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Nick Heller #1
Vanished
The 'master of the modern thriller'* returns with his most compelling, most suspenseful bestseller yet
*Boston Globe Nick Heller is tough, smart, and stubborn. And in his line of work, it's essential. Trained in the Special Forces, Nick is a high-powered intelligence investigator--exposing secrets that powerful people would rather keep hidden. He's a guy you don't want to mess with. He's also the man you call when you need a problem fixed.
Desperate, with nowhere else to run, Nick's nephew, Gabe makes that call one night. After being attacked in Georgetown, his mother, Lauren, lies in a coma, and his step-dad, Roger, Nick's brother, has vanished without a trace.
Nick and Roger have been on the outs since the arrest, trial, and conviction of their father, the notorious "fugitive financier," Victor Heller. Where Nick strayed from the path, Roger followed their father's footsteps into the corporate world. Now, as Nick searches for his brother, he's on a collision course with one of the most powerful corporations in the world--and they will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.
MP3 Book
First published August 18, 2009
About the author
Joseph Finder
87 books2,766 followersJoseph Finder is the New York Times bestselling author of 17 suspense novels, most recently The Oligarch's Daughter (2025). His Nick Heller series "Vanished, Buried Secrets, Guilty Minds, and House on Fire" follows a "private spy" who navigates the shadowy intersection of corporate and government power. Two of his novels have been adapted into major motion pictures: High Crimes (2002, starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman) and Paranoia (2013, starring Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman). A founding member of the International Thriller Writers, he lives in Boston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 987 reviews
June 28, 2026
Vanished
by Joseph Fiinder is the first book in the Nick Heller series. It’s a conspiracy and espionage thriller that starts with an attack in Georgetown that results in his estranged brother, Roger, disappearing and Roger’s wife Lauren being hospitalized. Nick is in Los Angeles, but gets back as quickly as he can when Roger’s stepson, Gabe, calls him. Nick and Roger have been estranged since the arrest, trial, and conviction of their father, Victor Heller. Nick was trained in the Special Forces and is now a high-powered intelligence investigator while Roger followed in Victor’s footsteps and works on merges and acquisitions in the corporate world.
Nick is a stubborn corporate intelligence investigator with a sarcastic wit. He doesn’t like following rules and he has no hobbies. He’s athletic and has been trained by the military. While he’s estranged from Roger, he talks with Gabe weekly. Roger has a talent for keeping secrets and is good at sleight of the hand tricks.
Finder starts the book with a prologue that immediately pulls the reader into the story and the following chapters are no different. The pacing is fast and the chapters are short. Nick isn’t infallible. He makes mistakes that requires thinking his way out of situations. His snarky sense of humor gives occasional relief from the intensity of the suspense. The novel is full of secrets and duplicity. However, the main antagonist was a little too easy to discern and the ending was a little anti-climatic and parts of it felt rushed. It also leaves several threads open for future novels.
Overall, this book was suspenseful, action-packed, and entertaining. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was August 18, 2009.
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My 4.27 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Nick is a stubborn corporate intelligence investigator with a sarcastic wit. He doesn’t like following rules and he has no hobbies. He’s athletic and has been trained by the military. While he’s estranged from Roger, he talks with Gabe weekly. Roger has a talent for keeping secrets and is good at sleight of the hand tricks.
Finder starts the book with a prologue that immediately pulls the reader into the story and the following chapters are no different. The pacing is fast and the chapters are short. Nick isn’t infallible. He makes mistakes that requires thinking his way out of situations. His snarky sense of humor gives occasional relief from the intensity of the suspense. The novel is full of secrets and duplicity. However, the main antagonist was a little too easy to discern and the ending was a little anti-climatic and parts of it felt rushed. It also leaves several threads open for future novels.
Overall, this book was suspenseful, action-packed, and entertaining. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was August 18, 2009.
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My 4.27 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
August 12, 2011
Joseph Finder has done it again...written another amazing action packed thriller.The first chapter has lots of drama and suspense and sets the tone for the rest of the book. It starts out with Lauren and her husband Roger Heller going out to dinner. As they are walking out of the restaurant, Roger forgets his wallet. He turns to head back into the restaurant, when he hears Lauren call his name. The last thing Lauren remembers before she awakens in a hospital bed is Roger saying “Why her”? Now Roger has disappeared.
Lauren calls Nick, Roger’s estranged brother to help her locate her husband. What Nick discovers about Roger blows him away and has him racing all over the place on a wild goose chase to find his brother and reunite him with his family. The truth about what truly happened to Roger will leave you speechless.
Mr. Finder is back with his latest thriller, Vanished. I first tried Mr. Finder’s work when I read "Buried Secrets". After that I knew I had to make sure I read more of his books. Vanished is a one sit read….literally! I sat down and started reading this book and before I knew it the time had flown by and I was done. I can say one good thing about Mr. Finder; I always know what I can expect from him…a good story line, good characters, and a nice recommendation from me. I will definately be purchasing more of his books. A definate 5 star rating from me!
Lauren calls Nick, Roger’s estranged brother to help her locate her husband. What Nick discovers about Roger blows him away and has him racing all over the place on a wild goose chase to find his brother and reunite him with his family. The truth about what truly happened to Roger will leave you speechless.
