Twenty nine year old Sloan Hastings is embarking in her last 2 years of medical training so she can be a medical examiner, something she has pursued diligently for years. During the first year of training she is assigned to do a research project involving forensics use of DNA and public DNA databases. She quickly determines that the best way to understand the science is to submit her own DNA sample, although it makes her a little nervous as she is adopted and has no knowledge of her biological family. With her adoptive parents blessings however, she submits her sample and soon finds her life turned upside down. She soon discovers that 29 years ago she, at the age of 2 months, and her parents , members of a rich and powerful family, disappeared, and were the subjects of news articles and tabloid and true crime speculation ever since.

This novel switches between two different timelines, 1995 when the original crimes happened, and 2024 when Sloan performs her DNA test. The chapters are short and the plot moves quickly, and its one of those books that is hard to put down.... just one more chapter. I figured out the mystery fairly early on, but it did not keep me from turning pages and really enjoying the ride. Although every scenario isn't exactly realistic, I think any mystery lover who isn't a terrible stickler for details will really enjoy this one.

Thank you to Net galley and the publisher for the e galley in exchange for an unbiased review.

When I need a guaranteed, solid thriller, Donlea is my go to! I know he will deliver every time! Long Time Gone has it all for me! The writing is great, as always, I loved the characters, even the ones I loved to hate! There were multiple timelines and POVs and I love that in a thriller when done well! At times I felt bogged down by the science, but overall this was a great read! Fans of Donlea will love it!

I love the intriguing premise of this book! Dr. Sloan Hastings submits her DNA to an online ancestry site as part of her work as a forensic pathology fellow. The goal of the project is to make advances in the field that would help solve criminal cases. Sloan is shocked when her test results indicate that she herself could hold the answers to a cold case from nearly 30 years ago.

The parts of the book dealing with the DNA results and Sloan doing her part to solve two cold cases that seem to be related are so interesting. Sloan is a likable character, as are her boss, her adoptive parents, and an out-of-state sheriff she is assisting. In fact, I would love to see Sloan in a future book working on a case in a more official capacity. Sloan enjoys participating in cross-fit as a workout and stress reliever. Although that started out interesting and does have purpose later in the book, a few too many details were included.

The story has two timelines that go back and forth throughout the book - Sloan in the present and then the crimes she's looking into at the time they are taking place. This works well in helping the whole plot unfold, but each time the timeline changes, it slows the momentum of the story. The book remains interesting and when everything is revealed, the ending is surprising. A bizarre circumstance responsible for providing an important clue took me out of the moment, but I still enjoyed the ending and the book as a whole.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

This was a solid read. The now and then timelines helped build tension and the protagonist was likable and easy to route for. Some of this felt predictable but I definitely didn’t guess it all. A well written page turner and tense climax.

The short chapters felt unnecessary- it would start a new chapter in the middle of a scene.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. When Sloan gets the job working with DNA, step one is to run hers through the system. She is a little hesitant, as she was adopted, but thinks, why not. She would like to find out who her biological parents are. The results come back and reveal the truth which is unexpected. I love Charlie Donlea's books and I am always eager to read them, and this one didn't disappoint.

LONG TIME GONE is a riveting story from start to finish. I've always found genealogy interesting and if you do too, you'll like this story. The story follows the main character, Sloane, during her search to find out who her parents were. She uncovers the truth and solves a cold case from 30 years ago. Once you start, you'll have a hard time putting it down. I can highly recommend adding this one to your TBR list!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for my gifted ARC.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) close to the pub date.

Long Time Gone is a must read! Addictive and entertaining, this book will keep you up way past your bedtime.

Dr. Sloan Hastings is a pathologist who is about to begin a fellowship in forensic pathology. She is assigned a project on genealogy and how it relates to forensic science. A colleague suggests she submits her DNA to a an ancestry website, and she is shocked to learn she and her biological parents have been missing for 30 years.

I was instantly hooked on this book. I love the premise being surprises in people’s ancestry. Sloan was a great MC and I would love to read more books about her as she continues her studies and starts her career.

Knocked a star off for a couple of unbelievable things in the end, but other than that I was completely absorbed in this book and couldn’t wait to figure out what had happened.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Compelling..
A mysterious disappearance, an atmospheric small town and a web of secrets and lies in this twisty, well woven suspense from this accomplished author. With a credible and well crafted cast, a propulsive and clever plot littered with twists and turns, a well done dual timeline and a well imagined backdrop this is another compelling read and a worthy addition to this author’s already impressive canon.

Charlie Donlea slips under the radar a bit, but his books always deliver good twisty plots and feature straight forward telling that eschews the padding that other authors use.

His latest, Long Time Gone, has a good twisty premise that quickly draws you in. It opens with Doctor Sloan Hastings submitting her DNA to an online genealogy site for a research assignment to better understand the treasure-trove of genetic information contained on ancestry websites. Brilliant and driven, Sloan is embarking on a fellowship in forensic pathology, training under the renowned Dr. Livia Cutty, a regular in Donlea’s books. Sloan has one reservation about involving herself in the experiment: she’s adopted. Grateful for a loving home, she’s never considered tracking down her biological parents, and now only does so in the name of science.

Despite her mild curiosity, the results deliver a bombshell. Sloan’s DNA profile suggests her true identity is that of Charlotte Margolis, aka “Baby Charlotte”, who captured the nation’s attention when she mysteriously disappeared, along with her parents, in July 1995, never to be seen again. Desperate to know what happened, Sloan heads to the small town of Cedar Creek, Nevada, the site of her disappearance. It also leads her to Sheriff Eric Stamos, who has his own reasons for wanting the investigation into the disappearance of Charlotte reopened.

This is another first class crime thriller from Donlea. Told in his typical easy flowing style, the plot moves along at a good pace with plenty of interesting developments. The story alternates between 1995 and the present, and there is ample suspense and mystery as the two storylines collide. As usual, there is plenty of interesting forensic detail seamlessly woven into the story, as well as the familiar shots at modern media. After a good build-up, the book quickly moves to a suspenseful and exciting conclusion.

There is probably not as many twists as in Donlea’s earlier books, but he still keeps you guessing till the end. Regular readers of his books will also appreciate the cameo appearances by characters from earlier books, such as Livia Cutty and Avery Mason. In all, another very enjoyable read by the always reliable Charlie Donlea.

Absorbing mystery thriller dealing with a young woman’s search to uncover her past.

Sloan Hastings, a 29-year-old forensic pathology fellow on the way to becoming a medical examiner, was adopted when she was 4 months old. Raised by her wonderful dentist parents, she’s a bit loath to submit a DNA sample to a genealogy site despite her research assignment. When the results come back, she’s shocked to discover that she is Baby Charlotte Margolis. Apparently, she and her birth parents had disappeared almost 30 years prior, but she somehow ended up with a private adoption agency. The family disappearance has been a cold case now for years after the powerful Margolis family closed ranks when no answers were found and the sheriff who was investigating was found dead. Now Sloan/Charlotte wants to know what happened to her birth parents and decides to travel to the Margolis family home in Nevada. She’s welcomed by the family but her questions just lead to further intrigue. She isn’t sure who can be trusted but can’t let it go.

This was entertaining with a good plot even though it was a bit predictable and most will be able to discern the good guys from the baddies. There were some coincidences and convenient happenings that will require suspension of disbelief, but overall it was an easy read. A few things that bothered me (the whole camera and picture thing for one) but I am not going to belabor that and the boring CrossFit details.

I was able to listen to the audiobook and follow along with the ARC e-book as both were provided by the publishers. The narrator did a good job with all the voices though often I have found that all the males sound alike. She also had to do a few accents that helped to differentiate the characters.

