Vanished by Mark Bierman #bookreview #thriller

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews

Tragedy . . . heartache . . . how much more can Tyler Montgomery and John Webster take? This missions trip, the “healing” one, has only added fresh layers of pain. Construction of an orphanage in Haiti’s northwest . . . yes. But a doomed rescue operation, human traffickers, human anomalies, extreme personal danger . . . risk of death? They hadn’t signed up for any of those.

Turning their backs on the crisis, however, is unthinkable, it’s just not who they are.

I have a difficult time reading about cruelty of any kind toward children or animals, so I knew going in parts of this book would be a challenge for me. It’s a horrific reality that human trafficking exists in this day and age and is actually quite common in some areas. So common that when a young girl is abducted by slave traders in Haiti, very little effort goes into trying to find her. Tyler, grieving the death of his wife, and his father-in-law, John, are shocked at the lack of response and vow to find the girl and return her to her mother no matter what. With two Americans in an unfamiliar country taking on such an incredibly dangerous task it won’t be an easy quest. Who can they trust? Where do they even start?

I’d be lying if I said this is an easy read – it’s absolutely not. Tyler’s and John’s journey is filled with obstacles and dead ends, harsh truths, unsavory characters, and violence. Even when their own lives are in danger, neither is willing to abandon their search for this child. The subplots are just as compelling and tragic. Although it portrays very real atrocities that occur far too often, this story is also full of hope and inspiration. There is still good in the world and people who are willing to go to battle against evil.

The author does a wonderful job dealing with such a tragic topic, and it’s clear the novel was thoroughly researched. Vanished is incredibly thought-provoking and will leave a lasting impression.

63 thoughts on “Vanished by Mark Bierman #bookreview #thriller”

    2. Thank you Tessa. I was careful not to include any gore, or excessive violence, and there are no rape scenes, whatsoever, in this book. People have asked why I wrote this book. Truth be told, I think it has alot to do with the years spent working in a maximum security prison. This book was written, yes, to bring awareness to the issue, but it also helped me deal with the real life monsters I faced everyday.

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  5. suerovens

    Great review. If I know for a fact that animals will be hurt/killed graphically in a book, I’ll take a pass. I know sometimes it happens, and if it’s mentioned in passing for a “good reason”, I’ll continue. But, as we all know, some folks like to write graphic details about harming animals – and that is too unacceptable.

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    2. Thanks for your comment. I can assure you that there are no scenes where animals are hurt or killed in this novel. You can also be assured that there is no gore, rape, or excessive violence written into this story. Thanks for your interest. 🙂

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  7. A great review, Teri. I read this book some time ago and found it highly compelling. I was worried about the subject matter, but despite the book having plenty of dark moments, the overall message of hope was the one that shone through for me as well. Congratulations to Mark.

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    2. Thank you. It was a hard subject to write about, but my emphasis was on hope and the people I call the ‘helpers’ every bad situation will bring out these people. Over twenty years working in maximum security prisons has taught me that some people are capable of the most heinous atrocities. I avoided any gore, rape, or excessive violence in this book, to spare the reader.

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  10. I have this on my TBR list. Years ago, a man in my writer’s group wrote a book about human trafficking. Sadly he never published it. Dark subject matter but it’s something we don’t need to turn a blind eye to.

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    2. Thanks Joan. Too bad the fellow never published it. It goes unnoticed by so many, in every country of the world. To bring an issue to the light of day is the first step towards solving it. There’s always hope and there are always those willing to step in and help.

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    2. Hi Jacquie, I’ve been asked by many why I chose this topic. Yes, it was to bring awareness to the crime, but also as a personal way of coping. What I mean by that is, the twenty plus years I have spent working in maximum security prisons with the worst of the worst. I think I wrote it, in part, to cope with the evil and trauma that I faced everyday. I have spent many nights lying awake, from the atrocities I’ve witnessed and heard about. I think I really needed to pull some good from all of it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate you. 🙂

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