The Disappearance

Lt. Hastings #2

by Collin Wilcox

Now that he's made Lieutenant, Frank Hastings assigns routine cases to his subordinates. He saves for himself the puzzlers, like the disappearance of a prominent woman. She is Carol Connelly, wife and mother, rich and elegant, from a family that leans on the mayor for action. Solving the case is politically expedient, but Hastings is stumped. Mrs. Connelly doesn't fit the victim profile. Those close to her say she's cool, aggressive...a predator. Hastings is under pressure to find her...dead or alive. "Boils with life...complex and involving." (Ross MacDonald, author of Archer At Large)

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Aka Carter Wick

Collin Wilcox was an American mystery writer.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, his first book was The Black Door (1967), featuring a sleuth possessing extrasensory perception. His major series of novels was about Lieutenant Frank Hastings of the San Francisco Police Department. Titles in the Hastings series included Hire a Hangman, Dead Aim, Hiding Place, Long Way Down and Stalking Horse. Two of his last books, Full Circle and Find Her a Grave, featured a new hero-sleuth, Alan Bernhardt, an eccentric theater director. Wilcox also published under the pseudonym "Carter Wick".

Wilcox's most famous series-detective was the television character Sam McCloud, a New Mexico deputy solving New York crime. The "urban cowboy" was played by Dennis Weaver in the 1970-1977 TV series McCloud. Wilcox wrote three novelizations based on scripts from the series: McCloud (1973), The New Mexican Connection (1974), and The Park Avenue Executioner (1975).

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short book, like most written in the 1970's. It is a police procedural, and very focused on the cases that Lt. Hastings has cross his desk. The setting is San Francisco in the not too distant past.

We see a glimpse of higher society at its worst. In one case the maid is killed inside the house. In another case there is a disappearance of the wife. In both cases we are shown the dark side of the people involved. Money doesn't solve their problems, it just exacerbates them.

I enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more in this series.

I own two copies of this book (don't ask) and plan to move the extra copy on to my mystery reading friends.

[Yves Lefevre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent plot (really very clever). The protagonist is interesting, and convincing.

[John Bunyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a three minus. There are two homicides in the beginning just to show some police action - they have nothing to do with the main plot. The disappearance case is a classic police procedural without cell phones, computers, indoor smoking restrictions, or diversity on the force.
Lt. Hastings is a likable, fair cop, but not as likable as in previous books. He has sex with a suspect and lusts after almost every other female character in a creepy way.
For me the ending was disappointing.
I’ll read another in the series but if it isn’t better, I’ll drop this one.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE DISAPPEARANCE (Police Procedural-San Francisco-Cont.) – G
Colin Wilcox – 3rd in series
Random House, 1970 – Hardcover
Lieutenant Frank Hastings is investigating the disappearance of prominent San Franciscan Carol Connoly.
*** Even though it’s lacking today’s computers and cell phones, this is a solid police procedural with great characters, dialogue, suspense and sense of place. My greatest regret is that Mr. Wilcox is no longer with us, but reading his books is always a pleasure.