I hate a story without an ending, but I love one with a good twist. <i>The Cold Vanish</i> explores in depth one of my least favorite genres of true crime: the cold case. While twists and turns abound in this book, most of these cases remain unsolved, and that's a real bummer. There's nothing Jon Billman can do about that - at least, nothing he already hasn't done.

Billman gets down in the dirt - and the snow, and the freezing cold water, and the forests, and the ravines - searching alongside trackers and police and family members of some of the hundreds (and possibly more) of people who go missing in national forests and parks every year. His recounting of these events is casual, conversational, relatable, and always tinged with sadness, since as long as the searchers are out there, there's no happy ending. And there very often isn't. These kinds of cases rarely get solved.

My only major complaint about <i>The Cold Vanish</i> is that in places, it's wildly repetitive, and in others, it assumes you already know a lot more than you do. The book is broken up into chapters that bounce around geographically, and it seems that sometimes Billman lost his spot in the writing and forgot that he already mentioned the thing he's so excited to tell you about now, or conversely, that you might read a sentence three times and not be able to glean any information from it because oh yeah, he hasn't mentioned that critical piece of information yet. There were more than a few places where I'd skip back a page or two or three only to realize it wasn't myself missing the context, it's that the context was waiting a few pages - or chapters - ahead for me.

All in all, I enjoyed this book, despite the open-endedness of most of the stories. I just wish the writing had been a little clearer, a little cleaner; but then again, maybe that's the nature of any writing about folks who get lost in the woods. If things had only been a little clearer, a little cleaner, maybe they'd have been found again.

I really wanted to like this book but it was different from what I thought it would be. There is a lot of talk of Sasquatch in relation to missing people as well :-/

This book was wonderful and heartbreaking and frightening. There are so many missing people. This story is about one, Jacob. It focuses around him going missing and the search. As the author journey's with Jacob's searchers and family, he also weaves in other missing cases as they happen or from cold cases. And there are so many, it's almost overwhelming. He also gives details and statistics about who searches and when - what happens when you go missing on Federal land. It's a heartfelt story, full of love and respect for the families and all they have been through and all those that are missing. It was a hard but very good read and I'm so glad I did!

Fascinating. I was captivated by this book. Very detailed information about missing people and theories about why they go missing. I stayed up late to read this each night because I it so intriguing. Pulling in information in running away, Bigfoot, and cults - this book has everything. I enjoyed the wealth of information this book provided.

An interesting look at a few of the people who have disappeared in public parks or refuges and the persons who conduct the searches for them. If you have ever been in some of the backwoods national parks, you know how easily it can be to lose your way. Take the wrong turn and you'll be lost. The stories here were not headline news, they just failed to show up when they were expected, leaving few clues as to what may have happened to them.

I found the sections on the people who have spent their lives and careers as part of a search team. The protocols of search and rescue or search and recover can not cover every instance. These people have learned to follow their instincts and even then have many stories where there has been no ending, happy or otherwise.

After living in interior Alaska for 30 years, this book with it's many missing and never found are a little too close to home. Even with trail training, many people I know have been lost, their recovery quick and heartfelt but still the urgency of the search is a feeling I hope to never have again. This is an outstanding book that will definitely make you think about it before you venture onto the trail again.

This was an eye opening book about the many people that go missing in the US. The common thread was focused on people that have vanished from national and state parks. This is every parents worst nightmare! I couldn’t stop reading and I keep thinking about those that vanished in his book and those that go missing everyday that have not been found. The stories will stay with you well after you finish this book. I was given this arc in exchange for an honest review from netgalley.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman. This book is made up of stories of people who vanish in the outdoors, like the mountains or national parks—often without a trace. This book is also about the people they leave behind, those who continue to search with hopes of finding the ones who are lost. If you are a fan of true crime, this book will be up your alley. Often these people who go missing are not found, so I found it interesting that this book had such a focus on the loved ones who continue on without them, as well as the struggles they face as they continue to search. I recommend this book.

An interesting look at missing persons in large national park areas and the heartache of not knowing.

If real-life mysteries intrigue you, don't miss Jon Billman's book, The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America's Wildlands, an account of numerous missing-people cases. But be forewarned: you will grieve along with the author as he recounts the efforts--often futile--of families and friends who are looking for loved ones who have disappeared.

The primary story Billman covers is that of Jacob Gray, who vanished in Olypic National Park, and his father, Randy Gray, who pursued every clue and tip he could find about what happened to his beloved son. Billman also writes about other searchers, including Bigfoot tracker David Paulides and others. (The book doesn't dwell on Bigfoot-like theories, however. Billman is dogged in his pursuit of the truth.)

This is a fascinating book I couldn't put down. My sympathies go out to all those whose stories are told here. They've heroically shared their experiences, which the rest of us can learn from when we also venture out.

This book takes a look at those who have gone missing in our national parks. This was a phenomenon that while I knew it was out there, I did not know how many people are missing and the lacking resources to look for them. This book focuses on cases that were unknown to me as well as a few that made national news. The author does add in some possible supernatural explanations, i.e. Big Foot; which I could have done without. However, I understand that some believe in cryptozoology. The author's writing style kept me interested and made me want to learn more about these tragic cases. I would recommend to true crime lovers who want a bit of change from the usual crime novels.

The Cold Vanish took me longer to read than I expected it to because I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of stories (and, in a way, lack of stories) there were about missing people--and how many missing people there actually are. I've started hearing more over the past few years about the problems that some areas of the United States and Canada have with missing persons cases, especially in Native American/indigenous peoples areas, but I had never really read anything quite as in-depth as this book, which sheds a lot of light on the aforementioned areas and more.



The core story at the heart of The Cold Vanish is that of Jacob Gray's disappearance in the Olympic National Forest. Jacob's disappearance left his father, Randy, continually driving back and forth between his home in Santa Cruz, California and the Olympic National Forest in Washington in order to continuously search for Jacob, no matter what the outcome may be. This overarching storyline really tied the story together in the best way possible and really pushed home and exemplified the many problems that are present in the search for missing persons. I also really appreciated the way that Billman described Randy's own journey as a father coping with the missing status of his--it really brought him to life in a way that made me feel connected to him and brought the entire journey and search that much closer to my own heart.



Interspersed with Jacob's story are a myriad of other cases about missing people, some that have been found--some alive, some not--and some that are still missing. I appreciated the way that Billman managed to bring these stories about each individual person to life and how he included the family members and others associated with the hunts to bring them all home, whether they are bringing them home alive or otherwise. It was both inspiring and heartbreaking to see the efforts that people--both family and non-family alike--will go to keep search efforts alive and going, as a lot of official searches are cut off after a short amount of time if the missing person is not found. It was also incredibly disheartening to read about how lacking so many agencies and departments are equipped to handle missing persons cases. I think Billman did a particularly good job at trying to convey to the best of his ability the feelings and experiences of family and friends who have or have had a missing person experience in their life. The worst part is the not knowing, and a common thread that runs through is that family members eventually reach a point in long missing cases where having a solid answer of what happened is better than not having anything to go off of. Despite Billman's effortless way of writing, The Cold Vanish is a heavy book that left me feeling thankful for everyone in my life.



One of my favorite components was probably seeing all of the different tracking and search methods used to try to find people, ranging from cadaver dogs, search and rescue dogs, volunteers, experts, helicopters, divers, and so many other types of people that go into helping search fro missing people. Again, there's a mix of sort of impressed awe and heartbreak at everything that goes into it. One of my favorite portions was about R.C. and Duff, the latter of which is a man who believes bloodhounds are the best search dogs because they have the best noses and currently trains bloodhounds for cadaver searching, and the former who is one of his great bloodhounds. The lengths that Duff goes to to train his bloodhounds seems crazy, but it's also pretty impressive and I found his entire portion fascinating, even if it was a bit gross at times (such as making 'fake' dead corpses complete with pig's blood and leftover hair and nail clippings from salons to help the dogs learn the scent of a cadaver).



Since the format does jump around a bit between missing persons cases, if you're someone who likes to follow one storyline in order without tangents, this might not be for you. However, I felt that the format worked really well and that I liked being able to learn more about other missing persons and all of the different issues that exist in continuing searches. I also thought it might be useful to note that in the Acknowledgements section, Billman writes that a percentage of the proceeds from the sales of The Cold Vanish will be going to the Jon Francis Foundation, which works to educate people on wilderness safety and provide support for families with missing adult members.



Overall, I've given The Cold Vanish five stars! I started off giving this 4.25 stars on Goodreads, but after writing this review and thinking more about this book, I've decided to bump it up because I've really grown to have strong feelings towards it and think it's really a vital book in learning more about everything involved with the subject of missing persons in North America. I highly recommend it!

I am absolutely OBSESSED with missing person cases. This book has it all: totally black and white and honest, with an author who is invested in every way. Jon Billman is another Jon Krakauer, but with a little more emotional investment.
I plan on buying a hard copy of this book for my mom, who is just as obsessed with true crime as I am.
This book reads like your favorite true crime podcast, but with all of the details they don't have time to share.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. While not a BAD book in the least, this was just not the type of true crime novel I was looking for. I felt it veered off in several places. Had a lot of unnecessary information, and while informative, just not pertinent to the title or what I was expecting the book to be about. A lot of details and info on Parks

The Cold Vanish is a fascinating look into the stories of thousands who've gone missing in America's national parks with a specific focus on Jacob Gray, a 22 year old biker who went missing in Olympic National Park in 2017. The author covers Jacobs story start to finish - and there IS a conclusion surrounding Jacob's disappearance! Interspersed through Jacob's story are the stories of many others who've went running, biking, hiking and in or near national parks and vanished without a trace. I was riveted and haunted by each of these stories. What I found especially fascinating were the stories of those who vanished for days but then shockingly were found- the circumstances surrounding these people's stories are mind-boggling and yes defy logical reason. I suggest reading this with an open mind and be prepared to hear things that may seem quite far fetched, but as the author brilliantly highlights, when it comes to finding those missing in miles upon miles of forests and rivers, there is no such thing as far fetched. I learned so much while reading and did alternate the print with audio which was also excellent listening. I will say the writing seemed to lose momentum in the last quarter of the book, reading a little detail-heavy and repetitive which is the only reason this isn't a 5 star read for me.

This book was not what I thought it would be. When I went looking for a true crime book, I found this one. The title (Cold Vanish) and the cover description made me think that this would be the tale of people gone missing in the wild due to crazed killers. However, it was more than that - this novel by Jon Billman was similar to an almanac of the outdoors, urban legends pertaining to Big Foot and other worlds, and a guide to National Parks.
What I loved about this book were the personal stories of people who went missing and their families. The drive to find their loved ones was both admirable and heartbreaking.
Something that I disliked about Billman’s personal account was the amount of detail he included in this book. For me, it was a sensory overload. By 75% completion, I was skimming over pages because of the amount of unnecessary information that was included.
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, this book is perfect for you. However, if you’re someone who dislikes a tremendous amount of data and details given in non-fiction texts, I would avoid this book.

I really love true crime but this one was pretty dull and.... simply felt like a chore to read.
This book was provided for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America's Wildlands was a fantastic read. As a trail runner and hiker, I can appreciate the juxtaposition of the beauty of the outdoors with the danger of being so far removed from the masses. As a true crime lover, I enjoyed learning about search and rescue techniques, as well as the stories of those who go missing.

Jon Billman's book focuses on the case of Jacob Gray who disappeared while biking, leaving his bike and gear on the side of the road. Billman takes a deep dive into the search for Jacob and the journey of looking for a loved one with Randy Gray, Jacob's father. Billman's narrative of the ups and downs of Randy's search, as well as Randy as a person, brings a humanizes the struggles for the families and friends of missing individuals. Billman paints Randy as a relentless, unyielding father who never loses sight of the end goal: finding his son. The reader is left in awe of Randy's ability to not only push forward and absorb information and leads, but also his seemingly unwavering positive outlook on life and the search for his son.

Throughout the book, Billman discusses other missing persons cases from runners to tourists, adventurers to hunters. He expounds on the various techniques and strategies used to find the missing. Most importantly, he focuses on the stories of those missing and the exceptional hope their friends, families, and searchers have for their return.

Overall, Billman's book provides insight and shines the light on an issue that is often forgotten: the missing.

The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America's Wildlands by Jon Billman is a very highly recommended look at a small percent of the people who vanish in the wilderness, with a special focus on Jacob Gray's disappearance in Olympic National Park.

