Published by Bookouture Genres: Crime, Fiction, Mystery, suspense, thriller
Format: ARC, eBook
Lisa Regan is quickly becoming a Master at writing gritty mystery/thriller/police procedural books. I also like that she writes strong female characters who aren’t afraid to kick some butt! This book is gritty, but it needs to be as the plot is dealing with murder, rape, etc. Having worked in forensics for years, I tend to be very critical of portrayals criminals/serial killers/rapists, etc. …and Regan NAILS it.
Josie Quinn is a police officer on suspension and is currently having trouble having her husband sign their divorce papers. She is engaged to Luke, and trying to move on with her life while dealing with her own anxieties, the issues which caused the end of her marriage, and her concern for her Grandmother who is in a nursing home. She has a lot of on her plate, but it does not stop her from conducting her own investigation after a teenage girl, Isabelle, goes missing. Then another teenage girl has been found traumatized and mute – a girl they did not even know was missing. The name “Ramona” comes up and Josie is on the hunt against the advice of almost everyone in her life.
The more information Josie uncovers concerning the missing girls, the found mute girl and a woman who had a similar story about being taken, the more Josie keeps digging. What is concerning is that the woman who was taken, and set free, was not believed and her case was considered a hoax. This causes Josie to work even harder as she begins to wonder who can be trusted? Who is keeping secrets? What lengths would someone go to keep their secret?
There are some sections of this book that tells the story of the kidnapped girl(s). We don’t know who they are until they end, but I found that they enhanced the story and made things come together. Some may find these confusing initially, but i found them to be a nice touch and once you finish the book as I said, they make perfect sense.
This book is brilliantly paced. She had me from the very first page and I could not put this book down. Vanishing Girls has a well-thought out plot with enjoyable characters. This book has suspense, feelings of dread, a little romance, mystery, and grit. This is the first book in a new series and I believe we will see some more character development in the next book. I really liked that Josie was a strong female character even though she had her insecurities, she was courageous yet flawed. She was a very believable character.
If you have not read a Lisa Regan book before, get out there and do so. Fans of Karin Slaughter and Meg Gardiner will love Regan’s work. Heck, so will just about anybody who enjoys a good suspense/mystery/police procedural.
Thank you to Bookoutre and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.