Cover Image: Ten Days Gone

Ten Days Gone

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

A slow-burn mystery featuring the typical gruff, wrinkled detective and his female partner, Ten Days Gone is a twisty whodunit. Rena reminds me a lot of Eve Dallas from the In Death series. Capable, very much a tomboy, and sharp. A.L. is a divorced dad and detective that tends to be brusque with everyone.

I wasn't really engaged until the last half of the book as the pace picked up. The characters didn't wrap me into their story. I wanted to A.L. to have some defining characteristics to set him apart from other detective characters. I did enjoy his moments parenting Traci so maybe I struggled to identify with a male character. I can't be certain. Now, my biggest issue was the ending. I didn't feel like the motivations for the perp were properly explained. I can't hash it out without spoilers but I feel weirdly unsatisfied and have so many questions! 

Overall, I enjoyed Ten Days Gone thought it isn't one of those books that I'm going to flail about for. I suspect the readers that delve into crime procedurals are likely to enjoy this more than I did. It is almost like an Agatha Christie novel had a baby with one of Iris Johansen's books.

*Reviews Posted to Amazon (approval pending), B&N (approval pending), Blog, Goodreads, BookBub

Was this review helpful?

Another thriller that i loved to read. Loved the characters and their attitudes. Was not one that i was able to guess the ending so loved that! Would definitely read more by her. Thanks for the read!

Was this review helpful?

A truly captivating police procedural full of twists and turns. Detectives A.L. McKittridge and Rena Morgan are a dynamic duo investigating the gruesome murders of four women who were killed in a span of 40 days (one every ten days). There's not evidence to connect the murders, but it is clear that there's a serial killer on the loose, and the detectives must race against time before another woman's life is taken.

This was a fast-paced thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. There were so many twists and turns along the way that definitely kept me guessing up until the end.

Was this review helpful?

A well written police procedural featuring a new dynamic duo! The
plot was well paced and it had some timely twists. I was thoroughly
perplexed by this mystery and was pleasantly surprised by the
outcome. I really liked the dynamic between A.L. And Rena as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in
exchange for a honest review!

Was this review helpful?

As a lover of mystery and crime novels, I was all in when I saw the synopsis for Ten Days Gone. I had never read a book by Beverly Long before, but I just had to try this one.

While the story follows A.L. and Rena as they investigate of stream of murders happening 10 days apart and trying desperately to stop the next one from happening, I loved how we got to know these characters and their home lives. Long let us see Rena’s life with her husband and issues with getting pregnant, in-laws and balancing work and pleasure. We got to see A.L. struggle with coparenting with his ex wife, teenager daughter troubles, and wanting really bad to be a good father. I point this out because so many mystery/thrillers or crime novels focus on the crime and not so much on the detectives and their lives. I think, though, that this makes it more realistic. These people have to go home. They have lives that still exist outside the job and those issues sometimes spill over into their work lives and effect their jobs. I found this refreshing and real, which made this book better.

This story was really intriguing. There was a lot of interviewing and a lot of characters you had to mentally dissect while reading. I wanted to create one of those investigative white boards you see on TV shows to keep track of who was who and who was tied to who. This book was definitely a puzzle that involved a lot of tiny pieces that snapped together.

While I did love the crime itself and where that storyline took us, I just really enjoyed the characters that Long created and how we got to see how their every day lives. I think that part of this story pushed it from a good book to a great book. I love, as a reader, being able to relate to characters or feel like it’s someone I could know in my real life. I think it makes the book relatable. On top of that, Long has a fantastic writing style that leaves you hanging at just the right moment that has you starting the next chapter needing more and makes you feel the emotions the characters were feeling. What a truly fantastic, intense, and intriguing mystery that kept me guessing to the end.

If you love a gut hitting crime novels that also dive into the lives of the characters, with a touch of family, romance, and drama, then Ten Days Gone is definitely a book you will want to read. Pick it up. Devour it. You will, I promise.

Was this review helpful?

This was my first Beverly Long book. I enjoyed the story very much - I found the plot juuuust twisted enough to keep me guessing. Great character development and pacing - I look forward to more from this series.

I interviewed Long over on Frolic around this book's release.

Was this review helpful?

Every ten days, someone dies. And someone has to find this killer before they strike again. Read as a whole this is a very well written intellectual thriller with lots going on. But can drag in places. Not a novel for anyone who want to devour a book whole in a day but worth it in the end.

Was this review helpful?

