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Review “The Disappearance Of Grace” by Vincent Zandri

October 22, 2012 3 Comments

The Disappearance of Grace by Vincent Zandri
Published by: StoneHouse Ink
Publication Date: September 11, 2012
ASIN: B0099C5UFU
Pages: 271
Review Copy from: Author
Edition: Kindle
My Rating: 5

Synopsis:
Now you see her. Now you don’t…

Captain Nick Angel has finally made a separate peace with the war in Afghanistan. Since having been ordered to bomb a Tajik village which resulted in the death of a little boy of no more than two, he’s been suffering from temporary bouts of blindness. Knowing the he needs time to rest and recover from his post traumatic stress, the US Army decides to send him to Venice along with his fiancee, the artist, Grace Blunt. Together they try and recapture their former life together. But when Grace suddenly goes missing, Nick not only finds himself suddenly alone and sightless in the ancient city of water, but also the number one suspect in her disappearance.

A novel that projects Hitchcockian suspense onto a backdrop of love and war, The Disappearance of Grace is a rich, literary thriller of fear, loss, love, and revenge. From the war in the Afghan mountains to the canals of romantic Venice, this is a story that proves 20/20 eyesight might not always be so perfect and seeing is not always believing.

My Thoughts and Opinion:

Caveat: If you visit often, then you know Vincent Zandri has been a favorite author of mine, since I read his first book Moonlight Falls back in May of 2010. Since then I have read most of his books and enjoyed each and every one. One thing I want to stress is, that just because it is a Vincent Zandri novel, I will always write an honest review as to what my thoughts are on any particular book.

This book wasn’t just a romance. This book wasn’t just a psychological thriller. This book wasn’t just a suspenseful mystery. It was all those and more! Riveting!!! As in all of Vincent Zandri’s books, he grabs the reader within the first few paragraphs and literally does not let go until the final word. The chapters short with little cliff hangers whereas you HAVE to read a couple more chapters, and then find yourself with half the book read. The suspense mounted and the pages just kept turning.

Because I have read most of his books, other than the Moonlight series, I can see slight differences in his stand alone novels. His writing is just a bit difference, which makes for a new reading experience with every story. For me, that is a talent and gift of master story telling. The difference in this book was the subplot of a romance. I feel I also experienced one other change. Even though I was reading a psychological thriller, I felt that the author was also “playing the reader”. I found myself wondering, if the story that I was reading, was at “face value” or something different, which led to reading this book in 2 sittings. Heart pounding!!!

The plot was intense!! Nick and Grace sitting in an outside cafe in Venice, trying to accept Nick’s blindness after being affected by PTSD during the war. And the love of your life disappears right in front of you. But you don’t see a thing. Neither do those also sitting at the cafe. How does Nick, with his blindness, begin to look for her? The police nor the Embassy seem to believe him. Did she just leave? Or was she kidnapped? A white knuckle read!!

Zandri delivers another knock out novel. And in the first round!!! Thrilling and chilling!!!