When You Disappeared
All she wanted was the truth, but she'll wish she never found out.
When Catherine wakes up alone one morning, she thinks her husband has gone for a run before work. But Simon never makes it to the office. His running shoes are by the front door. Nothing is missing--except him.
Catherine knows Simon must be in trouble. He wouldn't just leave her. He wouldn't leave the children.
But Simon knows the truth--about why he left and what he's done. He knows things about his marriage that it would kill Catherine to find out. The memories she holds onto are lies.
While Catherine faces a dark new reality at home, Simon's halfway around the world, alive and thriving. He's doing whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of the truth.
But he can't hide forever, and when he reappears twenty-five years later, Catherine will finally learn who he is.
And wish she'd stayed in the dark.
Revised edition: Previously published as The Wronged Sons, this edition of When You Disappeared includes editorial revisions.
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Community Reviews
Yes, the "big reveal" really was BIG. It was an awful, horrible mess. It tore me up and brought me to tears. And yet, it all could have been avoided if the couple had simply talked. If even one of them had dared speak about the occurrence, it would have opened the floodgates, and the truth would have dared to shine a light on reality. But they both chose to keep silent, both holding onto their pain and anger without cluing the other one in as to why, and in the end, it caused one of them to essentially break down, which led to murder, abandonment and heartache. Unfortunately, their behavior didn't just affect themselves either.
From what the author stated in the acknowledgements, it sounds like this story is based on actual events that he heard told to him. This deeply frightens me. Because I think all of us at one point or another have opted to do something or not do something just to spite someone who has wronged us. It might be a small little thing - like not returning a call, forgetting to pass along a message or skipping an event. But in this case, one person started down a path to get retribution for a perceived wrong after allowing the pain to build-up over years, and that path led them to near madness, which all could have been avoided if they had only communicated. Lesson learned.
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