Mysteries of the missing

"Mysteries of the Missing" by Edward H. Smith is a true crime book from the early 1900s that examines unexplained disappearances and abductions, showing the human fascination with unanswered questions about people who vanish. The book features famous cases, like the kidnapping of Charlie Ross, giving the reader details about historical crime. The first chapter introduces the idea of people disappearing, focusing on the enduring attraction of a missing person’s story using the 1874 kidnapping of Charlie Ross as an example. Two men used candy to lure young Walter and Charlie Ross into their carriage and then kidnapped Charlie. The story shows the pain of the parents involved in the case, the public panic, and the early investigation that shows the authorities struggling to handle the situation. The gripping introduction prepares the reader for a journey through different strange disappearances during history.