I love a good detective story and Grayson Skyes (love that name) is a great character. Strong, sarcastic, and smart... all the "S" words. I never figured this one out, even though I thought I had, and despite its longer length than most thrillers, it kept my attention. The setting of the west coast and tension was done so well and the mystery was enthralling. I highly recommend for fans of female-driven detective stories.

With an interesting premise and a lot of twists and turns along the way, Hall gives us an entertaining thriller that touches on the trauma and lingering effects of abusive relationships and the violence against women by their partners.

While the first 20% of the book is indeed slow to get into, particularly as you adjust to the time jumps and make the connection between the two, the pacing does pick up. We come across some characters which are really well-developed and detailed that propel you to get invested. However, not all of them are as carefully built, making more than one of the recurring characters seem superfluous. I loved the premise of having a strong female P.I. in Grayson as the lead, working to both find and protect a battered woman, Isabel. But as we got more into the plot, it became to feel really messy.

While I didn't see the final twist coming together exactly as it did, I guessed the dramatic reveal pretty early on. The clues along the way felt a bit sloppy and noncommittal. The underlying drama and thrill meant to be imparted by Sean's emergence wasn't as impactful as I would have liked and his ending tied up far too neatly and with little fanfare or excitement given the sense of foreboding and dread we're meant to feel throughout. Very much "are you kidding me?" kind of vibes and a big letdown.

I also didn't feel like I ever really got a good handle on Gray. She made some frankly baffling P.I. gaffes and then had moments of total badassery which honestly didn't feel true to her character. Are we to believe she's competent at her job? Is she fatalistic or tactful? How does she really heal from her trauma vs. just moving away from it physically?

I also felt Nick's character was a bit off - he's removed from the action for the most part but keeps emerging on the periphery without much of a reason to. And if the story is about Grayson taking back her agency and power, why is Nick in the driver's seat for their will they won't they relationship? It was distracting and took away from the focus on Grayson and her agency / growth.

Overall while it was entertaining for some parts and I appreciated the premise and themes Hall attempted to tackle, this left much to be desired, rarely going beyond the surface level of the important topics and themes introduced. I wanted more of Grayson's healing journey, more insight into the violence women face and also inflict. If this is meant to show women held in the shadows either by men and their violence, or society's perception that women can't be ugly and dangerous (rather just meek and pretty) then I'd want to lean all the way into that.

Rating: 2.75 rounding up to 3.

I have never read a book like this one. So many thrillers and mysteries fall flat or become predictable. This story had me guessing all the way through. I could not put it down!
Following the story of Grayson as she searches for the missing Isabel Lincoln every twist and turn brings more questions about the reason for her disappearance but also questions about Gray!
I highly recommend this book!

Grayson Sykes is working hard to be a private investigator. Her boss /mentor has given her the first case of her new career.

Isabel Lincoln has gone missing. Abducted? Or did she leave on her own. That's what Grayson has to determine. At first glance, it seems to be easy enough ....

What Grayson discovers is that no one seems to be who she thinks they are. The missing woman's boyfriend absconded with his dog. He's not too worried about the girlfriend, but he definitely wants the dog back. There's Isabel's best friend, Tea, who seems to know more than what she's telling. To top it off, Isabel has been in hiding from an abusive partner. Another person that's suspect.

Grayson isn't who she says she is, either. She knows firsthand how domestic violence and fear can lead someone to abandon everything they have and know.. just to survive.

There are twists and turns aplenty. It's a tightly woven, complex plot, featuring characters that are strong and intriguing to follow. This is a page turner to the very last page.

Many thanks to the author / Macmillan-Tor/Forge / Forge Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction/thriller. A special Thank You to Macmillan Reading Insiders Club. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This one blew me away. It’s nothing like what I was expecting & that’s a good thing because it was even better! If I had to categorise this book I would describe it as crime fiction, but with all the twists and turns of a thriller. This story will definitely keep you guessing! There was so much depth to all the characters it got to the point where I genuinely cared for all of them. If I have to choose one book from 2020 that I would petition for a follow up book or series, it would be this one. I need more Gray in my life!⁣
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The story follows Grayson Sykes, a private investigator who is searching for a missing women, Isabel Lincoln, and the deeper we get into the investigation the more we learn about Grayson and her past. At the beginning, Hall has you believing one narrative but the more you read, you start to learn more and the twists are just thrown at you.⁣
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I don’t want to give too much away on this one. You should really give it a shot if you’re a fan of crime fiction. This one doesn’t disappoint. There is depiction of abuse in this book so keep that in mind if you pick this one up.⁣

This book shook me to my core! It was such a page turner, and there were SO many twists and turns! I loved every minute of it. All of the story lines blended well and they made sense together.

