Amazon.it:Recensioni clienti: (HOW TO DISAPPEAR) BY MOKI[ AUTHOR ]Hardback 10-2010

Ci sono 0 recensioni e 1 valutazione dall'Italia

Mr. S. E. Johnson

Isn't it nice when books just work?

Recensito nel Regno Unito 🇬🇧 il 16 novembre 2020

Cast your mind back 20 years to the turn of the millennium. I'm sure you can remember where you were. Perhaps you celebrated it by going out to a street party and seeing some fireworks. Or maybe you met up with some family and friends and had a party.

But can you lay your hands on any photos of it? Of course you can't. At that time, digital cameras were (a) expensive and (b) rubbish, there was no such thing as a selfie and even if you did take a camera out with you, chances are you never got round to having the film developed. And even if you did, the photos you had printed got lost, or damaged, years ago.

It's a bit different now, isn't it? Everyone's phone has a camera, and as soon as you get a nice photo it can instantly be uploaded onto a social media site. Even if you didn't take that picture yourself, you might appear in one taken by your workplace to promote their business.

Over the first ten years of the 2000s, my life went from being practically unknown by anyone to becoming an open book. I'm sure that if you could be bothered, you could find out from Facebook where I lived, how I spent last weekend, the names of my wife and two cats and the fact that I cut a sight for very sore eyes as I tried to relieve my hangover with a New Year's Day swim at the start of this year.

That's not a problem for me, of course. But what if I had to keep my location a secret?

This and many other 'what if' scenarios are ones that play in your head as you read How to Disappear. Zara is just fourteen years old when she witnesses the murder of a homeless man by two aspiring Premier League footballers. A year later she gives evidence at their trial, anonymously, as 'Girl A'. But the trial collapses. Zara's identify is revealed online, and her life is threatened. The only answer seems to be for Zara and her mother Lauren to disappear from life as they know it, and enter a witness protection scheme. But her husband Aiden can't join them, because he has a daughter from a previous marriage. And his ex-wife, and Poppy's mother, is crippled by multiple sclerosis.

And that's just the start of the family's difficulties. Zara has to be placed in a new school, and Lauren in a new job. But how to make friends, and work effectively with new colleagues if you have to keep your life story a secret? And it only takes one slip. One log-in to your husband's Instagram account. One present sent to your sister, whom you discover is pregnant after years of trying. A revelation of the truth to one school friend after it all just gets to be that bit too much.

Then there's Aiden's story. Does he just accept that he can never see, or hear from his wife again? Of course he doesn't. Perhaps if he can find proof that the two footballers, who have organised a 'Find Girl A' group on Facebook, have criminal intentions and then entrap them, they'll be taken off the streets and he can have is wife and stepdaughter back. But how big a risk is this to his own life? And his daughter's?

This, for me, is one of those books that just works. It's a thriller and a love story at the same time. It's fast-paced, yet gut-wrenching. I wanted to scream in Lauren's face not to be so stupid, and at the same time help her along. I wanted to slap Zara for being so rude to her mum, and then immediately give her a huge hug to try and make her feel better. I silently screamed at Aiden to stop and be more careful, whilst almost simultaneously cheering him on. And that ending ... I never saw that coming. I went from having a lump in my throat to being open-mouthed in the space of a single page.

Perhaps, if I was to be ultra-critical, there were a few - just a few - points in the storyline where I thought 'would it really happen like that?' And the author's admittance that she had "basically ... made it up" because the UK's protection service weren't prepared to give any of their secrets away, wasn't exactly reassuring in this respect. The thing is though that I don't know any better either. So there's really no point in querying how factually correct this book is when it's written this well, and made me think and feel the way it did.

You just need to not over-analyse and simply enjoy. I loved it. It's probably one of my favourite 5 reads of this year and definitely not the last book I'll read by Gillian McAllister.

4 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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Ronnie

Overall enjoyable read

Recensito nel Regno Unito 🇬🇧 il 21 luglio 2020

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This story begins with a murder, or what appears to be a murder. Young, idealistic Zara witnesses two young men stab a homeless man to death, seemingly unprovoked. She is star witness for the prosecution, but the court case collapses when it is soon revealed that Zara is lying, or at the very least, exaggerating.

Because of Zara’s lies, the two young footballers have lost their careers and the club has lost a lot of money. Outrage quickly whips up and Zara finds herself the target of a vicious vendetta. Despite her identity being protected in court, she is quickly outed and targeted, so much so that the police offer her and her family witness protection.

