FICTION

The Vanishing Season

Minotaur: St. Martin's. Dec. 2017. 288p. ISBN 9781250126047. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781250126054. F
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On her 14th birthday, Abigail Hathaway became the 17th young woman abducted by notorious serial killer Frances Coben and the only one to survive. Fourteen years later, Hathaway—using her middle name, Ellery, to hide her past—is a cop in a small Connecticut town who's concerned about the disappearances of three people over the past three summers. At the same time, she's been receiving anonymous cards on her birthday. Unable to arouse her police chief's concern without revealing her past, Hathaway calls FBI agent Reed Markham, who rescued her from Coben. Markham is currently on leave after botching a case, as well as having troubles at home, but he responds to her request for assistance. Together, they dig into the missing-persons cases that seem to center on her, wondering if a copycat serial killer is at work.
VERDICT Winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition, this debut thriller occasionally strains credulity, notably in Hathaway's keeping her past hidden, and seasoned mystery readers are likely to spot the perpetrator before she and Markham do. Still, it's a nice diversion for readers with a taste for serial killers. [See Prepub Alert, 6/12/17.]
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