What do you think?
Rate this book
Vanished in Vermillion: The Real Story of South Dakota’s Most Infamous Cold Case
The result of hundreds of interviews, Vanished in Vermillion is a cold case story that flips the script on a typical investigation narrative, revealing the biggest law enforcement embarrassment in South Dakota history.
In May 1971, Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were two seventeen-year-olds driving to an end-of-the-school-year party in a rundown Studebaker Lark when they seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. Police back then didn’t do enough to try and find them. Investigators thirty years later did too much. Two families endure decades of pain as they await answers of what happened to their girls. When a third family is pulled into the mystery, they quickly learn their nightmare is just beginning.
In May 1971, Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were two seventeen-year-olds driving to an end-of-the-school-year party in a rundown Studebaker Lark when they seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. Police back then didn’t do enough to try and find them. Investigators thirty years later did too much. Two families endure decades of pain as they await answers of what happened to their girls. When a third family is pulled into the mystery, they quickly learn their nightmare is just beginning.
384 pages, Paperback
Published February 27, 2023
About the author
Lou Raguse
4 books22 followersLou Raguse is a journalist based in Minnesota specializing in crime and courts. Since 2005, he’s reported for local NBC, CBS, and FOX affiliates in Minnesota, New York, Arizona, and South Dakota.
Early in his career, Raguse developed a niche for crime reporting and has covered national cases such as the murder of George Floyd and the resulting trials, the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and the kidnapping and escape of thirteen-year-old Jayme Closs.
Besides countless regional Emmys and other broadcast news awards, Raguse produced an eight-part podcast on the Closs case, 88 Days: The Jayme Closs Story, which won an Edward R. Murrow award and was a top-ten performer on the iTunes podcast charts.
Outside of work, Raguse loves backyard barbeques with his family, playing fantasy football, and hunting down vintage Star Wars toys for his two kids.
Early in his career, Raguse developed a niche for crime reporting and has covered national cases such as the murder of George Floyd and the resulting trials, the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and the kidnapping and escape of thirteen-year-old Jayme Closs.
Besides countless regional Emmys and other broadcast news awards, Raguse produced an eight-part podcast on the Closs case, 88 Days: The Jayme Closs Story, which won an Edward R. Murrow award and was a top-ten performer on the iTunes podcast charts.
Outside of work, Raguse loves backyard barbeques with his family, playing fantasy football, and hunting down vintage Star Wars toys for his two kids.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
March 15, 2023
In May of 1971, two seventeen-year-old girls went missing in South Dakota. With no clues as to their whereabouts and no real reason for them to run away, their families were convinced that foul play was involved. Police at the time didn’t take it seriously and did little to further the investigation. Then, 30 years later, seemingly new evidence comes to light. Investigators jump into the case with no hesitation, going to great lengths looking for inadmissible proof that this new suspect murdered these girls.
This was a fascinating nonfiction read that went into depth about the investigations revolving around the missing South Dakota girls. The amount of research and effort the author put into this work is evident; documents and court proceedings were included, as well as interviews that the author conducted with people related to this case. I enjoyed that the author humanized the victims and brought them to life throughout this work. What I found most fascinating about this case was how little police in the ‘70s did to solve it (including not even interviewing one of the last people to see the girls) and then the extremes police in the 2000s went to trying to ensure this case got closed.
While the case and the ins-and-outs were interesting, I think this work could have been setup better to be more engaging. The timeline jumped around often for no apparent reason and without being clearly demarcated, making it difficult to stay situated in the work. The author included many minutiae of things that weren’t particularly relevant to the case though it did highlight the amount of research he’d done, and this unfortunately slowed down the work as a whole. There was also a great deal of repetition that slowed down the narrative, which should have been trimmed.
While this wasn’t a riveting true crime read, it was an interesting look at how the justice system is quite fallible and how some folks are more interested in proving their beliefs than finding the truth. My thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This was a fascinating nonfiction read that went into depth about the investigations revolving around the missing South Dakota girls. The amount of research and effort the author put into this work is evident; documents and court proceedings were included, as well as interviews that the author conducted with people related to this case. I enjoyed that the author humanized the victims and brought them to life throughout this work. What I found most fascinating about this case was how little police in the ‘70s did to solve it (including not even interviewing one of the last people to see the girls) and then the extremes police in the 2000s went to trying to ensure this case got closed.
While the case and the ins-and-outs were interesting, I think this work could have been setup better to be more engaging. The timeline jumped around often for no apparent reason and without being clearly demarcated, making it difficult to stay situated in the work. The author included many minutiae of things that weren’t particularly relevant to the case though it did highlight the amount of research he’d done, and this unfortunately slowed down the work as a whole. There was also a great deal of repetition that slowed down the narrative, which should have been trimmed.
While this wasn’t a riveting true crime read, it was an interesting look at how the justice system is quite fallible and how some folks are more interested in proving their beliefs than finding the truth. My thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
February 21, 2023
"𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ," 𝐴𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑒 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑. "𝑁𝑜𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔."
