Review: The Vanished

The Vanished by Cara C. Putman
My rating: 💛💛💛

The Vanished was a bit different from what I have expected.

I have discovered the author through the Hidden Justice series, which for me, was more of a faster pace legal suspense which I expected starting this story.

Though I found the pace a lot slower regarding the suspense, this was still an enjoyable legal mystery which tackled the intricate waves of ethical versus legal rights when it comes to stolen art and other valuable items from the WW2 era. A lot was stolen by the Germans and others during the war and this novel showcased how complicate it still almost 80 years after the war.

Throw in some Italian mafia, a possible murder and a suspicious board chair, and the intrigue picks up.

I enjoyed getting to know Carter and Janae and loved seeing Drew again.

I did find some threads in the plot to feel a bit rushed/patchy, but having read the novella, it made more sense to me than a reader who perhaps did not read the Novella – so, if you have not read the novella, get it directly from the author’s page.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*


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About the book:

Janae Simmons left the small town of Kedgewick, Virginia, ten years ago to pursue her legal career and never looked back--until a professional mistake leads her to her grandmother's historic carriage house and to the town where her past threatens to find her. The quiet streets echo with her grandfather's sterling reputation, one that conflicts with fresh questions that claw at Janae, launching her on a reluctant journey to unearth his secrets. When her new job at a local law firm doesn't live up to expectations, she wonders if coming home was the right decision.

Carter Montgomery starts his art preservation career with the only job he can get--director at the Elliott Museum of Art. At least Kedgewick is a nice enough town to provide him and his nephew with a safe place to grieve the loss of Carter's sister. But Carter's calm days disappear when an elderly woman claims two paintings in the museum's collection were stolen from her family during World War II. Carter enlists Janae's help to unravel the legal labyrinth of art ownership, and the peaceful facade of Kedgewick morphs into a hot bed of secrets.

When an attorney turns up dead and Janae uncovers another painting, what began as a simple legal issue spirals into a race against time. As the web of intrigue tightens, the duo must confront a looming question: What dark truths lie beneath the surface, waiting to be exposed?

About the author:

Cara C. Putman lives in Indiana with her husband and four children. She is a clinical assistant professor in law and ethics at Purdue University's School of Business. She has loved reading and writing from a young age and now realizes it was all training for writing books. She loves bringing history and legal romantic suspense to life.

An honors graduate of the University of Nebraska, George Mason University School of Law, and Krannert School of Management, Cara left small town Nebraska and headed to Washington, D.C., to launch her career in public policy.

Cara is an author chasing hard after God as she lives a crazy life. She invites you to join her on that journey. She's currently writing her 41st book with more on the way. Please check out her website to learn more about her books and read first chapters.