I have come to decide for sure that Kimi Cunningham Grant is just not an author for me.

There is nothing wrong with this book, but I was just, bored. I didn’t care for the love triangle and I couldn’t connect with Emlyn.

The story was interesting and the mystery left me wanting to finish, but overall, I was just a little bored. However, I think this could be fantastic for those who like a messy past, characters who have gone through the ringer, and a missing person, this could be the book for you.

A journey through the beautiful, and unknown, wilderness. (I pictured Wyoming, not sure if that's accurate because the state didn't stick....) Emlyn has reconnected with her ex, who really wounded her 3 years ago, in order to find a friend that is missing. That's the basic plot lol

I was really expecting a thriller. An intense book that kept me questioning everything at every turn. I was very intrigued, but I found myself to be skimming the book rather than really and truly reading it. I can tell you everything that happens though....so that really says something. It was slow, and way less than action packed.

I was really expecting a thriller, because I've heard great things about Grant's previous novel. This really didn't deliver that.

However! I wasn't expecting anything that happened starting at about 80% of the way through the book. I don't want to give spoilers in my review, but man do I wish I could.....

I do recommend this if you like SLOW story building. It's just not the action packed question mark thriller I wanted

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

This was okay for me. I liked it, but didn’t love it. Emlyn is our FMC and she lives a simple life in Idaho. She lives out of her trailer. She’s visited by her ex and he comes to tell her that her ex best friend is missing and he wants her help to find her.

3.5 ⭐️’s
Emlyn leads a simple life as a wilderness guide. Escaping from her past, she’s perfectly fine with the solitude, but when the past catches up with her, she must face it head on to overcome it. Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This gripping novel skillfully weaves together elements of suspense, romance, and wilderness adventure, creating a compelling narrative that keeps readers on edge. While echoing themes reminiscent of the Gabby Petito case, the author crafts a unique story that stands on its own merits rather than simply rehashing recent headlines. The exploration of complex relationships and the tension between past and present add depth to this thrilling tale of danger and redemption in the wilderness.

THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING is a well crafted mystery/nature thriller that keeps you guessing, and wondering whom to trust. It features the outdoors as almost a character a place of solace for main character Emlyn who has been disappointed by people a little too often. The vivid descriptions of the wilderness are bautiful and craft an atmospheric setting. Emlyn sets out to find her best friend after her disappearance from social media but this means confronting her own demons and her feeling of just not being enough or worthy as well otherwise she'll be an obstacle in her search for her friend. There's a slow building of tension but the feeling of utter seclusion in the Idaho woods definitely adds a notch, as do all the revelations to come, just stick with this one.

The author's writing is lyrical and evocative, the scene is set in an almost poetical way - I could almost smell the camp food. Compelling, moving, and thought-provoking.

These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant was one of the best books I have read and I was extremely excited to read The Nature of Disappearing. The two books were different in a few ways, but both capture that deep in the woods energy that I gravitate towards. I live in the mountains and am a long-distance backpacker so capturing the wilderness correctly feels like home in a book for me. Both books had me connecting to the characters, but I didn't fall in love with them in TNOD like I did in TSW. I liked the low grade tension of the mystery and I loved the way the author took her time describing scenes and making it feel real. I didn't fall as hard for this book as the prior, but this author remains a must-read for me.

I really enjoyed The Nature of Disappearing. I loved being in nature and how the author explained all of that. I liked the connecting storylines where you’re waiting to find out what happened in the past and what’s going to happen now.

The setting and atmosphere of this one were quite strong. I loved the descriptions of the wilderness and the settings, which really helped to ground the story and bring it to life. I also liked how much time was spent exploring non-romantic relationships. The story is told from a dual timeline, with the past one focusing on Emlyn’s life before she’s a wildlife guide. This did slow down the primary plot, but I enjoyed the development of the characters and seeing their growth.

Part of what I loved about this one was that there were no absurd twists, no attempts to make an ending that would cause the reader to gasp or swoon. The author did a great job incorporating things that built some suspense and even a little dread, which kept me guessing at what exactly was happening. That being said, I was a little underwhelmed with the motive behind the antagonists and would have loved for it to be a bit less flat, but this only detracted a little for me. Honestly, the characters as a whole were a little underwhelming. Emlyn wasn’t that interesting, but she was relatable, so I ended up feeling neutral about her.

DO NOT read this looking for thrills. DO read this if you’re interested in a character-driven mystery focusing on inter-personal relationships with some light suspense scattered throughout. My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really enjoyed this authors previous work, These Silent Woods, and couldn't wait to read this one. I enjoyed the concept and setting of this book, but it lacked in the execution. It took me several days to read this book as I just didn't care what happened next to Emlyn. This book is definitely a slow burn, and provides you a lot of backstory about our main character. Janessa and Emlyn were both frustrating characters to read about as Janessa was very controlling and Emlyn didn't do much about it. I will continue to read this author's novels as they are so atmospheric, even if this was a miss for me.

I was so drawn into this story!

The vivid descriptions make you feel like you are there. I also was drawn into Emlyn’s character and felt for her so much- very emotionally connected.

I really liked the dual timelines and the way the story unfolded. I will note this one has some suspense, but more so drama- don’t go into it expecting a fast-paced thriller.

It is very much a slow burn, but even so I was so invested and intrigued that I did not want to set it down and flew through it.

