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Vanished.
An intrepid young woman. A treacherous companion. An impossible journey home.
Cassie Robinette, burning with curiosity about the world, has already traveled far when she arrives in Kabul in August 1978. There, she meets an intriguing stranger with a tragic past. Days later, they cross Afghanistan together; a week after that, they enter Iran. Only then does Cassie discover the depth of his darkness.
Twenty-nine years later, Jack Hunter is struggling with a collapsing marriage and gnawing discontent with his life. When he unearths Cassie's letters, he tries to discover what happened to the woman he once loved. But he can find no trace. Sometime in September 1978, Cassie vanished.
Driven now to find her, Jack mines her letters for clues, tracks down people she once knew and travels far from his comfortable life. But as he gets closer to solving the mystery of her disappearance, so does another man from her past. Unwittingly, Jack may be leading the dark and obsessive stranger directly to her.
A heart-gripping tale of mystery, suspense, love and adventure, vanished. A Novel explores the journey of two extraordinary people searching for meaning and for each other. Join them. Read vanished. today.
Cassie Robinette, burning with curiosity about the world, has already traveled far when she arrives in Kabul in August 1978. There, she meets an intriguing stranger with a tragic past. Days later, they cross Afghanistan together; a week after that, they enter Iran. Only then does Cassie discover the depth of his darkness.
Twenty-nine years later, Jack Hunter is struggling with a collapsing marriage and gnawing discontent with his life. When he unearths Cassie's letters, he tries to discover what happened to the woman he once loved. But he can find no trace. Sometime in September 1978, Cassie vanished.
Driven now to find her, Jack mines her letters for clues, tracks down people she once knew and travels far from his comfortable life. But as he gets closer to solving the mystery of her disappearance, so does another man from her past. Unwittingly, Jack may be leading the dark and obsessive stranger directly to her.
A heart-gripping tale of mystery, suspense, love and adventure, vanished. A Novel explores the journey of two extraordinary people searching for meaning and for each other. Join them. Read vanished. today.
- GenresFictionMystery Thriller
454 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 13, 2016
46 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
N.V. Baker
2 books4 followersI like to write about characters addressing challenges in strange and sometimes unfriendly locales, where their personal traits can be both a strength and an obstacle to achieving their goals. For that reason, my literary suspense and mystery stories are set internationally, often in places where I've traveled.
My debut novel, vanished., drew on the journals, letters and photographs I made while traveling overland from Bangkok to Berlin in 1978 and 1979, particularly my journey through Afghanistan and Iran as political unrest roiled the region. The first book in The Concealing Sea mystery series, The Boy in the Suitcase, is situated on a Baltic Sea cruise. The second, to be published later in 2018, occurs in Egypt.
As a former journalist and political science professor, I also have published three books of non-fiction, two in the field of presidential/legal studies, under the name Nancy Virginia Baker.
I continue to travel with my partner in life, Peter. The rest of the time, we live in the arid beauty of the high desert of New Mexico.
Please visit me here, on Facebook and at www.nvbaker.com
My debut novel, vanished., drew on the journals, letters and photographs I made while traveling overland from Bangkok to Berlin in 1978 and 1979, particularly my journey through Afghanistan and Iran as political unrest roiled the region. The first book in The Concealing Sea mystery series, The Boy in the Suitcase, is situated on a Baltic Sea cruise. The second, to be published later in 2018, occurs in Egypt.
As a former journalist and political science professor, I also have published three books of non-fiction, two in the field of presidential/legal studies, under the name Nancy Virginia Baker.
I continue to travel with my partner in life, Peter. The rest of the time, we live in the arid beauty of the high desert of New Mexico.
Please visit me here, on Facebook and at www.nvbaker.com
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 21, 2018
A really amazing story blending mystery with a tale of a young girls journey's abroad.
This story is well written and truly interesting; as you follow not only the characters yesterday but today as well. The story really reels you in and you cannot put it down. So exciting! Enjoy reading it.
This story is well written and truly interesting; as you follow not only the characters yesterday but today as well. The story really reels you in and you cannot put it down. So exciting! Enjoy reading it.
February 5, 2017
This book was well worth the time spent reading. It was sweet, sometimes sad, but a great read.
October 23, 2017
A book to remember and recommend
Really enjoyed this book. The characters and settings came alive. A good story, well told. I hope to read more from this talented author.
Really enjoyed this book. The characters and settings came alive. A good story, well told. I hope to read more from this talented author.
May 23, 2019
Cassie is travelling with her boyfriend from Bangkok to Afghanistan in 1978. En route she exchanges letters with a Phd student in the States who is a few years older than she is. In Kabul they meet an American and a Canadian, both young men who also plan to go to Iran. (Then called Persia and not speaking Arabic - the only slips I noticed) .Thirty years later the pan pal is a professor and rediscovers those letter while packing his office to move buildings. He had till then always assumed she ended her friendship with him but on the brink of a divorce he finds out someone had done that for him. Curious he googles her and finds out she vanished. (And we are still reading her adventures in 1978 and are none the wiser but are looking out for clues).
The book is an interesting roadstory - I even told my Afghan refugee students the words in Dari I learned from it.. The other storyline is about a middle aged scientist who turns detective.
Can really recommend it.
The book is an interesting roadstory - I even told my Afghan refugee students the words in Dari I learned from it.. The other storyline is about a middle aged scientist who turns detective.
Can really recommend it.
September 29, 2017
The first 60% of this novel is exceptionally good. The author skillfully developed a unique and absorbing plot with interesting and psychologically sophisticated characterization. The last 40% of the story is another matter. The pacing becomes too fast; the plot becomes too action orientated and characterization becomes stiff and artificial. All of this is driven by a larger than life antagonist who is given way too much play. To summarize, this story was OK, but a letdown after it's robust initial plot development
March 5, 2019
Although I agree with others who said the plot was sometimes far fetched, I didn't care. The storytelling was terrific, and I really wanted to know what happened to all the people. Sort of like watching a James Bond movie - you know it wouldn't really happen that way, but you're drawn in anyway. So suspend your disbelief, and enjoy!
August 26, 2018
Hopless
Not for me I found the story totally unbelievable I only could manage 25%of this book hence only 2 stars and I think that I am being very generous
Not for me I found the story totally unbelievable I only could manage 25%of this book hence only 2 stars and I think that I am being very generous
January 10, 2019
What a terrific read. Great suspense. Wonderfully written. N.V. Baker is a very talented writer. I can't wait to read her other work.
April 22, 2021
A great read
A fantastic insight into places and a time unreachable for most now together with a gripping mystery and love story. At times I was quite tense as events unfolded both in the present and past. Had to keep reading.
A fantastic insight into places and a time unreachable for most now together with a gripping mystery and love story. At times I was quite tense as events unfolded both in the present and past. Had to keep reading.
June 3, 2020
Cid Herman
Beautiful well written and original mystery with minor pacing issues.
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2020
The book VANISHED by N.V. Baker gets high marks for originality and creativity. The plot is a beautiful thing that is different from any mystery type novel I've read before. The author pulls it off using two narrators separated by 30 years. The action takes place in several countries and three continents
Cassie and Jack met on a flight from Atlanta to San Francisco in 1978. The connection was intense and made a profound and deep impression on both of them. Cassie is on the first leg of a planned trip around the world and Jack is finishing up graduate school. They continue the relationship in letters while Cassie takes photos and elaborates her travel adventures to Jack.
Though they make plans to meet up in Istanbul, the meeting never takes place and they lose touch. Jack discovers 30 years later, as he is going through a divorce, Cassie never returned from her trip and is presumed dead. Jack may have been the last person to hear from her.
Jack is determined to find out what happened to her. He is an experienced researcher, and throws himself into finding out what happened to Cassie on that fateful trip. His search will lead him across 3 continents, endanger the lives of strangers, and put him in the middle of a mystery, and in the crosshairs of a killer. It will also change him in ways he never expected.
This is a beautifully written novel, that bogs down just a bit near the end, before picking up again, for a excellent finish.
Beautiful original story, well written, with minor pacing issues.
Th
Beautiful well written and original mystery with minor pacing issues.
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2020
The book VANISHED by N.V. Baker gets high marks for originality and creativity. The plot is a beautiful thing that is different from any mystery type novel I've read before. The author pulls it off using two narrators separated by 30 years. The action takes place in several countries and three continents
Cassie and Jack met on a flight from Atlanta to San Francisco in 1978. The connection was intense and made a profound and deep impression on both of them. Cassie is on the first leg of a planned trip around the world and Jack is finishing up graduate school. They continue the relationship in letters while Cassie takes photos and elaborates her travel adventures to Jack.
Though they make plans to meet up in Istanbul, the meeting never takes place and they lose touch. Jack discovers 30 years later, as he is going through a divorce, Cassie never returned from her trip and is presumed dead. Jack may have been the last person to hear from her.
Jack is determined to find out what happened to her. He is an experienced researcher, and throws himself into finding out what happened to Cassie on that fateful trip. His search will lead him across 3 continents, endanger the lives of strangers, and put him in the middle of a mystery, and in the crosshairs of a killer. It will also change him in ways he never expected.
This is a beautifully written novel, that bogs down just a bit near the end, before picking up again, for a excellent finish.
Beautiful original story, well written, with minor pacing issues.
Th
May 21, 2019
I recently read this book, this month, May 2019, for a book club. I had zero expectations aside from, selfishly needing to read so I would not miss another month! I got this on Kindle so that I didn’t have to wait the whole day for Prime shipping then I crossed my fingers that I could finish the story in time to discuss at the next book club. Low and behold, I fell in love. The build up is slow, but layered, it pulls you in further chapter by chapter. Nearly every character reminded me of a particular person who shared similar values, flaws, and personality traits so it was really interesting to see how she had them playing out in her story. There are moments in this book where it gets steamy, moments where your heart is racing and you are torn between yelling out loud, putting your kindle down to take a breath, and just eating up each word. As a native speaker I can see she has done her research and many details of the novel are spot on. I also purchased the novel as a paper back because I loved it so much. I was genuinely surprised how quickly I read Vanished when I’m typically a slower reader and it’s a rather substantial sized novel.
November 17, 2016
As the pages turn, you will find yourself absorbed with two masterful journeys; an agonizing yet determined loss of innocence as a young woman struggles against the seductive power of a powerul abuser, alongside the slow burn of a man awakening to the emptiness found on the road most traveled within academia's white tower. Their journey to find themselves and each other travels around the world, with Baker's grounded touch bringing alive the people living within those cultures foreign to ourselves, exposing their decency and humanity echoed by neighbors and friends at home. As the pages turn, the places and paths these protagonists tread are described in familiar detail, as only one who has traveled there themselves could write. Baker's extensive travels around the globe, juxtaposed with her distinguished academic career shine within her writing, leaving this reader wanting more, waiting to read Baker's next novel.
January 7, 2017
Baker is a friend of my in-laws, who recommended this to me over Christmas break. This is a really engrossing time hopping adventure.
August 30, 2017
a great vivid read. found myself making excuses to find time to read extra chapters!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews