Gone – Ruby Speechley

When Rachel’s son Shay doesn’t come home, Rachel jumps into action, trying to find out from all Shay’s friends when they last heard from him, and praying he isn’t in trouble again.

When she goes through Shay’s laptop, she finds a half written email, warning her to not trust David, her new boyfriend. She knows the boys have had trouble with her moving on, and moving David in, but Rachel just hopes that’s Shay’s way of rebelling. When she looks further, she discovers Shay may have been targeted, and possibly been blackmailed.

When Rachel finds out other kids have also gone missing, kids that have been blackmailed as well, Rachel knows this goes deeper than she ever could have imagined. But when David is hesitant at paying any ransom, Rachel wonders what he is hiding from her, what he really knows about the kids disappearing.

This book was one that captivated me right from the beginning. When a child goes missing, you begin to suspect everyone involved, and turn into an investigator yourself. I failed in figuring this one out. I never could have guessed the dark turn this one would take, and how everything would play out. Ruby Speechley took a relevant worldly topic, internet safety, and shows how dark of a world it really can be out there when the safety isn’t taken seriously.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. This one deserves a great ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5!

I love thrillers. Call me crazy, but after a long day of being a human, I like to settle down into the comfort of a hair-raising story. It turns my brain off of my own stress and allows me to safely stress about the story instead. Gone by Ruby Speechley fit that bill and then some.

The premise is simple enough; a teenage boy, Shay, gets in with the wrong crowd and starts acting up at home. One night, he sneaks out to go to a forbidden party in the woods nearby. The next morning, police are at his door because someone has been attacked and Shay has gone missing. The twists and turns in this story are pretty great. One missing kid turns into a group of kids from Shay's school disappearing one by one, leaving no trace behind. As Shay's mom digs further into the disappearances, she begins to see that nothing is as it seems; not the party, not the disappearances, not who she thought her son was, and not her boyfriend, David.

This book had me stressed. I could tell that something was off throughout the whole book but I could never quite place my finger on it. I love when I don't see the end coming!

This is every bit as twisty and gripping as I had hoped. This deliciously dark book really hit the spot for me and might possibly be the author’s best book yet. There is nothing to dislike about this one.

This is an unpredictable read which has kept me hooked from the beginning. A missing child is the centre of this one and it is a book that will make your heart race.

Speechley has transported me and I’ve felt as though I’ve been watching this one play out in front of me. This is a truly BRILLIANT read and I can’t wait to see what this author has coming for us next. This is a must for the TBR.

This book had me hooked from the beginning. As a mother with three small children, I have the teenage years to come, and this would be my worst nightmare. Throughout the story, I didn't know who to trust and kept second-guessing EVERY character. I can tell you now that I would never have guessed that outcome. It was Truelly shocking. A gripping race against time read. A heart pounding story of trying to find your son with some shocking secrets emerging. But when his friends start going missing too, this soon becomes a much bigger problem. What would you do to get your child back? I'd do everything and anything. Brilliant read. Brilliantly written. Highly recommend. A well-deserved four stars from me. *BLOG tour*

This is a great edge of your seat thriller, that had me hooked from the first chapter and I couldn't stop reading i needed to have answers. This is one of my favourite books in this genre and would recommend it in a heartbeat. I didn't expect that ending and I don't think I will it forget for a long time. I was new to Ruby Speechley when I joined a tour for RachelsRandomResources and yet again doing that has found me another autobuy author, and if you love a dark, twisty thriller I recommend you try her too.

Enjoyable missing child drama, I did feel sorry for poor Shay with all the trouble he had got himself into! Whilst the story about his disappearance was certainly tense and interesting, I found the parents going about their day to day life a bit unbelievable. Plenty of twists and surprises, but I found Rachel, Shay's mother, to be far too naive and trusting. However, who really knows how they would react in a situation like this I guess!

If you’re looking for an edge of your seat thriller that will keep you wake at night, Gone is the book you need!
Ruby Speechley plays on the stuff parental nightmares are made of. Teens are so unpredictable, moody and emotional so when Rachel’s son Shay goes missing after sneaking out to a party, everyone assumes he will turn up with his tail between his legs soon. When this doesn’t happen, Rachel begins to uncover things about Shay that are disturbing. Is Shay a victim, or worse?
Gone really highlights the issues of parenting an older teenager. Not really a child anymore but still not quite an adult but definitely not ready be completely independent. Rachel isn’t a perfect mother (Who is?) but she is trying to raise and protect her children to the best of her ability. I really felt for her at some point and she tackled a lot of this on her own. Rachel is torn between finding her son and protecting him from trouble and you can really feel her anguish, whilst she tries to hold things together for her other son Josh.
As well as the tensions of a missing child, some characters are not as trustworthy as others and this adds to the tension and suspense of the plot. I wasn’t sure who to trust and became suspicious of most characters.
The tension builds up to an explosive, and unexpected ending which I didn’t see coming at all despite building many theories.
Gone is an addictive and captivating thriller and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Once I started I couldn't stop as I became quickly invested into the plot. Gone is a fast paced thriller and that focused on missing lad Shay. Has his mother unknowingly put him at risk by inviting boyfriend David to move in with them?

There are plenty of twists and turns throughout that lead up to an explosive ending. How did I not know that was coming? Wow!

I read the book in one sitting as the whole 'one more chapter' thing didn't work so well, not on a book as compelling and gripping as this one.

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ruby Speechley's brand new psychological thriller revolves around every parents biggest fear, a missing child. I am a big fan of this author, and when she has a new book, I just have to read it.

Rachel's son, Shay, is missing after sneaking out to go to a party. A girl was attacked at the same party. Is Shay anything to do with this? Or his friends? Rachel wants her son back, so she decides to start searching for clues. Her biggest issue being, she doesn't know who to trust.

With a prologue that grabs you immediately, this is such an original psychological thriller. It's unlike any other missing child story I have read. Ruby Speechley has definitely made this such an addictive read. It had me so interested I had to literally tear myself away from my kindle to get anything else done.

It's a book that made me think. It's very relevant to today's world and it raises questions as the story develops. The quality of the writing made me feel like I was on an emotional rollercoasterand among characters that felt real. I didn't like a lot of them but that added to the suspense of the story.

This is a gritty, unpredictable and twisty thriller that ticked all my boxes to make it a fabulous read. Yet another Ruby Speechley thriller that I can recommend to any psychological thriller readers.

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the copy of the book.

Shay, a sixteen year old boy, has gone missing having sneaked out to a party in the woods. His mother isn't too worried to begin with as he is becoming rather rebellious and stays over at friends quite frequently. When she can't get hold of him she starts to worry which is exacerbated when she finds out a girl has been attacked, unable to speak due to her head injuries at the same rave. Shays hoodie turns up when the police get involved and then a ransom which the family keep to themselves as they have been warned no police.
This was a page turner of a read and there were lots of suspects both people and actions. A partner who is new and rather secretive about past parts of his life - can he be trusted? When a son who is into the wrong sort of things and the parents don’t know- has he been led or bribed and why does he owe such an extortionate amount of money? This is a thrilling read and maybe even a cautionary tale, despite being fiction and how sometimes some may do almost anything for love. An interesting read.
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A missing child is terrifying, no matter what their age. The book cover makes you think it's a young child and is kind of misleading, but Rachel's teenage son Shay is the missing child. In some ways, this is even scarier than a young child being snatched because Shay may have been involved in something nefarious. He goes missing after attending a party where a girl is attacked, and other teenagers soon go off the grid also. What is going on? Did Shay have something to do with the attack on the girl? Was Shay involved in something else, since his behavior and attitude have gone downhill lately? The book was suspenseful and I felt for the mother as she tried to find her son and figure out what was going on.

An overly naive woman is often the main character in thrillers but I’m a bit tired of them now especially when the plot relies so heavily on this being the case The idea could have worked just as well if developed along a slightly different curve but it wasn’t awful just not fabulous. Sorry damned by feint praise there.

Gone was an intense read from the start. Rachel is a mother of 2 sons, Shay 16, and Josh. She has recently let her boyfriend David move it.

Shay has been getting into trouble and acting up recently and Rachel told him he was not allowed to go to the party in the woods. On the morning after the party, she wakes up to find Shay gone.

Where has he gone?

A child going missing no matter their age is a parent’s worst nightmare and I know that I would do absolutely everything in my power to find them, just like Rachel did.

I liked Rachel’s character and I felt for her every step of the way.

My thoughts on David were that I didn’t like him. He should never have gone against Rachel’s wishes. He is not the boy’s father and is a new addition to the family dynamic.

I felt every emotion while reading this and I kept saying to myself well past bedtime, just one more chapter. I need to know what happens.

I have read other books from Ruby Speechley and they have never disappointed this one was up there with the others I have read. Gripping, Chilling and Great Reads!

Brilliant writing! Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I would recommend to lovers of this genre without hesitation. I also wasn't expecting the ending. This was my first time reading this author, but won't be my last. Much thanks to Boldwood Books and netgalley for the ARC of this book.

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

My son is missing...and everyone is lying to me...

I thought I had read Ruby Speechley before but I was surprised to discover that I haven't. I think I probably requested one of her books on Netgalley...and it's still sitting there waiting to be read (along with a zillion others...lol) I knew she was a domestic thriller writer so I was eager to jump right in and I wasn't disappointed...but I was surprised. GONE was not at all what I expected. And from what I've read of others' opinions, it is a departure from her usual style. But I certainly wasn't disappointed.

Rachel is a thirtysomething life coach and mum separated from her husband Mick and father of her two sons Shay (16) and Josh (13). Still living in the family home (until Josh is eighteen), she has been seeing a new man David for several months and when his own home burns down, Rachel, eager to help asks him to move in. Her eldest son Shay is not thrilled by this change in events with the boys naturally hoping their parents would make it up and get back together. He begins acting out and Rachel puts his behaviour down to his refusal to accept David.

When Shay receives an invite to an illegal party taking place in the woods, Rachel puts her foot down and refuses to allow him to attend because his recent behaviour has seen him grounded. The following morning, she opens the door to her son' musty room to discover his bed has not been slept in and the window unlatched. A search of the house and surrounds reveal Shay is nowhere to be found. Countless attempts to reach him on his mobile prove fruitless and messages to him go unread. Where is he?

Then Rachel discovers Shay was at the party in the woods but no one seems to know what happened to him or where he went afterwards. When it is revealed that a girl was attacked and that Shay was seen with her, Rachel can't believe her son has anything to do with harming her. Shay couldn't harm anyone. And yet he seems to have fled so she is unable to find out what he knows. It is looking increasingly like Shay has become a suspect in this girl's attack...until another teen goes missing. One who was friends with Shay. This cannot be a coincidence.

But the further Rachel digs to find out what could possibly have happened to Shay the further down the rabbit hole she is taken into a seedy, dark and disturbing world she had no idea existed. What in the world has happened to her son? And will she ever see him again?

This story is just wow! It is an intense and compelling read throughout that you just don't want to put it down. You just want to keep reading and find out what happened to Shay. The plot is tight and complex yet without being confusing. I like that it isn't a police procedural and more of a domestic thriller, though the police do linger in the background doing their stuff and popping up when needed. But the story focuses solely on Rachel and everything unfolds through her perspective, flowing seamlessly, making it easy to follow and yet the pace is fast.

I felt no one in Rachel's life could be trusted, apart from Josh who was so desperate to have his big brother back and maybe her ex Mick, who seemed a damn sight more worried than David appeared to be. This added to the tension and ramped up the pace even more leaving readers questioning just who could Rachel trust? If anyone? The moment she goes to confide in someone I'm screaming "NOOOOOO!! Don't!!" because I didn't trust that person not to be involved or know something. It seemed everyone was keeping secrets from her making it is even harder to know just who to trust.

The mystery of Shay's disappearance and all he was involved in prior to him going missing throws another aspect into the story. Does whatever Shay was involved in have anything to do with his disappearance? And will Rachel ever see her son alive again? The mystery surrounding his disappearance and its aftermath had me utterly gripped and reading into the wee hours of the morning.

I love a good missing child trope but this is on a whole other scale that not even the most seasoned fan could imagine where it will lead. It is surprising, shocking, twisty and disturbing. It, is in, places a dark read. And in the end, I found it a very sad one and was in tears. Or maybe that's just me just now.

There are a couple of niggles that I felt weren't addressed by the story's end...aside from the fact the cover has nothing at all to do with the story, leading one to believe it is a small child that goes missing instead of a teenager, it is totally off track to what it's all about. There were unsent/unfinished emails in Shay's drafts folder that were unexplained. What was that all about? And who were the teens Rachel saw knocking on Shay's window? Though assumptions were made, that also wasn't made clear. Apart from that, this was a 5 star read.

My first my Ruby Speechley, this won't be my last. I loved every minute of this thrill ride and look forward to seeking out more by this author.

GONE is a well written, well plotted tale that was unpredictable with many twists to keep you guessing. If you are a fan of domestic thrillers, then I'm sure you will enjoy this one.

I would like to thank #RubySpeechley, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #Gone in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

3.5 ⭐

Featuring ~ single 3rd person POV, missing children, slow burn, unnecessary secrets

Rachel's 16 year old son, Shay, has been acting strangely ever since her boyfriend, David, moved in. But then one night he doesn't come home from party in the woods, a party that he was grounded from going to. And then more kids from the school begin to go missing as well. Are they rebelling and running away from home, or is something more sinister going on?

I do like missing children books, but maybe because they're 16 I found it to be a bit slow moving and wasn't on the edge of my seat as I would be if they were younger (even though I have a teen myself, so I'm weird I guess). Also, what mother would just take a text from their child as proof they are okay ~ hello, I'll need verbal confirmation please. I'm not really sure how I feel about how Rachel handled things, but you never know what you would do in a situation like this unless you are in it.

The online video gaming world can be a scary place and I felt the author did a nice job of portraying what can go wrong. I, also, liked Rachel and ex-husband, Mick's, relationship and how they seemed to be on the same page.

Overall, while I was not fully gripped I was kept interested. There were some tense moments and I couldn't wait to find out what happened to these children.

Side note ~ although I like the cover I'm not sure how it correlates with the story. Although swings are super fun they give me more of a younger child vibe, not teenagers.

The cover of this book looked so intriguing. Gone focuses on the perspective of Rachel, a mom of two teenage boys, Shay and Josh. She lives with her boyfriend, David. Shay is a teenage boy going through some tough times and has some behavioral issues. He goes to a party with David's approval while he is grounded and ends up missing. A girl from the party is missing and at first glance people suspect Shay. When four other teenagers also go missing, the story unfolds even more. There is a lot of things going on in this book, some of which is important and some not so much. The story is complex with many layers. The book ended quite abruptly.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The writing was well done. I was interested at the start of the book and it kept me engaged. The characters were likable for the most part. There were tons of suspicious characters also. There were twists and turns throughout the book that added to the
suspense. Great quick read!

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #RubySpeechley for my ARC of #Gone in exchange for an honest review.

Always enjoy Ruby Speechley's books and this one was no exception! What starts out as a missing, difficult teenager turns in to so much more. Tight, tense and keeps a good pace throughout!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC!

Brilliant loved it.This book is gripping with a great plot and characters that grip you from start to finish and deffo one to be re-read 5*

What happened to Shay? That's what I wanted to know. Rachel and David appear to be dedicated parents, and responsible. So, what happened the night of the party? Is Shay a suspect or a victim? And his friends? An injured girl found the night of the party sets alarm bells ringing and Rachel investigating.

The plot hooked me from the prologue and I had shivers running down my spine. The prologue was chilling and the rest of the book was even more so. Gone was twisty, surprising and realistic and also the themes were frighteningly current.

It made me feel an urge to keep going, as I HAD to know what was going to happen. I stayed up late and just wanted to find out what had happened to Shay. I felt for Rachel and David and Shay's brother. Then I was wary of David....Then Shay....Then Shay's friends....

Gone is an emotional rollercoaster and one of the best thrillers of 2023 so far. Ruby Speechley's writing style is so immersive. I really felt part of the search for Shay. The way relationships were shown was realistic and the scenes at school and the teacher's questions bought back memories of times at my own school when people were thought suspects of something.

The book goes deep into feelings and raises a lot of questions and I liked that about it. I felt it was clearer how Rachel and Shay's brother were affected than David. I felt this was intentional on the author's part. I was highly suspicious of David at many points.

Thanks to Ruby Speechley, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars