From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kendra Elliot.When an eleven-year-old is abducted on her way to school, the FBI doesn’t waste a moment, sending agents to scour the area and embedding Special Agent Ava McLane with the distraught family. In the eye of the storm is local detective Mason Callahan, whose life is crumbling to pieces—he’s related to the victim, and his longtime confidential … his longtime confidential informant has just been murdered.
Both he and Agent McLane hole up in the victim’s family home. Every second counts in a kidnapping case, and the stakes keep rising the longer the girl is missing. As Ava and Mason struggle to hold the family together in their darkest hour, the two investigators find themselves drawn to each other.
2015 Overall Daphne du Maurier Award Winner
more
Is there anything worst then that fear that makes your stomach just drop, you can’t think, you just react?
A 3.8 stars a book about a parents worst fear of something happening to their child. Such an easy thing, kiss the kids goodbye and have them walk to the bus stop……but eleven year old Henley never makes it to school or even to the bus.
Mason is a detective, a good one, looking into the death of Josie, his informant, when his ex-wife calls. Robin is remarried and her steo daughter is missing. Mason goes to help her and see his son Jake. Meanwhile Mason’s fingerprints are found on the weapon that killed Josie.
You meet Robin, husband Lucas, Jake and Henley’s mom Lillian. All waiting for news on Hanley. Ava is an FBI agent that comes into their homes and analyzes them and their friends as she looks for clues. Mason teams up with her and the task force.
You see the different police branches work as one to find a missing abducted child. Insight into how the FBI set up a command center. collect evidence, use camera surveillance, and look into everybody’s past. Ava shows the actions of each family member as they deal in their own way with the stress.
The block to the school bus is not that long, but the yards are bug, there is a curve where you can no longer see the children….this stays in your head. The team members play to their strengths, some analyze, sime talk to famoliy, friends, and the behavior specialist is brought in.
Is the family hiding secrets? Is anyone jealous of the family or upset about sonething or someone ? Why is Mason susoended from his force and questioned about his dead informant? Is there a connection to Henley disappearing?
Romance developes between Mason and Ava but it doesn’t interfere with the case. Between the cops and reporters and stress, it’s no wonder people are snapping and sneaking awdy from the protected home…but at what cost.
This ends on an up note, clues and motives are there. Also how the police handle an abduction is shown as is the mess it makes of people and their lives. A fast read with some nice people, not ovetly complicated but fair and enjoyable.
This first book in a series has an FBI agent called in when a young girl goes missing. The stepmother’s ex-husband is a State Police detective and he takes time from work to act as a liaison for the family. As the time the girl is missing stretches on and the tension mounts the two officers grow closer.
The clues dropped in the case are intriguing and there are lots of good red herrings. However, there are a few moments that just demonstrate how dense the MCs are. (No spoilers) I understand the need to ratchet up the drama and propel the narrative but I hate TSTL moments. A major example of this just makes no sense given the roles the MCs have played in the case thus far and it seems like a cheap or lazy out for the author. Not something I’d expect from her having read several of her other books.
But it’s still a good read and others may not be as annoyed as I was by some things. I’ll still read the next one in the series.
THIS REVIEW IS FOR BOTH THE AUDIOBOOK AND EBOOK VERSIONS
Action, suspense, emotional and even some humor. Great story I enjoyed these characters and the narrators done amazing work with this book. Anxious for the next in series. Definitely recommend it.
It was a regular weekday morning when 11-year old Henley Fairbanks waved goodbye to her stepmother Robin, turned the corner to go to her bus stop and vanished. It wasn’t until the afternoon that it became clear she was missing. FBI Agent Ava McLane was one of the first to be contacted and embedded with the family. Oregon State Police Detective Mason Callahan came to help as his son lived in the household with his ex-wife and stepfather. Jake was home from college for the holidays so this blended family quickly became a united front as law enforcement teams assembled to figure out what happened to Henley. In the meantime, Mason is grappling with issues of his own as he’s now on the outside of the investigation into the brutal murder of one of his confidential informants.
Anytime a story involves a missing child, I’m nervous from the onset as it’s impossible for me not to experience the despair vicariously. The FBI procedurals were fascinating as the haste, scope and scale of their investigation was impressive. Ava was also impressive and I liked her immediately. She’s smart, driven and highly observant. She provided the bridge to the family and the FBI, providing both perspectives. Mason is the more opaque character who is admirable but his career is his life. Both have interesting backstories but his is the one that becomes the most intriguing.
I really liked this story and the characters. The romance between Mason and Eva was a slow burn that didn’t overwhelm the primary storyline, which was heartbreaking. I thought the tension and helplessness the family experienced was perfectly captured as I felt what they did. The search for Henley was suspenseful and it never let up. You’ll have to read it yourself to learn the outcome. I’m hooked already but as this is a spinoff of Bone Secrets, I’m pausing until I finish that series before resuming this one. I’ve incentive to do so quickly because I want more of Ava and Mason.
