Paulides' new 'Missing 411' book continues look at unusual disappearances

I finished reading a great book over the weekend, and I think that many in the reading audience will also find it interesting, especially hunters, hikers, campers and other outdoorsmen.

Investigative reporter and former police detective David Paulides released “Missing 411: Off the Grid” in late October, and once I started reading it, I couldn’t hardly put it down. “Off the Grid” is the seventh book in Paulides’ “Missing 411” series, which details highly unusual missing person cases from the United States and other countries. This latest 401-page book contains information on hundreds of bizarre disappearances from 30 states and six foreign countries that aren’t described in Paulides’ earlier books.

Paulides doesn’t just present run-of-the-mill missing person cases, only those that meet a pre-established set of unusual profile points that he looks for while combing through thousands of missing persons reports. These cases typically involve incidents in which tracking dogs either inexplicably lose a missing person’s scent or unable to find a scent at all. He also describes cases in which unusual weather plays a role, either by delaying or halting search efforts.

Paulides also takes a close look at cases in which the missing person is found, but with certain items of clothing either missing or worn improperly. I was surprised by the number of cases in the book in which people are found with one or both shoes missing for no apparent good reason. In some cases, the person isn’t found at all, only their clothes.

Paulides also details cases that involve individuals with disabilities and illnesses as well as cases that involve bodies of water, boulders and granite, and swamps and bogs. Through his research, Paulides has identified “clusters” around the country where unusual disappearances happen frequently, especially in and around national parks.

Paulides also discusses how the National Park Service and other government agencies have been less than helpful when it comes to providing him with information for his books. I think that Paulides is on to something highly unusual with his research, and I think that the National Park Service and other government agencies should be compelled to assist him to the fullest, especially when it comes to public information requests. Believe me, if one of my relatives were missing in one of these areas, I would be highly upset to know that the government was either dragging its feet (or covering up something) regarding their disappearance.

With that said, I really enjoyed reading about how professional search-and-rescue and law enforcement personnel conduct missing person searches in remote parts of our country. Members of our local rescue squad, firefighters and law enforcement officers will likely find this latest “Missing 411” book very interesting.

In the end, copies of Paulides’ latest book are $24.99 each, plus shipping and handling, and can be purchased online at www.canammissing.com. If you enjoy “Off the Grid,” I highly recommend that you check out the other six books in the series, which include the original “Missing 411” book, “Missing 411: Western United States & Canada,” “Missing 411: A Sobering Coincidence,” “Missing 411: Hunters,” “Missing 411: North America and Beyond” and “Missing 411: Eastern United States.” I’ve read several of these, and they are just as thought-provoking and intriguing as his latest book.