The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen

The Vanishing SeasonThe Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Years ago Ellery Hathaway became victim number seventeen of serial killer Francis Michael Coben when she was abducted and held captive. Ellery was lucky enough that FBI Agent Reed Markham saw something other investigators hadn’t and followed clues to Coben’s home where he managed to rescue Ellery and put Coben behind bars making Ellery the one that survived.

Now Ellery is in law enforcement herself and finds that she may just have another serial killer on her hands but no one wants to believe her. What the other officers in the sleepy little town of Woodbury, MA don’t know is that the disappearances in town are happening at the time Ellery was taken all those years ago and she’s been receiving cards every year at the time but she’s hesitant to tell of her past. Looking for another angle to open a case into the missing persons Ellery makes a call to the man who saved her all those years ago.

The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen is a mystery/thriller read that takes a reader on a journey to catch a serial killer. The book is written with a small town vibe and a flawed main character that pulled me in immediately and kept my interest until the very end. Surviving a serial killer herself gave Ellery a strength behind her that she needed to survive but now puts toward helping others.

While the story had plenty of twists and turns to make this one a solid mystery I did kind of question some of the actions of the police in this small town. Perhaps not the most realistic of investigating and actions at times so I just couldn’t quite bring myself to go a full five stars but the story and characters do make this worth the read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

30 Comments on “The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen

    • It was but it was one that gave me that vibe that it could have been done a little better too. Still great if you like serial killer books though. 🙂

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            • No, not here, offline. Revolving door and phone ringing day. Although I never did get the call I was expecting to confirm my MRI on Monday so that was annoying. Also had a box show up today that wasn’t the neighbor down the street and had to take it, dumb mailman, then guy acts like I was trying to steal his box, talk about grateful. LOL Just a fun day all around. 😛

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                • Thanks, just my continuing search to figure out my digestive issues. It’s been going on forever so I doubt anything will show on yet another test, used to it now.

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                    • Thanks Dani! It was actually a year ago they finally took my gallbladder out and that helped for a short time but then back to hurting and things bothering me.

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                    • Appendix should be a lot lower than where my issue is but who knows at this point, it took them a year to work out the fact it was my gallbladder to begin with and take it out forgetting the fact that I check all the boxes for the average person to have gallbladder issues, dumb docs.

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                    • Oh well they also keep telling me that livers don’t hurt, said I have a “fatty liver” but it’s common and doesn’t cause pain.

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                    • That’s not all true Carrie! Doctors can be dumb. I battle cirrhosis of the liver and that is one of the most painful things ever. I also am in remission for liver cancer. I’m sure you don’t have those serious illnesses though but doctors can be wrong! The liver can become inflammed and swell and it makes your stomach bloat very bad and cause a lot of pain!😖 Almost as bad as childbirth! Kidney issues and pancreas issues can be another source I have two close loved ones with both and pain can hurt somewhere but it’s caused from somewhere else. I think its called referred pain. Like your gallbladder can hurt in your shoulder. It throws people off and it’s weird how it works.🤔 Hopefully it’s something small like GERD or something like that. Oh and diverticulitis causes pain up there but hopefully you are able to figure it out girl and you are able to see a good phsyician!🤗 I will be praying for you girl and have you in my thoughts!❤ It seems you, me and Kim have been under the weather recently.😓

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                    • I actually just started with a new gastrologist in July and he’s already making a bit of progress with some things. I don’t even want to start on my feelings with my old one, grrrr. But I’m on meds already for reflux and heartburn and ibs so it’s a matter of determining if there’s more than that going on or not. Former Gastro doc and my gp both kept telling me nothing’s wrong and my OB/GYN was the one that finally after a year checked my gallbladder so I’m hoping my new gastro doc can figure things out better.

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                    • Yeah, the thing is old doc wanted to blame reflux and hand me pills when it wasn’t that but my gallbladder and now that the reflux is actually bothering me those pills didn’t want to work. But regardless they said that wasn’t the source of the pain so now it’s figure out what is. Truth be told I think they make up labels and toss everyone into them because they aren’t sure.

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      • This is a random thing Carrie but when Xpresso sends you the giveaways because I don’t do covers do we have to post them or is it optional. I really didn’t mean to use the same blog your thingy as you. Wasn’t trying to be a copy cat. Lol😂 That’s so middle school and we are way older than that. Was just wondering if we are supposed to send them all or just do which ones we want. I forget and now I’m rambling and probably sticking my foot in my mouth again. Smh. I’m nutty.😟

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        • Ok, I think I figured out what your asking… LOL If you are on the master list for their posts you are expected to post all of the promo materials that she sends out. If you want to only post certain books/giveaways then xpresso sends out mails probably at least once a week with all of their open events that you can sign up for individually. So I’m guessing the answer here would be that if there are a lot you don’t really want to post then mail Giselle and let her know and you can just sign up for the ones that you do. Hope that helps… ?? 🙂

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