Totally captivating and highly recommended this suspense filled novel! First by me by This author won't be my last !

Was this review helpful?

This book was just not for me, it’s not one that I would normally read.
It was an investigation thriller/mystery where the killer makes a kill every ten days, and they need to hurry and figure out who’s doing it before another ten days pass.
This story was interesting, but I just couldn’t get into it enough and find the characters relatable

Was this review helpful?

Murder is afoot in the small town of Baywood as four women are now dead. Neither of the women seems to have a connection except for the fact they all live in Baywood and were murdered the same way - naked and their clothes found folded up neatly beside them. The detectives on the case Rena and AL are stumped and now with the only lead they have which is the murders happened ten days apart, it means that another murder will happen in just over a week unless they can figure out the killer's pattern and get to the next target before the killer does. During this book, we also have a few other storylines from AL's relationship with his daughter Traci who lately has been making some bad choices and his sister Liv's decision to skip out on another rehab program. We also in the latter part of the novel have some sparks flying for AL as he falls for Tess - a later potential victim of the Baywood Serial Killer. Rena has some problems happening too in her life as she has been trying IVF as her husband Gabe wants a baby, her brother-in-law Danny kissed her and now it looks like Gabe might be having an affair with someone who is her total opposite? I have to admit when the killer came to light, I could see him as the killer but what I was hoping for was a bit more depth/background of the reason he was killing the way he did - especially with the MO of folding the clothes. If you are in the mood for a bit of murder during the quarantine lockdown, then check out Book #1 in Beverly Long's new series AL McKittridge and who knows in later books, we might be able to find out what the AL stands for.

Was this review helpful?

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Thriller

This book was very procedural in its style. And while it was well written, it didn’t necessarily grab me from the beginning like some mystery and thriller books do.

I found that this book was very intense. You are counting down the days with the detectives and you can’t help but feel a little helpless when they are just running around in circles.

The characters are well rounded and you get to see a glimpse into their personal lives too, which I appreciated. I found that it helped me connect with them.

I think that the mystery was well done and while you kind of knew who it was going to be, finding out whether or not you put together the clues correctly was a fun puzzle.

My main issues with the story were that at times, because of the complexity of the mystery, the storyline felt jumbled. Also, unfortunately, I can’t stand the main character’s name. I found it distracting and somewhat annoying. However, overall, I really enjoyed the story and can’t wait to see what happens next.

Triggers: Child abuse, Murder, Kidnapping

Was this review helpful?

Ten Days Gone cuts right to the chase from the beginning. We meet Detectives A.L. McKittridge and Rena Morgan, who are investigating a serial killer. Four women have been killed in forty days -- each one ten days apart. A.L. and Rena find no evidence whatsoever connecting these four women, but given the pattern, they know they have ten days to track down the killer before he strikes again. Can they find him before another woman is killed?

Ten Days Gone was an exceptional fast-paced thriller. I read the entire book with the sound of a ticking clock in the back of my mind -- which is how I imagined A.L. and Rena felt as the tried to solve the murders. I could not wait to read more and figure out what happened. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend!

Was this review helpful?

When I picked this one up I was already reading a crime mystery type of book but for some reason I couldn't get into it at that time. This one on the other hand must have had something that caught my attention as I just flew through it and couldn't wait to figure out who the killer was!

It's about detectives A.L. McKittridge and Rena Morgan who are trying to find out who is killing a woman every ten days. They have had 4 women killed in 40 days and they have only ten days to figure it out before there is another death. Stress levels are high, home lives are suffering. While they are trying to find the killer they get a break on who might be next and a hunt for that woman begins as well. If they can't find the woman then they must figure out who the killer is and they know there has to be some sort of connection.

I really enjoyed this one and I liked McKittridge and Morgan. McKittridge is divorced and has a teenage daughter who is giving him a few fits. Morgan is married trying desperately to have a child but things are not going so well. Stresses of her job makes her think some not so nice things about her husband and instead of talking to him she lets it fester. All of this is woven into the storyline while they word nonstop to try and find the killer. Both characters are interesting and flawed and just really likeable.

It has a great mystery as well and I liked learning about why it was happening, I kind of thought I knew who it was but no clue as to the motive. I would say the only problem for me is that I thought it was taking to long to figure out whodunit, but I think that was just me being impatient as I was in a slightly weird reading mood. :)

If you like crime mystery stories then I think you might enjoy this one!

Was this review helpful?

Four female victims found dead in forty days – ten days apart with the next one scheduled very soon. What links them together and who is next?

10 Days Gone is the first book of a new crime thriller series, with main character A.L. McKitteridge and partner Rena Morgan. It’s an assured start – I liked the main characters; A.L. is a grizzled cop with a troubled family life and Rena is desperate to have a baby. Together they are a good partnership, nicely balanced and the dynamic between them works well. The book also jumps nicely between crime solving and the personal lives of the detectives although I felt the personal side moved a little too quickly and perhaps didn’t leave me with enough questions or motivation to pick up the sequel. Good crime thrillers usually leave a through-line with their main characters, but a lot of their problems seemed to have been resolved. I particularly felt A.L.’s progression would have been better served in book three or four when we got to know his personality a little better so the change could have truly been a twist.

Although it was an assured start to a series, I have to admit it wasn’t a particularly gripping one. The crime plot was ok but there wasn’t much exploration of previous victims and the ending felt a little convoluted. There weren’t many other police characters or others for us to focus on either other than Tess who admittedly was a good character. Crime thrillers are a very saturated market and although it was a good read, I didn’t really feel that it stood out to me in ways that other series have done in the past.

Overall, 10 Days Gone is an ok read but personally I didn’t find it a very gripping or unique start to a new series. Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin – Mira for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed the dynamic of the two detectives, Morgan and McKittridge, and the mystery plot with the serial killer had me really hooked. There were some parts that were funny in a dry humor sort of way, and I really enjoyed that as well. I was thoroughly entertained until the very end. 4 of out 5 stars for Ten Days Gone by Beverly Long.

Was this review helpful?

This was exactly my kind of mystery / crime novel. I loved the two detectives, A.L. and Rena. They had their own lives, their own worries, and their own hurts. However, they were both good at their jobs, and eager to get to the bottom of this horrible new case that scared their whole community.

A.L.'s dry, sarcastic humor and Rena's insight made the story more than it would have been without them. And the mystery was very hard to figure out - which is a plus - even with some clues that were given out.

I'm going to be looking for more A.L. McKittridge novels in the future for sure.

Was this review helpful?

Tense, edge of your seat thriller that keeps you hooked from the moment you step into A.L. McKittridge's world until the moment you walk out, still with questions and a lot of opinions.

Beverly Long's masterfully woven tale is a must for those who love a good mystery that is far from cozy.

Was this review helpful?

As the start of a series, Ten Days Gone does a good job of introducing the main characters and giving us their personal stories. However, it didn't quite come through for me on the mystery. The case is certainly interesting enough, and I do like a good serial killer story, but this one left me with more questions than answers. Oh, we do get the big answer, the who, but I wanted the why. Maybe I missed something, but I never got the reason for the ten days between murders, why the killer chose those specific victims, the significance of the list... For me, the why of it, the look into the serial killer's motives is an essential part of the story, and this one just didn't deliver. As this is the first in a series, I could've understood unanswered questions about the main characters or even a cliffhanger, but to solve the crime and leave the why of it up in the air left me a bit disappointed.

Was this review helpful?

***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***

This is the first of Beverly Long's books I've read and I can't wait to check out more of her suspense novels!

Detectives McKittridge and Morgan find themselves on the trail of a killer whose crimes are rocking the small town of Baywood, WI. Not only are the two tasked with finding the killer and stopping him or her, but they have to quell the fears of the community as well.

Long delivered an easy-to-read and suspenseful story with Ten Days Gone. The book follows the investigation, which takes McKittridge and Morgan in multiple directions. Just when they think they've got a solid lead, something comes along and mixes everything up. This kept me on my toes throughout the book.

There were character storylines running parallel to the main plot, and I enjoyed these. McKittridge is dealing with a teenage daughter who's testing his limits. Morgan is having problems with her brother-in-law and issues at home too. Long did a nice job of developing the main characters and weaving the secondary ones into the plot.

There is romance in this book, but it's not the primary focus. I look forward to seeing future books in this series, so I can get a glimpse of the relationships that started to develop (assuming they're still going in future books).

If you're looking for a good murder mystery that's easy to read, this is the book for you!

Four stars to this novel!

Was this review helpful?

This book was an interesting start to a new series. It had a good solid plot and the storyline kept my interest. The characters were all likeable. I enjoyed the book although it was not an edge of my seat thriller- it kept me interested and engaged. I think I would give this 3.5 stars.

Was this review helpful?