Vanished (Callahan & McLane Book 1)

First time reading anything from this author and I loved it! I’m leaving this recommendation and going to the second one in this series!! Highly recommended!!

Kendra Elliot has been one of my favorite Romantic Suspense authors, and I can’t believe I’m just now reading the first book to the Callahan & McLane series. Where have I been, hiding underneath a rock this whole time? Well, I could’ve been. I was working a 9-5 day job at the time this series came out. I have time to catch up on this series and check out any other books I’ve missed out on by Kendra Elliot since I’m a SAHM. (Here’s hoping with the crazy soccer and ballet schedules my girls have during the school year.)The first book, Vanished, introduces readers to Mason Callahan and Ava McLane. Mason Callahan is a local detective in Portland, Oregon, investigating the death of one of his CI’s. He goes by the book and does his job very well. Unfortunately, he’s going to be in the middle of the investigation of his CI’s death since someone is trying to frame him for the murder. That’s not all he’s dealing with, though. His ex-wife, Robin, and her husband, Lucas, had their little girl kidnapped on the way to school one day. This is when Ava McLane gets involved because she’s an FBI Special Agent. She’s assigned to comfort the family during the kidnapping of their daughter and keep them informed on the progress of what the FBI is doing to find Henley. Mason will take some much needed time away from his job to assist his family in finding Henley. He will also be there for his son, Jake, who is home from college during this time. Jake is Mason’s and Robin’s son, and he’s devastated over his sister missing. Once the FBI starts investigating, they deal with a kidnapper who puts them on a wild goose chase. The FBI also starts realizing Henley’s kidnapping may hit closer to someone in the family than they realize.Enough about the story because I don’t want to give anything away. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the kidnapper was in the story and if the FBI would find Henley in time. There were also the characters Mason and Ava. These two had an instant connection, and I loved how well they worked together. Both have their drama in their lives, and they both start helping each other in that drama. They don’t want to take away from the kidnapping, though. They want to find Henley. I loved these two characters. Kendra Elliot always manages to get me feeling for the characters because they feel like REAL people who I would love to know in person. I can’t wait to follow along with Mason and Ava further in this series.Be prepared to be blown away at the book’s ending and find out who is behind everything. I figured it out after a bit, but that didn’t stop me from reading the book. I felt for the person behind it all and felt upset about how they handled it all too.Let me not forget to mention that Ava has a twin sister, and readers will get introduced to her in this book. She’s not like Ava, and I feel for Ava and how her twin sister treats her. Thank goodness for Mason helping her.Overall, this book gets 4.5 stars from me, and I highly recommend it to Romantic Suspense/Mystery readers out there. There’s some romance in the story, but it’s mild. I like how Kendra focuses on the storyline’s drama and a small romantic storyline with Mason and Ava. (Hey, they just got introduced to each other, it’s not like they are getting married. 😊)

Truly intriguing. I am not always big on murder mysteries but this story was very captivating and kept my attention.

This was my first read by the author but I already feel that it won't been the last one as I've really loved reading this suspenseful story. I have been really drawn to suspenseful books lately and when this one was recommended to me, I gave it a go which I'm glad I did. The story held a lot of emotions but was also a rollercoaster ride as it was a race against time to find a missing person, something I think a lot of people can relate to in the world which made it even more believable. There were so many elements that made you sit on the edge of your seat, hoping for that happy ending. A great start to this series!When Mason finds his CI murdered, a lot of questions arise but when a little girl goes missing, he's on a mission to make sure she gets home safely. As more questions seem to surface, nothing seems to give them any answers as they are searching high and low for Henley. While both Mason and Ava try to keep the family calm, the mystery surrounding the missing girl only seems to grow as Mason's past seems to be catching up on him. Will they find Henley in time?...

I like her character development, the believable stories, the nice romances peppered in, and that she has lots more series to enjoy!

A fast paced crime thriller. Good story line and a fairly easy plot twist to pick up on. Still the pacing and action in the book keeps you engaged.4.1 stars

I did a bad. I read this first book in a series, last. Oops. In my defense, the other books in the series read like standalones and the only thing that was a problem was that the relationship between Ava and Mason was already an established fact. Well, now I know why and this book joins a rare selection of books that I just couldn't turn off when I turned off the lights. Yep, I reached that sweet point in the book where you just have to finish it because you just have to know how it ends. Well, I found out at 4:00 am this morning, but I'm not going to tell you. I'll let you discover that for yourself. I will say this much - this book is more suspense than romance, as is the whole series, but the romance is very hot.When 11-year old Henley is kidnapped, it throws her blended family and the whole community into turmoil. Oregon State Police detective, Mason Callahan, is part of her blended family. He was married to her stepmom, Robin, and is father to her older stepbrother, Jake. Mason is all about the job and that is why his marriage to Robin failed. His relationship with Jake is that of part-time father and since Jake is now in college, there is a lot that Mason finds he has missed out on. He volunteers to act as the family spokesperson which gives him something the concentrate on other than the investigation into the murder of one of his Confidential Informants.Ava McLane is an FBI agent assigned to liaison with the family. She and Mason are dedicated to uncovering the reason Henley was taken and to bringing her home. In working together they find that there is much more to what has happened than just a simple kidnapping. With few clues to follow, they gradually uncover a vengeance plot that has taken meticulous planning and implementation. They also uncover a respect for each other and these two dedicated people find a rare passion for something other that their jobs.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept my interest throughout the entire story. Looking forward to her next book.

Not a bad story I suppose and at least in this book the authors love of using italics is kept to a minimum, but we drifted off into Mills and Boon territory again even to the extent of using the word “caveman “ to describe how Mason felt about Ava. I personally hate this type of sugary tripe in a book that’s billed as a thriller, I’m all for people having a connection and a back story is good but one minute everyone is feeling the loss of this girl where people are frightened and are unable to sleep and the next minute the two main characters are in bed together! I will keep the authors name for when I need some light reading but she is definitely not my first choice

This could so easily have been a 5* read. The main characters are terrific, and the story line kept me engaged throughout. However, the microscopic analysis of how each family member was reacting/coping with the abduction slowed things to a snail's pace at times. I didn't feel as much empathy for the minor characters either, because they were painted with such a light brush as to be mere shadows. No doubt the other three books in the series will see Callahan and McLane develop as a great team. I hope the other cast members in the stories get a look in.

I'm afraid I didn't find this book riveting. I kept stopping reading and playing word, solitaire and Mahjong games on my Kindle instead. The pace did increase towards the end; the last quarter of the book was better than the rest.Why do authors of thrillers seem compelled to include graphic sex scenes? I buy thrillers to read thrillers, not love stories and I just am not comfortable with this. I tended to skim-read it. At least there was only one occasion.I doubt I will buy another book by Kendra Elliot. There are many more books out there to buy, or even get free, and hopefully some will be more exciting and fast-paced than this one. I'm afraid that I will not be recommending it to anyone.

Kendra is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors. I love the mix of suspense and red hot romance. This is an intelligent thriller with a flawed but lovable hero and one hell of a strong female lead. The narration is first class and really adds to the story. I can't wait to read more adventures with Mason and Ava as well as more books by Kendra. Thoroughly recommend to all lovers of a good mystery with a side helping of steamy romance.

I kept going because I enjoyed the mercy books but the character building just wasn't here and it didn't seem pacy enough. Only just managed to finish. Won't try next one.