I know I’ve seen some mixed reviews, but this one really did it for me and I recommend you check it out too!🖤

ust as I was while reading her previous novel, [book:These Silent Woods|56268973], I am amazed by the author's undeniable talent for atmospheric writing and the ways in which she has me following these characters into uncharted territory with a quickening heart rate! I'm no expert, but I've done a bit of camping and hiking and it is clear that the author knows what she's talking about - either from research or personal experience - when she writes of outdoor travels, adventures and mysteries.

This novel felt a little slower than her previous one but I definitely enjoyed it and, on multiple occasions, found myself spellbound by both her writing and the direction of the story. I can only imagine how much fun it would be to throw this book into a backpack on a camping trip or outdoor excursion - the author makes it all seem so real!

The Nature of Disappearing was an interesting read for me since I went in thinking it was going to be more of a thriller than it was. It was definitely more of a mystery and touched heavily on the theme of friendship and relationships, which still had many aspects that I love in a book. I was intrigued by the story from the beginning, which is written in past and present timelines, where Emlyn goes searching for her best friend Janessa in the wilderness after she goes missing. I found the story to be on the slow side and I think I expected more from the ending and more to the story in general as there was a lot of build up and I was left waiting for more. That being said, I really enjoyed Emlyn as the main character, how she picked one word to describe a person and also getting to learn about her past and seeing her move forward. My favourite aspect about this book was how atmospheric it was — the vanlife, backcountry camping, being cut off from the world in search of a missing friend.

Overall, I liked this one and rated it 3.5 to 4 stars. If you are looking for a slow burn mystery set in the wilderness, written in past and present timelines, check out The Nature of Disappearing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

In this captivating novel of suspense, a wilderness guide must team up with the man who ruined her life years ago when the friend who introduced them goes missing.

Kimi Cunningham Grant is queen of the slow burn - her novels grow and unfold with delicious suspense and this one was no exception. Every single page had atmosphere and as a reader you cannot help but be immersed in the setting. Throw in the emotion, healing and growing that Emlyn does throughout along with the darkness and suspense, and you’ve got the perfect thriller novel.

Wilderness guide Emlyn has made a quiet new life for herself after the terrible events of three years ago that led her to being abandoned and left for dead by her boyfriend Tyler.

Now, Tyler is back, asking for her help: Janessa, her former best friend, is missing. A social media #vanlife and adventurer influencer, Janessa and her survivalist boyfriend have not checked in for a couple of days, and evidence convinces Emlyn that she needs to search for her friend in the deep Idaho wilderness.

Past and present collide as Emlyn and Tyler press further into the backcountry, and she soon realizes Janessa may not be the only one in danger.

With a Now vs. Then narrative timeline to show the beginning and eventual breakdown of her relationships with Janessa and Tyler, I quite enjoyed Emlyn’s character and her story. She starts off as timid and submissive, a victim of her own insecurities, and through time and circumstance learns to be more confident and assertive and have faith in herself.

The deep dive into wilderness survival and tracking and rugged outdoor life was very interesting. The overall mystery of Janessa’s disappearance and the clues found along the way were compelling enough to keep me listening. While I wanted just a little more out of the ending, it was still an enthralling story.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for early review. All thoughts are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Age Level: Adult
Content: none

This is a wilderness survival thriller with a twist. Emlyn is haunted by the past and has been struggling to move forward. She ends up needing to team up with the boy who ruined her life to help save her best friend. The book is dark and somewhat slow paced, but overall is a good story. I really enjoyed Emlyn's words for everyone.

I had low expectations going into this book based on others’ reviews, but I ended up loving every minute of it! It’s a very tame thriller, which is perfect for me since thrillers aren’t usually my jam. I love that it was set in Idaho and mentions several places in the surrounding area that I’ve been to. It had just the right amount of suspense and I loved how the story wrapped up for the main character. These Silent Woods, written by the same author, was a favorite of mine as well and I’m excited to read more books by her!

Kimi Cunningham Grant came out swinging in her debut, and while this didn't land quite as well for me, it was still an enjoyable read. With stakes just a little lower, I needed a bit more from the characters, but overall, worth checking out.

"The Nature of Disappearing" is undeniably well-written and makes for a quick, engaging read. Anything by Kimi Cunningham Grant is worth exploring without hesitation. I loved her previous novel so much; I recommend it to everyone!

In this novel, for an immersive adventure deep into the wilderness, where the environment itself creates a tense and captivating atmosphere, making nature the antagonist of the story. "The Nature of Disappearing" hooks you with its survival theme, offering a mysterious and intriguing narrative. It follows in the footsteps of the author's previous thrilling novel, "These Silent Woods," sharing a similar atmospheric setting, Grant can really capture the scenery of her worlds.

"The Nature of Disappearing" excels with its realistic character portrayals, highlighting both their flaws and engaging qualities, fostering a strong connection with readers. Emlyn, the protagonist, is a capable survivor displaying toughness and resilience. Yet, we also see her vulnerable side, making questionable choices as she navigates mixed emotions and blurred judgments.

This book differentiates itself by emphasizing the central love story between Emlyn and Tyler, whose betrayal overshadows the mystery of Jenessa's disappearance. The narrative skillfully shifts between timelines, creating a complex interplay that might occasionally leave readers feeling a bit disoriented. The fractured love story significantly impacts Emlyn's present decisions.

Despite some abrupt transitions between timelines, I enjoyed the characterizations, the intricate portrayal of a broken love story, the exploration of deep friendship, the examination of dysfunctional relationships, and the captivating mystery—though it could use a bit more refinement. The author's extensive knowledge and detailed descriptions of wilderness survival are standout features, leading me to round up my rating from 3.5 to 4 stars.