Then She Vanished

Roland Ford #4

by T. Jefferson Parker

What if the client who's hired you can't be trusted...and the woman you're looking for doesn't want to be found? With Then She Vanished, three-time Edgar Award winner and New York Times-bestselling author T. Jefferson Parker delivers a new and pulse-pounding thriller.

Private Investigator Roland Ford has taken a job for a fellow Marine and a rising politician, Dalton Strait. Strait is contending with unexplained bombings of government buildings in his district...but that is not why he hired Ford. Strait's wife, Natalie, has gone missing, leaving behind a cryptic plea for help. Strait has made many enemies during his time in politics--including some of his own family members--all of whom could be looking for revenge. But as Ford digs into the details of a troubled marriage, Natalie's disappearance becomes more and more complicated.

Meanwhile, the bombings in the city intensify, with a mysterious group known only as the Chaos Committee claiming responsibility. Ford soon learns that the seemingly random attacks may be connected to the case he's on--and suddenly, his hunt for a missing woman might decide the fate of an entire city.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Adult Fiction

348 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2020

About the author

T. Jefferson Parker is the bestselling author of 26 crime novels, including Edgar Award-winners SILENT JOE and CALIFORNIA GIRL. Parker's next work is coming-of-age thriller, A THOUSAND STEPS, set for January of 2022. He lives with his family in a small town in north San Diego County, and enjoys fishing, hiking and beachcombing.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parker’s San Diego PI Roland Ford, Iraqi War veteran and ex Sheriff’s Deputy is tasked with finding a missing political spouse. Ford, however, finds himself in the middle of marijuana wars in the hills and the return of Patty Hearst and the bombing of government buildings. And the solution to the missing spouse may not be what it first appears.

[3 no 7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roland Ford walks alone as the world implodes around him.

“Then She Vanished” unfolds as a first person narrative by Roland Ford, a private investigator who finds things other people cannot. He lives in Fallbrook, California, the avocado capital of the world. Parker creates a frantic story of anger and violence in an age of chaos, complete with a hotly contested political election, bomb threats, a missing woman, and the pitfalls and complications of a legal cannabis operation. All this would make a great typical thriller, but this story has something more; this story has Roland Ford.

Roland Ford is far from a typical PI. Despite the title “Then She vanished,” this is Ford’s story, and he tells it in a blunt, unhurried, way. He is faded and frayed by his experiences in war, but he can take care of himself and does not let anyone or anything stand in his way. He frequently pauses to reflect on his past and to plan his strategy, and of course to remember Justine. He is methodical and logical, not wasting time yet not wanting to miss anything. Supporting characters are complex and unique, but Ford stands, and stands alone, amidst the surrounding chaos like a movie hero, focused, walking tall and unhurried through the fire while the world implodes around him.

“Then She Vanished” has nonstop action on every page. There is a touch of humor amidst the chaos as one of Ford’s “irregulars,” tenants on his farm, reveals her predictions for the future, but she can only see ahead three weeks at a time. Ford names his truck “Vivian,” prompting readers to wonder just who Vivian might have been. I received a copy of “Then She Vanished” from T Jefferson Parker,Penguin Publishing, and Goodreads. Parker leaves readers with thoughts of the goodness of our world and the people in it, the comfort of kindness and respect, the hope that comes from belief that the next day can be better and the day after that better still. And in the end, there is always dancing.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pl Roland Ford is hired by a politician whose wife has disappeared. He's also a former Marine who served in Fallujah at the same time as Ford.

While the investigation is going on a domestic terrorist group calling themselves the Chaos Comittee is mailing bombs to politicians claiming to want to rid the country of the corruption that permeates the government.

An exciting story where of course the authorities assume the client is responsible for his wife's disappearance.

[Wesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating: 3 Lipstick messages

An okay story of a politician's wife that has disappeared and the private investigator's search for her.
I will probably try to find the previous books in the series.

Good narration of the audio book.

[DP Lyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roland Ford rocks. A great series character who continues to evolve. This, the 4th in the series, lives up to and surpasses the previous ones. Great story, well written. Can't wait for the next in the series.

DP Lyle, award-winning author, lecturer, story consultant

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am fond of T. Jefferson Parker novels.
This one was just ah-ite for me, dog.
He does a good job,; and I felt like he plugged in character names into the old slots and phoned this one in. There was nothing new here—even though the violence, crime, death…it continued P.I. Roland Ford’s journey to be a man in two parts, one who watches himself from above, and one who does things on earth.

[Brett T · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unlike many modern detective and crime fiction writers, T. Jefferson Parker hasn't chosen to stick with a single series for his entire career -- a decision probably lamented by his publisher's marketing department. When he finished his six-book run with LA County Sheriff's Deputy Charlie Hood in 2013's The Famous and the Dead, he switched to a new sleuth -- private investigator Roland Ford, an Iraq War veteran and former cop himself working in the San Diego area. Ford debuted in 2017's The Room of White Fire and has reached book 4 with this year's Then She Vanished

California state representative Dalton Strait is, like Ford, a veteran of the Iraq War and their shared combat experience is the reason he has come to Ford in a time of trouble. His wife Natalie has disappeared and as in so many cases involving adults dropping off the grid with no sign of foul play, the police don't think there's much reason to search for her. Strait is worried, though, because Natalie suffers from bipolar disorder and even if she's no danger to herself she could cause his reelection campaign significant trouble. In a parallel storyline, one of Roland's FBI friends enlists his help in trying to identify a woman connected to a mysterious group called the Chaos Committee, sowing the seeds of terror with escalating bombing campaigns and threats of civil unrest. And Roland finds himself developing an affection for Dalton's sister Tola, a marijuana grower who reminds him of his late wife.

It's strange that a book with so much going on seems a bit too placid overall, but that might stem partly from the surprisingly bland lead character. Roland carries his war baggage but isn't much limited by it. His continuing grief over the loss of his wife rears up frequently and casts an atmosphere of quiet melancholy over him as he goes about his business of trying to find Natalie and help his FBI friend Mike. The burgeoning romance with Tola brings a couple of violent twists out of left field that are probably intended to set the stage for a subsequent volume more than to influence the current one.

Parker is one of the best noir-influenced stylists working today, especially when it comes to mood and scene-setting prose. In earlier volumes, Roland hasn't seemed quite as insubstantial as he does in Vanished, so it may just be a function of this particular story. The hunt for Natalie Strait will show that Dalton isn't everything he's presented himself as, and his unspooling layers don't uncover anything good. Parker works a little too hard to make him an unlikeable and venial man gifted by circumstance with some good fortune and the chance to display his few decent qualities -- it wouldn't hurt the story as much if Roland were a little more vibrant in contrast, but he's not.

Parker has laid down some clunkers in his career but is rarely not worth reading, and Then She Vanished is a quite serviceable noir detective outing. It's disappointing not so much because it could be better but because when we're dealing with a writer as talented as Parker, it should be better.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of T. Jefferson Parker since I read his first book. He hasn't lost his touch as some writers do when they've written several books. Roland Ford, a private investigator in southern California, is hired by Dalton Strait to find his missing wife Natalie. Dalton is running for congress and needs all the help he can get. The Strait family is well-known and not always in a good way. Their reputation, plus a missing wife, won't help Dalton to win. Roland takes the job but becomes increasingly frustrated with Dalton and his mysterious actions. Roland, still grieving the loss of his wife in a plane crash, becomes involved with Dalton's sister, Tola, who runs a successful marijuana growing operation. She has her own problems with the gangsters who want to take over her business. Roland finds himself knee-deep in the Strait family drama. Parker's books don't always end on a happy note. Saying more might spoil it. However, after many plot twists, the ending makes sense, even if everyone doesn't life happily ever after.

[Larry Fontenot · Rating 2 out of 5]

T. Jeff writes good books and I love his characters, in this case the PI Roland Ford. T. Jeff has good dialogue, interesting plots and plenty of action. But after a while, these T. Jeff books begin to resemble each other. Now I know that this similarity is what draws some people to books like these. We like a good guy who we understand, who perhaps shares some of our passions and anxieties, and whose history we are familiar with. But lately I've been reading several books, each from a well-regarded series, whose main characters may have worn me out. James Lee Burke's "Bobbsie Twins from Homicide"; Elly Griffith's Nelson and Ruth; Paul Doiron's Mike Bowditch. But I'm faithful more to the authors than their characters, so I will probably keep reading these books. I just wish we got a bit more than the usual and familiar.

[Darcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was a bit blah for me. Part of it was because I didn't like Dalton at all. I didn't guy that he was a good guy, working for the people. Turns out I had a right to be skeptical and I should probably not be happy with what happened to him at the end, but I'm ok with it. I find I so feel sorry for the Chaos Committee, they all were screwed over one way or another and you can easily see why they took the path they did, even if it was the wrong one. I'm not sure that I buy what happened to Natalie, she comes out ahead, not sure she deserves to.

