Customer Reviews

Vanished

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had no expectations when I started reading this thriller. Within minutes, however, I found myself totally engrossed and could hardly bear to put this plot-driven book down. Written in clear, spare prose, the author gives us an intriguing story line with many unexpected twists and turns, as well as a very charismatic hero who is smart, compassionate, and gutsy, with a great sense of humor and a core sense of right and wrong.

Nick Heller's brother, Roger, seemingly vanishes into thin air without a trace after his wife, Lauren, is attacked. Her son Gabe, Roger's step-son, asks his Uncle Nick for help in finding out what happened. So, Nick, like a knight in shining armor, comes to the rescue, determined to find out what happened to his brother, from whom he has been somewhat estranged. Nick, a former member of the Army's special forces, now works for a high powered intelligence firm, specializing in high end investigations. So, he is no stranger to solving mysteries.

Nick's investigation soon begins to take many labyrinthine twists and turns, as he learns things about his brother that are both surprising and shocking. Moreover, as Nick gets more and more involved in the investigation, he begins to get a sense that things are not all that they seem. Where his investigation leads, will surely surprise the reader.

This book was a compelling page-turner, and I was hooked from the get-go. I could not bear to put it down. Unfortunately, work has a way of sometimes interfering with my reading. Anyway, I loved the book and the main protagonist, Nick Heller, and hope that there will be another book featuring him. Those who enjoy fast-paced, well-plotted thrillers will be sure to love this book.

Finder has crafted a fine, fast-paced thriller with the requisite twists and turns of the genre. The plot is plausible for the most part and there's enough drama and suspense to keep any reader turning the pages. Finder's new character, Nick Heller, who will be getting a series of books apparently, fits in well with the expected characteristics of such a character. He's not too complex but he has enough humanity for us to get in his skin and root for him.

Everything progresses very quickly from the opening scene where Nick's brother Roger and his wife are attacked. Nick ends up finding a connection with a firm that sends out armies-for-hire to Iraq and other hot spots around the globe.

Some caveats: Finder cheats in his prologue as we find his characterization of the relationship between Roger and his wife to be misleading. Also the ending was somewhat disappointing and not entirely believable. The thing about twist endings is that everything that has gone before has to simultaneously point toward a wrong conclusion while making final wrap-up believable. I don't think this was quite accomplished, therefore Finder loses a star. If you like thrillers, though, definitely pick this one up, it's a worthy entry to a crowded genre.

This book was so enthralling that I read it in 2 days. The plot was fast-paced, exciting and well written with plenty of twists and turns. The characters were well developed and interesting. Finder created a smart, tough and compelling character in Nick Heller and I hope that we see him again in future novels. Definately recommended reading.