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Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries #8
Simply Vanished
As Cheryl Cooper's birthday approaches, she believes her new life in Sugarcreek, Ohio, is the best gift she's ever received. She loves running the Swiss Miss gift shop, and even though there have been a few bumps along the way, she feels content. But an unexpected discovery in an abandoned laundry chute raises disturbing questions that could point to a woman who disappeared decades ago. Could she have been murdered? Is there a connection between her and the building that houses the beloved shop? As Cheryl begins a search for answers, her parents and brother come to town for a visit. Family tensions and disturbing clues from the past mix together to send her down a path that will challenge her personal relationships and finally solve an old mystery.
247 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2015
About the author
Nancy Mehl
61 books1,531 followersNancy Mehl is the bestselling author of over 50 books. She’s won the Daphne Du Maurier Award, as well as an ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award and a Carol award. She was also a finalist for the prestigious Christy award. Her short story, Chasing Shadows, was in the USA Today bestselling Summer of Suspense anthology. Learn more about her at www.nancymehl.com and on her blog, the Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 5, 2019
A notch above in the writing. I don’t understand why these series use the alternating authors. They call them mysteries but barely. A cozy cozy. They seem to really be more about the interpersonal relationships in the small town and the obvious developing romance.
August 6, 2018
Cheryl finds an expensive ring, a purse and letter in an old laundry chute while remodeling her gift shop. It raises questions about a woman who disappeared 40 years before and the death of her husband in the gift shop the same week. While Cheryl is trying to find out what happened her parents arrive for a visit. Her brother who she hasn’t seen for year also drops in. Their family has been divided, Cheryl and her brother have to try and get the family back together
September 13, 2019
This is such an unexpectedly enjoyable little series. Once again, the mystery remained lighter than in most other series in this genre (cozy mystery), although it was tinged with some heavier topics around the edges. But before I wander too far into that, let me stick with my format.
What I liked about Simply Vanished:
Cheryl's character became a little more full with the introduction of her family - If you've been with this series from the start, you'll know that Cheryl's parents and her brother are occasionally referenced, but this is the first time we actually meet them, as they come to visit, and we get to see a little of their family dynamic.
As I mentioned in my brief opening, there were some heavier topics addressed - While these topics can cause a little discomfort, they are handled with care and the book maintains the series' lighter tone, despite the upheaval of a mystery to be solved.
There was resolution but it didn't feel overly tidy - I appreciated that the author addressed all the issue that were raised throughout the story, the big ones and the smaller ones, but they didn't all necessarily get tied up with a pretty bow with rainbows and unicorns and everyone feeling shiny. Life can be messy sometimes. Not everything is easily brought right and sometimes the resolution is ongoing. Even with that feeling, given some of the circumstances, the ending felt satisfying.
A couple of the mysteries didn't have obvious solutions, although one did (for me) - I picked out the answer to one puzzle almost immediately and another I had correct strong suspicions about, but the fact that I was off-base on literally everything else was refreshing. It kept me engaged in the unfolding events and surprised at the reveal. My favorite kind of mystery.
Cheryl's slow realization of...things - Something I especially enjoy about this series and its characters is that they seem to recognize "things" at the same speed as real life. It brings a sense of relate-ability that I appreciate.
Cheryl and Naomi's friendship - I find myself especially drawn to strong female friendships in book series. I love the way the develop and the way in which they are depicted. We never know where these treasures will pop up in our own lives and it is lovely to have literary role models for these precious relationships too (and not just romantic or familial ones).
What I didn't care for:
I had a hard time getting a feel for the timeline until deeper into the book - This is trivial, really, but this series follows such a natural feeling timeline that not knowing "when" I was in relation to the previous book felt a small bit uncomfortable for me. I kept scanning back to see if I had missed a reference somewhere, knowing that Book 7 took place around Valentine's Day. It was eventually clarified, but I would have liked that to happen sooner.
Overall, I am pleased with the progression of this sweet series. There are obvious Christian overtones, given the publisher, but that isn't a problem for me. I like that the "believe-ability" of this series in consistent, with the mysteries being more curious and benign, fitting in with the charming community. (Sometimes with these series and the murders upon murders upon bodies showing up everywhere makes me wonder why these people don't move away already, to be honest!) With this series using a "revolving authors" method, I have to say that Nancy Mehl's contributions are definitely among those that I like in terms of tone, mystery selection, and story advancement. To this point, each book I've read has been by a different author, so this is the first "returning author" I've encountered. I will be watching, going forward and referring back to earlier works, to see which of the contributing authors I prefer and how consistently that delivers.
