Watch Me Disappear

January 9, 2023
Tom Mondrian, the youngish narrator of this intriguing psychological thriller from Armstrong (The Watcher), is beginning his “latest career experiment” as a London police community support officer, a job he already finds intensely boring, when he’s shot in the head while on traffic duty. Three bullet fragments remain in his brain, resulting in difficulties in using words and interpreting what he observes. When he asks his neurologist if he’ll ever return to normal, the doctor replies, “Is normal something to be desired?” Following his initial treatment, he returns to work—a public relations gesture on the part of the police department—and is assigned a partner who’s essentially there to keep Tom, who has little impulse control, out of trouble. When a teenage girl goes missing, Tom is told to leave the investigation to others, but he’s unable to stop himself. Two more teens disappear, and Tom’s search for answers leads to disturbing realizations. The tension rises as Tom struggles to overcome his aphasia and slowly gets better at communicating with others. In contrast to the many crime novels whose protagonists have paranormal brain powers, this one stands out for its realism. Agent: Juliet Mushens, Caskie Mushens Agency (U.K.).