The Vanished Girl

By: Kathleen McGurl

Narrated by: Lucy Scott

'Hugely enjoyable and compelling' LOUISE DOUGLAS

'A rollercoaster of a novel, full of twists and turns … an immersive read that I cannot recommend enough. I inhaled it in two days!' RACHEL BURTON

'Atmospheric and captivating' JANE BETTANY

The memories of that summer won’t stay buried forever…

1976. It’s a long, hot summer, and all Jo Salway wants is to bask in the freedom of the holidays with her life-long friends. But when little Pippa Jenkins suddenly vanishes without a trace, the friends must close ranks to protect themselves. And in doing so, change the course of their futures forever …

2024. Haunted by the events of fifty years ago, Jo has never returned to her childhood home of Hareton Wick. But in the aftermath of trauma and with her only respite found at the bottom of a bottle, Jo knows that the only way to start afresh is to unravel the secrets of her past. But when the tangled web of Pippa’s disappearance starts to lead closer to home, who will Jo be able to trust, and who will she betray …

Readers are HOOKED by The Vanished Girl

'Full of friendship, grief, love and loss … a stunning read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Kathleen McGurl is the undisputed queen of dual timeline historical fiction' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Very addictive' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Plenty of twists to keep me guessing. Couldn't put the book down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'What a great read!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This really is a tragic tale … one of my favourite books to date' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A heart-tugging and addictive journey' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Perfect for fans of:

🕰️ Dual timeline

🔍 Gripping mysteries

🫨 Shocking twists

©2026 Kathleen McGurl (P)2026 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

PRAISE FOR THE VANISHED GIRL:

'Hugely enjoyable and compelling' LOUISE DOUGLAS

'A rollercoaster of a novel, full of twists and turns, taking the reader on a journey from the infamous hot summer of 1976 and the present day to solve a mystery that has haunted a village for generations. An immersive read that I cannot recommend enough. I inhaled it in two days' RACHEL BURTON

'Atmospheric and captivating…A well-paced and gripping story with a satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended' JANE BETTANY

'A captivating tale with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing right to the end! Loved it!’ AMANDA JAMES

PRAISE FOR KATHLEEN MCGURL

'Captivating … a sparkling gem of a story' DAISY WOOD

'A richly textured, poignant story that swept me away' ADRIENNE CHINN

'A gem of a mystery' SUNDAY MAIL

‘I LOVED this book!… I was totally engrossed… I'd highly recommend it!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ READER REVIEW

‘An absolute page turner, it had me gripped and in its spell… From the first page I was absolutely hooked on this book’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ READER REVIEW

‘A brilliant book’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ READER REVIEW

Beautiful and sad

It was a very real story, both beautiful and sad. It was filled with heartbreak and hope.