What I liked about Simply Vanished:
Cheryl's character became a little more full with the introduction of her family - If you've been with this series from the start, you'll know that Cheryl's parents and her brother are occasionally referenced, but this is the first time we actually meet them, as they come to visit, and we get to see a little of their family dynamic.
As I mentioned in my brief opening, there were some heavier topics addressed - While these topics can cause a little discomfort, they are handled with care and the book maintains the series' lighter tone, despite the upheaval of a mystery to be solved.
There was resolution but it didn't feel overly tidy - I appreciated that the author addressed all the issue that were raised throughout the story, the big ones and the smaller ones, but they didn't all necessarily get tied up with a pretty bow with rainbows and unicorns and everyone feeling shiny. Life can be messy sometimes. Not everything is easily brought right and sometimes the resolution is ongoing. Even with that feeling, given some of the circumstances, the ending felt satisfying.
A couple of the mysteries didn't have obvious solutions, although one did (for me) - I picked out the answer to one puzzle almost immediately and another I had correct strong suspicions about, but the fact that I was off-base on literally everything else was refreshing. It kept me engaged in the unfolding events and surprised at the reveal. My favorite kind of mystery.
Cheryl's slow realization of...things - Something I especially enjoy about this series and its characters is that they seem to recognize "things" at the same speed as real life. It brings a sense of relate-ability that I appreciate.
Cheryl and Naomi's friendship - I find myself especially drawn to strong female friendships in book series. I love the way the develop and the way in which they are depicted. We never know where these treasures will pop up in our own lives and it is lovely to have literary role models for these precious relationships too (and not just romantic or familial ones).
What I didn't care for:
I had a hard time getting a feel for the timeline until deeper into the book - This is trivial, really, but this series follows such a natural feeling timeline that not knowing "when" I was in relation to the previous book felt a small bit uncomfortable for me. I kept scanning back to see if I had missed a reference somewhere, knowing that Book 7 took place around Valentine's Day. It was eventually clarified, but I would have liked that to happen sooner.
Overall, I am pleased with the progression of this sweet series. There are obvious Christian overtones, given the publisher, but that isn't a problem for me. I like that the "believe-ability" of this series in consistent, with the mysteries being more curious and benign, fitting in with the charming community. (Sometimes with these series and the murders upon murders upon bodies showing up everywhere makes me wonder why these people don't move away already, to be honest!) With this series using a "revolving authors" method, I have to say that Nancy Mehl's contributions are definitely among those that I like in terms of tone, mystery selection, and story advancement. To this point, each book I've read has been by a different author, so this is the first "returning author" I've encountered. I will be watching, going forward and referring back to earlier works, to see which of the contributing authors I prefer and how consistently that delivers.
February 17, 2021
Simply Vanished is a very intriguing mystery written by Nancy Mehl in the Sugarcreek Amish Mystery series. This is the 8th story involving the main character of the series, Cheryl Cooper. When Cheryl decides to add extra space to her cozy shop she discovers things that shouldn't be there and a decades old mystery is brought back to life. While trying to find the rightful owner of a very expensive coin Cheryl received unexpected company for her birthday that causes her a lot of stress. Cheryl knows trying to uncover the mystery is going to be a challenge but with her unexpected company things have just become very difficult. Cheryl received distrubing clues and is discouraged from seeking the truth. So many things to be discovered not only with the mystery but also with personal experiences that Cheryl is not sure she wants to tackle either. The author has done an amazing job with this story weaving it all together and giving the readers a wonderful conclusion.
I was not given a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I was not approached to post a favorable response and all opinions are my own. I have rated this story with five stars for meeting my expectations of a wonderful story that I can highly recommend to others. The characters are very likeable and realistic.
I was not given a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I was not approached to post a favorable response and all opinions are my own. I have rated this story with five stars for meeting my expectations of a wonderful story that I can highly recommend to others. The characters are very likeable and realistic.
May 16, 2018
8th book in series. It's Cheryl's 31st birthday and her parents are coming for a visit from Seattle. She hasn't seen them since moving to Sugarcreek and breaking up with Lance her fiance. Her brother Matt also surprises and comes for her birthday, with good news of his own. The family has been struggling with issues of their futures with their parents. Naomi and her family help in solving their problems with her Amish grace and wisdom. Meanwhile, Cheryl is having a new freezer put in and Chuck the carpenter finds a purse and suitcase in the laundry chute behind the wall. It ends up belonging to a women that disappeared 40 years ago, and no one knows what happened to her.
October 29, 2025
3.8⭐
Se me hizo muy entretenido y nada pesado para leer. Las páginas pasaban rápido!