Kendra Elliot has been one of my favorite Romantic Suspense authors, and I can’t believe I’m just now reading the first book to the Callahan & McLane series. Where have I been, hiding underneath a rock this whole time? Well, I could’ve been. I was working a 9-5 day job at the time this series came out. I have time to catch up on this series and check out any other books I’ve missed out on by Kendra Elliot since I’m a SAHM. (Here’s hoping with the crazy soccer and ballet schedules my girls have during the school year.)
The first book, Vanished, introduces readers to Mason Callahan and Ava McLane. Mason Callahan is a local detective in Portland, Oregon, investigating the death of one of his CI’s. He goes by the book and does his job very well. Unfortunately, he’s going to be in the middle of the investigation of his CI’s death since someone is trying to frame him for the murder. That’s not all he’s dealing with, though. His ex-wife, Robin, and her husband, Lucas, had their little girl kidnapped on the way to school one day. This is when Ava McLane gets involved because she’s an FBI Special Agent. She’s assigned to comfort the family during the kidnapping of their daughter and keep them informed on the progress of what the FBI is doing to find Henley. Mason will take some much needed time away from his job to assist his family in finding Henley. He will also be there for his son, Jake, who is home from college during this time. Jake is Mason’s and Robin’s son, and he’s devastated over his sister missing. Once the FBI starts investigating, they deal with a kidnapper who puts them on a wild goose chase. The FBI also starts realizing Henley’s kidnapping may hit closer to someone in the family than they realize.
Enough about the story because I don’t want to give anything away. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the kidnapper was in the story and if the FBI would find Henley in time. There were also the characters Mason and Ava. These two had an instant connection, and I loved how well they worked together. Both have their drama in their lives, and they both start helping each other in that drama. They don’t want to take away from the kidnapping, though. They want to find Henley. I loved these two characters. Kendra Elliot always manages to get me feeling for the characters because they feel like REAL people who I would love to know in person. I can’t wait to follow along with Mason and Ava further in this series.
Be prepared to be blown away at the book’s ending and find out who is behind everything. I figured it out after a bit, but that didn’t stop me from reading the book. I felt for the person behind it all and felt upset about how they handled it all too.
Let me not forget to mention that Ava has a twin sister, and readers will get introduced to her in this book. She’s not like Ava, and I feel for Ava and how her twin sister treats her. Thank goodness for Mason helping her.
Overall, this book gets 4.5 stars from me, and I highly recommend it to Romantic Suspense/Mystery readers out there. There’s some romance in the story, but it’s mild. I like how Kendra focuses on the storyline’s drama and a small romantic storyline with Mason and Ava. (Hey, they just got introduced to each other, it’s not like they are getting married. )
This was the first book that I have read from this author. It was very good. She describes the scene as if you were there. It has some heat in it but nothing gratuitous. Enjoyable read
I really enjoyed this one. I have been on a romance trend lately and needed a break. I crave suspense at times and this one burrowed in and once I started it I couldn’t stop. When an 11-year-old girl is kidnapped on her way to school everyone drops what they are doing and goes on the search. That includes Mason Callahan who has just left the crime scene of his murdered CI and gets the call that Henley has been kidnapped. This is the daughter of his ex-wife’s husband and so, of course, he is going to be there. Ava McLane is FBI through and through and she feels like she is babysitting the family but really she is keeping everything together. There are forces at work and so many twists and turns, this one was a pleasure to listen to. This is a new to me author and I have to tell you I have already downloaded the next one in this series and plan on binging this series!
Great mystery and packed with twists and genuine characters you’ll think about after the book ends.
I enjoyed this mix of thriller, family drama touched with romance. It was fun reading about the two cops who fall for each other during an active and very tense investigation, and about the MC’s backstory that make them who they are.
There’s some gritty murder scenes, but it never gets too graphic. There’s tense family moments, but things do get worked out.
This is the beginning of a series and I’m excited to follow more.
I wanted to see what a mystery thriller crossed with a romance looked like, and this was a great discovery! Very entertaining.
Two cop-types fall for each other while solving a complex case that’s close to one of the officers. A child has gone missing. I loved the family dynamics and the solid characters. The love story was done well. Not steamy enough for me but hey, considering what I write, this should not be a surprise. But very appropriate for the genre.
I will definitely read more from this series.
Wow! What an amazing series. I’ve been hooked on this author since book one and I’ve since loaded my kindle with her backlist.
Audible. Available to borrow via KU in both ebook & audio. This is one of those audios that’s less expensive to buy the ebook & add audio. Less than $6 for both at the time of this review.
I listened to and enjoyed the entire Bone Secrets series and it was time to move on the Callahan & McLane. Mason Callahan plays a background but regular role in many of the Bone Secrets novels as an Oregon State Patrol detective. Though I think you could start here and not be confused or lost in any way. In Vanished, he’s introduced to FBI Special Agent, Ava McClane, when she’s called in to assist in investigating the kidnapping of a young family member. There’s a little bit of mystery involved, but this is mostly suspense with a little romance thrown in. All done really well. The romance aspect is still in its infancy and definitely an HFN, but I expect we’ll get to see that bloom over the next few books.
I was honestly a little nervous about Nick Podehl & Amy McFadden because I tend to think of them as NA narrators and the MCs are mid-30s & early 40s. I didn’t have any trouble with either of their narrations and am looking forward to their being involved with the entire series.