CW - domestic abuse

Gina Carey once said, “A strong woman looks a challenge in the eye and gives it a wink.” And Now She’s Gone is a story about the many different kinds of adversity and adversaries women face in their lives and how learning to leave the battlefield bloody and bruised but victorious is the most important skill we can ever acquire.

Gray (Grayson) Sykes has just been promoted to investigator at Radar Consulting and is excited to tackle her first missing persons case. Isabel Lincoln has disappeared, vanished seemingly without a trace. Her boyfriend Ian, a rich cardiologist, initially thought this was just Isabel being Isabel – she has been known to take spontaneous trips before, going away for days and upon returning offering the excuse that she just needed to be alone. But this time she’s been gone months, not days and she took Ian’s beloved dog Kenny G with her. He’s hired Gray because he wants Isabel found, wants photographic proof that she’s alive and okay and most of all, he wants his dog back.

Gray begins her hunt for the missing Isabel by interviewing that lady’s co-workers and receives some disturbing information – the kindly doctor may not be the wonderful man he claims to be. One of the women says Ian had been physically abusive throughout the relationship and has probably killed Isabel. Another tells Gray, “She did what she had to do, cuz that’s us women. Doing what we gotta do to survive. And sometimes? That ain’t nice. Sometimes, that ain’t easy. But we get to be above ground for one more day.”

Concerned, Gray changes the focus of her search to include the possibility that the man who hired her to find Isabel might actually want her to muddy a future criminal investigation. But there is no evidence of foul play at Isabel’s condo and a neighbor saw Isabel happily getting into a black truck with a suitcase. Everything seems to point to a woman who willingly took off. Yet Isabel’s home is filled with all manner of personal memorabilia, the types of things people always take with them when relocating. Her car is still in the driveway. Her breakfast dishes are still in the sink. There may be no signs of a struggle, Isabel might have entered that truck with a packed bag and cheerful countenance but had she truly intended to stay away this long?

When she’s through examining the condo, Gray begins texting the list of Isabel’s friends Ian gave her. Few of them answer, but she makes appointments to speak to the ones who do. And then she receives a strange message from an unknown number, one she definitely didn’t reach out to: “Please let me be missing.” A few frustrating exchanges later and she knows she’s dealing with the missing Isabel. So why won’t the woman just give Gray the dog, a picture proving she’s okay and let both of them get back to their lives?

Gray is the perfect person to handle Isabel’s case because no one could understand better about the need to start over. She had once been Mrs. Natalie Dixon, the beautiful society wife of a rich, successful man. A man who began beating her by their first anniversary and who left her with a battered body, broken heart and scarred face. She knows she needs to handle this search with all the finesse she can muster because while she may have a legal obligation to the doctor, she has a moral obligation to Isabel. If the woman is in danger, Gray needs to help her stay gone.

I loved that Gray wasn’t just sympathetic to Isabel’s plight but that she was careful, meticulous and thorough in her examination of the details surrounding the woman’s disappearance. It would have been so easy for her to make assumptions based on her own past experiences but she refuses to jump to conclusions and follows every miniscule clue until she’s gathered all the pieces of information she needs to come to the right denouement. The author did a great job of showing us what makes Gray a terrific sleuth and how her personality – a mix of compassion, cleverness, conscientiousness, and thoroughness – contributed to her vocational success. We live in a career oriented world and I absolutely love it when this aspect of a story is done right.

The mystery here has a lot of nice twists and turns. Until close to the end of the book we are unsure of what exactly is happening and what it all means. Almost everyone involved in the case is lying to Gray in some way, shape or form and watching her pick her way through all the prevarications to the truth is engrossing. The story is told very much in the fashion of a cat and mouse game, with Gray chasing a very elusive prey and I loved that I wasn’t sure of who was who and what was what until almost the end of the book.

The author does a nice job with the secondary characters, most of whom are witnesses, suspects or leads. It is by listening to their stories and learning their backgrounds that we are slowly able to piece together the solution to the mystery, and the author cleverly uses their personalities to help us form an image of the missing woman. It’s true that we can be known by the company we keep and Isabel had some very interesting people in her life.

We also explore Gray’s previous life as a socialite and her own ongoing struggle to stay hidden. The book shows how a smart woman with good friends could fall prey to a predator and how we can convince ourselves to stay in a bad situation by thinking tomorrow will be a better day even when it never, ever is.

There are hookups here as well as an underlying romance possibility but the book concentrates more on telling us Gray’s past and taking us through the case than in fully exploring the relationships. The narrative ends with an HFN which I thought was perfect for the story.

And Now She’s Gone had a bit of a slow start and a few rather unbelievable elements but it’s an intriguing mystery with an excellent kickass heroine. I would recommend it to any fan of female detective stories.

Grayson Sykes, a new PI has been given her first case to investigate. Cardiologist Ian O'Donnell is looking for his missing girlfriend Isabel Lincoln who has disappeared with his dog. As the case goes on, Grayson suspects that Isabel doesn't want to be found and Ian is mostly interested in getting his dog back. That's okay with Grayson as she has left her past behind too, but the more she looks for Isabel to confirm she is alive, the more she finds things are not adding up and the case becomes a lot more complex.

This is a pretty twisty thriller and the outcome was not what I was expecting. An added complication is that Grayson is constantly looking over her shoulder, waiting for her past to catch up with her, notching up the level of suspense. This was a smart, fast paced read that thriller fans should enjoy and I'm hoping there will be a sequel featuring this PI.

And Now She's Gone is, on the surface, a procedural, but it's so much more in presentation.
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan/Tor-Forge for my eARC for review in exchange for an honest review.
Protagonist Grayson Sykes is smart and sassy and flawed. She's one of the most interesting characters I've read in a long time.
Gray is a private investigator working her first case, tasked with finding a doctor's missing girlfriend. And dog.
But is Isabel Lincoln truly missing, or has she disappeared to escape an abusive relationship?
While investigating, Gray is experiencing parallel issues from her past. Are people who them claim to be, both in conduct and in identity? Which version of one's self is more real?
This is my first novel by Rachel Howzell Hall and I was quickly taken in by her writing style - unique, accessible and dark, yet tinged with wit.
This cat-and-mouse and "trust no one" tale of secrets and trauma was made even better by her awesome descriptions and characterizations. It would be a pleasant surprise to have Gray featured in a future novel. Recommended!
For release on Sept. 22.

There are so many layers to this story that made it not only enjoyable, but an important read that everyone should pick up . Grayson Sykes is assigned her first real PI job and her task seems simple- find Isabel Lincoln. As she’s going through the investigation, it becomes clear that this isn’t a “typical” case. The more time that passes, the more reluctant Gray is to search for a woman who may not want to be found.

Abuse is a prominent topic throughout this novel. It’s heavy, you should now about it before diving in, but it’s worth the read. We don’t often get a view point like this. From physical abuse, emotional abuse, denying identity, there’s a lot here to unpack with one really prominent thread- it’s always the woman who is at fault for the abuser’s actions. Even in the eyes of the abuser’s relatives. How this, and other events in the book, intersects with race is also explored.

The plot and mystery at the center of this novel was phenomenal. I had no idea where Rachel Howzell Hall was taking me but I was here for the ride. It’s a slow burn but it really gives you the chance to know Gray. I absolutely loved our MC. Not only did she have so much character growth but she was surrounded by equally interesting, caring, sometimes crass people that made this story. They also balanced out the more unpleasant characters *cough* Ian...

I’m really hoping we get to continue on a journey with Gray in some form. The world Rachel Howzell Hall crested was so immersive that I was truly sad to leave it once I finished.

And Now She's Gone is the latest standalone thriller from bestseller Howzell Hall and boy is it one hell of a thrill ride from exciting start to shocking conclusion. 39-year-old Los Angeles-based newbie Private Investigator Grayson ”Gray” Sykes is assigned a missing persons case by her new boss, long term friend and secret crush, Dominick ”Nick” Rader, the owner of Rader Consulting, and is really nervous about working the field once again. The client is cardiologist Ian O’Donnell who appears concerned about the fact that his girlfriend, Isabel Lincoln, has vanished along with his labradoodle but she may wish to remain missing. As she begins her investigation she discovers that apparent nice guy Ian was actually abusing Isobel and that she had even attempted to commit suicide in the past, which open old wounds and bring back memories for Gray as she had been abused whilst growing up in foster care. Isobel begins texting Gray asking her to stop the investigation and Gray comes to the realisation that Isobel may have changed her identity, something Gray also did eight years ago. Where is Isobel and should Gray stop looking into her case if she really doesn't want to be located?

This is a riveting, intelligent and scalpel-sharp thriller with two incredible women front and centre and twists that blindsided me every time. I wasn't expecting the dark, sardonic humour that was laced throughout but it really added a lightness which was much needed due to the book being heavy on the subject of abuse. Gray is a likeable, tenacious and flawed protagonist, which makes her very relatable, but the case is extra complicated by the fact that Gray truly empathises with Isabel as she has been in her shoes before. She is utterly conflicted. I can relate to her as she's as cynical as I am and is a strong character from the get-go. Like a set of Russian Matryoshka dolls if you peel away one strand to the story there is another underneath and the multilayering really worked and kept my interest in all of the plot threads for the entirety of the story. This is a nuanced, sophisticated and completely unputdownable page-turner and a must-read for all crime connoisseurs. The mystery is captivating, the shocking discoveries fascinating and the danger thrilling enough to have you on the edge of your seat. Many thanks to Forge for an ARC.

In this book, we follow Gray Sykes while she's on her first case as a private investigator. She's hired by this missing woman's husband to track her down and try to figure out where she might have gone. Eventually, Gray discovers that the case is more complicated than it looks like since she's not sure the woman wants be found or if she's even... well, let's not get into any spoilers.

The book goes back and forth between the present events of the investigation and our main character's tough past. That explains the length, and also is a sign that this is a character-driven book, and an emotionally layered one. That can be a hit or a miss for some people; it was definitely a hit for me. I loved how we connected to the main character and followed her closely through the investigation, while also seeing how some of its aspects can be relatable to her personally, and to many people, for that matter. This is one of those good thrillers that aren't only very intriguing, but also impactful by the inclusion of several important themes like domestic abuse, toxic relationships, and racial injustice. I appreciated how the author wove that in while also keeping the thrilling elements. It was definitely a page-turner, one of those books where I couldn't have a single guess to solve the mystery, and had to fly through it in order to find out, getting shocked by twist after twist, all the way to the end that was completely unpredictable!

The only thing that was a bit off for me was the very detailed description at some parts. I think that depends on the readers, but I personally had a hard time to get through certain parts and got uninterested in the too many details, and was also confused because of the many characters involved at some points, although my overall impression of the writing was good.

To sum it up, And Now She's gone was a well written, well developed, intriguing character-driven book which I highly recommend for everyone as long as they don't mind a bit long and descriptive story. It is the first book I read by the author and I'm absolutely checking her other works.

Thank you NetGalley, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Forge Books for the opportunity to read this book!

I had the opportunity to meet Rachel Howzell Hall over a year ago at the LA Times Festival of Books. I was so excited when I received her ARC copy of And Now She’s Gone! Grayson Sykes finally gets a chance to take on a real case as a private investigator. Isabel Lincoln has been reported missing by her boyfriend. Well, her ex-boyfriend. As she investigates, it is obvious that this is a troubled relationship and her boyfriend is to blame. But is it that simple? Grayson knows first hand that it is never that simple. In fact, her old life is stalking her every move. Can she solve this mystery and protect herself?

Now, THIS is a good thriller! I never knew which way the plot was headed. The plot is wonderfully twisty. Every twist slowly picks away at the facade and exposes the truth. These women are bold, beautiful, smart, and so dangerous. I would not want to cross paths with either one. Actually, I would love to be friends with Grayson, but I would not want to be her enemy.

One thing that made this book more special is how it takes place where I live…Southern California. In fact, one of the scenes takes them up to Idylwild where my family and I are moving to! The references made it all that much more fascinating. Also, no one can go wrong with adding In N’ Out references. NO ONE.

Be prepared this book is gritty, detailed, and contains domestic abuse, violence, and pregnancy loss.

I really recommend this book! I stayed up until 130 am finishing it because I could not put it down. I really can’t wait to read more by this author! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Be sure to pick up this book tomorrow-September 22nd!

"Unlike most men who vanished, women rarely got caught. They just wanted a new beginning."

I tried so hard to truly enjoy this book because the premise is good. The world needs more stories about strong women who have escaped abusive situations. Unfortunately, almost as soon as I started reading, I found myself pulling away from the story. The writing...it just wasn't for me. It's chock-full of metaphors, unrealistic dialogue, and has an almost manic quality-it's all over the place, to the point I had to keep circling back to see if I'd missed something.

Beyond that, it took forever for the story to develop...I was bored. Further, I was getting really annoyed hearing about Grayson's navel pain. Go to the doctor already! That storyline had virtually no impact on the story and was just really annoying.

I probably wouldn't recommend this one, which makes me sad.

2.5 stars
Available 9.22.20

**My sincere appreciation to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for my review copy.

Grayson Sykes has been given her first real case, a missing person’s case. The question she will have to answer is if the person, Isabel Lincoln, is really missing. Isabel’s boyfriend, Cardiologist Ian O’Donnell, tells Grayson that Isabel often takes off, but always comes back. Yes, they had a fight, but that is not new either. Grayson works for Rader Consulting, owned by Dominick Rader. Contacting Isabel’s friends and coworkers provides very little information, so where does she go next? Does Isabel Lincoln really exist? I read and enjoyed Ms. Hall’s Detective Elouise Norton series and looked forward to this book, but I did not enjoy this book as it was confusing from the beginning. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Interesting story. It kept me pretty involved, and riveted. One of the characters drove me completely nuts, but that was definitely done on purpose. I liked it, and would recommend this book to others.

This is the most complicated and intricate crime fiction that I have read so far as I can remember. There are so many angles and possibilities that you did not see coming. What started as a simple job of finding a missing person and a dog, turns out to be complete chaotic mystery.

Grayson Sykes who works for Rader Consuting was handed her first PI job. They were asked by their client, Ian O’Donnell, to find his missing girlfriend Isabel Lincoln and his dog. What happened next is a series of entanglements not just the mystery of what she is trying to solve but of herself as well.

I loved and enjoyed this book! It made me think of what will happen next, who doing what, who’s telling the truth and who’s lying. The way the author strings the events together is simply wonderful. A little bit confusing on the timeline as it goes back and forth from present and past but I love how justice is serve in the ending.

And Now She's Gone by Rachel Howell Hall.... let's start with that amazing cover! Ugh... so pretty!

I would personally categorize this as more of a crime fiction with a series type of vibe then a thriller. The story is told through alternating timeline with Grayson Sykes in the present trying to find a missing woman and looking back in the past with Natalie Dixon in an abusive relationship.

Let me start out by saying... this never really felt like a thriller at all to me. It was a very long book and and I struggled from the beginning. Nothing really caught my vibe or my attention from the start. The pacing was incredibly slow and just was unfortunately pretty bored. And as I got to the end it just wasn't worth the storyline to me.

I tend to be an extremely hard reader to please especially when something is categorized as a thriller. I've been seeing a lot of 4 and 5 stars but this one just didn't do it for me.

Thank you so much to For-Tor and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 stars

Publication date: 9/22/20
Published to GR: 9/20/20

I don’t know if it’s just how distracted I am now (a newborn and 4 kids under 4yo), or what, but I didn’t love the first few chapters and found the first twists confusing and hard to follow. But I was still hooked and as the book went on, the characters and twists sucked me in.
This is really a book about violence against women and identity, and I enjoyed it.

DNF @ 50%
TW: domestic violence, irresponsible drug use

I had to DNF this for many reasons, but the primary reason being the domestic violence descriptions being personally triggering (unusual for me). The writing was hard for me to get into it, and there were too many characters. I found that any time I started to enjoy the plot or the story, another character of interest was introduced, and I felt distracted and swamped. Additionally, there’s a way to do multiple plot lines in a book, past and present, and this didn’t work well for me. Instead of adding to the interest, I found myself internally groaning anytime we switched plots. We also just sort of offhand mention our main character abusing pain killers and driving and that was weird.