BOOK MARK™
A presentation of latest Christian books to hit the stores.
Title: Vanished
Genre: Fiction / Christian – Futuristic / Action & Adventure / Christian – Suspense
Authors: Dr David Jeremiah, Sam O’Neal
Publishing Date: July 1 2025
Availability in London: Creation Bookstore.
At Christian Life in London, we are always thrilled to recognize our contributors for their work. Helena Smrcek, who has provided you, our readers, with many years of beautiful stories, has collaborated with three other distinguished Christian writers in the release of
Valor- Long Hot Summer: Book 2, a Christian Romantic Suspense Anthology.
To purchase your copy, contact Creation Bookstore (519) 659-2610 or (800) 366-8004
The end of the world . . .
As leader of a special military unit charged with stopping potential pandemics before they spread, John “Haggs” Haggerty has a front-row seat to the sharp increase in natural disasters that precede the Rapture–including plagues, earthquakes, famines, wars, and rumors of war. And each crisis is becoming more intense.
Meanwhile, his own world feels like it’s falling apart. He’s still caught in the grief of messing up his relationship with his ex-wife, and he’s trying to keep it together so that he can show up for his adult daughter before she wants him out of her life entirely. As both personal and professional situations push him to the brink, Haggs finds himself stretched further than ever in his desire to be the kind of good person he knows he should be.
Just when it seems as if things might turn around, Haggs is forced to decide between his need to find solutions and his need for personal redemption.
Reader Reviews – Courtesy of Goodreads
Pamela Small gave “Vanished” 2 stars out of 5
I read to the 25% mark and gave up. It was not compelling, IMHO. I’ve read many of Dr. Jeremiah’s theology books but this foray into fiction was difficult for me to get into.
Kristine Morgan gave “Vanished” 5 stars out of 5
Vanished follows the life of Lt Colonel John Haggerty in the months leading up to the Rapture. I found this book to be well written and engaging. I liked all of the characters and found myself cheering them on, hoping they would make the right decisions. The events in the book seem realistic, as though they could happen at anytime. Although it doesn’t say I feel this is the first of a series and I eagerly look forward to reading the next book.
Suzanne Roq gave “Vanished” 5 stars out of 5
I was completely drawn into the world of John Haggerty. This book was surprisingly good. It is end times/apocalyptic themed with (not really a spoiler based on the title alone) a pre-tribulation rapture so if you can’t stomach that eschatology, you may not like the book. I think the book is enjoyable even if you’re not dispensational in your beliefs. The narration was well done.
Rocky Henriques gave “Vanished” 5 stars out of 5
Well-written, powerfully engaging. Very hard to put it down once I got started. Looking forward to the next in the series!
Toni Olson gave “Vanished” 5 stars out of 5
What an amazing book! I could not put this book down! It was fast paced and the writing was sooooo good! This is a book for our times. Our world is hard to navigate and more than anything we need Jesus in our lives. He is the Lord.
Rick Brown gave “Vanished” 5 stars out of 5
Better than anticipated!!!!
This book is much better and more clear regarding the events of the Rapture than I anticipated. Can’t wait for the next book.
Chris Jager gave “Vanished” 2 stars out of 5
This book is a first book in an end time series. it is basically a bunch of bad things that happen in between a few sermons. I did not enjoy it and found it frustrating for the amount of drama.
Barbara Tsipouras gave “Vanished” 5 stars out of 5
This novel about the rapture belongs definitely to the better ones of the genre, and I’m looking forward to the next one of the series.
The characters are relatable, the discussions about Christian themes are not too pushy, the style engaging and the suspense will keep you reading.
Christian-fiction
Don Gorman gave “Vanished” 2 stars out of 5
I am going to be really kind and mark this book up to two stars. I had no idea what I was getting into here. For the first half and a little more this was an interesting thriller. Then it turned into a God squad manifesto. Totally turned me off and pissed me off. I should have seen it coming. Blah!
Josephine Sorrell gave “Vanished” 5 stars out of 5
John “Haggs” Haggerty is the leader of a special military unit charged with stopping potential pandemics before they spread. This position affords him a front-row seat to the sharp increase in natural disasters that precede the Rapture. There are plagues, earthquakes, famines, wars, and rumors of war and each crisis is becoming more and more intense.
As the World is falling apart around him, so is his own personal world. He’s still grieving over messing up his relationship with his ex-wife, all the while trying to keep it together so that he can be there for his adult daughter before she wants him out of her life entirely. As both situations push him to the brink, Haggs finds himself stretched further than ever in his quest to be the kind of good person he knows he should be.
Facing the challenge of a lifetime, Haggerty is on the scene of a new deadly illness that he and his team are responsible for stopping. Even though his relationship with his ex wife and daughter is strained, he reaches out to his daughter to help him with this national crisis.
This book is pretty indescribable and written in such an amazing style that you will feel it is actually happening as you read. As the story unfolds, it brings to life events stated in the Bible that will lead to the Rapture. Be prepared to look into what the end times might look like and how those left behind will respond. The characters in the story are those we interact with on a daily basis, both professional and personal characters in Haggerty’s life with a blend of Christian and non-Christian.
I enjoyed everything about this book, from the background information on John and his family to his nearly impossible profession. John is a very flawed human as i am, and I liked reading how he tried to correct old wrongs, how his ex wife and daughter have turned to God and how his daughter talks to him about it. I found it interesting to see how John and his friend’s daughter knew of God yet didn’t take the step to make a personal relationship with him. I look forward to seeing how they move forward in book 2.
Ed Rabinowitz gave “Vanished” 2 stars out of 5
Before I read another book by an author whose work I have not previously experienced, I will make it a point to research that author. Because if I had done so prior to delving into Dr. David Jeremiah’s new novel “Vanished” I never would have given the book a second look.
Dr. Jeremiah, if you’re not aware, is the founder of Turning Point, an international ministry that provides Bible teaching through radio, television, the Internet, and so on.
Cutting myself a little slack, however, the book’s synopsis is misleading. It explains that John “Haggs” Haggerty is the leader of a special military unit charged with stopping potential pandemics before they spread. And lately, catastrophes have become more intense.
He’s also dealing with challenges in his personal life, including losing a child, messing up his relationship with his ex-wife (Marianna), and clinging to his relationship with his adult daughter (Sonya) – a relationship currently on life support.
Okay, sounds interesting.
But the deeper I got into the story the stronger the religious and spiritual overtones became. Eventually, they dominated the narrative, which for me was a complete turnoff.
The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 held my attention, despite the periodic references to Jesus and Christianity. There’s an outbreak of a new virus, earthquakes are on the rise in both frequency and intensity, and rumors of war are running rampant. In many respects, not unlike our world today.
Part 2, however, rapidly deteriorates into a poorly written Sunday morning church sermon. That’s fine if you’re into The Rapture, an end-of-time event that marks the end of the Age of Grace (the religious period we’re currently in) and precedes the Age of Judgment. According to Wikipedia, it’s a time when all dead Christian believers will be resurrected and, joined with Christians who are still alive, together will rise in the clouds to meet the Lord.
I’m not knocking Christianity or any of these beliefs. It just wasn’t what I expected.
The last chapter leaves a clear path forward for an end-of-time series to follow.
No thank you. Three-hundred-and-seven pages of Bible Study are more than enough for me.
So, if you’re into a novel framed against a backdrop of biblical prophecy come alive, you’ll likely enjoy “Vanished.”
But if you’re not into storylines built on religious and spiritual foundations, I recommend steering clear.
Two stars, and that may be a bit generous.
Sharon Wilharm gave “Vanished” 5 stars out of 5
Since I’ve never read an end times book before, I had no idea what to expect. I guess I thought it would be futuristic and a completely different world. So I was completely caught off guard when I opened it up, and there ,on the front page, it said “June 13, Present Day’.
I started reading, and was further confused. It opened with military and political scenes about a new pandemic, and it was so detailed, I seriously felt like I should be checking the news to see if this was something I should know about.
I struggled through the first fifty or so pages, trying to make sense of it all. It felt like I was getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the top level political world, and I was bothered by the way the government was handling things.
And then, the daughter came into the picture, and that’s when the story came alive for me. It wasn’t just world happenings; it was personal. It was a very important man struggling with his family relationships. From that point on, I couldn’t stop reading.
What surprised me the most about this book–and what made it so good–was that it was set in present time instead of some vague future. All the events leading to the Rapture were all very much what we’re going through. The only difference was the frequency and intensity, but even that is something we’re seeing now.
I guess the only thing that bothered me was that the Rapture itself came so late in the book. I would have liked to have seen more of what those left behind would go through. But I guess, since this is book one in a series, I’ll have to wait for that.
If you’re a fan of Dr. Jeremiah, you’ll definitely want to read this. If you’ve not read his books, let this be your first. Then you can check out all his nonfiction books on the subject. You’ll be glad you did.
Ifeanyi Omoike gave “Vanished” 4 stars out of 5
A Gripping, Thought-Provoking Glimpse into the Rapture
Vanished by Dr. David Jeremiah is more than just a fast-paced, high-stakes thriller—it’s a spiritually stirring reminder of what truly matters. One theme stood out clearly for me: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” That message echoed powerfully through every chapter.
At first, I found the beginning slightly confusing due to the fast pace and the initial shifts in point of view. But once the story settled, I was completely hooked. It wasn’t just the action or suspense that drew me in—it was the humanity in the story. Somewhere early on, a shift happened: a human touch was added, and that made all the difference. Without it, no matter how thrilling or explosive a book might be, it’s hard to care. But here, I did care. Deeply.
I found myself sympathizing with the main character, Haggs—especially in his struggle to reconcile with his daughter and process the pain of his divorce. Even while trying to save the world, his brokenness was tangible. His flaws made him relatable. His pain made him real.
Dr. Jeremiah’s portrayal of the rapture was vivid and thought-provoking. It made me feel the urgency of the moment and reflect on its implications in a personal way. The realism of the rapture and its aftermath was striking—it wasn’t just theological, it was emotional.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has questions about the rapture, or who has loved ones wrestling with eternity. Haggs was so focused on saving the world that he didn’t realize he needed saving too—and that’s a reminder we all need.
