Book Review | The Artist Vanishes by Terry Westby-Nunn

Sophie Tugiers has been missing for several years. A controversial Cape Town artist, her experimental work disturbed the public and reportedly caused the death of a participant. After a brief splash in the news, her disappearance has receded into distant memory.

James Dempster is a filmmaker with a drinking problem and a stalled career. After his divorce, he moves into a flat that he discovers was previously rented by Sophie. Searching for a new project, he decides to investigate her disappearance. But he doesn’t realise that unearthing the truth could lead him down a troubling path.

Sometimes I try to figure out how it all began. As if I could distil the moment when the metamorphosis kicked in, the shiny strands of silken fate cocooning around me. 

The Artist Vanishes is an incredible book that challenged me intellectually and emotionally. It wasn’t easy to read at times but the magnetic writing and captivating mystery kept my attention. The dual timeline explores the parallel lives of Sophie, an artist who went missing after backlash to her art installation, and James, a filmmaker making a comeback after the collapse of his personal life.

Sophie’s section shows her rise from a struggling artist to a famous celebrity and the pressure for her to maintain that lifestyle. She has a traumatic childhood which forms her desire for recognition and validation. The book shows the dark side of art and capitalism, and asks questions about the ethics of research. It also shows the flimsiness of connection and how your relationships can make or break you. Sophie’s vulnerability made me feel for her.

James’s section is more straightforward in his quest to find out what happened to Sophie. He interviews people close to her, but not everyone is cooperative. He has to deal with setbacks and suspicions while he considers his own reasons for being involved. I found his character growth fascinating to read and it made me root for him the more the story progresses.

I found that many of the characters were not easy to like but their flaws and messy decisions feel realistic. There’s a bleakness to the story in the sense that each person yearns for hope and love and reconciliation. I really liked the vivid Cape Town setting that feels fully lived in. The ending is left open but I was satisfied at how the mystery was presented. While there are no easy answers, I was given enough to form my own conclusion.

The Artist Vanishes is a smart literary mystery that encourages you to look deeper about the artist behind the art. Don’t miss it.

CW: domestic abuse, animal deaths

I received a copy from the publisher and Netgalley for review purposes.

About the author: Terry Westby-Nunn

Photo by Alvan Nee