October 2026

In THE VANISHING FAMILY, Robert Kolker brings readers the story of a family whose lives have been upended by a rare form of frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

For a long time, this unnamed family with nine children from Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania, has no idea what is happening to their matriarch. After years of taking care of everyone, she suddenly shows no interest in Barb --- the youngest child, who is living at home and was born a decade after her eight other siblings --- or herself. Instead she becomes withdrawn, and no one can figure out why this once vibrant woman has changed so dramatically. Her husband has left their marriage, and for a time there are thoughts that maybe that had something to do with it. She dies from cancer before they can learn anything else. 

But then one of the daughters begins to exhibit very similar tendencies in her 40s, followed by another. The family realizes that this may be something bigger than just getting older and retreating. One of the sisters takes over care for a sibling who clearly needs help on an ongoing basis. As their story unfolds, she brings the same level of care to others in the family who also fall prey to FTD. 

The family seeks answers, and the Mayo Clinic helps them on the road to being tested, which will determine whether or not they carry the genetic mutation for the disease. Kolker explores not only those who have FTD, but the family members who are aware that with a simple swab they can be tested. Who wants to know? Who prefers to be kept in the dark? 

Why is this mutation so interesting? It can lead to a breakthrough in the prevention and treatment of all dementia --- including Alzheimer’s disease. 

When Kolker delivers scientific information, he writes in such a way that even a person with no more than a basic knowledge of the subject, like me, can understand what happens to unleash this consequence.

Readers may remember Kolker’s #1 New York Times bestseller, HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD, which focuses on the Galvins. By the mid-1970s, six of the 10 boys in that family were diagnosed with schizophrenia. THE VANISHING FAMILY gives readers that same very deep but engaging experience.