This book kept my attention but I'm not sure it really deserved to. I was drawn in by the concept of a pair of #vanlife social media influencers going missing - obviously this felt prompted at least in part by the Gabby Petito case - but that ended up being barely relevant to the plot. In fact if anything it just made most of the plot feel pretty unbelievable by the end.

Main character Emlyn was just a deeply frustrating person, the type of character that's like a pinball getting slapped around but never really moving anywhere on her own. She's resentful about how her best friend Janessa orders her around, but still follows her everywhere, including moving across the country to Janessa's own random hometown in Idaho. When that friendship breaks up, she just literally stays there and gets a job she doesn't seem to care about much, and has two entire friends, one of whom is supposed to be the will they/won't they romance except all they do is stare at each other like this: 🥺 for months while neither makes a move. Are these people twelve years old?

Emlyn's maybe still wishy-washily hung up on her ex Tyler, who did something so objectively terrible to her that it should have been the final nail in the coffin (a coffin already generously nailed!) for anyone with sufficient vertebrae to form a spine. The entire book really ended up turning on one stupid plot point in which Janessa tells Emlyn not to date Tyler but just refuses to tell her <i>why</i> for no clear reason, then gets mad when Emlyn refuses to follow that order without good cause. Which is fair! And it wasn't even necessary. 😩

Anyway, this whole book ended up feeling like a too-long backstory for the forest nerd romance that author really wanted to write about two damaged hot people finding love and bear tracks in a miasma of pine needles and weird Christian overtones. Whatever. Who's gonna write an actually good thriller about this slice of the social media world?

My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Grant knows how to write wilderness mysteries that though they seem incredibly far fetched, somehow still manage to catch just enough of that “but what if” allure that keeps you invested.

Similar to her last book, the set up with this one takes a bit of time as you’re clued in early to a traumatic past that makes the main character reclusive, gritty, yet somehow naive in a way due to their isolation and insulation.

It took a bit for the flashbacks to feel like they were actually adding to the story instead of just filling in the blanks of missing friend Janessa and her character, but I’m not convinced they needed to go on quite as long as they did and I had a big eye roll over the way Emlyn and Janessa’s friendship was portrayed. There are some pretty huge lies of omission with damning consequences that just don’t make any sense.

I did clock the twists and reveals, including the villains and main drama quite early, but I did enjoy seeing it all unravel and come to light for Emlyn. Where this did lose it substantially for me was in the last handful of chapters when we see how the past and present fully collide and the main mystery is solved. It felt like such painstaking work- literally hiking step by step to get to this moment and the climactic showdown felt so dissatisfying.

There’s an attempted murder that isn’t even called as such, and instead of a big confrontation or reveal, we mostly get allusions to past and off page plotting. The payoff was just so not there and even for Emlyn, her big moment to shine and come through as a hero never materialized. Then when rescue arrives, the story just kind of fades to black. We get no insight into the conclusion to an incredibly far fetched mystery. Did anyone ever find the ranch? Was the SD card safe?

Ultimately I think this was less successful as transporting me into the Idahoan wilderness and creating that wild yet also locked room type of atmosphere that makes you claustrophobic in the way this was meant to, and I didn’t find the characters or plot to be very strong. While it was a quick read and easy to get through, it had an air of an unfinished draft instead of a fully fleshed out story with something to say.

The Nature of Disappearing is a fictional mystery written by Kimi Cunningham Grant. When Emelyn first starts college it is hard for her to connect with her classmates, until one day when she meets Janessa at a diner. Years later Emelyn is a wilderness guide, and is no longer as close to Janessa. But when Emelyn’s ex-boyfriend calls her telling her that Janessa is missing, Emelyn has to decide what to do, if it is safe for her to be around Tyler, and if Janessa even wants her to find her.

This was an engaging mystery, and I enjoyed how we looked at the pasts of the main characters, and how that helped us understand some of their actions. I appreciated the character and relationship development throughout the book, as well as learning a bit about the wilderness area where the book takes place. I definitely recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley, and to the author and publisher of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**NetGalley Review: The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant**

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

"The Nature of Disappearing" by Kimi Cunningham Grant is a beautifully written and haunting novel that delves deep into the themes of loss, identity, and the enduring power of nature. Grant's prose is lyrical and evocative, painting vivid pictures that draw you into the world she has created.

The story centers around a gripping mystery that unravels at a perfectly measured pace, keeping you engaged and invested in the characters' journeys. The protagonist's struggles and growth are portrayed with emotional depth, making them relatable and compelling.

While there were moments where the narrative felt a bit slow, the overall experience was immersive and thought-provoking. The intricate plot twists and the well-developed characters more than made up for any minor pacing issues.

If you enjoy novels that blend mystery with rich, descriptive writing and complex characters, "The Nature of Disappearing" is a great pick. A solid 4/5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Grants last book and was really excited to read this one. It was also good. The settings always really deliver and you can feel immersed in the books. I liked the character of Emlyn. I was a little unsatisfied with the way everything played out, but I still liked the book

I loved These Silent Woods so when I seen this one I just had to read it too. Unfortunately this one didn't pull me in like woods did. It was disjointed and was more like a romance than a mystery. If she writes another I will read it as well.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a bit behind on my ARC’s but working diligently to get caught up. I really liked the whole concept of this story! The characters are complex and well written and the setting is perfect. It jumps from the present to the past and back constantly, which can get a little confusing, but it was handled in a way where I could always ascertain when it was. There were some twists at the end that caught me off guard, which I love. If you’re into psychological thrillers and mysteries, check this book out!

4.5 stars

Kimi Cunningham Grant is a master of atmospheric wilderness survival writing and I am certain after reading These Silent Woods and now The Nature of Disappearing that I will immediately read anything she puts out into the world.

Emlyn has built a safe and quiet life in the mountains of Idaho where she is a wilderness guide. She lives in a camper van, enjoys her quiet life, and has a few close local friends. One morning, Emlyn sees a news report claiming that her best friend Janessa is missing. Emlyn and Janessa met in college and became friends right away. A few years ago they had a falling out over a guy and now are just starting to patch things up. Janessa called Emlyn recently, with something important to say, but the call dropped and by the time Emlyn got where there was service, she wasn't able to reach Janessa again. Now, with Janessa missing, Emlyn can't help but wonder where her friend is, what happened to her, and what that last message might have been about. Now Emlyn's ex-boyfriend Tyler has shown up asking for her help as a tracking expert to find Janessa. But Emlyn doesn't know if she can trust Tyler, a drug addict who left her for dead on the side of a snowy road a few years ago. As Emlyn and Tyler enter the wilderness, can she trust him not to let her down again?

I actually think I liked this book more than Ms. Grant's first novel. I enjoyed the mystery and the bit of romance sprinkled in. But I am absolutely captivated by the way Ms. Grant describes the outdoors - making the reader feel as though they're right in the middle of the rugged mountain. Some may say that this book is slow - but I devoured it quickly. I enjoyed the dual timeline, both told from Emlyn's POV - one in the present as they search for Janessa and the other in the past as we learn how Emlyn met with Janessa and Tyler and what happened to Emlyn that fateful night.

I beg you, please go pick up one of Kimi Cunningham Grant's books and get lost in the beautiful storytelling and character development.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

my first from this author. I always love thrillers that are based in the wilderness or deal with wilderness guides since I'm from Alaska. Very good read

I really enjoyed this book! The writing is great and kept
me captivated the whole time. I liked that it was a missing person story, but also a tale of love, friendship and finding yourself. I really liked Emlyn and was rooting for her. I also liked the setting and the wilderness and survival aspects as that’s something I haven’t read about before. I also liked the dual timelines to get to know Emlyn and her relationships with Janessa and Tyler. While this may not be a book that sticks with me forever, I throughly enjoyed reading it!

I was a HUGE fan of These Silent Woods by KCG, but this book didn’t quite hook me in the same way. At 50% in, I think the obstacle for me was a very circular feeling plot where the same few pages of content were recycled over and over without much teal movement. I still look forward to more from her, but this was a miss for me.

I found the concept of this book far more intriguing than its execution. It took quite a while to "get going"—the story didn't truly pick up until after the halfway mark. Although I expected a plot twist, the specifics surprised me, which is a positive aspect. There were several points where I contemplated not finishing, but my curiosity about "what is actually going on" compelled me to continue. Despite the slow start, the buildup ultimately delivered, making the twist all the more rewarding. However, I do wish the pacing had been more consistent throughout.

The Nature of Disappearing was a propulsive book, but something just fell flat for me. I wanted to keep reading but ultimately felt like the climax of the book wasn’t worth the time and build up. I really enjoyed the feeling that I was out hiking in the wilderness, but there were just too many loose ends and storylines that weren’t fully explained or resolved for me to rate it higher than 3 stars.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this digital ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! The only reason I knocked off a star was for pacing issues. The beginning was very slow but then the ending felt rushed.

I was hooked from the beginning of the story. I was a little frustrated with some of the decisions that Emlyn made but I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

I loved These Silent Woods and was so excited to be approved for an ARC of The Nature of Disappearing. This novel felt picturesque to me I felt like the descriptions were so vivid. This was a slow burn and I don't always do well with that. The characters were okay for me, but they really didn't grab me as much as I wished they would. Was a beautiful read, but not my favorite.

A first for me by this author although I guess this is her fourth book. Nail biting adventure story (with probably more romance than is like) but quick read.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Wow. I’m so disappointed.

These Silent Woods is one of my favorite books. This felt like it was written by a completely different person.

These characters were so surface level and incredibly hard to root for or take seriously. Honestly, the only part I enjoyed was the scenery. And the “twist”… don’t get me started.

2.5-3

I really enjoyed this book! It had me wondering what direction it was going to go and I was shocked at the twist at the end but it wasn't too far fetched either, which I enjoyed. Being out in the wilderness is no joke, and I truly felt like I was right there in the midst of it all, with the way that the author explained it all. I would highly recommend it this book if you like mysteries or suspense!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was a huge fan of the authors previous book, These Silent Woods, so was eager to try this one too. The storyline started out promising, with one friend missing deep in the wilderness, but I really had a hard time feeling connected to the book. Definitely more of a slow burn thriller.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own.