Mr. Finder is back with his latest thriller, Vanished. I first tried Mr. Finder’s work when I read "Buried Secrets". After that I knew I had to make sure I read more of his books. Vanished is a one sit read….literally! I sat down and started reading this book and before I knew it the time had flown by and I was done. I can say one good thing about Mr. Finder; I always know what I can expect from him…a good story line, good characters, and a nice recommendation from me. I will definately be purchasing more of his books. A definate 5 star rating from me!
June 10, 2014
After eight stand-alone books, and at least to this reader, a steady decline with each subsequent release, this author has started a series with Vanished and has hit rock bottom. The protagonist, Nick Heller, is ex-Army Special Services now working in the private sector. Nick is a very obvious and unfortunately, a very poor caricature of Lee Child’s protagonist Jack Reacher.
While Reacher is a loner, Heller works alone - until he needs help. Then he picks up his cell-phone, and much like reaching into a tool-box to find what he needs he dials a number – demolitions expert, computer genius, security expert – they’re all just one phone call away.
Heller also has a “biting wit”. A cohort apologizes for waking him with her early morning phone call. Heller responds, “No problem. I had to get up to answer the phone anyway.” There’s a lot more side-splitting zany hilarity like this, but I don’t want to spoil it for you.
Heller can also become a one man army when necessary. Up against a Blackwater-like security/military firm, Heller decides to go right to the top and break into the CEO’s isolated secure compound for a one-on-one talk. After a little reconnaissance, (sitting in his truck with binoculars), Heller comes up with a genius plan. He waits until after dark and then plants a few cell phones in the shrubbery. Now here’s where it gets tricky - he then calls the planted phones, their ringing completely befuddles the top notch security guards and Nick waltzes right into the “secure” compound.
Again, I could go on with examples of such “intrigue” and “suspense”, but hopefully the point is made.
I am just as guilty as the next person when it comes to enjoying a mindless escapist thriller but Vanished falls miserably short even of that categorization. This book makes the old A-Team TV show look complex and complicated in comparison. I haven’t even bothered with the plot – it’s minimal and predictable and simply not worth the effort – Pass on this one and find yourself a good thriller.
While Reacher is a loner, Heller works alone - until he needs help. Then he picks up his cell-phone, and much like reaching into a tool-box to find what he needs he dials a number – demolitions expert, computer genius, security expert – they’re all just one phone call away.
Heller also has a “biting wit”. A cohort apologizes for waking him with her early morning phone call. Heller responds, “No problem. I had to get up to answer the phone anyway.” There’s a lot more side-splitting zany hilarity like this, but I don’t want to spoil it for you.
Heller can also become a one man army when necessary. Up against a Blackwater-like security/military firm, Heller decides to go right to the top and break into the CEO’s isolated secure compound for a one-on-one talk. After a little reconnaissance, (sitting in his truck with binoculars), Heller comes up with a genius plan. He waits until after dark and then plants a few cell phones in the shrubbery. Now here’s where it gets tricky - he then calls the planted phones, their ringing completely befuddles the top notch security guards and Nick waltzes right into the “secure” compound.
Again, I could go on with examples of such “intrigue” and “suspense”, but hopefully the point is made.
I am just as guilty as the next person when it comes to enjoying a mindless escapist thriller but Vanished falls miserably short even of that categorization. This book makes the old A-Team TV show look complex and complicated in comparison. I haven’t even bothered with the plot – it’s minimal and predictable and simply not worth the effort – Pass on this one and find yourself a good thriller.
May 5, 2016
His brother has vanished. His sister-in-law brutally attacked. Larger-than-life Nick Heller wants answers, and he will inflict serious damage to get them. A talented writer, this author possesses the ability to simultaneously engage, educate, and entertain. He fluidly drops in backstory, much like a paratrooper infiltrates a war zone.
With Vanished, Finder gives us a complex yet transparent plot involving military contract bribes, a deceptively happy marriage, Special Forces Ops, Defense Contractors, an imprisoned father, and a gumshoe detective.
It's apparent, Finder painstakingly researched offshore banking, explosive devices, hand-to-hand combat, and weaponry. A good choice for those who prefer a protracted pace.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
*From Vanished by Joseph Finder, pg. 347
With Vanished, Finder gives us a complex yet transparent plot involving military contract bribes, a deceptively happy marriage, Special Forces Ops, Defense Contractors, an imprisoned father, and a gumshoe detective.
It's apparent, Finder painstakingly researched offshore banking, explosive devices, hand-to-hand combat, and weaponry. A good choice for those who prefer a protracted pace.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
*From Vanished by Joseph Finder, pg. 347
August 21, 2018
Review later today for 3.0 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audiobook - 10:38 hours - Narrator: Holter Graham
A number of reviewers comment that author Joseph Finder's output is a bit up and down. I agree with this assessment. I have eleven of his works in my audiobook collection and I have listened to four: one earned four stars, two earned three and one was DNF'd.
"Vanished" wasn't a remarkable story, but was both gripping and interesting until close to the finish when I have to say I was getting quite confused as to who was up whom and who was paying the rent. I am in no hurry to read the next in the series, #2 "Buried Secrets".
Audiobook - 10:38 hours - Narrator: Holter Graham
A number of reviewers comment that author Joseph Finder's output is a bit up and down. I agree with this assessment. I have eleven of his works in my audiobook collection and I have listened to four: one earned four stars, two earned three and one was DNF'd.
"Vanished" wasn't a remarkable story, but was both gripping and interesting until close to the finish when I have to say I was getting quite confused as to who was up whom and who was paying the rent. I am in no hurry to read the next in the series, #2 "Buried Secrets".
February 9, 2019
The book grabs my attention from the start. Very exciting with Nick Heller's brother, Roger, being nabbed after having dinner with his wife from a street in DC . It kept me guessing who was behind it all and if things were what they appeared to be. A good character introduction along with his family circle.
January 18, 2015
A nice little thriller novel in the category of Ludlum-light. It opens with a brilliant heist of an airplanes contents and the hero of the book gets introduced while he solves the seemingly impossible crime. This first part never will bettered in this book about a generic Ludlum-like hero who investigates his own brothers disappearance and finds trouble on the way to the solution of this novel. The end is not that surprising for the weathered thriller reader.
The saving grace of the book is that it is an easy read and I would categorize it as an excellent read on the beach as it does not taxes your intelligence too much and thus leaves you time observing the other folks on the beach while not being distracted from the story line.
An easy and well written thriller that does not outstay his welcome. I would give a 2 1/2 star but due to the opening I will grant it a three star judging.
The saving grace of the book is that it is an easy read and I would categorize it as an excellent read on the beach as it does not taxes your intelligence too much and thus leaves you time observing the other folks on the beach while not being distracted from the story line.
An easy and well written thriller that does not outstay his welcome. I would give a 2 1/2 star but due to the opening I will grant it a three star judging.
June 16, 2017
This is not the typical book for me. I am more covert ops etc. Having said that, there is a lot to be said for the way that Joseph Finder writes and how the chapters are crisp and keep you reading and interested in how the story line develops. I had some of the story figured out but there are always twists and turns and that is what makes a good writer. I have already reserved Buried Secrets (Nick Heller #2)-which tells you I found the book worth the read.
August 22, 2015
Just so-so. Became so convoluted in the end that I really couldn't follow what exactly happened. Maybe it was because I listened to the audiobook version and it was harder to go back to figure out who was who. The narrator (Holter Graham) was fine though.
November 14, 2020
This was one of those titles that have lurked at the back of my TBR pile for some time (okay years) and I have never "quite" got round to reading it - that is until now.
I think what has put me off a little was the hype. You know the kinds - loads of unverified reviews gushing praise for a book. The long list of luminary authors wishing that they had written it and the perfectly orchestrated marketing material (including power photos) designed to ensure you would pick this book up at every airport and train station.
Okay I may have over played it but you can see my reluctance. However I finally took the plunge and after reading it feel some (if not all) of it is justified. You see you have a typical all American hero from a damaged back ground who will die for his principles and his friends.
However you also get a fast paced story with enough twists and turns that keep the surprises coming. And one of the things I enjoyed was that you could see the big "surprises" coming, even foretell what they were, however the real fun was the small steps that joined them all together. This is something that I think many authors of this genre over look - its keeping the readers interest in-between the big explosions that count and here I think Joseph Finder excelled.
I think what has put me off a little was the hype. You know the kinds - loads of unverified reviews gushing praise for a book. The long list of luminary authors wishing that they had written it and the perfectly orchestrated marketing material (including power photos) designed to ensure you would pick this book up at every airport and train station.
Okay I may have over played it but you can see my reluctance. However I finally took the plunge and after reading it feel some (if not all) of it is justified. You see you have a typical all American hero from a damaged back ground who will die for his principles and his friends.
However you also get a fast paced story with enough twists and turns that keep the surprises coming. And one of the things I enjoyed was that you could see the big "surprises" coming, even foretell what they were, however the real fun was the small steps that joined them all together. This is something that I think many authors of this genre over look - its keeping the readers interest in-between the big explosions that count and here I think Joseph Finder excelled.
July 24, 2009
The first chapter has lots of drama and suspense and sets the tone for the rest of the book. It starts out with Lauren and her husband Roger Heller going out to dinner. As they are walking out of the restaurant, Roger forgets his wallet. He turns to head back into the restaurant, when he hears Lauren call his name. The last thing Lauren remembers before she awakens in a hospital bed is Roger saying “Why her”? Now Roger has disappeared.
Lauren calls Nick, Roger’s estranged brother to help her locate her husband. What Nick discovers about Roger blows him away and has him racing all over the place on a wild goose chase to find his brother and reunite him with his family. The truth about what truly happened to Roger will leave you speechless.
Mr. Finder is back with his latest thriller, Vanished. I first tried Mr. Finder’s work when I read Power Play. After that I knew I had to make sure I read more of his books. Vanished is a one sit read….literally! I sat down and started reading this book and before I knew it the time had flown by and I was done. I can say one good thing about Mr. Finder; I always know what I can expect from him…a good story line, good characters, and a nice recommendation from me. I am anxiously waiting what he will come up with next.
Lauren calls Nick, Roger’s estranged brother to help her locate her husband. What Nick discovers about Roger blows him away and has him racing all over the place on a wild goose chase to find his brother and reunite him with his family. The truth about what truly happened to Roger will leave you speechless.
Mr. Finder is back with his latest thriller, Vanished. I first tried Mr. Finder’s work when I read Power Play. After that I knew I had to make sure I read more of his books. Vanished is a one sit read….literally! I sat down and started reading this book and before I knew it the time had flown by and I was done. I can say one good thing about Mr. Finder; I always know what I can expect from him…a good story line, good characters, and a nice recommendation from me. I am anxiously waiting what he will come up with next.
November 20, 2016
I like Joseph Finder's books, but they can be uneven. Some were great, some so- so, but they always have a nice page-turning quality. This was a solid action thriller with a new ongoing character, Nick Heller, who has potential. There were some holes in the complicated plot that were all sort of tied into a nice package at the end. It will be interesting to see if the Heller series gets better. I'd like to see Nick move to Boston from D.C. Finder does his best writing when he really knows the area.
June 6, 2015
This was a good heist or financial mystery thriller but I'm finding that I need to be really picky with Joseph Finder books. Sometimes I get a good one that compels me to give it 5 stars and some only 3 or 4. This one was typical, nothing new, common, unordinary. Finder is a great writer, but the stories don't grab me or make my heart beat faster with intensity.
September 16, 2016
Joseph Finder’s Vanished is the first book in the Nick Heller series.
Nick Heller is an international investigator working for the high-powered intelligence firm, Stoddard Associates. His current assignment: locate the missing cargo which was part of a shipment belonging to the Traverse Development Group. But when all signs point to the case being wrapped up too tidily, Nick just isn’t buying it.
Coinciding with Nick’s case, his estranged brother Roger is kidnapped. Nick’s relationship with his brother was shattered by their rich father’s highly publicized arrest and imprisonment. But Nick has stayed close to Roger’s stepson Gabe. For Gabe’s sake, Nick has to find Roger and protect his family from further threat.
As Nick delves further into the two cases he finds out that his employer may be involved a high-level cover-up and that his brother, Roger has been hiding a few secrets of his own.
Nick Heller is an intense and likeable character. Having been a Special Forces operative, he is tough and street savvy. Nick also has a reputation for being able to see around corners. He goes into a case like a dog with a bone and doesn’t give up. He utilizes many of his past connections to help with his investigations and he’s not afraid to step outside the law when necessary. His circle of friends is a handy group to know and the author provides us with some in-depth knowledge of their investigative techniques.
In the vein of a fine John Grisham novel, Vanished is a brisk thriller that introduces us to a new hero with a lot of depth. If you are in the mood for good, page-turning escapism, give it a try!
Nick Heller is an international investigator working for the high-powered intelligence firm, Stoddard Associates. His current assignment: locate the missing cargo which was part of a shipment belonging to the Traverse Development Group. But when all signs point to the case being wrapped up too tidily, Nick just isn’t buying it.
Coinciding with Nick’s case, his estranged brother Roger is kidnapped. Nick’s relationship with his brother was shattered by their rich father’s highly publicized arrest and imprisonment. But Nick has stayed close to Roger’s stepson Gabe. For Gabe’s sake, Nick has to find Roger and protect his family from further threat.
As Nick delves further into the two cases he finds out that his employer may be involved a high-level cover-up and that his brother, Roger has been hiding a few secrets of his own.
Nick Heller is an intense and likeable character. Having been a Special Forces operative, he is tough and street savvy. Nick also has a reputation for being able to see around corners. He goes into a case like a dog with a bone and doesn’t give up. He utilizes many of his past connections to help with his investigations and he’s not afraid to step outside the law when necessary. His circle of friends is a handy group to know and the author provides us with some in-depth knowledge of their investigative techniques.
In the vein of a fine John Grisham novel, Vanished is a brisk thriller that introduces us to a new hero with a lot of depth. If you are in the mood for good, page-turning escapism, give it a try!
August 29, 2010
Last Sunday, I shared with you a series of novels I thought would make you laugh and cringe at the same time. This week I have a novel for you that have recently been released in paperback, Joseph Finder’s Vanished. To say I am a fan is an understatement. I have read all his novels and always look forward to the next. So, if you wish, click off here, thinking I am a homer, see you tomorrow, maybe. Me being the Yankees fan I was raised to be, always can find something wrong with things in Boston,haha.
Vanished is an absorbing read. I am consistently amazed by the element of detail that Joseph Finder adds to his novels. It sets him apart from others in the genre and he seems to raise his game with each new novel. The plot line of Vanished has us experiencing the collision of three fractured, damaged people, in a father and his two sons. The force and speed to which Finder narrates the story puts them on a course that would seemingly find them in an atom smasher. I personally enjoyed the whole thing. Reading about a fast moving train wreck and being an innocent bystander isn’t a bad thing when there are no real life fatalities.
I am hard pressed to name more than a handful of authors that are in Joseph Finders stratus in this genre. Getting a novel of his that one has not read is truly a pleasure. If you haven’t discovered him for whatever reason, do yourself a favor and pick up any of his many titles. Here are a few: Paranoia, Power Play, Killer Instinct, Company Man, No Hiding Place. I don’t hesitate to say to put them in your Goodreads or Shelfari –to read – lists. FYI- for Finder fans , if you didn’t know, he is one of the contributing authors of a short story to the Agents of Treachery novel that was recently released. You can check our archives for my thoughts on that. Joseph Finder’s newest novel, Buried Secrets, is due out in the spring of 2011, which I look forward to reading.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, and the Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati’s Store Tab on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
Vanished is an absorbing read. I am consistently amazed by the element of detail that Joseph Finder adds to his novels. It sets him apart from others in the genre and he seems to raise his game with each new novel. The plot line of Vanished has us experiencing the collision of three fractured, damaged people, in a father and his two sons. The force and speed to which Finder narrates the story puts them on a course that would seemingly find them in an atom smasher. I personally enjoyed the whole thing. Reading about a fast moving train wreck and being an innocent bystander isn’t a bad thing when there are no real life fatalities.
I am hard pressed to name more than a handful of authors that are in Joseph Finders stratus in this genre. Getting a novel of his that one has not read is truly a pleasure. If you haven’t discovered him for whatever reason, do yourself a favor and pick up any of his many titles. Here are a few: Paranoia, Power Play, Killer Instinct, Company Man, No Hiding Place. I don’t hesitate to say to put them in your Goodreads or Shelfari –to read – lists. FYI- for Finder fans , if you didn’t know, he is one of the contributing authors of a short story to the Agents of Treachery novel that was recently released. You can check our archives for my thoughts on that. Joseph Finder’s newest novel, Buried Secrets, is due out in the spring of 2011, which I look forward to reading.
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Facebook & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, and the Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Gelati’s Store Tab on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day.
November 16, 2012
Please allow me to emphasize, I read this as an audiobook. Much of my impressions may have been influenced by the narrator - audiobooks are like that. A mediocre book can become stellar by a voice, and stellar book can be tedious.
This was a interesting book with a narrator who's voice bugged me, the result of which more often than not I was left sniggering and snickering at the book or banging my fists against the steering wheel in frustration. My main contention was with the female character - Lauren. Classic damsel in distress and just...stupid. Stupid repetitive questions - a tendency to repeat the question being asked back as a question. She was portrayed as being helpless, stupid, and a grade one liar to boot. From the prologue, I despised her as a character which was only compounded by the narrators voice for her and the character grated on my nerves.
Add in Lauren's 14 year old son, Gabe, also depicted with a nasally whiny voice, and I was ready to start skipping chapters. I could find no empathy for anyone in the Heller household.
The only redeeming factor was the main character Nick Heller, our very human hero. He was portrayed as witty, sarcastic, headstrong, subject to doubts, could be easily mislead and screw things up, but overall a fairly well rounded character. His point of view was the only thing that kept me reading the book instead of tossing my iPod across the room. That and I didn't want to break my iPod.
I will probably try book two in the series, as this was book one and sometimes writing and characters need a bit of time to develop. So, Vanished is recommended with reservations.
This was a interesting book with a narrator who's voice bugged me, the result of which more often than not I was left sniggering and snickering at the book or banging my fists against the steering wheel in frustration. My main contention was with the female character - Lauren. Classic damsel in distress and just...stupid. Stupid repetitive questions - a tendency to repeat the question being asked back as a question. She was portrayed as being helpless, stupid, and a grade one liar to boot. From the prologue, I despised her as a character which was only compounded by the narrators voice for her and the character grated on my nerves.
Add in Lauren's 14 year old son, Gabe, also depicted with a nasally whiny voice, and I was ready to start skipping chapters. I could find no empathy for anyone in the Heller household.
The only redeeming factor was the main character Nick Heller, our very human hero. He was portrayed as witty, sarcastic, headstrong, subject to doubts, could be easily mislead and screw things up, but overall a fairly well rounded character. His point of view was the only thing that kept me reading the book instead of tossing my iPod across the room. That and I didn't want to break my iPod.
I will probably try book two in the series, as this was book one and sometimes writing and characters need a bit of time to develop. So, Vanished is recommended with reservations.
May 22, 2012
Boring, easy to put down, but less easy to finish.
Heller works alone until he needs help. Then he picks up his cell-phone, and much like reaching into a tool-box to find what he needs, dials a number - demolitions expert, computer genius, security expert - they're all one phone call away.
Heller can also become a one man army when necessary. Up against a Blackwater-like security/military firm, Heller decides to go right to the top and break into the CEO's isolated secure compound, for a one-on-one talk. After a little reconnaissance/surveillance, (sitting in his truck with binoculars), Heller comes up with a genius plan. He waits until after dark and then plants a few cell phones in the shrubbery. Now here's where it gets tricky - he then calls the planted phones, their ringing completely befuddles the top notch security guards and Nick waltzes right into the "secure" compound.
Again, I could go on with examples of such "intrigue" and "suspense", but hopefully the point is made.
I am just as guilty as the next person when it comes to enjoying a mindless escapist thriller but Vanished falls miserably short even of that categorization. This book makes the old A-Team TV show look complex and complicated in comparison. I haven't even bothered with the plot - it's minimal and predictable and simply not worth the effort - Pass on this one and find yourself a good thriller.
Heller works alone until he needs help. Then he picks up his cell-phone, and much like reaching into a tool-box to find what he needs, dials a number - demolitions expert, computer genius, security expert - they're all one phone call away.
Heller can also become a one man army when necessary. Up against a Blackwater-like security/military firm, Heller decides to go right to the top and break into the CEO's isolated secure compound, for a one-on-one talk. After a little reconnaissance/surveillance, (sitting in his truck with binoculars), Heller comes up with a genius plan. He waits until after dark and then plants a few cell phones in the shrubbery. Now here's where it gets tricky - he then calls the planted phones, their ringing completely befuddles the top notch security guards and Nick waltzes right into the "secure" compound.
Again, I could go on with examples of such "intrigue" and "suspense", but hopefully the point is made.
I am just as guilty as the next person when it comes to enjoying a mindless escapist thriller but Vanished falls miserably short even of that categorization. This book makes the old A-Team TV show look complex and complicated in comparison. I haven't even bothered with the plot - it's minimal and predictable and simply not worth the effort - Pass on this one and find yourself a good thriller.
February 14, 2012
I did like this book. Looking forward to reading more about Nick Heller!! My only complaint was that I felt like the end was a little predictable for me, but that may be simply because I've read a lot of thriller/ books. Finder's style is easy and really enjoyable.
August 4, 2014
Really well done mystery. I was engaged all the way. But the audiobook narrator was annoying.
I loved the way Nick and the reader learn things and clues along the way. No tell-all at the end. There were many interesting things, like the way Nick repeatedly set off window alarms to get in a building. I liked what he did with a FedEx envelope. I liked what he did to a key card. I liked how Nick learned something about Roger by what the father accidentally said.
Someone compared Nick Heller to Jack Reacher (by author Lee Child). He was similar in that he took-on three guys at once and beat them in hand-to-hand combat. The Reacher books have more fighting scenes than this book. This book had Nick fighting about twice. That’s not a complaint, just a comparison. Finder might be a little better with plotting.
I “require” happy endings. And the ending was good for me.
The Nick chapters were 1st person, and then many chapters were 3rd person which was well done. I don’t like 1st person, but if you have to do it, this is the way to go.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR: Holter Graham.
I was annoyed with the narrator using weird voices for Gabe and Lauren (the stepson and wife of the missing guy Roger). He sounded the opposite of constipated. He sounded like he had to go to the bathroom but was holding it in and holding his breath. It was really off-putting. Other characters also had the “holding the breath” feel.
In an interview the narrator said he wanted Gabe to have a voice that cracked like many 15-year-old boys. The idea is ok, but the voice ended up being more weird than authentic. Also Graham’s voice for Nick sounded like a college kid instead of an adult ex-military guy.
However Graham did have a good general narration style.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Nick, 3rd person others. Unabridged audiobook length: 10 hrs and 42 mins. Swearing language: none that I recall. Sexual content: none. Setting: current day mostly Washington D.C. area. Book copyright: 2009. Genre: mystery suspense.
OTHER BOOKS:
This is book 1 in the Nick Heller series. They do not need to be read in order, but I’d recommend it.
For a list of my ratings of other Joseph Finder books see my 5 star review of Paranoia.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I loved the way Nick and the reader learn things and clues along the way. No tell-all at the end. There were many interesting things, like the way Nick repeatedly set off window alarms to get in a building. I liked what he did with a FedEx envelope. I liked what he did to a key card. I liked how Nick learned something about Roger by what the father accidentally said.
Someone compared Nick Heller to Jack Reacher (by author Lee Child). He was similar in that he took-on three guys at once and beat them in hand-to-hand combat. The Reacher books have more fighting scenes than this book. This book had Nick fighting about twice. That’s not a complaint, just a comparison. Finder might be a little better with plotting.
I “require” happy endings. And the ending was good for me.
The Nick chapters were 1st person, and then many chapters were 3rd person which was well done. I don’t like 1st person, but if you have to do it, this is the way to go.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR: Holter Graham.
I was annoyed with the narrator using weird voices for Gabe and Lauren (the stepson and wife of the missing guy Roger). He sounded the opposite of constipated. He sounded like he had to go to the bathroom but was holding it in and holding his breath. It was really off-putting. Other characters also had the “holding the breath” feel.
In an interview the narrator said he wanted Gabe to have a voice that cracked like many 15-year-old boys. The idea is ok, but the voice ended up being more weird than authentic. Also Graham’s voice for Nick sounded like a college kid instead of an adult ex-military guy.
However Graham did have a good general narration style.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Nick, 3rd person others. Unabridged audiobook length: 10 hrs and 42 mins. Swearing language: none that I recall. Sexual content: none. Setting: current day mostly Washington D.C. area. Book copyright: 2009. Genre: mystery suspense.
OTHER BOOKS:
This is book 1 in the Nick Heller series. They do not need to be read in order, but I’d recommend it.
For a list of my ratings of other Joseph Finder books see my 5 star review of Paranoia.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
July 24, 2015
No Jack Reacher is this Nick Heller guy, although they bear some superficial similarities and fan-fiction types like to hypothetically match them against each other like Batman v. Superman. Nick is ex-Special Forces, now an investigator with an elite, D.C.-based private intelligence firm that specializes in both digging up secrets and burying them on behalf of powerful people and corporations. He also is rather boring. Nick spends most of VANISHED on an off-the-books mission looking for his brother Roger, who vanished after the Georgetown mugging of his wife Lauren. Both brothers have reacted in their own way to the criminality of their billionaire father, Victor Heller, who was busted during their boyhoods. Roger is the “ever-scheming, ever-dissatisfied, megalomaniacal” one looking for “a way out of his middle-class purgatory” (p299). Nick is the one who can take on three thugs unarmed, and win--while working a job that keeps him on the move and helps him avoid self-reflection. The problem with VANISHED is that it never feels real and the main characters don’t quite make it to life. Also, the core mystery driving this “thriller” is without drama and the bad guys are prosaic. One really good cryptic clue is the phrase, “Say good-bye to the librarian” (p74)--which doesn't nearly rise to the level of “Save the cheerleader, save the world.” I won’t be looking for the sequel, BURIED SECRETS (2011)…
June 1, 2009
8/31/20 I just finished this book and didn't realize I had read it before. I knew I'd read about the main character as I did remember him, just not the plot line. Below is the review of my first reading. Keep in mind that technology has changed quite a bit since 2009, but at that time it was up to date with the blackberry’s, haha. I’d rate it differently in 2020 I'd give it between a 3 & 4-star rating. I do like Finder's writing.
****************
2009: Really enjoyed this first novel of a new series about Nick Heller, a former Special Forces in the military and now an intelligence investigator, who is one of the best at what he does. His brother is a financier in high places who goes missing. It appears he may be abducted. His nephew calls on him for help. As he follows the trail he uncovers some very interesting facts. The plot takes several twists and keeps you interested, it doesn't lag. The techy stuff, the BlackBerry's and RaptorCards and all the current technology available today keep you fascinated. Recommended for a fast entertaining read - almost 5 stars, but I usually reserve 5 for unique, exceptional prose and subject matter.
****************
2009: Really enjoyed this first novel of a new series about Nick Heller, a former Special Forces in the military and now an intelligence investigator, who is one of the best at what he does. His brother is a financier in high places who goes missing. It appears he may be abducted. His nephew calls on him for help. As he follows the trail he uncovers some very interesting facts. The plot takes several twists and keeps you interested, it doesn't lag. The techy stuff, the BlackBerry's and RaptorCards and all the current technology available today keep you fascinated. Recommended for a fast entertaining read - almost 5 stars, but I usually reserve 5 for unique, exceptional prose and subject matter.
Read
July 27, 2011Vanished by Joseph Finder: I was unimpressed with this book. It was OK, but, for me, somewhat formulaic. I read a review that encouraged me to read it; a new series by a thriller master. The new series features a Jack Bauer / Jack Ryan type of superhero, called Nick Heller. The story revolves around the brother of the hero who is the “vanished” of the title. At first the brother’s disappearance seems like a kidnapping, but it spirals into something much more complicated, which is a nice plot. The story is fast-paced, and very easy to read, but, as you’ll have noticed from my other reviews, I don’t like supermen - those people who can do anything, and if they can’t, they know someone who can. It was a good train / airplane read, but I won’t be seeking out the second one in the series, though. Bring me everyman. Three stars out of five.
September 15, 2009
Another thriller. I keep saying I don't generally read this sort of book and now I know why. I bought Vanished because I liked Finder's earlier book, Paranoid. Paranoid was original and fast moving with a hero I could relate to. Vanished is contrived and conceived, I think on a white board like so many TV shows. The main characters are super heroes or arch villains. This whole mess was a vast disappointment. This is why I generally avoid vest selling thrillers. I have to move on to something more serious.
March 27, 2010
A husband/father disappears: kidnapping or staged? Nick Heller, ex-Special Forces, now private security firm employee is called by his distraught nephew to find his estranged brother. Corporate intrigue. (Not as good as his other books.)
December 14, 2012
I enjoyed this a lot. Many twists and turns - a thorough mystery and an engaging lead character made for a compelling story. You didn't know how it would end until it actually ended, which I quite like.
September 17, 2016
An OK read, but it never quite captured me.
May 17, 2020
Excellent! Really enjoy Nick Heller as a protagonist!
February 11, 2025
I enjoy reading thrillers, but they are not the staple of my escape reading diet. Even within the genre, I enjoy Dale Brown and Larry Bond more than Tom Clancy, and much prefer Michael Connelly’s and Robert Crais’ thrillers launched from the skeletons of mysteries to pure thrillers. Yet, I found Joseph Finer’s Vanished to be a page turner. The book, along with the second in the Nick Heller series of novels was given to me, and it’s a good thing. If it had been shelved in a bookstore alongside its companion novel co-written with Lee Childs, I wouldn’t have touched it. As it is, I’ll probably keep reading Finder’s novels, but skip that collaboration.
With the bias out front, if not out of the way, let me explain why I enjoy Heller and despise Reacher as protagonists. Reacher is a bully. He seems to delight in violence for violence’s sake. Heller is an investigator who is competent with violence but doesn’t seek it out. Heller’s motivation is to help others, even if it’s primarily to help those that he likes. Though Heller is very different than my personality and faith values, he is interesting enough to engender empathy in me. I have never felt that with Reacher.
Sorry for that self-indulgent summary. Vanished is a fascinating book because the prologue seems like a set-up for a missing person’s case. Then, one shifts gear to an air freight con that ends up being much more. Then, one senses that there is corporate intrigue in the warp and woof of the missing person saga. Information drips out as the pace of crystalizing honey, even as Heller is operating at full speed. And, the information keeps changing the picture faster than the turn of a kaleidoscope. Some of the twists are predictable; others are surprising. In my rubric, that’s the right balance for enticing me to keep turning pages.
Even with Heller’s capacity for empathy toward victims and his concern for justice, he is sometimes callously indifferent to the collateral damage he causes. He coerces people into dangerous or damaging situations for the benefit of solving his conundrum without due consideration for the consequences to them. In all fairness, he cleans up the damage to the best of his ability, but the tendency was concerning to me.
That tendency was not nearly as concerning to me as the main plot which built upon the incestuous relationships between government interests, corporate interests, national security contractors, and professional “fixers” (think of some of the uglier moments in the Scandal or U.S. House of Cards television series and then, take it up a notch). Beyond that, nothing is as it seems. Indeed, one section of the novel is introduced with a line from Goethe: “We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves.” (p. 403)
Vanished introduces an interesting premise, twists it like all those cables which became snake nests in the days before wireless, and offers a pay-off that seems appropriate for justice but hollow enough for realism. In addition to getting entirely hooked on the story, I enjoyed the references to comic books and graphic novels. Joseph Finder seemed incredibly literate regarding them. I was impressed, even when I found out that he had help from veteran comic author Brian Azzarello of DC Comics fame (p. 465). I recommend Vanished high enough that even though I think it would make a good film, I find it significantly richer and more satisfying as a novel.
With the bias out front, if not out of the way, let me explain why I enjoy Heller and despise Reacher as protagonists. Reacher is a bully. He seems to delight in violence for violence’s sake. Heller is an investigator who is competent with violence but doesn’t seek it out. Heller’s motivation is to help others, even if it’s primarily to help those that he likes. Though Heller is very different than my personality and faith values, he is interesting enough to engender empathy in me. I have never felt that with Reacher.
Sorry for that self-indulgent summary. Vanished is a fascinating book because the prologue seems like a set-up for a missing person’s case. Then, one shifts gear to an air freight con that ends up being much more. Then, one senses that there is corporate intrigue in the warp and woof of the missing person saga. Information drips out as the pace of crystalizing honey, even as Heller is operating at full speed. And, the information keeps changing the picture faster than the turn of a kaleidoscope. Some of the twists are predictable; others are surprising. In my rubric, that’s the right balance for enticing me to keep turning pages.
Even with Heller’s capacity for empathy toward victims and his concern for justice, he is sometimes callously indifferent to the collateral damage he causes. He coerces people into dangerous or damaging situations for the benefit of solving his conundrum without due consideration for the consequences to them. In all fairness, he cleans up the damage to the best of his ability, but the tendency was concerning to me.
That tendency was not nearly as concerning to me as the main plot which built upon the incestuous relationships between government interests, corporate interests, national security contractors, and professional “fixers” (think of some of the uglier moments in the Scandal or U.S. House of Cards television series and then, take it up a notch). Beyond that, nothing is as it seems. Indeed, one section of the novel is introduced with a line from Goethe: “We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves.” (p. 403)
Vanished introduces an interesting premise, twists it like all those cables which became snake nests in the days before wireless, and offers a pay-off that seems appropriate for justice but hollow enough for realism. In addition to getting entirely hooked on the story, I enjoyed the references to comic books and graphic novels. Joseph Finder seemed incredibly literate regarding them. I was impressed, even when I found out that he had help from veteran comic author Brian Azzarello of DC Comics fame (p. 465). I recommend Vanished high enough that even though I think it would make a good film, I find it significantly richer and more satisfying as a novel.
June 6, 2019
Amazing and full of all the necessary requirements to keep me entertained. This is a book about greed, scandal, politics, family, deceit, and money.
Roger Heller has had a taste of the good life while growing up but his father's illegal activities caused them to lose it all. He will stop and nothing to regain his seat on the throne.
Roger's younger brother, Nick, is an honest man who served time in the military and now investigates companies for irregular activities , fraud, theft...You name it.
Roger, with the help of his wife, devises a scheme that could get everyone killed. Roger's son, Gabe, contacts Nick to locate his dad. What Nick finds is a trail of deception, lies, murder, and greed.
Good book and I hope the other in the series are just as good.
Roger Heller has had a taste of the good life while growing up but his father's illegal activities caused them to lose it all. He will stop and nothing to regain his seat on the throne.
Roger's younger brother, Nick, is an honest man who served time in the military and now investigates companies for irregular activities , fraud, theft...You name it.
Roger, with the help of his wife, devises a scheme that could get everyone killed. Roger's son, Gabe, contacts Nick to locate his dad. What Nick finds is a trail of deception, lies, murder, and greed.
Good book and I hope the other in the series are just as good.
April 29, 2025
This book kept my interest but seemed overly convoluted and took too long to wrap up.
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