If you’re anything like me and love getting lost in real-life mysteries, Elizabeth MacLeod’s *Vanished* will keep you flipping pages well into the night. This non-fiction read masterfully combines suspense and history, offering six of the world’s most perplexing unsolved disappearances that leave you wondering, “What really happened?”

MacLeod, known for her intriguing true crime books like *Bones Never Lie* and *Royal Murder*, strikes again with *Vanished*, delivering a blend of captivating storytelling and fact-based accounts. Each chapter centers around a disappearance that has stumped experts for years, like the infamous Alcatraz prison break of 1962. MacLeod’s vivid retelling brings you right into the heart of the escape, where three determined inmates navigated one of the most secure prisons in the world. The question remains: did they outsmart the frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay, or did their escape plan meet a watery end? The author doesn’t just leave you hanging; she introduces you to the forensic advances and theories that continue to baffle investigators today.

Another standout mystery in the book is the haunting tale of the SS Mary Celeste. In 1872, this American brigantine set sail from New York, only to be found adrift off the coast of Portugal with no soul aboard. What happened to the captain and crew remains one of maritime history’s most disturbing enigmas. MacLeod’s writing transports you to the ghostly, abandoned ship, making you feel the eerie calm of the ocean and the uncertainty that surrounded this ill-fated voyage.

For art lovers and mystery buffs, one of my personal favorite stories MacLeod explores is the 1990 Isabella Gardner Museum Heist. It’s a tale that feels straight out of a Hollywood movie: priceless art stolen from a prestigious Boston gallery by thieves dressed as police officers, and to this day, not a single piece has been recovered. MacLeod does an excellent job at capturing the heist’s audacity and the heartbreak of art lovers worldwide, keeping you invested in the ongoing hunt for these treasures.

What makes *Vanished* especially engaging is the way it’s formatted. The book is packed with color photographs, detailed sidebars, and maps that make the mysteries come alive. As a visual learner, I found these elements added an extra layer of immersion, perfect for middle-grade readers or anyone who wants a visual representation of the tales.

Overall, *Vanished* is a thrilling yet educational read that will appeal to young readers curious about history’s greatest cold cases. Elizabeth MacLeod’s skillful mix of narrative and factual investigation sparks endless curiosity, and each story leaves you with just enough to keep your mind buzzing. If you’re participating in Non-Fiction November, this is one title you’ll want to add to your list—you might even find yourself doing some amateur sleuthing of your own!

This is exactly the kind of book I love. I am fascinated by cases of disappearances so something would have had to go terribly wrong form me to not like this book, but MacLeod sealed their deal and made this a book that kept me interested page after page.

While I am familiar with these events, I haven't read too much about the lost Amber Room. That was an interesting story. The room must have been amazing! Anyone not familiar with these stories, or only remotely aware of them will enjoy learning more about them in this book. I think it's wonderful that someone has collected them all in one book. Good read!

This book is a great non-fiction read for many ages and reading levels among children. Its compelling stories and the mid-level difficulty is perfect for grade school kids who want to start reading informational text but aren't ready for hardcore non-fiction books without any fun stories. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to my students, and it's a very solid read for anyone.

I very much enjoyed the stories behind these history mysteries. This book would be a terrific addition to any social studies curriculum. It is a great investigative look at some of the mysteries surrounding disappearances throughout the years . Students would enjoy the illustrations as well as the interesting information.