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Black Hat Thriller #4
Vanished
Computer hacker Tina Adler heads to Paris, France in search of the truth but discovers that someone is close on her trail in this tense and twisting thriller.
With a price on her head, computer hacker Tina Adler is determined to stay offline. Only one person knows how to reach he, and he's in as much danger as she is.
A chance discovery leads Tina to abandon her South Carolina hideaway in search of her old flame, undercover FBI Agent Zeke Chapman. What is Zeke doing in Paris, France? And what is his connection to the disappearance of American college student Ryan Whittier?
En route to Paris in search of answers, Tina realizes that someone is on her trail: someone who's getting disturbingly close. Has she been set up?
With a price on her head, computer hacker Tina Adler is determined to stay offline. Only one person knows how to reach he, and he's in as much danger as she is.
A chance discovery leads Tina to abandon her South Carolina hideaway in search of her old flame, undercover FBI Agent Zeke Chapman. What is Zeke doing in Paris, France? And what is his connection to the disappearance of American college student Ryan Whittier?
En route to Paris in search of answers, Tina realizes that someone is on her trail: someone who's getting disturbingly close. Has she been set up?
218 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2018
15 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Karen E. Olson
18 books287 followersI am the author of the Black Hat Thrillers and the Annie Seymour and Tattoo Shop mystery series. My new book AN INCONVENIENT WIFE, a Modern Tudor Mystery, is a modern retelling of Henry VIII and his wives as a crime novel. The sequel, A DEFIANT WOMAN, will be published in March 2026.
My first book, SACRED COWS, won the Sara Ann Freed Award for best first mystery and my fourth book, SHOT GIRL, was shortlisted for a Shamus Award.
My first book, SACRED COWS, won the Sara Ann Freed Award for best first mystery and my fourth book, SHOT GIRL, was shortlisted for a Shamus Award.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 15, 2018
The protagonist of VANISHED barely has time to breathe, and neither do we, as we follow her from Charleston to Paris and into the heart of a particularly vicious ring of online criminals. Once again, we see, the most dangerous paths we travel are wireless . . .
April 3, 2018
I absolutely loved this book. I picked it up yesterday and wolfed it down by the end of the day, barely managed to put it down to eat something. The story was good, the characters were interesting and fun to be with, and I was really invested, wanting to know more about the characters and what was going on. The plot was well written and the novel was well research, with thorough details on hacking and computer knowledge. There were red herrings everywhere and at some point I gave up trying to guess because my head went on a spin thinking who dunnit (or more accurately, who was doing it).
funny enough, I have not read the beginning of this series, however it did not diminished my enjoyment of this story. Yes, I would've liked more on the romantic background between the main character and the FBI dude, however it is not the fault of the current book that I haven't read it (I'm actually giving it props for making it like it so much although I haven't read the other books!!)
funny enough, I have not read the beginning of this series, however it did not diminished my enjoyment of this story. Yes, I would've liked more on the romantic background between the main character and the FBI dude, however it is not the fault of the current book that I haven't read it (I'm actually giving it props for making it like it so much although I haven't read the other books!!)
January 19, 2022
Surprisingly, there are not a lot of hacker series out there, so Karen Olsen has found a niche for herself. While no super hacker like Lisbeth in Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Tina Adler or whatever name she is using this month, can find out what she needs to know. As with the Stieg Larsson series, birds of a feather flock together, and hackers are no different. The idea of 'carding' should concern everyone, and there will always be vulnerabilities in banking systems and those who exploit it. All in all, another intriguing tale.
December 20, 2017
Tina Adler must find her FBI lover by returning to her nemesis, Hacking!
This is the 4th in the Black Cat thriller series. Tina Adler still has a price on her head, so when her lover Zeke Chapman goes missing she must risk her life and her friends live to find and help the man she loves.
She travels to Paris where Zeke was last seen and uses her skills to search this beautiful but frightening city to save Zeke.
This is the second Black Cat book I have read and like the other one, it starts off slowly and builds to a big ending (sort of). If you understand how hacking works, then this book is a hive of information but if you don’t, like me, understand the intricacies of illicit computing you will be totally at sea.
