The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman

The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America's Wildlands by Jon Billman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Cold Vanish is the story of the search for Jacob Grey, who went missing in April 2017 in the Olympic National Park, having not told anyone where he was going. Along the popular Sol Duc road, Jacob’s bike was found just off the road along with some of his gear, including his sleeping bag. I felt immediately hooked on the first page of this novel. What could have happened to Jacob, a star surfer and a boy who is well-versed in the woods? However, many things come to light, such as Jacob’s possible struggle with mental health, a possible journey to Canada, maybe being taken care of by the elusive Bigfoot, possibly showing up in Forks, Washington, or atop the mountain on a soul-searching journey. My thoughts went jumping to conclusions about what could have happened to Jacob near the Sol Duc trail and the book kept me guessing the whole way. However, The Cold Vanish is far from salacious; though there is plenty of speculation of what could have happened to Jacob, none of it belongs originally to the Billman; the book largely revolves around Randy’s search for his son, Jacob, his thoughts about what may have happened, and the extensive searches Randy performs, sometimes with the Billman in tow.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Cold Vanish. I feel that the story of Jacob’s vanishing, along with stories and statistics about other missing persons, is buoyed up by Randy’s optimism, the Jon Billman’s well-timed humor, and the conclusion of the novel, which will not leave you disappointed. Another strong point for me was the well-researched missing person’s cases and the statistics. Jon Billman doesn’t just tell you a story; he paints a picture so vivid you feel like you are searching with the search-and-rescue parties.

I did feel frustrated with the first few chapters of the book. Just as I was hooked into Jacob’s story, the chapter ended and Amy Betchel’s disappearance took over the next chapter and derailed the hook for me. Amy’s disappearance is, of course, important, but I was annoyed that I just settled into the story only to go off on a different path. This novel repeatedly does this until the end, but I became used to it after the first couple of chapters. The only other criticism I have for this novel is there were a few typos here and there.

Overall, this is a novel I would recommend to anyone who is interested in true crime or missing persons. One extra wonderful thing about this book is that Billman is donating 20% of his royalties to the nonprofit Jon Francis Foundation which is "dedicated to saving lives through wilderness safety education and empowering families who have suffered the loss of an adult loved one in the wilderness."

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

#NetGalley #TheColdVanish

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