Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC audiobook. Emlyn (really. who is named Emlyn). and Tyler are looking for their missing friend Janessa. Janessa is an influencer who uploads her life with her partner as they explore the wilderness. This one was slightly boring for me, I just couldn't connect with any of the characters and I found myself speeding it up over the course of listening so that I could get it done sooner. I very much appreciated the setting, I have never been to Idaho and loved the descriptions. I just wasn't really sold on the characters' connection to each other. They aren't flawed enough to be interesting, nor are they pure enough to be likeable. Perhaps it would be better to read instead of listen on this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Emily Pike Stewart who does a fabulous job. I highly recommend the audio version!!!

WOW! I devoured this story! I discovered this story when I read a Minotaur Sampler, which if you have the opportunity to read one of those I recommend it. I have never read anything by this author before and look forward to reading more by her!

We meet Emlyn in the beautiful wild of Idaho, who is a fishing guide. Although we don't know at first what trauma has happened, it fairly obvious that Emlyn has been hurt deeply. She has a carefully curated life that only involves a few select people.

But, when she hears from Tyler, the one person who she cares for most in the world but no longer talks to, she hesitates to answer. Tyler was, and clearly is not longer, the love of her life. He suddenly shows up at her work asking that she help him find their mutual best friend who has disappeared. Emlyn decides to help Tyler search for their friend, and this is that story.

I loved how the author weaves the character stories and development through the alternating narrative of past and present. The descriptions of the wildlife, nature, and rivers is so well done. Its easy to submerse yourself in the beautiful setting. The pacing is fast and the ending is a little twisty, which I love. All in all, a wonderful read!

Highly recommend!!!

This was a good atmospheric, character-driven mystery. I enjoyed the journey deep into the wilderness and loved getting to know Emlyn and Janessa. The story moves slowly and one of the major plot lines does not reveal until half-way into the book. The writing is excellent and kept me engaged, and constantly enamored with the beautifully dangerous backdrop of nature. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This was a well-executed audiobook.

Thank you MacMillan Audio and St Martin's Press for the amazingly good The Nature of Disappearing from Kimi Cunningham Grant. I loved this book, the writing is excellent and the audiobook performance has made me a big fan of Emily Pike Stewart (she really nailed the emotional tones, the self reflection dialogue and the whole mood of the story). I love writing that is immersive in a character and setting and Cunningham clearly knows how to write about nature and people who live a little off the grid.

I love this character driven mystery that is as much an examination of the main character's life as much as a story about her missing friend. The story moves between the past, when Emlyn and Janessa meet in college and become friends and the years around that time into the present day when Emlyn, somewhat out of touch with Janessa goes on a mission, with her ex Tyler, to find Janessa when she goes missing in the wilderness. The time frames weave together elegantly, as the past timeline provides needed context to Emlyn in present day and helps pull in pieces of the puzzle underneath the mystery and their relationships. The missing person story was well done and a powerful way to present a story of self growth for Emlyn; the mission to find Janessa becoming the context for her to reflect on the past few years and where and who she is now. The title itself is a powerful statement, who was disappearing, what leads to disappearing,... it is more than a missing person story, it is a story of finding oneself through tough times.


Recommended for fans of Hannah Morrisey and similar authors

This was meh. I didn't find myself rooting for anyone. It had moments of being good but it was missing consistency. At times it reminded me of Fredrick Bachman but it missed the mark on the way he captures the human condition.

Such a good title that I requested the audio ARC and listened to it all over again! 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.

Emily Pike Steward is a brilliant narrator. She is absolutely perfect for this role. Our protagonist has had this difficult life and now she is in the woods with her ex boyfriend, who nearly got her killed years before, looking for her former best friend. There is a lot going on here and I do not want to spoil a thing. I will tell you I could not stop listening for even a moment. It is so beautiful. It also felt real. If someone said this was based on a true story, I would believe it.
It really picks up in the last 1.5 hours but the entire book is amazing!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6522415413

I binge read this title because I simply could not put it down. I saw a few of the twists, but not all of them. It was a great edge-of-your-seat living vicariously title. The setting was great, the characters were just the right blend of believable and sketchy. It was a great read!

Emlyn is starting to heal from a disastrous relationship that ended with her nearly dead. But suddenly, her best friend, Janessa, has disappeared, and her old boyfriend has asked her to help him find her.

This is a beautiful story that is a great thriller set in a beautiful Idaho landscape. But it’s also a novel about grief, hope, moving on,, and allowing the goodness of others in to your life. If you like Peter Heller, you need to read Kimmi Cunningham Grant.

Emlyn’s former best friend Janessa has gone missing in the Idaho wilderness. Tyler, Emlyn’s ex-boyfriend and Janessa’s business partner, coaxes the reluctant Emlyn to join the backwoods search. Rich with details of the natural world this mystery felt more about the journey than the destination. Alternating between past and present timelines, we get a full picture of the character’s motivations and backstories. This is a slow-burn story of friendship, sacrifice, and losing yourself only to be found once again.

Emily Pike Steward was a fantastic narrator for the audiobook. She was able to capture the serenity of nature juxtaposed with the urgency of a missing woman. I'd highly recommend this format!

Read this if you:
Prefer a slow build mystery with a focus on character development rather than jaw-dropping twists
Have ever found yourself in a metaphorical wilderness
Are drawn to atmospheric stories with a strong sense of place
Are willing to pick up a very different story than These Silent Woods

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook!

Kimi Cunningham Grant is such a unique voice in the mystery genre. She writes books that keep you on the edge of your seat with multi-layered plots, alluring characters (full of secrets and complicated pasts), and artfully painted scenery. But Cunningham goes beyond just masterfully telling a story as she weaves in deeper themes from a Christian perspective. This is done purposefully yet subtly enough where the story can be fully appreciated by those with many different worldviews. As a Christian, this is my favorite part of her works.

I read THESE SILENT WOODS a couple years back and haven't stopped thinking about it since. I remember where I was (sobbing in my car in the library parking lot) when I listened to the ending of the book and since then it has become my most recommended book (loved by every one that took me up on the rec).

In a similar way, THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING captivated me right from the beginning. The cover, the title, the synopsis all intrigued me and made this my most anticipated 2024 read.

My only complaint was that I didn't want the story to end. I need more of these characters!

The story was told spanning multiple different time periods in the main character, Emlyn's life. In typical Cunningham fashion, bits and pieces of her past were revealed gradually along with the present day perspective to slowly sculpt her into the woman she is now.

While the mysterious elements were enough to keep me hooked and turning pages, the themes of trust, friendship and forgiveness will stay with me long after I forget the details of the plot.

My recommendation is to go in blind and enjoy the ride!

Emily Pike Stewart narrated this one and was so easy to listen to! She did a wonderful job!

This book will be available for purchase on June 18, 2024!