Calling all true crime fans...you do not want to miss this book about the disappearance of two small town teenagers in 1971 and how law enforcement went about solving their cold case.
This unique, bizarre cold case could easily be a criminal law case study in what NOT to do. What happened was heartbreaking, sad, and potentially avoidable. Not only for Pam's and Sherri's families who waited decades for answers, but also for the suspect's family who were put through the ringer to find evidence.
Lou's passion for investigative journalism is evident as he provides a tremendously detailed and complete case history surrounding the disappearance of Pam and Sherri. For anyone who grew up in a small Midwest town, the sites, characters, and biases may feel eerily familiar.
For full disclosure, Lou is my brother-in-law and has been interested in this case for as long as I have known him. I am proud to see his hard work and investigative skills result in this book. Thank you to @netgalley and @posthillpress for an advance copy!
Calling all true crime fans...you do not want to miss this book about the disappearance of two small town teenagers in 1971 and how law enforcement went about solving their cold case.
This unique, bizarre cold case could easily be a criminal law case study in what NOT to do. What happened was heartbreaking, sad, and potentially avoidable. Not only for Pam's and Sherri's families who waited decades for answers, but also for the suspect's family who were put through the ringer to find evidence.
Lou's passion for investigative journalism is evident as he provides a tremendously detailed and complete case history surrounding the disappearance of Pam and Sherri. For anyone who grew up in a small Midwest town, the sites, characters, and biases may feel eerily familiar.
For full disclosure, Lou is my brother-in-law and has been interested in this case for as long as I have known him. I am proud to see his hard work and investigative skills result in this book. Thank you to @netgalley and @posthillpress for an advance copy!
January 11, 2023
It's hard not to see how ironic it was for two 17-year-old girls to disappear on the way to a late spring gravel pit keg party, when they had never been to a keg party before that night. These weren't party girls or girls living in a dangerous big city. Yet the local sheriff who starts the investigation tells everyone that Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were wild girls who obviously ran off, and would eventually come back home. (Years later, this sheriff would be convicted of raping a 7-year-old child, after leaving law enforcement.) When Pam and Sherri remain missing, some others in their community start to accept the idea they ran away, even though the idea seemed preposterous, because it was less horrible than believing they were victims of a crime. If they ran away, there was not a killer in their midst. If they ran away, they were still alive and well . . . somewhere.
So starts the story of a missing persons case that would not be solved until decades later. So starts a case with some shoddy law enforcement investigations, the persecution of the family of the criminal suspected of killing the girls, a lying jail house informer, "evidence" acquired from hypnotism, and the hopes of some law enforcement officers and prosecutors of closing the case by pinning it on a violent local man already locked up. Even after the case was finally solved, some refused to believe what happened was what happened. It's more than ironic, too, that the evidence needed to solve the case was discovered the day of the funeral of Pam Jackson's father, a man who would search for his daughter for years and years, never giving up hope. An excellent investigative job by Lou Raguse, that bogs down in details at times, but clearly shows how the truth can surface when everyone doesn't give up searching for it.
(Note: I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher or author.)
So starts the story of a missing persons case that would not be solved until decades later. So starts a case with some shoddy law enforcement investigations, the persecution of the family of the criminal suspected of killing the girls, a lying jail house informer, "evidence" acquired from hypnotism, and the hopes of some law enforcement officers and prosecutors of closing the case by pinning it on a violent local man already locked up. Even after the case was finally solved, some refused to believe what happened was what happened. It's more than ironic, too, that the evidence needed to solve the case was discovered the day of the funeral of Pam Jackson's father, a man who would search for his daughter for years and years, never giving up hope. An excellent investigative job by Lou Raguse, that bogs down in details at times, but clearly shows how the truth can surface when everyone doesn't give up searching for it.
(Note: I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher or author.)
Read
November 25, 2022First off!!! HOLY CATS! This story is (for lack of better words) INSANE!!! the whole thing from start to finish is WILD!!! The story was told in an impeccable way, leaving you wanting more with each page. With that being said I think that the author kind of dragged it out a little farther than it needed to be! 4/5 stars for me!
February 21, 2023
In May 1971, seventeen-year-olds Pam Jackson & Sherri Miller visited Sherri's grandmother in hospital, then set off to an end-of-the-school-year party being held out of town. Neither girls were ones for lots of partying & they couldn't find the spot where it was being held, so when they ran into three local boys they knew, they asked where the party was. The boys told them to follow their car & they headed out of town with the girls following in their rundown Studebaker Lark. At some point (recollections afterwards varied) the cars got separated & the girls disappeared. The boys thought they had either gotten lost or headed home, but the girls never returned home.
