The Cold Vanish is a perfect name for this book. It is the gut wrenching stories of those who vanished in remote areas. Their families who longingly looked for them as in the story of Jacob Gray. It is well told and very descriptive. The mixture of truth, science, and even Sasquatch are  detailed inside this book so well that you feel as though you know those who are missing and it saddens you deeply as a reader. The writer has brilliant skills when it comes to research and correct information as I of course had to research a couple of cases myself because I was so intrigued. These types of situations where people go missing in national forests or trails and mountains happens a lot more frequently than people are aware. This is definitely a great fast paced book to read. 

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman is fascinating read encompassing science, true crime, nature, survival stories and even Sasquatch. The book is also an emotional study of what it is like to have someone you know and love just go missing. No idea whether that person is live or dead, lost and wounded or imprisoned and the toll it makes on a family. 

Billman does an exceptional job of describing those who orbit the missing, both searchers and others. Dog handlers, ultra marathon searchers psychics and even Bigfoot fans. Its quite hard to explain all this book has, but its one of the interesting books I've read in a long time

#The Cold Vanish by author # Jon Billman is a thought provoking novel. This is a in-depth look at people who vanish in the wilderness without a trace.A story of now and tomorrow....
Thank you,
# Netgalley, # Jon Billman, and # Grand Central publishing for the advanced copy

I found this a tough read. There is a ton of detail here, but it jumps repeatedly between the 'main' case and other similar cases. It's a slog at points to keep all the people involved in order. And the weird Big Foot asides just seem out of place for true crime?

Not a book I'd recommend.

The Cold Vanish is a fascinating, in-depth look at people who vanish in the wilderness without a trace and the eccentric, determined characters who try to find them. These are the stories that defy conventional logic - the proverbial vanished without a trace incidences, which happen a lot more (and a lot closer to your backyard) than you know. The book highlights a lot of different cases throughout the U.S. and Canada and how both prevalent and untracked these missing persons cases are. 
While discussing a number of missing persons cases, The Cold Vanish follows one missing person's case in particular that the author, Jon Billman, worked on. Billman developed a close relationship with the individual's father who took up searching for his son full-time. This case and search unfolding as the book progresses really brings you along what feels like a personal ride to find Jacob Gray. Through this case and the others discussed, Billman examines how cases are handled by those with and without jurisdiction, how search and rescue efforts are undertaken, and what happens when the official search ends. He also points out the people who come out of the woodwork when someone goes missing, specifically psychics, conspiracy theorists, and Sasquatch believers. I have read reviews by others that feel Billman spends too much time discussing psychics and Sasquatch "researchers." However, I do not agree. I think it is a testament to what actually happens. It is also of note that Billman does discredit these theories and those that falsely give hope to families and use up valuable resources.

The Cold Vanish is a well-written piece of nonfiction. Some nonfiction can be a slog full of facts, but Billman does an excellent job crafting a narrative framed by facts and the issues of these cases. And of course, it helps that it is such a fascinating subject. A number of the cases just perplexed me, as they do others, and it is totally easy to see how people jump to conspiracy theories. This book also manages to pull on your heart strings hearing from families who have experienced these cold vanishes and without explanations or bodies are stuck in purgatory without closure. Billman does a superb job providing balance to the book, although I would have liked more facts and context; but that is likely a personal thing.

I highly recommend The Cold Vanish for anyone interested in the subject. This book is a great jumping off point for familiarizing yourself with the subject matter. Also, after reading this, I plan on never hiking alone again.

Rating 3

The book "The Cold Vanish" by Jon Billman explores missing person cases that take place in remote locations. It heavily focuses on Jacob Gray who went missing without a trace and how his father Randy Gray spent a year looking for him. I found Jacob's story to be extremely saddening and interesting. I don't think we will ever truly know or understand what happened to him but at least Randy did receive some closure. The book does cover other missing person cases but it always seems to go back to Jacob's case. We also learn about the many mistakes that can take place due to lack of training or lack of knowledge behind what truly happened. For example, in one missing person case they did not take any DNA samples and they didn't make certain places a closed off crime scene. The way the book was written and how it jumps around from person to person, to past to present interviews and stories could be confusing for readers. I found myself having to go back a page to make sure I knew who was saying what. Also, there were so many names given I had to keep checking to see how they fit into the story being told. This could have just been a me thing and might not be a struggle for other readers. I also found this book to be very wordy, by that I mean it seemed to be much longer than it needed to be. I will be honest I did not finish this book but I was so interested in the missing person cases that I googled them and read the articles. I enjoyed doing that much more because while reading this book I did feel the author was a little biased. Again, that could just be how I interpreted how he was telling the story. Overall, if you enjoy true crime you would enjoy the missing person cases but the book as a whole, I'm not so sure. 

**Received an advanced copy through NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this title. 

For fans of Unsolved Mysteries and the ID Channel. The Cold Vanish discusses the multitude of missing person cases in North America's forests. These cases leave law enforcement and park rangers baffled, and families unable to mourn someone who left without a trace, 

The book explores many cases but heavily focuses on Jacob Gray's disappearance in Olympic National Park, and his father Randy Gray's persistent search for him. It's a heartbreaking read, and while it is fascinating the feeling of loss and isolation weighs heavy on the reader.

For fans of David Paulides, but expect less supernatural theories, this book explores the very real logistics of Missing Persons cases in the wild. The author reveals the who and how of search and rescue teams, the red tape and jurisdiction of public wildlands, the hotly contested debate over which search and rescue dogs are the best for the job, and the sheer numbers of people who remain lost to public lands. The mysteries and tactics unfold while tracing the story of Jacob Gray, gone missing, and his steadfast father, Randy Gray, who never gives up the search. The author certainly throws in a nod to Bigfoot aficionados every now and then, but the real focus of this book is the aftermath of a vanishing and how these cases leave family and rescuers forever searching.

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
This was an interesting read. It had an Unsolved Mysteries vibe and I found the stories so compelling.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC for this book. I picked it purely on the description and unfortunately cannot bring myself to finish it. I am about a third of the way through and while the subject matter is incredibly interesting, the writing makes it a struggle to consume. The writer’s voice is somehow both passive and overly specific. The author inserts himself into the story unnecessarily in a way that does not add anything to the story he is telling. I made all of these judgements before ever reading any of the comments about the author and his association with the family, which I find concerning.


A side note: the comparison in the description to Jon Krakauer is a gross exaggeration. If you’re looking for Missoula or something similar this is not the book for you.

I am obsessed with true crime, so I thought I would love this book. Unfortunately, I didn't really like the writing, and couldn't get interested in the stories told. I am so sorry, but I didn't finish it (stopped around 75% in). 
Thanks anyway to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to discover this book!

Most importantly, a big thank you to NetGalley, Jon Billman and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

“Most states’ missing persons statistical figures climb irregularly upward; however, many of the missing on public wildlands aren’t counted. Or they’re not separated from the urban missing. In most states, no one even knows who should be counting. It seems a special mess considering the technological resources we have in our pockets. Sometimes the lost are found, but often not. The mountains are shrouded in fog.”

If someone likes a book, they call it their "cup of tea". If that's the case, this book is my pitcher of refreshing iced tea on a sweltering summer day! Jon Billman's 'The Cold Vanish' is chock-full of eerie cases of people vanishing into thin air in the Unites States' National Parks and the Canadian wilderness. Each disappearance is described in great detail, so much that you'll want to read this with all the lights in your house ON.

More important than the curiosity and mystery surrounding these cases is the underlying question as to why we don't have an accurate, efficient system in place to track the missing population nor to update their families with searches and activity regarding the recovery of their loved ones. Those systems we do have in place are so wrought with inaccuracies and contradicting information that some government agencies refuse to use them.

Written with verve, this book will raise extremely important questions and inspire the reader to immediately get up and do something to bring these missing PEOPLE home and give their families the answers they deserve. 5 solid stars to Jon Billman and 'The Cold Vanish'.

I have to preface this by saying that while the book seemed well-researched, I've seen some comments regarding how factual it was, especially from Jacob's family and friends so I would urge everyone to look into that. 

This is a page turner and it takes you down the rabbit hole. Of course, the subject itself is fascinating and this an exhaustive account of various cases. It was an interesting read, although it brings up more questions than it gives answers. It wasn't always easy to follow, considering the jumps between cases and the flashbacks, and I did find myself getting overwhelmed by information at times. The author has a disclaimer where he says that it's impossible to write about the subject without mentioning UFOs, cryptoids etc. I guess in some ways that's true, and technically that doesn't make it any more morbid than any other true crime book. Still, that didn't really sit well with me because i thought it took the attention away from the tragedies and the grieving families. It made the book seem sensationalised, especially considering the criticism from the family members.

Thank you #Netgalley for my copy of The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman

Many familiar with Missing 411 by David Paulides will find Jon's book an essential read. His missing persons accounts are very detailed and really bring to life all the awful unknowns that can befall a person in the wilderness. It is a great companion to Missing 411, but also can stand on it's own.

i really appreciated how well the author was able to write the story and keep it respectable. It felt like it was well researched and well done.

If you are a fan of missing persons in America's National Parks, this is the book for you.  
There are several cases that the author focuses on.  In particular, Jacob Gray.  His disappearance was rather odd.  His father did everything he could to find him.  Even revisiting places many times that investigators had checked.  I was under the impression that this book was about missing persons, but as I got further into the book, it was primarily about Jacob Gray and the lengths his father went to find him.  I thought the subject was a bit lengthy and wordy for my tastes.
Spoiler Alert!  
Jacob Gray was found not far from where his dad had been searching.  Although he was not one who found him, he was glad he was able to give him a proper burial.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really got into this book . The title is what caught my eye and as I read I seen that I was true stories which are my favorite. I can't believe that many people have gone missing it's sad and something that happens every day . Good stories , great detail well written .

