4.5/5

I devoured this book! This is the type of thriller I crave! The story literally started with a bang and was such a wild ride. Completely unexpected twists and turns, layered characters, expert storytelling... Far Gone delivered on every level. Though the second book in the series, I read this as a stand-alone without any confusion. The differing POV worked so well with this story, especially when the two of the characters connection is revealed. This may be my first book by Danielle Girard but won’t be my last!


Far Gone publishes 6/15!

I loved Whiteout by this author and this one was just as good, if not better. There was a lot of action and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Brava

Thank you to the author for the gifted copy.

I loved the first book in this series (White Out) and was looking forward to this one. We get three POVs that alternate chapters - Hannah, a 14 year old that witnesses a murder and runs away, Kylie, who is investigating the dual murder, and Lily, an ER nurse with a troubled past. The stories are separated but still follow the same path, and merge together in the end.

I was hooked from the beginning, and although I figured out ‘whodunnit’ early, there was still a ‘wtf moment’ towards the end that I didn’t see coming.

This was a great thriller to break my romcom streak, and I definitely recommend adding it to your summer tbr!

There were a lot of cops thrown at you at first and I was hoping only one or two were relevant.

I love Kylie. Like, LOVE. She’s a former army brat and her vending choice is a Pepsi and Cool Ranch Doritos. You know who else that entire sentence applies to? Me.

This book takes OFF running and grips you from the start. Girard never lets her foot off the gas and continues to grip you page after page. Surely, we’ll catch the killer and call it a day right? Not until she throws in the ULTIMATE twist and had me screaming HOLY SHIT with only a few pages left in the book. The very last page ends with everything wrapped up in a nice little bow and I got the warm and fuzzies, so to say I’m a glass case full of emotion is an understatement.

Overall, I loved! I devoured this in less than 24 hours and stayed up way past my bed time. Completely worth it. Thank you Danielle for the gifted copy!

From my blog: Always With a Book:

This is the second book in Danielle Girard’s Badlands Thriller series and as much as I really enjoyed the first book, White Out, I think this latest book is even better! I love when that happens!

This book starts off with a bang and does not stop. It is a fast-paced thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I loved that it was told from three points of view – Hannah, a 14 year old who witnesses a murder and then goes on the run; Lily, an ER nurse with a troubled past; and Kylie, a detective who is investigating a double murder. Each brings such a unique perspective to the book. There are so many moving parts to this book and it all comes together brilliantly. The twists and turns just keep you flipping those pages and while I had my theories, I definitely did not put it all together and I loved that! I love when I am surprised!

I loved that this continues to draw on some of the threads that were developed in the first book. This is why I’m such a big believer in reading series in order. Yes, it’s possible to read this book on it’s own without having read the other book, but you will have a fuller picture if you have read White Out. And if you haven’t, perhaps after reading this one, you will be more eager to do so.

This book moves fast but it captures your attention right away and you quickly become totally consumed by what is going on. I found I could not put this one down and the further I got into the book, the more I needed to know how it was going to end, especially as secrets start unraveling and clues start coming together.

I loved this story and only hope it’s not the last we have seen of both Kylie and Lily!

Far Gone is the second installment in the Badland Thriller series. It follows the story of Detective Kylie Milliard as a grewsome murder of a husband and wife occur in her town. However, there is a witness to the murder. Where is she? Where is the baby? Who killed Nadine and Ben Garza?

Overall, this was a very good second installment to the series. I was drawn in quickly and couldn't stop reading for the first half of the book. Once I got to the second half, I started to put the pieces together and I predicted the ending in its entirety. It didn't take much away from the story for me because I was still invested in Hannah as a character. I am also very invested in Lily as a character from the first book and it made me sad to watch her trauma play out. I was also so happy to see how her life was changed for the better after the first book.

My biggest complaint with the book comes with the ending. I didn't like how sexual assault was handled in this book. Yes, it is completely realistic that a statute of limitations would run out a DA wouldn't prosecute. HOWEVER, there could have been one character there step up and say something about the comments instead of having them be just flippantly made. If a sexual assualt survivor read that, I imagine it would be problematic. It was a 4 star read for me but the handling of sexual assault brought it down to 3 for me.

A nifty thriller in a good setting. Hannah is 14 and the last thing she expected is to see the murder of the couple she was to babysit for. Lily Baker is a nurse now and she's risen above a crime committed against her except it's all dredged up again when Detective Kylie Milliard finds blood with a link. The story is told in three arcs- Kylie's investigation, Hannah's escape, and Lily's past- that all come together. These are three good strong characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Hard to review without spoilers, this is a good page turning read that keeps you guessing.

Danielle Girard is becoming one of my favorite romantic suspense authors. Far Gone is the second in her badlands series featuring Hagen, S.D. Detective Kylie Millard and Lily Baker, a nurse at the local ER. The book opens with the murder of a young couple getting ready to go out for a night on the town. Their infant daughter is spared and the babysitter, Hannah Visser, who had been hiding in the closet is a witness. In addition to being scared she is also high but she is able to take the baby to the hospital and ends up turning her over to Lily but then she takes off to find someplace safe to hide. Hannah is only 14 and when her parents can't find her the search for her begins. The tension runs high for the entire book. I couldn't put it down! The story is told from 3 POV...Kylie's, Lily's and Hannah's. Hannah is scared and high on prescription drugs most of the time....she broke my heart. Lily is beginning to remember more of what happened to her when she was kidnapped and held prisoner some 16 years ago. Kylie is trying to find Hannah and solve the murder. She is also trying to help Lily through these bad times.
There is a lot going on but the author brings everything together for an emotional and satisfying conclusion. I loved this book and can't recommend it highly enough!
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was a major fan of Danielle Girard’s big hit, White Out last summer. Set in my residing state of North Dakota, I loved all of the local references, and northern living vibes. So naturally, I was very excited to read the second installment of the Badlands Thriller series, Far Gone. The author doesn’t waste any time, and gets right to the action and suspense in the very first chapter! My heart was pumping, and it was quite obvious that Far Gone was going to be a nail-biting experience! The pace was set, and it honestly didn’t let up. I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A lot of the characters from White Out made an appearance, which I really enjoyed. It was nice to get an update from where they left off last summer, learn more about their past, and see what was in store for them now. In my opinion, Far Gone can be read as a stand-alone, but I’d highly suggest that you read White Out beforehand. You get so much backstory and valuable information that will be very beneficial for reading this series. If you’re looking for a thrilling suspense with tons of twists and turns, I highly recommend you give The Badlands Thriller series a try. White Out is available now and Far Gone releases on June 15th!

Far Gone by Danielle Girard is a fast paced, can't put down thriller. It is book 2 in the Badlands series, but I had no problems reading it as a stand alone. 

From the first pages Far Gone hooks you in when Hannah, the 14 year old babysitter hid in a closet and witnessed the murder of the couple she was babysitting for. She then is on the run as she's afraid the killer knows she was there. She leaves the baby at the hospital which brings in a local nurse Lily and the Detective Kylie. Kylie won't stop until she's uncovered who killed the parents. Lily and Kylie work together to figure it all out, but past secrets and trauma haunts them both. 

The story is told in the POV of Hannah, Lily and Kylie and I liked seeing it unfold from all 3 and the different angles. I don't want to give too much away, but if you're looking for a catchy, police suspense you'll enjoy this!

Compelling Mystery. This is one of those mysteries that has so much going on that it could feel disjointed in a lesser storyteller's hands, but Girard manages to make it work quite well. We get the story primarily through three perspectives - Hannah, who witnesses a murder in her opening scene, Lily, a nurse who is a former kidnapping victim who is now working to rebuild her life, and Kylie, the detective who helped Lily in the first book and who here is investigating the murder. Girard manages to keep the pace of the reveals driving through the narrative, all while maintaining plausibly realistic scenarios. Indeed, even the ending is surprisingly refreshing in its realism on all fronts - despite what some activists would have liked. Truly a great story told very well. Very much recommended.

Whoa! I didn't see that twist coming but it sure was a great one! Great enough that it kept me up til almost 2am to finish it! At first I was a bit confused by the timeline with Lily but it made sense in the end.

Detective Kylie is back at it again! First a double homicide, then a young girl saying she witnessed the murders, a baby getting dropped off at the hospital, and then a young lady is missing. How are they all connected? Read this fantastic book to find out!

Danielle Girard has hit the ball out of the park with her second book in the Badlands Thriller Far Gone. I did read her first book, White Out which I must say was somewhat helpful. Girard does a great job with both of these books you could read this one as a stand alone! This book is filled with tension and suspense from the start, She really knows how to pull you in! It is a fast paced and gripping story with short chapters that flip back and forth between characters. I found it exciting and easy to read! I recommend this twisted thrilling book for your entertainment!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer Publishing for an advanced copy of this incredible book in exchange for an honest review.
#fargone #daniellegirard #netgalley #arc

(4.5) Edgy with jaw dropping twists. Grabs you a page one and keeps you hanging on, This one had twist and turns I didn't see coming that had me going **whoa - say what! " Some dark moments, some heart wrenching moments, a great thriller with heaps of suspense. 3 point of views are clearly defined is like a 360 degree, ok 240 degree, I did not read book 1 and was not lost. I think if I had read the first one Det Kylie and Lily would have felt like neighbors from my town as you are invested in the story. Thank you for the arc Thomas and Mercer, NetGalley and Danielle Girard.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book by Danielle Girard that I've read, but it definitely won't be the last! I have a new author to follow! The book is a mystery/thriller, and it gets going right at the beginning when Hannah, who is high as a kite, is babysitting for the Garzas. We get to know Hannah, Kylie, and Lily through the chapters in alternating viewpoints.

This was a great book - I couldn't put it down!

Like the first book in the series, Far Gone is fast-paced, twisty, and incredibly exciting. Unlike the first book, I didn't feel like there were major plot holes!

Synopsis: A couple is shot in cold blood in their home, but the killer doesn't know that Hannah, a local babysitter was also in the house, hiding but able to recognize his voice. During the investigation, the detective Kylie finds a drop of blood that connects Hannah to an old crime, and Kylie's friend Lily, making solving the murder much more complicated than expected.

This is told in alternating viewpoints - Hannah's, Kylie's, and Lily's - and it gets going IMMEDIATELY. Seriously, get ready for a ride from page one. I did find Hannah's chapters frustrating, as she's high most of the time, and making lots of bad decisions.

I thought some of it was predictable - I knew who the killer was the second they were introduced - but there were some interesting twists that caught me by surprise. I also thought some of the scenes ended up being somewhat melodramatic by the end.

But overall, it was so exciting, and the way it wrapped up was very satisfying, and even touching. You don't have to read the first book in the series to enjoy this, but it would give you some extra backstory, but you could easily do without. Although I didn't love this, I definitely enjoyed it, and I think it was better than the first, so if the series continues, I'll keep reading!.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC This is the first book I have read by this author, but it won't be my last. The characters were great and I am looking forward to reading the first book to understand more about their backstories. The story was pretty good, but I didn't start getting really interested until over half way through.

White Out (Badlands Thriller, #1) just came out in August 2020 so it was exciting to hear that book #2 was coming out this summer!  In White Out we get to know new Detective Kylie Milliard and kidnap victim Lily Baker.  That book was such a page turner for me, and I couldn't wait to learn more about Lily's past in this book. 

The story starts with Hannah, who is high as a kite, being dropped off at a house to babysit.  Things escalate quickly when a masked man enters the home and shoots the parents, but leaves the baby unharmed.  Thankfully he didn't know Hannah was there because she was hiding, but she saw everything including the distinctive tattoo on the shooter's arm.  I thought for sure the man was going to find Hannah because he left, and then came back and I thought he was coming back for her.  Hannah is able to safely get the baby to the hospital where she hands her to a nurse in the parking lot. That nurse is Lily Baker, and she had helped deliver that baby.

Hannah anonymously called 911 before she left town to hide, and Detective Kylie Milliard is now on the case.  What the detective discovers at the crime scene will bring memories Lily thought were far too buried to be remembered back to the surface.  Slowly but surely Lily's memories of what happened to her shortly after she was taken are being pieced together.

While I liked Hannah's story, I loved reading more about Lily's memories coming back, but fair warning that the memories are of her being sexually assaulted.  The result of the assault will have your jaw dropping, and it will stay there when you realize how Hannah's case and Lily's abduction come full circle.  Wow!  I can honestly say that I didn't see it coming!  There were a lot of well maybe that did happen, and then I doubted my thoughts.  I went back and forth until the end when I finally got the answer I was looking for.

This book was amazing, and I can't wait to see what the author does next!

Book Rating: 5/5

Wine Pairing: Château de Santenay 2016 Les Puillets Premier Cru (Mercurey) Pinot Noir

Two heroines and a girl.
Fourteen-year-old Hannah is set to babysit when a man arrives and kills the parents. High and hiding in a closet, Hannah witnesses the murders and there's something familiar about the killer she can't quite place. After the killer leaves Hannah takes the child and runs. Knowing she should call the cops but afraid she'll be busted for her drug use, Hannah drops the child at the hospital and takes off.
Lily is a nurse at the hospital. Fourteen years ago she was held captive and the trauma caused her to have memory loss.
Kylie is the only detective in their small towns police department. When a drop of blood that doesn't belong to either victim is found, she can only hope it belongs to a witness. What she discovers from a DNA test adds a twist to the investigation she isn't prepared for. Could this case have some connection to the one fourteen years ago?
Told from these three POV's the author weaves an exciting tale of intrigued and suspense. Suspense that starts in the first chapter and only increases as the story continues. Hannah was right to run and the killer is soon on her tail.
While this book can be read as a stand alone, I think you'd benefit by starting with the first book, White Out, to get more of the characters back story. I love stories with strong female protagonists and this one definitely fits the bill and I can confidently recommend this one to any fan of the genre.

Far Gone
Danielle Girard
June 15, 2021

Girard’s setting for her latest in the Badlands Thriller series begins months after White Out ended. We find Detective Kylie Milliard working her shift with Hagen, North Dakota Police Dept. Being the only detective on board she has a busy workload. Margorie the dispatcher answers the 911 call. Hearing the hushed fear in the young caller's voice patches it through to Milliard. The alert is regarding a breakin-homicide in progress. Getting the address she returns the caller to dispatch and alerts backup while heading out the door. Hannah, the teen on the line, was reporting that 2 people have been shot and she needs help. Hiding in the closet she can see the baby in the bassinet via the crack in the door. Despite the loud, terrifying noise and shouts she stays quiet. Trying to remain hidden so the gunman won’t kill her as well, Hannah attempts to clear her head and make the best plan to escape with baby Tiffany.
From the start this is a heavy duty suspense novel that incorporates the traumas of some of the characters in the first book in the Badlands series. Lily seems to have settled into a pleasant life back at work in the ER as a nurse. There are parts of her life when she had been kidnapped at age 16 that still lay dormant in her brain. They seem to only appear in dreamland, but she’s been told that eventually it would all return.
Danielle Girard’s thrillers are always a journey that keeps the reader on edge. Just when one thinks the storyline is clear it takes a turn heading into a different direction. Far Gone will be published by Thomas & Mercer of Seattle on June 15, 2021. I appreciate their allowing me to read and review Danielle Girard’s latest book. I have always savored her chilling tales. They are hard to put down and great reading. Enjoy!