VANISHED by Kendra Elliot

VANISHED 

(Bone Secrets #5)

by Kendra Elliot

ARC Review

Released: June17, 2014, Montlake Romance

My rating: 4 of 5 ⭐️

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 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."

*****

Two thumbs up to Kendra Elliot for the mature hero - Oh, and of course the phenomenal suspense!!

I have so much to say about the plot in this story!! But I'm not gonna, because I would be giving too much away. Suffice it to say it is very entangled, and deep-rooted and plausible and utterly, utterly terrifying!! There is nothing more frightening than having a young child disappear and at the mercy of unknown evil, and the carefully constructed plot Ms. Elliot has built around this only enhances the chilling story.

Mason Callahan lives for his job. Second in importance only to his son, it makes up a huge chunk of his identity and so when it is threatened, right when he is struggling to restore balance in his son's disrupted life, it is enough to pull the rug right from under his solidly planted feet. Unexpected in the middle of his inner turmoil, is the attraction he feels for Ava right off the bat. He feels an immediate connection and for the first time he is able to drop his carefully maintained even front to someone who might understand.

And Ava does. Understand that is. She herself is no stranger to losing yourself in your work and keeping up that professional shield as protection. Hell, she has lived it her entire adult life. But in this case, she has not only quickly warmed up to the quiet detective, but has become attached to the family she is supposed to guide through this horrible ordeal. Opening herself up emotionally has always left her bleeding before, but for some reason, this family - this man - was worth it.

The romantic entanglement is rather instant, which could be explained by the hightened emotional circumstances, and although very intense once consumed, there is very little build up. On the whole it adds a little spice to the the story but the real fireworks come from the disappearance and investigation!

I have read most of Kendra Elliot's books and I have not been disappointed. If you love romantic suspense and want to be guaranteed high quality, you won't be either!

"A master in spinning a sinister, compelling tale!"

**Copy provided in return for an honest review**