VANISH cover art

VANISH

#1 bestselling author of WAKE and RIPPER (Lane Holland 3)

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VANISH

By: Shelley Burr
Narrated by: Jacquie Brennan
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About this listen

'Shelley Burr does not take prisoners. Bloody loved this book . . . It's crime fiction at its effortless best - beautifully drawn characters, rich relationships, fast and fascinating plot, and twists that make you go "ah"' LAINIE ANDERSON, author of The Death of Dora Black

'A constant unnerving undercurrent bubbling away on every page' DARCY TINDALE, author of Burning Mountain

People go to the isolated Karpathy farm looking for a new life. Is it a commune? Is it a cult? Or something far more dangerous?

Lane Holland's crime-solving career ended the day he went to prison. Yet one unsolved case continues to haunt him: the disappearance of Matilda Carver two decades ago.

Against the odds, Lane finds a lead - a mysterious farm community where Matilda lived briefly, led by the enigmatic Samuel Karpathy. The farm attracts lost souls. People looking for answers. People hiding from their pasts. People who have nowhere else to go.

But some of those who go to the farm seem to vanish without a trace.

Inspired by a real-life criminal case, VANISH is a chilling thriller from award-winning Shelley Burr, the bestselling author of Australian noir.

Praise for Shelley Burr's sensational novels:

'Compulsive, propulsive, addictive' New York Times

'Outstanding . . . A gripping mystery' The Guardian

'A yarn that feels so plausible and terrifying, it stays with you' The Australian Women's Weekly

'Shelley Burr is a bright new talent in Australian crime fiction' CHRIS HAMMER

'Stunning, masterfully written, thought-provoking and intense, it is Aussie noir at its finest' Sunday Express

©2025 Shelley Burr (P)2025 Hachette Australia Audio
Amateur Sleuths Crime Crime Thrillers Mystery Private Investigators Thriller & Suspense Exciting Scary
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My first audible and it was a good choice. Interesting story that left me wanting more

Intriguing story

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I’ve read all 3 of the Lane Holland series, hooked from the start and praying they continue. Compelling!

Brilliant series

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Finally we see the return of Mena McCreary and the hope of love along with it for Lane.

Best Lane Holland book yet

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Vanish by Shelley Burr @shelleyburrwrites

In case you need a catch-up, I recently requested and was approved for an ARC of Vanish by Shelley Burr, which is book three in the PI Lane Holland series; when I requested Vanish, I thought I had read the earlier books (Wake and Ripper), but it turns out I had not! I did already have both books in my audible library. The Blurb for Vanish said it could be read as a stand-alone book, but when I read the first chapter, I discovered the lead character (PI Lane Holland) sitting in prison, and I needed to know why.

Now that I've read Wake (book one) and Ripper (book two), I have finally read Vanish. Book three in the PI Lane Holland series, the blurb states:

"People go to the isolated Karpathy farm looking for a new life. Is it a commune? Is it a cult? Or something far more dangerous?"

While Lane did not solve the cold case disappearance of Matilda Carver, he did debunk her father's (Prison Governor Carver's) theory. He's been approved for release from prison as part of a prisoner training program, so he's moved to Karpathy farm, aware that it is linked to multiple missing person cases.

Lane is escorted by a Prison Guard whose care factor is low, allowing Lane a reasonable amount of freedom. Their arrival at Karpathy Farm coincides with a natural disaster (a flood) and the sudden and suspicious death of a young farmhand. Additionally, Lane recognises one of his fellow farm workers, and it turns out they are both investigating missing persons cases. This book is full of twists and turns. There are hallucinogenic mushrooms, the potential of bodies buried under the pigsty, and a bushfire!

Big thumbs up, but in the words of Georgia from My Favourite Murder, "You're in a Cult, Call Your Dad"

Body Count = 1 (historic deaths uncounted.)

Thanks to Hachette Australia, Shelley Burr and NetGalley for this e-ARC to read and review.

Shelley Burr cemented herself on the list of Australian Authors that I will automatically add to my TBR pile. What Authors are a must-read for you?

#HachetteAustralia #NetGalley @hachetteaus @netgalley

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"You're in a Cult, Call Your Dad"

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just couldn't really get behind the scenario. pretty hard to continue the plot from previous I suppose but didn't work for me

ludicrous

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