the tragic story of a womans life, Marielle. At the age of 18, her wealthy family and herself were on the Grand Tour in Europe, where she meets a 21 year old man, Charles Delauney, whos parents are also very wealthy. Charles is known to be the son of a rich and powerful man, he ran away when he was 15 to join the civil services fighting for causes against hitler and the wars in spain and europe. The two fall in love and then elope. They return from their honeymoon where her parents waited for her, expecting a divorce. She doesnt divorce him because she is pregnant with a little boy, the pride and joy of their family who later on drowns. She was by then pregnant with a little girl, who Marielle ends up killing by jumping into the icy water that took the life of her son Andre. Charles blames her for the loss and almost kills her. She ends up going to a mental clinic and she refuses to return to charles because of the danger he was. She attempts suicide 7-8 times in the clinic because she felt she couldnt live without the love of her life and her babies. The strain of her life events caused the death of her father and then later on the death of her mother because of suicide. She then moves back to the United States, where she meets a rich man, Malcome Patterson, that takes care of her. He believed that everyone has a past and that she should try to forget it. She never loved Malcome, just the part of him that took care of her, similarly, he never loved her, he just wanted to bear a son that would later become the heir to his fortunes. The child was born and named Teddy. Seven years after last seeing charles, she runs into him at Saint Patricks Cathedral on the anniversary of their childrens death, shocked at their coincidental run-in, charles tries getting her back but she refused to and later on tells him about Malcome and her marriage. The next day, Teddy(her son) and her run into him in central park while he was drunk. He was angered that she had a new life and a son that looked just like Andre, their child that died, and he had nothing. He threatened to take Teddy if thats what it would take to force her back into his life. Marielle was never accepted within Malcomes home, all the servents hated her, and possible were jelous that they were there longer than she was and she became his wife. 11 days before christmas, the day right after seeing charles at central park, teddy was kidnapped from the patterson's mansion. A court case comes into place, and the worst had taken place. Marielle was always worried about teddy because a past kidnapping took place within another wealthy family, but the result was too late and the child was dead. The worst seemed to take place and heated discussions pointed to Charles being guilty. Investigations find the Teddy's pajamas and his favorite teddy bear in charles' mansion but it turns out he was framed because he was at a bar all night, soaking up his encounters with marielle. Someone had paid another person to place the pajamas and the teddy bear into his house and charles was being used as a scapegoat. Malcome, teddy's father and Marielles husband ends up being the mastermind between this whole ordeal, the only goal in his mind being him getting rid of marielle and running away with his secretary that he had secretly had an affair with and teddy.Danielle Steel is an amazing author. This book in particular was very fasinating and thrilling. I couldnt seem to put the book down because i always wondered what events would take place next. Its very catchy and makes you want more. Loved the book; i highly recommend it, even though i basically told you everything that happened.
Danielle Steel is the perfect example of someone who is a terrible writer but a gifted storyteller. She's a but of a guilty pleasure of mine, I've read far more of her books than I care to admit, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. Becuase her books are so goddamn addictive.Every once in a while I pick up a book by Mrs Steel, and it's actually... A decent story.And it's frustrating because while she can spin such an entertaining read, her writing can be so incredibly flawed and juvenile.Vanished is a very honest and emotional book. Marielle is likeable, even in her self-destructive and neurotic way of being. I really rooted for her and found myself quite engaged with very little eye rolling.
What do You think about Vanished (2007)?
My, how life can change overnight. This is my first Danielle Steel novel that i accidentally picked up to read while waiting for my son to get out of camp. I just couldn't put it down. I thought Marielle's life would never change for the better. It was like she had a black cloud hovering over her. So much pain throughout her years, it was a wonder she hadn't committed suicide. Then all of a sudden God sheds his light and Marielle's world is starting anew. The ending was great. I almost cried (for joy) but held back the tears. I'm not a fan of Danielle Steel, but i just might pick up another one of get novels in the future.
—Erica
I have to admit the reason I started reading this book was because I had nothing else to read at the moment and my grandmother gave it to me. At first I was convinced its one of those boring love stories, but it turned out to be completely different. To be fair, I actually liked it a lot, the plot was great, very interesting, I couldn't put the book down, it took a day a half to finish it. Marielle was a lovely character, strong and loving woman, I felt for her the whole book, I even cried once or twice, poor womam, I cant even imagine all that pain a single person has to deal with. I liked Charles a lot, he was pretty much my favourite character, so misunderstood/ just as Marielle herself/. The reason I am giving this book 4, not 5 stars is the ending. It was a bit predictable and I also didnt like the whole lawyer falling in love with Marielle all of a sudden. I was hoping her and John would be together at the end, but oh well.Honestly, this book taught me a lot- nothing is permanent, nor pain, neither happiness, so we have to live for the moment and not settle for less than we deserve, because we have only one life and one only...
—Milla
This is the first book I have read by this author and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Marielle has had a difficult life. She's been married, lost her children, been a mental hospital and isn't even 21. Then she married again and thought all her problems were over. But, just as her first husband comes back on the scene, her son is kidnapped and he's facing the death penalty for it. But did he do it? This is quite slow paced, until the last few chapters, where I cried like an idiot as the story came to an end.
—Dark-Draco
