Review of 'The Vanished Girl' by Kathleen McGurl

Review of 'The Vanished Girl' by Kathleen McGurl

Release date: March 12th, 2026

Publisher: HQ Digital

REVIEW

It is no secret I am a huge fan of Kathleen McGurl’s dual timeline novels. Her literary talent continues to impress and inspire me. This murder mystery is just as remarkable as her previous family roots stories. So yes, the focus is a little different with The Vanished Girl but just as captivating. I could not put it down and read it in a day. There are plenty of twists and surprises and unique reasons behind the unexpected events.

Book covers are important, in my opinion. They either draw me in or repel me. Kathleen’s are always spot on and accurate reflections of the story within. And this one oozes mystery. We get a vivid contrast of age with the gloomy old house and youthful pink bicycle in the foreground (these opposites in age come up again but I won’t say when or where). The atmospheric split sky in dark and yellow tones again reflect the earlier and later timeline and series of events. The scene is supported by the title, of course, of ‘The Vanished Girl.’ I was intrigued from the start and pulled in by the front cover’s tagline phrase: ‘The memories of that summer won’t stay buried forever.’ This also drew me into the mystery that I knew would have lots of twists, turns and rollercoaster moments.

Next is the Prologue. And this book has an excellent one. I enjoyed reading it as it provided a great narrative hook and glimpses of a backstory. It set the stage, established the tone and foreshadowed events to come, which all got me engaged immediately. Personally, I also like returning to a Prologue (if a book has one) when I finish reading a story. It is fun to see the initial clues again, why they were there and how the author developed and shaped it all into a full picture. I find going back often provides more clarity and satisfaction.

As I charged off into chapter one, I met Jo in 2024, the main narrator who has moved back to the country town of her youth, Hareton Wick in Hampshire. She has been through a lot but is compelled to return. Why? She gives a number of valid reasons. But maybe under it all is a desire for healing and closure? As her memories come flooding back, I was transported to Jo in 1976 and learned what life was life for her as a twelve year old. Moving flawlessly back and forth between these two timelines, I was gripped by the edgier topics and tone. As I waited for the plot to unfold and watched the characters go through their paces, my mind was a whir of activity.

The novel is told mostly from Jo Salway’s viewpoint, past and current. But a few chapters (including the Prologue) are presented from the child’s perspective (Pippa Jenkins) which helped me become even more emotionally invested in this character. Pippa’s tender age, curiosity, loneliness and craving for social activity comes through in the Prologue and in her viewpoint chapters. These clues early on make sense of what happens later. Besides Jo and Pippa, one other person gets a chapter to explain their circumstance (of which I will not name). It was quite moving and sad to read their thoughts, too. But helpful.

This novel covers a number of difficult topics such as divorce, broken sibling relationships, dementia, false judgement, PTSD and alcoholism to name a few. For one character, the alcohol addiction is a response to emotional trauma (such as viewing a murdered victim after the event and dealing with unwarranted guilt—where ‘if only she had been there sooner she would have prevented the crime’). The novel explores loss of stability and trauma in losing one’s childhood home when parents split. The children must move from their place of security, leaving all that is familiar to them to deal with more unknowns. Also, the social aspects of saying goodbye to old friends to make new ones is not easy for children. Then there are the worries for a child of an alcoholic parent. He/she feels responsible to keep watch over the parent who might slip up. Lastly, the novel deals with grief after dramatic loss, and the need for closure and healing.

As the secrets unravelled in The Vanished Girl, I was reminded of so many things happening in the world. The injustices, violence and unfair judging of those who are different. And a world where a lone parent struggles with being the bread winner and unable to properly care for their child—leaving the child on their own, too much. Pippa represents a lot of children in this category.

I have not said much about the story’s plot as I don’t want to give anything away since it is a murder mystery but the upside of this novel is the fact that there are people available in a community, including friends and other family members, who are there to support the wounded, lonely and lost. Jo found this out and how it helped her recover from the horrible incidents she encountered. The scene of coming upon a girl who was murdered really stuck in my head and Kathleen handled it respectfully through Jo’s response in that moment. Her kind actions gave the girl’s parents some much needed comfort.

I won’t say more but get this book and read it when it comes out in March. It will tug on your heart, make you shed a few tears and appreciate the love and support of others when you need it most. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Kathleen McGurl and publisher HQ digital.