Children's Book review

The Vanishing of Katherina Linden

By Helen Grant

Published by Puffin

Pia’s life in the picturesque German town of Bad Münstereifel changes forever the day her grandmother explodes.

The unusual circumstances of her grandmother’s death make Pia the subject of local gossip and she is ostracised by her classmates. Befriended by another outcast – Stefan, the two begin to investigate a spate of disappearances amongst young girls in their town.

Little do they realise, their detective work will uncover things more horrifying than they ever dared imagine.

The vanishing of the girls is juxtaposed with the disintegration of Pia’s home life, as her German father and English mother’s marriage crumbles, increasing her feelings of alienation and confusion.

This unusual crime novel is both gripping and haunting, and builds to an unforgettable ending.

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Reading age: 12+
Interest level: 12+