When their families reported them missing, the local sheriff wanted to write it off as two girls having gone off for an adventure. Even when it was pointed out that they hadn't taken any money, Pam hadn't taken her medication with her, & Sherri's grandmother was in the hospital - all good reasons for believing they hadn't just taken off - he refused to investigate further. This was just the start of professional incompetence from several different agencies who either didn't interview witnesses or assumed searches had been carried out by previous investigators. A third local family, the Lykkens, would be drawn into the story due to their son, Peter, who was jailed later on for attacking several of his ex-girlfriends. Where Pam & Sherri went missing was not far from the Lykkens' family farm, did the then sixteen-year-old Peter have something to do with their disappearance? It would take over 40 years for the truth about what happened that night to be revealed.
This is one for all true crime fans out there. It's a compelling, well-written account of the twists & turns that this strange story took on the journey towards the truth finally being revealed. It sometimes strays into giving maybe a little too much background on some aspects which slows down the narrative, but on the whole,. it keeps the attention well. I must say that it doesn't give one much faith in the competence of law enforcement at times. Well researched & well worth reading.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Post Hill Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
When their families reported them missing, the local sheriff wanted to write it off as two girls having gone off for an adventure. Even when it was pointed out that they hadn't taken any money, Pam hadn't taken her medication with her, & Sherri's grandmother was in the hospital - all good reasons for believing they hadn't just taken off - he refused to investigate further. This was just the start of professional incompetence from several different agencies who either didn't interview witnesses or assumed searches had been carried out by previous investigators. A third local family, the Lykkens, would be drawn into the story due to their son, Peter, who was jailed later on for attacking several of his ex-girlfriends. Where Pam & Sherri went missing was not far from the Lykkens' family farm, did the then sixteen-year-old Peter have something to do with their disappearance? It would take over 40 years for the truth about what happened that night to be revealed.
This is one for all true crime fans out there. It's a compelling, well-written account of the twists & turns that this strange story took on the journey towards the truth finally being revealed. It sometimes strays into giving maybe a little too much background on some aspects which slows down the narrative, but on the whole,. it keeps the attention well. I must say that it doesn't give one much faith in the competence of law enforcement at times. Well researched & well worth reading.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Post Hill Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
January 3, 2023
Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were the “good girls” in town. They didn’t drink or smoke weed and had never even been to a party before. After hearing about a party out near Old Highway 77 the girls decide that they want to check it out. They met up with a car of boys that night looking for directions, so the boys told them to follow behind their car and they’d get them to the party. It was going to be a fun night - a new adventure for the two “good girls.” But somewhere on that twisty-turny rural dirt road of Highway 77 the boys realized the girls’ car headlights weren’t behind them anymore. The boys had to turn around because they had missed the road they were supposed to turn off on and the girls had just behind them not long before that.
Pam and Sherri were never seen again. Failures by the police department dragged this case on longer than it should have. They said the teens had simply run away of their own accord and refused to do much for a long time. This is an amazingly well written book that takes you deep into the case of the missing teens. It took more than 40 years for the police to discover what happened to the girls that night. Between the events of that night and the 40 years that followed the case took so many twists and turns it’s almost unbelievable. This is a must read for those who love true crime stories.
I couldn’t put this down once I started reading. It’s compelling, gripping, and tears at your heart. We get a chance to get to know these two girls better. I noticed this case has a lot of 7’s associated with it. It was 1971, the girls were 17, and they were on Highway 77 when they disappeared.
I received an ARC version of this book and am leaving this review of my own accord.
#VanishedinVermillion #NetGalley
Pam and Sherri were never seen again. Failures by the police department dragged this case on longer than it should have. They said the teens had simply run away of their own accord and refused to do much for a long time. This is an amazingly well written book that takes you deep into the case of the missing teens. It took more than 40 years for the police to discover what happened to the girls that night. Between the events of that night and the 40 years that followed the case took so many twists and turns it’s almost unbelievable. This is a must read for those who love true crime stories.
I couldn’t put this down once I started reading. It’s compelling, gripping, and tears at your heart. We get a chance to get to know these two girls better. I noticed this case has a lot of 7’s associated with it. It was 1971, the girls were 17, and they were on Highway 77 when they disappeared.
I received an ARC version of this book and am leaving this review of my own accord.
#VanishedinVermillion #NetGalley
February 18, 2023
Wow! I finished this book in a few hours and MAN, this was a wild ride. Huge thanks to NetGalley, Post Hill Press (publisher), Simon & Schuster (distributor), and Lou Raguse.
Okay, my first question is how the heck have I never heard of this case? I am a true crime podcast, book, and subreddit junkie. I am not sure how this one slipped under the radar. Brief rundown: Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller went missing from Vermillion, South Dakota in the early 70s. They were on their way to a party when they stopped to ask small group of teen boys for directions. Those boys were the last individuals to see Pam and Sherri, and decades passed without answers.
Raguse, an experienced courtroom journalist in the Minnesota area, has truly given readers a gift. If there's ever been a true crime book that exposes what happens when law enforcement insists it creates the means to justify the end, this is it. The author thoroughly depicts the search for Pam and Sherri, and he also exposes the dangers of smalltown courtroom politics.
