The Vanished Ones

by N.V. Sumner

She awakens with a start. Chained to the unforgiving floor in a cement prison and reeking of sweat and terror, she has no memory of what happened to her and her young daughter. With the pitch black closing in around her, she suddenly realizes she is not alone. From her office in the SOMA district of San Francisco, missing children investigator, Li Chen, receives an early morning phone call. A successful architect and her young child have vanished. The only the mother’s fingerprints found at a crime scene over ninety miles away. The only a woman who appears out of nowhere and claims a sadistic cult leader is the kidnapper. Should Li believe the erratic words of a disturbed stranger with a history of drug abuse and mental illness? Can the trapped woman do the unthinkable to save herself and her little girl? With memories of her own childhood tragedy stirring, Li buries herself in the case, one that puts her unique and highly specialized skills to the test and could ultimately end her life.

370 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2014

About the author

Writing Saved My Life

As a child, the world felt unsafe. As if at any minute, I might die.

I grew up in a turbulent environment. I took on the responsibility of caring for my younger sibling. I was sexually abused. My coping mechanisms became rooted in controlling my world. I learned to protect myself by shutting down.

In my early thirties, while in the middle of law school, my physical health declined. The insidious symptoms began with what felt like a flu that wouldn't end. I took (and passed) the California State Bar with a relentless migraine, a testament to my will but also a sad consequence of never being taught how to care for myself. After years of pain, I found a physician who diagnosed me with chronic fatigue syndrome. I endured ten years of sickening headaches, stomach issues, bone crushing fatigue, and depression. I hit rock bottom.

So I began to write. To escape into a world of characters with intense inner strength, dedication, and interpersonal challenges that make them flawed but lovable. San Francisco has always been magical to me, so I set the series in one of the most iconic cities in the world. Living in the Bay Area and surrounded by cultural diversity, I chose a chinese-american lead character, a group underrepresented in mainstream entertainment. To try and make sense of my illness, I created a character with a serious health issue, one she cannot ignore, one she cannot get away from, no matter how many cases she takes, no matter how hard she tries. Li simply has to face her demons. She has no other choice. I had no other choice.

The Vanished Ones is full of suspense with a lead character you want to get to know, a character for whom you are rooting. The Li Chen books will take you from the darkest crime scenes to the courtroom, tackling issues from child sex trafficking to female perpetrators. Li, like me, will overcome obstacles that seem impenetrable as she navigates the world of missing children and childhood abuse. She is a character we can all relate to.

Reviews

[Tod A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A most excellent "first of series"

N. V. Sumner has tackled an important and harrowing social problem in starting this series, and I wish her the best.

This story was har-hitting and gruesome at times but when dealing with this topic, you can't pull punches. The vivid details of situations and the descriptions of the cult leaders left no doubt about the horrors some innocent but psychically needy people endure for "love" by a self-anointed god figure.

The story is well done and I will be buying future books in this series.

[Bea · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first chapter has a mother and daughter kidnapped. Sounds promising to me. However the author spends a great deal of time with the private detective interviewing suspects while fighting her illness. I read other reviews and I guess I missed something as I find the story going very slow, One of the things I noticed is that the author in trying to show that the person responsible is very evil she writes about very graphic sexual actions which in my opinion does not add to the story. Sorry not a fan.

[Bonnie Ferrante · Rating 3 out of 5]

Li Chan is a private investigator who specializes in finding missing children. Her skills are called to task when her close friend, Matti, and her goddaughter, five-year-old Kendall, disappear. Driven by the shadow of her own missing twin, Yulen, Li will risk everything to find her friends. The disappearance couldn't come at a worse time as Li is struggling with dire health issues which make her physically and psychologically vulnerable. As well, she is having relationship issues with her boyfriend. However, Li has a secret weapon, an instinctive reaction to places where evil has been committed.

Sumner knows how to ramp up the suspense. The plot has interesting twists and turns, complexities, and red herrings, that are efficiently wrapped up in the end. This book is not for the faint of heart. There are vivid sections on child abuse, torture, rape, and murder.

The text is flawless. You won't find any spelling or grammar mistakes. However, Sumner could have used an editor with a red pen to weed out extraneous text. She has a habit of diverging from the plot for unnecessary distracting description. We don't need the details on clothing, appearance, vehicle, etc. unless it serves a purpose. Sumner wastes time on hellos and goodbyes that could be dropped completely. Periodically she indulges in an info dump to reveal motivation and background that could have been woven more subtly through the story.

