I very much enjoyed this sequel to Bringing Maggie Home. Kim Vogel Sawyer does a great job of writing an exciting mystery, while delving into relevant topics like forgiveness, grace and brokenness. Meghan DeFord is a cold-case detective assigned to get to the bottom of the mysterious disappearance of a banker who left for work and was never seen again. The case stirs up wounds from her own past by her own absent father. Meghan must choose between bitterness and resentment or healing and restoration.

Some favorite characters from the first book return in this one: Meghan's mother, Diane, and her grandmother, Hazel. Both are women with difficult pasts who have found healing and hope in their faith and relationship with Christ. Both are wonderfully warm and funny and add much to the story.

Another relevant topic that Unveiling the Past addresses is marriage. Meghan's husband, Sean, longs to start a family, but Meghan is reluctant and fearful. They both struggle to express their feelings and must learn how to communicate and understand each other.

If you enjoy contemporary Christian fiction and like a good mystery, you will definitely enjoy Unveiling the Past. Although it is a sequel, it does stand alone if you haven't read the first book, Bringing Maggie Home.

Interesting book. I liked the suspense but I wasn’t aware of the religious overtones. Good book and solid read.

I found Unveiling the Past by Kim Vogel Sawyer to be a favorable read.  The author let’s us into the characters lives as we watch how they work together on investigation cases and come into new ones.  Sometimes, based on their life experiences, there can be tension with this.  There’s also a story line of wanting to extend their family.  They have quite a few things to work through.  That sure kept me reading through this one.  
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.


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In Unveiling the Past, Kim Vogel Sawyer takes her readers on an emotional roller coaster as we navigate the plot line. The plot line itself is great, but it is not dull at all! Character development is great throughout as the readers really come to love the characters.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Strong characters in both Sean and Meghan as they work together in as cold case detectives and as husband and wife. They both work hard to balance their personal and professional lives in what at times was a hostile environment.

The story was unique and thought provoking as you look at the lives of three women. The intertwined relationships between mother and daughter and daughter to father. I think the thing that impacted me the most was the power of faithfulness and forgiveness.

If you are a Kim Vogel Sawyer fan you'll love this book. If you've never read her books this is a great one to start with. She gives readers characters with passion and depth and a storyline that is meaningful and very touching.

Disclaimer: I did receive this book from the publisher but was under no obligation to provide a review.

Having previously read & enjoyed this author’s work, I was disappointed with Unveiling the Past. I didn’t particularly warm to any of the characters – except maybe Sean - & the storylines seemed rather too glib. The title is apt, however, fitting each of the several stories being told. If the themes of the book were analyzed they would probably look good on paper, it just somehow didn’t work for me as a whole. It was a book I had to keep forcing myself to return to, (in order to be able to write this review.) I did also feel there was some unnecessary content which made me feel uncomfortable, unexpected from a Christian author. I would rate it 2 1/2 stars if that were possible...

Meghan DeFord and Sean Eagle are married cold case detectives who usually work together, but are now working separate cases in different cities.  Meghan is teamed up with another detective, trying to help a woman find her father, who vanished without a trace.  Sean is continuing to work a case of two missing boys and is teamed with  a detective who is troubled and lashing out.  At the same time, Meghan has decided to try and make contact with her father, who has never been in her life. She consults her mother, Diane, about the best way to approach him.

This is an interesting Christian mystery with a solid message of God's love and forgiveness.  I really enjoyed the interactions between Meghan's mother and grandmother (and their three dachshunds).  However, there are times when it seems that things are tied up too neatly and quickly.  I have seen God work this way, but it usually takes time.  There is also a little conflict in my opinion between the way Meghan describes her mother and the way Diane is actually portrayed.   Meghan describes her as unmotherly early in the book, and she is one of the reasons that Meghan doesn't want to become a Mom.  However, in the book, Diane is portrayed as a delightful person who is very dedicated to her daughter. She is shown briefly as a stressed single Mom early in the book.   Since the DeFord women were first introduced in the novel Bringing Maggie Home in 2017, that conflict may have been resolved in that book.

The two mysteries are interesting and engaging, and the personalties of all the detectives are explored.

If you enjoy Christian mysteries,  you will enjoy this book.  I suggest reading Bringing Maggie Home first.

Three and a half stars, rounded up to four.

Kim Vogel Sawyer has been a favorite author of mine for years. She is the queen of historical romance in my opinion but I just developed a new fascination with her. This book is set in the modern day and is about two detectives with the cold case unit. This is my 2nd favorite type of fiction / stories. It's like finding a new author. I find myself daydreaming about this book having a sequel or two. I fell in love with these characters and want to know more about them. What happened after this?

This is the story of Meghan and her husband, Seth, who are Cold Case detectives. Meghan was raised by a single mother and never knew her father. But then we learn the story of Meghan's mother Diane and Kevin, Meghan's birthfather. And thrown in there is the story of Seth's childhood and Kevin's childhood and Diane's mother, Hazel and her sister, and Kevin's life thus far including his adopted son. In addition, we have the history behind the two cold cases the detectives are working on and even the lives of the other detectives and their chief. It sound like a lot but it is all part of a wonderous story! I want to give it more than 5 stars. I want to give it five stars and five exclamation points. I might even reread it, which is something I rarely do because there are so many new books to read. Kudos, Kim Vogel Sawyer. You hit this one out of the ballpark. Please write a few more of this genre.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

This was a pretty good book. The story was well paced. The main characters were really exciting to follow on their journey. I hadn’t read this author before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was not disappointed!
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

A great cozy read, with detective work, and fun relatable characters. I particularly liked the grandmother character best with all her wits. It did seem a bit preachy at times but it had a great message about our heavenly Father and second chances. People who like women's fiction would probably enjoy it most :).

“Unveiling the Past” by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a great story about a woman who finds her birth father, a man who abandoned her mother when she told him that she was pregnant. The story is told from 4 different points of view that alternate throughout the book, and it was great to read their different perspectives. Sawyer is a great writer and I look forward to reading more of her books! Speaking of more books, “Unveiling the Past” is the second book in a series. I have not read the first book, but I will certainly do so now!

Unveiling the Past by Kim Vogel Sawyer is like reading two books. Not because of the various storylines but because of the religious monologues throughout the book. First, the story is truly interesting. Somehow Sawyer manages to weave the same theme in each character's crisis. A father is missing, what happened is a mystery and what effect will solving the mystery bring. The characters are real and the descriptions are vivid from the way they look and smell to attitudes and behaviors. Any one person in the story could be developed into their own book.
I did find the "preaching" a bit much. Apparently, the answer to everyone's happiness is to be saved. I am a Christian and claim Jesus Christ as my savior so why am I being critical? Because it was a hard sell in the book to the point of being distracting. The story is truly interesting and the drawn-out efforts to convince someone to accept Christ was overdone.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from Netgalley.

This was not my usual genre of book that l read but l did enjoy a change. The story was interesting and quite complicated which kept me reading to see if the puzzles could be solved. The main characters were strong and knew what they were doing in their jobs. I was not bored at all and will read more of this type of book.

Those who have read Bringing Maggie Home will enjoy catching up with the DeFord women in Unveiling the Past. Meghan and Sean are partners at work as well as in life now. Diane is living with her mother in Nevada but keeps in touch with her daughter.

When Meghan and Sean are given the choice to work together on a case or split up in order to keep working both cases, the second choice reigns. This couple is now forced to work with other detectives. If that isn't stressful enough, Meghan is also dealing with whether she wants to meet her birth father—a man who had no part in her life over the years.

As Diane attempts to bridge the gap between Sean and her daughter, Meghan discovers truths about herself she's never believed possible. With their evident faith, Sawyer's continued character growth is phenomenal and the intricate stories lines come together to form a satisfying conclusion.



Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed reading Unveiling the Past by Kim Vogel Sawyer. I’ve read many of her other books, which I loved, and this book is a change from her usual genre. It is about a newly married couple who are also cold case detectives. The story follows them as they attempt to solve two separate cases as they go through struggles of their own. It was such a nice blend of faith, family and mystery in this story! I definitely look forward to reading her next book!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a fantastic story! I had actually thought I'd read all of it, but must've gotten distracted and never did. So, I picked the ebook back up to dive back in and the chapters I'd already read came flooding back. I really liked having so many viewpoints. I know it could've been confusing, but the author's writing makes it easy to keep track of whose POV we're reading from.

The mother/daughter relationships really play such a vital role across the entire storyline. Just for my own wishes, it would've been great to have known Diane's relationship with her mom as she grew up. Her relationship with her as an adult seemed to be one of caring. It was a great testament to the power of prayer and the fact that people can change.

Actually that seemed to be the overall theme of the story.

I liked the mystery surrounding Sheila's father which gave us readers something to propel the story forward and keep us on our toes. I also appreciated that it helped Meghan see that she could care for others and that someone other than her husband could care for her in a reliable way.

One of the "negatives" I had with the story is the work relationship between Sean and Meghan. They seem to be these intense cold case detectives, but also very codependent. I can completely understand loving working with a specific person, especially your spouse, but it seemed on the unhealthy side in that they could barely stand the thought of doing a single, possibly short cold case with someone else. Even not having their desks touching seemed to make it so they weren't sure how to even function. In that respect I was incredibly glad they were forced to work with someone else. lol

Kevin's storyline was probably my favorite aspect of the whole story. His relationship with his father dictating how he responded to Diane's pregnancy, to his numerous wives, to his brokenness, all came together in a way that made him out to be a guy who was relying on everything BUT God for his life. I thoroughly enjoyed the roles Diane and Hazel played to help soften his rough edges and see past himself.

Another good book by author Kim Vogel Sawyer, I encourage you to read Bringing Maggie Home first. Things will make more sense if you do. I enjoyed visiting with some of the characters from it. Besides, it’s a really good book too.

Characters Sean and Meghan are strong and determined, which is good for business but not so good personally. We see them work through things, although it’s not easy.

There are several twists and turns in this story, making it one I had trouble putting down because I need things to be resolved. There were a few late nights in my life, but it was so worth it. I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Unveiling the Past is a Christian women’s fiction novel by author Kim Vogel Sawyer.

Meghan DeFord and Sean Eagle are cold-case detectives who happen to be married, to each other. Anson Menke has been missing since 2002. There is a very good story in the story. I appreciate that the author writes about having a relationship with God through Christ Jesus, and not just having a religion. There is a big difference as the story points out.

I could relate to the characters and found myself often times thinking of my own family relationships. I wish our relationships would have been different however, as the story points out, God can make a way where there seems to be no way.

I recommend this novel to fans of women’s fiction with a bit of suspense.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

A review from a trusted blogger and author has shown me that I will not enjoy this book because there is sexual content that while fine for a married couple is not something I will read as a teen who is unmarried.

We all have a past and family members thAt have left deep wounds and scars. We can’t change them or the past but we can choose how to move forward and overcome fears and  doubts to move closer to others and our Heavenly Father. See how their lives unfold and the paths chosen and where they lead.