Zara and her ditzy mum, Lauren choose to take the protection, leaving behind Aiden and Poppy, Zara’s stepdad and stepsister. Poppy can’t leave her mum, who has MS, and Aiden cannot leave Poppy. The sacrifice of having to tear apart your family and leave behind your loved ones is well shown. I do think a lot more people would have been quite a lot angrier at Zara and much less indulgent. However noble her intentions, she has caused an awful lot of trouble and I thought everyone was just a little bit too civilised and understanding.

This is the second book I have read recently with the villains as murderous footie fans; it did make a change from conniving husbands/sisters/younger women at work, but I found it a bit unrealistic in places. OK, its very easy to find someone now with social media etc, but a rabble of angry blokes just seemed to find Zara so easily, outfoxing the police and protection services at all angles. They should maybe have renounced being football hooligans and joined the secret service.

Having said that, Zara and Lauren made it very easy. I thought at times the book should have been titled “How Not to Disappear”. They whined endlessly at being banished to the Badlands outside London; having to live in rural Cumbria and needing to drive, no 24 hour shops, street lights, etc. At times it made them seem very insular, with no idea of life outside their own environment. Neither of them could keep their mouths shut or stay off social media either.

Lauren’s thing with the bath also began to really grate on me. Lauren likes cake and baths, great. The boiler didn’t work in the new place but instead of calling a plumber, like most normal people would, we have an endless monologue of why Lauren can’t get in the bath.

While Zara and Lauren are in hiding, Aiden takes it upon himself to try and infiltrate the football gang, not very convincingly, I have to say. Aiden is trying to get enough evidence before the gang close in on Lauren and Zoe, but will he manage it?

Despite the bath saga, this was a good book and an engaging read. I thought it tipped into being a family drama a bit too much at times, rather than a thriller, but I enjoyed reading it.

13 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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Candygirl

Not my favourite

Recensito nel Regno Unito 🇬🇧 il 8 ottobre 2022

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I always buy GM’s books on kindle without reading a sample, I’m that sure I will like them. Although this had a lot of the hallmarks of a GM novel - good characterisation, a moral dilemma for the main protagonists which leaves you thinking ‘what would I do’, the story just didn’t grab me this time. I’m sure the events could be true but I just couldn’t get behind them, I couldn’t believe the fans would be so dogged and determined or that the couple would take the course they did. It might just have been me but I felt it a bit far fetched. I suppose as well it read more like a romance than a psychological thriller and I hate romances!

So, in summary, not a bad book by any means but just not my favourite GM book.

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Talia

A fast paced jaw dropping thriller with themes of love and loss

Recensito nel Regno Unito 🇬🇧 il 15 febbraio 2021

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This was everything a great psychological thriller should be! Fast and breath taking. The sequence of events starts when Zara, an older teenager, witnesses the death of a homeless man. Two young men are charged with his murder. Zara gives evidence as Girl A, as there are serious concerns for her safety if her identity is known. The reason for this is that the young men had brilliant futures ahead of them as part of a premiership football team. Their dreams are now left in tatters.

The case falls apart as Zara is found out in a lie. Social media goes wild with speculation as to her identity and Zara is forced to consider going into Witness Protection. She eventually decides that would be the safest option, and she goes into Witness Protection with her mother. Her mother’s husband decides not to join them as he has a child outside of this family, one who he cannot bear to leave.

The story is told from a variety of perspectives, from Zara, her mother Lauren, her mother’s husband Aidan and her mother’s husband’s daughter, Poppy. The story is fast moving as we catch up with characters in a variety of settings. It seems to move quickly as we read on to find out what is happening to all the characters at the same time, but in different circumstances.

You get a real sense of danger as groups are set up on social media to try to locate Girl A who seek redress for her ruining the footballing future of the boys involved. Despite not going with his second family, the reader is left in no doubt that he loves them immensely. Aidan puts himself in great danger as he tries to thwart the group finding Girl A. Zara initially loses the plot as she tries to fit into a new school, get new friends and get used to her new identity. Her mother Lauren seems to struggle the most as she finds herself unable to forgive Zara for lying and putting them in this situation. Poppy believes she is on the edge of the situation but her involvement is forced on her.

The story fluctuates from being emotional and reflective, then the threat of danger comes to the fore and you feel a real fear for the welfare of the family as a whole. The ending was brilliant. No other word for it. Luckily Gillian Mc Allister has written a lot more books to enjoy.

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Jacob Collins

Stunning!

Recensito nel Regno Unito 🇬🇧 il 12 agosto 2020

Acquisto verificato

Wow! This book! I still can’t believe that ending. Gillian McAllister has become one of my go-to authors; I don’t even have to read the blurb before I click that pre-order button. How To Disappear is her best book to date. This book will take you on a whirlwind of emotions, and I don’t think I’ll be forgetting about it any time soon. I think this is one of those books where you will want to talk to someone else who has read it straight away; it’ll make the perfect book club read.

Zara is fourteen when she witnesses the horrific attack on a homeless man. But her life and the lives of her family members are changed dramatically when she is placed in witness protection. A group of dangerous men are determined to silence Zara, and when her identity is released online, it puts her in immediate danger. But this group will stop at nothing to track her down, which means that Zara is constantly on the lookout and tensions are always running high.

I can’t imagine what it must be like for people who have to go into witness protection. Just imagine having to give up everything you know; your family; your friends; your identity, it must be soul-destroying. But this is only the beginning. You have to keep up the pretence. One slip up could prove deadly.

Gillian McAllister explores how people in this position must feel in Zara and her mum Lauren. She also explores this with the family who are left behind. You can really see how this has had an effect on them and on how scared they are all the time. You can see how hard it is for them to begin a new life without talking about anything in their past. Lauran and Zara find this incredibly difficult and they are burning to speak to someone about their troubles.

Lauren and Zara’s desire to talk about what they are going through is what keeps the tension in this book, turning up a notch. I was flying through the pages as I kept expecting any moment for either of them to slip up and mention something to someone. Also, I couldn’t trust the people who they were becoming friends with. Gillian McAllister kept me wondering if these people were working with those who were trying to track Zara down and cause her harm, and they were some nasty individuals.

As I said earlier, How To Disappear will take you on a whirlwind of a ride. This is Gillian McAllister’s best book to date, and I can’t wait to read what she writes next!

Una persona l'ha trovato utile

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Jojomaman

Buy it now! What a book!

Recensito nel Regno Unito 🇬🇧 il 11 luglio 2020

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I have been waiting 18 very long months for this book and have to start by saying that How to Disappear is one of the best books that I’ve read this year. Gillian McAllister is always a “go-to” author for me as she’s a writer who always seems to bring out hidden emotions in me. I can always find her writing seems to speak to me personally and I can always find something to relate to, making her one of a very short list of writers who’s books I will automatically order without even reading a blurb. Her books speak to me, reaching out to comfort or inspire, evoking feelings and responses to the perfectly pitched fictional scenarios. How to Disappear is a stunning book, full of carefully crafted characters and a plot that will shock you with its emotional intensity and make you think about how you would react if you were in the same awful situation as her characters. Because, believe me, the everyday decisions that we have to make are reflected back at us from this storyline and it prompts the question…”what would you do?”

I’ve always been curious about witness protection programmes and how they work, especially about whether or not anyone is ever found and how hard is it to just disappear? Would you tell the truth and testify against someone you know is a criminal if it meant that you had to leave the life you know and start again, often leaving behind those you love, never knowing when or even if you will see them again. That’s what happens to Zara and her mother Lauren after she witnessed a heinous crime. And that’s all I want to say about the plot as you need to read this with no preconceived ideas! All I will say is that this book is heartbreaking and shocking and I howled my eyes out whilst reading it.

How to Disappear is a contender for my book of 2020.

29 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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Swotty Girl

Not A Psychological Thriller

Recensito nel Regno Unito 🇬🇧 il 14 febbraio 2021

Acquisto verificato

If you are - like I was - intrigued by the idea of a thriller set around the world of Witness Protection, then stop. Do not buy this book. It's not a psychological thriller, even to call it a crime novel is pushing that definition to its logical extreme.

This is Women's Fiction, with a crime sub-plot hooked on to it. And the plot moves from daft to ridiculous.

Which is a shame because it started out so well, and with the author with a background in law how can it miss? Well, quite spectacularly it seems. I never really bought the idea that the police would place Zara under witness protection for reasons outlined by the author. Then Aidan's whole sub-plot of going undercover just made it worse - which by the way no police officer would ever encourage.

The characters of Lauren and Zara are dire. Lauren is whiny and frequently does things which make her Too Stupid To Live (I've been to London, it's dirty, overcrowded, the only thing going for it is its museums and galleries). Zara's character isn't logical swinging dramatically between bookish daughter to a stroppy, rebellious teenager. The third act revelation was unconvincing too.

