audiobook is available via Libro.fm!