The story overall is good, but Tina is so unlikeable that it is hard to root for her and the never-ending story of how she ended up running for her life is getting a little wearing.
Shesat.
Breakaway Reviewers were given a copy of the book to review.
This is the 4th in the Black Cat thriller series. Tina Adler still has a price on her head, so when her lover Zeke Chapman goes missing she must risk her life and her friends live to find and help the man she loves.
She travels to Paris where Zeke was last seen and uses her skills to search this beautiful but frightening city to save Zeke.
This is the second Black Cat book I have read and like the other one, it starts off slowly and builds to a big ending (sort of). If you understand how hacking works, then this book is a hive of information but if you don’t, like me, understand the intricacies of illicit computing you will be totally at sea.
The story overall is good, but Tina is so unlikeable that it is hard to root for her and the never-ending story of how she ended up running for her life is getting a little wearing.
Shesat.
Breakaway Reviewers were given a copy of the book to review.
January 3, 2018
This is book four in the series and so usual series rules apply. Yes, you can probably read this book in isolation as there is enough catch-up from previous books for it to make sense, to get the very best from the storyline and indeed the characters, it really is better to start from the beginning.
Tina has re-invented herself once again. This time living in South Carolina, again making ends meet with her paintings but all the time still living with the price on her head from her past, shall we just call them, shenanigans. All is ticking along as well as can be expected until the day she's been dreading comes to bite her in the face once again. Literally as she is recognised from a blast from the past. On further investigation, she catches sight of another face from her past; one who she'd rather be in her present, one time fellow hacker and FBI agent and also love of her life Zeke. From the picture and the story that goes with it, it appears he is in trouble again. Further investigation leads her once again to another old friend and the situation escalates until they literally bump into eachother and are forced to flee and go on the run. A situation that forces Tina to once again enter the black hat world of hacking as it appears she is being targeted and this is the only option available to her to reach out for help. But is it help she really finds, or has she made things a whole lot worse?
I do love this series. There's obviously a lot of computer stuff, especially hacking, contained within the story but it is all explained very well for the uninitiated like myself so it is always easy to follow. Not being in the world myself, I can't speak for the validity of what I am reading but it does come across as completely plausible and credible throughout.
Pacing is good throughout. There are some quite fast pace action scenes to be found as well as the nitty gritty slower paced computer time which slowly builds up the tension. All totally in keeping with the actual story being told. We also travel back to Paris which is where Tina spent a lot of time and so we get to unpeel another layer of her character there too.
As per previous books, there is quite a bit unresolved at the end which is a little annoying but, as I have learned with this series, the whole world in which the characters live is all a bit convoluted and interconnected and, to be honest, there's enough in each book to make it a complete story in itself but the whole story will take a bit more telling until it all comes to a head. I've invested my time willingly and enjoyed each book enough for that to be totally OK and, as such, I really can't wait to see where the author takes me next time.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Tina has re-invented herself once again. This time living in South Carolina, again making ends meet with her paintings but all the time still living with the price on her head from her past, shall we just call them, shenanigans. All is ticking along as well as can be expected until the day she's been dreading comes to bite her in the face once again. Literally as she is recognised from a blast from the past. On further investigation, she catches sight of another face from her past; one who she'd rather be in her present, one time fellow hacker and FBI agent and also love of her life Zeke. From the picture and the story that goes with it, it appears he is in trouble again. Further investigation leads her once again to another old friend and the situation escalates until they literally bump into eachother and are forced to flee and go on the run. A situation that forces Tina to once again enter the black hat world of hacking as it appears she is being targeted and this is the only option available to her to reach out for help. But is it help she really finds, or has she made things a whole lot worse?
I do love this series. There's obviously a lot of computer stuff, especially hacking, contained within the story but it is all explained very well for the uninitiated like myself so it is always easy to follow. Not being in the world myself, I can't speak for the validity of what I am reading but it does come across as completely plausible and credible throughout.
