Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin takes us to Cuervo, Texas, a sleepy town that is witnessing a boom thanks to Big Bend National Park and surrounding parks that draw visitors. When Ava and her search-and-rescue dog Huck discover an abandoned campsite, it stirs up a cold case.

After the death of her father, corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of city life. She has moved to the small-town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park with her father’s search and rescue dog. When she is called out for a missing person alert, she and Huck find the missing man, but also find an abandoned campsite. She takes pictures, but the chief of police seems uninterested.

When Deputy Sheriff Grant Wycoff gets a look at the photos, he thinks it might be linked to a two-year-old missing person’s case. The tale that unfolds as Grant and Ava investigate was suspenseful and addressed the sizzling chemistry between them.

This was an interesting case with three seemingly unrelated missing person cases. All women lost in the national parks. These parks can be deadly if you walk off the trails, go in unprepared or when the sun is most brutal. But slowly Ava makes a connection between them.

When they discover one of the woman murdered, Ava cannot help but investigate despite Grant’s protests. She is tenacious and the suspense builds as someone doesn’t like that she is snooping.

The romance moved quickly, but hit stumbling blocks because of some personal baggage on Ava’s end. I felt both characters were genuine, and we got some laughs from Huck’s shenanigans.

Vanishing Hour offers a complete romance and mystery, with hints of a second romance to be continued in another book. I hope we revisit Cuervo.

Fans of romantic suspense and murder-mysteries will find themselves at home curling up with Vanishing Hour.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second Laura Griffin book I've read, and the second book in this particular series, and man am I happy that I did. I adore romantic suspense, and I'm a massive Karen Rose fan, so anything that I compare to her books is a huge compliment.

Laura Griffin is working her way towards being at the top of my list of romantic suspense authors. This book made me go back and start reading her backlist from the beginning, and that should tell you everything you need to know.

I loved the characters (the Search and Rescue dog! Anything with a dog goes higher in my estimation), the romance, the mystery...and particularly the forensics. I'm a forensic scientist, so I don't say it lightly that Laura Griffin does her research and is by far gives the most accurate representation of forensic science as it actually is in real life, and not the fictionalized, CSI-effect crap everyone sees on TV and movies.

I gave this four stars, and I already have gone back and read five of her backlist titles, so it probably goes unsaid that I'll continue to read any books Laura Griffin writes.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for my copy of Vanishing Hour for an honest review. This was a quick, interesting read for me. Ava Burch has just moved to a small town in Cuervo Texas. She feels relieved that she has left the. Big city and her corporate law career. And is looking for a nice quiet life. But you know how that goes.. While in the new town she stumbles upon a cold case, while being a search and rescue officer and things get turned upside down. Her rescue dog, Huck is an incredible rescue dog and they become a big asset to the team. While trying to work in her new law firm, helping in search and rescue and helping (or so she thinks) in the investigation of some missing women that have been cold cases for some time. Laura Griffin, is an excellent storyteller. The twists and turns are great and I was left guessing how it would end. Who doesn’t love that kind of read? This was a four star read for me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did..

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
Laura Griffin has a way of writing that pulls you into the book and, though it's very formulaic, it feels new and interesting. The characters are likeable and the mystery is enthralling.

3 ½ * ROUNDED UP TO 4

When I started reading reviews I was a bit worried that there would be too much unnecessary “romance” in this book. I shouldn’t have worried – yes there is some romance but it is in the background of the mystery and didn’t take center stage.

Ava has come back to the small rugged Texas town of Cuervo, where she spent many years, after her father passed away. Ava was a practicing corporate lawyer who had enough of the big city.

Ava’s father trained search and rescue dogs and Ava has inherited his rescue dog “Huck” , whom she also has come to care for a lot.

While helping with a current missing girl’s search and rescue effort, Ava comes across an abandoned campsite. It looks as though someone just walked away from it, everything was intact but had accumulated dirt and dust. She photographs the crime scene.

When she brings it to the attention of the sheriff he brushes her off. All he sees is a young woman in expensive clothes that doesn’t seem to belong here.

However Deputy Sheriff Grant Wycoff is interested and together they return to the site, only to find the site completely vacant.

This sets up the plot for the rest of the book which I found to be quite good. I’ve never read this author before so I was pleasantly surprised.

Some parts were a bit slow but the novel was easy to read, entertaining and the mystery was quite complex. I certainly didn’t figure it out!!

I would recommend this to mystery lovers who enjoy a well described setting, good characters and a great puzzle to decipher.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It is set to publish on October 25, 2022

This is a Romantic Suspense. I loved the characters and this story so much, and I did not want to put this book down at all. This book is fast paced and full of suspense/action. I think this book is a wonderful mix of suspense/action and romance which I really enjoy in a romantic suspense. I also loved the setting in this book, and I think it worked great with the storyline. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Berkley Books) or author (Laura Griffin) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin is another one of her fantastic standalone mystery suspense novels. I am a huge fan of Laura Griffin, as she is one of the best at murder suspenseful mysteries, police procedurals and a bit of romance.

We meet our heroine, Ava Burch, who has recently moved to Cuervo, and she and her friend open their own law firm. Ava also volunteers for SAR missions, as her wonderful dog, Huck is fully trained to be a search and rescue dog. When a child is missing, Ava and Huck join the search and Huck manages to find the missing boy; and Ava also notices an old abandoned campsite, which she takes pictures of. Ava reports her findings to the local sheriff, who ignores her; but she meets deputy Grant Wycoff, who is interested in Ava’s findings. The next day, she goes with him to the site, only to find the spot is cleared, with someone having removed it. Huck will find a gravesite, with the remains of a missing girl from two years ago. Molly Shaw was the missing girl, but Ava finds out that more girls have been missing over the years (Deanna Moore, Brittlyn Spencer are two of the missing).

Grant finds himself attracted to Ava, but worries about her, since she is active in trying to get more information on the missing girls. He tries to get her to not continue to investigate, as he is concerned about her safety. This is escalated when Ava and Huck find a rattlesnake in the back of her car, managing to escape the poisonous snake. She also tells Grant about footprints under her window. Grant tries to get Ava to stay in his secured house to protect her. Grant and Ava’s relationship begins to sizzle, though Grant is not happy about Ava taking more chances, which does complicate their romance.

I really loved Ava and Grant together, as the chemistry between them was hot. I adored Huck, who was simply amazing. Jenna (her friend) and Connor (Grant’s partner) were wonderful secondary characters. I thought the Sheriff was unlikeable for the most part.

What follows is an exciting, intriguing, suspenseful thriller that kept me on the edge throughout, especially as we raced to the climax. Griffin gave us a great couple, wonderful secondary characters and an excellent suspenseful story. The last half of the book was extremely tense, I could not put the book down. I do not want to give spoilers, so you need to read this book to discover what happens.

The Vanishing Hour was another excellent mystery in this series, which to no surprise, was very well written by Laura Griffin. If you enjoy murder mysteries, police procedurals, lots of intense action, suspense, with a touch of romance, you should read this book. If you have never read Laura Griffin, it’s time to start now, as she is an amazing writer for romance suspense.

Vanishing Hour is an intense and exhilarating story filled with unforgettable characters, intricate plot weaving and intrigue. Laura Griffin is one of my favorite authors; she knows how to make romantic suspenseful stories come alive.

Ava is an attorney and she is also a search and rescue volunteer. While Ava and her dog help to search for a young woman who is missing, she meets Grant. Grant and Ava have an immediate connection and they share tons of chemistry as they work together to try to find the woman.

I immediately connected with the two main characters, Grant and Ava and I enjoyed all of their interactions. They work tirelessly trying to uncover clues to solve the case they are working on and also try to find time to spend with each other. This spellbinding story kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend this one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Laura Griffin has written a few different series and I hope she decides to continue the stories of Ava and Grant. I loved Their connection and especially adore her dog, Huck!

Full of suspense and constant twists, this story is the perfect mix of romance and suspense. It is a fast-paced read and will keep you on your toes!

I received An early copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Contemporary suspense used to be what I read the most of. I hardly ever read it anymore but once I read a good one, I always remember how much I like them. This is one of those good ones.

A search for a missing young boy in a national park reopens a cold case of a missing woman. I loved Huck in this one. He’s a search and rescue dog that has plenty of personality. (and no worries about him, he’s safe)

I liked Ava and Grant and rooted for them. The most important thing in a romance for me. And it blended perfectly with the suspense of the missing women. The pace was great and kept me interested and wanting more. The suspense to romance balance slightly favored the suspense part of the story, which worked for me.

This one should be a hit with the romantic suspense crowd.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

Set in the big wide open of Texas Laura Griffin’s Vanishing Hour has a sinister mystery and a satisfying romance arc with leads who are devoted to making a difference.

Ava Burch—an attorney who volunteers with search & rescue—& Detective Grant Wycoff are drawn to the same missing woman case. They discover it’s even bigger than they think, even as Grant resents Ava’s continued research into what may have happened to the women who have either mysteriously died or disappeared in their county.

Mystery-wise this one falls a little short for me. I rooted for Ava for taking on an investigation stubbornly & producing results but I didn’t feel like the detective lead was really rocking this investigation…& the mystery reveal feels a little lackluster to me for reasons I’m not going into because of spoilers.

Still, there’s a lot of tension in this one & I was really anticipating the Big Villain Reveal.

A Laura Griffin book is a good book & this one has a lot of the stuff I love in this genre including a stubborn heroine & a developing relationship with lots of push & pull from the leads with that lovely ending I’m always greedy for: a HEA. In particular Griffin captures how Ava has to re-evaluate her own past & prejudices when it comes to Grant’s demanding job & that’s done nicely.

I’m really looking forward to the next Laura Griffin book (because I always look forward to those) ;) .

4⭐️. Out now!

Please check out a trusted review for CWs.

[ID: A white woman, most of her not pictured, wears a blush shirt & holds up an ebook in front of a bright orange tree. A blue sky is in the background.]

Laura Griffin has quickly become my go-to author when I’m in the mood for romantic suspense with a side of mystery. Her mysteries are intricate enough to keep you guessing without being mentally taxing, the cases are wrapped up in a satisfying way by the end of the story, and the romance complements the storyline.

While several of her books follow a similar pattern, I still find her writing enjoyable, and I feel there’s comfort in knowing what you’re going to get. I also think it’s a great way to spend an afternoon wrapped up in a well-researched and fast-paced mystery.

Ava is a recently relocated small-town attorney who moonlights as half of a search and rescue team alongside her highly-trained scent-sniffing dog, Huck. They volunteer to help locate missing hikers in the mountains and National Parks.

Search and rescue may be dangerous enough, but it becomes even more so after Ava and Huck find themselves in the middle of a cold case investigation, and someone will go to great lengths to make sure it is never solved.

Grant, a detective for the local police force, meets Ava after she reports finding an abandoned campsite while on a rescue mission. Piecing together the clues of a mysterious disappearance, Grant and Ava work as a team and quickly become more than colleagues.

I liked both Grant and Ava individually as characters, but I also enjoyed watching them come together to solve the missing-person cases. Great banter, believable chemistry, and a relationship that grew throughout the book kept me flipping the pages—well, that and finding out whodunit, of course.

If you enjoy romance, suspense, and a little mystery, be sure to give Laura Griffin a try. Her books will suck you in and have you guessing until the end!

Laura Griffin is a master at writing mysteries that keep me engaged and entertained from start to finish. I love not only how well written her stories are, but how captivated I am with the characters and plot. Vanishing Hour is no exception. From the very first page I was caught up in the mystery and didn't want to put the book down until I had reached the end. Usually I'm able to guess early on in mysteries what is going on and who the big bad is, but in this one, I really wasn't certain until we find out on page. Ava and Grant were well well developed characters and I loved being witness from their first meeting straight up through the end. Can't wait for her next release - I'm sort of hoping we get to see more of Connor and Jenna.

"Ava and her dog were literally digging up secrets that someone wanted to remain buried."

You know that author that when you get their latest book you know it will not only be enjoyable but you can't wait to grab your most comfortable blanket, favorite coffee mug and snack and cuddle on the couch to read it? Well reliable entertaining author Laura Griffin is that author for me and her latest romance suspense mystery Vanishing Hour was pure entertainment.

Ava Burch leaves her corporate lawyer job after the death of father with whom she had a contentious relationship and unresolved issues. He trained search and rescue dogs and she adopts his latest one Huck (a real good boy). She relocates to a small rural Texas town and becomes law partners with her best friend. On the side she volunteers her and Huck's services to help with missing and rescue missions.

On the latest mission they find an old abandoned campsite that just doesn't seem right so Ava takes some pictures to show law enforcement. The sheriff brushes off her concern but handsome detective Grant Wycoff quickly realizes
it's connected to a two year old unresolved case of a missing woman.

As they investigate it becomes clear someone wants them to stop when Ava finds a rattlesnake in her car, is chased with arrows from a crossbow and then her license plates are stolen.

I read and listened to this intriguing mystery and narrator Julia Atwood brought the suspense and romance in her emotional performances. As Ava and Grant try to fight their chemistry I kept smiling knowing this writer wouldn't let me down with the romance or the suspense and I was so right.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars!

I am a romantic suspense junkie, and I read a LOT of books each month. That means sometimes it’s hard to remember whose books I’ve read before and whose I have not. I think Laura Griffin is a new-to-me author, but when it comes to this genre, I’m always willing to take a chance. And with her reputation, I was more than willing to give this book a try. I can sum it up in four words: It did NOT disappoint!

As far as characters go, I was a little frustrated with Ava’s wishy-washy nature with Grant, but all in all, I felt they were a great couple. And the suspense kept me guessing until the very end. There was also a developing storyline with two minor characters I hope we get more of in a future book. It definitely had me intrigued and looking for more. I started this book in the evening and couldn’t put it down, even when I should have been sleeping.

Vanishing Hour was a great romantic suspense story to get lost in. I was invested the entire time, loved unraveling all the details, and watching Grant and Ava fall for each other. It had an incredible build that had me guessing until the very end!

Grant and Ava both had hearts of gold and I liked learning what drove them. Their histories are learned over the course of the story, not giving away everything all at once, I enjoyed how it developed. I loved their chemistry and growing attraction in the midst of a very intense situation. They've got a nice amount of sweetness happening, a bit of heat, and a lot of heart.

As for the mystery, I loved it and how it all unfolded, and I was trying to piece things together until the very end. There were so many great building details happening and characters involved. I loved Grant’s partner and Ava’s best friend and am looking forward to seeing what will happen there. I loved the feeling of anticipation and excitement I had while reading. I hated to put the book down and I was excited to find out what would happen next. This was a definite page-turner.

I thought the romance and the suspense balanced well. I was invested in Grant and Ava individually, as a couple, and with the mystery surrounding the missing women. The suspense was light for me, I was missing that feeling of being gripped, but there was a nice bit of drama and tension to even it out. It definitely felt more like a mystery to me. My takeaway, this was a very engaging story and 100% exciting to read!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

My experiences with this author have been hit or miss but Vanishing Hour was a huge win. I enjoyed the characters, the dog who played a real role, the romance and the mystery.

I liked the main characters, Ava and Grant. Ava has been a corporate lawyer in Houston, who after her father's death, has come back to a small town with his trained search dog. She has some issues with her parents having been divorced. She is determined to do right by her father with the K9 and she has some major detecting skills. Grant has also come back to this small town after 6 years away in the Dallas PD. He developed strong skills there but wanted to come home. They have things in common with their training and learning happening in large cities, their strong skills and now choosing small town life.

The romance is between two independent and talented professionals. To me, they don't feel very connected to anyone. Each is very dedicated to their work and solving these disappearances and murders. Grant is certain he wants to be with Ava from the start, but is it a serious effort to know her or just a sexual affair? Ava finds him attractive but isn't sure she can trust him.

The mystery is fast paced with disappearances of children and women. Ava is a dedicated and successful searcher. Partly, this is because of Huck, the K9 and his training, and her training to work with him. She has a observant and intelligent mind, finding clues and information which has eluded the police. Grant is frustrated because it is dangerous for her to be detecting and that is his job. Ava wishes he could share more with her so she could be more effective in her investigation.

I'm not describing this well enough, because I loved it. It was awesome to see Huck, as a working dog and how he tracked people. It was thrilling to see Ava and Grant investigate to solve the mysteries. As they did, their trust and connection grew. I highly recommend Vanishing Hour.

Ava Burch is a newcomer to the town of Cuervo, Texas, which has never had a lawyer until she and her friend, Jenna, opened their practice. On the side, Ava volunteers with her dog, Huck, for SAR work. On one outing she and Huck discover the lost little boy but also an abandoned campsite that might have belonged to a missing woman. Ava and Detective Grant Wycoff begin solving the case of several missing women—and Ava’s helping whether Grant likes it or not in Laura Griffin’s new release (happy book birthday!) Vanishing Hour.

I really loved the SAR aspect of Vanishing Hour and if Laura Griffin wanted to write an entire series of SAR novels I would be there in an instant. The capabilities of dogs to sniff out the slightest scent is amazing and I never grow tired of learning and reading about it.

The mystery of the missing women in Vanishing Hour was very good and kept me guessing. Even when you knew your were going in the right direction, you weren’t quite there.

The romance between Ava and Grant was nice with a great deal of mutual respect and some steamy moments.

And Huck the dog. Such a good dog! Gotta love it.

An enjoyable page turner!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vanishing Hour is a very intriguing mystery romance. With the aide of her search and rescue dog, Huck, Ava Burch volunteers to find a missing boy. She does find him, but the mystery gets bigger. She takes her suspicions to the local sheriff, Grant Wycoff. At first he doesn’t take her seriously, but after some ups and down, they work together to solve the case. This is a very engaging plot that held my interest all the way through to the end. It’s an entertaining romantic suspense with lots of action, mystery, twists and turns, lies, deception, and a bit of spice. A very enjoyable read.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is a really good romantic mystery, set in a small town in an unforgiving desert, where some really strange things are going on. Whilst Ava and Grant are obviously the leads in this book, the inclusion of Huck the crazy Lab, who is also a search and rescue dog, inherited by Ava from her dad, is absolutely essential.

The set-up of the antagonistic sheriff, the lack of respect for the voluntary work done by Ava to help find missing people, and the whole small town vibe definitely got the tension ramped up from the start. I am a bit of a wuz, it has to be admitted, but I did spend quite a lot of time waiting for something terrible to happen!

I was entranced by the setting; the descriptions of the desert landscape, with ravines and caves, and hiding places – barren, wild, and unforgiving, and yet beautiful in its wildness. It was easy to imagine the fear of losing someone out there, and of the need for a dog to help find them. And easy to imagine how there were parallels with the issues holding Ava and Grant back from the romance they both clearly are interested in pursuing. Ava, in particular, is hiding in plain sight from an unpleasant previous relationship with another lawman, so wants to avoid similar entanglements.

Full of twists and turns and little bursts of humour to lighten what is a pretty dark drama. Be warned, difficult to put down, keep a snack to hand for extended reading!


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Mystery Romance

This was a great story. The main characters, Ava, Grant, and, of course, the dog, Huck, are really well developed. You get to see their working side and their personal side equally, and both create complex characters that are easy to relate to.

Ava is working as a lawyer in a tiny town. She's decided she's done with big corporate law. But with the arrival of her new law firm, she is also one of the locally trained SAR workers, along with her dog, Huck. Huck is a great add to the characters since even though it's a dog, you can see the easy demeanor and ease that all of the other characters feel around him.

Grant is working back home. A place he didn't think he would come back to. But now that he's here, he wants the people of his town to be safe and for people coming from out of town to feel safe too. But with an elected official above him who does the bare minimum, it will take all of Grant's knowledge to figure out what's happening around their tiny town.

You will not be disappointed in this book. The scenery is described in a way that you feel like you're standing right next to the characters and the story has several twists and turns, both mysterious and personal for the characters. It's a quick read, but really well done.