[David Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice addition to the series but not my favorite.
Roland Ford is a great character and his determination endless. In this one he's hired by a crooked politician to find his missing wife. Throw in warring factions vying for the lucrative marijuana trade as well as a group of social terrorists determined to create chaos and overthrow the government and you've got a plot right up Ford's alley.
Written in Parker's classic style with a blistering pace it checked off all the boxes but just left me feeling a little flat. All in all its still a worthy continuation of Ford's story that I recommend to existing fans of the authors as well as those who are new to his writing.

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review to come

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great entry in the Roland Ford series. As always Parker populates the story with fascinating characters and a compelling plot.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. A complex and satisfying mystery. Roland Ford is a smart, intuitive investigator who wins you over with his love of life and his belief in justice.

[Sheldon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parker’s protagonist, Roland Ford, is worth your time. This is a tough guy like a Spenser, but with an even quirkier crew surrounding him. If you haven’t discovered the series, it is time.

[Gene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my favorite in this series but still a great read. Not quite as tightly plotted as others and the ending is a bit "off" for me, but still a can't put down book. Enjoyed it as I do all of his works.

[Dianeparente62gmail.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

T Jefferson Parker is unique. His characters are interesting, unusual. His Southern California setting is so evocative. In this novel, any resident, former or past, of San Diego and its environs will find his locales easily identifiable and somehow haunting, redolent with one's
own memories and those created by Parker's characters.

This novel features Private Investigator Roland Ford, an ex-Marine still haunted by his Fallujah experiences. He is hired by another ex-Marine Dalton Strait, a California Assemblyman running for reelection and looking for his beautiful, bipolar, mysteriously missing wife.

Enter a varied cast of characters--an ex-Marine whom Strait rescued following an IED attack, Strait's beautiful sister, the proprietor of a marijuana empire, various law enforcement officials, some apparently minor characters who gradually assume major importance as the plot unfurls, and varying generations of the illustrious Strait family, well known to law enforcement.

The mystery of the vanished wife is played out against a bizarre series of episodes involving the Chaos Committee, a violence-unleashing mystery group who is playing havoc with the security of southern Californians. The dual unraveling of these intertwined plots brings the novel to a satisfying conclusion.

The story is fast moving, but well controlled, interspersed by terse observations from Roland such as, "Nothing is slower than time. Or louder than silence." This is more than a glimpse into another world, it provides applicable life insights, greatly enhancing the novel's value.

One looking for a journey into a world of danger, current relevance, and well written mystery can't go wrong with this T. Jefferson Parker work.

[John McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel begins when Ford is hired by state representative Dalton Strait—who’s in the midst of a tight reelection campaign—to find his wife Natalie, who has disappeared without a trace. She suffers from bipolar disorder . . . and she’s done it before . . . eventually turning up in Las Vegas, 100 grand in the hole. It ought to be a simple and straightforward missing persons case, but it isn’t, because the more we learn about Dalton Strait, the more complex and deadly Ford’s job becomes.

Like a lot about California, much about Strait is an illusion. Is he a war hero or a coward? An honest politician or a crook who’s abusing the public trust? And finally, is Natalie in danger, having been abducted, or is Dalton Strait engineering an elaborate campaign hoax in an attempt for sympathy and publicity? Is Natalie a victim, a participant, or a runaway who doesn’t want to be found? Ford’s doubts about his flaky client get bigger with every new revelation.

Meanwhile, something called the Chaos Committee is setting off bombs in post offices, and sending them to public officials, urging people to join the anarchy and promising more of the same still to come. And just how does the disappearance of Natalie Strait tie in . . . or does it? As Roland Ford is drawn deeper and deeper into the quagmire that surrounds his client, his own life is increasingly at risk, and his mounting doubts multiply the chances that he won’t solve this complex southern California whodunit from the hand of a master!

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Then She Vanished" is T. Jefferson Parker's 4th book in a series featuring Private Investigator Roland Ford. In this book, Ford is hired to find the missing wife of Dalton Strait, a California politician representing the eastern portion of San Diego.

If sometimes wondered how authors come up with ideas for their characters. In this case, the answer is easy. The California Assemblyman is clearly based on former California Congressman Duncan Hunter who was forced out of office in 2020. Both politicians represent eastern San Diego, both took over their offices from a father / grandfather, both were in the military and fought in Iraq, both were involved in a re-election campaign against an opponent of Middle Eastern heritage, both accused their Democratic opponent as being associated with terrorist relatives, both were accused of breaking campaign finance laws and diverting funds for junkets, family trips, golf outings, girl friends, etc. Both also ended up blaming their wives for the campaign finance violations, claiming that their wives handled the finances, and they themselves were ignorant of how the money was spent.

Dalton Strait was an unlikeable character, still carrying on with a girl friend while Ford continued the hunt for the missing wife. Complicating Ford's investigation was a militant anti-government group carrying out a series of bombings for government offices in the Southern California region.
Fortunately, P.I. Roland Ford has enough going for him to carry the story and to solve the crimes.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dalton Strait is a member of the California Assembly representing a district in the San Diego area. Roland Ford is a private investigator, who is approached by fellow Marine Strait to help find his wife, Natalie, who has gone missing. Natalie has some psychological issues, so the question is: did she just walk out or was she abducted. At the same time, a series of bombings occur in Strait’s district, escalating from property damage to deaths of public officials. Responsibility for the bombings is claimed by the Chaos Committee, an unknown entity with unknown objectives. As one might expect, Strait is not a very trustworthy politician, facing various investigations of propriety as well as having made a number of enemies while is office. Ford’s investigation brings him deep into the Strait family, and the possibility that Natalie’s disappearance is much more than it appears. This is the 4th book in Parker’s Roland Ford series (one of several series written by Parker). I have long seen books by Parker in the store, and, although I haven’t read him in the past, I jumped at the chance when given the opportunity to read an advance copy (for which I thank G. P. Putnam’s Sons and Edelweiss). I did not feel that it was absolutely necessary to have read the earlier books in the series, but then again, I am sure that there is some background that would have made the read even better. Really a 3 1/2 star but Parker gets the benefit of having written for a long time.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

352 pages

3 stars

Private Investigator Roland Ford is asked by a former Marine acquaintance named Dalton Strait to look for his missing wife Natalie. She apparently has gone missing for a few days before, but showed up eventually. This time, she has been gone for two days and her politician husband is worried about her.

While Ford is looking for Natalie, there are a series of bombings going on in the city. The Chaos Committee is claiming responsibility. Ford soon learns that the bombings may very well be related to Natalie's disappearance. The case gets more difficult complete with dead ends and false leads.

It has been a long time since I have read one of Mr. Parker's novels. I don't recall them being this confused or bland. The book doesn't specify why the husband gets worried after two days when his wife has a history of being missing for longer periods of time. It struck me as a little odd.

I liked the book, but Mr. Parker is not living up to his potential with this story. This book seem to drag and it was almost depressing to read. I will continue to read his offerings, however, for I recall that he has been very good in the past.

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/GP Putnam's Sons for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit up front to being a fan of Roland Ford, a Marine turned private investigator who specializes in finding people. He's got a lot of determination and a good heart. Now, an acquaintance who is a state legislator- Dalton Strait- has asked him to find his wife Natalie. Natalie has mental health issues and she's often disappeared but this time, Strait's really worried. He's also dealing with bombings in his district and the Chaos Committee, a group advocating change but doing so by claiming responsbility for blowing up the buildings. But are they? Things in Strait's life are more complicated than they appear, as Ford finds out, especially his sister. No spoilers from me but this has a war over marijuana, a little anarchy, a lot of lies and deception, and some intriguing characters. It's also a bit slower than the earlier books. While it's the fourth in the series, it should be just fine as a standalone. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. Always good to spend time with Ford and I'm looking forward to the next one.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the Goodreads Blurb: Private Investigator Roland Ford has taken a job for a fellow Marine and a rising politician, Dalton Strait. Strait is contending with unexplained bombings of government buildings in his district...but that is not why he hired Ford. Strait's wife, Natalie, has gone missing, leaving behind a cryptic plea for help. Strait has made many enemies during his time in politics--including some of his own family members--all of whom could be looking for revenge. But as Ford digs into the details of a troubled marriage, Natalie's disappearance becomes more and more complicated.

Dalton Strait is a slimy, self-serving, excuse-making power broker... a kind of backwater Donald Trump. We found it hard to feel any sympathy with the man. The whole Strait family is a bit weird, and the whole detour into the drug trade with daughter Tola seems oddly off topic. Things picked up at the end, and I — somewhat grudginly — pushed the star rating up from two to three. Not one of Parker's best.

This was book #58 on our 2020 Read-Alouds List.

[Woodstock Pickett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Private investigator Roland Ford has been hired to find the missing wife of a local California politician and state legislator. The husband blames his political opponent, but Ford's discoveries after the woman's missing vehicle turn up make him skeptical that politics has anything to do with the woman's disappearance.

At the same time, various terrorist bomb attacks, deadly explosions, and odd media appearances are plaguing the state. Public announcements credited to the bombers blame all politicians and all law enforcement, and urge the public to rise up and join in removing all forces of law and order from the communities.

As events unfold, it's more and more clear that all recent events are connected, and the seeds of the disruption were sown during the war in Iraq. Ford, with the somewhat reluctant cooperation of the FBI, follows what seem like insignificant details to a distressing climax.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if the client who's hired you can't be trusted...and the woman you're looking for doesn't want to be found?
Private Investigator Roland Ford has taken a job for a fellow Marine and a rising politician, Dalton Strait. Strait is contending with unexplained bombings of government buildings in his district...but that is not why he hired Ford. Strait's wife, Natalie, has gone missing, leaving behind a cryptic plea for help. Strait has made many enemies during his time in politics--including some of his own family members--all of whom could be looking for revenge. But as Ford digs into the details of a troubled marriage, Natalie's disappearance becomes more and more complicated.

Meanwhile, the bombings in the city intensify, with a mysterious group known only as the Chaos Committee claiming responsibility. Ford soon learns that the seemingly random attacks may be connected to the case he's on--and suddenly, his hunt for a missing woman might decide the fate of an entire city.

[Paul Backalenick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This winding tale started out well. Parker has a flair for creating interesting characters often with dubious or obscure motives, but there were a few too many twists and turns in getting to the solution and I tired of the journey eventually.

The wife of a flawed politician is kidnapped and Roland Ford, PI, is hired to find her. Ford is one of those stereotypical tough guys with a heart. He's a loner, a heroic veteran who has seen one too many deaths, and he is of course, big, good looking and women tend to fall for him. So he sets off on his investigation. It's hard to really like him. In fact, it was hard to like almost any character in this book. that's probably why I wanted it resolved more quickly.

It's not all bad, not at all. Some of the scenes are vividly described and Parker is good at taking you through the action as well as sharing the protagonist's interior thoughts.

If you like tough guy action/adventure tales, go for it.

[Jreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audiobook. There's a lot of characters, a lot of moving parts. I got lost a little bit in it and at one point I think I even fell asleep for about an hour and I didn't feel like I wanted to go back and figure it out.

I spent quite a lot of time with combat vets and the stories that he talked about rang true from what I had been told. So he either did a lot of research or somehow was able to translate information into meaningful content for readers. There's just a lot going on. There's war stories from early rotations in Iraq, there's discussion on combat vets and drug trade and cartels, politics, infidelities. Some of the characters you weren't supposed to like. Some of the characters you were probably supposed to like.

I think this was the third book by this author that I've read and he definitely has high talent. He does not use the same characters over and over. He comes up with a different story each time. He's highly intelligent and rights in a way that makes you want need to keep up.

[Kavita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first time that I have picked up a mystery written by this author as a review copy from Edelweiss plus.

The story is about a political representative of a district in San Diego area. he hires Holland Ford who is a War veteran and currently working as PI to look for his missing wife. This case takes Roland into the midst of the drug wars in the are and amidst a gang that is involved in bombngs in the city and with so many things crossings his path Roland ford has to look for Natalie Strait.
His journey is the plot of the story.
A good mystery but unfortunately I could never connect to it. It was slow paced and seemed to go in multiple directions. My urge to understand what happens with Natalie is what made me complete the story.
This although a mystery was not my kind of mystery.
If you as a reader love to read mysteries which move slow then you will enjoy this

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always appreciate T. Jefferson Parker's stories, because they take place on my turf. This one focuses on Fallbrook, where main character Roland Ford lives, and the desert communities in East County. It draws on several sociopolitical realities of this era, which is another plus. It's a good and twisty story that takes place in well-observed surroundings. What I really appreciate the most, and what tipped me from three stars to four, is the ending. I've been complaining about mysteries that seem to end abruptly. This story ends properly. It ties up the events of the story into a neat and tidy package, solves the mystery, shows how life goes on for the characters and how the traumatic events of the story will affect them, and offers a little philosophizing about how events like these factor into the human condition.

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished 4th october 2025 good read three stars i liked it no less no more kindle library loaner have read other parker t. jefferson stories and have enjoyed those, too. entertaining story and another to place on the "frontier justice" shelf and this one the reader should ask why wasn't..."established" law and order asked to fill the bill? sign of our times i imagine. our times? repeat offenders released or minimum sentences until the come up against an armed citizen who puts them down. the big talking heads do not talk about that. a sign from our times. 50,000 vehicle deaths in europe the year 2000. that number was below 20,000 last year. the u.s.a.? 40,000. but those numbers aren't on the constantly moving lips of those with a microphone in their hands at the rise of a camera. our times.
there's always a story to be read. i'll look for more from parker t. jefferson.