I absolutely LOVED this book. Right up my street for a thriller! I couldn’t see what was coming at all, and that’s what I love. Such a great concept and plot; I didn’t want it to end.

What a riveting psychological thriller! I loved both the plot and characters and enjoyed this book immensely.

Psychologist Augusta Bloom and her investigative partner Marcus Jameson (who is ex MI6) usually work for the police or courts, assessing cases and appearing as expert witnesses. As a personal favour to Marcus's sister they investigate the disappearance of Lana, a neighbour and mother of a 16 year old girl. The case soon turns sinister when they discover that Lana's disappearance is one of many, and they find odd similarities between the personalities of the missing people. Great use is made of social media, especially those little quizzes that so many people take for fun (I'll never do one again!) and the tension builds as the case becomes very personal for Augusta.

I did guess a couple of the big plot twists, but this enhanced the reading experience as I desperately wanted to find out if I was right! A brilliant read and I am hoping for a sequel.

I have just finished this book, but on my Kindle it was called Mind Games. However, disregarding that and the time it has taken me to find it again, I have to say that I enjoyed it very much. It was a different story and one that had a rather fantastic plot, but nevertheless it really held my attention. I did feel that it rather broke down at the end and I felt that it was rather messy then.
A very good book.

Just when I thought I had had enough of psychological thrillers along comes Gone, the debut novel by Leona Deakin. And what's more it's a psychological thriller with real psychology in it.

When Lana, a single mother with PTSD disappears, private investigators Augusta Bloom and Marcus Jameson become involved in looking for her. It soon becomes apparent that she is not the only person to have disappeared after having received a birthday card with an invitation to play a game. But what is this game? As Bloom and Jameson investigate it becomes apparent that there is something very sinister behind all these disappearances.

The characters are well drawn in this novel. Bloom, a psychologist with a special interest in psychopathy comes across very well as does her partner Jameson, an ex MI6 operative. They were convincing characters, both realistic and likeable. I'm hoping this will be the first in a series as it was so good. I did spot the twist but this didn't in any way detract from ,my enjoyment of the book and I raced through it desperate to get to the end while not wanting it to end. A great read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This was a solid 4 star book for me, although during the first few chapters I wasn't convinced I would actually finish the book.

I found the first third of the book a little confusing, with the pace seeming a little rushed. However from there onwards I felt a lot more at ease with the story. The plot became a lot more gripping once the game became personal for Bloom and Jameson.

I would be lying if I said that I didn't guess the major character plot twist towards the end, but for me that doesn't really ever detract from my enjoyment of a book. In fact it usually makes me want to keep on reading to see if I had in fact seen all of the clues and hints along the way.

And the final line definitely leaves me wondering (and hoping) as to whether there is a sequel planned.......?

To begin with I couldn't find this book on my Kindle as it has a different title to that shown here. However that is not a review......
I really enjoyed this read. It is a true thriller with twists until the end which I had not bargained for and not thought out so all the better for it. I am not one to spell out the plot as I believe the 'blurb' writers do it better. However a few points to note..... The characters of Bloom and Jameson were strong and developed well through the writing....... the idea of using invitations with access to a web/internet/text input as a tool for evil is both up to date and interesting .... the pace was fast and at times confusing, so take your time when reading...... it left me wanting more so will there be a sequel?.

The novel has an interesting concept and is well structured but it is let down by its narrative voice. There is clear potential here but to move beyond the average there needs to be more showing that telling in the prose. We are given far too many- often superficial- details and background info at times that does not drive the plot or the characters. As a result of this overload, guessing the ending was quite easy. I was quite disappointed in this as the opening hook with the child, Seraphine, was intriguing.
I would read another book by the author as often good writers don’t start to really flourish until they have written a few novels.

I really enjoy a psychological thriller and, happily, this one did not disappoint. Intelligently written with engaging fully rounded characters, I was hooked. The story moves along at a satisfactory pace; the two central characters Bloom, the psychologist and Jameson, the ex-intelligence agent turned private investigator are great - lots of potential for development with both their characters and their relationship.

A missing person mystery that soon becomes a lot more sinister - great twists, intelligent dialogue, suspenseful with tense action and plotting.

Definitely a recommended read!

The book is well written and the characters are well built and they have their personal touches.
There are many twist in the story what is makes the story more interesting and misterious, on the other hand sometimes it is not well executed so it is not that suprising that it wants to be.

when Augusta treating the phychopath girl Seraphine, their story about the consultations doesnt have proper end. It is only stops have narrative in the story. Later on Seraphine comes up again in the book from the middle of nowhere and became the main person behind the phsycho game. I did like the idea of Seraphine and Augustas past become the problem of the present, but the two timelines are not goes really along smoothly. could be better.

For me who reads plenty mystery and crime books there were some point, which I was expecting and the end is not that misterious as it wanted to be.

If you want a book that will guarantee you won’t sleep at night (and will make you extremely paranoid to boot) then today is your lucky day.
That is to say, I loved it. Gone is as twisted and dark as the villains it writes about, and will keep you on tenterhooks from start to finish. It’s also a deep dive into a world where the line between good and bad looks increasingly murky…
From the start, the book is fascinating. It follows the exploits of Dr Augusta Bloom, who is in a race against time to figure out the mastermind behind the game that is making people vanish all around the country. Spoiler alert: they are all psychopaths. And that revelation was roughly the point where I became gripped.
From there, we’re swept along on a breakneck investigation. Gone certainly doesn’t take any prisoners; we hop from revelation to revelation with lightning speed, which makes it a struggle to keep up. We also get to see inside the minds of the psychopaths playing the game. As somebody who knows next to nothing about the condition, this was almost as interesting as the mystery: who knew it was so fascinating to read about people who lack empathy so completely, or so chilling to think about what they can really do when they put their minds to it?
We also get to find out more about the main characters themselves, Dr Bloom and Marcus Jameson. They’re likeable people, but they’re both closed books (so much so, in fact, that I kept wondering whether I was reading an installment in a series rather than a debut. Everybody seemed to know more about the characters than I did).
However, the contrast between the two of them- Bloom is cool, calm and analytical, where Jameson is more impulsive and passionate- is great, although I would argue that Jameson probably doesn’t have the temperament to be the successful ex-secret service agent he’s described here as. Watching them rub uneasily alongside each other is fun to watch, and Jameson, especially, endeared himself to me through his fumbling and awkward attempts to ask out Sarah, a local doctor, at the coffee shop.
Grippingly told, and with plenty of shocking twists and turns, Gone kept me reading well into the night (and then not sleeping for the rest of it). If you’re looking for an edge-of-your-seat beach read, this is it.

A dark look into the mind of psychopaths helped by Dr Augusta Bloom.

Dr Bloom, a criminal psychologist, and Marcus Jameson, previously Secret Service Agent, have been in practice five years in a consultancy investigation service.

Jameson’s sister, Claire, is looking after Jane. Jane’s mother, Lana, is in the Army and has gone missing.

This story gives clarity and insight into the thoughts of the obsessed and psychologically distorted minds of the people in this story.

Well recommended thriller of this genre.

For real, it’s been so long since a psychological thriller has been both this complex and compelling while also actually scaring me.

Deakin’s writing evokes such suspense and terror, I was on the edge of my seat unable to stop reading. There were twists of fear and anxiety in my stomach while I gasped in surprise. B r i l l i a n t.


Several stories are told in this book, but the main perspectives are Dr Bloom - a renowned psychologist and private investigator (sort of) - and Marcus Jameson, her business partner who is ex-MI6. Very flashy credentials in this one.

People are going missing after receiving first birthday cards daring them to play a game. When one of them is a close family friend of Jameson’s, they dive into the mystery to find out what’s really going on and who is orchestrating such a sophisticated game.


What I really loved about Mind Games is the thorough complexities to the story. Real psychology and real insights, having to think and make sense of real life stuff. I have to give this one 5 stars because for my personal taste in thrillers I really couldn’t fault it.

I was hooked from the very first page. I kept reading and reading, so much so I ended up walking 2,000 more steps than my goal as I wanted to finish the story.

Great characters, thrilling and fab twists and turns. Kept me guessing right to the very end. Brilliant

This book is fantastic!

I really loved the characters, they were all believable and three dimensional.

The pace rips along nicely and keeps you reading long after you should have gone to sleep :)

The plot is unusual and fascinating with tons of twists and "what?!" moments.

I guessed the mastermind pretty early on but rather than spoil my enjoyment of the story it added to the tension.

Easy 5 stars.

This was a terrific read and reminded me in parts of John Marrs The Passengers because of the exploration of ethical dilemmas, who to sacrifice and who to save.
This incredible clever plot follows Dr Augusta Bloom a forensic psychologist working for the criminal justice service along with ex M16 Marcus Jameson, as they work out a theory that psychopaths are playing a very dangerous game involving birthday cards that include a dare. This is how others of the same ilk are recruited to destroy friends, family and the weaker people in society.
It is dark, riveting, twisty and cruel.
I particularly enjoyed finding out the link between the opening treatment of a child accused of stabbing a caretaker with all that followed, but can't say more than that without spoiling the storyline for would-be-readers.
Would definitely recommend if you like psychological thrillers that break the mould.

An intelligent and thought-provoking tale which delves into the minds of psychopaths. Augusta Bloom is a wonderfully complicated woman with insight into the minds of the criminals she comes up against. There were some surprises along the way and an unforeseen twist and I thoroughly enjoyed this thumping good read.

Lana, the mother of teenage Jane disappears. She has before - she is inherently unreliable, unpredictable and had a history of mental health and drug and alcohol issues and a diagnosis of PTSD. However, three other people have also disappeared, and there appears to be commonalities in the circumstances surrounding each disappearance. On their birthday they all received a card asking, no, DARING them to play a game. Then they seem to vanish.

Jane’s family friend Marcus Jameson who happens to be ex-intelligence services seeks to involve his professional partner Dr Augusta Bloom, a psychologist and private investigator in the search for Lana. Dr Bloom is initially ambivalent but develops a theory in relation to the shared characteristics between those missing and she and Jameson work together to convince the police that her theory has basis in both science and fact. Dr Bloom believes these shared characteristics are being manipulated - with what aim?

This story alternates between Dr Bloom’s work with a singular client and the current story. Whilst not wishing to provide a spoiler I found this a little disjointed but I liked the concept and felt it just needed tying together a little more convincingly,

Dr Bloom was believable in her analytical, cool, and measured way and Jameson her flip-side was really likeable however he showed some vulnerabilities that I’m not sure were consistent with his other character traits that were being put forward as exM16.

Mind Games moves at a great pace and will appeal to people who like suspense and psychological thrillers. It is based in a great premise and the question it poses is an interesting talking point (again, don’t want to provide a spoiler). It would seem to be that there will be more Dr Bloom instalments which I think will allow for further development of both main characters.

I enjoyed Mind Games and tended towards 4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review will also appear on goodreads and instagram\aplace_inthesun.

A great thriller. Fast paced and exciting and highly gripping. A few shocks along the way too! Loved it

This book surprised me from start to finish I thought it was amazing the way things played out between each character and the ending well there was even more surprises in store for that in my opinion this book should be made into a film I enjoyed it so much

This was a pacy and very twisty book with some extremely interesting characters. Psychologist Augusta Bloom and investigator colleague Marcus Jameson are pulled into a missing person case by Marcus’s sister Claire and discover this is one of many with one thing in common, a trademark birthday card sent to the victim. The Police are initially unconcerned, there is nothing obviously linking the victims however they soon discover the secrets behind the victims facades and from there on in it gets very interesting. This is a very smart book and thought provoking too, it makes you think about just what the people you know are truly like deep down...