A hard book to read but one I'm glad i took the time to invest in it. The details the author gave made me feel like i was reliving the crime. Definitely a book that will stay with me for months if not years.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and did not have to write a review. All opinions are solely mine.

In this page turning true crime novel we follow Detective Kay in her pursuit of finding out what happened to Janice Starr. I couldn’t put this book down and now that I’m done, I can’t stop thinking about Janice and Kay’s story.
Janice was coming into adulthood and trying to find her feet in this world. She followed her heart and unfortunately trusted someone whom should have been a mentor and rock in her life.
Kay was a badass detective coming up in her career during a time when women were not seen as equals. She broke the glass ceiling for women in law enforcement. Her determination was so inspiring.
This was written so gracefully. It flowed seamlessly and I didn’t feel like facts and timelines were just being thrown at me.
I recommend this for all true crime lovers and I can’t wait to check out more from this author.

Terrific telling from the 1981 disappearance of US Army Veteran Janice Starr by the detective on her case. Very thorough reporting of the facts as told by witnesses, friends and family. In times when women were not traditionally accepted in certain professions Detective Kay remained steadfast in her belief and proved her competence in resolving the matter. The conclusion of this case is devastating for the families this tragedy affected.

This is the fourth book by Ron Peterson and like the others, focusing on old cases of missing or murdered women in the state of Virginia. Having read his other books, I was looking forward to this one.

In the Wind tells the true story of Janice Starr who was a student at ODU in 1981. She disappears late in the year and detective Kay Schucker is assigned to her case. It is frustrating to read the amount of roadblocks and sexism that Kay Schucker encounters that hinders her investigation. However, her perseverance and determination are the driving force of this book and you cannot put it down once you start reading.

Ron did an excellent job focusing on Kay's POV in the book. This is one story that will stay with me for a long time. I can only hope that there are more Kay Schuckers out there today working missing person cases. Knowing this is a true story and happened in Virginia has quite an impact when reading it. I'd highly recommend it to friends, patrons, and fans of true crime.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advance copy in exchange for the honest review.

Janice Starr, a 23 year old student an Old Dominion University in Norfolk VA, goes missing. She was an army veteran in the ROTC program. Kay Schucker, the only woman on the Chesapeake Police force, takes on the case to find Janice Starr. Her ROTC professor, Dwight Beddingfield had an affair with Janice. He had Janice make him a beneficiary of her life insurance policy for $344. Kay is ridiculed by the male police officers she works with as they make friends with Dwight. Kay vows to find Janice's killer and puts pressure on Dwight who eventually kills himself. This is a true crime story about a woman detective who took on the man who killed Janice Starr. I look forward to read another true crime book by Ron Peterson Jr. If you love true crime, then you would love this book. Highly recommended!

A really interesting look a one detective's determined search to solve the disappearance of a young woman. I was fascinated by how frustrating it must have been to be a female detective in a time when misogyny in the workplace was even more rife than today. This was heartbreaking and gripping to read.

On an average day in the United States, about 1,500 reports are filed on missing persons. The overwhelming majority usually turn up within forty-eight to seventy-two hours.

I don’t want to give too much away, while writing this review!

The disappearance and murder of Janice Starr, is not a well known case in the sense it never received the media saturation that the serial killer cases did from that Era.

In the Wind by Ron Peterson Jr follows the disappearance and subsequently the murder of Janice Starr. A coed who disappeared from ODU’s Norfolk, Virginia campus, without a trace.

Ron takes the reader inside the police investigation that saw one, Detective Kay Schucker's excellent investigation skills and determination, provide answers to this case.

He also highlights the discrimination and sexual harassment women working in man dominated fields endured. And in Janice Starr’s case the victim shaming.

Exceptionally well written, you do not have to be a true crime fan to like this book. Nonetheless if you are a true crime fan then this is a must read!

When I started this book, I only intended to read a chapter or two. I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. That's how easily the story glided from one page to another. It turned out to be more a story of the investigation of Janice Starr's disappearance, though, than a complex story about what happened to her. That was fine with me. It wasn't a complicated murder case. It was instead an outrageous account of what would have been totally shoddy police work, if not for one detective.