Interesting book about people vanish and those who look for them. I enjoyed how the author moved between one story of the disappearance of Jacob Gray to many stories of disappearances throughout North America.

If you don’t know anyone who’s vanished, it’s hard to comprehend how it feels. As it happens, I do; several years ago, the husband of a close friend (who was suffering from mid-stage dementia) walked out of their house in a quiet suburban street and vanished. I took part in days of searching parks and forestry within walking distance of their home - the entrance to a national park was less than a kilometre away. No trace of him has ever been found. (His name is Michael Newbon. You can look him up, if you’re interested).

The questions never end. Neither do the searches. My friend will never have answers; she passed on from cancer three years ago never knowing what had happened to the love of her life.

Perhaps the worst pain of all is that of a parent whose child vanishes, and that’s at the core of this book; the story of Randy Gray, whose son Jacob Gray disappeared in Olympic National Park. Randy committed himself entirely to the search for Jacob, and the author accompanied Randy on several trips following leads from all sorts of sources; Bigfoot researchers, tips from psychics, Randy’s own surmises on what his son might have wanted to do with his life and where those wishes might have taken Jacob.

While working on Jacob and Randy’s story, the author’s awareness of just how many people vanish in the wilderness was raised, and a number of other cases are mentioned in this book, some resolved, many not. Some were the victims of serial killers, many fell foul of Mother Nature and succumbed to hypothermia or injuries, others vanished in circumstances which honestly seem inexplicable. Some survived in the face of overwhelming odds to tell their own stories.

In the US, there is definitely a problem of competing bureaucracies and authorities not equipped for SAR efforts being the ones to call the shots. There is clearly a need for a centralised database of persons missing in National Parks and Forests, and an overarching authority with a defined policy which goes into action immediately someone is reported missing, because if there is one thing very clear in this book it is that when overwhelming and properly organised resources are committed early, that’s when the missing are most likely to be found. 

Billman takes something of a deviation in the middle of the book with Sasquatch researchers and psychics entering the narrative, but I can tell you from experience, if you are desperate for answers, even the most unlikely of straws are sometimes grasped at. The Sasquatch researchers at least didn’t seem to be in this seeking to make any money or grab at fame, providing resources, time and effort without thought of reward. I do not think as kindly of the psychics, and agree with a quote from the book “To my knowledge, psychics have never solved a missing persons case.” I think they’re ghouls praying to get lucky… if they did chance to correctly predict a location they’d be on the national news milking it for every penny they could.

Jacob’s story ends, as so many of the missing do, with a tragedy, but I was left with the impression of a life that mattered. Young as he was, he inspired enormous efforts on his behalf, not least from his father who obviously loved him very deeply. I’m aware that there are family members and friends of Jacob who are upset about his portrayal in this book, but to me he comes across as a young man with a great zest for life and an inspiring wonder and love for the world around him. His family were portrayed as loving people who were deeply distraught by his disappearance, and they obviously devoted enormous amounts of time and effort to searching for him. I’m glad they were able to get closure and I hope that they are able to take from this book what I think the author intended from it; a determination to demand that the authorities do better by those who go missing in the world’s vast wildernesses.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing an ebook copy for an honest review. 

This was a quick read for me, I read it over the span of about 2 days and I enjoyed the many aspects of the story, as not only does it  take you on the journey of the cold case of the missing individual Jacob Gray, but it also intertwines many other missing individuals. I love a good cold case and this book goes through many of them, all very interesting cases, as many of these stories are suspicious and very difficult to explain or understand what exactly happened to each one of these lost souls. I would compare this book to a podcost or dateline, so if that is something you enjoy, this book is for you!

At times this book had a repetitive nature, but I think this was the author trying to circle back to Jacobs story, compare Jacobs story to other cold cases, and to underline the importance of certain aspects of the story.

This is a story about individuals who go missing in the wildlands of North America, focusing mainly on the case of Jacob Gray. Jacob Gray was a biker who seemed to vanish into thin air, leaving very little clues or evidence behind to help aid in a missing persons search. The author, Jon Billman, describes this story as he travels with Jacobs father, Randy Gray. Along with Jacobs story, this book touches on other individuals who have vanished, while circling back to the search for Jacob. 
I am someone who tends to think outside the box when it comes to the unknown and therefore enjoyed the differing theories, however, this story may not be for those who do not believe in the paranormal, the extraterrestrial, conspiracy theories, etc., as this book touches on many theories regarding the missing.