Investigative journalist, Kendra Dillon had to pivot when she was fired from her tv reporter job. But she found a better fit as the host of The Cold Trail, a podcast that investigates cold cases and tries to find new lines of inquiry. In the second book, The Moment He Vanished, Kendra and her associate producer, Adeline Shoop start the third season of their podcast by looking into the child abduction of Ethan Peltz.

I think this was actually more intense than the last book. It's definitely more action packed. I loved the switching viewpoints, the structure worked well in the last book, but extremely well in this one.

Kendra was fantastic. I loved her determined attitude and dogged persistence. I did feel like she made some dumb decisions though - visiting the place she was taken from alone, going places by herself without telling anyone - I mean yeah people do that, but she's actually been abducted - seems like she should be even more aware of how wrong things can go.

Honestly she's kind of absentminded about safety considering everything. I got maybe not reporting things to the cops but I felt like she should be actively preparing for trouble. And no, pepper spray is not remotely enough. I can't wait to know more about her past. I thought I'd find out in the last one or in this one but the author seems to be building it up. I'd be more annoyed if I wasn't so hooked on this series.

As for the mystery in this one, it had me spinning. I'd settle on one theory and then totally second guess myself. I was completely dumbfounded by the ending. OMFG Josh! I hadn't completely decided whether or not he was Ethan and went back and forth on that but the rest of it had my jaw dropping.

I did feel like Kendra should've been more capable with Josh at the end though. I mean she was just waiting for someone to save her and it felt like a cop out. I would've liked for her to have managed to stop him just as law enforcement came in or something. As for her stalker I have a prediction about that. I think it's Atwell. He's creepy. Time will tell if I'm right though. And let's face it, my track record says I'm wrong.

Another terrific read by Rebecca Rane. 5 stars. ( )