It's very rare that a true crime book reads like a thriller, but Vanished In Vermillion fits the bill. My jaw dropped not once, but twice, and I couldn't put it down. If you enjoyed the hit series Making A Murderer this book is for you. And good news: Pub day is right around the corner on 2/21! Grab your copy from major book retailers ONLY IF you can't find it at your indie bookstore first ;-).
Okay, my first question is how the heck have I never heard of this case? I am a true crime podcast, book, and subreddit junkie. I am not sure how this one slipped under the radar. Brief rundown: Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller went missing from Vermillion, South Dakota in the early 70s. They were on their way to a party when they stopped to ask small group of teen boys for directions. Those boys were the last individuals to see Pam and Sherri, and decades passed without answers.
Raguse, an experienced courtroom journalist in the Minnesota area, has truly given readers a gift. If there's ever been a true crime book that exposes what happens when law enforcement insists it creates the means to justify the end, this is it. The author thoroughly depicts the search for Pam and Sherri, and he also exposes the dangers of smalltown courtroom politics.
It's very rare that a true crime book reads like a thriller, but Vanished In Vermillion fits the bill. My jaw dropped not once, but twice, and I couldn't put it down. If you enjoyed the hit series Making A Murderer this book is for you. And good news: Pub day is right around the corner on 2/21! Grab your copy from major book retailers ONLY IF you can't find it at your indie bookstore first ;-).
November 26, 2022
Holy bad policing, Batman!
Vanished in Vermillion by Lou Raguse is one of the best documented stories of terrible police work I have ever read. Chronicling the disappearance and search for Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller in 1971, Raguse covers all aspects of the case from beginning to end. I often find myself at the end of true crime books feeling like the narrative is rushed to focus on the more salacious details. Raguse will never be accused of that (in a good way) and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
I will avoid spoilers but can say this story has an ending which should be satisfying for anyone who believes in facts. This book is just as much about Sherri and Pam as it is about a family terrorizes by a police department in way over its head. One particular sheriff makes you question whether or not sheriffs as an elected position should even exist.
This true crime book has everything. If you love true crime and want a fully developed story then this book is definitely for you.
(This book was provided to me as an advance copy by Netgalley and Post Hill Press. The full review will be posted to HistoryNerdsUnited.com on 2/16/2023.)
Vanished in Vermillion by Lou Raguse is one of the best documented stories of terrible police work I have ever read. Chronicling the disappearance and search for Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller in 1971, Raguse covers all aspects of the case from beginning to end. I often find myself at the end of true crime books feeling like the narrative is rushed to focus on the more salacious details. Raguse will never be accused of that (in a good way) and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
I will avoid spoilers but can say this story has an ending which should be satisfying for anyone who believes in facts. This book is just as much about Sherri and Pam as it is about a family terrorizes by a police department in way over its head. One particular sheriff makes you question whether or not sheriffs as an elected position should even exist.
This true crime book has everything. If you love true crime and want a fully developed story then this book is definitely for you.
(This book was provided to me as an advance copy by Netgalley and Post Hill Press. The full review will be posted to HistoryNerdsUnited.com on 2/16/2023.)
March 2, 2023
I love to see real journalism and this is a great example! Raguse is masterful, not only in his pursuit of truth in this case but in his method of presenting it to us as well.
Pam and Sherri vanished into thin air in 1971 on their way to a party. They weren't party girls so they were having trouble finding the place, stopped to ask a schoolmate, and were never seen alive again.
It was heartbreaking for friends and family but much like still happens today, the cops didn't take it seriously until it was far too late and then they just wanted to get it out of their hair because they looked like dumb jerks.
What follows is a tale of persistence and pain. I actually hadn't known the later developments in the case so I was pleasantly surprised by that too.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!
Pam and Sherri vanished into thin air in 1971 on their way to a party. They weren't party girls so they were having trouble finding the place, stopped to ask a schoolmate, and were never seen alive again.
It was heartbreaking for friends and family but much like still happens today, the cops didn't take it seriously until it was far too late and then they just wanted to get it out of their hair because they looked like dumb jerks.
What follows is a tale of persistence and pain. I actually hadn't known the later developments in the case so I was pleasantly surprised by that too.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!
December 27, 2022
I received a free copy of, Vanished in Vermillion, by Lou Raguse, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 17 year olds, Sherri and Pam went missing on May 29, 1971, everybody had there own theories about what happened to the girls, but nobody really knew. It seems like the detectives wanted to pin it on anybody, I know their are good and bad cops everywhere, but these guys were no good. I felt so bad for the families Of Sherri and Pam, not knowing for decades, before they were found. A very well written book, I enjoyed this book.. A horrible situation for sure.
December 31, 2022
A fascinating true crime story about a case that was unsolved for over 40 years. The author does a fantastic job laying out the facts and giving us insight into each of the characters (victims, suspects, police, friends, family). As in any good true crime story, you think you have solved it as you are reading but as the story becomes more complex it clearly is a case of sometimes all the parts don't add up to the whole when you are dealing with memory, testimony, and supposition. It took many years and many people involved to finally crack the case. In the meantime, many families' lives were damaged. The author was able to interview many of the key people later and I really liked the insertion of himself into the narrative at that point -- it worked really well to help add closure to the book.
I recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Post Hill Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Post Hill Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 12, 2023
Incredible to read and digest as a Vermillion native. I was only 12 years old when the car was found in Brule Creek, but I remember it vividly. My mother and grandmother had been discussing the discovery; at the time of Pam and Sherri’s disappearance, my grandparents hadn’t yet settled in Vermillion, but as it is in a small town, anything tragic and unusual that happens sticks with the community. The stories are told for generations. I will never forget their story and the justice that was denied and mercy that wasn’t granted to all parties involved.
Lykken is guilty of committing heinous crimes, but he is innocent of this one. In the words of Bryan Stevenson, “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.”
Lykken is guilty of committing heinous crimes, but he is innocent of this one. In the words of Bryan Stevenson, “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.”
March 2, 2023
When two teenage girls go missing, it is assumed by many, including law enforcement that they just left town and ran away. But decades will pass before the shocking conclusion of this story will be reached.
Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were ordinary teens, just looking for a party that was going on outside of town. After stopping to visit one of the girls relatives in the hospital, they headed out to find the party but were unable to locate it. They asked directions, and began following another car toward where the party was, but the other car lost sight of them, assuming that they had either taken a wrong turn, or turned around.
As the years passed, there were many suspects, and the police went to drastic lengths to find who was responsible, and their methods were later critiqued heavily.
This was a riveting story, with several twists and turns that kept the reader engaged and waiting to see what was going to happen next. This was a heartbreaking story, and while I am glad it was able to be solved, the decades that it took caused the family a lot of grief and uncertainty.
Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were ordinary teens, just looking for a party that was going on outside of town. After stopping to visit one of the girls relatives in the hospital, they headed out to find the party but were unable to locate it. They asked directions, and began following another car toward where the party was, but the other car lost sight of them, assuming that they had either taken a wrong turn, or turned around.
As the years passed, there were many suspects, and the police went to drastic lengths to find who was responsible, and their methods were later critiqued heavily.
This was a riveting story, with several twists and turns that kept the reader engaged and waiting to see what was going to happen next. This was a heartbreaking story, and while I am glad it was able to be solved, the decades that it took caused the family a lot of grief and uncertainty.
January 14, 2023
In 1971 two teenage girls go missing while driving to a party. It will take 40 years till it is finally discovered what happened.
This was such an interesting read some of the twists in the case was crazy. The writing was really good and this is a definite read if you are a fan of true crime.
Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc.
This was such an interesting read some of the twists in the case was crazy. The writing was really good and this is a definite read if you are a fan of true crime.
Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc.
August 22, 2023
4.5 ⭐
I am a huge true crime nerd so I was already familiar with Pam and Sherri's case. I really liked how the book was written and formatted! It didn't have a big biased towards any theory which is usually hard to find in this genre.
this case is a rollercoaster, the investigation work is so bad in this case which is honestly why the case remained cold for so long.
It's a great book for anyone wanting to learn more about this case or even just get a feel for the true crime genre as a whole!
I am a huge true crime nerd so I was already familiar with Pam and Sherri's case. I really liked how the book was written and formatted! It didn't have a big biased towards any theory which is usually hard to find in this genre.
this case is a rollercoaster, the investigation work is so bad in this case which is honestly why the case remained cold for so long.
It's a great book for anyone wanting to learn more about this case or even just get a feel for the true crime genre as a whole!
August 31, 2023
I knew how the story ended, and I still found it riveting. I really felt the author did a superb job of giving all the details and yet helping the reader look at things through a lens of the time and place it happened. Thank goodness some investigators can follow facts and shame on those that have already reached a conclusion and push forward even if it's not factually supported.
April 12, 2023
A very detailed account of the investigation into the discovery of two teenage friends who seemingly vanished late one night driving a Studebaker Lark borrowed from a family member. If the initial investigation had been as thorough as the author’s account, the outcome would be radically different. If you like true crime fiction, this one is recommended.
October 8, 2023
A nonbiased look at the events that led to solving a 40 year old cold case. Lou did a great job explaining the events and the people who led up to it.
In a time where the public often blindly believes everything they're told without proof, this book begs the question to push for proof.
In a time where the public often blindly believes everything they're told without proof, this book begs the question to push for proof.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2023
Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were classmates riding around Vermilion on Memorial Day weekend Saturday, May 29, 1971. They decided to attend a high school party at a local gravel pit. They meet a car with 3 boys from high school and are told to follow them out to the party. The boys make a wrong turn and had to turn around and go back. The boys realize the girls weren't following them. They assumed the girls had taken the right turn or gone back to town. They were the last people who saw Pam and Sherrie. Where they were or had gone were only guesses.
The book follows the case of Pam and Sherri. Years later the cold case DCI on South Dakota takes on the case. They focus on one man who was in prison for life. Did he do it?
I attended Beresford high school with Sherri for 2 years and 3 years with the man accused of causing their disappearance. Sherri and I had several classes together. She was fun, caring, beautiful, sweet and humorous. She moved to Vermilion before the start of our junior year. I awoke Monday and my Mom told me Sherri and her friend were missing. For the next 40 plus years Beresford classmates questioned where Sherri might be.
The book does an amazing job of giving the reader a look into what happened, asking questions, why there was so many mistakes by police officers and finally answering what happened.
The book follows the case of Pam and Sherri. Years later the cold case DCI on South Dakota takes on the case. They focus on one man who was in prison for life. Did he do it?
I attended Beresford high school with Sherri for 2 years and 3 years with the man accused of causing their disappearance. Sherri and I had several classes together. She was fun, caring, beautiful, sweet and humorous. She moved to Vermilion before the start of our junior year. I awoke Monday and my Mom told me Sherri and her friend were missing. For the next 40 plus years Beresford classmates questioned where Sherri might be.
The book does an amazing job of giving the reader a look into what happened, asking questions, why there was so many mistakes by police officers and finally answering what happened.
May 27, 2023
A fascinating and very well written book. For those who like non fiction mysteries, I’d highly recommend!
January 20, 2023
Vanished in Vermilion by Lou Raguse
A crime that wasn’t really a crime, small town law officials, prejudice, rush to judgement all contributed to something that took over 40 years to solve.
Missing girls, who officials didn’t believe were really missing, but runaways.
In the 60’s & 70’s missing teenagers were usually listed as runaways, law officials were hampered with having to wait days before searching and even then a lot of times there was no urgency.
Haphazard search, limited search area,not questioning everyone who last saw them in the original investigation all contributed to years of wonder for 2 families.
Possible false repressed memories, rumors and innuendo started the second search over 20 years later. This effort was plagued by zeroing in on a man already serving time 227 years for rapes, then insisting his whole family was involved in covering up the crime. Relentless searches, destruction of property, fabrication of evidence and false information from a jailhouse snitch led to persecution that followed a family for years. No restitution publicly or financially was ever given to the family.
Fast forward to 2013, many family members of both the missing girls and the accused man have died without a closure. People are still interest in the case, some make attempts to try to find the girls by retracing the routes the girls may have take. Family members had been doing their own searches over the many years. It takes one person deciding to try one more time, by going in a different direction to solve a mystery that finally gave 3 families closure.
I was given this book by Net Galley in exchange for a fair review at Amazon, Facebook & GoodReads. If you like a good mystery, this should fit the bill.
A crime that wasn’t really a crime, small town law officials, prejudice, rush to judgement all contributed to something that took over 40 years to solve.
Missing girls, who officials didn’t believe were really missing, but runaways.
In the 60’s & 70’s missing teenagers were usually listed as runaways, law officials were hampered with having to wait days before searching and even then a lot of times there was no urgency.
Haphazard search, limited search area,not questioning everyone who last saw them in the original investigation all contributed to years of wonder for 2 families.
Possible false repressed memories, rumors and innuendo started the second search over 20 years later. This effort was plagued by zeroing in on a man already serving time 227 years for rapes, then insisting his whole family was involved in covering up the crime. Relentless searches, destruction of property, fabrication of evidence and false information from a jailhouse snitch led to persecution that followed a family for years. No restitution publicly or financially was ever given to the family.
Fast forward to 2013, many family members of both the missing girls and the accused man have died without a closure. People are still interest in the case, some make attempts to try to find the girls by retracing the routes the girls may have take. Family members had been doing their own searches over the many years. It takes one person deciding to try one more time, by going in a different direction to solve a mystery that finally gave 3 families closure.
I was given this book by Net Galley in exchange for a fair review at Amazon, Facebook & GoodReads. If you like a good mystery, this should fit the bill.
December 9, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
If you are a true-crime buff, this is the book for you. No spoilers ahead, so I won’t give you much of the story, and advise you not to look any further into the case. Just pick it up, start reading and wait for the twists and turns of a roller coaster ride, keeping you guessing as to how this story ends.
On May 29, 1971, Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were just a couple of 17 year old girls looking to do what teenagers do, party and drink beer. This was a first for the girls, and they weren’t quite sure how to get to the remote party location. Luckily, they ran into some boys from school who told the girls to follow them in their car. Somewhere along the way, the girls vanished from the face of the earth for the next 43 years. Unfortunately, they were treated as runaways, and not much was done to find them. Thirty years later, their case was reopened as a cold case and investigators had a chief suspect in mind. From that point, the book takes so many twists and turns, you won’t be sure what to believe. The story is gripping, and the author does a great job of keeping it easy to read while presenting all sides.
