This was an excellent book! It kept me guessing all the way through. It did leave me wanting more, though. Excellent plot, and character development. I highly recommend it.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

This is the first in a series featuring Annalisa Vega a detective with the Chicago police department.
She is in her early 30’s and divorced after a short lived marriage when she was very young. She is now partnered with her ex-husband for the case in this book.
There was a string of murders by a serial killer, the last of which took place many years earlier. The last victim was a family friend of Annalisa and the mother of her boyfriend when she was a teenager. These murders became of interest to a group of amateur detectives, one of whom planned to draw the killer into the open but is killed in the ritualized style of the serial killer. This is the case Annalisa and partner are charged with investigating.
Along the way we meet Annalisa’s family, the rest of the amateur detectives, and a number of police from the prior investigations. Although there are many characters many of them are well developed and the two most recent victims are very well fleshed out.
I found this to have a great mixture of characterization, plot and action leading up to a page turning ending and a final double somersault of a twist.
I plan to continue reading this series as they appear as well as trying other books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the e ARC.

This book dragged on and on. I couldn't get into the story at all. I received this book free from NetGalley. This is my honest opinion!

Did not finish. Worked through a couple chapters, did not find the lead characters pulled me into the story and made me want to know more about them.

This is my first book by Joanna Schaffhausen, and I was not disappointed.

It was fast paced, well written, and has many twists and turns. The many twists made it nearly impossible to figure out whodunit – it was hard to out down. It will keep you guessing until the very end.

I highly recommend this book and will be on the look out for further books in this series.

Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press/Mintoaur Books, and Joanna Schaffhausen for the opportunity to review this ARC. This review and all opinions are my own.

Chicago Detective Annalisa Vega is called to a crime scene where Grace Harper is found bound and left for dead. They believe her death is related to a cold case of the Lovelorn Killer, who 20 years ago murdered 7 women. He not only left them bound, but would pen love letters to them and send them to be published in the newspaper.

Grace Harper was part of an amateur sleuthing group called the Grave Diggers who were investigating the Lovelorn Killer. Grace was hoping to catch and draw him out of hiding. Now it's up to Detective Annalisa Vega to solve the case.

I can't tell you how much I loved this first book of the mystery series. It was so full of suspense that I stayed up into the early morning hours reading. This story definitely exceeded my expectations. Annalisa Vega is one awesome Detective. I will be patiently awaiting to read the next book in this series.

Many thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was excited to get the opportunity to read this book. I am very fond of this author and her previous books and I can honestly say this one doesn't disappoint. Her strong but flawed lead female character is well-defined. At first I thought this was going to be "just another cold-case" story but it turned out to be so much more than that. Do people do devilish deeds because of trauma and disappointment in their early days or is it something that just is? We know lots of people have had misery in their childhoods, dysfunctional families, etc. but they don't go around torturing and killing people as a result. As much as this is a whodunit it's also a story of how many people are affected when terrible things happen. All the different connections that unfold in this story make this a particularly exciting read. Annalisa Vega fell in love as a teen-ager when something horrible happens to her boy friend's family and he moves away. She's now a cop, the daughter of a cop, raised on a street full of cops on the search for who killed her boy friend's mother decades ago. It appears he's back at work and the search unfolds through another woman also searching for the killer but her interest is part of an on-line crime busters group. Who are these people that are consumed by gruesome crimes? The killer seems invisible because they can feel his presence but they can't see him. There aren't any real clues to identify him. Tiny bits and pieces slowly emerge and pretty soon we are left thinking it's hard to trust anyone. The ending had an interesting twist and I get the feeling we haven't seen the end of Annalisa's story - at least I hope not. I recommend this book.

Gone For Good is the first in the Detective Annalisa Vega crime series by award-winning author Joanna Schaffhausen.

The Lovelorn killer's 19-year cold case heats up when Grace Harper, a member of the amateur sleuth group Grave Diggers, decides to sink her teeth into finding the sadistic killer. While the creator of Grave Diggers vehemently disagrees with their group trying to crack the Lovelorn case, disabled army veteran Jared Barnes is quick to offer his help. Grace believes she has unlocked the crucial evidence of the killer's identity, but this knowledge ends in her demise.

Called to Grace's murder scene is Detective Annalisa Vega. A second-generation police officer, she too is familiar with the Lovelorn killer, having lost someone she loved to their work 19 years prior. Annalisa now has the chance to find the perpetrator and heal her family, but her emotional attachment to the case might prove to be her downfall. When she realizes the killer is gunning for her, Annalisa doggedly attempts to unravel the clues. She feels as if they are staring her in the face, with one vital part missing.

The body count continues to rise, and her ex-husband, now partner, Nick, ends up in the ICU after he attempts to protect her from the Lovelorn killer's clutches. It seems like this guy is always two steps ahead of her and three steps ahead of the cops.

Red herrings and plenty of twists engulf the reader in a devilish mystery the races to a heart-pounding conclusion. The Lovelorn killer is fashioned after the serial killers of old and is just as frightening in the modern age. The choices Schaffenhausen made about weapons, crime scenes, and DNA all felt well researched. The police procedural aspect of some mystery/crime novels does not hinder Gone For Good's flow. In fact, it barely rears its head, which is refreshing.

Side characters Nick, Colin, the Grave Diggers, and even the Vega family fill out the narrative. They add a depth to the story that will be highly intriguing to see unwind as the series progresses. The possibility of a love triangle, while fascinating, feels underdeveloped and shallow. It's the slow reveal of hidden depths within the Vega family and the families of those in their inner circle that proves an intriguing mystery.

While it lacks the emotional distress readers might find in the Jack Caffery series by Mo Hayder or the relationship-building in the Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey, the Detective Annalisa Vega series has an excellent foundation to grow on.

If you like either of the series mentioned above, you will like Gone For Good and anticipate the books to follow. Annalisa has a lot going on in her little world and many dark avenues to tread in the Chicago setting.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Gone for Good.

I love mysteries, especially those featuring a formidable serial killer so I was excited when my request was approved.

When Chicago detective Annalisa Vega is called to investigate the murder of an amateur sleuth, she discovers suspicious hallmarks of a once prominent serial killer named the Lovelorn Killer.

Vega is intricately bound to the serial killer since her father, a former detective, also worked the case, and the last known victim was the mother of her first love.

As Vega becomes the killer's primary target, she will eventually learn the devastating consequences the pursuit of justice will have on her family.

I didn't dislike Vega, but I hoped to like her better than I did. I think the issue is that most of the narrative read like a romance novel.

Vega is partnered with her ex-husband and then her first love comes back to the neighborhood. She spends a lot of time (too much of it) reminiscing about the men in her life, which is hard since they meant so much to her yet.

I also didn't like how closely tied she was to the killer; her dad was a former police officer involved marginally in the case and the last victim was the mother of her first boyfriend.

I understand the author wanted to demonstrate to readers why Vega is so intent on capturing the killer and her personal stake in the investigation but these connections read as somewhat coincidental and I don't believe in coincidences.

I also had a hard time believing in the identity of the killer because he was so unmemorable.

I did make the right guess because this is not the first book I read in which the villain is a person with an impairment that causes everyone to overlook him or her.

I really hope that's not the next trend in mysteries/thrillers.

The writing was good and it wasn't a bad read, but too heavy on the romance and family drama for me.

Joanna Schalfhausen has created a strong beginning to her projected mystery/thriller series starring Chicago PD Detective Annalisa Vega. Well done! I can hardly wait for the second installment.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Grace Harper works in a grocery store, but she finds herself intrigued by cold cases the police have yet to solve. She belongs to an amateur sleuthing group called the Grave Diggers, and she’s insistent on investigating a serial killer known as the Lovelorn Killer who tied women up with ropes and strangled them.

And now Grace lies on the floor dead, tied up with ropes and strangled.

Is this a copycat murder? Or, after twenty years, has the Lovelorn Killer returned?

Detective Annalisa Vega is familiar with the case . . . someone she cared about was one of the murderer’s victims. Now she’s determined to stop him before anyone else dies. But the cost of solving the case will be so much more than she’d ever imagined.

Strong characters, a rich and intriguing [if a tad creepy] plot, and nonstop action make this a first-rate debut for the author’s new series. Although the plot leans toward grim, the characters and their relationships are interesting and their interactions keep the story from becoming too gruesome.

With a strong protagonist and characters that are both realistic and interesting, the unfolding narrative pulls readers into the telling of the tale from the outset. There are more twists than might be expected, and some events hover somewhere between heartbreak and despair. But this tale of family, love, and determination speaks to the heart and keeps readers rooting for Annalisa.

Readers are apt to find it difficult to set this one aside before turning the final page. Don’t miss it.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley
#GoneForGood #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this first adventure with Annalisa Vega. I always like to see a strong female protagonist, and Detective Vega fits the bill. She and her ex are partners trying to solve decades old murders. One murder is personal though, because it was her former neighbor and mother of her high school boyfriend. I can’t wait to see what Annalisa, Nick, and Zimmer get themselves into (and out of) next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

With this book, I've found a new author to read. 5 stars all the way. Fast paced, great character development, I can't wait to see what happens in the next book, so glad this is going to be a series. I read mostly mysteries and this one kept me guessing all the way. Fabulous book.

If you love a thriller with oh so many twists pick this book up!

Annalisa is a police officer looking into The Lovelorn Killer who has resurfaced killing Grace Harper, a member of the amateur sleuth group Grave Diggers.

I loved the way that chapters flipped between the story and Grace's notes and journal entries. It felt like you kept getting little pieces of the puzzle and you are trying to thread them together.

I could not put this book down. I didn't know who to suspect until it was too late. It twists and twists again. The way the author weaves the characters and their stories together is incredible. All the stars for this book!

I think I may need to see a chiropractor after all the twists and turns in this book. I’m usually one to nail down the plot halfway through the book but this one kept me on my toes.

This story has a little bit of everything for every reader. Crime, cold cases, murder, serial killers, family, love and everything in between. I promise you will not be disappointed.

A well written read!

Wow that was a rollercoaster ride of emotion. Many twists making it impossible to figure out the plot and fully engrossed in the story. Drama, mystery, love and hate all wrapped up in an excellent book. Great read.

Wow, twists and turns abound in this latest from Joanna Schaffhausen. I've come to expect deep complicated characters from Schaffhausen after reading her Ellery Hathaway series and this new book didn't disappoint. Chicago detective Annalisa Vega catches a murder case that resembles a serial killer's MO from years before, a killing spree that included a neighbor (and her high school boyfriend's mother) as a victim. Annalisa is paired with her ex-husband (which isn't as soap opera-y as it may sound), and forced to re-visit her adolescence from an adult's perspective. Great start to what I hope continues in a new series.

Thanks to Minotaur Books for access to a digital ARC via NetGalley.

Wow! What a page turner that I couldn’t put down! From the beginning to the end, this book has you enthralled with the plot. I found myself pondering the outcome while trying to complete other jobs besides reading. I normally figure out the ending before I read it, but not the case with this book. Joanna Schaffhausen had my vote for best author!

Gone For Good by Joanna Schaffhausen, a masterful storyteller, weaving together an amazing tale of love, family, friendship and murder. It sucked me in from the first chapter and would not let go. The tale spans 20 plus years of a serial killer and the city and people he terrorized. This story was one that kept me up all night long reading. It was so well worth it that I didn’t even mind the book hangover the next day. Honestly, the world be damned, I just had to know what would happen next. You will not be disappointed.

Gone for Good by Joanna Schaffhausen is a superb and engrossing read which will keep you reading until the end. Well worth the read!