Title: THE VANISHING SEASON
Author: JOANNA SCHAFFHAUSEN
Genre: FICTION, THRILLER, MYSTERY
Length: 288 PAGES
Publisher: MINOTAUR BOOKS – ST. MARTIN’S PRESS
Received From: NETGALLEY
Release Date: DECEMBER 5, 2017
ISBN: 9781250126047
Price: $24.99 USD
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
DESCRIPTION:
Winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition, Joanna Schaffhausen’s accomplished debut The Vanishing Season will grip readers from the opening page to the stunning conclusion.
Ellery Hathaway knows a thing or two about serial killers, but not through her police training. She’s an officer in sleepy Woodbury, MA, where a bicycle theft still makes the newspapers. No one there knows she was once victim number seventeen in the grisly story of serial killer Francis Michael Coben. The only one who lived.
When three people disappear from her town in three years—all around her birthday—Ellery fears someone knows her secret. Someone very dangerous. Her superiors dismiss her concerns, but Ellery knows the vanishing season is coming and anyone could be next. She contacts the one man she knows will believe her: the FBI agent who saved her from a killer all those years ago.
Agent Reed Markham made his name and fame on the back of the Coben case, but his fortunes have since turned. His marriage is in shambles, his bosses think he’s washed up, and worst of all, he blew a major investigation. When Ellery calls him, he can’t help but wonder: sure, he rescued her, but was she ever truly saved? His greatest triumph is Ellery’s waking nightmare, and now both of them are about to be sucked into the past, back to the case that made them…with a killer who can’t let go.
MY REVIEW:
THE VANISHING SEASON by Joanna Schaffhausen is a spectacular thriller that will have readers on the edge of their seats.
Imagine narrowly escaping being the victim of a serial killer as a tween, then getting your life together, changing your name and even becoming a police officer only to become the Target of yet another serial killer. Talk about bad luck!
A story with multiple twists and turns and captivating characters, this book exceeded my expectations and I will definitely be adding Joanna Schaffhausen to my “Authors To Watch” list.
I rate this book as 4 out of 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and recommend it to those who enjoy a bit of fear in their thrillers. The reason this book received 4 out of 5 Stars rather than 5 Stars is that I figured out who the killer was before the reveal, but I did have moments where I doubted myself, so….
Anyway, this book by a debut author is well worth reading. Check it out and come back to my blog and let me know if you figured out the killer early or not. I would love to know.
Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of #TheVanishingSeason
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
JOANNA SCHAFFHAUSEN is a scientific editor who spends her days immersed in research on potential new therapies for cancer, addiction, and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Previously, she worked as an editorial producer for ABC News, where she advised and wrote for programs such as World News Tonight, Good Morning America and 20/20.
She holds a doctorate in psychology, which reflects her long-standing interest in the brain–how it develops and the many ways it can go wrong.
She lives in the Boston area with her husband and daughter. The Vanishing Season is her first novel.
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:
I am participating in GingermomReads Blog #2018AtoZChallenge and I have now graduated from Turtle 🐢 to Iguana since this is my sixth book of 2018.
Amie's Book Reviews 