The Disappearances - Emily Bain Murphy

What if the ordinary things in life suddenly… disappeared?

Aila Quinn’s mother, Juliet, has always been a mystery: vibrant yet guarded, she keeps her secrets beyond Aila’s reach. 

When Juliet dies, Aila and her younger brother Miles are sent to live in Sterling, a rural town far from home - and the place where Juliet grew up.

Sterling is a place with mysteries of its own. A place where the experiences that weave life together - scents of flowers and food, reflections from mirrors and lakes, even the ability to dream - vanish every seven years.

No one knows what caused these “Disappearances,” or what will slip away next. But Sterling always suspected that Juliet Quinn was somehow responsible - and now Aila must bear the brunt of their blame and suspicion while she follows the chain of literary clues her mother left behind, trying to find answers of her own. 

As the next Disappearance nears, Aila begins to unravel the dual secret of why the Disappearances happen and who her mother truly was. One thing is clear: Sterling isn’t going to hold on to anyone's secrets for long before it starts giving them up. 

But some mysteries are buried very deep and some secrets want to stay hidden - and one young woman's desire to uncover the truth may not be enough to save Sterling from the past.

Inspired by the author’s research into real life disappearances, child-trafficking and exploitation, The Disappearances is a beautifully told story of love, loss and the courage it takes to go looking for the truth - no matter what the cost.

'Thick with mystery, buried secrets, and magic, nothing is safe in The Disappearances. Be careful, or you might lose yourself in this strange and wondrous world, where stars go missing, reflections don't exist, and the question, how much would you sacrifice for love? is given entirely new meaning. I adored this book!' - Stephanie Garber, bestselling author of Caraval

Emily Bain Murphy has called many places home over the years. She grew up in Indiana, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, and has also lived in Massachusetts and Connecticut but currently lives in San Francisco. The Disappearances is her first novel.