As for the big 'twist' at the end, well it really wasn't. It was cliched and made me cringe (and made me wonder if the author didn't know how to end the book).

The antagonists are pretty faceless and unscary in my opinion. The book would have worked better if perhaps the POVs of Zara and Poppy were removed and one given to Luke. Anyone who has experience of football fans (I live near Newcastle) know its a religion to people and take it VERY seriously.

I gave it three stars as it was readable enough to keep the pages turning. However, it is being lauded as a fast-paced psychological thriller, when it spends more time on the love story of Lauren and Aiden. The thriller elements are weak and don't come to a satisfying conclusion. If you're looking for a light beach read, not particularly gritty then this could be for you. If you want a crime/thriller there are better, meatier books.

One last plea, London is not the capital of the world (or even England's best city).

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Dee

A good read

Recensito nel Regno Unito 🇬🇧 il 15 luglio 2020

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I was slightly disappointed in this book after all the comments on the cover...but first I'll say what I liked. Read it in 5 days which is fast for me. Very good, clever plot, well thought out. Gillian Mc is brilliant at thinking up great story lines and placing her characters in impossible situations, so the reader is like 'Oh my GOD! How can they cope with that? What would I do in that situation?''
I liked the 2 girls ...very believable . BUT Lauren got on my nerves or rather the author did when she went on and on about how much Lauren missed her husband ...I was like okay, I get it...move on...There was too much of it. Also, how could Lauren and Aiden be so stupid ...Ridiculous. BUT I liked the bit in York and thought Zara was very well portrayed and Poppy too. I loved the twist at the end...clever, but poor Aiden and Poppy who had to wait for the truth in agony of soul...(don't want to say too much but all I can say is I was so disappointed in the ending at first, but then it swung round - very clever)
so, I was swithering between 3 and 4 stars for this book, because as well as parts of it being beyond credible, I hated the amount of swearing. Way too much of it and it spoiled it because I don't expect it in G.As books. But overall an enjoyable read, so 4 stars it is.

11 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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Rebecca J

Outstanding!

Recensito nel Regno Unito 🇬🇧 il 20 luglio 2020

Acquisto verificato

Do you have a favourite author? If I am ever asked for a book recommendation, I will always say 'No Further Questions by Gillian McAllister'. How To Disappear may have just knocked that off the top spot.

14 year old Zara witnesses the murder of a homeless man by a football player. In court, it comes out that she has lied slightly and the case it thrown out. The footballer's career is over due to these allegations and a vigilante group set out to find her and make her pay. Due to her age, she is known only as Girl A but it doesn't take long for them to find out her real name and where she lives.

She is threatened so must go into witness protection. She lives with a blended family; her mum Lauren, stepdad Aidan and stepsister Poppy. Poppy is a teenage carer for her mum who has MS. Aidan can't leave his daughter (who must stay to care for her mum) so Lauren and Zara have to go alone. The family is split up.

The chapters alternate between the points of view of Aidan, Lauren, Poppy and Zara and the book is in three sections; Before, After and Later.

Aidan tries to infiltrate the group that are searching for Girl A so that they don't find Lauren and Zara, claiming he's searching for them but throwong them off the scent. Poppy, Lauren and Zara all have secrets that they are hiding and you feel very worried that they are going to contradict each other and everything will backfire.

The pace is fantastic and my heart was in my mouth whilst reading. Towards the end of the After section, I felt like my heart was racing and it had me almost wanting to cry! I lost count of how many times I wanted to shout "What are you doing?!" at a number of characters.

All of the characters have so much depth to them and I liked hearing about Poppy's struggles being a teenage carer for her mum. I feel like that is something that would often be overlooked.

The epilogue was just perfect and nearly had me crying again. Bravo, Gillian!

5 persone l'hanno trovato utile

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tracey screeton

Excellent .

Recensito nel Regno Unito 🇬🇧 il 29 dicembre 2022

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Couldn't put it down ..fantastic book. Highly recommend.
Love this author . Disappointed I have finished it, now looking for another one.

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5 stelle		56%
4 stelle		28%
3 stelle		11%
2 stelle		3%
1 stella		2%

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(HOW TO DISAPPEAR) BY MOKI[ AUTHOR ]Hardback 10-2010

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(HOW TO DISAPPEAR) BY MOKI[ AUTHOR ]Hardback 10-2010

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