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Vanishing Act
Eighteen months ago, Nora James watched as her father was shot in an alley--and then she fled. She changed her name, her appearance and her job, hoping to keep her father's shooter at bay. For months, it worked...but now her luck has run out. A ruthless assassin is on her trail, and soon Nora, now known as Danielle, will be found. But this time, she has FBI agent Nate Andersen by her side--right? The handsome agent would give his life to protect Danielle, but he's wary of giving his heart...until a deadly confrontation leaves him with both on the line.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
11 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 28, 2019
I really liked reading this book! And I have to say, I'm a pretty big fan of the Liz Johnson's books I have read in the past (Prince Edward Island Dreams series!)
I liked the mystery aspect to this book, and it is due time for a reread (if only my ever-expanding TBR pile could allow such a luxury. lol)
If you are looking for a short, exciting, mystery, you should definitely give Vanishing Act a try!
Thanks for reading this short review! :)
I liked the mystery aspect to this book, and it is due time for a reread (if only my ever-expanding TBR pile could allow such a luxury. lol)
If you are looking for a short, exciting, mystery, you should definitely give Vanishing Act a try!
Thanks for reading this short review! :)
December 29, 2019
3.5 stars
An interesting thriller with a young woman on the run from a group who kidnapped her to force her father to continue to launder their money. When things went sideways, Nora took her chance to run and managed to vanish into a small Colorado town. Nate comes looking for her and for the assassin named “Shadow” who has been rumored to be after Nora.
A sweet little romance, though the mysterious/thriller part is a bit weak. I really enjoyed the characters.
An interesting thriller with a young woman on the run from a group who kidnapped her to force her father to continue to launder their money. When things went sideways, Nora took her chance to run and managed to vanish into a small Colorado town. Nate comes looking for her and for the assassin named “Shadow” who has been rumored to be after Nora.
A sweet little romance, though the mysterious/thriller part is a bit weak. I really enjoyed the characters.
August 24, 2010
This book was provided for review by the author.
Having read Johnson's first book I had high expectations for this one, and I wasn't disappointed. This was a great second novel. The writing was the same as Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, but yet there was something slightly different. My only guess is that with the second book there were grammatical and maybe semantically different aspects, but I would imagine that only comes with refining the author's style.
This story had great twists, and really kept you guessing whodunit right until the end. The opening was captivating, it jumps right into the action. While the action dwindles slightly as the story progresses there is enough going on in the romance of the story to pick up the slack until the action picks back up near the end.
I liked the characters, Nora (Danielle) and Nate were very well written characters. One of the themes through this book (and Johnsons other book) is that the characters realize that they can not make it through their obstacles alone, many times throughout the book both Nate and Nora ask God to help them and protect them. While I wouldn't say this is a religious book, it is an underlying theme.
This was a quick read. It only took me a few hours to read it cover to cover. Like I said I was not disappointed with this book, it lived up to the expectations I had after reading The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn.
Having read Johnson's first book I had high expectations for this one, and I wasn't disappointed. This was a great second novel. The writing was the same as Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, but yet there was something slightly different. My only guess is that with the second book there were grammatical and maybe semantically different aspects, but I would imagine that only comes with refining the author's style.
This story had great twists, and really kept you guessing whodunit right until the end. The opening was captivating, it jumps right into the action. While the action dwindles slightly as the story progresses there is enough going on in the romance of the story to pick up the slack until the action picks back up near the end.
I liked the characters, Nora (Danielle) and Nate were very well written characters. One of the themes through this book (and Johnsons other book) is that the characters realize that they can not make it through their obstacles alone, many times throughout the book both Nate and Nora ask God to help them and protect them. While I wouldn't say this is a religious book, it is an underlying theme.
This was a quick read. It only took me a few hours to read it cover to cover. Like I said I was not disappointed with this book, it lived up to the expectations I had after reading The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn.
