Book cover of Watch Me Disappear

Book description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The disappearance of a beautiful, charismatic mother leaves her family to piece together her secrets in this propulsive novel for fans of Big Little Lies—from the bestselling author of All We Ever Wanted Was Everything and the upcoming Pretty Things.

“Watch Me Disappear is just…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked Watch Me Disappear as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Brown delivers with this riveting exploration of loss, secrets, and love.

The novel opens in the aftermath of Billie Flanagan's mysterious disappearance during a solo hike, leaving her husband, Jonathan, and teenage daughter, Olive, grappling with grief and unanswered questions. Olive's unsettling visions of her mother--still alive--ignite a father-daughter quest for the truth.

Brown keeps readers rapt with her unique talent for writing puzzling whodunnits wrapped in intricate personal relationships. This book stuck with me...long after the last page. I mention Brown in my acknowledgments for my recent suspense novel. She's had a significant impact on my writing.

When my mother died, a friend insisted, “Now you’ll come to know her in ways you never imagined.” I thought the notion was ludicrous. My mother and I were close, our relationship strong. As it turns out my friend was right. In Watch Me Disappear, Janelle Brown explores this idea. When Billie Flanagan disappears, her husband and teenaged daughter Olive find out more than they could have imagined about Billie’s secret life. 

If you love Watch Me Disappear...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like Watch Me Disappear?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 85 books like Watch Me Disappear.

Browse books like Watch Me Disappear

Book cover of Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Book cover of Little Fires Everywhere
Book cover of My Name Is Lucy Barton

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,298

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like Watch Me Disappear, you might also like...

Book cover of Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman

Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman by Alexis Krasilovsky,

Kate from Jules et Jim meets I Love Dick.

A young woman filmmaker’s journey of self-discovery, set against a backdrop of the sexual liberation movement of the 1970s and 1980s. In Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman, we follow Ana Fried as she faces the ultimate…

Book cover of Dark Fae Outcast

Dark Fae Outcast by Autumn M. Birt,

Trapped in our world, the fae are dying from drugs, contaminants, and hopelessness. Kicked out of the dark fae court for tainting his body and magic, Riasg only wants one thing: to die a bit faster. It’s already the end of his world, after all.

But while scoring his last…

5 book lists we think you will like!