Book: Vanished

About the Book:
Author: Irene Hannon
Publisher: Revell
Publication Date: 2013
Series: “Private Justice” (book one)
Genre: Christian Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
Rating: 4 ½ out of 5

Review: Since re-discovering my love of a solid mystery novel, it doesn’t take much to embroil an interested reader such as myself in a good one. Few pages in, award-winning author, Irene Hannon addicts interest with her fabulous pacing and creative skills. Hook, line and sinker – all three elements are prominent in this mystery involving a credited reporter Moira Harrison whose accident on a lonely road one rainy night leads her straight to the doorstep of the detective agency Phoenix, INC. and more specifically Cal Burke. Now retired from law enforcement, Cal is skeptical when he hears Moira’s story of a woman lying in the road and a Good Samaritan who never dialed 911 but something about Moira intrigues Cal. Going against the clues, he takes the pro bono case, opening a Pandora’s Box full of secrets in the process.

Considering only the characters, I found myself enjoying each one of them. Whether it was the easy-going camaraderie between the three P.I.’s – Dev, Connor and Cal, relationships centered on trust or the sweet-natured tenderness that develops between Moira and her leading man, Cal, there wasn’t a weak link in the bunch. All of them are well developed even in the moments when pasts are skimped over or you question the motivation behind an action. And that’s saying nothing about the intriguing story  - one who’s secrets are uncovered earlier on than expected but is still able to entire its reader to read until completion. Keeping pace is a fabulous, well-crafted novel that tells a surprisingly believable scenario in a thriller of a tale. If there was one thing I found a bit trite its finding the heroine in danger yet again in the final climax. As a writer, I “get” this plot device but as a reader, it becomes tiresome to encounter in book after book. That isn’t enough to stop me from recommending this – perhaps even as the best of the Hannon novel’s I’ve yet to read. To say I will be anxiously waiting the second in the series is an understatement.

In Summary: Nail-biting suspense at its best; Irene Hannon again scores with this, the first in a new series that doesn’t just promise to hold any fan’s interest, it’s a sure thing.

Synopsis: Reporter Moira Harrison is new on the job in St. Louis, but she’s no rookie to investigative reporting. She knows how to dig for answers and get results. But when she hits a pedestrian on a rainy night in a wooded area—only to have both the victim and the good Samaritan who stopped to assist disappear—she turns to P.I. Cal Burke, an ex-homicide detective, to help her sort out the puzzle. Cal is more than a little skeptical of her story, especially since the police have dismissed it. But as clues begin to surface, bringing them closer to answers, the danger mounts. Because someone doesn’t want this mystery solved—and will stop at nothing to protect a shocking secret that will destroy a life built on lies.

Available January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

With thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for reviewing purposes

Categories: Book, Christian, Fiction, Irene Hannon, Mystery, Revell, Review, Series

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