A remarkable and highly accomplished debut novel reaching unusual heights of mystery and suspense ... I'm certainly adding Schaffhausen to my "must read" list. Not surprising this gem was the Winner of the Minotaur book - Mystery Writers of America First Crime novel competition. Small town police officer, Ellery (Ellie) is plying her trade in the usually sleepy, backwater town of Woodbury, MA .. she discovers a pattern ... three missing individuals in the last three years ... all near the time of her birthday. She unsuccessfully attempts to convince her boss, Chief Sam Parker, of the possible linkage. Ellie has first hand knowledge of killers.. being the only victim to survive the heinous rampage of the notorious serial killer, Frances Michael Coben ... who, hopefully is rotting on death row. Her hand is forced ... she must contact and enlist the aid of FBI agent, Reed Markham, who was instrumental in saving her life. His present life is in disaster with a broken marriage and recently being discredited during an investigation. Nonetheless his arrival to join forces with Ellie is met with an expected wrapped gift of one of the victim's severed hand.
Schaffhausen weaves a fantastic thriller dotted along with a trail of bread crumbs of clues that leading to a thrilling conclusion. Is the killer a copycat or has "her own" serial killer found a way to reach out from death row. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

THE VANISHING SEASON by Joanna Schaffhausen is a good mystery. It has just enough suspense and scattered clues to keep the reader guessing until the end. The best character was Speed Bump the dog.

I'm hooked on the Ellery series! She's a fierce detective with a strong, personal connection to serial killers. This book works as an excellent stand alone and introduces us to a new world and cast of characters. It's solidly paced, interesting, and with plenty of twists and turns.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy.

This is not a new book, but I was fortunate to get an "ARC" copy of this since the third book in the Ellery Hathaway series has a set release date. Thank you to St. Martin Press and Netgalley for a copy of this book- I'm already looking forward to reading the next two books in the series.
Fourteen years ago, Abigail Ellery Hathaway was abducted off the streets. Locked in a closet and tortured for three days, she was rescued "just in time" by FBI agent, Reed Markham. Ellery now works in law enforcement in a small town. She goes by her middle name and has tried to put her past behind her. There have been a few disappearances in town in the past few years that Ellery feels are connected and related to her past. Although no one else believes her, Ellery is convinced that this has something to do with her abduction. She calls in Agent Markham, now disgraced, in hopes to help solve the case.
As a parent, it is especially difficult to read stories about missing/dead children. It took me a while to get through the first 50 pages of this book because the idea of all the horrible things that often happen to abducted children made this too hard to read. It was also probably the most "thrilling/scary" part of this book.
"The Vanishing Season" balances creepy and interesting, but it does read more like a police procedural than a thriller. Fortunately, I love police procedural dramas, so I was okay with that.  Ellery isn't likeable, but her past makes it understandable. There was a point in the story where I felt that her wish to keep her past life separate from the current crime inhibited everyone from being able to do their job... and slowed down the pace of solving the crime considerably. FBI Agent Markham isn't the knight in shining armor, but 14 years have past and people change. In the end, I liked that about "The Vanishing Season"- we were past the 'original' crime, but as a reader, we could experience the flaws and problem of the survivors and live their "after." 

I'm ready to read book 2 and see what Ellery does next. This was Joanna Schaffhausen's debut book, and it was a really good one!

This is a debut novel but reads like a book by a far more seasoned author. It has won some awards and has earned every one of them. Ellery Hathaway is a police officer in the quiet town of Woodbury, MA, No one there knows that she was the only survivor of a famous serial killer,
When three people disappear from her town...one a year and all right around her birthday she starts to worry that someone may know who she really is. As her birthday approaches she contacts the FBI agent who saved her life years ago for help in finding out who is committing these crimes before she ends up being a victim again. This book is well-plotted, the characters are likable and the ending is perfect. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

This is an interesting take on the terrorizing of a young victim of a heinous crime after she has grown and moved away from the spotlight. The writing style makes for easy reading, but the characters are somewhat flat. As the grown-up victim and the FBI agent that saved her attempt to identify the new serial killer stalking her, they should have asked the reader. The signs were obvious early on. This is a reasonably good story, but just didn't grab me.

Ellery, in so many ways, is easy to relate to in The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen. The book starts off with Ellery climbing out of the bed she just shared with her married boss. So right away, we know there has to be drama coming somewhere. This is a mystery / crime novel that had me reading until after I finally finished it last night.

Ellery had been the victim of a horrible crime, the one who got away from a notorious serial killer. For two years she has been trying to get her boss, the Chief of police in the town that she is living in to pay attention to her concerns. Dismissing her gut feelings because there is no evidence to back it up, the Chief tells her to stick with her job as a Deputy. Knowing a specific date is just around the corner, desperate for someone to help... Ellery reaches out to the FBI profiler, Reed Markham who rescued her on that dark day long ago.

Once Reed arrives, things start moving very fast. The pace picks up but the tension also is magnified because Reed isn't sure who to trust in a case with so many moving pieces in it. I don't want to ruin the plot so all I will say is I absolutely had to finish the book!!!

Well developed characters are tightly woven plot made this book realistic and entertaining! Bravo, Ms Schaffhausen!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and author Joanna Schaffhausen for a digital advanced reader copy for me to read and enjoy. As always, my opinions are my own.

The Vanishing Season is Joanna Schaffhausen’s debut novel, released in 2017…and, boy oh boy, is it a good one. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it gave me so much more.

Three people have gone missing and Ellery Hathaway knows they are dead and another will be taken very soon. Sam dismisses her warnings, but she won’t stop there. Sam is not only her boss, the chief of police, but also her lover, her married lover. I sure don’t approve of that, but as I read on, I could see how it happened. She uses sex as a weapon. That will have it’s own repercussions.

Woodbury, Massachusetts is a small town, a blink and you will miss it, with only eight police officers. I love to read of small towns, the gossip mill, and secrets that won’t stay secret. Ellery has a big one, but…

Ellery calls in the big guns, Reed Markham, an FBI profiler that had saved her from the serial killer that had taken her fourteen years ago, leaving her scarred and broken. He too has his own story. His marriage is on the rocks, but he had made a promise to her, so when she called, he came.

I love her basset hound, Speed Bump. LOL Critters always add some grins for me, and with a subject like serial killers, I need some chuckles.

The dog leapt from the vehicle with all the grace of a hippo performing a belly flop.

I have plenty of suspects, but two in particular have my attention. Even if I’m wrong, I don’t like them. LOL I do like to try and figure it out for myself as we follow clues, question witnesses, and try look for what others have missed.

There is no romance, though I know there are more books coming, so I wonder. I mean, just think about it, her body is scarred and so is her mind. She doesn’t want anyone in her house. Doesn’t want anyone touching her. And doesn’t want to share her secret. After what she’s been through, I can see why she protects herself, so who could possible get through the walls she has built up but the one person she trusts?

I am at 38% and my tension level is high, the pace is picking up, making me feel like the end is near, nut, there’s so much of the story left. I can only imagine what Joanna Schaffhausen has in store for her characters. I am lovin’ it.

I am filled with horror at the terrible things one person can do another, as the bits and pieces of Ellery’s captivity leaks out, each detail worse than the last.

Well…I didn’t see him coming. It takes a lot for an author to fool me so completely, especially near the end, but she had me eying the wrong guy until a page or two before he attacked. He was well camouflaged, but I will be on my toes with the next case, expanding my suspect list and reading between the lines.

Man oh man, I am so glad I took a chance on Joanna Schaffhausen. I had never heard of her. She kept me riveted from beginning to end and I can hardly wait for Book II, No Mercy. BRING IT ON!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen.

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From my blog: Always With a Book:

Once again I am joining the party late, just starting this series when book 3 is about the be released in just a few short months, but better late than never right? I took advantage of the fact that Netgalley had books 1 and 2 available as "Read Now" and jumped all over that and I am so happy I did...I've been hearing great things about this series and now I can say I get what everyone is talking about!

This is the type of book that pulls you in right from the start. It is an addicting and unique book that is part thriller, part police procedural, and part character study. Yes, there are horrific things that happened to Ellery when she was young and then again that happen to the new victims, but what I loved here is that the author never gets too graphic but rather just alludes to the acts that are done. It's creepy, but all done without being overly graphic which every once is a while is a nice change of pace.

I loved both Ellery and Reed's characters. They are both deeply flawed characters and I loved them working together. Both these characters have their secrets and I love nothing more than characters with buried pasts. I also loved that I questioned everyone in this book, including at times Ellery and Reed.

There is something compelling about a serial killer story and this one kept me glued to the pages. While I did not guess the killer's identity, I did have my guesses and did not see the ending coming, though if I was to reread the book, I wonder if I might have missed a clue or two. It is a fast read and perhaps I did miss something, but either way I did enjoy this book immensely and am quite eager to start book 2, No Mercy soon as I cannot wait to see Ellery and Reed back in action!

How would you feel if you were the only survivor of a serial killer. This is what the book is about, Ellie is the survivor and to give back she becomes a police officer. Something is happening when she discovers 3 girls go missing, are they tied together, well she's set to find out if her hunch is true since no one will believe her. This book caught my attention and I wouldn't say it was a book that you couldn't put down but it was a good read. Giving it 4.5 stars and do look forward to the next book.

It is always interesting to try a new author and even more when it is her first book.
Joanna provided us with a great story that makes you think a little more about the after effects in somebody's life as a result of a dramatic experience at a young age. This is one book I had to keep on reading to see what be happening next. I started book two as soon as I was finished with this one.

The Vanishing Season was an entertaining mystery and great effort for a debut novel. I would say this story was more along the lines of a crime procedural than true thriller and while interesting and enjoyable, it wasn’t absolutely riveting.

Abby, the main character, was a former child victim of a heinous crime and has since moved on in life to become a police officer in a small town. Every year, for the past few years, close to her birthday, a person goes missing. Yet there seems to be no apparent connection between these vanishings. At least no one thinks they are related besides Abby. She believes these vanishings are tied to her case from the past, but since she’s basically living under an alias, she is unable to reveal her reasons to the local authorities. At a loss of what to do, and as her birthday draws near, Abby calls her former rescuer, an FBI agent, to the scene for help, right as tragedy strikes again. Since he is the only one taking her claims seriously, and the only one who knows her true identity, the two begin to investigate the crimes together, all the while testing out their trust in one another.

This story started off with a bang and was fairly quick-paced, but the plot did slow midway through, getting bogged down with peripheral details. Some elements of the story felt implausible and too obvious to overlook, and the plot was rather grisley and gruesome, as murder mysteries often are.

That said, the last portion of the story picked up quite a bit and was wrought with tension and suspense. I also found the reveal to be surprising and clever. So while I had some issues with the story, it was entertaining and worthwhile.

I received this ARC from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley.com, to St. Martin's Press, and to Joanna Schaffhausen for this opportunity.

Ellery was the victim of a crime years ago and the days she spent in captivity still haunt her. Now she has found a career in law enforcement and is determined to make a difference and to help those in need. When a young woman goes missing, it seems eerily similar to her own kidnapping. She urges the chief to look into it and, without evidence to support her theory, she is unable to convince him that the cases are somehow related. She turns to the only man she believes will listen - the FBI agent who found her and saved her life. He knows her case inside and out so maybe together they can bring this new predator to justice.

This book was very hard to put down. I loved the story and the characters and I look forward to a second book in the series.

The story of Ellery Hathaway builds slowly as Joanna Schaffhausen brings her to life, showing us the sequence of events that land Ellery in the middle of a small town that is about to experience life changing crimes. The story centers on Ellery's abduction and rescue from a serial killer when she was young. She has chosen to build her life far from any reminders of trauma, yet now finds herself in the middle of a series of too familiar to be coincidental murders. The story is told so well that you could be living a few doors down, experiencing the crimes too close for comfort. A very good first book in a series.

This is an elegant and gruesome beginning to what looks to be a promising series by Joanna Schaffhausen. Although the plot itself isn't the most surprising, the prose is lovely - there are enough singular touches, character developments and imaginative turns-of-phrase to hit my thriller sweet spot.

Ellery Hathaway is a great heroine. Scarred both physically and emotionally from being the last "victim" / survivor of a particularly brutal serial killer, Ellery has changed her name, joined a small police force, adopted an adorable dog and is fighting to not only move on from her past, but learn from it. Three people have disappeared in the town where Ellery lives - and they've all vanished in the first week of July, year after year. It's too much of a coincidence for the young police officer, but neither her superior nor her colleagues believe there's enough to raise an investigation, so Ellery goes looking for help elsewhere.

That help comes in the form of Reed Markham, the FBI agent who found Ellery in the killer's blood-streaked closet all those years ago. Washed up and battle-scarred, Reed is wary of getting involved, but helpless to stay away. When he arrives, it becomes clear that the vanishing season is only just beginning...

As I said above, this is lovely, atmospheric, tense and kinda gross, which I appreciate. Endless ickiness is one thing, and gets exhausting, but when authors are just merrily going along and then hit you with the truth of the matter (ie: farm tools), it's like a sledgehammer to the gut, and it's hugely effective. Schaffhausen is excellent at these kinds of moments, and it provides a real darkness that underpins the story.

Even when you're marveling at how damn cute Ellery's dog is, you can just feel that rotten river, flowing beneath, sucking all the light in its path.

By the way, her dog lives.

As all good dogs should.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated, as always!

3.5 stars
Well, after thoroughly enjoying books 2 and 3 of the series starring Ellery Hathaway and Reed Markham, I discovered NetGalley still had book 1 available. It was interesting to go back and see how the two characters started solving cases together. Years before, Ellery survived a terrible ordeal and was a serial killer's only surviving victim and Reed was the FBI agent that worked her case.
In The Vanishing Season Ellery, a deputy in a small town begins to wonder if there is more than a simple missing persons case, she contacts Reed to give her a hand. Of course, the chief of her police department and part time lover, Sam, is none to keen on this line of investigation. But as Ellery and Reed begin to explore the cases of three different individuals it soon becomes clear that someone just might be lurking in the shadows and Ellery is their target.

As per usual, I just CANNOT put a book in this series down and was engaged in my reading experience from beginning to end.








Goodreads review published 08/11/19
Publication Date 05/12/17( Available on NetGalley until Feb 2020)

Ellery Hathaway is a survivor, the last one taken by a heinous serial killer, but one who lived to try to move on with her life. Over a decade later, she’s a cop on a sleepy New England town, hiding her painful past...that is, until people start disappearing and details from her abductor’s M.O start reappearing in fresh murders. As she and Reed, the FBI agent who rescued her all those years ago, try to get ahead in their investigation, Ellery is forced to finally confront the past she’s tried so hard to bury. Schaffhausen takes what is, to a thriller fan, a premise that’s been presented before, but keeps it fresh with engaging characters, solid writing and an intuitive pacing that keeps the plot engrossing. I look forward to this promising newish series.

I received this gratuitously from the publisher, but all opinions are my own.

In the small town of Woodbury, there are people just up and disappearing too frequently.
The police department are trying to follow the clues.
With a female officer that has kept her own kidnapping in her youth a secret.
Excellent thriller storyline, with a strong female lead.
Solid 5 stars.

Ellie is a cop in a small town in Massachusetts who has a secret. No one knows she had been a victim of a serial killer and survived. When several people disappeared from the small town, she believes there is a serial killer at work but with no evidence no one believes her. She calls Reed who was the FBI agent who rescued her . Reed is in a downward spiral in his job and life but can't tell Ellie no. The two of them work together to figure out what is going on and how it relates to their shared past. The story was paced well with plenty of twists to get to the end.

Only Ellery belies the three missing person are related. Based on her personal history, her fellow officers should pay attention to her. I have found another favorite author.
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