Jon Billman, an author and journalist, has researched and wrote about other disappearances when he learned about the story of Jacob Gray's disappearance and his father Randy Gray's search for his son. In April 2017, a young touring cyclist named Jacob Gray stepped off his bike and disappeared in the northern district of Olympic National Park in northwestern Washington. Jacob's disappearance echoed other cases that Billman has researched. Tied into the story of Jacob's disappearance and the subsequent search are the stories of other people who have disappeared in the wilderness, many of which have never been found.

The stories Billman shares about missing people are fascinating and frightening. The described incidences of people who vanished without a trace or an explanation along with the number of cases are both surprising and distressing. The searches have been fruitless and perplexed both authorities and volunteers. The red tape is daunting. It is heartbreaking for the families who have no closure. In between the search for Jacob are the other cases. As you follow the search for Jacob, especially by his father Randy, you will also learn what happens when a person goes missing through his story. Billman becomes friends with Randy Gray and assists in the search for Jacob, which lends the narrative even more gravity.

He also introduces us to several of the eccentric people who search for these people who seemingly disappear without a trace.These include "eccentric bloodhound-handler Duff and R.C., his flagship purebred, who began trailing with the family dog after his brother vanished in the San Gabriel Mountains. And there's Michael Neiger North America's foremost backcountry Search & Rescue expert and self-described "bushman" obsessed with missing persons. And top researcher of persons missing on public wildlands Ex-San Jose, California detective David Paulides who is also one of the world's foremost Bigfoot researchers."

The Cold Vanish is a riveting, well-written account of those missing and the searches around them. It is totally engrossing and held my attention from beginning to end. Billman cites that more than 600,000 individuals go missing in the wild lands of North America each year. Many are found, but those who are not found right away face some steep odds not in their favor of being found.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Grand Central Publishing.
The review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

“A person isn’t missing until they’re reported missing. Even then, if you’re over eighteen years old, going missing isn’t a crime or even an emergency.”

Conservative estimates put the number of missing persons whose last known location was somewhere in the wildlands of the United States at 1,600. I was astonished to learn that no one really keeps track of how many people have disappeared in the mountains, parks, forests, scrub or deserts across the country, and as such the real number is likely quite higher.

Some of the people reported missing may eventually found alive, perhaps disorientated, injured, or even living a new life elsewhere. Others may be recovered deceased days, weeks, months, even years after they disappeared, having met with some kind of misadventure. Some are never seen nor heard of again. Of particular interest to Billman are those cases where someone disappears under circumstances that suggest they should be easily found, like Jacob Gray, or conversely those that are found, alive or dead, after an improbable period or in unlikely locations, like Casey Hathaway.

Billman details a number of cases in The Cold Vanish, gathering information from relatives and/or friends, law enforcement officials, search and rescue personnel, and other interested parties. One of these is the case of Jacob Gray which the author repeatedly returns to throughout the narrative.

For seventeen months after Jacob Gray went missing in 2017, his red bicycle and hiking gear found by a river near the Olympic National Park in Washington, his father searched, traversing miles of river, trails, and streets both near and far from where he was last seen. Left in an agony of limbo, he was willing to consider every possible fate for his son from a mundane slip and fall, to abduction by a cult or a serial killer, to an encounter with a Bigfoot, if it meant he would find some answers. He followed up on every clue from vague sightings to psychic predictions.

Billman examines the factors that influence searches, not only delays in reporting but also, unsurprisingly, terrain and weather, as well as search personnel experience, bureaucracy, funding, and jurisdictional conflicts. The average official search period for a missing person in wild areas is five days, and the resources available vary widely between locations. Billman interviews expert trackers, search dog handlers, divers and advocates, and writes of his own participation in searches for the missing, accompanying both officials and volunteers.

With a well organised, well researched, and accessible narrative, Billman effectively communicates the facts, but also ensures the humanity of his subjects is never forgotten. I found The Cold Vanish to be both a fascinating and frightening read.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley and Goodreads for review. With high attention to detail and such serious content, I have not completed the book entirely. My review is for what I do know so far. The author has been on a journey, a quest to find a missing young man, in the company of his father, now broken by the loss. It comes to light that many disappearances are happening within and around the national parks and wildlands. Vanished without a trace brings new meaning to the words and baffles investigators and loved ones. It is poignant, disquieting and disturbing to know a simple day hike may mean your last grip on civilization. Excellent book and one for the keeper shelf. Lots to discuss about with friends as a book club selection as well.