In time-honoured fashion, a lady has returned to a small town and accepted responsibility for a relative’s worn-out shop. Good Vibrations. Even the store name is dated. THE MYSTIC AND THE MISSING GIRL sees the start of big changes, not just for Drew and her (eventually) renamed store, but for the town itself.

Drew Benson recalls her late aunt with fondness. As a TV psychic with the stage name of Hannah Mystic, Hannah came forward with a vision she claimed to have seen after a teenager disappeared. That didn’t produce any viable leads, and some people were angry, claiming Hannah wanted a career boost. Her reputation suffered, and the teen was never found.

Stanfield isn’t clearly given a location but due to one mention of a Canadian city, I’m guessing it’s in Canada. Authors could provide better setting detail. On the twentieth anniversary of Ginny Evans’s disappearance, memories are being searched for any further clues. The popular girl was only seventeen, working as a waitress and dating local boys. Nick Campbell who graduated with Drew is a reporter now, and he turns up at the store to say he is preparing a commemorative article. Actually, he admits, he’d like to re-open the investigation.

Other characters in town include a friend of Drew’s called Gigi, who never left. There’s George, an ambisexual store assistant who enjoys the crystals and candles. Foster Banks seems to have been a lecher all his life, so I didn’t like that Drew spent time with him and gradually fell under his spell. The local cop Officer Knob is a hardened type who isn’t impressed by predictions and doesn’t do much about vandalism. Time seems to have stagnated for many people, especially the parents of Ginny Evans, who kept waiting. I did start to feel that Drew was just reliving old times with her pals and not investigating much, but of course, she’s under no obligation to be a detective. I wish she wouldn’t type obscene names for callers into her phone and then provide us with the texts. She lost my sympathy, and it’s unprofessional for a businesswoman.

With occasional readings of Tarot cards, and glimpses of emotions from objects, Drew finally starts to own whatever mystical skills she may have inherited. Solving the disappearance, perhaps murder, and clearing Aunt Hannah’s name will take a while longer. Vikki VanSickle has previously written several books, including for young people, and THE MYSTIC AND THE MISSING GIRL seems likely to start a series for adults.