When You Disappeared
by John Marrs
***
Catherine and Simon are childhood sweethearts. Three children, a successful business and a nice home; to the outsider it would appear like the perfect family. However Catherine wakes one morning to find her husband has vanished without a trace. Until 25 years later, when Simon reappears on the doorstep determined to punish her for something she was unaware she’d done.
The story is told from each main character’s point of view, alternating between the past and present. I actually enjoy writing done this way, especially told as two different stories running along the same timeline as this one is. Details of each of their lives are shared and the secrets of Simon’s disappearance are revealed.
I found the middle of this book to be quite slow. Catherine’s life returns to a form of normality, working all hours to keep the family home stable and making a success of herself in spite of her struggle. Simon carries on his ridiculously egocentric life, with no thought to the family he left behind or in fact the people he met along the way. Simply wanting to find out what had been so terrible to make him leave in the first place kept me reading.
And when it is finally revealed… stupid, stupid Simon. He infuriated me! Much credit given to John Marrs for creating such a hateable character. Putting myself in Catherine’s shoes – I could not imagine if my husband just vanished one day! Our entire lifestyle is built around the two of us together. To be left to carry on with life as normal with no idea as to what has happened to your husband; my entire world would collapse.
The reason he left caused me to actually shout out loud. Having spent the majority of his life with Catherine, built a home and a family with her and then simply assuming the worst of her?! He did some unthinkable things as a result of mere assumption. It unsettled me in a way that makes me both love and hate this book.
Just Me + A Tea 