Many thanks to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. This is a truly gripping psychosocial thriller with some great characters and it kept my interest to the end. I did find the beginning a little slow and difficult to get into as they introduced all the different characters, who had received these cards, but once I got into the flow of story I was well away.

Psychologist Dr Augusta Bloom and her work partner, ex-secret service man Marcus Jameson, are drawn into a twisted game when people start disappearing. All that is left is an anonymous birthday card.

Things started off well and I found myself completely engrossed in the story and the characters. I do like a dark and twisty read and this seemed to fit the bill perfectly. The author definitely has a writing talent and I was eagerly waiting to see just where this story was going to go. I especially enjoyed the focus on how people complete online personality quizzes without much thought as to what the results are telling those who set them. Unfortunately I found the second half of the book to be predictable and, without giving too much away, it was frankly unbelievable that one of the characters would be so easily manipulated. The writing itself though was enjoyable and for that reason I would be interested in reading a sequel should this become a series. Overall a solid 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Random House UK / Transworld Publishers / Black Swan, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Gone #NetGalley


Gripping, twisty and unputdownable -"Gone" is a force of nature of a debut from Leona Deakin.

Wow. What a debut of a novel. At one fell swoop Leona Deakin has confirmed her status as a future luminary of the thriller/mystery genre. I loved every single page of "Gone", and as a consequence Deakin is my new auto-buy author when I am in desperate search of a stylish, high concept thriller. You've read the blurb, so I won't go into the precis of the novel in too much depth. Suffice to say, the concept of the novel is hugely original in the way the author plays with the binary of victim/perpetrator. This is at the core of the plot; whether the protagonists of 'the game' are victims of a psychopathic genius or willing, highly motivated protagonists in the perpetration of their own evil deeds. All will become clear as you read "Gone", but let me just tell you, all is not what it seems. Indeed, it is left to the genius pairing of criminal psychologist, Dr Augusta Bloom and ex MI6 spy Marcus Jameson, to figure out the rationale of 'the game', and the purpose of its growing list of 'players'. Ever present is the spectre of the highly functional, organised psychopath. These highly evolved anomalies of human nature are not necessarily the obvious stuff of nightmares: the Bundy's, the Gacy's, the Dahmer's - but predators that walk almost imperceptibly amongst us. Well, almost... if not for the smile that never quite reaches the eyes and the crocodile tears that are mere stand-ins for real human emotions. These are the ideas at the heart of Leona Deakin's tour de force of a debut. A high-octane, self-propelling, compulsive thriller of high ideas and low humanity. I would say that "Gone" is nothing like I have never read before, but there are shades of Nicci French, Karin Slaughter and Lisa Gardner, crossed with the substantive observations made by Jon Ronson in "The Psychopath Test" in Leona Deakin's writing. Yes, this novel is THAT GOOD. As I have run out of superlatives for this fantastic book I will stop my meanderings now. On a final note: don't hesitate in getting your hands Leona Deakin's debut novel - Going, going, "Gone".

I loved this book. The two lead characters were instantly likeable and worked so well together. A story full of twists and an unpredictable ending. I love the intertwining stories. An interesting read

This was a very good book, very twisty and quite unnerving at times. I loved the way it kept me interested all the way through. I really had no idea how it was going to finish in the end and like most of these types of books it was exciting to read and I finished it quickly.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

An absolutely brilliant debut....
I felt it was such a well written book and gives you everything you want in a psychological thriller..
It's scary, pure thrilling and has many hair raising moments throughout.
We meet Dr Augusta Bloom and her colleague Marcus Jameson in this first book in a new series.....
I did love the relationship between these two and wondered was Dr Bloom a little in love perhaps with her friend.
Two very likeable characters with so much more to come from them.
Dr Bloom is a psychologist and we are introduced early on in the story to one of her patients Seraphine who has attacked a school caretaker trying to protect herself and her friend.
This thriller begins with people across the country going missing after receiving a birthday card in the post with the words "Happy first birthday".
Once they receive the birthday card, they are asked to play a game and then they disappear out of their lives, their loved ones non the
wiser.
Marcus Jameson is ex MI6, quite closely guarded and determined to help his friends daughter when she comes to him looking to find her mum who has disappeared.
Augusta & Marcus must work together with the police to try understand what or who is behind this game and the disappearances.
It's a fast paced read, quite a page turner so full of intrigue and mystery.
A cracking start to a series....
Well worth taking the time for this one....
Well done Leona....

People go missing – all on their birthdays after receiving intriguing birthday cards daring them to play. Psychologist Augusta Bloom and her colleague Marcus Jameson (ex Secret Service) get involve in the case, as at least one person missing is known to them – a family friend’s mother has vanished, following the pattern with the card. The more they investigate, the more complex the case becomes and as they start to dig really deep not only is the case starting to be dangerous to them personally, but they learn much more about the people missing and the results of their investigations are shocking. People that disappeared seem to have left out of their own will, leaving behind families and friends – who does it? Why?

One is sure – I have never (really, never) done a test on Facebook or somewhere else in the internet, how clever am I without knowing that I’m clever, no? I have no idea how it really works, and if it is like in this novel, that when you do such tests other people may benefit from it – but if it really is like this then I am truly in shock. I must be born in the wrong times then.

I wouldn’t say that the book is a slow – burner, however the beginning is somehow difficult and a little confusing, and I wasn’t sure what to feel. But no worries there, guys. Even if I wouldn’t determine the pace of this book as quick, there are many twists and turns and questions that you desperately want to know answers to, so there is really not a moment that feels flat. Yes, some things feel too far – fetched and yes, I rolled my eyes once or twice but nevertheless it is a tense and captivating novel. Despite the confusing start, I was quickly drawn into the story, it has really grown under my skin, with the interesting plot and thought – provoking relevant ideas about how we use social media.
There are also many characters and almost each time I had to consider who it is, to whom they belong and what’s their problem, and it was a bit confusing as well, as till the end, except for the few main characters, I had problems with them and each time the point of view changes, it took me a moment or two to recognize the person.

The main characters felt a bit too one – dimensional for my liking, however they were interesting enough, their background was also very entertaining. Augusta and Marcus worked together brilliantly and they complemented each other, the banter and dynamics between them was natural and genuine. What’s more, they might have been main characters, but also a huge part of focus was directed on the missing people and their stories, and it added tons of meaning to the story – I desperately wanted to know who those people are and why they went missing and what their problem is. I racked my brains at what it is that actually happened with the missing characters but I loved the way Augusta and Marcus were leading us to the end, to the final revelations. I had a feeling that we’re exactly at the same level with them, that we know the same things, we’re not a step behind or ahead of them and I think I guessed who, why and what at the same moment as Augusta. Looking back, there were enough hints and I probably should have guessed a bit earlier, but it only shows that a) my detective skills don’t exist and b) the author writes in a clever, misdirecting way, which is a huge bonus point.

The writing style is chatty and engaging, down to earth and easy to follow and the plot was so imaginative, different and fascinating, and it was really refreshing to read this book, even if it was full of psychology – however, I am personally fascinated with psychology, and secondly, the author is an expert in this area and explains the medical language in an approaching and comprehensible way. Hats off to the author for being able to explain the psychological jargon in such a fascinating way that never feels dry nor patronizing.
“Gone” was a scary, thought – provoking and thrilling rollercoaster ride full of intrigue and suspense and some of the best parts were the psychological insights of the game and the way the author has got into her characters’ heads. It also touched upon social media and reading this book will make you think twice the next time you’ll want to fill something on Facebook. Truly recommended!

Gone was a fantastic, absorbing and original book from an exciting new author. The thing that I most liked about this book is that the reader gets to look inside the mind of a psychopath which I found very intriguing.

This book gripped me from the start with a really dramatic opening where we are introduced to the fascinating Seraphine. She was definitely a character that interested me as I was never sure if she was telling the truth or not which helped add an unpredictable edge to the story. I enjoyed learning more about her through her sessions with Dr Bloom as I got to learn more about her story and how it fits in with what’s been happening.

Dr Augusta Bloom was my favourite character by far as I was impressed by her determination to try and solve the case, despite not having to as she wasn’t a police officer. She’s obviously a very clever lady and I enjoyed reading about her psychology sessions and seeing how her mind works. Her friendship with her partner Marcus, an ex16 agent, was wonderful to read about, especially their interactions and how they compliment each other.

Overall I thought this was a chilling and fascinating read which I found hard to put down. It’s different from other psychological thrillers that I’ve read which made a nice change. I’m very excited to read more from her and the future and hope this isn’t the last we see of Augusta and Marcus.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Transworld publishers for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

Gone is a truly twisted, high-octane mystery thriller that starts with a bang and which I raced through in a few hours.

The story is highly original, both in terms of plot and in the set up of Bloom and Jameson’s work, and manages successfully to combine modern methods with motives as old as the hills to produce a terrifyingly plausible narrative.

The book gives you several strands to grasp, but each is distinctly written and moves along at a great pace. The chapters jump back and forth between the different areas which increases the sense of urgency and you always want to know the next thing, the next thing.

Gone is full of great characters, fabulous twists and really, really scary ideas!

Leona Deakin does a great job of keeping all the different balls in the air and each plate spinning at the right speed. I cannot wait to read more about Dr Bloom and am pleased to see book 2, Lost, will be out next year.

Augusta Bloom is called in to help find a mother who has gone missing. The only clue is a birthday card left behind and a hint at a game. Soon they discover that more people have gone missing after receiving a card. Just what makes these people unique and where have they gone.

This was an interesting concept and the story delivered. The plot was different and built up well but I did find the ending seemed a little flat. I liked the hint it left at the end but wanted more of a showdown. There are some good twists in this and it wasnt until close to the end that I figured out who was behind it all. I wasnt sure about Augusta but I did warm to Jameson quickly. A good thriller with a brilliant twist

It has been a while since I read a truly gripping psychological thriller and the words on the cover drew me in. I was expecting something different from this debut and so I was delighted when I was approved for it on NetGalley.

When four strangers go missing on their birthdays, cryptic calling cards are left behind reading ‘Your gift is the game. Dare to play?’. The police aren’t about to waste time hunting down grown adults who appear to have disappeared voluntarily. So it’s up to PI dream team, psychologist Augusta Bloom and ex-MI6 agent Marcus Jameson to track them down and solve the mystery but where -or who- is the real danger?

The opening chapters see Augusta treating a teenage girl called Seraphine, who has mortally injured her school caretaker. Augusta has a very relatable cynicism and I found her incredibly likeable from the beginning. She manages to be both a shrewd career woman and incredibly compassionate, a combination rarely seen in women within crime fiction. I was with her for the entire narrative and was desperately trying to help her figure things out.

I wasn’t so taken with her professional partner Marcus. He had an air of the arrogant bachelor about him that grated on me but I did enjoy him as a sidekick. I couldn’t quite work out whether Augusta had a crush on him or not but their relationship had a certain undercurrent that went slightly deeper than a professional level. They complement each other really well, which is essential in any crime-fighting team.

I really enjoyed the occasional scenes that perfectly described both inner and outer modern life in a busy city. Deakin is clearly a very observant writer and it’s clever how she reflects the fast pace of the city with the incessant busyness of the average human brain. She paints a very vivid picture and completely sucks me into the square with Augusta. I’m right there with a takeaway coffee considering all the evidence while all of this life happens around me.

Seraphine was undoubtedly the creepiest teen character I’ve ever read. I think it was the fact that she was so wickedly clever, ruthless and manipulative for a child that unsettled me so much. Like Augusta, I have an interest in psychopathic minds myself, so I recognised her symptoms almost straightaway but Seraphine still unsettled me deeply. She seemed capable of absolutely anything, which made her -and therefore the plot- thoroughly unpredictable, which kept me hungrily turning the pages.

As the final links were being made, my mind slowly began to wake up to what had really been going on behind the scenes of this dark twisted game. Naturally, I’d been trying to make connections and put the puzzle together myself but I didn’t see the conclusion coming at all, which I really appreciated.

Gone is a very riveting debut and I’m really excited to see what Leona Deakin does next. Normally with thrillers, I prefer to spend as much time as possible inside the mind of the perpetrator so I’m not typically a fan of police procedural crime but I gobbled this one up in less than two days. It’s ideal if you’re looking for a fast, high-stakes ride to round off your reading year!

YOUR GIFT IS THE GAME.
DARE TO PLAY?
This book was so good. After reading it I really am scared of the power psychopaths have in our society. If even a small part of the things described in the story are true, then this is a really scary scenario. Great debut novel and hopefully there is a lot more to come!

Let me say from the beginning that I really, really liked this book; the characters and the plot were original and twisted, I am sure that any crime lover would love this book, all of them!
Now, let’s talk a little bit about the plot (without any spoilers, of course); some people are disappearing after receiving a birthday card, seems like a typical thriller, am I right? Now let’s start with the twisted part, let’s say that the ones that had disappeared have a secret life and lied to all their families and friends? Yes, the ones that are missing are not as “innocent” as they seem…
Dr Augusta Bloom and Marcus Jameson will have to join forces to discover what’s really happening and for how long people had been disappearing… they will have to trust each other in the most visceral way… because this is personal; they will be hurt on their core. The main question is, if they survive after this case, would they prefer to be dead?
Let’s talk a little about the characters, Augusta is a cold woman, all her life is work centered. She has regrets from the past but is always eager to help… but how much is she ready to let her fear go to keep the ones she loves safe?
Marcus had not have an easy life, he is an ex-secret agent, but now his life seems to have a meaning, but when his sister asks for his help all her world will turn upside down within just a few days. Will he be the same after this case?
I’ll admit that there are a few twists on the case, some of them are more surprising than others, but what kept me reading the story was how the story was told and how everything would unfold in the end. There’s an open ending, but I think it is to let the characters breath and prepare the reader for another exceptional case. Because I want to know what happens next, how this case will affect to the main characters and their work, we have to know!
Gone is an exceptional debut novel; intriguing, original and addictive! Ready?

My thanks to Random House U.K. Transworld Publishers/Black Swan for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Gone’ by Leona Deakin in exchange for an honest review. Its ebook and audiobook editions were published in August with the paperback edition published on 12 December.

As I quickly realised that I was enjoying it very much, I elected to obtain its audiobook edition to enable me to combine listening with reading the eARC.

The leads in this tense thriller are criminal psychologist Dr. Augusta Bloom and Marcus Jameson, a former member of the Secret Service. Together they run a small consultancy that investigates mysteries.

Marcus asks Augusta for a favour after Lana, a close friend of his sister, goes missing leaving her teenage daughter distraught. The woman has served in the Army and suffers from PTSD. They discover at the house a birthday card that reads: ‘YOUR GIFT IS THE GAME. DARE TO PLAY?’

The police aren’t concerned even when it is discovered that three other people have gone missing, leaving behind birthday cards with the same wording. Bloom and Jameson delve into the lives of the missing and uncover something that connects them and they quickly realise that rather than being in danger they are the danger!

This proved to be a highly addictive thriller that kept me guessing and completely glued to my seat. Leona Deakin is herself a psychologist who has worked with the police and she brings that expertise to her character of Dr. Bloom.

Certainly highly recommended and I am so excited to read that this is the first in a series with the second book, ‘Lost’, scheduled for publication in August 2020. I can hardly wait!

Four people disappear from apparently quite comfortable lives. The only thing they appear to have in common is that each of them disappeared on their birthday… and each of them received a card wishing them a happy first birthday and inviting them to join a mysterious game.

Digging deeper, psychologist Dr. Augusta Bloom and her investigative partner Marcus Jameson uncover something else the four have in common… they all displayed psychopathic tendencies. When a cyber investigator starts digging deeper, the case is blown wide open with the discovery that there are a lot more than four people missing. The real number is over 100, and Augusta can’t figure out what someone is collecting all these psychopaths for.

The author of this book is a psychologist herself who has worked with the police numerous times, and she does not only a sterling job of explaining to the reader (in a non-infodumping way) all the signs and symptoms of functional psychopaths, but also writes the police procedures which would attach to a case such as this very realistically. It was obvious to the reader from fairly early on who the criminal mastermind was going to turn out to be, but their motives were absolutely opaque until the time came for the big reveal, which was really cleverly done.

There’s an open ending which leaves open the possibility of a sequel, and certainly I think Augusta and Marcus are a terrific team I’d love to read more about. This is a brilliant first novel with some absolutely unique twists and turns to the plot, and I hope to see a lot more from this author in the future. Five stars.

It's your birthday. A mysterious card is given to you from a stranger. On it is written "Happy 1st Birthday". You open it up. Inside it says "Your Gift is the Game ... Dare to Play?"

Ex MI6 Agent Marcus James and Psychologist August Bloom are asked to look into the disappearance of his sister's friend, Lana, right after she received one of these birthday cards. When they realise she's not the only person to have received one of these cards, they investigate further, they are brought further and further into a rabbit hole of clues and leads, and what they uncover brings them to the edge, both professionally and personally.

This is a fantastic twisty debut from Leona Deakin. There is lots of fascinating psychology on psychopaths and how they think, how they live normal lives all around us and that not all psychopaths are murderous serial killers. For me that truly was the scariest realisation when reading this book. It is a gripping and clever plot that had me turning the pages to see what happened next. The characters are well written and Leona Deakin tells you just enough about their backgrounds and their personalities leaving you wanting to know more about them in a second book, which I hope there will be!

Gone is published today, 12 December and I definitely recommend it.

Imagine it being your birthday and you receive a card from an unknown person with the message ‘Happy 1st Birthday’ emblazoned upon the front. When you open it the text inside reads, ‘YOUR GIFT IS THE GAME. DARE TO PLAY?’ What would you do? Would you enter the URL that is on the piece of paper stuck to the inside of the card into you web browser? Or would you decide it’s a joke and bin the card? What if I told you that those who opened the cards disappeared off the face of the earth? What would you do then?

The thing is, we’re assuming that these people have been kidnapped or murdered. In actual fact they’re off doing things they really enjoy. It’s just, those things aren’t strictly legal or ethical. In fact, these things are downright terrifying.

When Lana disappears on her birthday it is immediately investigated by ex-Secret Service operative Marcus Jameson and his friend and colleague, psychologist and private detective Dr. Augusta Bloom. Marcus knows both Lana and her daughter Jane and he has a personal investment in the case leaving it up to Augusta to keep some distance. They discover that Lana isn’t the only person to go missing in this way and they realise that something much darker is afoot.

Marcus and Augusta are a great duo, they bounce off one another, evidently have a long standing friendship and work together very well. Leona Deakin does a great job in her characterisation of these very different people and they feel very real and authentic. I really warmed to them both, finding them strong characters with very real flaws and I was really rooting for them.

The investigation takes some twists and turns, some of which I did see coming and others I didn’t all. It is a gripping read with lots about psychology which I found absolutely fascinating. It is one thing to read about a dangerous person but it is quite another to get inside their head and works out what makes them tick. This really lifted the book for me and made the cat and mouse game all the more exciting because if Augusta Bloom knows how these people are thinking can she really stay one step ahead of them?

