Reviews

Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea

bdholloway256's review

mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

 

This is my first Charlie Donlea book or audiobook. I’ve heard others say he writes in crack format - you know, impossible to put down. They’re not wrong. He writes books that are scary but gripping.  I alternated between telling myself to stop & at the same time canceling plans so I could finish. And he doesn’t just write run of the mill thrillers- this book has substance and it is very, very good. Currently headed to the libby app to download all things Charlie Donlea.  He is definitely a new favorite author for me! 

Thank you NetGalley & RB Media for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.  

 

lindseybluher's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

a_stylish_bookworm's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

I recently discovered Charlie Donlea and was excited to read this upcoming thriller. I love the premise of this story with Sloan submitting her DNA for a genealogy research and learns she is actually a baby that disappeared 30 years ago. Sloan goes to Nevada to find out about her biological family as well as what happened to the Sheriff's grandfather. 

Vivienne Leheny did a great job with the narration and kept me engrossed with the story with both the past and current timelines. The reveal of what happened was a bit far fetched and I enjoyed this over all. 

Thank you @recordedbooks @kensingtonbooks @netgalley for a copy of the audiobook.

debs_shelves's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense

4.5

Sloan Hastings is working toward being a forensic pathologist and has landed a highly sought fellowship in the field.  Her dissertation topic is forensics in genealogy.

She submits her DNA to a site.  She was hesitant because she was adopted and never sought out her history.  But it could be good for her career to do this and her adoptive parents are supportive.

This definitely opens a can of worms.  Secrets come out.  Regarding her birth parents AND her adoptive parents.

The final reveal is shocking and well done!  The audio was fantastic and this book had my attention from start to finish.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books for an eARC and RB Media for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

katrenia's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

The story had an interesting premise, starting off with some shocking DNA test results. I like the writing style of alternating timelines to unravel the mystery in present day by walking through the actual events in the past. It is well written, with a somewhat surprising ending. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

vittoria_bernacchi's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I'm usually more a fan of YA thrillers, but this one kept me on my toes for the entire time. The storyline is very easy to follow even if it has dual timeline and the narration is really good. I just wish in the end it took more a darker path but I still enjoyed it.
Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for a digital listening copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own

galaxy781's review

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a great read! The suspense started on page one and made me want to keep reading. I enjoyed the character and plot development. It wasn't too slow but detailed enough. The story didn't seem cheesy or conveniently written to satisfy a well placed twist that thriller writers rely on. The story wasn't completely original but it still seemed new and exciting. 

The main character, Sloan, was cool without being pretentious or cliche- which could have easily been done with her obsession with cross fit! I loved loved loved the varying timelines and multiple POV. The ending unfolded in several different viewpoints of the same situation- that was fun. The readers are also left with a tidbit that the characters do not know. I thought that was a nice touch. 

The audio was fantastic. I really enjoyed the tone of the narrator. I didn't even seem to notice there was a single narrator because her male voice impersonation was pretty good. I'm usually not a fan of females modeling deeper voices. The chapter transitions were smooth and there was good intonation and inflection during the tense sections. I highly recommend the audiobook if you have a choice! Thank you #netgalley and #charliedonlea #LongTimeGone for a copy of this amazing read. All my opinions are unbiased.

sandradanielle__'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

rachelmeinke's review

3.75

Sloan Hastings’ life is turned upside down when she submits her DNA to a genealogy website and discovers she is the long lost daughter of Preston and Annabelle Margolis who vanished along with their infant daughter. She tries to put the pieces together of what happened and discovers there’s much more to the story than she initially thought.

I liked this story. It got my attention immediately and made me want to keep reading all the way through. A few aspects were a little far fetched and hard to believe for me though.

bsenter's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! It had me hooked from the beginning and kept me interested throughout. There were some pretty wild twists and very descriptive moments that will definitely stick with me.