Three Women Disappear by James Patterson and Shan Serafin

Three Women Disappear by James Patterson and Shan Serafin is a fast-paced crime thriller about murder, missing suspects, hidden motives, corruption, secrets, and an investigation where almost everyone seems to be hiding something.

Anthony Costello knows how to manipulate numbers.

He also knows how to manipulate people.

Then he is found murdered inside his own home.

Three women had access to him.

Three women had possible motives.

And all three suddenly disappear.

Now Detective Sean Walsh must discover whether they are running from the law, hiding from someone more dangerous, or already victims themselves.

About Three Women Disappear

Three Women Disappear begins with a murder that immediately creates more questions than answers.

Anthony Costello is an accountant with a talent for turning financial problems into opportunities.

But his ability to manipulate people has also created enemies.

When he is killed, investigators quickly focus on three women connected to his household.

Sarah is his personal chef.

Anna is his wife.

Serena is his maid.

Each woman had access to the house.

Each may know something important.

But none of them can be found.

Who Killed Anthony Costello?

At first, the case appears simple.

Three obvious suspects have disappeared.

That makes them look guilty.

But a disappearance can mean many things.

Someone may be running because they committed a crime.

Someone may also run because they are afraid.

Or because they know something powerful people do not want revealed.

The investigation gradually becomes more complicated.

7 Powerful Reasons to Read Three Women Disappear

1. Three Missing Suspects

The central mystery is immediately intriguing.

Sarah, Anna, and Serena all had access to Anthony Costello.

All three have disappeared.

That creates an unusual investigation.

Police cannot simply question the main suspects.

They first have to find them.

Every disappearance creates another mystery.

2. A Murder Victim with Enemies

Anthony Costello is not presented as an innocent man with no enemies.

His work and personality have created complicated relationships.

He knows how to manipulate situations.

He also knows how to manipulate people.

That means the list of possible motives quickly expands.

The murder may be much more complicated than it first appears.

3. A Detective with a Personal Connection

Detective Sean Walsh is responsible for investigating the case.

But his connection to the investigation is not entirely professional.

That creates additional pressure.

He must search for the truth while dealing with people who may have their own agendas.

This makes his investigation more difficult.

4. Fast-Paced Chapters

Three Women Disappear uses the quick pacing associated with many James Patterson thrillers.

The story moves rapidly.

Information is revealed in short sections.

New questions appear before old ones are completely answered.

This makes it suitable for readers who enjoy page-turning mysteries.

5. Multiple Motives

A strong mystery needs believable motives.

This story provides several.

Money matters.

Relationships matter.

Revenge matters.

Fear matters.

The reader must decide which characters are telling the truth and which are protecting themselves.

6. Secrets Change the Investigation

The more Detective Walsh investigates, the less straightforward the case becomes.

People have reasons to remain silent.

Important information is hidden.

Connections between characters become more complicated.

A detail that seems unimportant early in the story may become significant later.

7. It Combines Crime and Suspense

The novel works as both a murder mystery and a suspense thriller.

Readers want to know who killed Anthony Costello.

But they also want to know what happened to the three women.

That double mystery keeps the tension high.

Sarah – The Personal Chef

Sarah works inside Anthony Costello’s home.

That gives her access other people may not have.

She sees private parts of his daily life.

She may also know information outsiders never hear.

After the murder, she disappears.

That immediately makes her suspicious.

But guilt is not the only possible explanation.

The question is whether Sarah is hiding from the police or hiding from someone else.

Anna – The Wife

Anna is Anthony Costello’s wife.

Marriage can create intimacy.

It can also create conflict.

She is therefore one of the first people investigators must understand.

What was their relationship really like?

Did she have a reason to want him dead?

Or does she know something that makes disappearing necessary?

Her absence raises serious questions.

Serena – The Maid

Serena also works inside Costello’s home.

Like Sarah, she has access to private spaces and personal information.

People who work inside a household often see things visitors never notice.

That makes Serena potentially important to the investigation.

Her disappearance increases the mystery.

Three women vanishing at the same time is difficult to treat as coincidence.

Detective Sean Walsh

Sean Walsh is under pressure to solve the case.

But the investigation contains complications beyond ordinary police work.

Powerful people have interests connected to Anthony Costello.

Walsh also has to deal with professional pressure.

As he continues investigating, he finds more reasons why the missing women might want to remain hidden.

That changes the question.

Instead of simply asking who committed the murder, he must ask what everyone is afraid of.

Money and Manipulation

Money is an important element in Three Women Disappear.

Anthony Costello understands numbers.

He knows how to turn financial situations to his advantage.

But financial manipulation often involves people.

Relationships can become transactional.

Loyalty can disappear when money is involved.

The novel uses these tensions to expand the possible motives behind the murder.

Trust Nobody Too Quickly

Crime thrillers often depend on unreliable information.

Characters may lie directly.

They may hide part of the truth.

They may tell the truth in a way that creates the wrong impression.

Readers therefore have to evaluate every new piece of information carefully.

Who benefits from the story being told?

Who is protecting someone?

Who is protecting themselves?

These questions make the mystery engaging.

Why Did the Women Run?

The most important question may not initially be who killed Costello.

It may be why all three women disappeared.

Running makes someone look guilty.

But innocent people sometimes run too.

Fear can be powerful.

If the women believe someone dangerous is looking for them, avoiding the police may seem safer.

The mystery depends on discovering what each woman knows.

Crime, Power, and Influence

Anthony Costello’s connections complicate the investigation.

Money can create influence.

Influence can create protection.

And powerful people may have reasons to interfere with an investigation.

Detective Walsh has to separate genuine evidence from pressure and manipulation.

This gives the story a broader crime-thriller atmosphere.

A Story Designed for Suspense Readers

Three Women Disappear is not a slow literary mystery.

The emphasis is on momentum.

The chapters push the investigation forward.

Clues appear quickly.

Suspicions change.

The story repeatedly encourages readers to reconsider what they believe happened.

This makes it a strong choice for readers who enjoy quick, accessible thrillers.

Bonus Novel: Come and Get Us

Several editions of the book also include the bonus thriller Come and Get Us.

This story follows Miranda Cooper after an SUV deliberately forces her family off a remote Arizona road.

Her husband is badly injured.

Miranda must search for help while remembering his warning that she should be careful who she trusts.

If your physical copy includes the bonus story, mention it clearly in the WooCommerce listing.

Not every international edition necessarily uses identical packaging or page counts.

Who Should Read This Book?

Three Women Disappear is ideal for readers who enjoy crime fiction, murder mysteries, detective stories, and suspense thrillers.

It may especially appeal to readers who prefer fast pacing.

Fans of missing-person mysteries may also enjoy the unusual setup.

Readers already familiar with James Patterson’s short-chapter thriller style will find a similar sense of momentum.

About James Patterson

James Patterson is one of the world’s most widely read thriller authors.

He created popular series including Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, and Private.

His work includes crime fiction, thrillers, nonfiction, and books for younger readers.

He has also collaborated with numerous writers on standalone novels and series.

About Shan Serafin

Shan Serafin is a novelist and filmmaker.

His work includes fiction and film projects.

He has also collaborated with James Patterson on other thriller projects.

Together, Patterson and Serafin create a compact crime mystery built around disappearance, murder, and conflicting motives.

Readers can learn more through the official James Patterson page for Three Women Disappear.

Product Details

Title: Three Women Disappear

Authors: James Patterson and Shan Serafin

Genre: Crime / Mystery / Thriller / Suspense

Language: English

Original Publication: 2020

Main Characters: Sarah, Anna, Serena, Anthony Costello, Detective Sean Walsh

Themes: Murder, Secrets, Missing Persons, Money, Manipulation, Trust, Investigation

A Little, Brown trade paperback edition carries ISBN 9781538715451.

That edition contains 384 pages and was published on November 9, 2021.

A mass-market edition carries ISBN 9781538750087 and contains 416 pages.

Earlier editions and international versions use other ISBNs and page counts.

Always check the ISBN printed on your physical copy before entering final WooCommerce specifications.

Explore More Mystery Books

Three Women Disappear begins with a simple question.

Who murdered Anthony Costello?

But the disappearance of the three women turns that question into something much more complicated.

Each woman had access.

Each woman may have had a motive.

And each has a reason to fear what happens if the truth comes out.

Readers interested in more crime and suspense titles can explore Mystery Books at Bargain Books.

For readers who enjoy murder investigations, missing suspects, hidden motives, and fast-paced twists, Three Women Disappear is an entertaining thriller with a mystery that keeps changing as new secrets emerge.