Detective Kay Schucker, the only female detective on the Chesapeake, VA police force, refused to allow her male colleagues to disregard all the evidence that went against their theory that Ms. Starr was a "promiscuous" young woman, who probably ran off with some guy. Even when Detective Schucker felt she had excellent proof of where Janice Starr's body was dumped, she was told there was no more time to give to the case, and she would have to pursue her theory on her own time.

After the body was found and the case closed, the widow of the murderer wanted the money from Ms. Starr's life insurance policies paid to her, since her husband was listed as the beneficiary. Talk about outrageous! I will now have to look for more true crime books by Ron Peterson Jr. He knows how to pick a crime and he knows how to tell the story of the crime in a most readable way; with no repetition, no tedious details, and no going off in all sorts of unrelated directions.

Sad story but well worth reading. Ron Petterson, Jr. does an excellent job in keeping this true story of murder suspenseful but also with the facts and no conjecture. I liked the update of all the people in this story whereabouts and how this crime affected their lives. I will definitely recommend to others.

This is a true crime book about the 1981 disappearance of Janice Starr, a student at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. I am very familiar with this area, and ODU, so I was interested in reading this. Janice Starr was an army veteran who was pursuing her degree and ROTC program at ODU. She was 23 years old when she went missing.

Kay Schucker was a new detective on the Chesapeake Police force. She was also the first female detective on the force. Kay is first concerned that this is a homicide when she visits Janice's apartment after receiving a call from a concerned friend. Janice has not been seen in over a week. When Kay enters the apartment, it is very clean, but there is a dried ring of a brownish substance in the tub. The forensic investigator agrees with Kay that there is something suspicious.

Kay has difficulty convincing her male superiors and fellow detectives that this needs to be investigated, even after discovering Janice's very descriptive diaries. She continues to investigate this case, and also continues to go against the male hierarchy.

I found the story of Kay fascinating, and inspiring. She pursues the case, while possibly jeopardizing her career. Even when she gets hard evidence, it is not until some peer pressure happens, that she is able to proceed.

I also understood how Kay connected to this case. As she looked into Janice Starr, she found a kindred spirit. Janice was also going against the male hierarchy in the army. Both women put up with name calling, sexual harassment, reminders that they should "leave it to the men". The strength and perseverance that it took for them to pursue their dreams in a man's world was inspiring.

The unfolding of the case is straight forward and fast paced. It was eye opening to see how far we have come in forensics!

There were times that too much background was given on each character. There is a scene where Kay and her daughter are driving (the daughter is 17), and they have a discussion on when Kay lost her virginity and sex. This was very unnecessary, and kind of jarring in the middle of a high point in the investigation. I understand that the author wanted us to see all sides of Kay, but maybe he could have used another scene?

Overall, this is a very fast paced, interesting story. Kay went on to have a stellar career with the CPD. I highly recommend to readers who like true crime- and maybe are looking for something a little less known.

Thank you NetGalley and Post Hill Press for the ARC. This is my honest, voluntary review.

this true crime book, following the disappearance and murder of Janice Starr, was such a mind gripping read. i have always had a love for true crime and this story did not disappoint. as always, it was such a heartbreaking account of what goes into finding out what happens to victims of crimes. the author did such an amazing job at describing in detail of the accounts leading up to the discovery of Janice Starr. 30 years later, and my heart still goes out to the family and friends of this sweet girl. i highly recommend reading this book!

Before reading this book, I was unaware of Janice’s case. The author’s writing is highly engaging and had me hooked me from the very first page. The author used vivid descriptions but in a story-telling type of way that made it easy to picture the events unfolding in my mind.

The book not only delves into Janice’s case but also explores the challenges faced by Kay Schucker, the lone woman detective in a male-dominated police force. Kay’s unwavering determination and persistence, even when dismissed by her male colleagues and superiors, bring Janice’s story to light. Kay’s journey exemplifies the strength and determination of women and it shed light on the gender disparities and power dynamics.

Having read numerous books about murder and true crime, this one hit different. I felt an overwhelming sadness for Janice and her tragic fate after finishing this book. I also enjoyed the author included a “where are they now?” section at the end. May she rest in peace.

Thank you to the publisher Post Hill Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC copy of this book. I love anything true crime and I had never heard of Janice Starr and her disappearance in 1981. Her investigation took longer than it should have based on the fact that an all male investigative team refused to look at the clues right in front of them. The only female detective on the case took a lot of grief and hardship proving that Janice did not simply go off on her own freewill. In The Wind is well written and does a great job at explaining the timeline of Janice's disappearance. If you enjoy true crime, this book should be read.

There is almost absolutely nothing to be found online about this case.

A very, very frustrating story with a case that never would have been solved if it wasn't for one determined female detective.

Very heavy on the misogyny and sexism (as goes with the time)

The military is shady as and will do anything to protect its own.

Janice Starr, a young college co-ed, goes missing in 1981 without a trace. Or, actually, there were tons of traces. The all-male cops on the case simply didn't want to pay attention to them. Kay Schucker, the lone woman on the force, takes up Janice's case and brings her story to light, ultimately proving that she is a badass and the men around her were trash.

Peterson's writing was very comprehensive and flowed in an exhilarating narrative. Kay and Janice's story is that of feminine strength, resilience, and the gender inequalities and power struggles that shaped their fates. While much of the inequality is "of the time," sadly women still frequently face such unfairness in judgement.

In the Wind is the fascinating true crime story telling how a persistent and tenacious Detective fought apathy and sexism ,to the extent of putting her job on the line, to investigate the disappearance of a young student.
Detective Kay Schucker was the first female detective in her department, something that her sexist and patronising colleagues and some of her bosses didn't appreciate.
In 1981 college student Janice Starr vanished without trace. Kay Schuker was the Lead investigator and what she discovered in Janice's diary greatly concerned her,not least her relationship with Army Captain Dwight Beddingfield. That same diary had Kay's colleagues labelling dismissing the missing student as a good time girl who had probably just moved on and not believing that the well-respected Army Captain was anything less than an upstanding family man.
With both herself and the missing girl being criticised,derided and fobbed off Kay decided to launch her own unofficial investigation, something that nearly got her fired.

This is a true story that reads like a work of fiction, from the feisty and determined female detective who won't give up to the extremely unusual methods used in the investigation to the shocking conclusion.

The book highlights the awful attitudes to women at the time, or probably more accurately the lack of any need to hide them back then. People who should have listened to and helped Kay Schucker instead ridiculed her and actually tried to block her investigation.

An excellent read.

Peterson told Janice Starr’s story in a way that really captivated the reader. I was intrigued and wanted to know more about the life and death of Janice, which kept me reading. A well researched and written book.

"In the Wind" by Ron Peterson is a non-fiction true crime story of tragedy and perseverance. Janice Starr, 23, transfers to the Army Reserves in hopes of obtaining her degree so she can commission. Many describe her as sweet, kind, smart, and focused. Janice goes to Old Dominion University in Virginia, until one day she just disappears. Officer Kay Schucker is determined to find Janice and arrest the perpetrator, however, she faces tough obstacles as being the first female cop in their district. While Kay navigates the system, she's told to tread lightly and to quickly solve the case-whether that includes finding Janice or not.

This story highlights how foul play among our service members has been happening for decades. I recommend reading to keep Janice Starr's memory alive.

In the Wind
The Disappearance of Janice Starr
by Ron Peterson
4 stars

Disturbingly fascinating book about the disappearance and murder of Janice Starr. Ron Peterson has done a remarkable job of filling in the holes of her disappearance with painstaking research into the life and death of Ms. Starr, whose life was cut far too short after falling for the wrong man.
I had not heard of Peterson or Janice Starr prior to this book, but he is a talented author and writer. I appreciate when true crime writers do not sensationalize the death or the killer. I highly recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

This was a very enjoyable true crime read about a tenacious woman detective who has to overcome and ignore her male counterpart's derision to solve a case and ultimately recover the victim’s body for the family. Very inspiring story of detective investigating a sad loss in a crazy case.