August 13, 2010
I was so excited to be contacted by the author to review this book. I had been looking for an Inspirational read to experience stepping out of my normal reads of paranormal and romance. I was genuinely surprised to find out that just because it is inspirational based, doesn't mean it can't have romance and intrigue.
This book had suspense and intrigue involved through Nora. She changes her name after she sees her Father shot by a bad and dangerous man. She is not only running from him, but from the FBI as well. She is found by FBI agent Nate and has changed her name to Danielle.
Both characters were Christian people who attended church, so it holds true to a Love Inspired Steeple Hill book. After all the romance and erotica books that I read, this was a wonderful romance to read without all the steamy involved. It was sweet romance that still held its own against the erotica romance I am used to.
The story is a quick read, but one you should read slowly to enjoy the suspense and pure romantic feel the author has brought to it. A wonderfully written book for this first time reader of Love Inspired Suspense.
This book had suspense and intrigue involved through Nora. She changes her name after she sees her Father shot by a bad and dangerous man. She is not only running from him, but from the FBI as well. She is found by FBI agent Nate and has changed her name to Danielle.
Both characters were Christian people who attended church, so it holds true to a Love Inspired Steeple Hill book. After all the romance and erotica books that I read, this was a wonderful romance to read without all the steamy involved. It was sweet romance that still held its own against the erotica romance I am used to.
The story is a quick read, but one you should read slowly to enjoy the suspense and pure romantic feel the author has brought to it. A wonderfully written book for this first time reader of Love Inspired Suspense.
August 17, 2017
I liked that Nora was able to become Danielle by becoming friends/apprentice to Andy, although I didn't immediately know how different her new career path was, until at least halfway though. That she was able to change her appearance so well was a nice touch-made her an intelligent heroine. On the other side of the coin-that Nate didn't even think about people who didn't match the photo/description was horrible-not only did it not make for a smart hero, but he was a FBI agent, why didn't he think Nora would change her appearance? Why didn't he look past colors, why didn't he add up the bike, church, etc. to figure out who the prey was.
I suspected who Shadow was which took some wind out of the story's sails.
The plausibility of the story was a bit hard to swallow. That someone of Goodwill's villainry to only kidnap Nora/Danielle and not just to kill her was a bit too "inspirational"-it almost makes it seems that Goodwill has a heart/conscience.
I suspected who Shadow was which took some wind out of the story's sails.
The plausibility of the story was a bit hard to swallow. That someone of Goodwill's villainry to only kidnap Nora/Danielle and not just to kill her was a bit too "inspirational"-it almost makes it seems that Goodwill has a heart/conscience.
September 28, 2019
Okay, but not my favorite from the author. The lessons were good, but the characters confused me a bit, and I figured out a couple bits of the mystery very fast, which left me frustrated with Nate for taking so long to come to the same conclusions. He's supposed to be the veteran investigator here... But even though it wasn't a personal favorite, it was a nice, clean mystery/romance, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it, as I'm probably pickier on certain points than a lot of readers. ;)
3 stars
Content--mentions of murder and attempted murder; gunplay, people run off the road, etc.; mentions of wounds and blood (not graphic); a man tries to force unwanted closeness on a woman and breaks into her house to wait for her in her bedroom (nothing happens); mentions of drinking; mentions of adultery and desertion; mentions of cursing
3 stars
Content--mentions of murder and attempted murder; gunplay, people run off the road, etc.; mentions of wounds and blood (not graphic); a man tries to force unwanted closeness on a woman and breaks into her house to wait for her in her bedroom (nothing happens); mentions of drinking; mentions of adultery and desertion; mentions of cursing
October 28, 2016
Nora watched them shoot her Dad and she ran as far as she could and changed her name and her hair color and contacts changed her eye color now she was Danielle.
Nate Anderson was an FBI agent in charge of the Portland office. They were short a field agent so he took the case of finding Nora and getting her into protective custody. The FBI was ready to bring the criminals who shot her Dad to trial. The criminals were also looking for her and have sent a professional hit man named the Shadow. This was a good story and mystery of who was following Danielle. I enjoyed it.
Nate Anderson was an FBI agent in charge of the Portland office. They were short a field agent so he took the case of finding Nora and getting her into protective custody. The FBI was ready to bring the criminals who shot her Dad to trial. The criminals were also looking for her and have sent a professional hit man named the Shadow. This was a good story and mystery of who was following Danielle. I enjoyed it.
August 4, 2017
I found the relationship between nate and Danielle/Nora believable in its pacing, and I liked how Nate was struggling not to be distracted. However, I knew almost from the beginning who the villain was. Anti-climactic.
September 7, 2010
Even though Vanishing Act had a fairly simple plot, I enjoyed Liz Johnson’s novel. This “love inspired romance” is one of those books with a Christian twist. But the characters, who attend church and pray, are not overly religious. In fact, despite being an FBI agent and a woman who wanted by a ruthless hit man, they are fairly normal people.
The story follows kidnapping victim, Nora James, who after seeing her father shot in an alley after a hostage exchange gone wrong, goes into hiding. Nora changes her appearance, her identity, her name to Danielle, and moves to a small town.
A year and a half later, someone comes looking for Danielle, who never lets anyone get too close. That is, until she meets handsome young FBI agent Nate Anderson, who is seeking Nora James to put her in protective custody. It takes the sleuth, who is trained in investigation nearly have the book to discover that Danielle and Nora are one in the same. Danielle, who never lets anyone get too close for fear they will discover her secret, finds herself falling for Nate Andersen all the same.
Even though Nate is supposedly one of the best agents in the field, he makes a lot of mistakes. Despite all the obvious clues, Nate is clueless about Danielle. I mean, doesn’t he find it odd that this mysterious young woman is surrounded by calamity? Second, instead of taking her into protective custody like he’s supposed to, he gives in to Danielle and lets her remain a kidnapping target because she doesn’t want to go to the FBI safe house, and worst of all, he is supposed to be with her at all times, yet he continuously leaves her to go back to his apartment to shower, change, and the like. Come on, I’d drag the girl along with me everywhere. Of course, all this makes for interesting plot development, but it is completely unrealistic.
Then again, this is fiction and readers do have to suspend their disbelief. Danielle and Nate’s chemistry, which honestly, is what most readers are really interested in makes for some steamy, yet chaste, scenes. In a world of where sex sells, many have forgotten the pleasures of a chaste hug, a comforting cuddle, and a stolen kiss or two. What I like about Vanishing Act is that the romance is believable (though Nate’s reason for not wanting to get involved is a little silly). And how women long for that hero who provides comfort in chaos—Nate Andersen is definitely that kind of hero.
All in all, the Vanishing Act was a quick, quirky little read, which held my interest.
The story follows kidnapping victim, Nora James, who after seeing her father shot in an alley after a hostage exchange gone wrong, goes into hiding. Nora changes her appearance, her identity, her name to Danielle, and moves to a small town.
A year and a half later, someone comes looking for Danielle, who never lets anyone get too close. That is, until she meets handsome young FBI agent Nate Anderson, who is seeking Nora James to put her in protective custody. It takes the sleuth, who is trained in investigation nearly have the book to discover that Danielle and Nora are one in the same. Danielle, who never lets anyone get too close for fear they will discover her secret, finds herself falling for Nate Andersen all the same.
Even though Nate is supposedly one of the best agents in the field, he makes a lot of mistakes. Despite all the obvious clues, Nate is clueless about Danielle. I mean, doesn’t he find it odd that this mysterious young woman is surrounded by calamity? Second, instead of taking her into protective custody like he’s supposed to, he gives in to Danielle and lets her remain a kidnapping target because she doesn’t want to go to the FBI safe house, and worst of all, he is supposed to be with her at all times, yet he continuously leaves her to go back to his apartment to shower, change, and the like. Come on, I’d drag the girl along with me everywhere. Of course, all this makes for interesting plot development, but it is completely unrealistic.
Then again, this is fiction and readers do have to suspend their disbelief. Danielle and Nate’s chemistry, which honestly, is what most readers are really interested in makes for some steamy, yet chaste, scenes. In a world of where sex sells, many have forgotten the pleasures of a chaste hug, a comforting cuddle, and a stolen kiss or two. What I like about Vanishing Act is that the romance is believable (though Nate’s reason for not wanting to get involved is a little silly). And how women long for that hero who provides comfort in chaos—Nate Andersen is definitely that kind of hero.
All in all, the Vanishing Act was a quick, quirky little read, which held my interest.
January 20, 2015
The book begins with Nora James being kidnapped and watching her father shot. At his request, she gets in his car and takes off for parts unknown, never looking back. Eighteen months later, she's Danielle and is in a small town working as a mechanic. When FBI agent, Nate Anderson, learns that the cartel has located her, he takes off to enroll in community classes and see if he can find her before they do. There's an important reason, and though it was revealed early in the book I don't want to ruin the element of surprise, so I won't go into detail here.
This book is related to Liz Johnson's previous LIS book, "The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn (another fun book). But there's no details mentioned except that they are on their honeymoon - that's it. But I've learned that her next book is about Heather, who assists Nate with his investigation throughout this book.
The suspense:
The suspense was good (and nicely mixed in with romance). We have several people from the auto mechanics class that plays an important role in this story. I guessed very early in the book who it was but enjoyed seeing what excuses the other suspects had for their actions. The suspense kept me reading the book, but one part I didn't really agree with was Nate leaving Danielle/Nora unguarded. Regardless of reputation, I think the only thing an FBI agent could do was stay in the same room with her and never leave her side - or better yet call in a female FBI agent to protect her...
The Romance:
It was great. There's plenty of kisses if you like that. He held her when things got tough, but they both fought their growing feelings. Nate's elementary reasoning of being a bad husband didn't set well with me (I get so tired of that same-old excuse in these books), but I decided that because I could hardly put this book down, it was still deserving of five stars.
This book is related to Liz Johnson's previous LIS book, "The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn (another fun book). But there's no details mentioned except that they are on their honeymoon - that's it. But I've learned that her next book is about Heather, who assists Nate with his investigation throughout this book.
The suspense:
The suspense was good (and nicely mixed in with romance). We have several people from the auto mechanics class that plays an important role in this story. I guessed very early in the book who it was but enjoyed seeing what excuses the other suspects had for their actions. The suspense kept me reading the book, but one part I didn't really agree with was Nate leaving Danielle/Nora unguarded. Regardless of reputation, I think the only thing an FBI agent could do was stay in the same room with her and never leave her side - or better yet call in a female FBI agent to protect her...
The Romance:
It was great. There's plenty of kisses if you like that. He held her when things got tough, but they both fought their growing feelings. Nate's elementary reasoning of being a bad husband didn't set well with me (I get so tired of that same-old excuse in these books), but I decided that because I could hardly put this book down, it was still deserving of five stars.
August 5, 2010
Title: VANISHING ACT
Author: Liz Johnson
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
August 2010
ISBN: 978-0-373-44406-9
Genre: Inspirational/romantic suspense
Nora James has vanished eighteen months ago when she watched thugs shoot her father down in the middle of an alley. Now she has a new identity as Danielle, an auto mechanic, in a small town of Colorado. She is safe, and feels safe, until her boss, Andy, has to go out of town to care for his mother, and asks her to teach his class at the community college.
Nate Anderson is an FBI agent hired to find Nora so he can get her to the safe house. But his last source shows her someplace in this small town of Colorado, but he doesn’t know where. Nate enrolls in community college, and takes an auto mechanic course, due in part to the car trouble he had on the way into town.
His teacher, Danielle, seems to have a lot of trouble following her, but Nate doesn’t feel comfortable dividing his time between her, his class, and trying to locate Nora, but what can he do? Leave her to fend for herself when trouble keeps escalating? Or is it possible that Danielle is hiding something that Nate needs to know?
VANISHING ACT is the most recent release by author Liz Johnson, and it is good. Some of the events seem a bit contrived, even out of character, but the over all suspense is enough to keep the pages turning, and it held my interest throughout the book.
I enjoyed getting to know Danielle and Nate, and hoped that they would be able to work things out. I did figure out one of the bad “guys” early on, but the other one kept me guessing until later on in the book. Discussion questions are included at the end of the story. $5.50. 215 pages.
Author: Liz Johnson
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
August 2010
ISBN: 978-0-373-44406-9
Genre: Inspirational/romantic suspense
Nora James has vanished eighteen months ago when she watched thugs shoot her father down in the middle of an alley. Now she has a new identity as Danielle, an auto mechanic, in a small town of Colorado. She is safe, and feels safe, until her boss, Andy, has to go out of town to care for his mother, and asks her to teach his class at the community college.
Nate Anderson is an FBI agent hired to find Nora so he can get her to the safe house. But his last source shows her someplace in this small town of Colorado, but he doesn’t know where. Nate enrolls in community college, and takes an auto mechanic course, due in part to the car trouble he had on the way into town.
His teacher, Danielle, seems to have a lot of trouble following her, but Nate doesn’t feel comfortable dividing his time between her, his class, and trying to locate Nora, but what can he do? Leave her to fend for herself when trouble keeps escalating? Or is it possible that Danielle is hiding something that Nate needs to know?
VANISHING ACT is the most recent release by author Liz Johnson, and it is good. Some of the events seem a bit contrived, even out of character, but the over all suspense is enough to keep the pages turning, and it held my interest throughout the book.
I enjoyed getting to know Danielle and Nate, and hoped that they would be able to work things out. I did figure out one of the bad “guys” early on, but the other one kept me guessing until later on in the book. Discussion questions are included at the end of the story. $5.50. 215 pages.
October 21, 2010
I’ll confess, when I read the back of this book, I expected to be able to predict the plot, the twists, and the outcome. While I did peg the “bad guy” almost immediately, I did not figure out the rest. That alone gives this book a thumbs up. That leaves one more thumb to go, right? Well, how about the fact that the characters are interesting, the plot is engaging and the spiritual encouragement is right on the nose for the primary area that the women I know usually talk about? What is it? Fear. This book is a mini gold-mine of reminders that our fears are not bigger than the God who can conquer them for us and through us.
Yes, the book is a romance. Thankfully, Liz Johnson isn’t so sappy that I gag reading her– sappier than I usually am, but then so are most writers. The main characters have a relationship that gets intense a little early, but considering the situation, their personalities, and their personal issues, it makes sense. It fits. And, once the book was over, I realized that it takes place over a longer period of time than I’d realized as I read it. Hey, sometimes I just get lost in a story and miss little details like how many days or weeks have passed. Sue me.
And, isn’t that the point of a book? To get lost in the story? Isn’t that what makes a good book? So, for that I give the book my other thumbs up. Both thumbs waggle in the air cheerfully. This book is a great read, nice and suspenseful, but light enough that it never feels like a chore to keep your mind on the plot. That says everything.
Yes, the book is a romance. Thankfully, Liz Johnson isn’t so sappy that I gag reading her– sappier than I usually am, but then so are most writers. The main characters have a relationship that gets intense a little early, but considering the situation, their personalities, and their personal issues, it makes sense. It fits. And, once the book was over, I realized that it takes place over a longer period of time than I’d realized as I read it. Hey, sometimes I just get lost in a story and miss little details like how many days or weeks have passed. Sue me.
And, isn’t that the point of a book? To get lost in the story? Isn’t that what makes a good book? So, for that I give the book my other thumbs up. Both thumbs waggle in the air cheerfully. This book is a great read, nice and suspenseful, but light enough that it never feels like a chore to keep your mind on the plot. That says everything.
July 25, 2010
"Vanishing Act" is a fun read for the inspirational suspense/romance afficiando. Ms. Johnson does a good job of keeping you guessing throughout the story as to who is the bad guy and who is the good guy.
The storyline is imaginative. Our heroine, Nora James, witnessed the shooting of her father in a back alley and barely escaped the same fate herself. Now on the run from an assassin hired by the crime boss who shot her father, Nora must disappear and stay disappeared.
Enter FBI Special Agent Nate Andersen, whose job it is to find Nora and protect her from the assassin. A twist of fate has him stumble upon her unwittingly, and so begins the cat-and-mouse game of uncovering the identity of the assassin without becoming victims themselves. True to a romance, an 'impossible' attraction develops between Nora--who cannot become involved with anyone for fear of endangering them--and Nate, who has a troublesome background of his own when it comes to romantic involvements.
As with most inspirational romances, it's not the destination, it's the journey. The satisfying ending must be reached in a believable, thought-provoking and entertaining way. Ms. Johnson achieves that in "Vanishing Act."
The storyline is imaginative. Our heroine, Nora James, witnessed the shooting of her father in a back alley and barely escaped the same fate herself. Now on the run from an assassin hired by the crime boss who shot her father, Nora must disappear and stay disappeared.
Enter FBI Special Agent Nate Andersen, whose job it is to find Nora and protect her from the assassin. A twist of fate has him stumble upon her unwittingly, and so begins the cat-and-mouse game of uncovering the identity of the assassin without becoming victims themselves. True to a romance, an 'impossible' attraction develops between Nora--who cannot become involved with anyone for fear of endangering them--and Nate, who has a troublesome background of his own when it comes to romantic involvements.
As with most inspirational romances, it's not the destination, it's the journey. The satisfying ending must be reached in a believable, thought-provoking and entertaining way. Ms. Johnson achieves that in "Vanishing Act."
August 21, 2010
For eighteen months, Nora James has been on the run. After seeing her father murdered, she moved to a small town, changed her name to Danielle and became an auto mechanic. She has managed to stay in hiding all this time, but the killers are closing in. Nate Andersen is the FBI agent who is trying to protect her. As the story progresses, the suspense builds and strong feelings develop between Nate and Danielle.
Have read Liz Johnson’s debut novel, The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, I knew I could expect a story with good suspense, a strong Christian message and just enough romance. I think I would have to say that I liked Vanishing Act better than Liz’s previous novel. The suspense was much better. Nate and Danielle are very realistic characters who are responding to their fears in a believable way. It was hard to put this book down because the suspense just keeps building and along with it, the romance blossoms. It is the perfect mixture of suspense and romance and none of it feels forced or out of place.
Overall, I had a good time reading Vanishing Act, which was to be expected because I enjoyed Liz’s last book so much. She really knows how to appeal to her readers and she will gain new readers with her perfect balance of suspense and romance.
Have read Liz Johnson’s debut novel, The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, I knew I could expect a story with good suspense, a strong Christian message and just enough romance. I think I would have to say that I liked Vanishing Act better than Liz’s previous novel. The suspense was much better. Nate and Danielle are very realistic characters who are responding to their fears in a believable way. It was hard to put this book down because the suspense just keeps building and along with it, the romance blossoms. It is the perfect mixture of suspense and romance and none of it feels forced or out of place.
Overall, I had a good time reading Vanishing Act, which was to be expected because I enjoyed Liz’s last book so much. She really knows how to appeal to her readers and she will gain new readers with her perfect balance of suspense and romance.
September 1, 2010
From my Book Review Blog Rundpinne.
"Vanishing Act by Liz Johnson is the second in her Love Inspired Suspense series, which I had not heard of prior to reading Vanishing Act and I am very glad to be sharing this book with my readers. For those looking for an excellent suspense novel filled with a non-graphic romantic element then this is a book to read. Nora James is in hiding after witnessing her father’s murder, she has changed her name, appearance, relocated to Colorado and is working a very unique job and feels relatively safe, yet safety can only last so long. Nate Andersen is an F.B.I. Agent who is in charged of finding Nora and protecting from an assassin. Vanishing Act moves at a quick clip as the reader becomes invested in the lives of Nora as well as Nate. The main characters are well developed and Nora’s character is wonderfully written and definitely not the stereotypical heroine. The plot has just the right amount of twists and turns to keep the readers engaged and on their toes. I would recommend Vanishing Act to any reader who is looking for a wonderful suspense novel."
"Vanishing Act by Liz Johnson is the second in her Love Inspired Suspense series, which I had not heard of prior to reading Vanishing Act and I am very glad to be sharing this book with my readers. For those looking for an excellent suspense novel filled with a non-graphic romantic element then this is a book to read. Nora James is in hiding after witnessing her father’s murder, she has changed her name, appearance, relocated to Colorado and is working a very unique job and feels relatively safe, yet safety can only last so long. Nate Andersen is an F.B.I. Agent who is in charged of finding Nora and protecting from an assassin. Vanishing Act moves at a quick clip as the reader becomes invested in the lives of Nora as well as Nate. The main characters are well developed and Nora’s character is wonderfully written and definitely not the stereotypical heroine. The plot has just the right amount of twists and turns to keep the readers engaged and on their toes. I would recommend Vanishing Act to any reader who is looking for a wonderful suspense novel."
August 13, 2010
Vanishing Act by Liz Johnson is the latest title in the Love Inspired Suspense line Steeple Hill. Nora James disappeared eighteen months ago after watching her father shot by the same men who had kidnapped her days earlier. Now FBI agent Nathan Andersen has been led to Crescent City, Colorado where he's gotten word that Nora is hiding and that an assassin is there as well to ensure that Nora will never testify against her abductors. He has instant chemistry with mechanic Danielle, and when it appears that someone is hunting her, he becomes her protector, but can he let go of his past in order to embrace a future with her? Johnson has written a fast-paced thriller with lots of romantic tension. Every time Danielle and Nathan come together the sparks practically explode from the page, and yet there is also something very beautiful and tender in their relationship. Johnson is definitely a writer to watch for more great romantic suspense.
August 16, 2010
I liked Vanishing Act a lot because the writer played with our common stereotypes. It's fun to see women break out of standard roles and interesting to see the decisions people make based on erroneous beliefs. Bravo that our heroine was strong, but human. I loved that she enjoyed a healthy lifestyle too. So often the skinny heroine eats a ton of junk food (like the Closer, one of my favorite shows, unrealistic in cause/effect) but never sees the actual results happen to her body. This heroine exercises away her stress. Love that! Thank you, Liz Johnson, for not giving us another stress eater, way too overdone. Nora is courageous and shows us how she builds up the courage to face her fears. She can be quirky and not be all about the food. This is a swift, sweet romantic suspense. Good plot and good character creation and excellent faith moments that are realistic. Those little breath prayers we say through out the day. I enjoyed it very much.
August 12, 2022
This book is the book that introduced me to Liz Johnson's writing about 10 years ago. After reading it back then I knew I wanted to continue reading books written by her, I have since read majority of her books. Because I have fond memories of this book I was excited to read it again. This time through though a couple things stuck out to me as odd. If Nate is such a good agent how did he not notice the similarities between Danielle and Nora sooner, and why did he leave her alone so much to go back to his apartment when he had promised to provide 24/7 protection. I was impressed with Danielle/Nora, what a strong, courageous and resourceful character. I couldn't imagine watching a person you love get shot and then going on the run and starting a brand new life on her own. I did figure out who 'The Shadow' was quite early on but I was still invested to see how things would play out. I was much more invested in the romance relationship side of the story than the mystery.
August 9, 2010
This book , Vanishing Act by Liz Johnson is a past paced and easy book to read. It took me one sitting. An act of violence takes Nora's father from her and makes her a target for an assassin. She went into hiding and was pretty successful for awhile. Meanwhile FBI agent Nate is looking for her. When he does finally find her he does his best to protect her. Both Nora and Nate are attracted to each other but find it hard to let their guard down. This Love Inspired novel takes you along on the journey of faith restored and love found, plus has suspense to it that keeps you guessing until the end. You will not find steamy sex or language not appropriate but you will find that God's love is always there, if you take the chance... I enjoyed this book.
September 8, 2011
This was a good story which would have received 4 stars except I had pretty much guessed who the Shadow was right away. There were red herrings that were dangerous in their own right but I guess I have read too many of these books and had the killer spotted pretty quickly.
Nora witnessed the shooting of her father and ran, changing her location, identity and appearance. Nate is an FBI agent who has information about her whereabouts and needs to bring her back to testify against the man who shot her father. However, others know where she is as well and an assassin known only as the Shadow has been sent to silence her.
Nora witnessed the shooting of her father and ran, changing her location, identity and appearance. Nate is an FBI agent who has information about her whereabouts and needs to bring her back to testify against the man who shot her father. However, others know where she is as well and an assassin known only as the Shadow has been sent to silence her.
June 4, 2013
Eighteen months ago, Nora James watched a criminal known ironically as Goodwill shoot her father in cold blood. She ran, and later assumed a new identity. Nora now lives as Danielle, a mechanic in a small town. FBI agent Nate Andersen has been sent to find Nora and keep her safe while Goodwill goes to trial. Nate is wary about getting involved with Nora because he’s afraid of repeating the pattern of hurtfulness the men in his family are famous for. The author does a nice job of setting up the mystery and then throwing red herrings at the reader. The true identity of Goodwill’s assassin is a nice twist, too.
July 22, 2010
I found the relationship between Nate and "Danielle" believable in its pacing; I especially appreciated how Nate was trying not to be distracted by "Danielle" without realizing she was his assignment. My only qualm with the set-up was that the mystery was supposed to be who "the Shadow" was, and I had it figured out by the character's second appearance. (But that could be just because I read too much Agatha Christie novels.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2016
I'm not really a romance person, but the suspense kept me turning pages and the romance made it fun, especially when Nate is drawn to Danielle but has absolutely no idea who she is. As another reviewer has said, they are Christians who go to church (and don't jump into bed), but there are no sermons here. I did find it a bit of a stretch that she could learn auto-mechanics from scratch in a year.
October 1, 2010
A little better than OK. A girl goes into hiding when her father is gunned down in front of her. A year and a half later the FBI still looking for her to be a witness and the word is that a hit out on her.
December 14, 2014
This is one of those books that I could read again and again, even after knowing the ending. The writing style was so intense, and I really loved the characters. I was able to believe they were real while I lost myself in the story.
February 18, 2016
This is not what I would consider adult reading. The story line is okay, dialogue predictable as is the plot. This book is probably suitable for teens who like suspense/romance but not really my cup of tea. I prefer a book with more substance.
July 27, 2010
standard
August 20, 2010
Liz's books are a fun read and hard to put down. Really suspensful!
May 31, 2011
Summary:
Nora witnessed her father being shot and fled for her life. She hid in a small town and stayed hidden until FBI agent Nate found her and fell in love with her.
Nora witnessed her father being shot and fled for her life. She hid in a small town and stayed hidden until FBI agent Nate found her and fell in love with her.
June 30, 2016
Great read, I really enjoyed it and passed it on to a teenager that I work with.
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