The Day She Disappeared by Sam Genever is set in apartheid South Africa, a time and place fraught with tension and danger. The story follows Augustine, a young mother fleeing with a dangerous secret, as she seeks refuge and tries to protect her young child. It’s a premise filled with potential. 

 

Winner of the Joffe Books Prize, this novel is described as “the most unputdownable and gripping crime thriller of the year.” While I can see its appeal, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. 

 

The themes of survival, trust, and desperation are compelling, but I struggled to connect with the characters. Augustine’s reliance on leverage over her ex-boyfriend conflicted with the urgency of her situation. The pacing felt slow to me, though this may suit the reflective and detailed style of the book—it simply didn’t match my personal preference for faster-paced storytelling. 

 

The writing style, while unique, sometimes felt disjointed, which made it challenging for me to fully engage with the story. This could reflect the author’s varied literary background, but it didn’t quite land for me as a reader. 

 

Originally self-published, this book has now found a home with Joffe Books, which is a testament to the strength of its concept. While it wasn’t for me, I can see it appealing to readers who enjoy morally complex characters and stories that delve into survival in a historical context. 

 

This novel shows ambition and promise, and I respect the effort and commitment it took to bring it to publication. It just didn’t align with my personal reading preferences.