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Sharon McCone #23
Vanishing Point
In the latest installment in this critically acclaimed series, Sharon McCone is hired to investigate one of San Luis Obispo County's most puzzling cold cases.
A generation ago, Laurel Greenwood, a housewife and artist, inexplicably vanished, leaving her young daughter alone. Now, new evidence suggests that the missing woman may have led a strange double life.
But before McCone can penetrate the tangled mystery, she must first solve a second disappearance--that of her client, the now grown daughter of Laurel Greenwood. The case, which forces Sharon to explore the darker sides of two marriages, comes uncomfortably close on the heels of her own marriage to Hy Ripinsky, and she begins to doubt the wisdom of her impulsive trip to the Reno wedding chapel.
A generation ago, Laurel Greenwood, a housewife and artist, inexplicably vanished, leaving her young daughter alone. Now, new evidence suggests that the missing woman may have led a strange double life.
But before McCone can penetrate the tangled mystery, she must first solve a second disappearance--that of her client, the now grown daughter of Laurel Greenwood. The case, which forces Sharon to explore the darker sides of two marriages, comes uncomfortably close on the heels of her own marriage to Hy Ripinsky, and she begins to doubt the wisdom of her impulsive trip to the Reno wedding chapel.
368 pages, ebook
First published July 10, 2006
About the author
Marcia Muller
165 books731 followersMarcia Muller is an American author of mystery and thriller novels.
Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel. Muller had been nominated for the Shamus Award four times previously.
In 2005, Muller was awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and graduated in English from the University of Michigan and worked as a journalist at Sunset magazine. She is married to detective fiction author Bill Pronzini with whom she has collaborated on several novels.
Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel. Muller had been nominated for the Shamus Award four times previously.
In 2005, Muller was awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and graduated in English from the University of Michigan and worked as a journalist at Sunset magazine. She is married to detective fiction author Bill Pronzini with whom she has collaborated on several novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
April 19, 2026
The twenty-third book in a series about private investigator Sharon McCone—now stretching to an impressive thirty-five entries—Vanishing Point reflects both the strengths and limitations of a long-running character anchored in real time.
Unlike some series that exist in a kind of narrative stasis, McCone has aged, changed jobs, and built a life across decades of publication. Readers who followed along as the books were released would have watched her grow from a rookie PI in a small firm to the point in this installment, where she runs her own agency and is newly married to security specialist Hy Ripinsky. I appreciate that Muller allows her protagonist to evolve in this way—but that same continuity can make some of these later series books more challenging to enjoy.
Vanished integrates several prior storylines: her ex-brother-in-law (now married to her former employee) who are friends with the couple hiring McCone, an employee hired after a prior investigation altered his life, tensions between her adoptive and biological mothers, and the lingering impact of her brother’s death. As someone returning to the series after about a decade, I had a general sense of these arcs, but not enough detail to fully appreciate their emotional weight.
"My regret at the fact that the information we’d provided her had resulted in his financial downfall had prompted me to hire him temporarily, and he’d shown the potential to be a good investigator."
The central mystery—a cold case involving the decades-old disappearance of a woman connected to one of McCone’s former employees—is winding but generally solid. Despite running a sizable agency, McCone takes on much of the investigative work herself, using the case as an opportunity to mentor the new investigator. The investigation also prompts some reflection on her recent marriage, weaving character development into the procedural framework.
“'There was no trouble in that marriage.’ Interesting that she thought I was implying there had been trouble; the way she’d jutted out her chin when she spoke raised a red flag for me.”
Moments like this highlight Muller’s steady, observant approach to character and dialogue, even if the broader narrative occasionally feels weighed down by its own history.
“I’m trying to put events in context.” Vague replies involving words such as “context” and “nuance” and “subtext” have stood me in good stead over the years."
In the end, this is a generally good entry with a competent mystery, but one that benefits significantly from familiarity with the series. I picked it up because it was on sale and well-rated among the installments. I’m glad I had some prior grounding—but new or returning readers may find their experience varies quite a bit depending on how much of McCone’s past they bring with them.
Unlike some series that exist in a kind of narrative stasis, McCone has aged, changed jobs, and built a life across decades of publication. Readers who followed along as the books were released would have watched her grow from a rookie PI in a small firm to the point in this installment, where she runs her own agency and is newly married to security specialist Hy Ripinsky. I appreciate that Muller allows her protagonist to evolve in this way—but that same continuity can make some of these later series books more challenging to enjoy.