4.5⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ North Carolina & Nevada
Publication date ~ May 21, 2024
Page Count ~ 379 (p+ 77 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 19 minutes
Narrator ~ Vivienne Leheny
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ 6 part story, dual timeline ~ past and present

Sloan is adopted and has never wanted to find her birth parents. As part of her research assignment she takes a DNA test. The results are unbelievable and set forth a roller coaster of a ride as we try to piece together how Sloan was once known as Baby Charlotte.

Eric is the sheriff in Nevada trying to get answers about his father, Sandy’s, death 30 years ago. Sloan just might be able to help him get the answers and closure he needs. I don't love romance in my thrillers, but I was actually hoping for a little with these two.

In the past we hear from Sandy and learn more about the early investigation into the Margolis family when Charlotte and her parents went missing. In the present we have a true crime podcaster, Ryder, that is annoyingly helpful.

The dual timelines and multiple POV’s were very easy to follow along with and totally built up the suspense nicely. I was on the edge of my seat throughout waiting to see how Baby Charlotte ended up being Sloan and I was not disappointed. A little implausible with how the pictures came about, but overall this was an utterly shocking and grippingly gripping read.

I was lucky enough to have both the ebook and an audio copy. Both ways worked perfectly well.
Narration notes:
Vivienne did a fabulous job giving each character a distinct voice.

Dr. Sloane Hastings is working on becoming a medical examiner and as part of an assignment, she needs to do some DNA tests but out of respect to her parents who adopted her, she tells them first. They are fully supportive of her and have told her all they know about her birth mother. However, the results come back with some totally unexpected results. She finds out that she is actually a missing baby of missing parents. This sends her on another investigation that is totally different than what she had planned. She is the Trojan Horse sent into the family of her missing parents and much will be uncovered.

I can count on Charlie Donlea to deliver a great story and this one definitely did not disappoint. Highly recommend this one that I paired the book with the audio for an immersive dive into Sloane's story.

My thanks to Net Galley, Kensington Publishing, and Recorded Books for advanced copies of this e-book and audiobook.

Thank you so much to Kenisngton Books for the advanced copy of LONG TIME GONE!

I really liked this one from beginning to end! Sometimes I struggle with 3rd person narration, but not with this one at all! The author did a great job on both the past and present chapters and held my attention the whole time!

This story was unique and thrilling! I went in totally blind and recommend you do the same as one of the biggest surprises for me in the book is given away in the synopsis! I feel like my pulse was legitimately quickening towards the end of the book as both timelines were building towards a CRAZY conclusion I didn't see coming!

I loved the main character Sloan and thought the author did a great job making me feel connected to her by the way the beginning of the book played out. I love when authors let us see characters first as just people before all the wildness of the plot unfolds in their lives.

Read this if you like

- Crime Fiction
- DNA Testing
- Unsolved Mysteries
- Dual Timelines
- Shocking Reveals

Definitely check this one out when it's published on May 21st!

I'm a big fan of Charlie Donlea, and this book gripped me from the start. The premise was captivating: an adopted woman discovers through DNA analysis that she's the long-lost daughter of a family who disappeared without a trace in the 90s. From this point on, she begins to collaborate with the son of the sheriff who was in charge of the investigation back then but died in mysterious circumstances. The book was fast-paced, addictive, and featured likable characters. I read it in practically two sittings and had a great time with it. However, it wasn't my favorite Donlea book; in fact, I found it to be quite predictable compared to his usual work. With fewer characters, there was less room for surprises. Nevertheless, it was still an enjoyable thriller, and I eagerly await his next release.

I can NOT get enough Charlie Donlea and this book did not disappoint! So many twists and turns. I have been fascinated by forensic genealogy since the Golden State Killer case and Mr. Donlea did a great job with the research of this case.

A friend read this book and wanted to give it 6 stars, so I had high expectations going in. This is my first Charlie Donlea book and I absolutely loved it. It checked every box for my true crime loving brain.

There are two timelines with multiple characters but was not confusing and easy to digest. Both timelines were compelling. I loved the short chapters, especially at the end when I had to know what was going to happen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/648659324

Thank you @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for this eARC.

