Vanished

Baudin & Dixon Trilogy #1

by Victor Methos

The Cheyenne Police Department doesn't handle many murders. So when a woman is found mutilated and crucified, Detective Kyle Dixon catches a case where all the evidence has long since been destroyed. Any detective would find it a difficult investigation, but to make matters worse, Dixon is paired with Ethan a new detective in the unit who doesn't believe the law should apply to those that chase monsters. They find that the murder is connected to a rash of fraternity rapes and the case becomes highly publicized and politically charged. As Dixon and Baudin unravel the victim's life and follow it to Cheyenne's underbelly, it leads them to a rash of unexplained disappearances of young women, and to the dark tastes of the most powerful men in the city. The case quickly begins to threaten their careers, and even their lives. Dixon and Baudin will have to decide if the backlash is worth finding out the truth, or if some deaths are better left unexplained. Bestselling author Victor Methos has created the beginning of a new series that explores the darkness in men's souls. This isn't the typical mystery with procedures and red tape. This is about the shadows that touch all of us...

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Thriller, Dark, Mystery Thriller, Procedural

323 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2015

About the author

Victor Methos is the Edgar Award nominated bestselling author of over forty novels. He has been a criminal and civil rights lawyer in the Mountain West, conducting over 100 trials, and produces two books a year with his dog Fraiser by his side.

Reviews

[Adrian Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't make my mind up about this book. The legal thrillers by this author are great, as are the supernatural Sarah King mysteries, but this book doesn't quite match up for me. It felt a little, and in some parts a lot, farfetched. It wasn't the nature of the crimes that's was unrealistic, it's the actions of the main protagonists and others that I struggled to relate to. Other reviewers were more positive so maybe my expectations were too high on the strength of previous VM novels. But it entertained me. Enough so to move straight on to #2.

[Christine Stearns · Rating 1 out of 5]

Great until it wasn't, then AWFUL

Spoilers.
I read a bunch of other books by this author, the Neon Lawyer series and the Jessica Yardley series. I thought they were absolutely awesome. Fun to read and characters I really enjoyed. Then we get Baudin and Dixon. Instantly unlikable, moronic characters. One of them doesn't wear sunglasses because sun is natural and sunglasses aren't so witch is going to hurt his eyes? Seriously, did we really just read that? The other one is a cop who believes in gawd which don't even get me started on. Then one of them finds his teenage daughter making out with a boy. He proceeds to knock the kid unconscious and then his partner proceeds to threaten the child into silence and covers up his partners wrong doing which you know was beating the shit out of a child. These are the characters I'm supposed to trust? These are the characters I'm supposed to give a shit about and root for? No. I would highly recommend this author right up until the point he pulled these two idiots out of his butt.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Potentially Good Story/Plot, but Simply Unbelievable

‘Sorry, I like a good criminal/mystery story as much as (or better than) the next guy, but this is neither the ‘Gripping Serial Killer Psychological Thriller’ it is billed as, nor is the detective team believable. Period. The author went WAAAYYY too far to the extreme on the Cheyenne Police Department and teamwork, and wasn’t convincing at all about the bad guy(s) ...

[K Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating. Toward the end of the book I thought: this is the next generation Clint Eastwood (Dirty Harry) split into two characters—two sides of the independent hero mythology—including the shadow. I’m intrigued. Will definitely read more from this author.

File Under: Dirty Harry & Clean Harry

[KJ Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good Story That Could Be Better

The story is, overall, well told. But a grating, insulting flaw runs through it. Methos seems to think everyone in Wyoming is am ignorant hick who can't speak English well. Everyone. Every character speaks like he or she has received little or no education, which is laxy, sloppy, ignorant and stupid. It's amateurish. While many might be only high school graduates, not everyone is going to speak like an uneducated hillbilly. It also leaves characters I derdeveloped. Methos should do better.

[Michelle Redder · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Thoughts are energy, matter is energy, even your soul is energy. You just gotta align all three to what you want, and you'll get it."

