Police procedurals aren't my jam - at least they haven't been up 'til now. But I needed a change of pace, and this book fit the bill quite nicely.

I'm unsure how to review a mystery, as anything I say about the plot could be considered a spoiler.

Vanishing Girls is the first - by publication date and chronologically - in a lengthy series centred on Detective Josie Quinn.

Josie is stationed in a small town in Pennsylvania. When we meet her, she is suspended from the police force due to a complaint lodged against her, and she is frustrated at being unable to participate in the search for a missing teenage girl.

Josie Quinn is a likable protagonist, and I enjoyed being in her head as things fell apart and then into place.

This story contains descriptions of violence perpetrated against women and children - some sexual in nature, and some not. It is the beginning of an ongoing series, but everything presented is tied up by the end of the book, and it could easily be read as a stand-alone. ( )

This was a fast-paced thriller with enjoyable action, twists, and characters. It surprised me pretty regularly, and although there were moments that felt a bit over-the-top or rushed, I'm glad to have been introduced to the Josie Quinn series and I expect I'll read more of them. For a thriller built on great story and characters, this was exactly what I was looking for as an escape read.

Recommended. ( )

Even though Detective Josie Quinn is suspended for use of excessive force, she has become engrossed in the case of Isabelle Coleman who has gone missing in her town of Denton, PA. Despite her Chief's continued warnings about her involvement, Josie calls her estranged husband, Ray for news and leads in the case. As Josie's search borders on obsession, the investigation starts to point much closer to home than she is comfortable with.

Vanishing Girls is an exciting beginning to this new series. Josie Quinn is a very flawed character with a dark background, which just makes her all the more interesting as a protagonist. The author does not shy away from some of Josie's questionable methods or the consequences of her actions. While the suspense in the book is unrelenting, the climax of the story is a bit far-fetched, and comes well before the end of the book, leaving lengthy falling action to tie up loose ends. Overall, however, Vanishing Girls contains electrifying suspense that leads to a satisfying conclusion ( )

If I had read this book first I might not haves continued with the other books in the series. In this first installment, the protagonist, Josie Quinn, is brash, unrelenting and more than a little annoying. She thinks nothing of breaking rules believing her own moral compass trumps all. However, Lisa Regan writes a slick, scary crime drama and it was worth suffering through the. irritating antics and my subliminal thoughts ‘Really are you going to do that’? It was due to my reading more recent additions in the series that I wanted to start at the beginning. Knowing that Regan has developed her character with more depth encourages me to find the second installment. ( )

I love these books and found a new author! I originally read number three first, as I had gotten that one free from the publisher and knew I had to read the others. So I started out with the first one, and it was just as good as the third one! I love Detective Josie Quinn.

The Vanishing Girls gives a bit more background to Josie Quinn, so far I don’t feel you have to read them in order, but I would suggest it. This novel starts out with her in some hot water, but we are not yet sure from what- she is on a suspended leave and of course any crime that happens, she seems to be front and center. Is this a wrong place, at the wrong time coincidence or is this merely detective Quinn not listening to orders, and still trying to be detective on the rogue.

A girl is missing, and the whole town is on watch – then a strange shootout vehicle crash happens and Josie is wondering what is happening in her town. As she starts to do her own sleuthing under the radar, she finds another girl that went missing years ago and someone in this vehicle crash is tied to that missing girl. As she starts inquiring, doors are slammed in her face and she is repeatedly told to back down.

Is detective Quinn barking up the wrong tree, and trying to connect dots that are not there, or is this bigger than anyone could have imagined? More missing girls, a shooting and some shady characters arise to the forefront. This was a thriller of a first novel in the series, and I am so excited to read the rest of them. ( )