Felicity Harwood has experienced personal loss and hardship that has led her to a new life within the Investigative Service Bureau of the National Parks Service. As a newbie, she has great skills from her past job in the FBI, but physical limitations resulting from her past injuries and a tragedy. Felicity wants this job but knows she will have to prove herself to park rangers who may not welcome a woman with limited park experience. Her instincts may be right when she is ordered to investigate the disappearance of some campers from a high-maintenance “glamping” site in Sequoia National Park. Here she meets Ranger Ferdinand Huxley, highly skilled, savvy and with a battle-scarred past. They will have to learn to trust each other to navigate a mystery with few clues, a harsh and beautiful setting, plus the bureaucracies of the Parks Service onsite and back at ISB. Arduous adventure reading, where the wrong step may bring a false conclusion or a perilous end. Recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I enjoyed the characters in this mystery, which takes place in one of our National Parks. Felicity and Hux had past experiences that connected them emotionally to the mystery at hand and complimented their investigation styles plus I enjoyed reading about their hiking and camping experiences. I also enjoyed how they learned from each other, not to mention Felicity’s dog Ollie and his contribution to the team.

While I love to read about hiking, mystery and various adventures, I did find some holes in the investigation of the mystery. There were a lot of assumptions made about the situation and the people involved and I thought they were a little quick to jump to those conclusions with the absence of evidence or witnesses. I might have expected Hux, who is new to this process, to make these assumptions and learn from the more experienced investigator, Felicity, but that was not the case here. They both made the mistakes and I think it was a little unrealistic for a former FBI agent to make those basic assumptions. If this is a series, I will definitely read the next installment.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free copy provided for an honest review.

This was just a really enjoyable mystery that I recommend for fans of Nevada Barr’s Anna Pigeon series. I was happy to read in the Author Biography that this is meant to be the start of a series.
Felicity Harland is an ex-FBI agent now employed as an ISB special agent, handling serious crimes in the national parks. She gets assigned to investigate two missing campers in Sequoia Park, two customers of a glamping company. She’s aided by a local ranger, Hux, an ex-Navy Seal. The two hit it off and are a joy to watch tackle the crime. And I definitely appreciated that their relationship grew into a friendship and didn’t dissolve into a romance.
Felicity just came across as a very realistic main character. She had her spine re-built after a serious accident hiking in Australia. She has to really power through her pain. And her relationship with her dog, Ollie, just cemented my respect for her. Hux isn’t quite as realistic, with his movie star good looks, amazing athleticism and unfailing good humor. But together, the pairing worked and came across beautifully.
The story moves at a brisk pace. There are lots of red herrings to keep the reader alert. And Kelly’s does a great job painting the scene. It was easy to see everything play out. And boy, did it make me want to go for a hike.
My thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Books for an advance copy of this book.

Felicity Harland, former FBI agent, is currently with the investigative bureau that deals with crimes in national parks. A deluxe "glamping"company provides top of the line outdoor equipment and arranges trips for the wealthy, and now two of their clients are missing in Sequoia National Park. It's up to Felicity and Hux, a former Navy Seal who is now a ranger, to find them, if they are indeed still alive. This book was suspenseful, and the characters worked well together; I look forward to reading more in this new series. Recommended for readers who like Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon mysteries. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

An investigator for the Investigative Services Bureau, ISB. Felicity is called to Sequoia National Park. This caught my attention since I am addicted to these kinds of stories, but have not heard of the ISB. I love the setting. His was my favorite character. Felicity was a little harder to crack, until her history is revealed. Parts of the dialogue did drag at times, but overall, it’s a solid read.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It started out with a slow pace in the beginning but I'm relieved that I endured the slow start to find myself immersed in a suspense filled novel which did took me by surprise. The plot line was good along with the characters involved. I look forward to more.

SA Harland works for the Investigative Services Branch of the US National Parks Service. It's her job to investigate criminal activity when it occurs within a national park.

After a ranger in Sequoia National Park finds an abandoned campsite she is called in to investigate and she quickly realises something hokey is going on. She suspects foul play and joins with Hux, the ranger, to follow the clues and figure out what happened.

Vanishing Edge is a classic police procedural but it had a little more in the tank than most. The story had an edge of reality as the two main characters investigate the disappearance of the campers. And that's what takes this book from good to great. I want more of this. So much more.

What an extraordinary read this turned out to be. To write a search and rescue thriller with a hero and a heroine, both to die for and then to have not an ounce of romance anywhere sprinkled in the novel, WOW, it is surely an admirable feat, and to top it off, Ollie the dog 🐕 🐕 🐕 and there goes my heart melting at double the rate.

Claire Kell’s Vanishing Edge scores in bringing the precipitous terrain of the Sequoia National Park alive for the reader. Hiking along with Felicity, the national park felt like a feast to the eyes. And that is exactly what makes this thriller a thumping winner coz until about the last 20%, the readers are themselves unaware if at all a crime has been committed or is it just the hunch of the investigators? All the puzzle pieces that build the case never seem to merge together and questions upon questions seem to pile up without an answer in sight. The ending when it gets revealed was so far out of the left-field, that I was totally stumped.

Felicity Harland is in a tough job, she has moved into ISB after a near-fatal accident that has left her with a bionic spine, having more screws and nuts in her spinal cord than actual bones. But her stubborn determination to never back down and give up becomes evident as the case progresses and she has to travel the length and breadth of the park with Ollie and Hux, the park ranger.

And now what to say about Ferdinand Huxley, all of us need someone like Hux in our corner, someone who is generally exuberant and cheerful; someone who always offers encouragement without any rancor and of course being handsome as sin is like the cherry on top. His career as a NAVY SEAL helps him to be the perfect partner to Felicity and the partnership, WHOA, what a delight. The quips and the dry sarcastic jabs they flung on each other were such an essential part of the plot as the friendship just deepens without professionalism being compromised. I hope there is some future for both these characters down the line!

Now, is it wrong to beg the author to continue the series so that we can follow the adventures of Hux and Felicity into whichever wilderness they travel to?

An absolutely thrilling adventure ride!

Many thanks to Net Galley, Crooked Lane Books, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Book Bub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

4..5 Stars
Story features Felicity Harland and Ferdinand “Hux” Huxley; oh and yes! Felicity’s dog Ollie!
Felicity is a former FBI agent now a special agent with the ‘Investigative Services Bureau’ that is part of the ‘National Park Service’. Hux is former Navy SEAL and is now a new park ranger.
They are investigating the disappearance of two campers where there appears to be a struggle at their campsite in the Sequoia National Park near Three River, Ca.
This kept my attention!
~ ~ Personal Note: We vacationed in Yosemite several times. One time we went on a Cross Country Ski trip. We made reservations in the tent village. The tents were permanent ~ they had a wood floors, a door that locked, cots for sleeping, rest rooms and shower rooms were near. We had meals at the cafeteria in the Village, also spent evenings at the Rec Hall that had a roaring fire and we played board Games.
The Ski trip was with a group that was perfect for a family with young children; we had an experience guide. The day trip included a box lunch with individual small bottles of wine.
Not a “Glampist” set-up but was a fun family adventure and nobody fell off any cliffs! ~
This story was a total surprise to me. Love the location and the interaction between these two. There certainly were twists and turns I wasn’t expecting. Near the end I said outload “WOW”!!
Just Love this team and cannot wait for their next national park adventure!!!
Thank you author:, Claire Kells for a GREAT read!

Want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this early release granted to me for my honest professional opinion.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 9, 2021.

Vanishing Edge by Claire Kells brings crimes and suspense to a well-written and dramatic crime thriller largely set in Sequoia National Park near Three Rivers, California. Felicity Harland is a former FBI agent who left the agency after a personal tragedy and a major injury. She is now a special agent for the Investigative Services Bureau, the investigative arm of the National Park Service.

Harland gets a call that she is needed at Sequoia National Park. Two campers are missing and the luxury camping outfit that had the campsite set up won’t reveal its clients. The campsite is abandoned with no signs of a struggle was found by new park ranger Ferdinand “Hux” Huxley. What happened to the campers? Are they lost, injured, or has something else happened to them?

This character driven story has plenty of intrigue and drama as well. Harland and Hux are fantastic as investigative partners. She has to prove to herself and to her superiors that her back, which required three major surgeries, is up to the task of long hikes and climbs to investigate accidents and crimes in national parks. Harland’s intrapersonal struggles felt realistic and were woven seamlessly into the story. Her dog, Ollie, added another dimension to the story. Hux, a former Navy SEAL, wants more than a junior ranger role in life and is excited to help Harland in her investigation. He’s known for his people finding abilities. Will they be successful? I especially enjoyed the friendship and trust that they developed during the course of the investigation.

The plot is suspenseful, fresh, complex, and entertaining. There are plenty of twists and red herrings. The tension, stakes and action build up to an exciting and pulse-quickening ending. Another wonderful aspect was the world-building. The author did a fantastic job of making the reader feel as though they were in Sequoia National Park with Harland and Hux. This strong sense of place was essential and elevated the reading experience for me. This author kept me entertained throughout. Her ability to combine strong characters and complex plots, and the excellent pacing, kept me fully engaged.

Overall, this was well-written, captivating, and thought-provoking. I enjoyed unraveling the mystery along with Harland and Hux. I was hooked immediately in the first chapter and the pages kept turning. I recommend this book to those that enjoy mysteries and investigations in the great outdoors with likeable characters. I hope this becomes a series.

Crooked Lane Books and Claire Kells provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and are not biased in any way. Publication date was November 9, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Felicity challenges herself physically and mentally when she’s called on to investigate an abandoned campsite in the wilderness. I love the feel of the storyline where the great outdoors comes to life, I imagine the breathtaking scenery and the clean mountain air!
Felicity is a Federal Agent overseeing crime in national parks. Hux the park ranger has plenty of energy and enthusiasm to help search the mountains, the clues take Felicity and Hux on a fascinating journey with more questions than answers.
This novel is an intriguing whodunnit, with plenty of twists and turns. The characters were all likeable with their own story to add pieces to the puzzle.
A wonderful mixture of intrigue, friendship and discovery, readers will be waiting for the next Claire Kells book to read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I couldn't put this book down until the very end, and that's always a sign that I'm going to be happy to recommend it to others. I sincerely hope that we will see more of Felicity, the ex-FBI agent who is chasing down a murder. She's a very likable and human protagonist and, well, her dog is also a nice touch.
The setting is interesting, the book flows well and since it comes out in November, I'd recommend it as a holiday gift for anyone who likes a mystery, park rangers, and a budding romance. Author, please do give us a sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I found this book interesting and unique to other psychological thrillers! At times it felt a little slow but overall I’m glad I read it and I was surprised by the ending!

Good book! I wasn't to sure in the beginning but I'm glad I stuck with it! This book was filled with suspense intrigue and plenty of heart pounding moments! The storyline was awesome and it had a great who done it! I definitely recommend reading this book! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Vanishing Edge is a gripping story.
Felicity Harland is a former FBI agent who is now an agent with the Investigative Field Bureau. She is part of the park service. She has taken the call for her first assignment where an upscale campsite has been located but there is no one there. The park ranger Ferdinand "Hux" Huxley soon joins her in getting to the campground and trying to find out if there is a problem.
They find it odd that the campers just arrived and disappeared, even their personal items are missing.
As they begin to search for clues a gruesome discovery is soon found.
Now they must find out what happened.
Their investigation will take them in several directions to unravel this mystery.

Great book you'll want to check out.

This book was sent to me on Kindle by Netgalley for review…it is character driven but also has detail of the mountains and hiking…it is an adventurous story with likeable main characters who persevere…. The mystery ends in a surprise with a unexpected antagonist. Although at times, the story moves slowly and has characters who don’t seem to be relevant, it is an interesting read.

Special Agent Felicity Harland was a FBI agent for over five years. After an outdoor accident which ended with her husband dead and her back broken, she has spent the last year recovering. Unable to physically keep up with her former job, she has switched to the ISB and plans to prover herself to her superiors.

Overall, the book has positive aspects. There are some decent plot twists. However, I really disliked the character development. Harland, for having been an experienced agent, doesn’t seem to be taking the lead in this investigation. Instead, “Hux” Huxley, a former Navy Seal turned park ranger, seems to be doing most of the leading. While the banter between the two is witty at times, I would rather that the female protagonist and lead character/investigator actual show her experience and knowledge while leading this investigation.

Felicity Harland is a former FBI agent who has seen her share of major tragedy. She is now working for the Investigative Services Bureau, dealing with crimes that occur in the National Parks. On this case, she is working with Ferdinand (Hux) Huxley, trying to locate a missing person (or possible persons). I really enjoyed this one. It had a great sense of place and the characters were enjoyable. The mystery was good, and kept you wondering who was actually at the center. If you like police procedural and mystery novels, you will probably enjoy this one.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for the advance reader copy. You can also find my review on good reads.

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Special Agent Felicity Harland was unstoppable! This former FBI agent had a lot to prove to her superiors at the ISB Federal Agency. She sported a near-bionic spine after a catastrophic hiking accident in the Australian Outback three years earlier. There were more metal rods and screws than bones in her back after all the surgeries required to get her back on her feet again. Was she going to be equal to the task of hiking over hundreds of miles to get to accident and crime sites and conduct a proper investigation? I sat back and watched with great satisfaction as she wiped the disbelieving smirks off of all their faces! Go, Harland!!

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Hux (Ferdinand) Huxley is a former Navy Seal, now working as a Sequoia National Park Ranger. He was a "Finder" in Afghanistan, and he used those skills to assist Special Agent Harland with her investigation into the mysterious disappearance of two high maintenance glampers. Hux was irrepressibly cheerful. His boundless energy and enthusiasm were infectious. I, like Felicity, welcomed his "can-do/never say die"presence on those arduous treks across the Sequoia National Parklands.

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Felicity and Hux worked so well together. Their witty, deprecating banter was delightful: I snorted with laughter more than once! But, at the same time, they were unfailingly supportive and respectful of one another. As the case progressed, Felicity was reluctant to relinquish Hux's assistance in her investigations and she always found an excuse to keep him by her side. Did I sense a hint of attraction between these two? <i>Maaybee!?! </i> I could be reading too much into all that wickedly hilarious banter, but, never fear, these two professionals were squarely focused on the job at hand! (I'm hoping the author decides to create her own ongoing investigative series with these two as the recurring team of special agents. Their ratings appeal as a partnership is already off the charts for me!)

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Did I guess "whodunnit?" I have to admit that I had my suspicions about the culprit very early on - despite all the red herrings and misdirection strewn in the reader's path. I also have to sheepishly admit that I suspected everyone at some point, and I got quite a few things totally wrong: I was literally led down the wrong garden path on more than one occasion! No matter! This story was so well written, and the characters were so true to life and endearing that I didn't want it to end. I wanted to stay out there on the Sequoia mountain ridge in this thrilling adventure and lose myself with Harland and Hux in the wilds of that glorious backwoods landscape.

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The descriptions of Precipice Lake, and the trail heading out to it, were captivating. I could picture it all so clearly: Claire Kells' writing skills were more than equal to the task!

The last few chapters will have you on the edge of your seat. I realized I was holding my breath as the action literally exploded, catapulting us towards a nail-biting, fraught ending! I was impressed! When I finally turned the last page, and my heart stopped galloping about, I heaved an intensely satisfied sigh! I highly, highly recommend this truly excellent thriller: I had a hard time putting this book down until I reached the very last page! 10 out of 5 well deserved stars!!!

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<B>ENCHANTING SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK</B>
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