Vanished (a Thriller)

by: Joseph Finder

Published by: St. Martin's Press

Reviewed by Kathy Perschmann

Imagine that you and your husband are out for dinner, and are returning to your car. He leaves briefly to get the keys he forgot at the restaurant–and then you are attacked. Just before you pass out from a head injury, you hear your husband yell, “Why her?”

This is the beginning of Vanished. Lauren Heller wakes up in the hospital, asking about her husband, Roger–but he is missing. Fortunately her teenage son Gabe knows what to do. He calls his hero, cool Uncle Nick, who works for a private security firm.

Nick Heller, ex-Special Forces, is in California dealing with a client who has a mysterious stolen airplane cargo that was not really stolen. Immediately he flies back to D.C. to help out his nephew who is one of his favorite people. He does not get along with his brother Roger, and has not spoken to his father Victor, a financial criminal, since he went to jail. Nick has the skills and the friends to help investigate Roger’s disappearance.

Lauren however, does not seem to be quite as honest and helpful as she could be…what is going on? What is she hiding? Lauren and Roger both work for Gifford Industries. Lauren is the administrative assistant to Gifford, and Roger works in a small department that deals with acquisitions. There are break-ins, murders, beatings, and shady companies of mercenaries trying to hide the truth about Pentagon kickbacks, There are also smart technology geeks, and fortunately those are on Nick’s side. The truth always seems to be just around the corner, or just on the other side of the door, but it is never what is expected.

Will Nick ever find Roger alive? Can he protect Lauren and Gabe? What exactly were Roger and his imprisoned father talking about on their many phone calls?

This book will be hard to put down, and you will be glued to the pages until it is over! Good news! This is the first in a series of Nick Heller books.

Armchair Interviews says: This book is stunning!

Author’s Web site: http://www.JosephFinder.com