The Vanishers by R. G. Belsky

THE VANISHERS

by R. G. Belsky

June 15 – July 10, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Megan Foley knows she saw the little boy. So why does everyone at the perfect seaside house insist he never existed? The house was perfect. That was its first lie.

When Megan and her husband Patrick accept an invitation to spend the summer at a luxurious house share in Stone Beach, Connecticut, everything seems too good to be true. The rent is absurdly low. The host, Mrs. Monahan, is attentive to the point of unease. The other guests are pleasant — until they aren’t.

One day, Megan sees a boy, Tommy, playing… and the next, Tommy is simply gone. Not moved. Not spoken of. Erased, as though he never existed. All the other guests at the house look at Megan blankly when she asks.

One by one, the guests succumb to long hours in front of the television in a glassy trance. Patrick grows cold and distant. Something stirs in the attic.

Megan alone seems immune — but for how long? As she begins to doubt herself and the house tightens its hold, she must confront the terrifying truth about Mrs. Monahan, the attic room, and the price of a perfect summer.

A chilling gothic thriller for fans of atmospheric domestic horror — available in Kindle Unlimited.

Book Details:

Genre: Paranormal Gothic Thriller
Published by: dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS
Publication Date: May 7, 2026
Number of Pages: 298
ISBN: 978-1918343335
Book Links: Amazon | KindleUnlimited | Goodreads | dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS

Read an excerpt from The Vanishers:

PROLOGUE

Hudson Lake, Michigan

I know everyone in this diner is looking at me like I’m strange.

Well, I’m sure used to that by now. It wasn’t always that way, of course. I mean I’m blonde-haired, just turned 30 and once – a million years or so ago before the terrible times happened – people said I was pretty. But now I realize that I look old beyond my years. I’ve lost a lot of weight, my face is pale and gaunt and I’m trembling noticeably right now even though it is the first real warm day of spring.

I make my way unsteadily over to a stool at the diner’s counter and sit there quietly, without talking, even when a guy comes over and asks for my order.

“What’ll it be, ma’am?” he smiles.

I stare at him with a confused look on my face. Nothing people say these days – even simple questions like that – seem to make sense to me anymore.

“Ma’am,” he repeats.

“Pardon?”

“My name is Danny. Danny Heller. I own this place. What do you want?”

I think about if for a second, then say: “Do you think I could have some tea?”

“Tea, sure.”

He walks over to the kitchen area, pours a cup and brings it back to me.

“How about something to eat?” he asks. “A sandwich. Some soup. Maybe a nice piece of pie. We got some nice pies today. Apple. Cherry. Lemon meringue.”

“Lemon meringue?”

“Sure. Want a piece?”

I nod. “Yes, that would be nice.”

Danny Heller cuts an extra large slice of the pie, places it onto a plate and carries it back to where I am sitting. I begin eating. Silently and without any emotion. Just like I do everything else now.

“Are you from around here?” he asks.

“No, not from around here.”

What’s your name?

“Uh, I’m Megan…

“Well, I’m glad to meet you, Megan. Are you just visiting around these parts?”

“I’m…,” I hesitate, because it’s painful to say the words., “I’m…looking for a vacation house.”

“Hey we’ve got some good ones. The lake this time of year is one of the prettiest spots in all of Michigan. Or anywhere else, for that matter. Have you looked at many houses?”

“Not here. Other places.”

“You’ve been traveling then?”

“Yes, I’ve been traveling quite a bit.”

The truth is I have been traveling for nearly a year. I started back east, moving from resort town to resort town along the New England coast. When fall came, I started moving down along the coast toward the winter resorts. Miami Beach. The Gold Coast. The Gulf Shore. Then, with the advent of spring, I had come north and inland to look at lake areas. Ohio. Minnesota. And now Michigan.

In all the places, I’ve done the same thing. Gone through ads for house rentals. Checked with real estate brokers. Driven aimlessly around shore areas looking.

Always looking.

Looking for the house.

The house I can never forget.

The house of my nightmares.

“We have some local house listings on that bulletin board over there,” Danny Heller says, pointing to a wall at the end of the counter. “People with a place to rent put stuff up there. Maybe you’ll find something you want.”

I get up from my stool and walk over to the bulletin board.

Looking through the ads posted on the bulletin board without really expecting to find anything.

But then I see it.

And I scream!

I scream so loudly that everyone in the diner stops eating and looks at me.

It’s a scream that keeps gathering momentum as it goes on like a runaway train, terrifying everyone there.

“What’s wrong?” Danny says, rushing over to where I’m standing by the bulletin board.

I point to a picture of a house in one of the ads.

“It’s here,” I whisper.

“What?”

“The house.”

And it is.

The house I’ve been looking for.

The house from Pleasant Street.

“I don’t understand,” Danny is saying.

“It’s the house,” I sob. “Oh, my God, it really is the same house…”

***

Author Bio:

R.G. Belsky is an award-winning author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. His newest mystery, THE VANISHERS, was published by dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS. Belsky has published 26 novels. He also writes thrillers under the name Dana Perry. And he is a contributing writer for The Big Thrill magazine and BookTrib.

Catch Up With R. G. Belsky:

www.RGBelsky.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub – @dickb79983
Instagram – @dickbelsky
Threads – @dickbelsky
X – @DickBel
Facebook – @RGBelsky

Tour Participant Reviews:

‘It was a completely otherworldly reading experience. Once I opened this book I genuinely could not put it down. I had to know what was going to happen next and then next again because it was that suspenseful. It was perfectly balanced in a way I do not fully have the words for. ‘
~ Cozy Home Delight Book Reviews

‘I am still shaking off the chills after turning the final page of The Vanishers by R. G. Belsky. If you love a psychological thriller that makes you question your own sanity right along with the protagonist, you’re gonna want this one on your TBR list! Belsky does an incredible job building a slow-burn, claustrophobic dread. It’s a masterclass in gaslighting and suspense.’
~ The Page Ladies

‘I quite enjoyed this read and will be recommending this one to fans of thrillers with paranormal aspects!’
~ Country Mamas With Kids

‘There’s nothing I love more than curling up with my tea, a flickering candle, and a book that makes the hair on my arm standup. If you love domestic Gothic thrillers with a slow build, unreliable perception, and a setting that feels both beautiful and menacing, this book belongs on your shelf immediately. It’s the kind of story that makes you want to double check your own television is actually off.’
~ Nevermore Lane

‘The Vanishers is an excellent blend of mystery, suspense, and psychological thrills, packed with twists that kept me guessing until the very end. The suspense in this book never let up. The strange disappearances gave the story an eerie, almost Bermuda Triangle-like vibe that had me completely hooked.’
~ crystal.s.2

‘The Vanishers by R.G. Belsky is a perfect gothic horror read! Dark, mysterious, intense, and chilling R.G. Belsky creates a novel worthy of the big screen. The atmosphere is one Edgar Poe would be proud of.’
~ The AR Critique

‘The Vanishers provides a fascinating psychological thriller infused with a dose of the paranormal. What starts as an idyllic summer vacation turns into a nightmare, forcing a woman to question her sanity. The action builds to a satisfying conclusion with solid elements of horror.’
~ Novels Alive

‘The Vanishers skillfully blends mystery, suspense, the supernatural, and horror. The author’s writing style and clever use of short, titled chapters keep the tension high throughout the novel. I highly recommend The Vanishers to readers who enjoy suspenseful, supernatural mysteries.’
~ Books R Us

‘Belsky is a talented author. I have read his mysteries featuring a journalist as an amateur sleuth and liked them so looked forward to trying this different novel from him. I am glad because really like this one too.’
~ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader

‘Cancel your plans, grab this book! The Vanishers is a new thriller by R.G. Belsky, and you’re going to want to cancel any other plans you have once you crack this book open; it’s an absolutely gripping page-turner! With its engaging and sympathetic main character and riveting plot, you’re not going to want any distractions until you get to the bottom of this mystery.’
~ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read

‘The synopsis grabbed me right away. I was kept on my toes, ever curious to what was behind the eerie occurrences.’
~ Fuonlyknew

‘The way technology is progressing at a rapid clip these days, I wouldn’t 100 percent rule any of this out, no matter how outlandish this story seems. If you like a bit of supernatural and enjoy a quick read with a lot of imagination thrown in, give this one a try.’
~ Melissa A’s Blog

‘The story had plenty of suspense, and I liked that it kept me guessing until the end. I found myself turning the pages because I wanted to see how everything would come together. I thought this was a really enjoyable read.’
~ Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin’

‘Everything about the book is spooky. A beautiful house that sounds too good to be true. Megan is a great character and the author did an amazing job writing her feelings, reactions, and her story.’
~ Catreader18

‘Belsky skillfully employs the home environment as a source of terror. The “perfect seaside house” itself takes on a life of its own. The author is a master at creating mood, vividly depicting the lavish surrounds that gradually turn into cramped, ominous areas. For aficionados of atmospheric domestic horror, “Vanishers” is sure to be an extremely rewarding read.’
~ Novel Nerd Blog

‘The Vanishers is one of those atmospheric mysteries that slowly creeps underneath your skin before you know how much of your attention it has grabbed. It is a perfect combination of psychological thriller and gothic horror because its atmosphere is the most powerful element of the book. The Vanishers is definitely a gripping and suspenseful book dealing with issues of paranoia, manipulation and even deception.’
~ Pageswithsudeshna

‘From the beginning I wondered what reality was and there was no stopping until I knew, This is an atmospheric, gothic, paranormal thriller that needs to be binge read because even the reader will question reality.’
~ FullyBookedInKentucky

‘The more you read the more addicting it becomes. The more you read… the more you have to keep going. To say this book is un-put-downloadable is an understatement. This was one strange, creepy book that gave me Twilight Zone and Outer Limits vibes and I was loving every minute of it! A very quick read that could totally be devoured in a day… but don’t! Sit back and enjoy every page, you won’t regret it.’
~ Wall-to-wall Books

Tour Host Info:

Book Formats: ePub, Print,
Hosting Options: Review, Interview, Guest Post, Showcase
Giveaway: There will be a tour-wide PICT Giveaway
More: According to the author The Vanishers is considered to be PG-level content or less. Readers may still encounter potentially sensitive material. If you have specific trigger or content concerns, please contact Partners in Crime Tours directly for more detailed information.