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The Vanishing of Joni Blackwood
The debris from the night before is scattered underneath the village tree and across the cobbles. Red wine stains the ground like blood. And Joni has vanished.
Joni Blackwood is my best friend. She was there for my first crush, stood beside me at my wedding, watched my daughter grow up. She's been there through the painful mess of the divorce, too. So when she suddenly goes missing on All Gallows' Eve, I'm first to raise the alarm.
People outside the village say she must have been sacrificed in some pagan ritual. But All Gallows' Eve isn't like that. We're just simple folk enjoying an annual bonfire to keep an old tradition alive. It's mulled cider and local mums running charity bake sales to be in with a chance of winning Gallows Queen. Joni wins every year.
My mum used to say this village was built on the roots of The Gallows Tree, that they're underneath the ground, under all of our houses. It used to scare me as a kid. Thick, snaking roots squirming under me. No matter how far you ran, they could tunnel after you. And when the bones of a small child are unearthed in the church graveyard, I have to wonder how many secrets are running through our village, like the roots of the tree. And I wonder if Joni can really outrun hers. And I wonder if I can really outrun mine.
The Vanishing of Joni Blackwood is an utterly compelling mystery with a twist you won't see coming. Perfect for fans of C J Tudor, Caroline Mitchell and Erin Kelly.
Joni Blackwood is my best friend. She was there for my first crush, stood beside me at my wedding, watched my daughter grow up. She's been there through the painful mess of the divorce, too. So when she suddenly goes missing on All Gallows' Eve, I'm first to raise the alarm.
People outside the village say she must have been sacrificed in some pagan ritual. But All Gallows' Eve isn't like that. We're just simple folk enjoying an annual bonfire to keep an old tradition alive. It's mulled cider and local mums running charity bake sales to be in with a chance of winning Gallows Queen. Joni wins every year.
My mum used to say this village was built on the roots of The Gallows Tree, that they're underneath the ground, under all of our houses. It used to scare me as a kid. Thick, snaking roots squirming under me. No matter how far you ran, they could tunnel after you. And when the bones of a small child are unearthed in the church graveyard, I have to wonder how many secrets are running through our village, like the roots of the tree. And I wonder if Joni can really outrun hers. And I wonder if I can really outrun mine.
The Vanishing of Joni Blackwood is an utterly compelling mystery with a twist you won't see coming. Perfect for fans of C J Tudor, Caroline Mitchell and Erin Kelly.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2024
186 people are currently reading
1922 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 17, 2025
4.5 stars
Review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2XRw5N2/
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Small town mystery: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2gWVT9T/
Review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2XRw5N2/
Should’ve Hyped Up More: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2g7Joms/
Small town mystery: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2gWVT9T/
May 17, 2024
What a chilling, nerve-wracking read! I absolutely loved it! Had so many theories throughout, but oh my.. That ending left me stunned.
April 5, 2024
Okay so there was no way at all I was going to put this book down until I knew what had happened to Joni Blackwood. Starting with a night of community tradition moving to childhood ghost stories, flashes of the past, shared trauma, and dark secrets. The disappearance of Joni is not the only mystery. The group have kept a secret since their teenage years, is this why Joni has been taken? Does someone know their secret? Does it have anything to do with the body found in the cemetery? An incredible atmospheric read that's made me an instant fan of the author. Definitely check it out.
Thank you so much to Orion for sending me a proof of this one!
Thank you so much to Orion for sending me a proof of this one!
September 13, 2024
Do you know the feeling.. when you start watching a new series and the first episode, the pilot, is just like.. the worst? That’s how this book starts; the first chapter is a struggle to get through. It starts with a dialogue and this might sometimes work very well, in this case it’s just confusing. There’s no atmosphere, way too little buildup (where are we? Who are we? How does it look around us? What’s happening?) Once simple sentence doesn’t make you féél the surroundings.
