Read this book in one day. The writing was well done and the intricate weave of other "missing in the wilderness" stories was perfectly placed. I was curious if Jacob was ever found and couldn't quiy reading until I knew. I have to admit, believing in Big Foot has NEVER been something I would have entertained until reading this book. Five stars. Easy read. Thank you Net Galley for the chance to read such an amazing adventure. Loss, Hope and Redemption.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48717769-the-cold-vanish

Chilling, eerie and real, author John Billman delivers a powerful warning message in his book "The Cold Vanish." The work which is set to be released in July 2020 is set in the wildlands of North America and tells the story of people who mysteriously go missing. The main storyline outlines the disappearance of Jacob Gray, a 22 year old an athletic outdoorsy surfer who ventured off into the Olympic National Park never to be heard from again. After he vanishes, the author links up with his father, Randy Gray and learns about the search efforts undertaken to find Jacob. Will he be found alive? Is he already dead? The author compares Jacob's situation to Schrodinger's cat. The world may never know... unless someone opens the box to find out.

This book is well written in a respectful but intriguing way. These stories of real missing persons are extremely unique and distinctive. The author bravely shares both Jacob's story along with countless others weaving together the commonalities found within all of the cases. He does an expert job of comparing and contrasting the different vanishing accounts while taking care not to spread misinformation, rumors or legends. He uses clear but descriptive terminology which will engage readers and give them the lingering sense of natural danger found within these wildlands along with strong hints of true crime. "The Cold Vanish" is not to be missed as it illuminates the subject of missing people that often hides precariously along the periphery of everyday life.

THE COLD VANISH: Seeking the Missing in North America’s Wildlands by Jon Billman is an informative book mainly focused around Randy Gray and his search for his son Jacob Gray who went missing in Olympic National Park. It was really interesting to learn about all the different aspects of a search and rescue mission (who’s in charge, volunteer teams and dog trackers just to name a few) but it was especially interesting that the author was actively a part of the search effort with Randy.
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There were a few parts in the book where the timeline was confusing and a few jokes and asides that seemed unnecessary and out of place but overall this was a good read in a new to me topic.

Billman weaves together numerous shorter stories of missing persons with the story of the disappearance of Jacob Gray. He focuses on its impact on Gray's family and the incredible lengths the searchers went to solve this mystery. As someone with an interest in hiking/backpacking and the Pacific Northwest, I found this topic absolutely fascinating, if not bleak. This book highlights everything we don't realize about missing-person's cases: the endless hours of planning, deliberating, and searching that goes into finding those that are lost.

An interesting look at the people who have disappeared from wild places in North America and the loved ones they leave behind. The author follows several cases, joins on Search and Rescue missions, and befriends family members left behind to give a glimpse into the world of the missing.

Twenty-two-year-old Jacob Gray packs up a bunch of gear and sets out on his bike. His abandoned bike, 10 yards off the side of the road, is found inside Olympic National Park with no sign of Jacob. Rangers assume he has headed off for a hike and figure the hiker and his bike will be gone by the next morning. Rangers return to find the abandoned bike but still no sign of the bike rider. Three days after his bike ride began, Jacob has disappeared into thin air.
The book follows Jacob’s father, Randy, on his journey to look for Jacob. Randy is an open minded free spirit who follows the advice of psychics, Bigfoot aficionados, cults, spiritual strangers, random hunches, and dreams in trying to find his missing son.
The pages are full of details about national parks, people who go missing out doors, tracking dogs, search and rescue protocols, and it’s also full of ghosts, unknowable loss and love. If I ever go missing, Randy Gray is the man that I want searching for me.

As someone who works in Search and Rescue, I was really expecting to like this book. Unfortunately, I was super disappointed. It feels horribly biased against the national park system, and the SAR folks the author talked to are, quite frankly, mostly Bigfoot-chasing quacks. The narrative also feels quite disjointed and is lacking good transitions. Not impressed at all. I think Billman should stick to writing magazine articles. It feels like this book just got away from him.

What Jon Billman does so well in The Cold Vanish is remind us of a fundamental truth that's occasionally forgotten: the people who go missing are real people. In the distance between us and the cases we read about in the news or on forums or consume in (slightly) sensationalized media like missing411, it's easy to forget that; it's easy to get lost in conspiracy theories and talk of the paranormal, and to forget that there are people who are gone, and that they've left people behind. Billman handles the case of Jacob Gray (and the cases that intersect the narrative) with a professional grace. He humanizes rather than mythologizes, reminding us again and again of the people at the heart of these stories, and each story he recounts is heartbreaking. Sharp writing paired with the fact he never exploits the people he writes about makes for an amazing account of a phenomenon that's terrifying to think about; there's one passage in the book where a woman he'd spoken to points out that we lean into conspiracy theories because it helps our fear of the missing, and that really stuck with me. The book is well-researched and well-organized, flowing seamlessly between accounts of the missing, and always tying back to the central narrative of the search for Jacob incredibly well. There's a lot of nods towards other media on the topics that are now on my radar to consume further, as this is a topic that's recently become of incredible interest to me.

One thing that really got to me was Billman acknowledging how many indigenous women go missing, and how little resources are dedicated to searching for them, and though it was only briefly discussed, I'm glad it was brought into the spotlight at all.

This is emotional, raw yet expertly written, and I'm really grateful to netgalley for providing me with an ARC.

This was so compelling. I recommend it to anyone who, like me, is obsessed with stories of those who vanish seemingly without a trace or clues. Its so easy to forget the families behind the stories and this book focuses on the efforts and searchers. I loved it.

This is a non fiction mystery book very much on the order of Paulides' writings, which are all about missing persons who mostly go out trekking in the wilds of North America. But this book is far superior because it's a well written, absorbing, humorous and engrossing narrative that follows one man's unending search for his son.
It's not just a list with a little fleshing out.The young man was very different from the average incapable hiker who doesn't even expect to spend a night in the woods. This son was extraordinarily experienced and an incredibly able swimmer, adventurer etc. And so are quite a few of the missing.
In between chapters that follow the dad's search we're told about many other missing people in places near and far. Some disappearances seem to have a logical explanation, sometimes bodies are found, then again, some cases are so inexplicable that thinkers, searchers and writers, too, venture into Sasquatch and Alien territory.
I like this book a LOT, even though it does go on too long. I've heard quite enough about "Gray's" search for his missing son and when I check there's still 8 hours to go. The book is topheavy and may fall over but it's very good, nonetheless.

A chilling read a book of people gone missing.Each story WBA’s so well written so tense.Including the people who are left searching for the lost.The father who gives up everything to search for his missing son.A fascinating read.#netgalley#grandcentralpublishin.

I had read the original article about missing persons on National Parks and so I was excited to see it has been expanded to a book.

The book covers a number of missing person cases but also focuses in on one father’s search for his son, the people who helped and supported him and the people he encountered in the process. The author has become involved in several searches and relationships as a result of his research and his passion is very clear.

It was eye opening to me how wide spread the challenges are and how unaware most of us are. It’s similar to the MMIW situation and when you realize the scale, it’s shocking. I was intrigued with the idea that data science can be so helpful with individual searches and possibly with MMIW, if the information can be obtained.

I would recommend this for any true crime fans, anyone that spends time out in the national parks system and any armchair adventure readers.

I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“The Cold Vanish” does a good job of exploring the cases of disappearances in the wilderness, national parks, and national forests.

Following one case specifically, journalist Jon Billman not only tries to discover the truth about missing person Jacob Gray but what the effect of those who have gone missing have on family members and loved ones who are looking for them: the hope, the grief, the rampant thoughts of what happened. It’s not unsympathetic to see how some family members are willing to go so far as to believe it was UFOs or Bigfoot because at some point as written by Billman, a lead is a lead.

Billman treats his subjects with care and the Gray family are never exploited. The narrative flows really well and includes other cases of baffling disappearances and some reappearances – such as a young boy missing for three days who says a bear took care of him during that time, or a woman with short-term memory who only has vague recollections of how she survived after being gone a week. Then there are the sensational murder cases.

The one thing tying them all together are the ones left behind which Billman explores with genuine interest.

A few points get a little lengthy in describing searches that go nowhere for Jacob that don’t tie in to the family dynamic and I do feel bad for David Paulides who while exploring these kind of disappearances on the fringes did kind of start the conversation which got Billman on the job with an original article for a magazine (at one point Billman writes about wondering why Paulides' hair is so black despite his age – that line should be taken out before publication if possible since it’s just shady and implies people who color their hair are somehow untrustworthy). Billman also compares him almost to circus ringmasters for people to look at oddities and while refusing to exclude Bigfoot, doesn’t include him either, rather letting speculation take hold. Then Billman kind of, sort of, does the same. Paulides has made a living off of these stories, going to conventions, selling books and movies, and Billman seems to have an issue with these things.

Other than that, this is good reading. Really good. Very interesting, very factual and full of emotion as well to tie it all together.

Non-fiction fans who have developed an interest in this story will get it all, from the facts of the disappearances, the lack of government records on them in national parks, and the search for one young man who left behind more questions than answers and Billman’s search for them with Jacob’s family.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for early access to this book due July 7th, 2020.

People go missing every day in America, some run away, others are murdered, and some are never found. It’s been said not knowing is worse than being confronted with the death of the missing person. At least then, the family has answers, however grim. Billman explores cases of people who have vanished without a trace and the family members left behind, as well as the people involved in the search. A dark and fascinating look into the netherworld of the lost and missing

I was very interested in reading this book following the description. After watching Missing411, my desire to hike the AT one day and reading When They Find my Body - I knew this book would be great to dive into.
And it was. Very cool facts laid out about a few select individuals who have gone missing in the wild. The stories of their search and rescue and mostly the lack theirof - was absolutely terrifying. I couldn’t believe what doesn’t go on to help people find their loved ones. The red tape in the national parks - not keeping records of the missing - how many people actually go missing! I hope more amendments happen, I hope more people read about this and can eventually be changed!
I look forward to reading more by said author.