Art, suspense, and a determined attorney: “The Vanished” (review & GA, ends 4/24/24)

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Provenance.

Oxford Languages’ English Dictionary defines that word as, “a record of ownership of a work of art or an antique, used as a guide to authenticity or quality.” That may not sound very exciting. But consider that word in connection with a piece of art that disappeared during World War II and then reappeared. Perhaps one that was subsequently acquired by a museum. Suddenly, that word can conjure related nouns, like “Nazi,” or “art theft.”

Are museum director Carter Montgomery and attorney Janae Simmons looking at that with the situation they’re suddenly facing?

The Vanished JustRead Takeover + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for The Vanished by Cara Putman hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Vanished Series: Secrets to Keep #1 Author: Cara Putman Publisher: Kregel Publications Release Date: April 16, 2024 Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense

Janae Simmons left the small town of Kedgewick, Virginia, ten years ago to pursue her legal career and never looked back–until a professional mistake leads her to her grandmother’s historic carriage house and to the town where her past threatens to find her. The quiet streets echo with her grandfather’s sterling reputation, one that conflicts with fresh questions that claw at Janae, launching her on a reluctant journey to unearth his secrets. When her new job at a local law firm doesn’t live up to expectations, she wonders if coming home was the right decision.

Carter Montgomery starts his art preservation career with the only job he can get–director at the Elliott Museum of Art. At least Kedgewick is a nice enough town to provide him and his nephew with a safe place to grieve the loss of Carter’s sister. But Carter’s calm days disappear when an elderly woman claims two paintings in the museum’s collection were stolen from her family during World War II. Carter enlists Janae’s help to unravel the legal labyrinth of art ownership, and the peaceful facade of Kedgewick morphs into a hot bed of secrets. When an attorney turns up dead and Janae uncovers another painting, what began as a simple legal issue spirals into a race against time. As the web of intrigue tightens, the duo must confront a looming question: What dark truths lie beneath the surface, waiting to be exposed? “Putman’s legal expertise shines in this compelling and intricately plotted romantic suspense. Highly recommended!” —Colleen Coble, USA Today best-selling author “Cara Putman has once again created an exciting cast of characters. I was immediately drawn in by Janae and Carter’s unique chemistry. This is one story you don’t want to miss.” —Rebecca Hemlock, award-winning author of Fury in the Shadows

More Books in Series

About the Author

Cara Putman

Cara Putman is the award-winning, best-selling author of more than thirty-five novels, including the Cornhusker Dreams series and the Hidden Justice series.

Connect with Cara by visiting caraputman.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of the book, art-themed notebooks, and stickers that inspired the art stolen in the book!

The Vanished JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 17, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 24, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

My thoughts about The Vanished

First of all, the title. I couldn’t resist a book with a title like that! Mystery. Danger. And something, or someone, precious that has disappeared.

Second: the subject matter. I adore art and fiction about it. As author Cara Putnam writes about art, I could vividly see it in my mind. The soft brushstrokes of Impressionism, the vivid colors of Expressionism. The museum that director Carter Montgomery heads up, with galleries and hallways filled with paintings and sculpture (not to mention the basement and storage areas with who knows what hidden masterpieces). And a precious object or two that’s tucked away in a family property.

Of course there has to be a Third: the wonderful characters and the mystery. Both Carter and Janae have brokenness and loss in their pasts, that are still affecting their present lives; along with their choices, their thoughts, and their relationships. Both have come to small Virginia town Kedgewick hoping for a new beginning, a pivot point for their careers. And neither is expecting the enormous mystery that lands in their laps, which they must solve quickly, as outside pressures come to bear on them. Someone is out to prove that Carter’s museum has possession of art that belongs to a private family…and they’re going to do anything they can to get it back.

Yet Carter and Janae have been thrown into the deep end, so to speak, with no support from those they’d expect to come alongside them. Most of the museum’s board of directors are adversarial and demanding, not providing the resources one would expect they’d easily give to a new hire. Janae is working as hard as she can to learn about the legalities facing the museum; but there’s so much she doesn’t know. And then? A death. A threat or two. And the mystery deepens.

Janae and Carter are working against time and forces that they don’t understand…and more may be at risk than their reputations. I highly recommend The Vanished. I love a story about second chances–and about an art mystery! You won’t be satisfied until you turn the very last page of this book.

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.