Example: ‘… from the trees in last night’s unexpected hailstorm.’ This is part of the second last sentence of the first chapter and is supposed to create a spooky mysterious mood. But it doesn’t work by just putting it in a simple sentence like this. Describe it! Describe how it got dark(er) first, maybe suddenly and fast, how the wind howled, how the trees swinged, how the cold creeped up upon us and how the animals got eerily quiet. Just something…
And this makes me realise: why all the short sentences? It’s weird and it’s not a nice reading experience to be honest. I also found some missing interpunction here and there.
And the characters are just horrible and shallow thus far. I just really didn’t enjoy this book. Every time it was supposed to be spooky it turned out to be a joke or something else. It wasn’t my vibe, while it had so much potential.
Example: ‘… from the trees in last night’s unexpected hailstorm.’ This is part of the second last sentence of the first chapter and is supposed to create a spooky mysterious mood. But it doesn’t work by just putting it in a simple sentence like this. Describe it! Describe how it got dark(er) first, maybe suddenly and fast, how the wind howled, how the trees swinged, how the cold creeped up upon us and how the animals got eerily quiet. Just something…
And this makes me realise: why all the short sentences? It’s weird and it’s not a nice reading experience to be honest. I also found some missing interpunction here and there.
And the characters are just horrible and shallow thus far. I just really didn’t enjoy this book. Every time it was supposed to be spooky it turned out to be a joke or something else. It wasn’t my vibe, while it had so much potential.
June 6, 2024
Horrendous characters and an obvious twist.
July 15, 2024
ARC provided by NetGalley
I'm somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars on this. My reticence is down to the fact that the book very firmly leads you to believe one thing about the MC and does not seed in the idea that she is an unreliable, even untrustworthy narrator until around 70% of the way through. Weirdly one of the aspects it does really well - the ride or die female friendship - is the thing which it thoroughly betrays by the end. I also felt that the dark folkloric elements weren't woven into the bed rock of the story but instead picked up and dropped as it suited the author. All that aside, it is a compulsive read, with an authentic setting and some very astute observations about 90s teens (I know, I was there). I'm not sure I liked the book overall but I had a good time reading it.
I'm somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars on this. My reticence is down to the fact that the book very firmly leads you to believe one thing about the MC and does not seed in the idea that she is an unreliable, even untrustworthy narrator until around 70% of the way through. Weirdly one of the aspects it does really well - the ride or die female friendship - is the thing which it thoroughly betrays by the end. I also felt that the dark folkloric elements weren't woven into the bed rock of the story but instead picked up and dropped as it suited the author. All that aside, it is a compulsive read, with an authentic setting and some very astute observations about 90s teens (I know, I was there). I'm not sure I liked the book overall but I had a good time reading it.
May 7, 2024
Joni Blackwood vanishes on All gallows’ eve in South Yorkshire Village.People outside the village believes that she was sacrificed as a part of pagan ritual. Though Joni has been crowned and been given the title of Gallows Queen before she vanished without leaving any trace. The characters have a poignant back stories and that is what connected them while back in village, there are many bizarre stories and Joni’s mom herself used to tell her story of the horrifying branches and ghosts. The story has been narrated in dual timelines; present and past.
The truth is frightening, deep and twisted. What’s more horrifying is that not only Joni goes missing but the remains of a child is also found and the truth comes out with a layer of mystery, suspense and secrets. The book has paranormal elements and the ending was shocking. The mystery of Gallows tree kept me on toes. The writing was compelling.
Many Thanks to the Publisher and Author.
The truth is frightening, deep and twisted. What’s more horrifying is that not only Joni goes missing but the remains of a child is also found and the truth comes out with a layer of mystery, suspense and secrets. The book has paranormal elements and the ending was shocking. The mystery of Gallows tree kept me on toes. The writing was compelling.
Many Thanks to the Publisher and Author.
April 7, 2025
At the start of the book I noticed some errors and wasn't sure if I'd enjoy it. But it definitely improved. And the twist at the very end was completely unexpected!
June 14, 2024
I don't often write reviews, but I have to for this.
I won't write too much because I dont want to give away too much.
I like thrillers, but most can be predictable. I was so sure I knew where this was going, but this plot kept me guessing, and the ending had me gobsmacked.
Loved this book.
I won't write too much because I dont want to give away too much.
I like thrillers, but most can be predictable. I was so sure I knew where this was going, but this plot kept me guessing, and the ending had me gobsmacked.
Loved this book.
January 26, 2025
A point of order: I read this book on my Kindle, under the title of The Village.
And for the first nine-tenths of the book, I loved the story. It put me in mind of the gang of youths in Stephen King's It. The two protagonists, Joni Blackwood and Cass, the main character, were friends until their late teens, and would be still if Joni had not vanished following the annual Gallows Hill festival in the village of Thistleswaite. Each year, the village holds a local celebration known as Gallows Hill day. The celebration honors a huge tree in the center of town known as Gallows Hill, which, legend has it, once served as...well, as the local gallows. Cass always participates in the festival one way or another if only for a respite from her life of drudgery. Her single mother is a committed alcoholic, and does little more than pass out throughout the story. Cass must tend to dissolute mother, but little of her story is taken up with such care. Joni lives with her father, who is a firefighter. He has always been kind to Cass, but beyond this, he does not play too much of a role in the story either. The Gallows Hill festival gives Cass and Joni a legitimate reason to hang out with a group of her cronies.
Relationships amongst the Thistleswaite group are as complicated as such groups ever get. Joni is the most attractive of the group, and Cass is sure that Kit and Jamie, the two main male characters, have waged a clandestine war for Joni's attention and affections. Cass cannot make up her mind which of the two men she likes more, and she experiences a variety of intimate encounters with them both, but no interaction helps her to make up her mind. Two other young men, Tom and Pete, are more tangential members of the group, but they each have some revelatory moments and meaningful dialogue of their own.
One night after the festival, the group of friends decide to have a campout within the ruins of the long-since shut down steelworks. They plan a mischievous fate for the steelworks, but before they can enact their plans, they fall asleep with the aid of a mushroom concoction that one of the young men has cooked up. Under the psychedelic influence of the hallucinogenic legumes, the teens awaken believing that the steelworks is already ablaze, and a sinister cloaked figure is trying to lure them into the flames. They escape the conflagration and return to their individual homes, but not until the next morning do they notice that Joni is not among them.
Much of Joni's story, and in particular her hold over each member of the group, is told in flashback. This means that the reader never experiences Joni's point of view. Cass, by contrast, emerges as the most fully developed character. Her hopelessly entangled yearnings clash with her desperate suppression of her love for Joni. She eventually marries Kit, but cannot stop wondering what life might have been like if she had gone off with Jamie. These feelings crop up occasionally in her impassioned longing for Joni and her company. The story hints at a suppressed lesbian relationship without ever crossing the line, Joni seems aware of Cass's feelings and even reciprocates them to a degree, but to the reader, it may seem that Joni simply adds Cass to her catalogue of relationships, which adds to the reader's sympathy for Cass and curiosity about Joni.
The story hints about troubles in which the group embroiled themselves, which has affected them into their middle ages. But from my perspective, towards the end of the book, the story absolutely disintegrates into a tumbleweed of disjointed revelations. To me, the ending simply did not ring true--another parallel with King's It. For a twist to have value, it must have a foundation in the reality of the novel. Convincing seeds must be planted to nurture the reader's suspension of disbelief, to grow into the possibility that the twist is even likely. Instead of having hints cautiously placed amongst the chapters, author Rookes drops a piano on the reader in a rushed and implausible resolution. The Village, or The Disappearance of Joni Blackwood, was inches away from being a classic. The author falling back on a cliched and implausible ending makes the novel fall short.
And for the first nine-tenths of the book, I loved the story. It put me in mind of the gang of youths in Stephen King's It. The two protagonists, Joni Blackwood and Cass, the main character, were friends until their late teens, and would be still if Joni had not vanished following the annual Gallows Hill festival in the village of Thistleswaite. Each year, the village holds a local celebration known as Gallows Hill day. The celebration honors a huge tree in the center of town known as Gallows Hill, which, legend has it, once served as...well, as the local gallows. Cass always participates in the festival one way or another if only for a respite from her life of drudgery. Her single mother is a committed alcoholic, and does little more than pass out throughout the story. Cass must tend to dissolute mother, but little of her story is taken up with such care. Joni lives with her father, who is a firefighter. He has always been kind to Cass, but beyond this, he does not play too much of a role in the story either. The Gallows Hill festival gives Cass and Joni a legitimate reason to hang out with a group of her cronies.
Relationships amongst the Thistleswaite group are as complicated as such groups ever get. Joni is the most attractive of the group, and Cass is sure that Kit and Jamie, the two main male characters, have waged a clandestine war for Joni's attention and affections. Cass cannot make up her mind which of the two men she likes more, and she experiences a variety of intimate encounters with them both, but no interaction helps her to make up her mind. Two other young men, Tom and Pete, are more tangential members of the group, but they each have some revelatory moments and meaningful dialogue of their own.
One night after the festival, the group of friends decide to have a campout within the ruins of the long-since shut down steelworks. They plan a mischievous fate for the steelworks, but before they can enact their plans, they fall asleep with the aid of a mushroom concoction that one of the young men has cooked up. Under the psychedelic influence of the hallucinogenic legumes, the teens awaken believing that the steelworks is already ablaze, and a sinister cloaked figure is trying to lure them into the flames. They escape the conflagration and return to their individual homes, but not until the next morning do they notice that Joni is not among them.
Much of Joni's story, and in particular her hold over each member of the group, is told in flashback. This means that the reader never experiences Joni's point of view. Cass, by contrast, emerges as the most fully developed character. Her hopelessly entangled yearnings clash with her desperate suppression of her love for Joni. She eventually marries Kit, but cannot stop wondering what life might have been like if she had gone off with Jamie. These feelings crop up occasionally in her impassioned longing for Joni and her company. The story hints at a suppressed lesbian relationship without ever crossing the line, Joni seems aware of Cass's feelings and even reciprocates them to a degree, but to the reader, it may seem that Joni simply adds Cass to her catalogue of relationships, which adds to the reader's sympathy for Cass and curiosity about Joni.
The story hints about troubles in which the group embroiled themselves, which has affected them into their middle ages. But from my perspective, towards the end of the book, the story absolutely disintegrates into a tumbleweed of disjointed revelations. To me, the ending simply did not ring true--another parallel with King's It. For a twist to have value, it must have a foundation in the reality of the novel. Convincing seeds must be planted to nurture the reader's suspension of disbelief, to grow into the possibility that the twist is even likely. Instead of having hints cautiously placed amongst the chapters, author Rookes drops a piano on the reader in a rushed and implausible resolution. The Village, or The Disappearance of Joni Blackwood, was inches away from being a classic. The author falling back on a cliched and implausible ending makes the novel fall short.
February 20, 2025
This book completely took me by surprise. At first, The Village unfolds slowly, allowing you to settle into the rhythms of this seemingly tight-knit community. You start to feel like you really know these characters—their relationships, their secrets, their quiet resentments bubbling beneath the surface. And then, just when you think you’ve got a handle on things, Lisa Rookes pulls the rug out from under you in the most spectacular way.
I won’t spoil anything, but that twist—I’ll be thinking about it for weeks. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the final reveal left me absolutely floored.
While the pacing is on the slower side, I actually think that worked in its favour. It gave me time to absorb the characters, their histories, and their motives, making the final twist all the more shocking. If you enjoy a mystery that creeps up on you before delivering a knockout punch, this is one to add to your list.
I won’t spoil anything, but that twist—I’ll be thinking about it for weeks. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the final reveal left me absolutely floored.
While the pacing is on the slower side, I actually think that worked in its favour. It gave me time to absorb the characters, their histories, and their motives, making the final twist all the more shocking. If you enjoy a mystery that creeps up on you before delivering a knockout punch, this is one to add to your list.
July 12, 2025
An amazing thriller that genuinely surprised me, I couldn’t put it down. The ending absolutely stunned me and stayed with me long after I finished the last page.
One of the things I loved most was the use of British terminology and products, it made everything feel so grounded and familiar. I forgot how much I love reading British authors; there’s just something about the tone and setting that hits different.
The characters were complex and well-developed, each with their own secrets and motivations. And unlike so many thrillers that feel padded with unnecessary twists or slow pacing, this one moved at the perfect speed. Nothing felt dragged out.
Highly recommend if you enjoy a chilling mystery with small village vibes, layered characters, and a twist that’ll slap you in the face when you least expect it.
One of the things I loved most was the use of British terminology and products, it made everything feel so grounded and familiar. I forgot how much I love reading British authors; there’s just something about the tone and setting that hits different.
The characters were complex and well-developed, each with their own secrets and motivations. And unlike so many thrillers that feel padded with unnecessary twists or slow pacing, this one moved at the perfect speed. Nothing felt dragged out.
Highly recommend if you enjoy a chilling mystery with small village vibes, layered characters, and a twist that’ll slap you in the face when you least expect it.
July 7, 2025
I gave this a solid 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
First time reading a book written by Lisa Rookes. I definitely enjoyed the book. Since the beginning it grabbed my attention and I was intrigued. Overall it was a good read. As for the writing style, some parts felt like the authors was jumping to different moments and lost me at times.
The take away for me is that friends or not people can be envious of others and some can take it to extreme levels. I had an idea that Cass was the one who did it but Cass was wild for what she did and how she did it and just being able to go on with her days. Acting sad and worried now that’s a psychopath.
I would definitely recommend this book because it was worth reading.
First time reading a book written by Lisa Rookes. I definitely enjoyed the book. Since the beginning it grabbed my attention and I was intrigued. Overall it was a good read. As for the writing style, some parts felt like the authors was jumping to different moments and lost me at times.
The take away for me is that friends or not people can be envious of others and some can take it to extreme levels. I had an idea that Cass was the one who did it but Cass was wild for what she did and how she did it and just being able to go on with her days. Acting sad and worried now that’s a psychopath.
I would definitely recommend this book because it was worth reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2024
I meannnnn I am currently jaw to the floor. I was not expecting that very end twist!!!
This was such a wild ride and I honestly don't feel a review can do the twists and turns justice, you just need to go and read it.
Small town, unlikeable characters, drama- its got it all.
My only 'negative' is that sometimes when we looked back on a memory in the 'now' chapter, it did just jump into it and that was confusing at first as there was nothing really separating it from the present. That could just be because it was an arc.
Thank you Netgalley and Orion for the arc.
This was such a wild ride and I honestly don't feel a review can do the twists and turns justice, you just need to go and read it.
Small town, unlikeable characters, drama- its got it all.
My only 'negative' is that sometimes when we looked back on a memory in the 'now' chapter, it did just jump into it and that was confusing at first as there was nothing really separating it from the present. That could just be because it was an arc.
Thank you Netgalley and Orion for the arc.
July 7, 2024
How is this a debut?? This is the most atmospheric book I've read in forever. When I am looking for a thriller, this is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. Flawed characters, relatable but dark situations, and so many secrets... I felt like I was able to experience this time and place, and this book became my priority for the weekend. There were some twists that weren't as surprising, but that was because the writer left clues, so I could feel as though I was learning and watching. Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this! I can't wait to read the next book by Lisa R0okes.
July 12, 2024
3.5 stars. This was an enjoyable and creepy mystery. I really liked the atmosphere in the village and the flashback chapters were my favourite as they had some chilling moments. Something about the writing style just didn’t quite gel for me though and I never really felt connected to any of the characters as their personalities all seemed to shift and change so much. The ending was shocking and I didn’t see it coming but it also felt kinda unbelievable and abrupt. Overall I had a good time and would try this author again in the future.
March 21, 2025
It starts as a romp about life long friends. Then the disappearance of the woman who seems to be the life of the group, the one who everyone loves, the one who gets everything/one she wants. Then it gets darker. The village seems to have a hold on them all. You see the group slowly break up but don’t find out until much later in the book. I expected there was a person from the group who was not being mentioned to be the person behind the disappearance and the sinister messages being left behind.
Very well written, the person who carried out the plot always seemed the innocent quiet one.
Very well written, the person who carried out the plot always seemed the innocent quiet one.
June 3, 2024
Wow, this was a seriously holy crap the whole time kind of a book. The country English village setting, the spooky tunnel with the baby crying, the terrifying threats using the gallows, this was suspenseful, scary, and I could not put it down until I knew what happened to Joni.
ARC from NetGalley
ARC from NetGalley
January 3, 2025
Such a woven tale
I started this book two days ago, spending far too many of my sleeping hours reading it. The writing is excellent and the plot is a roller coaster ride. I will admit that I figured part of the storyline out before it was revealed to the reader but it was still masterfully written. I will look for more works by this author.
I started this book two days ago, spending far too many of my sleeping hours reading it. The writing is excellent and the plot is a roller coaster ride. I will admit that I figured part of the storyline out before it was revealed to the reader but it was still masterfully written. I will look for more works by this author.
February 25, 2025
It was a good thriller. The twist I definitely did not expect, and it was a good one.
Overall the book read a bit slow and some of the characters I felt like I knew almost all of what I needed but there was just a liiiiiiiiiiiiittle bit missing.
Quick read and great if you want to pull yourself out of a slump!
Overall the book read a bit slow and some of the characters I felt like I knew almost all of what I needed but there was just a liiiiiiiiiiiiittle bit missing.
Quick read and great if you want to pull yourself out of a slump!
March 25, 2025
One of those books that you stay up too late to finish! Read it in one weekend, so compelling. Keeps you guessing right to the end. I did want to see a happy ending and the love story come full circle but I understood why it needed to be the way it did, and it linked to all the little clues throughout the book that you only notice in hindsight.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2024
Deliciously compelling and chilling
A brilliantly chilling mystery novel. Super creepy! Lisa's got a really great voice and although the story was strange, it was strange in the best way. Loved it.
A brilliantly chilling mystery novel. Super creepy! Lisa's got a really great voice and although the story was strange, it was strange in the best way. Loved it.
June 10, 2024
A wonderful story skilfully told through believable characters and atmospheric settings. I loved the mixture of folklore, horror and cultural references - and that ending! Congratulations and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
July 18, 2024
Found this book super easy to get into, and was constantly second guessing all of the characters - the hopping back and forth with the past bleeding into the present was a bit hard to get my head around, but overall I enjoyed!
January 8, 2025
This was titled The Village in my library and am also surprised to see that it's also categorized as "horror". I didn't find that this was a horror read, but it was a bit of a fever dream and just not for me.
April 10, 2025
The first half of the book moved really slow for me and a few of the flash backs left me a little lost. It definitely did pick up towards the second half & I did want to keep reading to figure out what happened to Joni. I was surprised with the twist at the end.
April 18, 2024
4.5/5✨
Thank you, NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group, and Lisa Rookes for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This book was really a page turner from the first chapter. I loved how all of the characters had history both with each other and the town and it was pretty much explained from the very beginning and throughout. The author did a wonderful job describing relationships and their dynamics. I appreciated that a lot.
Overall, this book is creepy, twisty and seemingly paranormal. There are a lot of times that make you wonder if your predictions of what is going to happen next or who may not be the best person(s) are true.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read more from this author.
Thank you, NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group, and Lisa Rookes for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This book was really a page turner from the first chapter. I loved how all of the characters had history both with each other and the town and it was pretty much explained from the very beginning and throughout. The author did a wonderful job describing relationships and their dynamics. I appreciated that a lot.
Overall, this book is creepy, twisty and seemingly paranormal. There are a lot of times that make you wonder if your predictions of what is going to happen next or who may not be the best person(s) are true.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read more from this author.
May 5, 2024
Whhhhhhattttt wasssss this.
I did not see the ending of this book coming. I was so surprised.
I did not see the ending of this book coming. I was so surprised.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews