I was so excited to see that Joanna Schaffhausen has a new series and that I got to read and review the first one for Netgalley. Detective Annalisa Vega is a complex character with a sad and intense past, including a father who was also a policeman. Her new case is to find the Lovelorn Killer, a serial killer who has been active for two decades, long enough for her father to have tried to catch him before the task fell to her. Her partner Nick is also her ex-husband the rapport between the two was humorous and rare. They actually performed as if they were still friends! There is family drama thrown into the mix of the killer who has now killed seven victims. He is currently trying to catch Annalisa alone so that he can make her another victim, but her partner and her friends are not going to let that happen. The story moves along at a fast pace, with plenty of action and twists along the way. I certainly did not guess the killer’s identity, even with the multiple clues that the author left on the trail. Schaffhausen is an absolute master of weaving an intricate tale with hidden clues and likable characters and this one was no exception. In fact, it was so good that when I got to the end, I immediately wanted to know how long I have to wait until book two of the series is released. Annalisa is a sympathetic character who understands people and she knows that we will not want to wait long to see her again! Fans of mystery/suspense/police procedural should not pass up a chance to read this one!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

WOW!! I usually don’t go for mysteries that focus on detectives/cops, but I’m so glad I made an exception for this book. It’s an absolute page turner and perfect for anyone who likes true crime or is interested in the growing phenomenon of internet sleuths. The author makes you suspect every character but still manages to surprise you when the killer is revealed.

I am not sure I completely buy the shock that comes in the last 10% of the book, but it definitely sets up the series for future books, so maybe that explains it. Either way, definitely add to your list if you’re looking for a page-turning mystery.

I’m a new fan of Joanna Schaffhausen and her epic detective writing skills. Gone for Good was the first in this series and it is an engaging dynamic read. The drama unfolds with believable characters, such as Detective Annalisa who is a by product of her detective father. She pulls apart evidence of a serial killer from a cold case 20 years ago. She was only 17 years old but remembers well how parents watched their children closer and going out alone was unthinkable if you were a female incase the Lovelorn Killer strikes again. One of the women killed was her boyfriend Colin’s mom leaving that family so distraught over the unsolved case, Colin decided to leave it all behind, as well as Anna.
An online amateur sleuth group pegged “Gravediggers” challenges the serial to come out of hiding. Their taunting brings more than they bargained when he strikes down one of the group members, Grace, leaving her in the same horrendous pose. She was close to solving the case and had gathered a wealth of information of his pathetic scheme which was stolen at the scene.
The Lovelorn Killer stalks and baits his prey then leaves love letters to boast of his claims. The frustration, fear and exhausted attempts of the locals to pinpoint leaves you wondering throughout if it is someone hiding in plain sight maybe a bar monger during happy hour, the next door neighbor or even a family member.
I began to make educated guesswork, but that twist left me analyzing every tidbit of information with the outstanding hunt for a killer.
Thank you St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review.
Good job, Joanna, for bringing it all together smoothly, yet challenging for this reader.

I do love the way Joanna Schaffhausen tells a story! She has a marvelous ability to create tough as nails female protagonists who are human and humane and relatable, even while they are kicking butt and taking names... In this new series featuring detective Annalisa Vega, Schaffhausen once again takes us into the world of serial killers, survivors, and cold cases, but with a very different feel than in the Ellery Hathaway books. Both series are very well written, plotted and paced, and I thoroughly enjoy them both. What I like about this new series though is that Vega is less broken and battered than Hathaway - yet every bit as determined and bootstraps-successful. Watching the secrets, red herrings, and twisty turnings unfold was a delight and I cannot wait for the next installment!

I really really enjoyed this book. It was a little slow at the beginning as the story began to build but the story of the Lovelorn killer really picks up. It kept me guessing who was the killer tell the end. It has great suspense and I love the characters. If you want a good mystery that keeps you guessing until the end this is it.

Detective Annalise Vega must put together the clues amateur sleuth Grace Harper has gathered and left behind. Can she delve into her past and find the killer that could be hiding among them? The time has come to identify the monster who might be living next door. Lots of thrills and a fast pace make this book one to keep you up at night!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Detective Annalisa Vega is called to the scene of a murder, where Grace, a grocery store employee and amateur sleuth has been murdered in her own home. Grace and her group of other amateur sleuths had been working on a serial killer case from many years back and it looks like Grace may have gotten too close to the truth. Meanwhile, Annalisa’s dad was a detective who had worked in the case until their neighbor and friend Katie was presumably killed by the same serial killer. Annalisa works with her ex husband to solve this case and dredges up a lot of drama from the past.

This was a good first book on a new series. There was obviously a lot of setting up the characters and the back story, but I liked the characters and while I sniffed out some of what was going on, I didn’t have the full picture figured out. I like where the series seems to be headed with Annalisa with her partner ex husband and her high school boyfriend who happened to be Katie’s son, back in her orbit. I look forward to the Annalisa’s next case.

A really good start to a new series.Well written characters a serial killer long thought dead.Full of twists and turns kept me guessing to the end.#netgalley #st.martins press.

Great story and great suspense. I was kept guessing until the end.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins press for the ARC for an honest review.

I have been meaning to read something by Joanna Schaffhausen for quite some time, so when I saw that she was beginning a NEW mystery series, it seemed like the perfect time to start, since I MUST read a series in order, and often don’t want to have to catch up on the SEVERAL installments that I have missed!

This series opens with Grace Harper who is a grocery store manager by day, and an ACTIVE member of “The Gravediggers” an amateur, online sleuthing group, at night.

Her current obsession is “The Lovelorn Killer” dubbed as such because after killing his Victims, in BTK fashion, he pens a “love letter” to each of the women, which he sends to a local newspaper.

He stopped killing twenty years ago, after #7, and the case has gone cold. But, Grace thinks she has spotted a link missed by the original investigators. And, she has kept meticulous notes, in a file labeled as GRACE NOTES.

Detective Annalisa Vega was just a teenager, when the last victim was found but she knows the case well.
She was dating the final victim’s son, Colin, at the time of the murder.

And, now she has been called to the scene of a murder which is very reminiscent to those of the Lovelorn Killer-and partnered up with her ex husband, Nick.

The victim? Grace Harper.

The investigation was balanced nicely with the personal dynamics of Annalisa’s two exes, and the meddling from the members of “The Grave Diggers”. In addition, I liked how just enough details were given to enlighten us on the depravity of our killer-without getting too graphic!

Although I correctly guessed the killer about 3/4 of the way through-it didn’t detract from my enjoyment because that means that I am getting an ending I can believe-not one that comes out of left field.

Although I don’t generally gravitate towards police procedurals, or series, for that matter-this is one that I plan to continue following!

Available August 10, 2021 from Minotaur books

Thank You to the publisher for providing a gifted ARC via NetGalley!
It was my pleasure to provide a candid review!

Joanna Schaffhausen’s latest novel “Gone For Good” is a well written novel that is full of intrigue and psychological terror that will leave the reader guessing until the very end. Detective Annalise Vegais called out to a murder scene and it evokes memories of a similar murder that rocked her world when she was young. Detective Nick Carelli is Annalise’s ex husband and her new partner and together with the help of an online cold case group they peel back the layers of the crime. The more they dig they find that people close to Annalise may have more information that could solve the cases, but change her world. I was given an advanced copy of this book, and all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What a great start to a new detective series! Detective Annalisa Vega is assigned to a serial killer case she has personal ties to - her boyfriend's mother was one of the victims decades ago. The Lovelorn Killer has murdered seven women, including Grace, who was investigating his case in an amateur detective club. Annalisa is determined to find the murderer, and equally determined not to become victim #8!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

A new series and one I am looking forward to reading more of. A serial killer is thought to be dead because it has been so many years since his last vicitim. But, Grace Harper shows up dead in the same pattern as The Lovelorn Killer and that starts a wild ride trying to find out what is going on.

I can honestly say this went in a way I was not expecting. I was almost certain that I had the right person pegged as to who was the killer, and I was way off. We are introduced to Detective Vega and the case she is now in charge of. This case hits close to home, being as it was her boyfriend's mother who the Lovelorn Killer took, and she is now more than ever determined to capture him. What she doesn't truly expect is 1. Having the killer target her. 2. Having so many feelings arise for a former lover that she never truly let go. They do say that serial killers walk among us as normal people because underneath it all, that is what they are. Normal to some extend, you have some that bring that craziness out in an unhealthy way. Some hide it really well, and others not so much. I love having a female lead character, especially one being a detective; she is determined not to let anyone tell her what to do. We need more characters like that in books to solve crimes and balance life simultaneously. While investigating the Lovelorn Killer, Vega is introduced to an amateur crime-solving online group of people. We get an inside look at just what these amateur crime solvers do and how they work to figure out the crimes that get left unsolved. It was fascinating to see how those who do not work in law enforcement actually work things out. One of our characters named Grace, ends up learning something that makes her the Lovelorn Killer's target, who has now come out of hiding. Yet, he must not know that Vega is going to bring him down one way or another. When we got towards the end, and Vega had to choose, I knew it was hard for her not only because of who she was turning in but because I know it was hard for her to do it as a cop. Cops have this unspoken rule that you do not speak against your fellow brothers and sisters and blue. I can honestly say it was great how the author brought everything full circle and closed it. The pace throughout the story was great, well-thought-out characters, and where the ending leaves us, it was not a cliffhanger but more of what Detective Vega is going to do now.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thriller stars. Gone for Good by Joanna Schaffhausen is one of 2021‘s best thrillers to date. Look for an August publishing date. In this story, we follow police detective Annalisa Vega when a serial killer returns from hiding after a 20-year absence of killing women. Annalisa is certain this time that she will finish what her father, a former cop, couldn’t complete. I started this book and finished barely sleeping, and I found it to be thrilling, intelligent, and shocking in parts. The end may come as a surprise to most. I was certainly surprised. Thank you to NetGalley, but my review and opinions are my own and without bias. If you like thrillers, you’re going to like this one. #thrillers #serialkiller #amateursleuths #GoneForGood @joannaschaffhausen @minotaur_books #netgalley #stmartinspublishing #augustpublishing
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Why have I left this book to the side for so long?

I devoured it. <b>Gone for Good</b> is a gripping read from the get go. The suspense is real and takes you from the beginning to the end, biting your nails, waiting for the reveal. There are so many twists I wasn’t expecting and added an extra layer of mystery to the story. I truly did not see the grand reveal coming and was absolutely FLOORED when I got to it. The ending of the story was well-done with another plot/mystery solved.

Annalisa is a great narrator for the story. She is the youngest daughter in her family with 3 brothers. Her dad was a cop during the time of the Lovelorn killer, a serial killer no one can catch. She follows in his footsteps and now is a detective for the Chicago PD, when this cold case lights back up. Grace Harper is the first victim upon the Lovelorn killer’s return...and turns out, Grace might be the key to it all.

I loved Annalisa. She’s a badass. She tells the story well and doesn’t let herself get bulldozed by others.

I really can’t say enough about this book, but it was honestly one of the best mystery-thrillers I’ve read in a bit! I am very intrigued as to what the next in the series will bring and will definitely be keeping my eye open for it!

<i>I would like to thank Netgally and the publisher of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own. Upon publishing of this novel, I will also be posting my review to Amazon Canada.</i>

GONE FOR GOOD is the first book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series. This is expected to be a series of mystery, suspense, crime novels featuring Chicago Detective Annalisa Vega.

I give kudos to Joanna Schaffhausen for writing a beautifully descriptive book about a sadistic serial killer and *describing* the murder scenes *without* bogging down into blood, gore, and gratuitous depravity.

I enjoyed that there was even a secondary mystery included, because Grace Harper and her Grave Diggers group are investigating more than one cold case at any given time. It was satisfying that Annalisa was able to complete Grace’s final two largest files.

Annalisa is a likeable main character, brave and intelligent. Her partner, and ex-husband, Nick is also likeable – to me – even if her family doesn’t like him. Her high school sweetheart, Colin, ran scared as a young man, but now that he has returned to Chicago I hope he becomes a more permanent fixture in Annalisa’s future stories.

Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC via NetGalley, my opinions are my own and are given freely.


Title: GONE FOR GOOD
Series: Detective Annalisa Vega #1
Category /Genre: Mystery / Suspense
Recommended for: 18+
Grammar/editing: received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from: St. Martin’s Press

This is my second book by Joanna Schaffhausen. I for one am celebrating the birth of a new female badass detective. "Gone For Good is the first in a new mystery series from award-winning author Joanna Schaffhausen, featuring Detective Annalisa Vega, in which a cold case heats up." Not only does the cold case heat up. it promises closure to the lives that were impacted so many years ago.

Joanna Schaffhausen is a great writer. I am used figuring out the whodunnit right away, but she had me going in loops, every time I thought I had it figured, she threw in yet another curveball. I didn't think the epilogue would end the way it did. Overall, 5 stars. I look forward to learning more about Annalisa.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

This author writes beautifully. I was drawn in from the first chapter, anxious to find out what was happening. I loved the way she wrote the detective and really enjoyed all the turns of the story. The cover is stunning as well. I really enjoyed this.

Highly recommend this book! It was a page turner that kept me guessing and looking for clues in every page until the very end!