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I “met” Jessica Payne a couple months after I joined Twitter when I realized she ran the #momswritersclub. I found her bi-weekly chats fun and inspiring, and it’s where I subsequently connected with so many other writer friends. Hearing her talk about her writing process, signing with her agent, and then when she got her book deal, and started going through the editing process with her editor… it’s been so fun to watch this happen for her. I could not be more excited that this day is finally here for her! Launching her book baby out into the world must be so incredible!
MAKE ME DISAPPEAR is thoroughly dark and twisty; a rollercoaster of a story. The tension builds higher and higher, and the stakes are huge. There were so many moments where I felt nervous for Noelle, so many shocking moments where I dropped my jaw! I had theories early on in the pages, and I love when I feel actively engaged in a story like that. There were so many times where Noelle said something and I thought, “Yep, I’ve said that before.” This story is of course fictional, but there are lines in it that resonated so deeply with me. I connected with Noelle instantly—right from the very first words.
Thrilling things kept happening in the story to move it forward, and my theories shifted back and forth. Page-turner is an understatement. This brilliantly written book was literally impossible to put down! Hands-down a 5-star read for me.
I absolutely loved getting to read this debut thriller—thank you to Jess and your team for the ARC! It’s been a pleasure celebrating your launch with you!
A note about authentic characters. Reading MAKE ME DISAPPEAR gave me lots of feelings. I see a lot of similarities in two ways: one, in how Noelle felt about her relationship with Daniel—both in the beginning and when it started to become apparent about who he really was… and then of course the aftermath of confirming who he was and where it stems from. And two, in how I wrote my own thriller, THE LIES HE TOLD ME (which is still a work-in-progress after over a year). I wrote one POV in first person (the protagonist) and the other in the mind of a sociopathic narcissist in the same fashion—in a hybrid second person. I drew on personal experiences and what I learned about sociopathic narcissists in my own aftermath and it was so eerie to read similar things in Jess’s book. It reminded me of certain instances, behaviours, actions, words, denials, control, gaslighting, the following, the cameras, the paranoia, the feeling like you have to run… I wanted to write my novel because I know there are millions of people out there, particularly women, who have things like this happen to them and they feel like no one will believe them. They’re not alone. This book expertly shows how authentic both Noelle and Daniel are. It may be a work of fiction, but let me tell you, shit like this really does happen in real life! People really do fall for good manipulators and make excuses for and defend their behaviour, and it really can’t be seen until it’s “too late.” Once you’re sucked in, your instincts become tangled up in how the manipulator makes you feel, and you ignore all the warnings people are giving you. And it’s not as easy to escape as outsiders may think, especially when the bad guy plays the hero so well and paints you with the crazy brush. So, having been through personal experiences, I can confirm that the book was written as authentically as fictional characters can be. Fantastic job, Jess!
From the back cover:
By the time I realized the truth about Daniel it was too late. But the truth about me? He never saw that coming…
Dr Daniel Ashcroft was perfect: handsome, romantic, protective. I thought I was so lucky.
But then I heard the rumors about his previous girlfriend, that she had vanished without a trace.That’s when I found the cameras in my apartment.
I was trapped. Daniel made it clear I couldn’t leave him, not without risking everyone I loved. I had to disappear, so I arranged my own kidnapping.
I should have known Daniel would never let me get away that easily. But he could never have predicted what I’d do next…
Make Me Disappear is a brilliantly twisty psychological thriller guaranteed to keep you up all night. Fans of The Wife Between Us, Gone Girl and The Couple Next Door will find it impossible to put down.
About the Author:
Jessica Payne is the debut thriller author of MAKE ME DISAPPEAR. She lives in the Pacific Northwest where the mountains and Puget Sound are home. Jessica writes suspense and thriller and is active in the Twitter writing community. She hosts #momswritersclub on Twitter and also co-hosts a You Tube channel of the same name with author Sara Read. You can find more about her on her website at www.jessicapayne.net.
Kathleen Foxx || Author || Editor || Podcast Host 