A good start for a new police procedural series. It's a thrilling read that kept on the edge till the end.
I liked the solid mystery that kept me guessing, the fleshed out cast of characters and the good storytelling.
I look forward to reading other stories in this series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

"They know exactly when he'll strike… They have to find him first."
Four women dead. Four women with zero connections. Four women in 40 days, only ten days apart.
This story of catching a serial killer kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. I got a total Cagney and Lacey vibe from this one. I'm super happy it's a series. It was just the right amount of twisty for my taste.
I received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher, and the author in exchange for an honest review but, I'll be willing to purchase any additional books in the series!

Ten Days Gone by Beverly Long is a highly recommended police procedural and the beginning of the A.L. McKittridge series.

In Baywood, Wisconsin, small town police detectives A.L. McKittridge and Rena Morgan are on the trail of a serial killer. Four women have been found dead in forty days, exactly 10 days apart. There seems to be nothing connecting the women to each other and the careful killer is not leaving any clues. A.L. and Rena need to find out what connects the victims to each other and the significance of the ten days apart. Hopefully they can discern who the next victim will be and stop the killer before there is another murder. Finding who the next victim will be may be just the beginning of their struggles.

Long writes in an well-done easy-to-follow style. As the case unfolds, the clues are logically uncovered and followed. The narrative is told through alternating points-of-view and it ensures A.L. and Rena are viewed as distinct individuals as the story delves into their personal lives. The background provided in the narrative makes it easy to learn about the personal lives of A.L. and Rena while we follow their professional collaboration. Like most characters in a procedural, they have personal stuff going on while they are trying to stop a killer.

Ten Days Gone is a nice solid start to a new series and would be a nice choice when you want to simply read for relaxation and follow along as the clues as they come. There are no wildly twisty surprises or red herrings in this solid procedural. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of MIRA Books.
Review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes&Noble after publication.

A decent police procedural with interesting character development and an intriguing premise. It was a really slow burn with most of the action taking place close to the end of the story. I wish that there had been at least some chapters or scenes from the killer's point of view in order to add suspense. I like Rena and A.L enough to want to read further stories featuring them.

Ten Days Gone by Beverley Long is a decent mystery thriller series opener. There are many story elements I like, but overall this novel never quite stood out from the crowd to me. You may want to try this book if you're interested in police procedurals or serial killer thrillers.

Ten Days Gone is an intense thriller. A serial killer is stalking women, and Detectives, Rena Morgan and A. L. McKittridge are determined to track them down. With ten days between murders, are they able to find the killer before they strike again? Beverly Long set up a fast paced read that keeps a reader interested. I am interested in reading others in this new series.

There’s a serial killer at work in Baywood, Wisconsin and he or she has a pattern. That’s the reluctant conclusion Detectives A. L. McKittridge and Rena Morgan have reached when they arrive at the scene of the fourth victim where it mirrors three others. Even more concerning about the pattern is, if they’re right, the killer will strike again in ten days. A. L. and Rena race to figure out the victims’ connections so they can identify the next person before the ten days are up.

When I decided to read this book, I didn’t know it was going to be part of a series, and after finishing, I couldn’t be happier that there will be more stories about these detectives. I like them as partners as they have sort of a yin yang relationship that worked extremely well in every aspect while maintaining proper boundaries. The procedurals were engaging and well paced, creating tension and excitement. There’s also a strong relationship element here where there was focus on A. L.’s and Rena’s personal lives that was equally as interesting. The suspense kicked up a notch when they identified the next potential victim and the story went in a new (great!) direction.

This is my first experience with the author and I liked her character development. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew them well enough but wanted more. The procedurals were well researched and followed logical investigative directions, which I find important. While I figured out the likely suspect, the why of it all was elusive and kept me guessing. I didn’t learn what A. L. stands for and that promises to be a whole thing in itself. I enjoyed the mystery, the procedurals and the interpersonal dynamics, enough to want to see more of these characters. It’s a strong start to what promises to be a good series.

I’m jumping back into thrillers and I was excited to get this invite to read this book.

I liked AL and Rena well enough. They’re both good people who are loyal to the job. I liked their dedication and tenacity. There are loads of characters in this book and I don’t think we really got to fully know any of them. I’m not sure if that was intentional or not.

Plot wise, it was okay. The first half of the book made me feel like I should already be familiar with these characters. Their personal lives were at the front of the story and the case seemed secondary. Once the soon-to-be victim was found, the tension was quickly ramped up and it became quite the page turner. The ending wrapped up a bit quicker than I would have liked and another few pages or even a short epilogue would have been great.

Overall, it was an interesting story and the characters might make me come back for the next book.

**Huge thanks to MIRA for providing the arc free of charge**

The book started out slow but I’m glad I kept reading because it picked up quickly after the first few chapters. It is an intriguing story about a serial killer who is killing a woman every 10 days. After the fourth murder, the detectives are determined not to let a fifth happen.
I enjoyed to story once it picked up. I love a good mystery. The story also had elements of struggles in the detectives personal lives but they never fully resolved themselves in the book. For this reason and the slow beginning I rated the book 4 stars.

Book: Ten Days Gone
Author: Beverly Long
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Mira Books, for sending me an ARC.

I’m just going to be flat out honest. There was something about this one that just had me hooked. I found myself wanting to read huge chunks of this book in one sitting. I cared about the story and the characters a lot. Normally, I don’t get this involved in police thrillers, but this one, yeah, this one had something about that had me wanting to read more. The plot was interesting and the characters were well developed.

The plot was very engaging and written in a way that has you wanting to keep reading. It’s a very procedural book, but the way it is presented makes you want to keep going, even when it is just going through different mundane things. I was even engaged when I was reading about family gatherings. You do get kind of a slower plot for a thriller. The author takes time to build things up, but it’s worth it.

I really enjoyed the characters. I like how Beverly took the time to actually flesh them out instead of just rushing through them. We get to build a bond with them and experience what they are going through. There is a rather large cast of characters, so it can be kind of overwhelming at first, but it’s worth it. I liked getting to know the characters outside of their jobs. It just made me feel so much more involved.

Now, the ending to this one kind of bothered me. It felt rushed and while it did make sense, it didn’t at the same time. I know I just said that I really enjoyed getting everything fleshed out, but I wish that we had spent just a little more time with the ending. It just felt sloppy and not as put together as the rest of the book.

Anyway, that’s all I’m going to say about that.

If you like procedural thrillers then be sure to pick this one up. It comes out on February 18, 2020.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/rvPTfc6R5ZM

Thank you to Beverly Long, Mira Books and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy! This perfect mystery/suspense novel will be out on February 18 and I highly recommend you all grab it!!

This is the first in a series of two cops, a woman and man who each have their own life drama in addition to finding the killer to four dead women. Why were the women killed and how did the killer do it are only a couple of questions that get answered in this refreshing, addicting read.

I couldn’t put it down, honestly and it was easy to read, had great character development and the story was GOOD!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So, tbh, the only reason I'm rating this book low is because I didn't like any of the characters. I really liked the story and had high potential for it but when the characters fall flat, it just ruins the story. May give it another chance down the line.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ten Days Gone is a thriller that has some twists and turns. This story is about two detectives trying to get ahead of a killer. All they really have to go on is when this killer strikes. There is a significance to the number 10.

As they race against the clock to find out the name of the next victim they keep hitting one wall after another. Will they be able to save the next victim or will the killer continue to be one step ahead of them?

3.5 stars out of a possible 5

Ten Days Gone is a realistically authentic plot-driven police procedural, following Detectives McKittridge and Morgan as they investigate a serial killer who strikes every ten days.

What I Liked

My favorite character: Gabe Morgan
He is a keeper- a husband who loves unconditionally and who takes time to think about problems without acting rashly. He makes decisions based on what is best for everyone, not just himself. He is supportive and steadfast, understanding when an investigation takes priority, and when his wife or family needs him.

The detectives stayed focused on their job of stopping a serial killer without getting distracted by their personal lives or by changes within their department. McKittridge and Morgan are the quintessential professionals, compartmentalizing their lives in a way as to let them solve the case without distractions.

The story is engaging and flows naturally, the suspense building as it moved closer to the date of the next murder. I liked the slow build to a satisfying conclusion. Sometimes you have to be an observer to the solving of mysteries and not a participant, and Ten Days Gone is a perfect example of that.


What I Wish

This review was unusually difficult for me to write because I didn't connect with either of the main characters – my feeling towards them and their challenges remaining ambivalent throughout the novel. It didn't even bother me that the novel's end resolves none of the personal problems except for the mystery of what Gabe Morgan is hiding.

I spent time reflecting on why I couldn't connect to them, yet I connected with some of the minor characters – Gabe, Tess, and Carrie. I think it is because a lot about the detectives' personal lives is told to me at the beginning of the story. In contrast, with the minor characters, I was shown things about them, their personalities, and their reactions to events. Showing versus telling is ideal, and I think that finding out about characters slowly makes a big difference to me and my ability to connect with them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 40%

I really wanted to like this book, as I'm into true crime and serial killer stories. But the pacing on this one was so, so slow. I know the author is trying to build up, as this is the first book in a series, but I just found myself disliking every single character in the book.

I'm on a roll here lately. I'd like to think that I'm skeptical and sometimes a hard-to-please reader. But, I am on a 5 star book run and I cannot think of a better way to start out 2020!

5 stars for Ten Days Gone by Beverly Long! I don't typically like thrillers written from a PI or law enforcement point of view. This one was an exception for me and I felt I was watching the next Liam Neeson movie unfold one development at a time.

Two detectives are on a tight timeline in a small town. Every ten days, another woman is found dead in their homes with no signs of struggle or forced entry. The clock is ticking and time is running out. How many more women will have to die before the murderer is found?

Fast-paced and gripping, Ten Days Gone is a supercharged thriller. Packed with suspense and mystery, it is sure to be one of your favorites of 2020.

Thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for an advanced copy of Ten Days Gone in exchange for an honest review. Beverly Long, this was mind-blowing and intense and I am excited about the next one! #thriller #tendaysgone #5starreview #loveabook #sendmebooks #bookreview #suspense #liamneeson #read #mustread #bookstagram #bookblog #blogger #pageturner #booklife #coffeeandbooks #stayupandread #cantputdown #instaread #bookish #bookcommunity #mirabooks #netgalley #harlequinbooks

2.5.

This is an investigation thriller for whose mystery we know when the serial killer will strike, for he's been making a victim every ten days, the investigators still need to know, though, whom and why. The clock is ticking.

I think this had a lot to be at least an okay story. We had good crimes and a good reason to feel the pressure of having find the culprit. The book also had good discoveries, which would make the investigation fun as we follow the two investigators. I also think both Rena and A.L. seemed like nice characters.

Then everything went wrong.

It was little by little, so I didn't notice at first. The first red flag was that I just didn't care enough to resume my read if I stopped to do anything. Because it was not a closed circle of suspects from the beginning, even though we eventually meet the culprit before knowing it was them, it wasn't like I could know who it was with what we had. This is more the type of mystery for you to sit and enjoy the ride. It just wasn't so interesting for me to stay put and enjoy.

The first problem, and that I think should be a big no in a detective story, there was a lot of personal stuff that held no relation to the plot. I feel that is nice on a TV series because you need to care about the characters to keep watching the episodes, but it's not the same for a book that isn't even a series yet. If you want personal stuff, they need to be related to the investigation or else they're a big distraction. It was interesting the story revolving Rena's marriage but it could be cut from it all and it wouldn't have made a difference. A.L.'s still had something but the romance he gets is my second complaint: forced and awkward. I think they fell way too fast and a little out of nowhere, making me uncomfortable.

I still had a third issue: the writing was confusing sometimes. We kept changing views and it took me a while to get used and understand who the narration was talking about. Moreover, something with the style made the read the not flow well. It's supposed to be an easy read, there aren't big words or too-long sentences, but it wasn't so for me. I wish I were able to point out the reason.

As for development and conclusion, I don't have any complaint. Unfortunately, I don't think there was anything memorable either. The main characters were nice but what was happening to them was either the usual in books or just unnecessary, as explained. This got in my way to appreciate them.

I think this book could satisfy readers of crime investigation who like stories involving the detectives without going straight to the point. While I avoid it, I do think there will be people who like it.

I received a copy of Ten Days Gone from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this. With every chapter more information was revealed and it just got better and better. I loved the two main characters and I can't wait to read more about them solving cases. This book would've been a full five stars if I hadn't guessed some of the mysteries about the serial killer. I enjoyed the writing style and I was extremely entertained. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Ten Days Gone by Beverly Long is what is called a police procedural. It focuses on catching the criminal rather than from the point of view of the victim. It used to be that most mysteries and suspense type books were from the eyes of the detectives/police or from a legal perspective, a courtroom drama but then the shift was towards domestic suspense. This books swings us back to the detectives and Ten Days Gone sets the stage for more cases with the character of A.L. McKittridge.

They know exactly when he’ll strike… They just have to find him first. In all their years working for the Baywood police department, detectives A.L. McKittridge and Rena Morgan have never seen anything like it. Four women dead in forty days, each killed ten days apart. With nothing connecting the victims and very little evidence, the clock is already counting down to when the next body drops. A.L. and Rena will have to act fast if they’re going to find the killer’s next victim before he does. But identifying the killer’s next likely target is only half the battle.

With pressure pushing in from all sides, a promising breakthrough leads the detectives to Tess Lyons, a woman whose past trauma has left her too damaged to appreciate the danger she’s in. Unwilling to let another woman die, A.L. and Rena will put everything on the line to keep Tess safe and end the killer’s deadly spree once and for all–before time runs out again.

A great fast-paced book with a very intriguing mystery and plot. A must-read for fans of police procedurals!

You can order the book now and it will be magically delivered to your Kindle on February 18!

There is a serial killer on the loose in Baywood, Wisconsin. Detectives A.L. McKittridge and Rena Morgan have ten days to find the killer before he or she strikes again. Finding the link between the victims isn’t going to be easy, there don’t seem to be any common threads.

Beverly Long has a prolific resume of mystery novels with strong characters. This is the first book in a new series starring A.L. McKittridge. A.L. is a strong male detective with a soft heart. He has an independent teenage daughter and a difficult ex-wife. He is devoted to is daughter and will do anything to both protect her and stay in her life. His relationship with his ex-wife is tenuous, but for the good of their child, they try to be civil.

Rena Morgan is A.L.’s longtime partner. She’s happy to be partners with someone as experienced and thorough as A.L. Rena and her husband Gabe have been trying to have kids. They’ve pretty much tried everything, and it’s straining their marriage. Gabe feels that Rena’s job is getting in the way. Rena has no intention of leaving a job she loves.

Long has set us up for a plenty of action following these detectives as they solve new crimes. This book handles the serial killer story very well. Leading us on a path that gives us several possible suspects, one definitely stands out. However, with her expert writing, you are not certain of the criminal until the end.

I enjoyed this novel enough to want to keep following the story into book two. While I have not read any of Long’s series before, I think that she does write enough elements of mystery into the book to keep you coming back for more. I would recommend this as a good but not too gory or heavy mystery series to read.

3.75 stars


This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 4 Feb 2020 .