If I Disappear by Eliza Jane Brazier
This was not a particularly clever mystery which tries to be a sinister take on the true crime phenomenon. This was not fascinating, propulsive, twisty, exciting, tense or full of suprises. Sera is a saddo loser who has a disconcerting obsession with a true crime podcast. When the podcast host, Rachel, goes missing. Sera vehemently rejects logic and sense and goes looking for her.
Sera faces seismic backlash for her unwavering loyalty to someone she's never met. Her decision to look for the revered Rachel is irrevocable and causes confrontation and upset. There is an unsubtle sense of impending cataclysm and things go horribly wrong. The horribly misguided Sera sees everyone as tormentors. The circumstances around Rachel's disppearance grow increasingly mysterious. Sera faces callousness, condescension and self-righteousness.
This was whimsically absurd and absurdly poor and incomprehensibly weak. Sera makes endless false assumptions as she denies implacable reality. There are particularly antagonistic types, laughably heavy foreboding and dreadful consequences. Implacable reality leads to a hideous set of cirumstances and a devastating understanding.
If this had serious intent, it lacks conventional thinking. Sera causes dreadful harm with her cackhanded meddling and uncertainty about where the truth lay. Things go inexorably bad. This was not incredibly moving.
Best Lines:
“Now you are gone and no one is looking.”
“Imbued with evil.”
“Everything here is falling apart or being swallowed up by blackberries.”
“A long, long time ago.”
“Liked to cause trouble.”
“Well, that was pleasant.”
“Social discomfort and disappointment.”
“You are not a stunt queen or a falsely accused or a Gone Girl.”
“Seems like a nice guy, but isn't a role he has cultivated?”
“Who hadn't even realized she was gone.”
“And that's when Mom brought out the will. You can imagine it was a pretty exciting Easter dinner.”