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constantreader471's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars for a well done mystery set in a small Massachusetts town. The suspense builds up continuously and has a satisfying climax. Ellery Hathaway is a patrol officer in fictional Woodbury, Mass. She believes that there is a serial killer in town. However, although there are 3 missing persons, there are no bodies, so the police chief doesn't believe her. Ellery was abducted by a serial killer when she was 14. She now uses her middle name, instead of Abigail. No one knows about her past except her Mom and someone who sends her birthday cards. She hasn't told anyone in town her birthday. She believes the serial killer knows.
She calls Reed Markham, the FBI agent who rescued her, for help. This mystery was a enjoyable read. I finished it in 2 days. There are some gory parts. It is not a cozy mystery.
One quote:
"When at last he took the exit for Woodbury, it was if the forest rose up around the road, trees thick as a bear's fur, the sun rendered as a distant, filtered light."
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for sending me this book through NetGalley.
She calls Reed Markham, the FBI agent who rescued her, for help. This mystery was a enjoyable read. I finished it in 2 days. There are some gory parts. It is not a cozy mystery.
One quote:
"When at last he took the exit for Woodbury, it was if the forest rose up around the road, trees thick as a bear's fur, the sun rendered as a distant, filtered light."
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for sending me this book through NetGalley.
melissadelongcox's review against another edition
4.0
I started this before bed one night and made it halfway before I had to cave and go to sleep. I then woke up a couple hours later having a full on nightmare about being taken - so yeah, this gets my vote for a good, twisty thriller.
nixieknox's review against another edition
3.0
This reminded me very much of the other series by this author in terms of story style and structure. We find out early enough (not super early) whodunit so we can have a final chase with the suspect.
It seems kind of bananas that Ellery could have kept her secret for so long but I just went with it.
This was a borderline suspense novel - maybe because it was a fast read? - but with definitely enough mystery to satisfy me. Will continue!
It seems kind of bananas that Ellery could have kept her secret for so long but I just went with it.
This was a borderline suspense novel - maybe because it was a fast read? - but with definitely enough mystery to satisfy me. Will continue!
rachel_readsalot's review against another edition
3.0
Really enjoy her writing style and her characters. Fast paced story with twists and turns. I did guess the twist at the end, but still thoroughly enjoyed! Look forward to more of her work!
its_me_mar_p's review against another edition
4.0
Oof this is a creepy, dark thriller but very good. Couldn't put it down. I'm going to lend it to my mum, who is a sweet lady who loves reading about murder
bookish_blonde's review against another edition
4.0
This was the first book for me by this author. It is also first in a series! It was a random library pick and how much I enjoyed really surprised me. Looking forward to continuing. Loved the writing and the main character. It was a page turner for me. I love books with serial killer tropes!
elizmiller06's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book it held my interest through the whole book ....this was a first for me from this author and it won't be my last.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
RATING: 4.5 STARS
2017; Minotaur/St. Martin's Press
I have had The Vanishing Season on my TBR list for about 4 years, and now I am mentally kicking myself for waiting soooo long. This novel starts with a bang and does not let go of you till the last page (or in my case, listening to it on audio, the last word). Schaffhausen writes with compassion and raw emotions. After finishing this one I sat there. I thought about Ellery, and all she has been through, and the things not discussed in the book. I have a feeling, Ellery, her story, this book will stay with me for awhile. This is book one in a series (four books to date) so I have placed the others on hold. I am ready to dive back into Schaffhausen's writing, but I will need a several days to part with this one. That means I need a few lighter tales to move onto another dark twisty novel.
Ellery was kidnapped at 14 years old, and rescued six days later by a FBI agent. She was the killer's sole survivor, and soon is in the spotlight. The FBI agent, Reed Markham, wrote a book about the case pushing Ellery's story further in media. With her brother's illness, and her mother's attention divided, Ellery changes her name and starts a new life with her baggage right behind her.
Fourteen years later, Ellery is an officer in a small town, Woodbury, MA. When three people in three years go missing she suspects they are connected. They have gone missing right around her birthday, and everything leads her to believe that something dangerous has come to town. Her superiors won't listen to her theories, and she can't get them to see her way unless she divulges who she really is. Ellery decides to call on one person who will believe her, Agent Reed Markham.
Markham is going through his own demons, but drops everything to aid the girl that started his own career.
I loved the interactions of characters in this novel. They are messy and real and full of intensity. Whether it is between Ellery and Reed - her rescuer but also now a peer, or Ellery and her fellow officers - whom she wants to impress with her ability, feel like one of them, and yet also show she has the chops to be a better investigator. The trauma of her early life lurks in everything she does, in her relationships (or lack thereof), her work and how she lives her day to day life. As someone who has had trauma, I could relate to many of her defence mechanism and her emotions. At times, I would feel uncomfortable with Ellery as I felt a bit exposed to my own stuff. It is books like this, that dig deeper into the world behind the mystery, that makes reading so magical to me. Yes, there is a mystery to solve but the characters around that are what makes the book work. I loved this one, and I hope you get a chance to read it as well.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
2017; Minotaur/St. Martin's Press
I have had The Vanishing Season on my TBR list for about 4 years, and now I am mentally kicking myself for waiting soooo long. This novel starts with a bang and does not let go of you till the last page (or in my case, listening to it on audio, the last word). Schaffhausen writes with compassion and raw emotions. After finishing this one I sat there. I thought about Ellery, and all she has been through, and the things not discussed in the book. I have a feeling, Ellery, her story, this book will stay with me for awhile. This is book one in a series (four books to date) so I have placed the others on hold. I am ready to dive back into Schaffhausen's writing, but I will need a several days to part with this one. That means I need a few lighter tales to move onto another dark twisty novel.
Ellery was kidnapped at 14 years old, and rescued six days later by a FBI agent. She was the killer's sole survivor, and soon is in the spotlight. The FBI agent, Reed Markham, wrote a book about the case pushing Ellery's story further in media. With her brother's illness, and her mother's attention divided, Ellery changes her name and starts a new life with her baggage right behind her.
Fourteen years later, Ellery is an officer in a small town, Woodbury, MA. When three people in three years go missing she suspects they are connected. They have gone missing right around her birthday, and everything leads her to believe that something dangerous has come to town. Her superiors won't listen to her theories, and she can't get them to see her way unless she divulges who she really is. Ellery decides to call on one person who will believe her, Agent Reed Markham.
Markham is going through his own demons, but drops everything to aid the girl that started his own career.
I loved the interactions of characters in this novel. They are messy and real and full of intensity. Whether it is between Ellery and Reed - her rescuer but also now a peer, or Ellery and her fellow officers - whom she wants to impress with her ability, feel like one of them, and yet also show she has the chops to be a better investigator. The trauma of her early life lurks in everything she does, in her relationships (or lack thereof), her work and how she lives her day to day life. As someone who has had trauma, I could relate to many of her defence mechanism and her emotions. At times, I would feel uncomfortable with Ellery as I felt a bit exposed to my own stuff. It is books like this, that dig deeper into the world behind the mystery, that makes reading so magical to me. Yes, there is a mystery to solve but the characters around that are what makes the book work. I loved this one, and I hope you get a chance to read it as well.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***