Vanishing Act

Robin Light #5

by Barbara Block

While investigating the apparent disappearance of a college girl, pet-store owner and occasional sleuth Robin Light joins forces with the victim's brother to solve the case, only to be confronted with a wide array of suspects that puts her own life in peril.

Genres: Mystery

313 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1998

About the author

Aka Isis Crawford

Barbara Block is the author of the Robin Light Mystery Series, Twister, In Plain Sight, Scent of Murder, and Vanishing Act. Her upcoming release, Endangered Species, will be available in September of 1999. She was recently named one of Booklist's Top Five Lesser Known Female Sleuths so, hopefully, a wider audience will discover her through the thrills of Endangered Species. A longtime freelance writer, Barbara has produced numerous feature articles and reviews in addition to her novels. When she's not writing, Barbara somehow finds the time to run a catering business specializing in desserts.

Barbara holds a BA in Spanish from New York University and an MA in Spanish from Columbia University. She has also studied at Hunter College and the School of Visual Arts. An avid traveler, Barbara has toured extensively through both Europe and Latin America.

As a youth, animals were among Barbara's many interests. Her childhood was crowded with pets of every kind that included a type of alligator known as a caiman. The caiman took up residence in the family bathtub, much to the guests' dismay. Her love for creatures has not dissipated over the years. Indeed, her deep interest in animals has led her to be a "mother" to dogs, cats, ferrets, Burmese pythons, and monitor lizards. Included in the zoo were three male Homo sapiens of her own.

Originally from New York City, Barbara Block has made Syracuse her home for twenty-five years.

Reviews

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not familiar with the author - Barbara Block - and I really enjoyed her writing! She hooked me from the beginning and her writing was paced to keep me turning the pages. I read this out of order in the series so I will definitely start at the beginning and read the series. So good!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Robin Light is a pet shop owner and crime solver returns to track a missing college girl, only to be taught a terrible lesson; that the dangers of higher education can often be triggered by the lowestnof human instincts. Robin's client Bryan Hayes was a no happy go lucky guy. For four months he has been looking for his sister Melissa, a college sophmore who waved goodbye outside her dorm and disappeared without a trace. The head of security and the dean have their doubts. Bryn is blaming it on the snakes. One's a nine foot python. The other is its owner, Melissa's exboyfriend Tommy West a frat boy and real charmer. But Robin is developing a theory and the evidence to back it up with another story. If Melissa met with foul play why did she take her clothes,purse,and her cash? If it was such well planned vanishing act why is Tommy so reluctant to talk? Why does Jill Evans, Melissa's best friend and fatal victim of a bizzare accident keep figuring into the picture? Its as affling as Melissa's disappearance.