✨The story focuses on Sloan Hastings, an adopted girl raised by Dolly and Tod Hastings from North Carolina. Sloan embarks on a prestigious two-year fellowship on forensic pathology under Dr. Curtis, a renowned Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Curtis assigns her a research assignment on forensic genealogy, an emerging specialty for her ‘Presentation Day’. To better understand on how DNA reveals information about the family histories and their heritage she submitted a DNA sample to a genealogy website. However, Sloan is taken aback when her DNA is found to match that of Baby Charlotte, the famous missing case, who disappeared with her parents, members of the affluent Margolis family from Cedar Creek, Nevada. Determined, Sloan embarks on a quest to unravel the truth behind their disappearance, facing numerous obstacles along the way. The mystery deepens as Sloan discovers that the sheriff who was investigating their disappearance is now deceased.

✨I liked the multiple timeframes employed by Charlie, which seamlessly intertwine the present and the past, contributing to an engaging narrative. The technical details regarding genealogy and the process of developing film in the darkroom were particularly fascinating. Although the story lacked major plot twists, its fast-paced nature and Sloan’s pragmatic approach, aided by Eric, the sheriff of Harrison County, made for a compelling read. The ending felt somewhat abrupt after building up suspense around the fate of the missing Margolis family. Nonetheless, it’s a worthwhile read for fans of thrillers.

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📸‘The image slowly came to life, gradually appearing like a living,breathing thing being born.’
⏳‘Procrastination is the devil’s way of stealing your time’.

#book #booklover #arcreader #netgalley #longtimegone #charliedonleabooks #thrillerbooks

I was so excited to grab this ARC by Charlie Donlea because I remember reading The Woman in Darkness and thinking, oh my goodness! I have to read something else by this author! I didn't realise how far I was into this book until my battery indicator on my kindle flashed before my eyes. Long Time Gone is definitely one of those books you don't want to put down.

We introduced to Sloan who has just started her fellowship in forensic pathology and genetics and in order to get a feel for this area, she decided to undertake a DNA test to understand the process. Sloan is hit with a startling surprise: she's the missing baby, Charlotte Margolis from a mystery unsolved 30 years ago. I love the fact that so many of the techniques that are used in forensic genealogy were also part of the ways in which all the characters investigated the mystery around Sloan and how she came to be and all of the connections to her new relations who seemed to control just about everything in Cedar Creek.

The chapters are so short, like scenes in a movie or a TV show, that give you just enough information to either bamboozle you or to make your eyes open wider as you read on. The combination of the genetic research, which is such a brand new phenomenon in the forensic world with a story that also revolves around one of the characters and their use of old school, cameras and film. And even the developing of photos from old school film is very clever. The speed of movement in every twist and turn between the time frames was also managed really well, and propelled the need to keep reading just to find out what Sloan is about to find out. Get it, and read it now.

I know when I pick up a Charlie Donlea book, I will never be disappointed! Long Time Gone keeps that streak going for sure! I am a huge fan and strongly recommend ALL of his books, but enough about those! This one is a slow burn. Medical student, Sloan Hastings submits a DNA sample to an Ancestry-type site and finds out she is the missing baby Charlotte from 30 years ago. Not only that, but her birth parents also disappeared along with her. But wait! There's more! Her birth family is the mega-rich Margolis family, and they basically own the town where she and her parents disappeared from. Sloan enlists the help of a local Sheriff whose father died while trying to solve the case long ago and Dr. Livia Cutty, whom she is training under. Dr. Cutty has appeared in other books by this author. Then things just start rolling downhill and getting bigger and bigger and even more exciting! I really liked Sloan. It was also nice seeing Avery Mason and other characters from previous stories also. I couldn't stop turning pages! I have to say the thing that made me happiest though was the Acknowledgements. Yes, I read those too. Mr. Donlea states that he hopes to write many more books in years to come! Yaaayy!!! Keep 'em coming! I can't read them fast enough!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Charlie Donlea and Kensington Books for this much appreciated ARC! All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Facebook and other retail and social media sites upon publication on May 21st!