Corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of the big city and the daily grind. She grew up with her father, who raised search-and-rescue dogs, in rural Texas and has moved to the small town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park. When she and her dog, Huck, discover an abandoned campsite on a volunteer search-and-rescue mission, she's perplexed, but she carefully photographs it all the same.
All Grant Wycoff can see when he looks at Ava is a city slicker--with her designer jeans and shiny car--who has no business on a serious team made of seasoned outdoorsmen and retired cops. But when she tells him of her findings on the trail, he sees there's more to her than meets the eye.
Ava's discovery reminds Grant of the unsolved case of a young woman who went missing two years ago. As they look into the campsite further, another woman disappears under odd circumstances. With time running out, Ava and Grant must work against the brutal heat from both the Texas sun and their own electric chemistry to solve the case.
Ava Burch’s life may have been spiraling, but her bold decision to walk away from her corporate law career leads her somewhere unexpected—and far more dangerous. Hoping to reinvent herself as a nature photographer, she’s out capturing the Texas wilderness when she finds evidence of a gruesome crime. Soon her path crosses with Deputy Sheriff Grant Wycoff. Grant is ready to dive into what just might be a troubling case, and he’s stunned to discover that someone has already taken dozens of detailed photographs of his crime scene—someone who definitely isn’t on his team.
His initial irritation with Ava quickly fades once he realizes she’s far more than an overcurious bystander. Not only does her camera capture crucial clues others have missed, but her instincts and persistence open new angles on both the active investigation and a lingering cold case. Ava also brings along Hank, a Search and Rescue dog inherited from her estranged father, and together they become indispensable to Grant’s work. As more than one woman goes missing, Ava and Grant find themselves in a race against time, each discovery raising the stakes.
As a romantic suspense, Vanishing Hour delivers on both fronts. The slow-burn chemistry between Ava and Grant blends naturally with the escalating tension of the investigation. And Julia Atwood’s excellent narration adds depth and atmosphere, making the story even more immersive. With its excellent pacing, this gripping book will definitely keep the reader invested from the first chapter to the last.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
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