Vanished integrates several prior storylines: her ex-brother-in-law (now married to her former employee) who are friends with the couple hiring McCone, an employee hired after a prior investigation altered his life, tensions between her adoptive and biological mothers, and the lingering impact of her brother’s death. As someone returning to the series after about a decade, I had a general sense of these arcs, but not enough detail to fully appreciate their emotional weight.
"My regret at the fact that the information we’d provided her had resulted in his financial downfall had prompted me to hire him temporarily, and he’d shown the potential to be a good investigator."
The central mystery—a cold case involving the decades-old disappearance of a woman connected to one of McCone’s former employees—is winding but generally solid. Despite running a sizable agency, McCone takes on much of the investigative work herself, using the case as an opportunity to mentor the new investigator. The investigation also prompts some reflection on her recent marriage, weaving character development into the procedural framework.
“'There was no trouble in that marriage.’ Interesting that she thought I was implying there had been trouble; the way she’d jutted out her chin when she spoke raised a red flag for me.”
Moments like this highlight Muller’s steady, observant approach to character and dialogue, even if the broader narrative occasionally feels weighed down by its own history.
“I’m trying to put events in context.” Vague replies involving words such as “context” and “nuance” and “subtext” have stood me in good stead over the years."
In the end, this is a generally good entry with a competent mystery, but one that benefits significantly from familiarity with the series. I picked it up because it was on sale and well-rated among the installments. I’m glad I had some prior grounding—but new or returning readers may find their experience varies quite a bit depending on how much of McCone’s past they bring with them.
September 17, 2023
Sharon McCone has been hired, in this 23rd outing for the series, to investigate the sudden disappearance of Laurel Greenwood. The talented artist and mother of 2 daughters went missing while out painting a landscape piece more than 22 years earlier. Her daughter, Jennifer Aldin had never gotten over it and with the passing of her father, dead from pancreatic cancer, she now finds it possible to find out the truth.
McCone finds a few strange factors related to the case that must be considered and answered. The first is the fact that Laurel’s husband burned all of her paintings mere days after her disappearance. Why would a mother who is seemingly content with her life, suddenly up and leave without any sign that she’s going?
Considering the case is more than 22 years old it’s about as cold as a cold case can get. McCone has a particularly tough investigation ahead of her, speaking to all of the friends, relatives and people Laurel may have come in contact with around the time of her disappearance. Fortunately, her detective agency has expanded to the point where she can throw a lot of resources at the job to cover it from numerous angles leaving her to do the fieldwork herself.
Just as things get rolling there’s, what you might call, a minor setback. Jennifer Aldin herself goes missing. Could she have decided she’d attempt to follow in her mother’s footsteps or has there been a more sinister reason for her disappearance. One thing’s for sure, her husband is hardly beside himself with grief or even concern.
Fans of the classic private detective genre will definitely appreciate the linear fashion in which this story unfolds. The standard fare of finding people to interview means that the pace of the story starts off as a steady one. But it only takes one unusual fact, one stray comment or…the fact that the person who hired you to go missing to ramp things up a notch.
By now, McCone’s rather extensive team of investigators has become an extremely efficient one and rolls into action as it helps to solve the original case along with the secondary missing person part. It’s also the first case following McCone and Hy’s wedding, indeed they’ve barely had time to get their feet under them after the honeymoon and work requires they head their separate ways. It’s clear married life has not changed McCone’s attitude to hard work one little bit.
Now 23 books strong, Sharon McCone and her team of investigators are rolling along very nicely and with great efficiency. I must admit I was losing faith in the series around books 15 through 19, having noticed a decided loss of momentum and direction to the stories. But Vanishing Point is strong thanks to a well-organised investigation featuring clearly defined characters who each perform their roles admirably.
McCone finds a few strange factors related to the case that must be considered and answered. The first is the fact that Laurel’s husband burned all of her paintings mere days after her disappearance. Why would a mother who is seemingly content with her life, suddenly up and leave without any sign that she’s going?
Considering the case is more than 22 years old it’s about as cold as a cold case can get. McCone has a particularly tough investigation ahead of her, speaking to all of the friends, relatives and people Laurel may have come in contact with around the time of her disappearance. Fortunately, her detective agency has expanded to the point where she can throw a lot of resources at the job to cover it from numerous angles leaving her to do the fieldwork herself.
