Page One: Vanished (Paperback)

by Nancy Barr (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A dusty old scrapbook in a used bookstore finds its way into the hands of Robin Hamilton, small-town newspaper reporter, who is taking a day off in the tiny tourist town of Copper Harbor, Michigan. The frayed scrapbook's first page holds a photo of Mary Jo Quinn with the dates, 1960-1974. The golden brown eyes from the picture seem to peer into Robin's soul, prodding her to read the newspaper clippings inside that describe the young girl's disappearance on her last day of school. It rocked the small community of Houghton in '74. As Robin shares her discovery, she learns of the disappearance of another girl in Ishpeming, five years later in '79, same age, same time of year, same odd occurrence, vanished without a trace. Robin's mind begins to wonder about these similarities. Girls sometimes run away, the local residents conclude, but when Robin's editor recalls the disappearance of yet another young girl in yet another town of Michigan's Upper Peninsula in 1993, Robin is powerless to ignore the possibility that these disappearances were not runaway girls at all, but abductions and possibly murders. Through relentless inquiries, it appears that five young girls went missing in the U.P. over a thirty-year period. Robin investigates the cases for the newspaper and uncovers disturbing facts and another girl's disappearance after a mysterious intruder warns Hamilton to mind her own business. Racing to reveal a perpetrator, our heroine finds herself in harm's way with unfathomable evil.

About the Author
Nancy Barr was an award winning journalist for more than ten years. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. Her previous mystery is Page One: Hit and Run set in Michigan's rugged Upper Peninsula.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Arbutus Press (May 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933926163
• ISBN-13: 978-1933926162
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #957,746 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Redemption in the Upper Peninsula, April 22, 2008

By	Story Circle Book Reviews (www.storycirclebookreviews.org) - See all my reviews

Nancy Barr's second mystery again features Robin Hamilton, a 30-something reporter in a small town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. While vacationing with her best friend in a nearby tourist town, she visits a bookstore and finds a scrapbook that had been kept by a local schoolteacher, now deceased. It contains an account of and exposes the tragic disappearance of a young girl on the last day of junior high, including extensive newspaper clippings of the ensuing search. Robin becomes intrigued by the girl's story, and it leads her to investigate other missing persons. Eventually, she uncovers a disturbing pattern. Girls have been going missing in the area over the last twenty years, at a rate of one every five years. Pursuing the serial killer, and solving the crime, leads to unexpected horror.

The characters Barr has created are realistically drawn and become people you'd like to hang out with (well, except for the killer...). The backstory of Robin's recent loss, and a story of family redemption and forgiveness are well played and engaging. Robin becomes a good friend, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with her. The story takes us on a quite a nice tour of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and gives us a peek into an interesting and beautiful part of the country that I hadn't been aware of before reading this entertaining "cozy."

by Catherine Cogburn
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Set in a land apart, June 4, 2007

By	S. Bays (Michigan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Nancy Barr's writing style is at ease, especially in her second mystery novel as Nancy gets comfortable in her mystery writing career. I love the setting - Michigan's rugged Upper Peninsula - and Barr takes us all over the land apart to find 5 missing girls. Can't wait for the next in the Robin Hamilton series.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great UP Mystery, November 11, 2007

By	J. Robinson (Sault Ste. Marie, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You don't have to be a resident of Michigan's Upper Pennisula to love Nancy Barr's Robin Hamilton Mystery Series. If you are familiar with the UP (Upper Pennisula)there will be an added plus to your enjoyment. I have read and enjoyed all of Steve Hamilton's Alex McKnight novels which also are set in Michigan's UP. It is wonderful to have another author to enjoy my favorite pennisula and great mysteries with. Thank you, Nancy Barr!