Here is my confession…

“The Nature of Disappearing,” is short on suspense, very very slow to start, has unsettling and unnecessary animal deaths, and never had my full engagement.

Emlyn, a wilderness guide is drawn into looking for her missing best friend by her old flame. Pretty simple plot, a few twists, nothing earth shattering. Like this author’s previous works, the setting plays a very important role in the story. The setting, just like in “These Silent Woods,” is spectacular and very vividly described.

Beyond the setting, I didn’t enjoy any part of the story. I did not like any of the characters, and it played out more like a high school romance than a gripping suspense novel.

I finished this novel, reluctantly.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions, herein, are my own.

Our main character is asked to go into the wilderness with her ex-boyfriend with some long time friends. I enjoyed this title, however, I have enjoyed some of the other titles from this author much more. .

Decent read but didn’t do much for me. Wonderful setting and writing of the landscape. Slow buildup.

There are some twists, primarily that the “missing” couple turn up slightly over halfway through. Eh, I should probably edit that bit before I put it on Goodreads before adding spoiler warning.

The main character is a hunting and fishing guide so not much of a surprise there is some upsetting animal death.

This would be a good summer read if you plan to not just be at the beach.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


"Emlyn doesn't let herself think about the past. How she and her best friend, Janessa, barely speak anymore. How Tyler, the love of her life, left her half dead on the side of the road three years ago. Her new life is simple and safe. She lives alone in her Airstream trailer and works as a fishing and hunting guide in scenic Idaho." Life is peaceful, Emlyn is content, if not truly happy. Then, Tyler shows up - Janessa is missing and he fears for her safety. Emlyn becomes convinced to help Tyler track Janessa and return her to safety.

The Nature of Disappearing was an extremely slow start for me and I was debating about returning the novel -- then POW, I was hooked. While Emlyn spends a considerable amount of time in introspection regarding her past and how it will impact her future, she is a relatable character. Janessa is a force unto herself. Tyler, charismatic and charming, but with a past he wishes to hide.

An outdoor adventure with twists and turns. Be patient, as the plot line becomes more interesting and enjoyable.

In this book our main character Emelyn is called upon by her ex boyfriend Tyler to go into the wilderness after his long time friend Janessa and who is Emelyn's estranged best friend. Janessa is out living a type of wilderness van life with Bush (who may or may not be putting her in danger) but has gone off grid prompting Tyler (who is also their business partner) to worry about what is going on. He calls us his ex (whom he still loves) to help him find the couple due to her extensive tracking experience. She reluctantly agrees to go along. She still has feelings for Tyler but has a new boyfriend she also loves. The alternate timeline is also good and in it we get bits and pieces of her relationship with Tyler and Janessa and learn what went wrong with both. This book was a page-turner for me and there were many twists and turns that I did not expect.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing me with the digital reviewer copy of this in exchange for my honest opinions.

This started off pretty strong, we follow Emlyn who is searching for her missing childhood friend.I feel it lost a lot of the plot along the way. It read pretty smooth and kept me interested though. The ending was just ok to me, it was leading up to a huge secret that I thought was going to be huge but when it was reviled, I was just like "oh ...ok", I think it could have been much better and more exciting.

This book was so heavy and so deep, yet so freeing at the same time. I feel like the content went so much deeper than your normal surface level suspense novel. The use of scripture to highlight how God can pull you out of the deepest pit really resonated with me. The trauma and the struggle that come along with loving a drug addict will hit so close to home for so many people and it was portrayed in a true and authentic way. The story line was slightly predictable, but the characters were all so unstable right from the beginning, you had to read until the very end to see where they would end up. Nature is a powerful force and it added such a depth to this story for the characters to be so distant from the rest of humanity. The title of this book can only be fully comprehended upon finishing the book because there is such a deeper meaning associated with the nature of disappearing as skillfully conveyed by Grant. Highly recommend for an emotional, suspenseful read with an ending you can appreciate all around.

Emyln works as a wilderness guide when contacted by an old boyfriend Tyler. It appears that
Emyln's former best friend Janesa has gone missing. While in infrequent conact now, Emyn is
concerned enough to go with Tyler to look for Janesa, More is revealed about the couple's past
and Janessa's disapproval of the relationship. What will be the cost of Emyln's decision to follow
Tyler? Has he really changed?
Beautiful setting. Past and present timelines.
#TheNatureofDisappearing #StMartinsPublishingGroup #NetGalley

From the author's previous books, the settings have always had extremely important role in her books and with this one too, it follows the same pattern. Three estranged friends for years have mostly stayed within their lives but one of them is now missing and this makes Emlyn comes out from her wilderness life and meet with her ex Tyler to find their missing friend. But their breakup in the past was not without troubles and do they still create issues in their search? There is a constant eeriness in the air and that atmospheric vibe is clearly author's forte. I liked how Emlyn finally decides to put her past behind completely and grows as a person to move forward with her life.

If you like slow burn reads, this is the book for you!

"The Nature of Disappearing" is an intriguing mystery novel that had me hooked from the beginning. The story revolves around estranged relationships, both romantic and friendship, that unexpectedly find themselves back in the limelight. As I read, I kept asking myself whether some things are better left in the past. However, I enjoyed the plot twists and turns and was left with my jaw hanging open - it was that good! Kimi Cunningham Grant has a unique writing style that works wonderfully with the mystery/thriller genre. This is the second novel of hers that I have read (the first being "These Silent Woods" which was also phenomenal), and I plan to read every novel that she writes going forward. I highly recommend "The Nature of Disappearing" which is a five-star novel that should be on everyone's reading list!

THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING by Kimi Cunningham Grant

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for the ARC ebook.

This is a slow burn romance/suspense read with dual timelines. This is my second book by the author. I really enjoyed ‘These Silent Woods’ and this read was good but enjoyed ‘These Silent Woods’ way more.

I liked that it takes place in the wilderness and surviving the elements along with what being out in the wilderness takes. Felt it was more romance than a suspense/thriller. Would have liked a bit more action. I look forward to more books from KCG.

Touching on what friendship really means, revenge, survival, broken relationships, new beginnings and hope.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!

This is the second e-ARC I have received of Kimi Cunningham Grants through NetGalley and I am absolutely in love with her writing style, characters, and descriptions of nature. She writes beautiful books that show the beauty of nature as well as the danger and I have appreciated that element of her books. She also creates characters with complicated relationships, which comes across more realistic especially when it comes to the type of story she is trying to convey. The characters in her books have a lot of flaws and struggle through their own issues, which lead to issues for those around them. This attachment to realism creates the important base for these pieces of realistic fiction and I adore it.

Emlyn lives a simple life after her life changed drastically by being left by her then boyfriend, Tyler, and losing her friendship with Janessa in the process of building her relationship with Tyler. After nearly dying, she builds a simple life with her friends Rev, small town Reverend, and Varden, Forest Service Ranger. Along comes Tyler asking Emlyn for help to find their friend Janessa, who disappeared into the wilderness with her boyfriend. Emlyn decides to be strong and help find her friend with her skills as a tracker because if Emlyn was missing Janessa would look for her even though they haven't talked in years. This path leads to many secrets being revealed and a dangerous hike throughout the wilderness to hunt down her long-lost friend.

I agree with a lot of other reviews that the book itself is slow, but I appreciated the slowness of it due to how to resembled the life that Emlyn lives and how being in nature can feel. I grew up hiking and camping and learning a lot of safety lessons dealing with nature and slow and steady is the way to go. The pace of this book and the theme go hand-in-hand.

I recommend this book for someone looking for a slow but beautiful book that includes a little love, a little mystery, and a lot of nature. I can't wait for the next book to come out from Grant and I will definitely be picking up my own copy of this book to add to my collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint. I just love Kimi Cunningham Grant's writing, how the setting has such a profound impact on the characters. Emlyn ends up being a strong character, and in the end finds healing from past trauma.

It’s been three years since Emlyn was found freezing to death on the side of the road outside of Heart, Idaho. After her heart was broken and she was essentially left for dead by her boyfriend, Tyler, Emlyn has made a new life for herself as a successful wilderness guide. Those who saved her that night have become a new family and she is happier than she thought possible.

Everything changes when Emlyn sees a news report that her childhood friend, Janessa is missing and her abusive ex boyfriend who left her for dead shows up asking for help in finding her. Insert no.

I should say, I loved These Silent Woods by the same author and had high hopes for this adventure, mystery, suspense novel set in the Idaho wilderness. The vivid and atmospheric writing about nature and the wilderness had me captivated.
With that being said, The Nature of Disappearing is a solid read. But mind the fact that you'll not be liking all these characters. It's the circumstances and the strong element of trust that weaves its way throughout this one. Just how many times can a person look the other way and hope for the best? And at the core of this one is the stern reality that not everyone in our loop of friendship has our best interest in mind.
Good balances themes of romance, deceit, addiction, friendship and spirituality throughout the novel.
I want to thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Kimi Cunningham Grant is becoming an auto-read author for me! I loved These Silent Woods (recommend it all the time) and I was so excited to get the chance to read the arc of The Nature of Disappearing. Emlyn is living in Idaho as a camping/fishing guide putting her life back together after being abandoned in the wilderness by her ex Tyler. She learns that her estranged best friend as gone missing and Tyler comes to her asking for help in the search. Emlyn agrees and they set out together again into the wilderness. I really loved this story had good suspense and loved the survival aspects and how Idaho became like another character. Slowly the story of the three people unfolds as we see flashback chapters and we learn the truth about what's really going on. This was close to a 5 star read for me giving 4/4.5. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The book delves into themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the resilience of the human spirit. Emlyn's journey from a traumatic past to finding solace and purpose in the wilderness is likely a central aspect of the story, intertwined with her evolving feelings towards Tyler and her commitment to helping her friend Janessa. The blend of wilderness adventure, personal growth, and the complexity of relationships was captivating and it's refreshing to hear about a well-written depiction of spirituality without resorting to clichés. The author did a great job creating a rich and immersive experience.

Emlyn has settled into her new life after being left in the snow by her addict ex boyfriend. He shows up at her job and says he needs help locating their mutual best friend. She is a #vanlife influencer who seems to be missing.

This book was so different from other thrillers / mysteries I’ve read! The past and present back and forth chapters I loved because you’re seeing both stories play out at the same time. I think the plot involving an influencer was fun because it’s new and current.

The way the story played out and ended really did shock me because I had no idea how this was going to end. As Emlyn is sort of re-falling for Tyler, the reader does too and maybe he’s changed. So the ending was great and I loved the rekindling of Janessa and Emlyn’s friendship. The romance throughout the book makes me happy for Emlyn and her new beginning.

Thank you netgalley and Minotaur books for the ARC!

Emlyn has been abandoned more than once, so she’s not eager to open up and possibly let her heart get broken again. She had a falling out with her friend Janessa, but they’ve started getting in contact again. When Emlyn’s ex-boyfriend, who had left her for dead three years earlier, tells her that Janessa is in trouble and he could use Emlyn’s tracking skills to find her, Emlyn decides to trust him and find her friend. The truth of the situation puts Emlyn, Tyler, Janessa, and Janessa’s travel companion in danger, using all of their outdoor survival skills to make it out alive.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELASES JUNE 18, 2024.

It’s been three years since Emlyn was found freezing to death on the side of the road outside of Heart, Idaho. After her heart was broken and she was essentially left for dead by her boyfriend, Tyler, Emlyn has made a new life for herself as a successful wilderness guide. Those who saved her that night have become a new family and she is happier than she thought possible.

Everything changes when Emlyn sees a news report that her childhood friend, Janessa is missing and Tyler shows up asking for help in finding her.

Janessa and her boyfriend, Bush, have been trekking through the wilderness in their campervan and memorializing everything on social media. When Tyler doesn’t hear from her and there have been no posts for a week, he gets worried and fears the worst has happened.

He begs Emlyn for help and despite their terrible past, she relents and they begin the days long trek in search of Janessa and Bush. In close quarters and over the days, Emlyn begins to realize that Tyler has changed and she starts to wonder if the strong feelings she once had for him are dead or is she open to the possibility of rekindling the romance.

I found this to be such a lovely and well-written book. While not fast-paced, the author’s knowledge of and description of the Idaho wilderness and everything it offers was really illustrative and enjoyable to read.

The characters are well-developed and the story easy to understand told from both past and present perspectives with all questions answered.

Sidenote: I’ve noticed in so many books lately, a character gets into trouble and says something like, “I prayed to a God I’m not sure I believe in”. Every time I read this it drives me absolutely crazy. I was so happy that in this book, there is actually a character, very important to Emlyn who is seen as a spiritual guide and who is respected by those around her.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.