Wow! the end will have you speechless! ...I didn't expect that at all.

Two partners (Dixon and Baudin) pair up as detectives for the Cheyenne Police Department to investigate a gruesome murder by crucifixion and mutilation that is connected to a string of rape and murders that have been happening for years. As these two detectives learn more about the crimes committed and who may be responsible they start to question everyone around them.

[Deborah Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

I absolutely loved this thriller. I found myself wanting to tell others about this story. I think what I loved most was the author's characterizations. The two main characters are so different but they become as one. Great writing as well.

[Nora Wolfenbarger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book left me disappointed. The actions of the characters were unrealistic and as much as a person believes in the loyalty of some cops to one another, even to the point of breaking the law, this didn't cut it for me. Still, overall a reasonably good read. Nora Wolfenbarger author of The Blackbird Series.

[Tara Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I think it has to do with promises. Couple generations ago, a man’s word was his bond. He didn’t break it for anybody, at least not publicly. Now, nobody believes in promises anymore. Everyone’s expected to break them. When you lose that trust in people, everything else crumbles, including morality. Morality is just promises.”

This book was a wild ride the entire time! I went from absolutely hating Baudin, to semi understanding his reasoning, to not understanding him at all, then back to understanding him and the way he handled anything that came his way, then by the end I realized he was passionate about justice and would do anything for the people he truly cared about. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series!

[Terry · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Methos Fail?

I have an odd feeling about this book. It read almost like other Methos novels but ... not quite. Was this one of his first? Really kind of "out there" .. disjointed ... not like the many other books of his. It really reads like a first novel, or else Victor had one helluva hangover when he wrote it. Can't recommend it UNLESS you've read his other works and might like to read this one, just to compare how great of a writer he became! He wrote one book that scared me so badly, I had to stop reading ALL his books for a while! He is able to get into the mind of the psychopath so well, it made me wonder if Methos himself was a psycho! But this novel? Not remotely as good as the other books. Again, it reads like a first-time attempt. Baudin just feels like one or two of other killers, in other books, but simply not as well-described, not as well-formed.

[Victoria Henley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Victor Methos' books normally, but this one was TERRIBLE. So dark and twisted with absolutely no relief. The two main characters are both unlikable and extremely violent. The ending was ridiculous. It all was ridiculous. Oh, your daughter tried committing suicide? No biggie, let's go fight some guys at a bar and then get back to work!!! Oh, but you had a conversation with her about it?? Great!!

Also, there were so many glaring inconsistencies it was laughable. One second Baudin was enjoying sausage in his spaghetti and the next minute he's a vegan.

This book was truly hard to even finish, and I would put it in my top 5 least favorite books I've ever read. However, I've loved all of Victor's other books, I just don't recommend this particular series. It's almost as though it wasn't even written by the same author.

[Jackie Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am disappointed. I discovered this author because of his legal thrillers which I loved, but this one was odd. It seemed like things were pulled into the story unnecessarily. Like various stories were set up and then Went nowhere. The ending was rushed and ridiculous. I hate when authors set up a mystery, seemingly get bored, and then quickly just tell us, yeah this guy did it and now he’s dead. The bad guy could have been taken in and then the legal stuff Methos is good at writing could have come into play. I also didn’t buy the main characters’ behavior (especially at the end). This is the 3rd or 4th non legal thriller of his that I’ve read and he should CLEARLY stick to legal thrillers.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have similar feelings a the other reviewers - just not quite good enough. There are some continuity errors, too, like where he enjoys the spaghetti with italian sausage at Keri's house, then orders a bean and rice burrito, stating that he is vegan. Um, ok. Neither protagonist is at all likable, which also makes it a tough sell. I've started reading the 2nd book, where there are already inconsistencies.

[Rudy D. Key · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was the most disgusting book I have ever read . It was about murder, rape, hookers, crucifixion, adultery, sadistic men and police officers who killed at random and covered up their evil deeds. I am ashamed to admit that I read the entire book. I will never read Victor Methos again!!

[marilyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book Method ever wrote.

Worst book I have read. Can't believe Method wrote this piece of trash. I won't bother reading anymore of the B audio & Dixon Trilogy books!

[Suzanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Everyone was a criminal and a sinner in this book. Down right depressing. Had jobs, family, money and still committed suiside or screwed up their lives. Didn’t see how anything was solved and opened more doors/questions. Disappointed.

[Michael B. Short · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't give it one star because I finished it. The main characters were pretty unlikable, and the plot was so disturbed that I started hating the book the more I read it. At least it's a fast read.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disturbingly good!!

I'm a fan of Victor Methos when it comes to his legal thrillers, but when it comes to those of a non-legal variety, it's hit or miss with me. But this? This book had all the best ingredients for me to enjoy as a reader: Wonderfully written and compelling plot of a truly tragic variety, one you want solved ASAP simply because of how awful it is. You find yourself rooting for ANYONE desiring to right this horrible wrong, everyone else be damned.

Enter Baudin and Dixon.

These two were personable and likable characters (at least for the most part). I liked that Methos spent a significant amount of time introducing them to me, as well as bringing me into their lives. Some people may not care for stories that include the personal lives of the main characters, but not me. I love stuff like that. Helps me bond with them. Both Baudin and Dixon were likable and unlikable at the time, which isn't a complaint. It made them feel real to me. I loved the bickering and tension and comradery between the two. Neither of them was perfect, and both of them did some very questionable things, but in the end, I found them bearable and rooted for them.

This book waded, wallowed, and at times DOVE into perfect 5-star territory for nearly its entire run. I was so ready to overlook my little grievances, ready to plop that perfect rating onto this thing. I really wanted to give this one a perfect score simply because of how much it pulled me into its orbit. I was so troubled by things, so conflicted about the questionable actions and/or behaviors of our hero cops frequently needing to perform their duties in gray areas in order to exact the justice you'd want as a reader. Sure, much of it was far-fetched, exaggerated, or unbelievable, but I was no less invested.

And then that ending happened.

Oyy. I may have had to accept the troubling things being done by our two hero detectives to fight the evils of crooked cops, but I couldn't buy that ending at all. I can't believe that Baudin, despite how willing he was to bend and break rules, was THAT willing to clean up Dixon's mess after the latter murdered his wife's lover, Chris. And not only that, but for Baudin to be just fine with chopping the dude up to bury his body parts? There's something incredibly messed up about that, even if he IS trying to protect his partner. Worst of all, this event being the close-out of the entire book was the worst kind of threat towards my feelings for both men.

Other quibbles?

Writing style, though great, still faltered here and there when it came to transition of scenes. A seemingly significant event might happen, but it doesn't quite carry the weight it should, such as the revelation of the victim being 16 years old. Baudin responds by punching out the older teenager attempting to get into his daughter's pants, and even THAT scene flows disjointedly. Daughter runs off, but to where? It's never mentioned, and Baudin doesn't seem burdened by it in the next chapter. Only in a follow-up chapter is she magically back home and the two don't discuss the event until even LATER chapters. It was just an odd flow.

It wasn't quite clear to me who or what vanished (as what the title suggests). Is it referring to the serial killer himself? Chris's body at the end? Unclear. Or maybe I missed it. As much as I've become more or less fond of both Baudin and Dixon, Methos made the mistake of applying the same lingo to their dialogue, such as using "man" liberally in their speech patterns. This at times made it difficult telling them apart as the story went on. I get that Baudin was written as a quirky, empathetic, and sympathetic fellow (despite being very rough around the edges), but I couldn't get used to how touchy feely he was with the females in this book. It wasn't disturbing per se, but...it just felt awkward and forced. Didn't feel as natural as I wanted it to feel. I chalked it up to him being very protective of women, but it still felt odd to read.

At any rate, that's enough yammering out of me. I still enjoyed the hell out of this book. And despite my aversion to the ending, it still was effective enough to get me to nosedive into the next book immediately because I NEED to know how it all goes down with Dixon, his wife, and the body of Chris. Which I guess was the point of that ending after all.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay. Continuing on with my Victor Methos marathon, I am starting another new series from him - a trilogy. I listened to this mostly on audio. I didn't really have any issues with the narration.

This series introduces us to two Homicide Detectives who work out of the Cheyenne Police Department - the CPD. Kyle Dixon was born and raised in this small town and has been on the force for about 10 years. He is married with a small young son.

Ethan Baudin is a new transplant from LA where he worked with the LAPD. He moved to Cheyenne to try to leave LA behind and find a better environment to raise his 13-year-old daughter. It is only the two of them because Ethan's wife committed suicide.

So...that's the set up. These two guys do NOT hit it off at the beginning and there is a new and unique, yet awful murder that takes place almost at the beginning of the book. Kyle begins to see that Ethan may actually have some experience dealing with serious issues such as this due to his LAPD background, but also lets him know that he needs to get better and understanding small town politics.

This story is a departure from the legal and court room thrillers that I have come to expect from Mr. Methos. This story is pure mystery and is in part, a police procedural drama. There are things going on in this small town and the more things they discover, the more they are afraid that the rot goes much farter than anything ever knew.

I will say this. The ending, actually the actual Epilogue is extremely shocking. I'm not sure that the events that happen in the Epilogue should have occurred at the very end. It makes the ending feel abrupt and it is like an actual shock to the system.. Kind of like, "Oh my goodness....you're ending it there????"

With that being said....it worked.

Gotta go now....have to start reading book 2.

[Marleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished this audio-book in the course of 1 day of early Spring cleaning, and I truly enjoyed it. I thought the juxtaposition of these two main characters, Detectives Dixon and Baudin, the former more traditional & sanguine, and the latter, a transfer from L.A., with a very unique personality, a kind of conspiracy nut and Renaissance man, who isn't afraid to go against the powers in place. Well that was, for most part, a winning combination. Of course, by the story's end, I could absolutely see the flaws in the characters, and in the story-telling, the lack of details, for one, and secondly, the lack of professionalism and principles in the entire Cheyenne police department. Wow, this book is certainly no publicity for the town of Cheyenne, WY. And there's no counterbalance in the storytelling to contradict this. Sure, this is a work of fiction, but there are holes, big ones. I appreciate authors who are able to weigh "the bad" with "the good", and you got yourself a winning police/mystery story.
For now, I am curious for the next installment in this series.

[Lisa Fuhr · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was horrible! SPOILERS. So many inconsistencies and the protagonist’s, who are supposed to be the “good” guys, were not good and at the end one detective kills another human and the partner cuts up and disposes of the body?! Terrible. Also the storyline with Dixons wife was utterly ridiculous not to mention making women look like complete idiots. She has no job and spends hours and hours at the gym everyday with a newborn baby? And we find out the baby is from an affair and she is still sleeping with this man? In her “marital bed” and she is too dumb to think clearly and verbalize this behavior and what actions she needs to take?
And then you have 16 year olds acting like prostitutes and drinking, doing drugs, and clubbing all night long in this supposed small town? And all of these crazy things are happening in this small town? Just such an absurd storyline here.

[Nancy Silk · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Awesome & Shocking Crime Thriller"

The Cheyenne Police Department in Wyoming has not handled many murders. But when there is now a woman mutilated and crucified, Detective Kyle Dixon and prior LA police detective Ethan Baudin are taking on the challenging task. This is a fast paced thriller which reflects a large difference of police authority and rules between the two detectives. There are dark interests among the most powerful men and the lives and careers of the detectives are threatened. A new series by my favorite author/attorney Victor Methos. He knows how to chain his readers to his thrillers. Highly recommend.

[Sandra Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa!?

Umm, just finished this book. I am stunned. I am a Victor Methos fan. I have read several of his books. He doesn't idealize his protagonists. They are always a human mix of good and bad. But these two have got to be the most human. Wow, Dixon is assigned a new partner. This guy has to be his total opposite besides being crazy. Dixon is just a good ol' boy who likes to hunt. Naive and generally optimistic he sees things he expects to see. Braudin , a product of the foster care system and his wife's recent suicide sees reality. Slowly he brings his partner into the light. These two's actions and reactions will bond them - I think - tighter than brothers. Also

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

i am reviewing here because this is the cover i saw when reading it through KU. i read a kindle copy. book 1 of the "The Baudin & Dixon Trilogy" KU. horror. police procedurals. horror literature & fiction. i have been so into Victor's writing ...it was only less than a few years ago that i found his writing and i am so happy i did. great reads. i am curious why horror? i mean i get that it is not a happy topic but what makes it go to that horror heading? it is just a Amazon thing or what? curious. i find it interesting 'cause i will often say i don't do certain genres and then magically it is in that genre??! weird, i think.

[Toni G · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

This was intense. Two detectives. One of them is religious and does everything by the books. The other is recently moved from LA to Cheyenne. His views on policing and "the rules" oppose his new partner's perspective.

The first case they work together is to find out who crucified a young woman. It's graphic, its suspenseful, infuriating and compelling.

Both men have complicated personal lives. Each one has a child. One is clear about his priorities and the other is not. Being truthful with yourself about your values and priorities can be challenging and painful. don't know what else to say. I recommend book 1. This is now one of my favorite books by Victor Methos.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading Methos when two of his book ended up on my Kindle on accident. I came to really enjoy his writing style. He writes in a way that keeps me engaged from front to back. Vanished was no exception.

This was the most dark and twisted novel of his I’ve read so far. I feel like Methos was intentionally aiming for shock value this time.

It’s violent, gruesome, vulgar(lots of f-bombs which I have seen yet from Victor Methos), and depressing. It’s also ridiculous. The characters say and do some odd things and the story jumps the shark a bit at the end. But did I enjoy it? Sure. I was entertained. I’d probably read the rest of the series.

[Charles A. CALLARI III · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most dangerous cases aren’t the ones that make headlines—they’re the ones no one wants found. Vanished by Victor Methos is a sharp, unsettling legal thriller that introduces Baudin and Dixon as they’re pulled into a missing-person case that refuses to stay small. What starts quietly escalates into something dark, morally complex, and genuinely threatening. Methos excels at tension, forcing his characters to make hard choices where the law offers no clean answers. The pacing is quick and never lets up. As Book 1 in the Baudin & Dixon trilogy, this novel lays a strong foundation and makes it nearly impossible not to continue the series.

[Anne M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the characters in this novel better than I liked the plot. A new detective who has come from LA gets teamed up with a detective in the city of Cheyenne who had just lost his partner. The two men were polar opposites, but they were bonded by their need to solve the crime and get justice for the victims. Them story did moved right along and kept my interest. However, I was disappointed that there were two major issues that weren’t resolved; which meant that I will have to read the next two books of this trilogy.

[J.P. Donahue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I challenge anyone to predict the ending of this book. When I started this, I thought it was just the typical buddy cop story. But the ending has genuinely left me speechless. There are plenty of twists in this fast-paced murder mystery that will stump even the most observant reader while still giving the feeling that all the clues were there from the start.

I have to say, though, this story is not for everyone. The prose can be very graphic at times, which lends to the story, but be warned, it's a heavy read.

[Dorothy Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crying worthy

I have been a huge fan of Victor Methos since the Desert Plains series had me cringing. Not all of his books that I've read lived up to those first three,but knowing that his writing is capable of making my skin crawl I keep trying. This series definitely lives up to that expectation. The descriptions,just the ideas of what was done to these women is chilling.
I also am really enjoying the development of the relationship between Baudin & Dixon. Some of Baudins thoughts and beliefs make him someone I want to know better