5 STARS!
It’s Henley. She’s missing.
Detective Mason Callahan can’t believe what has transpired in the past 24 hours. They had just discovered the body of one of his informants, and now his ex-wife’s stepdaughter is missing. He finds himself in the Fairbanks’ home trying to help find eleven-year-old Henley. The FBI is swarming the area within hours trying to dig up details that could lead to the little girl. Agent Ava McLane has captured Mason’s attention with her sultry voice and brains. When the police find evidence linking Mason to the murder case, Ava is willing to help Mason any way she can. However, all Mason needs is someone to believe in him and someone to help him save little Henley Fairbanks.
I really enjoyed this book. Elliott was able to suck me in from the very first chapter. As the story unfolds, it became increasingly difficult not to get drawn into this mysterious crime novel. I found myself taking breaks just to see if I could narrow it down to person behind it all. I was just as determined as Mason and Ava to figure out what happened to little Henley – as well as the murdered informant. Their relationship has me excited to continue with the series as I am curious to see them interact in the future books. Always the romantic…
Blog
Callahan and McLane at first seem like an unlikely pairing, but as the story moves on, they seem to be a perfect fit. I liked how Kendra slowly ‘seeped’ the perpetrator into the story a little at first then more and more. The multiple points of view writing was also really good. I had to go through this in 2 sittings…..torture. This was one I could have read strait through if time had allowed. Great book!
The combined elements of a murder mystery and kidnapping of a young child make up this psychological thriller that deals with danger more on a mental level rather than a physical one.
Mason Callahan is a character we’ve met in previous books in the series. He and his partner Ray Lusco are with the Oregon State Police Major crimes division and have been instrumental in solving cases in the previous books. Mason has always been a fascinating character and I was thrilled to learn this book was going to be about him. We’ve only got to see the work side of Mason – even though that’s all Mason’s life really is about – so it was nice to finally get to know the man behind the cowboy hat.
While I was reading this it came to mind more than once what on earth Mason had done to the author to warrant her putting this poor man through the mental anguish she did in this book. But that makes for good reading and she didn’t just stop with him, the heroine FBI Special Agent Ava McLane, who was part of the team working to find the girl, certainly had her fair share of mental anguish too. I really liked Ava, she was good at her job and had great insights and was able to separate personal issues from the job which was something Mason wasn’t able to do in this book.
There was a large cast of characters in this one along with many facets of the FBI including the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) Team which was fascinating to learn about. They deploy teams of experienced personnel to provide on-the-ground investigative, technical, and resource assistance to state and local law enforcement when a child is abducted. There was obviously a lot of homework done in the writing of this book and it really showed. I was captivated from page one and of course was rooting for my man Mason to get his HEA and some peace of mind.
Has some romance and I’m not a real ‘romance’ reader, but this didn’t have so much that I could skim those pages and not lose interest in the plot that has so many elements to it. The story line is very intense and full of action and interaction of different families and how they are connected in the ‘smallest’ ways. The characters were well defined and suited the story. Any time a story involving a child (kidnapped, killed, abused, etc) always keeps me reading. It’s sad to know that people are twisted enough to take a child and then use that child for his/her own means to an end. Elliot writes to keep the reader engaged and this book certainly did for me. I’ve read other Elliot series and plan to continue with this one. Thanks.
An eleven-year-old is abducted and the FBI doesn’t waste time scouring the area. Special Agent Ava McLane and local detective Mason Callahan, who is somewhat related to the victim via his son, are hot on the trail to capture the kidnapper and killer of his longtime confidential informant.
Each having their own personal demons, set those aside to concentrate on the case as the stakes go higher every minute that the girl is missing. Throughout the twists and turns in the case, Ava and Mason struggle to hold the family together while finding themselves very attracted to one another. Who knows what the next chapter may hold for the two of them?
I have acquired another series of books by Kendra Elliot but have never gotten around to reading them yet. Totally regret not having done so sooner. I audio’d this book and it kept me captivated to the end. Although it had its confusing moments and areas in the novel that were a little predictable, it made for a very good listen/read. A little out of my comfort zone in genre, but truly loved the story.
I LOVE Kendra Elliot, but for some reason this book fell short for me. Don’t get me wrong its a really good book, but (and I really can’t explain it) I guess I was expecting more.
If you follow any of my reviews than you know that I will not go into detail because I truly believe the reader needs to enjoy the journey for him or herself.
This is the 5th book in the bones series and I’ve read and enjoyed them all. This book has everything – kidnapping, murder, blood, guts, drugs, set-ups, and a few twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting.
Kendra made me fall in love with all of the characters including the murderer! I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book, there were some areas (and I think this is why it fell short for me) that seemed boring or just lacking.
If you’ve never read one of Kendra’s books…what are you waiting for??? I truly love her writing style and wish I could spend just a few hours in her brain….what a journey that would be!
This is a really great series, but don’t take my word for it, buy it, read it, enjoy!!!!!
I was given an ARC by Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.
Page turner! Enjoyed the characters and the story line. Very suspenseful. Looking forward to the next books in the series.