An area Sumner needs to improve is dialogue. Dialogue is often stiff and overly articulate. Characters speak in long passages without interruption. Even at highly emotional times, the speakers sound like psychologists. Her boyfriend doesn't sound like any man I've ever heard and the conversations with her father and mother often sound like info dumps.

For example:

“I wish she would tell me every so often. I feel like I can never do anything right in her eyes. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. It means the world to me to hear you say you are proud of me, Dad. But I would like to hear it from her too.” “I know, honey, but sometimes you have to accept things as they are. I know she’s been hard on you over the years, but she just wants the best for you. And losing your sister took some of the best parts of her. I know I lost a child too, and you lost a sister, but a mother losing a child is an unimaginable pain. She may never change and give you what you are seeking, but she does love you, and I don’t want you to ever forget that.” “Thank you, Dad. I’m sorry… for everything you and mom lost. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in myself, I forget that other people are suffering too.” “Never mind that. You are wonderful. Now honey, if you need anything , I’m just a phone call away. I can even fly out if you want. I don’t have much going on these days. Retirement is so boring." “I may take you up on that offer. It would be nice to see you. Now, go play golf. It’ll be good for you. And don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” “I’m pulling my clubs out of the closet as we speak. Hang in there and keep me posted. I’m sure they’re fine, and all of this will pass quickly. “I’m sure you’re right.” “Bye, honey. I love you.” “I love you, too. Bye, Dad.”
Authors need to bear this question in mind. Does this scene, dialogue, description move the plot forward or share something essential with the reader?

The beginning of the novel needs work to introduce characters in a coherent and connected manner. It seemed as though the story was going to be told through the point of view of Li Chan. Then a second point of view was introduced, that of a kidnap victim. This merged fairly well but when the third point of view was introduced, the reader was pulled from the story.

This is the first story in a series. I am hopeful that Sumner's writing will improve with each novel as the concept is intriguing.

A copy of this novel was given to me for review.

[David McMullen-Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd give this book 3.5 stars, but am rounding it up to 4.

First off, the plot and characters are good, and the story moves along just fine. But I have a few exceptions to this statement, and I wanted to point them out to the author because they drove me a little crazy.

The book starts out with a kidnapping that seems a bit contrived. What's the chance that Li Chen would be so personally connected to the victims of a kidnapping. It's not impossible, but it it less likely. So, the book's main plot point felt kind of "set up". This keeps the story from feeling that it evolved naturally. To the reader, a contrivance, feels like the author (noticably) reached into the story and jimmied with it. That makes things feel fake. It's the main reason why contrivances are bad in literature. The reader doesn't believe you.
I would have found it more believable if Li Chen were hot on the trail of a kidnapper, and the kidnapper turns on her and gets at her through family and friends.

Secondly, I thought there was, at times, way too much exposition in this book and too much "wordiness". These are the times when the story really lost my interest. I would refer the writer to Hemingway's Iceberg Theory to address the exposition. As far as the wordiness goes, it hurts the storytelling and dilutes the dialog. I would have liked the story better if it were sharper and more direct. But, looking past these few things, overall it was fine. Not something I would read on my own, but there is a demographic out there that would enjoy this book.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of all the thrillers I have read have Caucasian men as their lead character. When it turns into a screenplay it's always white males that can carry a pistol. This is why I was so captivated by N.V. Sumner's private investigator who is Asian American. N.V Sumner's Li Chen is beautiful, smart and driven. She struggles with health issues that would leave most people bed ridden. Li's relationships with her best friend from college and the loss of her twin sister are the catalyst for her strength. Each chapter you read, leaves you wanting for more. When I finished the novel, I wanted to know more about Li Chen. Who is Alpha Dodge 388? What is her connection with this unknown caller? I can't wait for the second book to come out in Fall.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Vanished Ones” by N.V. Sumner is a delctable read, brimming with mystery and suspense.

Woken in the early morning hours, Li Chen is greeted with the news that her friend and godchild have been kidnapped. While most would feel useless in such a situation, Li Chen is a private investigator, more than capable of handling such a case. She specializes in finding missing children. Li has a sixth sense for places that have encountered manevolence and reading people’s emotions...

For the rest of this review go to:

http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/view...

where I was given a copy of the book for a thorough and honest review.

[Sue Florence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling


While I felt it started out a bit slow and disjointed, I found myself totally engaged and had forgotten my initial thoughts. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. I read every chance I got. I developed a sort of kinship with Li and want to know more about her, how she ticks. It was a good read. I can't wait for the next book.