Pacing is good throughout. There are some quite fast pace action scenes to be found as well as the nitty gritty slower paced computer time which slowly builds up the tension. All totally in keeping with the actual story being told. We also travel back to Paris which is where Tina spent a lot of time and so we get to unpeel another layer of her character there too.
As per previous books, there is quite a bit unresolved at the end which is a little annoying but, as I have learned with this series, the whole world in which the characters live is all a bit convoluted and interconnected and, to be honest, there's enough in each book to make it a complete story in itself but the whole story will take a bit more telling until it all comes to a head. I've invested my time willingly and enjoyed each book enough for that to be totally OK and, as such, I really can't wait to see where the author takes me next time.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
April 22, 2018
Review originally published on my blog, Musings of a Bookish Kitty:
https://www.literaryfeline.com/2018/0...
Vanished (Black Hat Thriller, #4) by Karen E. Olson
Severn House, 2018
Crime Fiction; 224 pgs
Source: I received an e-copy from the publisher via NetGalley
Karen E. Olson’s 4th and most recent book in her Black Hat series, Vanished, was another next to impossible book to put down. I was caught under its spell from the start when Tracker appears on the first page. Hacker Tina Adler is living under yet a new alias, trying to blend into a small South Carolina town, selling her art and doing what she can to stay off the radar. A chance meeting with an elderly gallery patron, however, derails all her best efforts, and Tina finds herself on the run again. This time she has a destination though. Someone she loves may be in trouble, and she is not going to leave him high and dry.
If you have not read any of the previous books in the series yet, I recommend you start with the first book, Hidden, in which Tina is first introduced to us. This is a series best read in order. Each book builds on the next.
I have not read too many thrillers involving hackers, but just enough to know I enjoy them. It’s scary to know how easily someone can get into your computer or steal information from an ATM. It’s a good thing Tina has a conscience. There are plenty of twists and turns in Vanished as Tina travels from South Carolina to New York and onto Paris. Memories of her childhood and her grandmother come flooding back, adding a closer look at the life Tina lived before she became a hacker.
Spencer returns in Vanished, a character I have grown more and more curious about. He’s extremely talented with computers and technology and well-connected with the dark web. Tina can’t help but be curious, but knows she is on a need to know basis. She is still unsure how much she can trust him, but needs his help.
In Vanished we see the prey turn into the hunter as Tina tries to stay hidden from those out to get her and find out what’s happened to her friend. The stakes have never been higher for Tina. Vanished is entertaining and fast-past. I enjoyed spending time with Tina again—although am glad I don’t lead her life!
https://www.literaryfeline.com/2018/0...
Vanished (Black Hat Thriller, #4) by Karen E. Olson
Severn House, 2018
Crime Fiction; 224 pgs
Source: I received an e-copy from the publisher via NetGalley
Karen E. Olson’s 4th and most recent book in her Black Hat series, Vanished, was another next to impossible book to put down. I was caught under its spell from the start when Tracker appears on the first page. Hacker Tina Adler is living under yet a new alias, trying to blend into a small South Carolina town, selling her art and doing what she can to stay off the radar. A chance meeting with an elderly gallery patron, however, derails all her best efforts, and Tina finds herself on the run again. This time she has a destination though. Someone she loves may be in trouble, and she is not going to leave him high and dry.
If you have not read any of the previous books in the series yet, I recommend you start with the first book, Hidden, in which Tina is first introduced to us. This is a series best read in order. Each book builds on the next.
I have not read too many thrillers involving hackers, but just enough to know I enjoy them. It’s scary to know how easily someone can get into your computer or steal information from an ATM. It’s a good thing Tina has a conscience. There are plenty of twists and turns in Vanished as Tina travels from South Carolina to New York and onto Paris. Memories of her childhood and her grandmother come flooding back, adding a closer look at the life Tina lived before she became a hacker.
Spencer returns in Vanished, a character I have grown more and more curious about. He’s extremely talented with computers and technology and well-connected with the dark web. Tina can’t help but be curious, but knows she is on a need to know basis. She is still unsure how much she can trust him, but needs his help.
In Vanished we see the prey turn into the hunter as Tina tries to stay hidden from those out to get her and find out what’s happened to her friend. The stakes have never been higher for Tina. Vanished is entertaining and fast-past. I enjoyed spending time with Tina again—although am glad I don’t lead her life!
January 20, 2018
This is the fourth in the Black Hat Thriller series but my introduction to Tina Adler who is a computer hacker living on the edge. It quickly becomes apparent that Tina is hiding in South Carolina and earning her way by painting and then selling her artwork. She is guilty of hacking and moving millions of dollars from unsuspecting accounts and for this she has been hiding in public view for a number of years avoiding the authorities and also some other rather unsavoury characters from the criminal fraternity. Tina is hiding to keep alive. Time to introduce the love interest, Zeke who works for the FBI – or does he? Tina is unsure.
Let me say from the outset that I didn’t enjoy this book. I really did feel that a lot of the text was spent in referring back to what had happened to Tina before. I never got the excitement or the build-up to what would happen next; who can she trust – I just never cared enough? I quite enjoyed the computer bits but even that got tedious with the repetition of the RAT, the Trojan etc., and some of it quite clearly went over my head but that is what I would expect when reading about computer hacking. By the way, if you are a computer hacker would you forget about the GPS on the phone? I didn’t care about Tina, even less about Zeke but I did quite like Spencer who, for me, was the most interesting off-beat character. Sorry Ms. Olson but I even found the dialogue a bit flat. For me there was no tension, no excitement; I just felt that I was missing out. Here’s a thought – perhaps if I had read the preceding books I might have enjoyed it much more because I would have been in a relationship with Tina… That is the only food for thought I brought away from reading this. Huge apologies to the author but sadly this one just wasn’t for me. Bet there will be plenty who will love it though.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
Let me say from the outset that I didn’t enjoy this book. I really did feel that a lot of the text was spent in referring back to what had happened to Tina before. I never got the excitement or the build-up to what would happen next; who can she trust – I just never cared enough? I quite enjoyed the computer bits but even that got tedious with the repetition of the RAT, the Trojan etc., and some of it quite clearly went over my head but that is what I would expect when reading about computer hacking. By the way, if you are a computer hacker would you forget about the GPS on the phone? I didn’t care about Tina, even less about Zeke but I did quite like Spencer who, for me, was the most interesting off-beat character. Sorry Ms. Olson but I even found the dialogue a bit flat. For me there was no tension, no excitement; I just felt that I was missing out. Here’s a thought – perhaps if I had read the preceding books I might have enjoyed it much more because I would have been in a relationship with Tina… That is the only food for thought I brought away from reading this. Huge apologies to the author but sadly this one just wasn’t for me. Bet there will be plenty who will love it though.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
March 2, 2018
Tina Adler's been found again. She's been living quietly off the grid in Charleston, South Carolina, painting watercolors for a local gallery. The Feds are no longer looking for her but Tony deMarco is -- he may have gotten his money back but he still wants her taken out. Fearing she's been recognized, she does a little internet sleuthing and discovers that her love interest, Zeke Chapman, may be in danger. She and his friend Spencer travel to Paris to try and figure out what's going on.
Eh. I'm losing interest in the series. It's more of the same -- Tina has found a new place along the ocean to lie low and a new art gallery to pay her cash for her landscapes. She gives in to the temptation to go online, the bad guys start chasing her again, and there are brief scenes with her and Zeke. There are too many easy getaways and vague situations -- I'm still unclear on what exactly happened with Zeke and Adrianna. What's he doing for her and what's he doing for the FBI? Adrianna's going after Tina because she can't get her hands on Zeke but Tina overheard her (or her minions) grilling Zeke? What?
Tina clearly has a thirst for hacking, a target on her head, and a desire to be with FBI agent Zeke Chapman. At this point, four books in, I don't know why she doesn't work for the Feds -- she could hack to her heart's content, have some protection from deMarco, and cozy up with Zeke. It's all well and good that she wants to be by the ocean, painting and bicycling, but surely something could be arranged.
Eh. I'm losing interest in the series. It's more of the same -- Tina has found a new place along the ocean to lie low and a new art gallery to pay her cash for her landscapes. She gives in to the temptation to go online, the bad guys start chasing her again, and there are brief scenes with her and Zeke. There are too many easy getaways and vague situations -- I'm still unclear on what exactly happened with Zeke and Adrianna. What's he doing for her and what's he doing for the FBI? Adrianna's going after Tina because she can't get her hands on Zeke but Tina overheard her (or her minions) grilling Zeke? What?
Tina clearly has a thirst for hacking, a target on her head, and a desire to be with FBI agent Zeke Chapman. At this point, four books in, I don't know why she doesn't work for the Feds -- she could hack to her heart's content, have some protection from deMarco, and cozy up with Zeke. It's all well and good that she wants to be by the ocean, painting and bicycling, but surely something could be arranged.
October 24, 2017
LOVED this book! This novel picks up with Tina going about her daily life when she gets the sense that someone's following her. For a normal person this would be cause for concern, but for Tina, a reformed hacker that once stole ten million dollars and has a price on her head, it is cause for terror. Almost before she knows it, she's running for her life and crossing the Atlantic, all while desperately trying to find Zeke, an undercover FBI agent and man she loves.
This novel moves quickly with Tina navigating the complex world of hackers. Most of it was like a foreign language to me, but the author made it easy to understand. I felt invested in the the characters and found Tina a relatable character and found myself rooting for her - even when she felt forced to do questionable things.
Fans of the genre will love this book. Put this one at the top of your TBR list. The author is on my must read authors' list.
This novel moves quickly with Tina navigating the complex world of hackers. Most of it was like a foreign language to me, but the author made it easy to understand. I felt invested in the the characters and found Tina a relatable character and found myself rooting for her - even when she felt forced to do questionable things.
Fans of the genre will love this book. Put this one at the top of your TBR list. The author is on my must read authors' list.
October 27, 2017
Thanks to netgalley and Severn House to the opportunity to read the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. When I saw it listed on netgalley, I pounced on it as I loved the previous Black Hat thrillers.
Tina Adler was a teenage hacker savant who managed to steal millions from some unsavory characters. Ever since, she's been on the run both from her victims and the FBI. I don't know if everything is possible or accurate. But, in Olson's hand, it seems plausible.
And incredibly exciting. Her heroine, who changes names and identities while on the run, is resourceful and intelligent. You can't help but root for her while she figures out what is happening, and if there is anyone she can trust.
Highly recommended.
Tina Adler was a teenage hacker savant who managed to steal millions from some unsavory characters. Ever since, she's been on the run both from her victims and the FBI. I don't know if everything is possible or accurate. But, in Olson's hand, it seems plausible.
And incredibly exciting. Her heroine, who changes names and identities while on the run, is resourceful and intelligent. You can't help but root for her while she figures out what is happening, and if there is anyone she can trust.
Highly recommended.
December 23, 2017
The blurb promoting this book was irresistible. A female computer hacker with enemies offering a bounty for her death. An old boyfriend who's an undercover agent for the FBI. And she thinks someone's watching her right now.
Well, I found myself knee deep in the drama and the obligatory chase quite quickly. Karen Olson hooks you with her words and just doesn't let go. A skillful writer, Ms. Olson keeps the pace moving, the suspense steady and tension tight.
References to earlier adventures made me regret I had not read the first three books in this series, Black Hat Thrillers. While this is a very good read on its own, I believe you will find it a better experience if you read the first three volumes.
Well, I found myself knee deep in the drama and the obligatory chase quite quickly. Karen Olson hooks you with her words and just doesn't let go. A skillful writer, Ms. Olson keeps the pace moving, the suspense steady and tension tight.
References to earlier adventures made me regret I had not read the first three books in this series, Black Hat Thrillers. While this is a very good read on its own, I believe you will find it a better experience if you read the first three volumes.
July 17, 2019
Tina is a hacker; a very good one. In fact, hacking led the FBI to her. Since then she has been offline to prove to herself she can and in hiding. There is a hit out on her from her previous hacking. When she finds out that FBI agent Zeke needs help. She breaks her fast and goes online. With the help of a friend and fellow hacker, they go to Paris to help Zeke. What they didn't plan on was getting involved again with an illegal scheme in the hopes of catching the real culprit -- a terrorist.
January 25, 2018
A very topical thriller with an interesting character in female hacker Tina. I'd not read the earlier books in this series but I think there's enough back story to make you appreciate what's going on in Tina's mind when Zeke, her FBI SA lover goes missing in Paris. Parts of this are somewhat unrealistic but the hacking info is informed. There's a good mystery here and it's fun to see an outlaw female protagonist. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
August 13, 2023
Awesome read.
And I’m going to say that I’m a wee bit stressed out. This series was not completed. And it’s been a long time. So why?
This was so good…fast, unique and as always unputdownable. I read all 4 books in a day and a half. I LOVED! These characters literally leap off the page. So. Dang. Good. I need more. Really. This author weaves a story that literally reaches out and grab you and never lets go.
And I’m going to say that I’m a wee bit stressed out. This series was not completed. And it’s been a long time. So why?
This was so good…fast, unique and as always unputdownable. I read all 4 books in a day and a half. I LOVED! These characters literally leap off the page. So. Dang. Good. I need more. Really. This author weaves a story that literally reaches out and grab you and never lets go.
August 6, 2018
Taut thriller about computer hackers that gave me nightmares about what could happen to my data. SO pretended it was fiction. Oh, wait. It IS fiction. Just as well, with it's feisty heroine battling huge odds, but contains relatively little violence, which suits me. There's plenty of suspense, though. Loved the descriptions of Paris. All in all, a short but fun read.
May 7, 2019
Cyber crime is what's in the news, and this book gives you a peek into what it can do. It really moves along. I couldn't stop reading, because the end of each chapter leaves you at a point where you just have to move on. I was really interested in seeing how the mystery would be resolved and our protagonist escape. I would love to read a fifth in this series.
January 24, 2018
Although the book was fast-paced, and I enjoy books about hackers, Vanished seemed more surface than anything else. Maybe this is because I have not read any of the previous books in the series, but I couldn't really connect with the characters.
April 14, 2019
Ok. Wasn't as good as books 1,2, and 3
February 16, 2020
I have really enjoyed this series. This 4th book left the door open for additional books to come. I hope that is the case.
August 15, 2024
Excellent ending to the series. Just enough technical detail to make it interesting and unique.
A fun series!
A fun series!
November 15, 2025
This was a hard to put down series with twists that I didn't see coming
February 20, 2018
4.5 stars.
Vanished by Karen E. Olson is another enthralling foray into the world of hacking. Although this newest addition to the Black Hat Thriller series can be read as a standalone, I HIGHLY recommend the previous novels as well.
Tina (Adler) Jones is now living a quiet life off the grid in South Carolina. A former hacker with a price on her head, she is staying off line while establishing a name for herself in the local art world. At a gallery show, she crosses paths with Madeline Whittier, who is convinced she recognizes Tina from somewhere. During Tina's quick internet search to see if there is a connection between them, she makes a stunning discovery about someone from her own past. Zeke Chapman, the FBI Agent whose history with her is extremely complicated, is a person of interest in the missing person's case of Ryan Whittier. Both men were last seen at an ATM in Paris and Tina quickly uncovers a perplexing and somewhat bizarre link to another friend of her and Zeke-fellow hacker Spencer Cross. When the situation in South Carolina turns treacherous, Tina and Spencer decide to head to Paris where they hope they will find Zeke along with the answers to some very distrubing questions.
Tina and Spencer literally hit the ground running as they try to avoid both the police and a possible hit man. Luckily for them, Zeke set up the documents they both need to flee the country but for part of the journey, Tina is on her own. Her return to Paris is rather bittersweet since the city of lights holds both happy and very dark memories for her. Despite her mixed emotions, she is certain that Zeke is in some sort of trouble trouble so Tina remains fully committed to figuring out exactly what he is mixed up in.
Spencer knows Zeke's current assignment is a case about selling hacked credit card information on the dark web. Zeke was caught on video tape planting a device to steal info from unsuspecting users and Spencer has also uncovered CCTV footage that puts Zeke willingly going into a vehicle owned by nemesis Tony DeMarco. Needless to say, in light of this troubling knowledge, both Spencer and Tina are extremely concerned about what this might mean for his safety. This information along with the discovery that someone has been surreptitiously taking pictures of Tina makes her suspicious that someone might be manipulating the situation for nefarious purposes.
Vanished is an action-packed and exciting addition to the Black Hat Thriller series. Tina has been living on the edge for so long that she does not know whom she can trust. Karen E. Olson keeps the series fresh with a new setting and a clever mystery that relies on going deep into the dark web and savvy hacking skills to solve. Although the current adventure is completely wrapped up by the novel's thrilling conclusion, several key people manage to evade capture leaving Tina and Zeke hot on their trail.
Vanished by Karen E. Olson is another enthralling foray into the world of hacking. Although this newest addition to the Black Hat Thriller series can be read as a standalone, I HIGHLY recommend the previous novels as well.
Tina (Adler) Jones is now living a quiet life off the grid in South Carolina. A former hacker with a price on her head, she is staying off line while establishing a name for herself in the local art world. At a gallery show, she crosses paths with Madeline Whittier, who is convinced she recognizes Tina from somewhere. During Tina's quick internet search to see if there is a connection between them, she makes a stunning discovery about someone from her own past. Zeke Chapman, the FBI Agent whose history with her is extremely complicated, is a person of interest in the missing person's case of Ryan Whittier. Both men were last seen at an ATM in Paris and Tina quickly uncovers a perplexing and somewhat bizarre link to another friend of her and Zeke-fellow hacker Spencer Cross. When the situation in South Carolina turns treacherous, Tina and Spencer decide to head to Paris where they hope they will find Zeke along with the answers to some very distrubing questions.
Tina and Spencer literally hit the ground running as they try to avoid both the police and a possible hit man. Luckily for them, Zeke set up the documents they both need to flee the country but for part of the journey, Tina is on her own. Her return to Paris is rather bittersweet since the city of lights holds both happy and very dark memories for her. Despite her mixed emotions, she is certain that Zeke is in some sort of trouble trouble so Tina remains fully committed to figuring out exactly what he is mixed up in.
Spencer knows Zeke's current assignment is a case about selling hacked credit card information on the dark web. Zeke was caught on video tape planting a device to steal info from unsuspecting users and Spencer has also uncovered CCTV footage that puts Zeke willingly going into a vehicle owned by nemesis Tony DeMarco. Needless to say, in light of this troubling knowledge, both Spencer and Tina are extremely concerned about what this might mean for his safety. This information along with the discovery that someone has been surreptitiously taking pictures of Tina makes her suspicious that someone might be manipulating the situation for nefarious purposes.
Vanished is an action-packed and exciting addition to the Black Hat Thriller series. Tina has been living on the edge for so long that she does not know whom she can trust. Karen E. Olson keeps the series fresh with a new setting and a clever mystery that relies on going deep into the dark web and savvy hacking skills to solve. Although the current adventure is completely wrapped up by the novel's thrilling conclusion, several key people manage to evade capture leaving Tina and Zeke hot on their trail.
February 5, 2018
I didn't even realize this book was 4th in a series, but it holds up well as a stand-alone. It's easy to catch on right away what Tina is doing. It's interesting to have a 40-something average-looking woman as the main character and gratifying to see her portrayed as an intelligent hacker (though that's not exactly a worthy occupation!)
This is a fast-paced thriller that's hard to put down. I know nothing about hacking so don't know how realistic it is, but that doesn't really matter to me. What matters is that the characters are interesting and the story kept me engaged all the way through. I'll be looking forward to the next book in the series.
This is a fast-paced thriller that's hard to put down. I know nothing about hacking so don't know how realistic it is, but that doesn't really matter to me. What matters is that the characters are interesting and the story kept me engaged all the way through. I'll be looking forward to the next book in the series.
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