Yo lo sabía!!! Amos no le tiraba hate a Ellen por nada! Yo sabía que ella era Skeeter! 😁
Por favor, podemos amar a Levi? o sea, que te regalen un caballo y que encima de eso no lo tengas que cuidar, ni mantener! 😁
Me dió más penita la historia de Maybelline y Chuck 🥺😔 30 años de arrepentimientos, amando en silencio y todo por el miedo 💔 Necesito saber que se reconciliaron aunque ya estén viejitos y puedan vivir su amor! 🥺
Hablando de reconciliación, well well, telita con los papás de Matt y Cheryl! Me dió pena más la situación de Matt que la de Cheryl, honestamente! Pero, todo se resolvió😁
Se me hizo muy entretenido y nada pesado para leer. Las páginas pasaban rápido!
Yo lo sabía!!! Amos no le tiraba hate a Ellen por nada! Yo sabía que ella era Skeeter! 😁
Por favor, podemos amar a Levi? o sea, que te regalen un caballo y que encima de eso no lo tengas que cuidar, ni mantener! 😁
Me dió más penita la historia de Maybelline y Chuck 🥺😔 30 años de arrepentimientos, amando en silencio y todo por el miedo 💔 Necesito saber que se reconciliaron aunque ya estén viejitos y puedan vivir su amor! 🥺
Hablando de reconciliación, well well, telita con los papás de Matt y Cheryl! Me dió pena más la situación de Matt que la de Cheryl, honestamente! Pero, todo se resolvió😁
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2026
I enjoyed this book very much. It did talk about how hard families can be, both with an abusive spouse, and the change between childhood and adulthood and the roles between parents and children. I’m loving the little Levi and Cheryl scenes, and I wish there were more of them, although how that is going to work out, I’m still not sure. The mystery is a bit of Cheryl chasing her own tail, but it was entertaining, and had a satisfying ending. This book is its own episode in Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries and I’m excited to see how other books are adapted.
June 16, 2018
This is a series of books distributed by Guideposts. My Mom is in a nursing home and enjoys reading these books. She wanted me to read them with her. The books are geared for children starting around 10 years of age. The writing is very simple but I can see why an elderly woman would enjoy the books, particularly those that experienced a stroke. It has been fun to share the stories with her.
February 23, 2024
This starts with Cheryl's Parents coming from Seattle to celebrate Cheryl's birthday. Then her brother Matt shows up. When remodeling to put a new cold case in Swiss Miss they find an old laundry shoot with an women's purse inside. Cheryl has her hands full trying to keep everything together much less find what happened to the woman who lost her purse.
February 14, 2025
Honestly I wouldn’t call this a mystery book it started off as that but the way it was resolved and “figured” out it was lacking. This is more of a family/friend lesson with a side of mystery but not even that. Mostly what I got from this was don’t let your last words to someone be hurtful or don’t leave after fighting. It’s a good story just not mystery. :/
July 2, 2025
Another good read
I have read 30 books of the Sugar Creek Mysteries. I am now reading them through a second time. I have been so captivated by the mystery of each book. All of the authors have down a great job of continuing each book in the series and would highly recommend each and every one.
I have read 30 books of the Sugar Creek Mysteries. I am now reading them through a second time. I have been so captivated by the mystery of each book. All of the authors have down a great job of continuing each book in the series and would highly recommend each and every one.
May 26, 2017
If you're looking for a sweet cozy with an intriguing mystery, Simply Vanished is it. I love the romance that is developing between Cheryl and Levi. That he is Amish and she is not provides plenty of tension and I love watching his large family interact. Great read!
July 8, 2018
This book drew me in and made for a great subject for a binge-reading session.
October 24, 2020
Entered as today as unknown when read.
February 28, 2021
I've always liked books where secret things were found in the wall!
July 22, 2021
Better than the last book.
March 22, 2022
Absolutely love the sugar creek amish mysteries.
April 20, 2022
awesome book
November 16, 2022
nice clean mystery without the murder
August 8, 2023
This is Mt favorite thus far. Cheryl's family finally appears and we are introduced to a little of their history. A unique mystery storyline makes it quite enjoyable.
July 6, 2016
This is the 8th book in the series, Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries. Cheryl is dreading the up coming visit with her parents. Seems she can never meet their expectations. Also, a man who is helping with renovations of her shop finds a purse sealed up in an old laundry chute. Cheryl sets out to unravel the mystery of who & why.
August 11, 2016
Another mystery drops into Cheryl's lap when he handyman tears out a wall to put a cooler in Swiss Miss.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews