The nitty-gritty: Wild nature is the setting for this excellent mystery/thriller where the characters' relationships take center stage.

I became a Kimi Cunningham Grant fan after loving These Silent Woods, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on The Nature of Disappearing, which I ended up loving just as much. This is a character/relationship-focused thriller that takes place in the wilderness, and I loved the Idaho location and the outdoor-savvy characters. Despite the emphasis on the characters, there are plenty of tense moments for thriller fans, but Grant’s story is much more than just popcorn entertainment, as she also explores emotional relationship dynamics.

The story follows Emlyn, who lives in Idaho and works as a wilderness guide, taking (mostly) rich people on private fishing and hunting trips. She ended up here by chance, after a disastrous camping trip with her ex boyfriend Tyler ended in her nearly dying of exposure. Emlyn has since made a quiet, happy life for herself and has formed a deep friendship with a ranger named Varden, the man who rescued her and saved her life.

But one day Emlyn catches a story on the local news that chills her to the bone. Her old college friend Janessa is missing, along with her partner Buck. Janessa is a social media influencer, and she and Buck were trekking deep into the wilderness to test and promote a line of camper vans. Just a week ago, Janessa called her to tell her something, but the call dropped and Emlyn never called her back. Now she feels guilty and wonders if something was wrong. The next day, Emlyn is surprised when Tyler shows up, asking her to help him look for Janessa. Emlyn will do anything for her friend, but she’s reluctant to trust Tyler after their horrible break-up.

Despite her misgivings, Emlyn agrees to help search for her friend. Being alone with Tyler is bringing back so many old memories, but other dangers await Emlyn and Tyler as well.

Grant fills in a lot of the information about the characters’ relationships in flashbacks, so you learn how Janessa and Emlyn met, how Emlyn and Tyler met, and what the relationship is between Janessa and Tyler. All of these are important to the story and what happens in the present, and I enjoyed these flashbacks immensely, perhaps even more than the mystery/missing person plot that takes place in the present. The author infuses her story with so much emotion and sometimes heartbreak. Without going into too much detail, there’s a drug addiction element that added lots of depth to the story, and Grant makes it feel completely believable.

Emlyn in the present has been shaped by everything that happened with Janessa and Tyler, and she comes across as both emotionally fragile but also a woman who has enough strength to move on. In other words, I thought her character was very believable. Adding some drama to the trio of Emlyn, Tyler and Janessa is Varden, the sweet and steady man who may be in love with Emlyn (although they haven’t really talked about their feelings yet). Emlyn is drawn to him, even though she still has complicated feelings for Tyler, and by the end of the story she’s able to figure out which man is best for her.

But if you’re here for the action, you won’t be disappointed. Grant sets up an interesting scenario where Janessa has gone off into the wilderness with Buck (who is sort of the wild card of the story), and no one has heard from them in over a week—quite a long time for Janessa, who continuously posts about her adventures on social media. I loved that Emlyn is skilled in all sorts of outdoor activities, like hunting and tracking, and she is able to follow Janessa’s trail by the boot footprints in the dirt at their last known location, and even come up with theories about what happened. Tyler is the “sad puppy” in all of this, as the reader is filled in on some of the awful things he’s done in the past, and clearly he’s trying to get Emlyn back, even though he recognizes he doesn’t really deserve her.

But back to the action. I had a couple of guesses and theories as I was reading, as to what actually happened to Janessa and Buck, and I was wrong on all accounts. Grant throws in a twist or two and some dangerous situations, with a flurry of exciting activity at the end.

And I can’t finish this review without mentioning the “nature” in the title of the book. Grant perfectly captures the wide vistas of the Idaho wilderness setting, the (at times) dangerous terrain, and the awe of nature. In one flashback we learn that Emlyn’s love of nature came from her nurturing grandfather, and I loved the scenes where he teaches her to hunt and fish. The author also uses “wilderness” as a metaphor for being lost in life, at a crossroads not knowing what you want to do next. Emlyn is trying to cope with the loss of her friendship with Janessa, as well as Tyler, but by the end of the story she is much closer to “emerging from the wilderness” and living life on her terms.

Kimi Cunningham Grant has captured so many things I love in one story: interesting characters who I came to care for, an awe inspiring setting, tense action and emotional character connections and backstories. Highly recommended!

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

This was such an atmospheric read. The author did a great job with details and she created a beautiful setting in which I felt immersed in. The story was not just a well written mystery, but a story of friendship and love as well. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I can’t wait to read more.

I really enjoyed the majority of this book. I liked the suspense and the build up. A book about the outdoors always intrigues me. For the sake of being entertained and having a good time while reading, the book definitely checked those boxes.

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I've never heard of this author before, and I can't recall how I stumbled across this title, but I'm so glad I did. I'm someone who really enjoys kayaking and hiking, so a thriller in the wilderness is definitely up my alley. I also have my own adventure vehicle so this thriller hits close to home. I loved this. The author really has a way of setting the scenery. The descriptions are vivid and it makes you feel like you're actually in the wilderness area with these characters. The pacing is great. I finished the book in about a day because I kept wanting to know what happened next as I finished each chapter. The characters keep you on your toes. There's mystery and intrigue with each of them so picking apart everyone's motives is fun. The "reveal" of the overall mystery/thriller component was believable but not overly predictable, which was nice. This was also a fun summer read for me because of the nature depictions. If you love nature and thrillers, this one was fun. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC opportunity!
I have posted this review to Goodreads already, found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6504467611
I will also post this review to Barnes and Noble and Amazon on the published. Update: Reviews added
Made a recent tiktok about it too: https://www.tiktok.com/@cantureads/video/7387559357401074987?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7345918379795957290

What I love most about Ms. Grant is her attention to details. The Nature of Disappearing does just that… whisks you away into the vast wilderness right with Emlyn. It was a great read and I can not wait for her next book!

I was really anticipating Grant's new novel after being absolutely obsessed with her debut novel. This book was definitely interesting, but ultimately it was a little disappointing. These Silent Woods was a good mystery but more importantly it was such a beautiful character driven story with complex and full characters and relationships. The Nature of Disappearing did not have the same complex characters or relationships that I was hoping for, but to be fair I had high expectations. I did enjoy the journey with the story, but nothing made this stand out like These Silent Woods did previously.

I was able to get this from the library the week it came out and read a physical copy. I enjoyed this thriller/mystery and really got invested in the story line. It's perfect for summer reading and great for new to the mystery/thriller genre as well as seasoned readers.

I often had to step back from this book and wonder what the protagonist was thinking. So many times Emlyn made decisions that made no sense. That said, this book was easy to read and provided a good mystery that didn't require much thought. I give this a solid 3.5/5 stars.


Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin Press for the opportunity to review The Nature of Disappearing. All opinions are my own.

I usually don't go for slow burn thrillers, but I ended up really liking this one. The "thriller" part is really only engaging for the last 25-30% of the book. However, I loved the way Emlyn's character developed. The story was more about her inner life and finding happiness in her own skin than really about the mystery. The circumstances of Janessa missing were giving Gabby Petito vibes, but the story is not an exact parallel. There were some twists I didn't see coming, which I always appreciate. This book made me want to go on a hike and never go on a hike again in equal measure. If you don't mind a slow burn, appreciate character studies, and have a love for the wilderness, this may be for you.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Kimi Cunningham Grant does it again! A great, fast-paced story with strong characters with truth woven throughout. I enjoyed the setting as well and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

This was another book that took me putting it aside and picking it back up several days later before I could be drawn into the story. From the blurb this book is billed more as a suspense/thriller style book. From my standpoint, it was much more a story of friendship, old loves and a dash of suspense. Told from Emlyn’s viewpoint in alternating past and present timelines, we see her relationship with her best friend Janessa and her ex boyfriend Tyler play out. Janessa has gone missing and Tyler ropes Emlyn into helping track her down in the wilderness. The idea that she was traveling with her boyfriend and they were posting on social media while traveling the back country in their van made that part of this book seem a little torn from the headlines.
All in all I would say that once you get to about chapter 6 you will be drawn in and the rest of the story holds your attention.
I received a ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

"The Nature of Disappearing" by Kimi Cunningham Grant is a captivating novel of suspense.

Here you will meet Emlyn, a wilderness guide, who must team up with Tyler—the man who ruined her life years ago—when their mutual friend Janessa goes missing. Emlyn’s new life is simple and safe, but Janessa’s disappearance propels her back into the world she worked hard to forget.

As they trace Janessa’s path through Idaho’s wild country, chemistry crackles between Emlyn and Tyler. Yet, deeper in the wilderness, Emlyn begins to suspect a darker truth.

“The Nature of Disappearing” explores starting over and the cost of letting the past pull you back in. Now i was completely immersed in this author's previous book - "These Silent Woods" - it was terrifying in ALL the right ways. Sadly, "The Nature of Disappearing" left me thinking back to her previous novel and wishing for that more desperate feeling I get from so many thrillers. In this novel, I felt some of the outdoorsy themes/decisions here were not researched well enough. Due to that, I had a difficult time connecting with the main characters.

All that being said, f you enjoy suspenseful mysteries with character who posses questionable motives and atmospheric settings, check this book out. Remember, reading is all about place and time. So although this didn't hit for me, it could be a winner for you!

Thank you to Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC copy to listen to along with my print copy.

I'm a hiker. I like outdoor adventures. So I was drawn to the blurb about this one. I liked the wilderness aspect of this book. The hiking, the planning for being out in the backcountry. The amount of detail the author was able to use was impressive.

But the mystery part of it didn't really engage me. It seemed to take a backseat a bit and there was a lot of focus on the prior romance between Emlyn and Tyler.

Overall, this was OK if only because of the detail and the hiking. But I'm not sure it was enough to really make it a book that I loved. I'm not sure I'd recommend it to others.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

What a fabulous title! I not only loved the setting, but I loved the characters and the roles we fall into...how history has a way of luring us in, even when we know better. What a great weekend read!

4.5 stars- Another great book by Kimi Cunningham Grant! I LOVED These Silent Woods and was eagerly anticipating this book. I will say the synopsis didn't really pull me, which is why the more I read the more I try not to read synopsis. Kimi does such an EXCELLENT job of describing the setting and characters that I could easily visualize what was going on. Her writing is not too descriptive though that it bogs down the story. I can relate to certain aspects of friendship that Kimi describes and can relate to the main character, Emlyn. The pacing is fantastic as it jumps from the present to past. She weaves the stories of the past in with the present so well, it just worked for me. I personally don't think this is a thriller, I would say its a Suspense with almost like a literary fiction vibe as there is more of a character driven element. I read this in 2 days, but I had to go to sleep! I could have read this in one sitting easily! If you love the outdoors, nature and solitary/survival themes.
I do wish there was more Vader :)
The audiobook narrator is Fantastic!

Thank you netgalley and Minotaur books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love reading Kimi Cunningham Grant's books because they are so well written. I love her descriptions of nature and how well the characters are developed. In The Nature of Disappearing I especially enjoyed and related to Emlyn's character and enjoyed the nuance that Tyler's character brought.

While I loved the writing style and characters, I was left wanting more from the plot. With no spoilers, the problem/climax of the story didn't feel authentic or believable to me. And while the ending of the book was ultimately satisfying, I was left wanting just a little bit more! More explanation, more details on the relationships, more of what happened next!

Overall, I still really enjoyed reading it and will continue to read all of Grant's future work (These Silent Woods was a favorite!).

Emlyn is used to not getting what she wants, and settling for what she gets. After starting her life over again without her college friend, Janessa, or the man she thought may be the grand love of her life, she isn’t sure that she should risk it all helping the two of them again.

Emlyn has found herself pretty content in her new life. She was rescued from the side of the road, near death, and nursed back to health by the members of a close knit community who make most of their living off of the tourists and the forest. She quickly finds her skills make her an excellent fishing and hunting guide.

When her past comes back, she isn’t sure if she should help out, but she knows things are unlikely to end well otherwise. She consults with Rev, whose great insight with people could give her answers, but Rev of course can’t give her clear answers of what she should or should not do. Emlyn reluctantly tries to help the two people who practically turned their backs on her.

Emlyn and the characters from her past were so clear and engaging. While they started out seeming like they’d all be close forever, they each had their secrets even then. Their stories when they all meet up again are suspenseful, especially with the addition of a character who was never mentioned in their earlier lives. The unpredictable story earned 4 out of 5 stars and would be great for those who enjoy outdoorsy stories and thrillers.

Idk what this woman puts in her books but it’s gonna hit every time for me. The way she presents her settings, the vibes, the characters it’s so good. I love the descriptions of the wilderness and nature it was so atmospheric.

I can understand that her books might be for everyone because 75% of the book is character development and the rest is plot driven. It’s one of those slow burns that don’t feel slow.

I must admit i had no clue where this was going and it kept me guessing all the way to the end. I feel this book was a tad different than her last book which was a huge tear jerker.

The main MC was likeable. I loved how this book mostly focused on female relationships, character evolution, and trust.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw that Kimi Cunningham Grant had a new book out (and it was available to Read Now for a certain amount of time) I jumped at the chance to read it without even reading what it was about because I loved These Silent Woods so much! I also love stories that involve hiking or camping so this was right up my alley!

The Nature of Disappearing definitely had a slow start but was still able to keep it interesting and the story progressing. I usually don't do well with books that time hop like this one does and at times the flashbacks did seem to interrupt the flow of the story. As the story progressed it did seem to flow better. I really liked Emlyn and her character and watching her growth throughout the story. The story really didn't play out as I thought it would and there were a couple of times that I was surprised by the twists. Definitely worth a read!

Emily is normally easy going but her life has been turned upside down. After her boyfriend leaving her alone in the woods with no explanation she decides to escape and start a new path. But all of a sudden her ex shows up and says her former best friend is missing and off the grid. Emily becomes concerned and decides to track and find Janessa. As she gets further into the woods she starts to discover Janessa might not be the only one in danger. Will they find Janessa and will everyone make it out alive?

From start to finish this book kept me on my toes! I thought I would be able to figure out after about halfway through but I had literally no idea what was going to happen. The characters were full of mystery and thrill and I was able to fall in love with some of them and really dispise the others. It felt like I was right there in the story! I loved it!