Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin takes us to Cuervo, Texas, a sleepy town that is witnessing a boom thanks to Big Bend National Park and surrounding parks that draw visitors. When Ava and her search-and-rescue dog Huck discover an abandoned campsite, it stirs up a cold case.
by Laura Griffin
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Heat Level:
When a cold case in Texas leads to a sinister string of disappearances, a newcomer to the small town helps a detective piece together the clues in this new romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.
Corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of the big city and the daily grind. She grew up with her father, who raised search-and-rescue dogs, in rural Texas and has moved to the small town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park. When she and her dog, Huck, discover an abandoned campsite on a volunteer search-and-rescue mission, she’s perplexed, but she carefully photographs it all the same.
All Grant Wycoff can see when he looks at Ava is a city slicker—with her designer jeans and shiny car—who has no business on a serious team made of seasoned outdoorsmen and retired cops. But when she tells him of her findings on the trail, he sees there’s more to her than meets the eye.
Ava’s discovery reminds Grant of the unsolved case of a young woman who went missing two years ago. As they look into the campsite further, another woman disappears under odd circumstances. With time running out, Ava and Grant must work against the brutal heat from both the Texas sun and their own electric chemistry to solve the case.
After the death of her father, corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of city life. She has moved to the small-town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park with her father’s search and rescue dog. When she is called out for a missing person alert, she and Huck find the missing man, but also find an abandoned campsite. She takes pictures, but the chief of police seems uninterested.
When Deputy Sheriff Grant Wycoff gets a look at the photos, he thinks it might be linked to a two-year-old missing person’s case. The tale that unfolds as Grant and Ava investigate was suspenseful and addressed the sizzling chemistry between them.
This was an interesting case with three seemingly unrelated missing person cases. All women lost in the national parks. These parks can be deadly if you walk off the trails, go in unprepared or when the sun is most brutal. But slowly Ava makes a connection between them.
When they discover one of the woman murdered, Ava cannot help but investigate despite Grant’s protests. She is tenacious and the suspense builds as someone doesn’t like that she is snooping.
The romance moved quickly, but hit stumbling blocks because of some personal baggage on Ava’s end. I felt both characters were genuine, and we got some laughs from Huck’s shenanigans.
Vanishing Hour offers a complete romance and mystery, with hints of a second romance to be continued in another book. I hope we revisit Cuervo.
Fans of romantic suspense and murder-mysteries will find themselves at home curling up with Vanishing Hour.
Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin delivered suspense and romance as women turn up murdered in Big Bend National Park #NewRelease #RomanticSuspense Share on XAbout Laura Griffin
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Laura Griffin started her career in journalism before venturing into the world of writing romantic suspense. Her books have won numerous awards, including a RITA Award (Whisper of Warning) and a Daphne du Maurier Award (Untraceable). Laura currently lives in Austin where she is working on her next book.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Rolé @ Hooked By That Book
This is next on my list. Can’t wait.
Kimberly
Yay. Enjoy. I cannot wait to hear your thoughts.
Rolé @ Hooked By That Book
I will let you know once I’ve read it.
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
I loved this one too and I hope we get a romance with Connor and Jenna next. I love the photo you have behind the book cover. It’s exactly how I picture the scenery!
Kimberly
Thank you. I agree, I want their story too.
Katherine
I love romantic suspense and I love cold cases in mysteries. I’ve read a few books by this author and enjoyed them and this sounds like one I’d really enjoy!
Kimberly
I hope you pick this one up.
Debbie Haupt
Great review and I concur
Kimberly
Yay!
Wendy
I love the location. I’ve wanted to visit Big Bend National Park for a while now.
Kimberly
Same. We’ve been to quite a few.
Nadene
I haven’t read her work in long time. Happy to know this one was a solid read. Great review.
Kimberly
It really was. I am looking forward to more.
Anne - Books of My Heart
I really enjoyed this one. I think the dog put it up a notch for me.
Kimberly
Lol, indeed!
Lover of Romance
Lovely review you have there. I am glad that the romance was solid and well portrayed in this one. Sounds like this is a great book to cozy up with this fall!
Kimberly
Thank you. 😊