Publication Date: April 15, 2025
A much-loved mother, teacher and friend steps on a plane for an overseas adventure and is never seen again.
When Marion Barter disappeared in 1997, police initially dismissed it as the actions of a divorced mother abandoning her family. In this book, the creators of the addictive global hit podcast The Lady Vanishes detail the winding investigation into Marion’s disappearance, from tentative early police efforts to her daughter’s 27-year search for answers.
The Lady Vanishes is an engrossing story of how a small team of seasoned investigative journalists and storytellers, a daughter’s intuition and a team of listener super-sleuths uncovered a web of intrigue spanning nine decades and three continents, and how – after 57 episodes, 20 million downloads and sparking a coronial inquiry – they discovered at the heart of the mystery a stranger-than-fiction international man of mystery who could hold the key to what really happened to Marion.
True crime fans thrive on podcasts because they offer an immersive and intimate storytelling experience. Seeing the tendrils of an investigation coalesce into tangible answers makes it even more intriguing.
The Lady Vanishes is the product of a group of people, namely Alison Sandy, Bryan Seymour, Sally Eeles, and Marc Wright, who sought to achieve justice for a New South Wales woman who had disappeared. While authorities maintained Marion Barter had abandoned her family, her daughter refused to give up.
The authors, all of whom have investigative journalistic skills, recount the efforts to prove Marion’s disappearance was involuntary. Spanning more than 50 podcast episodes, the team’s focus was on keeping Marion’s name in front of the public with the hope that someone would come forward. Ultimately, they unravel a fascinating mystery that goes well beyond a simple missing person’s case.
Compiling all the information into a book format leads to a more formal end product tracing the events leading up to Marion’s 1997 disappearance and the ensuing years. Thanks to the meticulous work, a formal inquiry was conducted, which added more flavor to the story.
The Lady Vanishes illustrates the power behind true crime podcasts by highlighting efforts to solve a woman’s disappearance.
Alison Sandy is an award-winning print and broadcast journalist who specialises in crime and Freedom of Information. Her passion is ensuring government is held to account and criminals are brought to justice.
Bryan Seymour is an investigative journalist with three decades of experience in newspapers, television and online reporting.
Sally Eeles has more than 30 years’ experience in broadcast journalism, in various roles from reporter to executive producer at all of Australia’s major networks. She has received a number of awards, including a Walkley. She now works in International Development with journalists around the world.
Marc Wright is a veteran of the media industry with over 40 years’ experience spanning news and current affairs, children’s and lifestyle television, music videos, documentaries, corporate videos and advertisements. He’s won awards for his work as both a video editor and podcast producer.
