Rate this book

Ratings & Reviews for

Vanishing Girls

Lisa Regan

5 stars

9,532 (44%)

4 stars

8,179 (38%)

3 stars

2,963 (13%)

2 stars

528 (2%)

1 star

242 (1%)

Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,501 reviews

Maureen

1,444 reviews7,062 followers

January 7, 2018

**3.5 STARS**

Detective Josie Quinn is your archetypal kickass female protagonist, and she's one seriously messed up individual.

A teenage girl has gone missing, and though Josie is currently suspended from duty for use of excessive force, she decides to carry out her own enquiries into the missing girl and discovers that there's much more to this case than initially thought.

As seems to be the norm these days, our female lead has personal demons - she uses alcohol as a crutch to lay to rest her terrible childhood at the hands of her mother - then there's problems with her soon to be ex-husband. Against this background Josie does a remarkable job with her investigation, bringing to light some extremely nasty individuals, some of them holding positions of importance in the small community of Denton, and she also highlights the fact that the missing teen is just one of many!

The plot certainly demands attention, and once it has your attention it doesn't let go! Josie got herself into some serious scrapes, and I'm not entirely sure that she'd manage to hold onto her job in the real world, but she definitely had me rooting for her, especially when I discovered why she was on suspension from duty!

Enjoyed it on the whole, though I wasn't convinced (in a legal sense) by the ending!

*Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an honest review *

netgalley

Debra

2,422 reviews35.2k followers

January 24, 2021

5 BIG Stars!!!!

Lisa Regan is quickly becoming a Master at writing gritty mystery/thriller/police procedural books. I also like that she writes strong female characters who aren't afraid to kick some butt! This book is gritty, but it needs to be as the plot is dealing with murder, rape, etc. Having worked in forensics for years, I tend to be very critical of portrayals criminals/serial killers/rapists, etc. ...and Regan NAILS it.

Josie Quinn is a police officer on suspension and is currently having trouble having her husband sign their divorce papers. She is engaged to Luke, and trying to move on with her life while dealing with her own anxieties, the issues which caused the end of her marriage, and her concern for her Grandmother who is in a nursing home. She has a lot of on her plate, but it does not stop her from conducting her own investigation after a teenage girl, Isabelle, goes missing. Then another teenage girl has been found traumatized and mute - a girl they did not even know was missing. The name "Ramona" comes up and Josie is on the hunt against the advice of almost everyone in her life.

The more information Josie uncovers concerning the missing girls, the found mute girl and a woman who had a similar story about being taken, the more Josie keeps digging. What is concerning is that the woman who was taken, and set free, was not believed and her case was considered a hoax. This causes Josie to work even harder as she begins to wonder who can be trusted? Who is keeping secrets? What lengths would someone go to keep their secret?

There are some sections of this book that tells the story of the kidnapped girl(s). We don't know who they are until they end, but I found that they enhanced the story and made things come together. Some may find these confusing initially, but i found them to be a nice touch and once you finish the book as I said, they make perfect sense.

This book is brilliantly paced. She had me from the very first page and I could not put this book down. Vanishing Girls has a well-thought out plot with enjoyable characters. This book has suspense, feelings of dread, a little romance, mystery, and grit. This is the first book in a new series and I believe we will see some more character development in the next book. I really liked that Josie was a strong female character even though she had her insecurities, she was courageous yet flawed. She was a very believable character.

If you have not read a Lisa Regan book before, get out there and do so. Fans of Karin Slaughter and Meg Gardiner will love Regan's work. Heck, so will just about anybody who enjoys a good suspense/mystery/police procedural.

Thank you to Bookoutre and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

See more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

***if you have not requested this from NetGalley --- DO IT!

favorite-books netgalley

Meredith (Trying to catch up!)

815 reviews12.7k followers

January 17, 2018

3.5 stars

Gritty thriller about a small town in Pennsylvania where women are vanishing without a trace.

Detective Josie Quinn is the star of this book. While the plot at times was a little formulaic and over-the-top, Josie’s character is what makes Vanishing Girls a worthy read.

Josie’s life is falling apart. On suspension for using excessive force, she turns to alcohol to help pass the day and keep the demons from her past at bay. Unable to stop doing what she loves best, being a detective, she uses her resources to continue investigating the disappearance of high schooler, Isabelle Coleman. At the same time, she is also struggling to come to terms with divorcing her childhood sweetheart, Ray, and moving on with new love, Luke.

As Josie investigates the case of Isabelle, she turns up buried cases from the past of other missing girls. What she uncovers puts the whole town of Denton at risk, as she is in a position to expose corruption and some serious sick and twisted shadiness!

As Josie digs, some improbable events occur which took me out of the story---I wish I could shut off my inner detective/critic while reading! I also found some plotlines to be a little thin, although they might be fleshed out in future books.

While I didn’t love the plot, Josie’s character has me invested enough to want to read the next book in this series!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

netgalley

Christina Loeffler

143 reviews17.3k followers

August 31, 2018

3.5, I love me a kick-ass, strong AF female lead stars!!!

Detective Josie Quinn doesn't take lip from anyone. Policing the small town of Denton, Pennsylvania may seem like a sleepy job for an officer but there's more to this town than meets the eye. Quinn has been suspended from her job for a past incident when a young girl, Isabelle Coleman shows up missing. At first this seems like a pretty regular missing person's case - but Josie, unable to let go of the job or her lingering feelings that something more sinister has occurred embarks on an unsanctioned investigation all on her own.

People didn’t vanish into thin air, and beautiful teenage girls who were abducted were rarely returned alive and unharmed.

Aye girl, you're not wrong there. As Josie becomes more entrenched in the mystery surrounding this missing teenage girl we learn more about our leading lady and her own personal demons. She's struggling with her alcohol consumption, her failed marriage to high-school sweetheart Ray, her inability to be anything other than a cop and a sordid familial history. Things, are not going well for our girl Jo.

Three weeks earlier she had been a respected police detective in Denton, a town she loved, with a beautiful new house, and an exciting new relationship. Now she was suspended, broke, and quite possibly in mortal danger.

As she digs deeper into the case of Isabelle, she uncovers that this isn't a one-off crime but that multiple girls have gone missing over the past few years. Vanished without a trace, some found and some not. When one of these girls, who has been missing for a year turns up during a shake-down, all but catatonic, the story really takes off. Unable to let sleeping dogs lie, Josie digs further and further into a case where she's unwanted and things quickly turn ugly.

“You can’t always be all roses and sweetness,” she had always told Josie. “That don’t get shit done.”

The first half of this novel was a bit slow for me. It took some time to really get into the swing of the story, Regan's writing and character development. Josie is a tough, hard and no-nonsense MC and this is told solely from her POV. She's unlikable at times, but what I enjoyed so much about her is that she isn't written in a way where she wants to be likable. Josie has a one track mind - she is a detective, she solves crime and she is damn good at it. This created an incredibly strong female lead that's a nice break from some of the tropes female characters fall into in these sorts of novels.

One of my least favorite things in mysteries is when the reader is given all of the information in the final few chapters. Where the "twists" come out of left field and have me asking more of "wait, what?" rather than all of the pieces clicking into place and shocking me with their end result. Regan pulled the latter off seamlessly. In the last quarter of this read bread crumbs that we've been previously given are quickly and efficiently snapping into place and they are perfectly paced and placed right where they belong.

While the prose didn't blow me away and it took a bit for me to get into the swing of this read I'm very much looking forward to the second novel. Regan created a cast of likable and/or admirable characters that I think any reader could get behind. Not to mention that this book had as close to a happy ending as a thriller can and it was a lovely way to end a difficult at times read. I'd definitely suggest this for anyone who loves well paced mysteries, suspense or thrillers with strong female leads.

I completed this as a Traveling Friends read and it was incredibly wonderful to discuss all the ins and outs of this one with others. This is an excellent book club, group or buddy read given all the little pieces Regan delves out as the story progresses.

Susanne

1,168 reviews37.3k followers

January 23, 2018

4 Stars

A girl goes missing in the small town of Denton, Pennsylvania and Detective Josie Quinn knows that the police investigation is being mishandled - the problem? Josie was suspended from the Department and can’t do anything about it - except for conducting an investigation on her own, that is.

Josie, however needs help. Her only allies are her soon to be ex-husband (and Detective), Ray, and her fiance Luke, who is a “Statie” - neither likes the other, and neither wants Josie investigating on her own, but they know they can’t stop her. Josie is extremely stubborn and she never listens to reason. Soon, she realizes that more girls have vanished and that everyone she knows is in danger and unless Josie can find out who is responsible, it will keep on happening.

“Vanishing Girls” is the first in the Detective Josie Quinn series. Josie is a tough cookie - she has been through a lot in her life and hates being vulnerable. Slowly however, she starts to show a softer side (first with Ray and then with Luke), which I can’t wait to see more of.

This is a novel that starts out slow and takes off like a rocket. Once it blasts off you are on the edge of your seat holding on for dear life. It was a ride I loved being on and I hope you will too.

This was a Traveling Sister Read. It included Brenda, Kaceey and Lindsay. Reading and discussing this novel with my sisters was fantastic and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series with them.

The full Traveling Sister Group review can be found on:
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Lisa Regan for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on NetGalley, Goodreads, Amazon and Twitter.

netgalley traveling-sister-read

Brenda ~Creep it real, witches~traveling witch

814 reviews838 followers

April 24, 2020

Hot Diggity Dang!! I just need to say WOW, Lisa Regan is amazing! She spend an afternoon with us answers our questions about her Detective Josie Quinn Series. She gave us so much insight into this series and one of my favorite characters Josie! I love this series even more!! I could really feel her passion for her characters, her story and for her readers!

You can find the Q & A here
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Updated review

Vanishing Girls is the start of one of my favourite series and characters, Detective Josie Quinn.
Josie is tough and flawed, and it took me a bit to warm up to here in this story. Once I did, I could not get enough of her. There are now 8 books released in the series, and with everyone we see Josie grow as a character.

Things start off quite quickly here as the unexpected emerges from a one-laned windy road and our main character Detective Josie Quinn is thrust into the middle of some action. With a case on her mind that isn't supposed to be on her mind, she is determined to find answers. Answers become more questions for Josie and me. Things started to slow down for me as we get to know Josie and follow her search for answers.

It was Josie’s relationships and the dynamics between the characters that won me over. I became entirely invested in her relationships and found myself cheering for Josie and her high school sweetheart Ray. Now Ray is not so easy to like so this was a bit surprising for me as a non-romantic who usually does some eye-rolling at the thought of romance in a thriller of any kind. However, Lisa Regan did such a great job drawing me into their relationship, allowing me to care for them. I grew to like Josie more and more as I got to know her, and once I found out why she was suspended I liked her even more.

Things started to pick up as Lisa Regan took me down a fast-paced, intense, heart-pounding windy road with secrets and lies and shocking moments that left me quite the happy reader after finishing this one and looking forward to the next one in the series. I highly recommend.

This was a Traveling Sister read

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bookoutoure and Lisa Regan for the opportunity to read and review a copy of this book.

For more reviews from The Traveling Sisters can be found on our blog
https://travelingsistersbookreviews.com

Margaret M - (Awaiting GR's investigation as to why most reviews have unexpectedly changed- sadly)

470 reviews1,020 followers

February 9, 2022

“Perverted was an interesting choice of word for a serial killer” as she sees “A blackness so complete that she couldn’t even see her own body. This was no nightmare. She had been taken.”

What do they say about the sins of the father? And a story line that will not vanish from your memory too quickly, because of its explosive plot, small town setting, and intriguing characters. A book where the past and present collide in a story that has so many twists and turns, betrayals, and haunting secrets. What could be better when it is all packaged up in a book that is extremely well written with the right amount of tension as girls vanish with no trace?.

The Plot

Josie Quinn is a highly enthusiastic detective whose passion and excessive force leads to her suspension from the force. However, not one to follow by the rules, Josie conducts her own investigation into why Isabelle Coleman has gone missing and why another girl has turned up so traumatised by her ordeal she remains uncommunicative, unresponsive, and unable to speak.

All of this casts back memories of Josie’s own experience as a child when her sister goes missing never to be found leaving her questioning if there could possibly be any connection as the past and present collide in the most remarkable way.

Review and Comments

Praise to creating a strong female character but less praise for creating a flawed character experiencing all the usual stereotypical characteristics to make these fictional female characters appear human. Alcohol, endless cursing, and a broken marriage, yes common traits used in books of course but try something different. I did not connect with Josie as the central female protagonist in the way I would have hoped.

I am all for strong powerful women, but there is a fine line between someone who has drive and determination and the ones that overstep the mark, are crude, abrasive and ignore all the basic rules of engagement. I feel this character was on the wrong side for me and with it made the character less plausible because you would get rid of such maverick flawed people who are unfixable and working in that field.

Now for the bit I loved about the book, the plot was excellent, and the twists and turns left me wondering who was actually guilty and how many - without giving too much away. Suspenseful, thrilling and totally absorbing from the beginning. Well worth reading but I hope you like the central female character, although I didn’t.

Berit Talks Books

2,024 reviews15.7k followers

December 25, 2017

4.25 gritty stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.25

This is the first book in this new series from Lisa Regan and it was definitely a fabulous start to the series....

Josie is a detective (currently on suspension) in a small rural town in Pennsylvania....Josie is a likable character with some demons of her own.... you can definitely see the potential for some major growth in this character throughout the series, as well as her relationship with Luke.... Luke I don’t really have a handle on quite yet, although he seems quite handy around the house and that is a true bonus in my book!

This is a police procedural with some grit... some of the subject matter was quite dark, but well handled.... there was some violence, but nothing very explicit.... if this were a movie it would probably be rated PG-13....

Girls are vanishing and even though Josie is currently suspended from duty, she cannot stop herself from trying to find these girls..... The more she digs deeper into the girls disappearances, the more secrets get revealed, and the more danger Josie and those around her are in....

The mystery was really good and as more and more twists were revealed it got more and more twisted.... not going to give any of this away, you definitely need to read this for yourself! But I do want to say Go Grandma!!!

Definitely would recommend this to fans of mysteries with a little grit, a little bit of a darker tone, and some wonderful characters!

*** i’d like to thank Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***

PS: I definitely use the word definitely way too much!!! 🙃

For more of my reviews please visit my partner in crime and my blog at....
https://audiokilledthebookmark.com/

Kaceey

1,128 reviews3,714 followers

January 20, 2018

I’ve always been a fan of Lisa Regan’s ‘Claire Fletcher’ series, and was delighted at the release of a new series by this author.

Book one starts out with a massive bang!
Josie, her marriage disintegrated and her career on hold from a suspension, finds herself in the middle of not one but two murder scenes. For tough as nails Josie, taking a step back for personal problems is not an option, even though she’s risking everything!
As young women keep disappearing, Josie takes it upon herself to investigate. The stakes are rising as people around her are getting seriously hurt. Someone has something to hide...somebody wants to keep her away from the truth!

Lisa Regan takes you down a dark road of lies and deception. It will leave you breathless and questioning who you can trust? And is anyone in this small town safe?

Short chapters with a storyline that flows easily. The characters are all portrayed vividly, giving you a strong sense of who to root for (and who not to!!). The ending leaves you knowing this is just the first for a great new series! I’m already looking forward to reading Lisa Regan’s next release!

A wonderful & exciting Traveling Sister read!:)

Thank you to NetGalley, Boutouture and Lisa Regan for an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review.

For this review and our Full Traveling Sister review please visit Norma and Brenda’s fabulous book blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...

netgalley traveling-sister-read

Kendall

644 reviews653 followers

January 3, 2018

Well.. here we go again about being the minority in my books. The premise of the storyline was fantastic and appealed to my obsession for thrillers.

Josie Quinn is on suspension for something that happened in a previous case she was handling. Chief Harris refuses to let Josie come back to work despite being short staffed and having girls go missing left and right. I was a tad disappointed since this is nothing new in a detective novel... the main character is always on suspension for something and can never go back to work. So of course, Josie starts her own investigation. (When... come on this plays out in almost every detective novel). With this being said, I had trouble connecting to the story and Josie.

I felt like the story was unfolding and it wasn't anything special. Josie had a terrible childhood and used alcohol to cope with her past. (Again haven't we seen this plot before?) .

My attention was swaying in and out and I just was not connecting to the characters or the story. Finally, towards the end the author did have some surprise connections that were good but just not jaw dropping. Again, this is something I've seen before.

I also had some issues with how police politics/aspects were played out in the novel. It just wasn't believable and what all of a sudden ok... you're promoted? Eh.....

Overall, I just wasn't that impressed. 3 stars on this one.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date is 1/17/18.

2018 netgalley-approved

Sandysbookaday

2,050 reviews2,105 followers

January 18, 2018

EXCERPT: She only went outside if her mother, father or sister were out there. For a long time he disappeared. She stopped sensing him, stopped hearing him. She almost believed that he had gone back to wherever it was he came from. Maybe she had conjured him after all.

Then one day her sister was hanging clothes on the line while she flitted to the other side of the yard, chasing the yellow monarch butterflies that proliferated on top of the mountain. A white sheet fluttered on the clothesline, blocking her from her sister's view. She got too close to the treeline. A hand shot out and clamped down over her mouth, silencing her screams. An arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground. Holding her tightly against his chest, he dragged her through the forest that used to be her friend. One thought rose above her panic. 'He was real.'

THE BLURB: She was close enough to see that the girl had written a word on the wall in bright, warm red blood. Not a word, actually. A name…

Everyone in the small American town of Denton is searching for Isabelle Coleman, a missing seventeen-year-old girl. All they’ve found so far is her phone and another girl they didn’t even know was missing.

Mute and completely unresponsive to the world around her, it’s clear this mysterious girl has been damaged beyond repair. All Detective Josie Quinn can get from her is a name: Ramona.

Currently suspended from the force for misconduct, Josie takes matters into her own hands as the name leads her to evidence linking the two girls. She knows the race is on to find Isabelle alive, and she fears there may be others…

The trail leads Josie to another victim, a girl who escaped but whose case was labelled a hoax by authorities. To catch this monster, Josie must confront her own nightmares and follow her instinct to the darkest of places. But can she make it out alive?

MY THOUGHTS: This is a series that I am going to follow with great interest! Reminiscent of, but definitely not a copycat of, Angela Marsons DI Kim Stone series, Lisa Regan has laid the groundwork for a riveting and compelling series.

The plot kept my attention, and while I didn't always understand why the author was writing what she was writing, it mostly all became clear. I had one or two minor issues, which was enough to drop one star from the rating, which I won't go into because of issues with spoiling the plot for those who have not yet read Vanishing Girls.

The pace is reasonably fast and the quality of writing excellent.

While I frequently didn't like Josie, this did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. It will be interesting to see how young Noah Farley develops in the coming books. He has great potential. And I just loved Josie's grandma. I defy anyone not to!

4 very expectant stars for Vanishing Girls by Lisa Regan. I am eagerly awaiting Josie Quinn #2.

Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Vanishing Girls by Lisa Regan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

2018 4-star contemporary-fiction

Lindsay L

679 reviews1,324 followers

January 19, 2018

3.5 stars

This was an action-packed crime thriller that follows Detective Josie Quinn on her journey to uncover hidden truths and secrets surrounding the disappearance of several local women. Quinn is on a work suspension when the novel starts, but she just can’t seem to stay away from her police departments’ investigations.

I love Lisa Regan’s “Claire Fletcher” series so I was excited to start this new series. Unfortunately, this book fell short for a few reasons. I wasn’t a fan of the main character, Josie Quinn. I couldn’t connect with her or invest myself in any of her relationships. I found several parts of this story were highly unlikely. The implausibility largely took away from my overall enjoyment. This novel also took me a while to get into. Once I reached the 50% mark, the story picked up and was more of a fast-paced, page turner.

I read this with my Traveling Sisters Brenda, Norma, Kaceey and Susanne which was a pleasure. They all enjoyed this one more than I did and I strongly suggest checking out their reviews on Brenda and Norma’s fabulous blog at:

https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....

A big thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Lisa Regan for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

netgalley traveling-sister-read

Liz

2,145 reviews2,763 followers

January 2, 2018

The blurb for this book cited this as a good choice for fans of Angela Marsons and that’s all I needed to start reading it. When the story starts, Josie Quinn is on suspension for excessive force. When her boss refuses to bring her back when a teenager goes missing, she basically launches her own investigation.

Josie is one messed up lady. She’s got problems with her job, her almost ex-husband and alcohol. Her childhood was a horror story. And she seems to be in the middle of every bad scene happening in Denton, Pa. I had problems with bonding with Josie before I learned the reason for the excessive force. But once I did, I could empathize with her but then I didn’t understand her boss’s hardassed attitude about having her help.

The plot definitely keeps your attention. Like Josie, I was bamboozled by the story of Ginger Blackwell. And unlike some mysteries, I found I was only figuring things out as Josie did. The ending is a bit over the top on the believability scale. I’ve knocked the star rating down to a three because of that.

This is the first in a new series and despite the ending, I will return for book two.

My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.

netgalley

Norma

551 reviews12.7k followers

August 2, 2018

VANISHING GIRLS by LISA REGAN (Detective Josie Quinn #1) is a gritty, dark, and tense police procedural that grabbed my attention quickly and had me totally invested throughout this whole story.

LISA REGAN delivers another well-written, action-packed, and an angst driven story here that starts off a little slow but quickly becomes a thrilling, entertaining and exciting read. I found the storyline to be rather interesting and I enjoyed following along with Josie as she investigates the disappearance (vanishing) of young women from her small town. Even though there were a couple of questionable situations that seemed a little unlikely it didn’t take away from my enjoyment and how entertaining this novel was for me. I kind of really enjoy over-the-top action!

I thought the mystery was really good with a few surprising twists and I really enjoyed Josie’s character and the relationships she had with the other characters in this book. I look forward to getting to know Josie better in the next book from this series.

To sum it all up it was a suspenseful, fast-paced, and an enjoyable read with an ending that has definitely enticed me to read the next book in this series. Would recommend!!

Traveling Sisters Group Read - Thank you so much for another wonderful reading experience! It is always a pleasure reading along with these awesome ladies!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bookoutoure and Lisa Regan for the opportunity to read a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Our Traveling Sisters Review can be found along with all of Brenda and my reviews on our sister blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com

netgalley-edelweiss-approved traveling-sister-reads

Berit Talks Books

2,024 reviews15.7k followers

December 26, 2017

4.25 gritty stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.25

This is the first book in this new series from Lisa Regan and it was definitely a fabulous start to the series....

Josie is a detective (currently on suspension) in a small rural town in Pennsylvania....Josie is a likable character with some demons of her own.... you can definitely see the potential for some major growth in this character throughout the series, as well as her relationship with Luke.... Luke I don’t really have a handle on quite yet, although he seems quite handy around the house and that is a true bonus in my book!

This is a police procedural with some grit... some of the subject matter was quite dark, but well handled.... there was some violence, but nothing very explicit.... if this were a movie it would probably be rated PG-13....

Girls are vanishing and even though Josie is currently suspended from duty, she cannot stop herself from trying to find these girls..... The more she digs deeper into the girls disappearances, the more secrets get revealed, and the more danger Josie and those around her are in....

The mystery was really good and as more and more twists were revealed it got more and more twisted.... not going to give any of this away, you definitely need to read this for yourself! But I do want to say Go Grandma!!!

Definitely would recommend this to fans of mysteries with a little grit, a little bit of a darker tone, and some wonderful characters!

*** thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley
for a copy of this book ***

Carrie

3,230 reviews1,565 followers

January 2, 2018

Vanishing Girls by Lisa Regan is the first book in the new crime thriller Detective Josie Quinn series. The lead character Josie is a police detective that is on the outs and suspended when a huge case is going on and is not the type to sit on the sidelines waiting for the call to come back to work.

From the opening chapter the action takes off as Josie finds a simple stop turning into a life and death situation as bullets begin to fly. This leads Josie to despite her suspension decide to start investigating the case of Isabelle disappearance when it looks like it may have something to do with Josie’s run in that morning.

This series is not quite the normal police procedural crime thriller since the main character is not actively a detective being under suspension. What we get instead is a gritty and determined character who goes rogue in her own investigating and always seems to find herself involved in the case.

It took me a little while to warm up to Josie since it wasn’t immediately apparent why she wasn’t on active duty. Once getting to know her though I really did warm up to her determination and strength that she showed all throughout the book. Josie is certainly one tough cookie and after finishing this first book I’ll be interested to see where her story goes in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

netgalley

Sarah Joint

445 reviews987 followers

January 17, 2018

A dark and twisted story featuring a strong female protagonist with little regard for the rules. It keeps your attention and has some great twists towards the end. What took me out of the story a little was how completely unrealistic some parts were. In the real world, I seriously doubt Josie would still have a job or any colleagues left that still liked her. Details about those plot points would be considered spoilers, so I'll just say I'd recommend some suspension of disbelief for this story.

Quiet Denton, Pennsylvania has been rocked by the disappearance of a teenager. With little to go on, they're not getting far... but they do find another girl who's been missing. This one was assumed to have run away, so she didn't get nearly the same amount of media attention as the latest girl. She's clearly traumatized and refusing to speak to anyone. The only thing they manage to get from her (in a very strange way) is a name: Ramona. Detective Josie Quinn is convinced this girl can lead her to the one still missing, but she's on suspension and isn't supposed to be working the case... as if she'd led that stop her from investigating.

Still using connections she shouldn't be and disobeying the orders of her chief, Josie isn't letting her suspension for use of excessive force slow her down. She's convinced they won't find the girl in time without her help, and if they don't want it... she'll work it on her own. It isn't long before she connects the cases to one from years ago: a woman who was taken and then dumped a couple of weeks later, naked and bound. It was dismissed as a hoax, but Josie isn't convinced. Her co-workers aren't getting anywhere, but can she figure it out before it's too late?

This series has a lot of potential, and I think Josie has a whole lot of room to grow. I'll certainly read the next one. This is a twisted tale for sure.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

Lisa

783 reviews

May 12, 2018

Lisa Regan is an author to watch she is amazing at writing gritty police procedural thrillers that you wont stop reading from beginning to the very end. I loved this book Josie Quinn was written perfectly the author showing a strong willed no nonsense character that also had a weak side to her as well, the premise outstanding & the ending was 100 miles an hour never letting up.

josie Quinn is a police officer with Denton P.D she is having problems with her marriage signing divorce papers & having her mother in Rockview nursing home is also on suspension for using excessive force the bottle is her best friend to get through the day, but doing what she loves being a detective she gets involved in a missing girls case.

Isabella Coleman went missing in the woods near her home five days ago her mother Marla had returned home to an empty house, believing her daughter had gone out with friends in a town denton Pensylvania Detective josie Quinn decides to investigate against her bosses orders, she is told by Ray her husband not to interfere but Josie is strong willed & does things her way.

As the investigation deepends more girls go missing this is something that pushes Josie on to find them & bring them back , but when trinity payne a journalist comes to Josie for a headline boy do the sparks fly between the two.

Its when Misty Rays partner & stripper comes into it the plot takes off there are so many questions that Josie needs answered but she is told by Ray to get out while she can that this investigation goes deeper than she can handle.But When Ray gets shot the bar rises & Josies instincts kick in, it pulls her to him their relationship her feeling even though she is engaged to Luke Will they both survive that is the question?

5 big fat stars.

crime-fiction

Jess☺️

487 reviews84 followers

August 29, 2018

Vanishing girls by Lisa Regan is the first book in the detective Joise Quinn series and I can't wait to read the others .
I found it a little slow to begin with as I felt I missed something,but once over that little blip it was a great thrilling police thriller .
If you want a oh my god nooo and edge of your seat with a pinch pulse racing then I recommend this book.
I read this as a start of a travelling friends binge read and I'm glad I did 😘

travelling-friends-book-reads

Angela Marsons

Author 32 books4,208 followers

January 4, 2018

Anyone who knows me gets that I really like a strong, female kickass main character and that's exactly what I got in Josie Quinn. I warmed to Josie even before I found out the reason for her current suspension. I wanted to follow her from the opening of the book. She's gritty and real and passionate as girls start disappearing in her home town of Denton and Josie will not rest until she finds out what is going on. I loved the interspersed chapters from the POV of the kidnapped girls and was particularly intrigued by the story of Ginger Blackwell. The writing flows seamlessly while the plot motors along at breakneck speed often leaving me holding my breath. This book is the first in the series from Lisa Regan and I am excited that I have a new female lead to follow. I'll be waiting (im)patiently for the next instalment.

Carolyn (on vacation)

2,248 reviews642 followers

July 11, 2022

This first in Lisa Regan’s popular Detective Josie Quinn series was published in 2018 and in 2022 is already up to book 15. I started reading the series somewhere in the middle and have got to know Josie, her family and her team quite well but thought it was about time I went back and read the early books in the series from the start.

This was a terrific read. A really intense thriller that was chilling and shocking, not just for Josie but also the reader. As the title says, teenage girls are going missing and are not being found, not just from Josie’s home town of Denton, but from other towns nearby and further afield. Josie is currently on suspension for an altercation with a woman and is frustrated that the Chief won’t reinstate her so she can help in the search for a missing girl. Recently separated from her husband Ray, she is still dealing with demons from her abusive childhood and drinking too much and needs something to keep her busy. Right from the start we can see that Josie is an independent, tough, fearless cop and being suspended is not going to stop her snooping around. She has a good nose too. She can tell something is not right about this case and the investigation but she doesn’t know who to trust with her suspicions.

The short punchy chapters make this a fast and thrilling read. The plotting was well done with all the pieces coming together at the end to make perfect sense of what had been happening. It was fun to meet Lisette, Josie’s beloved grandmother who is so important to her through the series and to meet novice policeman Noah who goes on to become a major character later. This strong start to the series makes me eager to read book the next in the series, as well as the latest release.

2022 first-in-series police-procedural

Mandy White (mandylovestoread)

2,140 reviews580 followers

January 18, 2018

Lisa Regan is fast becoming a favourite of mine. I have loved the last 3 books of hers that I have read.

This is the start of a new series about a very strong female detective. Josie Quinn is currently suspended but that does not stop her from getting involved when girls are going missing in her close knit town. This is a very fast paced read that leaves you wanting more from Josie.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book to read and review.

net-galley

Brenda

4,228 reviews2,728 followers

January 5, 2018

4.5★s

Detective Josie Quinn was frustrated at being shut out of the investigation into the missing girl. She had been suspended for misconduct – and of course she knew they were right – but being unable to work the case when she had so many thoughts and clues to follow, was driving her crazy. Of course, Josie being Josie meant her own private investigation would follow…

Almost being killed by a runaway car, in which one of the badly wounded passengers turned out to be someone she knew sent Josie in a different direction. But her ex-husband Ray continued to tell her to back off. The Chief of Police was furious and threatened retribution if Josie didn’t desist. But all the same, Josie didn’t – she couldn’t. Missing girls; distraught parents; and a catatonic young woman who had just been discovered – Josie needed answers. The police force was stretched to the limit with their resources – but Josie wondered if they were doing enough.

Who was Ramona? And was the girl from three years ago connected? Little did Josie know that she was on a collision course with terror, darkness and destiny – but would it be hers?

Vanishing Girls by Lisa Regan is the 1st in the Detective Josie Quinn series and is a gripping, intense and dark psychological thriller which brought Angela Marsons’ DI Kim Stone series to mind. Josie Quinn is an extremely messed up character, with a childhood she tries - sometimes successfully, sometimes not - to leave in the past. But, thoroughly enjoyable, hard to put down, with a totally satisfying conclusion, I have no hesitation in highly recommending Vanishing Girls to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.

2018-release 5000-books arc

Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader

2,184 reviews30.5k followers

Want to read

January 17, 2020

I finally read my first book by Lisa Regan! Vanishing Girls is the first in a series about detective Josie Quinn. In this installment, she’s searching for a killer in her small town.

Sometimes first installments can be overdone with details to set things up, but that was not the case here. Instead, tension and intrigue were present from the start, just how I like my thriller/procedurals. I’m looking forward to reading more books from this series and from Lisa Regan.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.

Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

dining-room-1

Louise Wilson

2,904 reviews1,643 followers

January 13, 2018

Everyone in the small American town of Denton is searching for Isabelle Coleman, a missing seventeen year old. All they've found so far is her phone and another girl they did not know was missing. Mute and completely unresponsive, it's clear the girl has been damaged beyond repair. All Detective Josie Quinn can get from her is a name: Ramona. Currently suspended from the force for misconduct, Josie takes matters into her own hands as the name leads her to evidence linking the two girls. The race is on to find Isabelle alive.

This is a well written book but it started too slow for me. This does not make this a bad read though, things did not unfold as quickly as I would have liked. There is plenty of twists in this book. There is also violence in this book of which might upset some readers. This is the first book in a new series featuring Detective Josie Quinn. I can see this series grow from strength to strength.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Lisa Regan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eline Van Der Meulen

292 reviews68 followers

April 19, 2022

I really want to read the rest of the books with Josie Quinn! Really liked this one!
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2022...

300-blz cold-case law-enforcement

Selena

493 reviews313 followers

December 15, 2017

I received a free electronic copy of Vanishing Girls (Detective Josie Quinn #1) by Lisa Regan from Netgalley for my honest review. A great and gripping thriller. This story takes place in the small town of Denton, TX where a young 17 year old girl goes missing. Detective Josie Quinn, who is on paid suspension can't sit still and decides to do her own investigating into the girls disappearance. The more she investigates, the more she finds herself in trouble and realized that her sweet town has a lot of secrets and the people she grew up around aren't the people she thought they were.

Josie, whose childhood is secret to everyone but her husband comes back as a nightmare she has to relive. Josie has to face her childhood fears to fight for her own life and help the missing girl.

I have to say that I don't normally read series but I am very happy I took the time to read this book. I was very impressed with the characters and suspense. I look forward to the next book to come out.

netgalley-giveaway

Li'l Owl

398 reviews239 followers

August 6, 2019

Thrilling and unputdownable! I read it in one sitting!

There was a man in the woods, she was sure of it. For as long she could remember, the woods had been her own special kingdom, teeming with plant and wildlife, the perfect setting for all the stories her imagination could conjure. A peaceful oasis away from her mother’s hardened gaze and her father’s disdain.
She often felt him there: a presence, like a force field, pressing up against her little empire. As she moved through the forest, she heard him. A rustle of leaves. The snap of a branch. She’d seen bears and deer and foxes—even a bobcat once—in these woods, but the sounds he made were deliberate. They matched her own. She was sure it was a person, and judging by the heaviness of the steps, a man. Sometimes, she heard his breath, heavy and labored. But whenever she turned to confront him, her heart pounding like a drumbeat in her chest, he was gone. Twice she had seen eyes peering through the thick foliage.
“Mama,” she said one morning at breakfast, when she and her mother were alone.
Her mother gave her a withering look. “What?” she asked.
The words teetered on the tip of her tongue. There’s a man in the woods.
“There—the—” she stammered, unable to squeeze the words out.
Her mother sighed and looked away. “Eat your eggs.”
Her mother would not believe her, anyway. But he was there. She was sure of it.
It became a game. She told herself to stay at least one foot away from the edge of the trees at all times. But it only lured him in further, closer to the clearing behind her house, his body obscured by a tree trunk and branches covering the rest of his face. She couldn’t breathe as she ran back to the house, imagining his hands brushing at her dress ties, reaching to yank her back. Only when her feet crossed the threshold of the back door did the air return to her lungs.
For a week, she didn’t come out of her room except to eat. After that, she only went outside if her mother, father or sister were out there. For a long time, he disappeared. She stopped sensing him, stopped hearing him. She almost believed that he had gone back to wherever it was he came from. Maybe she had conjured him, after all?
Then one day her sister was hanging clothes on the line while she flitted to the other side of the yard, chasing the yellow monarch butterflies that proliferated on top of the mountain. A white sheet fluttered on the clothesline, blocking her from her sister’s view. She got too close to the tree line. A hand shot out and clamped down over her mouth, silencing her screams. An arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground. Holding her tightly against his chest, he dragged her through the forest that used to be her friend. One thought rose above her panic. He was real.

*********
I'll make this review short and sweet.
The first book in the Detective Josie Quinn series, Vanishing Girls by Lisa Regan bolts out of the gate and gallops unbridled all the way through,
the storyline is riveting, thrilling, and addictive, and once I started I couldn't put it down!

The conclusion was unexpected, complete with an enticing cliffhanger!

This is the first book I've read by Lisa Regan and if the GR reviews and my enjoyment of this book are anything to go by, I'll be reading a whole lot more of her novels!

I will definitely be reading the next book in the Detective Josie Quinn series!

detective-police-procedural-sheriff mystery-crime-suspense-thriller owl-s-kindle-own

Monnie

1,436 reviews772 followers

January 20, 2018

The first book in a new series never fails to be exciting for me - especially when I get to the end and am disappointed that I don't have the next one at hand. Such is the case here, and I'm already hoping the author is well into the writing of book No. 2.

The star of this show is Josie Quinn, a detective with the Denton, Pa., police who's been put on leave following allegations of use of excessive force (where she lives is of some relevance to me since in about 15 minutes we can be in the Keystone State). There's not a lot of question that Josie did the deed; but it's also true that she had a traumatic childhood that has left her with serious emotional scars, so I suppose it's understandable that she's got a hair-trigger temper. She's still married to childhood sweetheart and fellow cop Ray, but only because he refuses to sign the divorce papers; in fact, she's now engaged to hunky state cop Luke (thus jumping from the frying pan to the fire a bit too fast for me to have much sympathy should things go wrong).

As the story begins, Isabelle Coleman, a beautiful and popular girl from town, goes missing. Not long thereafter, Josie narrowly misses being struck by a car that's occupants are being shot at - a car filled with gang-type guys and a local history teacher, the latter of whom lives long enough to utter the name "Ramona" as Josie tries to help.

Next comes another stunner: Another girl turns up, unresponsive and near death - a girl no one realized had been missing. Even more confusing, she's got a tongue piercing exactly like Isabelle's. Does that mean the two cases are related? Could Isabelle still be alive? Who in blazes is Ramona? Wondering minds, especially Josie's, want to know; but since she's currently prohibited from taking part in any official police investigation, she's got to figure out how to get away with on-the-sly sleuthing.

She does try to convince the police chief to let her work the case, but her pleas fall on deaf ears every time. So, she relies as best she can on Ray, Luke and an ethically challenged TV reporter - at least, until some buried facts come to light that change everything she's believed about the case - and about many of the people she's known and loved. Worse, what she's learned puts her square in the crosshairs of some people who will stop at nothing to keep their long-held secrets secret.

There's no shortage of action (sometimes a bit over the top), so the whole thing kept me pretty much on the edge of my seat throughout. Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review it.

Jim

576 reviews88 followers

September 22, 2018

A very enjoyable discovery. In reviews I have seen comparisons to Angela Marsons and Robert Dugoni. I would like to add another ... Robert Bryndza. The main character reminded me of Erika Foster in some ways.

Josie Quinn is a detective in the small central Pennsylvania town of Denton. She has been suspended from duty due to an excessive force charge. She is separated from her husband Ray, a fellow detective in the Denton police department. She is engaged to Luke, a state police officer, even though she is still married. In this story she appears to turn to alcohol to deal with life's problems. Overall her life is a soap opera.

In Denton the police department is stretched thin. It is all hands on deck. Isabelle Coleman, a seventeen-year-old girl, is missing. Josie is hoping that her chief will lift her suspension so that she can assist with the search. He doesn't but that doesn't stop Josie. She wants to help find Isabelle. All they have so far is Isabelle's phone and another girl. A girl who is mute and unresponsive.

Josie discovers a link between the mute girl and Isabelle. She also learns of a prior abduction where the girl escaped but the case was labeled a hoax. And there is a name that comes up repeatedly. Ramona. As Josie tries to stop a monster who preys on young girls she has to deal with her own personal demons.

Much like Robert Bryndza's Erika Foster I didn't like the main character very much at the opening of the story but she quickly grew on me and it wasn't too long before I admired her and even found myself liking her. Fast paced and keeps you turning the pages. I am looking forward to reading other books in the series.

books-read-2018 mystery-suspense-thriller

Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,501 reviews

Ratings & Reviews for

Vanishing Girls

Lisa Regan

Loading...

Loading...