About the Book

Book: Vanished Without a Trace

Author: Sarah Hamaker

Genre: Romantic Suspence

Release date: June 28, 2022

A missing person case. A new clue. And a fight for survival.

After nine years searching for his missing sister, attorney Henderson Parker uncovers a clue that leads him to Twin Oaks, Virginia—and podcaster Elle Updike investigating the case. Partnering with the journalist is the last thing Henderson wants, until mysterious thugs make multiple attacks on both their lives. Now they’ll have to trust each other…before the suspected kidnappers make them disappear for good.

 

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My Thoughts:

I’m a sucker for romantic suspense, and more so if its intelligently written—meaning the author uses a vast vocabulary so the writing is unique. Sarah Hamaker does just that in Vanished Without a Trace. I like that the female protagonist, Elle Updike, has an unusual career as a podcaster/journalist who uses investigative skills and interviews to help people find missing loved ones. Henderson Parker (great name, isn’t it?) is an attorney whose sister vanished without a trace nine years before.

There is some backstory to this couple that sets up the necessary conflict right from the beginning. They meet up again in the small town of Twin Oaks, Virginia, where Henderson believes his sister is living (or being held) based on a grainy newspaper photo of her from a Christmas in July event.

The story starts with a bang. There are lots of incidents that make it clear Henderson’s search for his sister Helena is not welcome. Elle is also caught up in the drama, and it’s clear these two are on the right path. It seems a little suspicious that the deputy sheriff doesn’t seem to care much, but I warmed up to him later in the story.

At 218 pages, this is a fairly short book—longer than a novella but shorter than a full-length novel. It’s a Love Inspired Suspense Romance, so you know Ms. Hamaker will have to be concise with the plot line. Still, it does suffer from a draggy middle where there isn’t much happening.

There were a couple things that I struggled with in this novel. First off, the characters all sound alike. As I said earlier, the vocabulary is smart. But there is little difference between Henderson’s point of view and dialogue and Elle’s. In fact, he says or thinks words I don’t believe many men do. A little flowery for a male character. I had to laugh when he admitted (internally) that peppermint tea had become his favorite evening beverage. And he tears up more than most women. He just doesn’t sound like a man. This plays out in the dialogue, as well

And I have to admit I struggled with the ending. Very dramatic where everything is revealed—which is good. But when Elle “guesses” the entire plot behind the bad guy’s agenda and correctly announces it to the crowd, it is too contrived and on-the-nose.

Still, Ms. Hamaker writes well, her characters are likeable, and I wasn’t as good at guessing the ending as Elle, which makes for an enjoyable read.

Three out of five stars.

About the Author

Sarah Hamaker loves writing books “where the hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.” She’s written romantic suspense novels and nonfiction books, as well as stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes. As a writers coach, her heart is encouraging writers. She’s a member of ACFW; ACFW Virginia Chapter; and Faith, Hope and Love, as well as the president of Capital Christian Writers Fellowship. Her podcast, “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four teenagers, a preschool foster child and three cats. Visit her online at sarahhamakerfiction.com.

 

More from Sarah

As a podcaster myself, I’ve listened to many true crime podcasts, such as “Up and Vanished” and “Accused,” so when I was thinking about the plot for Vanished Without a Trace, I decided to have my heroine be a true crime podcaster investigating cold missing persons cases. I also am fascinated by unsolved mysteries, probably because I love history, and have a strong sense of justice—I want those who commit crimes to be caught. Of course, as a Christian, I do rest in the assurance of God as the ultimate and only truly righteous Judge, but I do find myself rooting for cold cases to be solved and criminals brought to justice. Thus the book combines my two of my interests—cold cases and true crime.

Personally, I can’t imagine anything more difficult than to have a loved one go missing and never be found or heard from again. The uncertainty of their fate must weigh very heavily on the family members left behind. I wanted to capture some of that with Henderson’s strong desire to find his missing sister, Helena, and reunite her with their mother. He’s seen how much Helena’s absence has taken a toll on their mother’s health and mental well-being, and when he has a chance to chase down the first real lead in years, he jumps at it.

Elle’s motives are no less personal than Henderson’s—her own heart aches for these grieving families. Having distant parents, she wants to help families heal by discovering what happened to a loved one if possible. But Henderson doesn’t trust her motives and the two clash more often than not over her podcast.

I hope you enjoy seeing how Elle and Henderson learn to work together to find Helena…and perhaps, their own happy ending.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 25

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, July 25

Bizwings Blog, July 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 27

Through the Fire Blogs, July 27

Betti Mace, July 28

For the Love of Literature, July 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 29

Pause for Tales, July 29

Texas Book-aholic, July 30

Inklings and notions, July 31

Genesis 5020, August 1

Bigreadersite, August 1

For Him and My Family, August 2

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, August 2

deb’s Book Review, August 3

Livin’ Lit, August 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 4

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 5

Paula’s Persuasion, August 5

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 6

Blogging With Carol, August 7

Mary Hake, August 7

 

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sarah is giving away the grand prize package of a Vanished Without a Trace branded tote bag, Vanished Without a Trace pin, a print copy of the book, plus a $75 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1ffe1/vanished-without-a-trace-celebration-tour-giveaway