The Vanished by Cara Putman New Release and Book Review

 

Help me congratulate Cara on her newest release! Here’s the blurb:

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?

MY REVIEW:

Genre: Romantic suspense.

Series: Secrets to Keep, book one.

I received a gifted copy.

This was my first introduction to this author. I really enjoyed her writing style as well as the storyline.

This tale would appeal to those readers who enjoy learning something new … this something new involves the world of museums, works of art, and determining provenance. It was intriguing to me just how much work goes into determining the provenance of a piece of art. I guess I’ve always been a bit curious … it’s one of those behind-the-scenes things. Yes, this is a work of fiction, but there seemed to be a ring of truth in that determination through these pages.

I enjoyed the storyline between the main characters Janae, an attorney who has a story of her own, and Carter who also has his own story. I liked the back-and-forth between the two of them, their attraction but not really sure if they should act on it. Janae from the standpoint of Carter being her first big client in her new law firm, and Carter simply because he was afraid to take a chance with his heart. There is also a backstory involving Charlotte, Carter’s sister, along with her son, Andrew.

And, we can’t forget the Ashby and Ashley Law Firm, along with Janae’s parents … not to be ousted by the story of Janae’s grandparents. And the Elliott Museum itself and all that happened there.