Just as things get rolling there’s, what you might call, a minor setback. Jennifer Aldin herself goes missing. Could she have decided she’d attempt to follow in her mother’s footsteps or has there been a more sinister reason for her disappearance. One thing’s for sure, her husband is hardly beside himself with grief or even concern.
Fans of the classic private detective genre will definitely appreciate the linear fashion in which this story unfolds. The standard fare of finding people to interview means that the pace of the story starts off as a steady one. But it only takes one unusual fact, one stray comment or…the fact that the person who hired you to go missing to ramp things up a notch.
By now, McCone’s rather extensive team of investigators has become an extremely efficient one and rolls into action as it helps to solve the original case along with the secondary missing person part. It’s also the first case following McCone and Hy’s wedding, indeed they’ve barely had time to get their feet under them after the honeymoon and work requires they head their separate ways. It’s clear married life has not changed McCone’s attitude to hard work one little bit.
Now 23 books strong, Sharon McCone and her team of investigators are rolling along very nicely and with great efficiency. I must admit I was losing faith in the series around books 15 through 19, having noticed a decided loss of momentum and direction to the stories. But Vanishing Point is strong thanks to a well-organised investigation featuring clearly defined characters who each perform their roles admirably.
April 4, 2026
Interesting cold case of a "missing" wife/mother for 22 years - Desertion - family relationships - Deception - good plot - well written, traveling across states to investigate - read as a Stand Alone with no problem following.
June 18, 2021
Twenty-two years ago, a young mother and wife walks away from her family. Within days, the father burns all the woman's creative endeavors and urges the police to bury the missing person case.
Now he has died and his eldest daughter, Jennifer, approaches private investigator Sharon McCone to have her find out what happened to her mother.
And as what happens so often, such an investigation opens up other incidents and a Pandora's box of secrets for the daughters to live with.
McCone works the case with her typical diligence even while trying to adjust to marriage and the continued expansion of her agency. For her, this is a job that hits close to home for her, considering the recent discovery of her own parentage and the changes that have occurred to her family.
This is the 23rd book based on this character and it feels like readers have been p[art of that family, watching her development and maturity. I didn't like McCone at the beginning and it took a while for her to grow into the character that I could like, admire, empathize with. The books are getting better and better as McCone continues to grow and her investigations become more in depth.
Now he has died and his eldest daughter, Jennifer, approaches private investigator Sharon McCone to have her find out what happened to her mother.
And as what happens so often, such an investigation opens up other incidents and a Pandora's box of secrets for the daughters to live with.
McCone works the case with her typical diligence even while trying to adjust to marriage and the continued expansion of her agency. For her, this is a job that hits close to home for her, considering the recent discovery of her own parentage and the changes that have occurred to her family.
This is the 23rd book based on this character and it feels like readers have been p[art of that family, watching her development and maturity. I didn't like McCone at the beginning and it took a while for her to grow into the character that I could like, admire, empathize with. The books are getting better and better as McCone continues to grow and her investigations become more in depth.
May 31, 2022
Another McCone entry that I inhaled in one sitting. I am trash for female PIs and cold cases - so when authors gives me both in the same book I'll positively wallow in it.
Sharon takes on a 20-year missing persons case, a young wife/mother who just up and vanished, as a favor to former employee Rae Kelleher (who is friends with the missing woman's oldest daughter - who is unraveling at the seams). This story gets Sharon back out in the field while directing her operatives in a "all hands on deck" feel to the mystery. I liked that this one didn't spin out the way I thought it was going to (did I mention I like cold case stories?) and it kept me entertained (and guessing!).
Sharon takes on a 20-year missing persons case, a young wife/mother who just up and vanished, as a favor to former employee Rae Kelleher (who is friends with the missing woman's oldest daughter - who is unraveling at the seams). This story gets Sharon back out in the field while directing her operatives in a "all hands on deck" feel to the mystery. I liked that this one didn't spin out the way I thought it was going to (did I mention I like cold case stories?) and it kept me entertained (and guessing!).
November 1, 2024
Another good Sharon McCone mystery dealing with deception, desertion and family relationships.
July 31, 2011
A woman hires Sharon to find out what happened to her mother when she disappeared twenty two years ago. Decent book but I despised the mother.
October 28, 2019
Continuing on with the challenge to reread Sharon McCone series.
