I really like this series. A mystery, family drama and a slowish burn/second chance romance. The main character is a bad ass but not cold or emotionless.

Can she solve this bizarre murder while trying to piece her life back together?
Chicago detective Annalisa Vega's life has been shattered. Her family can't forgive her and her fellow officers don't trust her, all because she turned her ex-cop father in for his role in a murder. When detective Leo Hammond is murdered, Annalisa has no problem investigating what secrets he kept hidden behind his badge. What else could she possibly lose? Annalisa's prime suspect, Moe Bocks, has gotten away with murder once and she isn't about to let that happen again. Can she save her best friend from the same fate as Bocks' previous girlfriend? Annalisa is desperate to protect her best friend and make Bocks pay for his crimes, but no one else believes the connection. She is willing to take whatever risks necessary to unravel the truth. Both men had secrets they would prefer stay hidden, can Annalisa bring them all to light? Or will she be picked off next?
I couldn't get enough of this long-awaited installment of the Annalisa Vega series! I barely put this book down, longing for answers alongside Vega. Annalisa continues to amaze me with her impressive detective skills. I loved getting more of her and Nick's story, along with seeing more of the drama within her family. I listened to the audiobook along with reading the e-book. The narrator, Kelsey Navarro, did a great job giving each character their own voice. I especially loved how she narrated the moments when Annalisa was working through her thoughts and trying to crack the case. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves thrillers!
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and Edelweiss+. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for an audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is the second in the Annalisa Vega series. This is much better than the first one. Vega, a cop in Chicago, partners with her ex, Nick, and is assigned a murder investigation of a cop. One of the men known as the Fantastic Four. The new, young wife, Kayla, insists that the killer was in a scuba outfit. As the bodies pile up, Vega needs to use her wits. It doesn’t help that she recently turned in her dad for covering up the crime her brother committed. She also seems to have a creepy stalker who leaves flowers on her doorstop, and an ex boyfriend who left her to take travel photos. The book is engaging and the dialogue doesn’t seem stilted. The author obviously knows the little places to eat in Chicago.

3.5 ⭐️
I recommend reading “Home for good” before this book.
I enjoyed this and liked the ending.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book is set to be published 8/9/22.

I really enjoyed the first book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series (Gone For Good), so I was excited to see a second book in the series. I was not disappointed! Vega is a strong main character with a lot of baggage. She is a detective in Chicago and because of something she did (read about it in the first book!), many police officers treat her like she’s the enemy. And there are plenty of bad cops in this story (so many that I was getting them confused). She’s also got a strained relationship with her family, and her ex-husband (Nick), who is also a detective, is currently her partner, leading to some interesting situations. She’s headstrong and sometimes goes off on her own to chase down a lead, often putting herself in danger. I love the character of her boss (another female cop), who will not put up with any nonsense,

There’s a lot going on in this book! She and Nick are called out to a murder scene, and the murdered person turns out to be a fellow police officer. Then her sister-in-law (former sister-in-law, anyway) is dating someone who was the main suspect in an unsolved murder 20 years before, one that Annalisa and Nick are now looking into, even though it’s not their case. Are these two cases connected? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

I strongly recommend you read the first book in the series before reading this one, because - while the author provides plenty of background info for the reader - if you read this one first, it’ll provide too many spoilers for you to enjoy the first one.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The audiobook is narrated beautifully by Kelsey Navarro.

Thank you to Dreamscape Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Analisa Vega has been a pariah on the force and in her family since she turned in her own brother for murder. But she's got a new case that involves the murder of an older cop, one of a group of "legends", responsible for solving some of the biggest crimes of the early 2000's. The more Analisa investigates, the more she realizers that the line between good guys and bad guys is very thin indeed, but she may not live long enough to find the killer and uncover decades of corruption

Joanna Schaffhausen returns following Gone for Good with her famous cop procedural and #2 Detective Annalisa Vega series set in Chicago with another gripping suspense mystery—LONG GONE.

Fans of kick-ass female investigators will be well satisfied.

Vega's career and family life were deeply affected when she turned in her ex-cop father for his role in a murder in the last book. She's estranged from her family, and many of her fellow officers don't trust her.

However, she is tenacious and unstoppable and often pushes away those she loves when obsessed with justice.

We also get more Nick, her ex-husband, and her partner. Love their witty banter and am a huge fan!

When a police officer is shot in his bed with his young wife present (the killer was dressed in a wet suit), with numerous suspects —it is the beginning of the unraveling of an earlier incident, exposure of corruption, and more murders.

Nick and Annalisa are called to the scene. Their investigation reveals multiple suspects, including the prime suspect in a 20-year-old murder that resonates with Vega in more ways than one, and she soon finds herself trying to solve both cases.

Leo, the police officer shot, was a member of the (Fantastic Four) four officers known for solving numerous crimes, drug busts, etc., with many complaints and controversy.

Moe (now a suspect-car dealer) and also suspect in an earlier woman's murder, against whom there was not enough evidence to convict—but this leads Annalisa to revisit the case when warned to stay out of it. Her best friend/former sister-in-law is now dating him, so she has skin in the game.

The other cops aren't happy she is digging around in their old cases. Can she solve the cases before more dead bodies pile up?

The second book in the series did not disappoint! You can read it as a standalone; however, you may want to go back and read the first in the series to learn the background.

I enjoy Detective Annalisa Vega's character. She is intelligent, quick on her feet, and takes no crap from anyone. Yes, she is flawed and goes out on her own— without backup and is impulsive sometimes, but she has excellent instincts.

She is involved in complex personal relationships, family secrets, and a romantic relationship with her ex-husband, Nick, and her partner. I like how the author keeps her human, integrating her life's personal and business side.

This series is fast-paced, intricately plotted, and character-driven. Full of tension, action, and suspense. Fans of Lisa Gardner will enjoy this series, and I cannot wait to see what comes next for Detective Annalisa Vega!

I had the pleasure of reading the digital copy and listening to the audiobook narrated by Kelsey Navarro for a highly entertaining listening experience.

A special thank you to #StMartinsPress #Minotaur Books #Netgalley #DreamscapeMedia for an audio (ALC) and e-book (DRC) to read, listen to, enjoy, and review. #SMPInfluencers #MinotaurInfluencers

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Pub Date: Aug 9, 2022
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Aug 2022 Must-Read Books

Chicago detective Annalisa Vega has had a rough go of it after she turned in her ex-cop father for his involvement in a murder. She has lost the trust of those in her life. With nothing left to lose, Annalisa decides to investigate the murder of detective Leo Hammond. But wait, her partner, Nick, is her ex-husband. Yeah, that makes things interesting!

There is a lot going on in the book and quite a few characters. There are those in this book who will do anything to protect their secrets and they do not want her sniffing around.

There is a boy’s club here and crossing that blue line, does not make Annalisa very popular. But she is strong and determined. She is not going to let anyone get in her way of solving the case, even if it means throwing caution to the wind. She doesn't give a hoot if she steps on some toes or hurts some feelings in the pursuit of justice.

This is the second book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series. This book would easily work as a stand-alone but as it is book #2, one could easily go back and read Gone for Good prior to using this book. I like how Schaffhausen has used "gone" in both book titles. I wonder if "gone" will be in book three?

I found this book to be well written and riveting. I had both the e-book and the audiobook and found both to be enjoyable. The narrator of the audiobook did a very good job. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Annalisa and Nick in future books.

#LongGone #NetGalley

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really, really enjoyed listening to this audiobook! It was compelling and it hooked me from the beginning!

This is the second book in Joanna Schaffhausen's detective series with Chicago detective Annalisa Vega. I haven't read book one but the author gives enough pertinent background on the characters that it isn't necessary to read book one before reading this novel. I did enjoy this book and characters enough that I will go back and read the first book in the series. In this installment, Vega is assigned a case investigating the murder of Leo Hammond, a fellow cop. As she digs into the investigation with her ex-husband and fellow detective partner, Nick Carrelli, she finds dirty cops and a linked cold case. Someone is targeting this group of dirty cops and Vega must figure out who it is. This book is a good crime read along with some family drama and a touch of romance with Annalisa and Nick. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I didn't get very far into this before losing interest. It just did not hold my attention or motivate me to continue reading.