Vanished, The Search for Sally Hunt by Jan Joseph

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review:'Vanished, The Search for Sally Hunt,' A Paranormal Mystery by Jan Joseph.

In Vanished, The Search for Sally Hunt by Jan Joseph, we are taken into the life of a young woman who has been chosen. As with any college student Sally Hunt is searching for herself. Yet when she is visited by a strange phenomenon that reveals she will be a healer, she realizes the stress of her life may be just a bit too much.  One of her best friends is just as stunned, yet they chalk it all up to nonsense, and too many late nights.

Yet how does that explain the accident where Sally hits a young man with her car. As she waits for the paramedics to show and places pressure on the wound, she feels lightheaded, in pain herself. When they bring the gurney they are just as concerned for her, as she has just as much blood on her as does the victim, yet neither of them has injuries. Witnessed by Jeanie, her best friend they are both at a loss. It is only as she meets Jeanie’s Grandma Rose that pieces begin to fall into place, as Rose too met her own guide in much the same way. 

As the years pass, Sally is involved in healing, not always by choice. She has become close to Rose, and estranged from Jeanie.  Her husband is the love of her life, yet he too has his own struggles, but for him she is everything.

When Sally Hunt vanishes no one understands what has happened. Jane Peters gets the case and is unaware of all the drama. Receiving a call from Sally’s mother, Jane wonders why her husband was not the one calling. Something seems so strange about the situation. Yet as she begins to dig, she finds the most extraordinary story unfolding. Who will believe her, and why would they? Speaking to Sally’s friend Jeanie they find bitterness and estrangement. Yet Jane feels in her gut that Jeanie has a part in the disappearance, but her life is a mess, drugs and lifestyle have changed her from the young woman who was Sally’s best friend and confidant, to a walking wounded pile of nerves.

As Jane begins her search she finds her own faith and beliefs being tested. Can what she is hearing really be correct. Where are the husband and Jeanie in all of this? And what about Rose, Jeanie’s Grandma, she has now become a ward of Sally, taken care of as one of her own. Can she find the answers before it is too late for a woman to whom everyone has come to depend on?

Joseph has given us characters that are at once lovable and in many cases extremely flawed. Sally is just as messed up in life and anyone would be that received her visions, yet she has managed to be relatively normal most of the time. She finds herself drawn to those in need of saving, and this is both her friend Jeanie, and her husband. There is such a vulnerability about them you find yourself wanting to ease their pain. Rose is a wonderful older woman and full of love as well as spunk. You can’t help but relate her to many of your own relatives. 

The story is interesting and the mystery is solid. You will find yourself looking for clues along with Jane as she tries to find the answers.

If you enjoy the paranormal and like a great mystery you will enjoy this work. The depth of character draws from many of those you may know or meet in your lifetime, and give credence to the novelty of the entire work.

Rating 4/5