I have to admit to finding the beginning a little confusing and I wasn’t sure if it was going to be for me but then something clicked and I was 100% invested. I had to know what had happened to Lana. I had to know what was going to happen next. And I had to know who was behind it all. It is gripping and compelling and is one of those books which sets your mind whirring and leaves you eyeing everybody you know sceptically.

Gone is a fun read (if you can call hunting dangerous people fun) and is full of intrigue. The psychological angle is such a great addition and really adds depth to the narrative. I enjoyed the book and it left me wanting more from Augusta and Marcus.

People are disappearing. The Police aren't concerned. They are adults, there is no sign of foul play. If people go off for their own reasons it is up to them. When Dr Augusta Bloom & Magnus Jameson are asked to look into the disappearance of one of them. A mother who disappeared on her birthday, leaving a card inviting her to join the game. As the pair look at others who have disappeared it would seem that it is not their welfare we need to worry about.

It's difficult to say too much about this book without giving away the story, so I'd just recommend you read it for yourself. I hope this is just the start of a series because I would really like to read more about these pair. It was a great gripping read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Gone by Leona Deakin

Four strangers have disappeared, all celebrating their birthdays. Each had received a birthday card, wishing them a happy first birthday with a message inside daring them to play a game. And then they vanished. Are they dead or have they left willingly? Why would they leave their families, their children? Who is in control of the game and what do they want? The police aren’t interested. These are all consenting adults. In desperation, the daughter of one of the missing approaches psychologist and private detective Dr Augusta Bloom, urging her and her colleague, ex-MI6 Marcus Jameson, to find her mother. Then suddenly the husband of one of the missing is murdered and then the police can’t help but take notice, inviting Bloom and Jameson to help them crack the game. They soon discover that far more than four people are missing. There are over a hundred. Some may even have been returned. The mystery grows more puzzling and more sinister by the day.

Gone is Leona Deakin’s debut novel and, trying very hard not to give anything away, it takes a familiar theme and turns it upside down. We’re used to seeing psychologists investigating crimes but Augusta Bloom is an unusual and intriguing woman. Not even her closest friend Marcus is allowed to get too close. As a pair, they complement each other perfectly. I did like Marcus in particular, with his mysterious unmentional MI6 past. But there is more to this novel that makes it original and rather unusual. It’s thought-provoking and cleverly done.

But while I appreciated the novel’s cleverness and enjoyed its twisty tale, there is something rather joyless about the way in which it’s told. This may well be intentional but I found it a cold novel and, with the exception of Marcus, found it difficult to warm to anybody. My sense of dissatisfaction was compounded by the fact that I worked it all out very early on.

But, having said all that, what did keep me reading and paying close attention right to the end is the way that I couldn’t help but become immersed in Bloom’s dedicated drive to discover the truth and do the right thing. She faces puzzles along the way and I liked watching her work things out, all based on her in-depth and very interesting insight into human nature. Leona Deakin has clearly done her research.

Gone is a clever and intriguing novel – a psychological novel with a difference – and is certainly thought-provoking and pleasingly puzzling. I hope and suspect that future novels may well have more of that sparkle, that indefinable something, that is missing here.

Note: this novel was previously advertised as Mind Games.

Dr Augusta Bloom is a psychologist, she studies people and what makes them tick, with a special interest in psychopaths.

When her colleague Marcus’ friend, Lana goes missing, he asks for her help. The only clue is a birthday card Lana received with the message….



YOUR GIFT IS THE GAME DARE TO PLAY?



As they investigate they find more people missing, all of whom had received the same card and message…..are they part of the game? What links them all?

Will they find those missing people? And at what cost?

I really enjoyed this unique thriller, with its insights into what makes a psychopath and a gripping, twisty plot. Great characters and I loved the relationship between friends Augusta and Marcus too….with lots of suspense to keep you on tenterhooks throughout. An incredible debut thriller from Leona Deakin and I can thoroughly recommend it.

Thank you to The publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.