July 10, 2018
#24 in the Sharon McCone series. Finalist 2007 Shamus Award for Best Novel. This 2006 entry from author Muller has her P.I. investigating a 22 year old cold case. Her client, Jennifer, hires her to investigate the disappearance of her mother, Laurel, and along the way Sharon winds up investigating the marriages of both Laurel and Jennifer (and contrasting them to her recent marriage to long time beau, Hy Ripinski. Muller adds flavor to the story with Sharon's observations of the color and texture of the Southern California coast. In a secondary plot arc, Sharon's investigation solves an old crime and a current cover-up and murder.
Two months after her father dies from pancreatic cancer, Jennifer Aldin begins obsessing about a subject he always refused to discuss: the disappearance of his wife Laurel 22 years ago, when Jen was only ten and her sister Terry barely six. Why, Jen wants to know, would a supposedly contented wife and mother abandon her family? Why, barely days after she left, did her husband burn every one of her paintings, products of what she called her “mental health days,” when she’d go off alone to sketch? Tracking a case that’s been cold for 22 years isn’t easy, but McCone’s persistence debunks the myth of a happy family and the supposedly selfless caregiving Laurel offered her dying cousin Josie. Finding the last two people to see Laurel alive, a dog-walker and a biker, offers more contradictions, but any hope of delving into them gets put on the back burner when Jen disappears. Like mother, like daughter?
Two months after her father dies from pancreatic cancer, Jennifer Aldin begins obsessing about a subject he always refused to discuss: the disappearance of his wife Laurel 22 years ago, when Jen was only ten and her sister Terry barely six. Why, Jen wants to know, would a supposedly contented wife and mother abandon her family? Why, barely days after she left, did her husband burn every one of her paintings, products of what she called her “mental health days,” when she’d go off alone to sketch? Tracking a case that’s been cold for 22 years isn’t easy, but McCone’s persistence debunks the myth of a happy family and the supposedly selfless caregiving Laurel offered her dying cousin Josie. Finding the last two people to see Laurel alive, a dog-walker and a biker, offers more contradictions, but any hope of delving into them gets put on the back burner when Jen disappears. Like mother, like daughter?
April 29, 2025
Jennifer Greenwood was 10 the day her mother, Laurel, disappeared. No one knew what happened to her, and eventually, Jennifer got on with life, grew up, married, and became Jennifer Albin. When her dad died, Jennifer became obsessed with the disappearance of her mother, and Jennifer hires Newlywed Sharon McCone to dig into the cold case.
Someone somewhere doesn’t want her to find out whether Laurel is still alive. An unseen gunman takes a shot at Sharon and barely misses. From there, the story gets increasingly interesting.
Poor newlywed Sharon doesn’t have many good examples of enduring marriages in her world, and the collapse of Jennifer’s parents’ marriage and later Jennifer’s isn’t helpful on McCone’s confidence scale.
As McCone and her associates uncover pieces of information relating to Laurel’s disappearance, Jennifer disappears next. Now they have two cases to solve concurrently if possible.
I’m a bit tired of McCone’s seemingly constant second guessing and uncertainty about her life. This is already a short book, but shaving another hour off it wouldn’t have hurt it, and doing away with all that uncertainty stuff and the whole post-wedding bells consternation stuff would have solved that.
Someone somewhere doesn’t want her to find out whether Laurel is still alive. An unseen gunman takes a shot at Sharon and barely misses. From there, the story gets increasingly interesting.
Poor newlywed Sharon doesn’t have many good examples of enduring marriages in her world, and the collapse of Jennifer’s parents’ marriage and later Jennifer’s isn’t helpful on McCone’s confidence scale.
As McCone and her associates uncover pieces of information relating to Laurel’s disappearance, Jennifer disappears next. Now they have two cases to solve concurrently if possible.
I’m a bit tired of McCone’s seemingly constant second guessing and uncertainty about her life. This is already a short book, but shaving another hour off it wouldn’t have hurt it, and doing away with all that uncertainty stuff and the whole post-wedding bells consternation stuff would have solved that.
July 20, 2018
In Vanishing Point, Marcia Muller offers up one of her most intriguing mysteries: a woman gone missing 22 years ago has long been presumed dead, and now Sharon McCone is tasked to figure out what happened.
The joy of this type of mystery is that the reader can imagine thousands of different possibilities. The danger is that the author can't live up to all those expectations. Fortunately, Muller does, offering up an intriguing answer to this mystery with a few surprises along the way.
As usual, one of Muller's strengths is the character building, and there are several haunting character portraits in here.
All told, a deftly told page turner.
The joy of this type of mystery is that the reader can imagine thousands of different possibilities. The danger is that the author can't live up to all those expectations. Fortunately, Muller does, offering up an intriguing answer to this mystery with a few surprises along the way.
As usual, one of Muller's strengths is the character building, and there are several haunting character portraits in here.
All told, a deftly told page turner.
June 3, 2022
Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰
Another will written mystery adventure thriller novel by Marcia Muller book twenty three in the Sharon McCone Mystery Series. Sharon McCone is once again in a mystery about a mother disappearing twenty two years ago. Her daughters hire Sharon too investigate. Sharon's team finds the mother and a lot more interesting information adding to the fun and an unexpected conclusion. I would highly recommend this series and author to readers of mystery novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of health issues. 2022 👒🐈👠😊
Another will written mystery adventure thriller novel by Marcia Muller book twenty three in the Sharon McCone Mystery Series. Sharon McCone is once again in a mystery about a mother disappearing twenty two years ago. Her daughters hire Sharon too investigate. Sharon's team finds the mother and a lot more interesting information adding to the fun and an unexpected conclusion. I would highly recommend this series and author to readers of mystery novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of health issues. 2022 👒🐈👠😊
July 21, 2017
Easy summer reading. Plot was okay; nothing too heavy. Characters , too many of them, were likable or unlikable enough. Eh..unremarkable but nice to read. Halfway through, I thought I had previously read it,but probably because the characters and plot were common. But Muller is pretty good at what she does. I would read another.
December 28, 2018
An old missing person investigation gets even more complicated when the person who hired Sharon also goes missing. All the usual cast of characters pitch in to find them both.... Sharon is just back from getting married and her mom decides to host a party for her. We are reminded that Sharon's messed up family is a lot like our own families!
April 18, 2024
well written with interesting characters and plot. Shron McCone is hired to solve the cold case of a missing wife and mother. Lots of red herrings and twists but sometimes the story is overwhelmed with investigative procedures. While this is the real life of an investigation it is also sometimes tedious, especially for a reader. But it is still worth the effort.
May 4, 2018
For once mystery i didn't solve by chapter 2.
I enjoyed the fact that this plot line was one i had never read before. It was completely fresh . Although the mystery was solved, the book still left you hanging.
I enjoyed the fact that this plot line was one i had never read before. It was completely fresh . Although the mystery was solved, the book still left you hanging.
September 16, 2018
First I've read of this series. Stand alone store but not stand alone character development. It just felt like a bunch of rich people meeting other rich people and working for more rich people with a mystery I figured from the first. Blah
May 16, 2019
A very fast paced book. My 1st by this author.
What would you do if your mom just vanished out of your life forever. No explanation?
When the past starts to rear it’s ugly head as you begin looking for your mom, only truth can set everyone free.
What would you do if your mom just vanished out of your life forever. No explanation?
When the past starts to rear it’s ugly head as you begin looking for your mom, only truth can set everyone free.
September 18, 2024
Glad I remembered Sharon McCone
For some reason, I seemed to have forgotten about this series and recently saw that a new Sharon McCone was coming out. So I jumped back in with this book and I'm glad I did. I've got the next book loaded on my kindle ready to go.
For some reason, I seemed to have forgotten about this series and recently saw that a new Sharon McCone was coming out. So I jumped back in with this book and I'm glad I did. I've got the next book loaded on my kindle ready to go.
December 18, 2024
A sad mystery with a unlikable character leading the investigation. The main character comes off as a cold, judgement, rich lady doing detective work. The plot is okay...sad but at least not too far fetched. This is the first time I've read a Marcia Muller novel and it will be the last.
April 23, 2019
Read 2009
July 3, 2019
not a bad story but the writing didn't excite me very much
December 5, 2019
A quick read mystery - sad.
September 13, 2020
Good paced. Intelligent female lead.
February 14, 2021
I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as her other one I read.
August 3, 2022
My first McCone mystery. It's twenty years since her mother left her husband and two daughters and the one daughter hires McCone to find out what happened to her. An interesting read.
April 6, 2024
I lost this book but didn’t find it interesting enough to try and find another copy.
May 17, 2024
Quick , easy Pi read
July 8, 2025
This was the first book I’ve read by this author and really wasn’t crazy about it. 🤷🏼♀️
October 20, 2025
a rather dark tale of marriage and its discontents, as Sharon compares her new marriage to that of a woman she has been hired to track down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews