Without a Trace
Author: Susannah Glenn
Publisher: Pantera Press
Genre: Crime & Mystery, Suspense.
Year of Release: 2026
Release date: 30 /06/26
Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟
TW Gaslighting, death of a child mentioned- drowning, stalking.
SynopsisÂ
Flying runs in Charlotte Clarke’s blood. As the daughter of a scenic flight company owner, her life is spent soaring over Sydney’s glittering harbour—until a series of devastating tragedies sends her crashing to earth. First, the deaths of her beloved grandmother and father, then her boyfriend Connor’s seaplane vanishes without a trace.
Haunted by his mysterious disappearance and convinced she’s being watched, Charlotte flees to a quiet coastal town and hits rock bottom, saved from a storm by a mysterious fisherman. But the calm is an illusion. Her paranoia peaks when she spots a man she believes is Connor, only to be told she’s mistaken…
As she uncovers shocking secrets about those, she holds closest, Charlotte realises her life isn’t the only thing at risk. The truth about her past could be deadly.
A daughter’s flight to freedom becomes a deadly descent into secrets.
Review
Charlotte Clarke has always felt most at home in the skies, helping run her family’s scenic flight business over Sydney Harbour. But when tragedy strikes in devastating succession—claiming both her father and grandmother—her world is left in ruins. Just when she begins relying on her boyfriend, Connor, to help keep both the business and herself afloat, his seaplane vanishes without a trace.
Unable to shake the feeling that someone is watching her, Charlotte flees to a quiet coastal town in search of peace. Instead, her fears only deepen. When she believes she has seen Connor alive, everyone insists she’s mistaken, leaving Charlotte questioning everything she thought she knew. As buried secrets begin to surface, she discovers that the truth about her past may be far more dangerous than she ever imagined.
The author’s debut novel, Between Husbands and Wives, was one of my standout reads of 2024. Ever since turning the final page, I had been eagerly waiting to see what Susannah Glenn would write next. So, when I discovered she had once again put pen to paper, Without a Trace immediately became one of my most anticipated reads.
“A daughter’s flight to freedom becomes a deadly descent into secrets.”
That single line was all I needed to read before diving in. I deliberately avoided the rest of the synopsis, wanting the story to unfold exactly as the author intended—and I’m so glad I did. From the opening pages, Susannah Glenn once again delivers an engaging blend of mystery, suspense and emotional tension that kept me turning the pages.
Charlotte Clarke was an easy character to like. I found myself genuinely hoping she would find a way through her overwhelming grief and eventually discover happiness again after enduring so much loss. Her extensive knowledge of aviation felt authentic and reassuring rather than overly technical or condescending. That said, I did feel Charlotte could have benefited from a little more backstory beyond the tragedies that shaped her, which would have made her an even more layered and memorable protagonist.
Moria King quickly became one of my favourite characters. As the novel progresses, she develops into a wonderfully dynamic presence. I appreciated how Susannah Glenn gradually revealed different sides of Moria rather than presenting everything at once and expecting readers to fill in the gaps themselves. Her story is thoughtfully woven throughout the novel, making her feel like an integral part of the larger narrative rather than simply existing within her own perspective. I also found her desire to pursue a new career later in life both refreshing and inspiring.
Lyla Mahony surprised me the most. Initially, I expected her to fall into the familiar role of the stereotypical best friend, but Susannah Glenn had other plans. Lyla brings an added layer of intrigue to the story, and with each appearance I found myself questioning her place within the unfolding mystery. Watching her role develop became one of the aspects I looked forward to most as the novel progressed.
Daniel Sassi is a solid supporting character whose presence helps shape both Charlotte’s present circumstances and what lies ahead. While I suspected where aspects of his storyline might lead, I still appreciated the role he played, and I found myself interested to see how everything would ultimately unfold.
Without a Trace is a fast-paced and highly readable novel. The dual perspectives, combined with short chapters, create a strong sense of momentum that continually builds anticipation. I constantly wanted to uncover the truth, making it difficult to put the book down. This compelling pacing is one of the reasons Without a Trace stands out as a memorable Australian crime and mystery novel for 2026 and is the reason behind my strong four-star rating.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is the way the tension begins in the prologue and rarely lets go. I particularly enjoyed the psychological elements, with manipulation, uncertainty and mind games keeping both the characters—and the reader—guessing throughout. As the story progressed, I genuinely began wondering how everything would unravel, with the suspense remaining strong right through to the final chapters.
There are moments where Without a Trace feels familiar, particularly aspects of Charlotte and Lyla’s friendship, which at times resemble female friendships seen in other contemporary suspense novels. However, while certain story elements were easier to anticipate, they never diminished my enjoyment of the overall mystery.
Subplots and tropes
- Coming home
- Covid
- Death of a child (mentioned – drowning)
- Death of a grandparent
- Death of a parent
- Death of a partner
- Double life
- Family
- Female friendship
- Gaslighting
- Grief
- Hope
- Lies
- Light bulb moment
- Manipulation
- Mental illness
- Murder
- New beginnings
- Police investigation
- Potential romance
- Reinvention
- Reuniting friendships
- Secrets
- Small business
- Small town
- Stalking
- Sydney, Australia
- The big reveal
- Trauma
Fans of the crime, mystery and suspense genres will find plenty to appreciate in the ending. Personally, I would have enjoyed just a little more closure for some elements of the story, but overall, I found the conclusion satisfying and well worth the wait for Susannah Glenn’s second novel.
Readers who enjoy books by Christine Gregory, Mark Smith and Rose Carlyle will almost certainly want to add Susannah Glenn to their bookshelves if they haven’t already.
I highly recommend Without a Trace to readers who enjoy crime, mystery and suspense, particularly those who appreciate stories driven by psychological tension, buried secrets and emotional stakes. Existing fans of the genre will likely already have this one on their wish list, while readers looking to explore Australian crime fiction for the first time will find Without a Trace an accessible and engaging place to begin.
With continued thanks to Pantera Press, Hardie Grant Publishing and author Susannah Glenn for sending a gifted copy of this book to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.