I will admit my main motivation for reading this book was the setting, South Dakota. We visited there many years ago, and I was picturing the remoteness of the Black Hills. It has always stuck in my mind that you could hide a body there without it ever being found. Should have looked at a map sooner, as Vermillion isn’t in the Black Hills. No matter, because this story was great.
https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/
If you are a true-crime buff, this is the book for you. No spoilers ahead, so I won’t give you much of the story, and advise you not to look any further into the case. Just pick it up, start reading and wait for the twists and turns of a roller coaster ride, keeping you guessing as to how this story ends.
On May 29, 1971, Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were just a couple of 17 year old girls looking to do what teenagers do, party and drink beer. This was a first for the girls, and they weren’t quite sure how to get to the remote party location. Luckily, they ran into some boys from school who told the girls to follow them in their car. Somewhere along the way, the girls vanished from the face of the earth for the next 43 years. Unfortunately, they were treated as runaways, and not much was done to find them. Thirty years later, their case was reopened as a cold case and investigators had a chief suspect in mind. From that point, the book takes so many twists and turns, you won’t be sure what to believe. The story is gripping, and the author does a great job of keeping it easy to read while presenting all sides.
I will admit my main motivation for reading this book was the setting, South Dakota. We visited there many years ago, and I was picturing the remoteness of the Black Hills. It has always stuck in my mind that you could hide a body there without it ever being found. Should have looked at a map sooner, as Vermillion isn’t in the Black Hills. No matter, because this story was great.
https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/
February 28, 2023
My true crime heart is exploding! I want the nitty gritty dirt. I want to feel like I’m on a couch with my best friend telling me some crazy, you won’t believe this story. Best friends never leave out the good stuff.
That is definitely the case with Vanished In Vermillion. I loved that I went in blind. Other than reading the book description i didn’t google the case so I had no idea what adventure I was on.
I listened to the audiobook which is also narrated by the author, Lou Raguse. He does an incredible job weaving together the story of what truly happened to Pam Jackson & Sherri Miller when they disappeared in 1971. Raguse’s research in the investigation uncovered how it failed from the beginning and an over eager cold case unit jeopardized the case over 30 years later. I won’t do spoilers but I did want to pull my hair out when it came to some of the suspects/informants.
I wanted and needed to know what happened to these two girls. I felt for the families who had to wait over 40 years for answers. This book was so well written and put together it made me feel like a close friend was telling me a story. No cliffhangers, no loose ends, all of my curiosities were answered with time. The writing style reminded me a little bit of Gregg Olsen’s true crime books. Which I’m a fan of. I really hope we get more true crime books from Lou Raguse.
TW- minor mention of rape/assault.
Thank you NetGalley, Lou Raguse, and Tantor Audio for providing me with an ARC audiobook for an honest review.
That is definitely the case with Vanished In Vermillion. I loved that I went in blind. Other than reading the book description i didn’t google the case so I had no idea what adventure I was on.
I listened to the audiobook which is also narrated by the author, Lou Raguse. He does an incredible job weaving together the story of what truly happened to Pam Jackson & Sherri Miller when they disappeared in 1971. Raguse’s research in the investigation uncovered how it failed from the beginning and an over eager cold case unit jeopardized the case over 30 years later. I won’t do spoilers but I did want to pull my hair out when it came to some of the suspects/informants.
I wanted and needed to know what happened to these two girls. I felt for the families who had to wait over 40 years for answers. This book was so well written and put together it made me feel like a close friend was telling me a story. No cliffhangers, no loose ends, all of my curiosities were answered with time. The writing style reminded me a little bit of Gregg Olsen’s true crime books. Which I’m a fan of. I really hope we get more true crime books from Lou Raguse.
TW- minor mention of rape/assault.
Thank you NetGalley, Lou Raguse, and Tantor Audio for providing me with an ARC audiobook for an honest review.
December 30, 2022
Received as an eARC.
Being a true crime fan, this was both interesting and frustrating to read. Poor police work from the get go. Laziness and just plain sad. It took over forty years for the case to be solved. Certain parts of the story dragged on more than i would have personally liked but, being a true story these things can be forgiven. Not the outcome i thought at the end after so much drama but glad the cold case was solved and the author brought light to this book so their story could be heard for years to come.
Being a true crime fan, this was both interesting and frustrating to read. Poor police work from the get go. Laziness and just plain sad. It took over forty years for the case to be solved. Certain parts of the story dragged on more than i would have personally liked but, being a true story these things can be forgiven. Not the outcome i thought at the end after so much drama but glad the cold case was solved and the author brought light to this book so their story could be heard for years to come.
