October Bonus Book Review: The Cold Vanish
Come for the crime stories that give Jon Billman's book context; stay for Billman's smooth, potent writing
the true crime that's worth your time
The crime
The disappearance that’s the engine of Jon Billman’s The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America’s Wildlands isn’t a crime — Jacob Gray, who disappeared from Olympic National Park in Washington State in April of 2017, appears to have died by suicide or accident — but criminal cases Billman discusses to provide context include Amy Wroe Bechtel; Lisa Marie Kimmell; and a passing mention of “serial killer Bruce McArthur, a grandfather, landscaper, and mall Santa.”
The story
I gave The Cold Vanish five stars on Goodreads, and while it’s maybe in fact a bit shy of a full five, it’s a wonderfully written book that carried me right along. Publishers Weekly also liked it a lot:
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