May 10, 2023
On one hand this is a very compelling story but on the other hand, there was a lot of repetition that made it drag on. Overall, I was on the edge of my seat, but after all of that, they died in a car wreck?!! Omg the incompetence of law enforcement in that town at that time is mind blowing! Crazy story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2023
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
Vanished in Vermillion was a very well written true crime book about a notorious case in South Dakota. Having no prior knowledge of the case before reading the book, it was a real eye-opener. Unlike many true crime novels, this one didn't spend half the book giving background of the two missing girls, the area they were from, what the world was like at the time of their disappearance, etc., instead spending just enough time doing so to get you up to speed. It was only about 20% or so of the book before the primary suspect was unveiled, followed by his ignominious history and then the story of how he became the focus of law enforcement investigations. As he is painted as the very likely culprit, every here and there are smidgeons of doubt as to if everything being said about him is true. But as the story continues more and more damning testimony and the eventual pursuit by a cold case team makes everything seem like a foregone conclusion. Even worse, the complicity of his family appears to make the situation worse. And then a huge bombshell that unravels most of what you just read is revealed. Lou Raguse certainly did his due diligence in researching and writing this book, and produced one of the more captivating true crime stories I've read. 4.5 rounded up to 5*
Vanished in Vermillion was a very well written true crime book about a notorious case in South Dakota. Having no prior knowledge of the case before reading the book, it was a real eye-opener. Unlike many true crime novels, this one didn't spend half the book giving background of the two missing girls, the area they were from, what the world was like at the time of their disappearance, etc., instead spending just enough time doing so to get you up to speed. It was only about 20% or so of the book before the primary suspect was unveiled, followed by his ignominious history and then the story of how he became the focus of law enforcement investigations. As he is painted as the very likely culprit, every here and there are smidgeons of doubt as to if everything being said about him is true. But as the story continues more and more damning testimony and the eventual pursuit by a cold case team makes everything seem like a foregone conclusion. Even worse, the complicity of his family appears to make the situation worse. And then a huge bombshell that unravels most of what you just read is revealed. Lou Raguse certainly did his due diligence in researching and writing this book, and produced one of the more captivating true crime stories I've read. 4.5 rounded up to 5*
February 24, 2023
I enjoyed listening to this on behalf of NetGalley, Lou Raguse, and Tantor Audio. I'm a big fan of true crime podcasts, especially ones that cover the behind-the-scenes sequences of cold cases. It's been known for some time that this case in Vermillion, South Dakota, was one of law enforcement's biggest upset embarrassments because of how little effort they put into looking for these missing girls.
For the first time, we get internal thoughts, feelings, and opinions from family members and descendants of Pamela Jackson and Cheryl Miller centered around this infamous night. Raguse sets the scene for the cultural climate during the mid to late seventies, setting up a prime example of what NOT to do in a missing persons case.
If you're a fan of solving true crime cases, Vanished in Vermillion is for you!
For the first time, we get internal thoughts, feelings, and opinions from family members and descendants of Pamela Jackson and Cheryl Miller centered around this infamous night. Raguse sets the scene for the cultural climate during the mid to late seventies, setting up a prime example of what NOT to do in a missing persons case.
If you're a fan of solving true crime cases, Vanished in Vermillion is for you!
April 8, 2023
In May 1971, Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were two seventeen-year-olds driving to an end-of-the-school-year party in a rundown Studebaker Lark when they seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. Police back then didn’t do enough to try and find them. Investigators thirty years later did too much. Two families endure decades of pain as they await answers of what happened to their girls. When a third family is pulled into the mystery, they quickly learn their nightmare is just beginning. This is a bizarre case full of twists and turns. In the 70's the police hardly did nothing to find the girls just chalking it up as a runaway case. It would take over 40 yrs. for the truth to finally come out. This is a highly researched book that kept me reading until the very end. If you like true crime that reads like a thriller then you would love this book.
July 3, 2023
I always enjoy reading books that involve local history. This one was well written and thought out and it felt eerie knowing that it was literally a half an hour away and involved people we could have known. The area where the women disappeared was also about two miles away from where we frequently camp so this one hit home.
The investigative reporter on this did an excellent job telling the history of the girls and covering all the bases of what happened within all aspects of the case.
I think even people outside of South Dakota could find this interesting and informative on the workings of small town/state police investigations.
The investigative reporter on this did an excellent job telling the history of the girls and covering all the bases of what happened within all aspects of the case.
I think even people outside of South Dakota could find this interesting and informative on the workings of small town/state police investigations.
March 8, 2023
"In May 1971, Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were two seventeen-year-olds driving to an end-of-the-school-year party in a rundown Studebaker Lark when they seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. Police back then didn’t do enough to try and find them. The result of hundreds of interviews, Vanished in Vermillion is a cold case story that flips the script on a typical investigation narrative, revealing the biggest law enforcement embarrassment in South Dakota history."
This true story is interesting, no doubt. But, the book was much longer than it should have been and overfly focused on unnecessary details making it quite repetitive. This book is more about the failures of the justice system than anything else so beware if you are looking for a riveting true crime about a crazed murderer or rapist - you may be disappointed. Super important story to document, Lou Ragusa clearly did a lot of hard journalism work.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.
This true story is interesting, no doubt. But, the book was much longer than it should have been and overfly focused on unnecessary details making it quite repetitive. This book is more about the failures of the justice system than anything else so beware if you are looking for a riveting true crime about a crazed murderer or rapist - you may be disappointed. Super important story to document, Lou Ragusa clearly did a lot of hard journalism work.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews