I was so excited to get approved for DEAD AND GONE which is the third book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series by Joanna Schaffhausen! I loved the first two - GONE FOR GOOD and LONG GONE and the third was no exception 👏🏻

My thoughts:
-police procedural
-invested in the characters
-several storylines happening
-straightforward writing style

While there are multiple storylines, they are all connected, not hard to follow, and come together in the end. I love having a solid series to follow where you can root for the characters and hope there will be more to come for Annalisa’s story!

Thank you Minotaur and Netgalley for the arc!

Over the course of this series, Detective Annalisa Vega has proven her worth on the force, despite being enemy number one among her peers. But is she taking on more than she can handle when she is given a case involving a former cop/current PI, Sam Tran? Probably not, Annalisa is pretty much a badass!

What makes Sam's case complicated is that there are limited clues, so Annalisa turns to his open investigations as a PI. And of course, Annalisa, being who she is, wants to solve all of them. So, we actually get 3 additional mysteries within this book (oh, and the one case Annalisa was taken off of involving a Chicken Bandit). Sometimes it got a bit confusing switching from one case to another, but one of them stood out from the rest, since it involved her niece, Quinn.

At first, Quinn is merely dealing with a stalker. Seems innocent enough. However, we get the POV of the stalker, and their intentions are far from innocent. As things escalated, I was sucked into the story and desperate for answers. The author throws around a couple of suspects to throw you off track, but my suspicions about one person were eventually confirmed.

While Annalisa once again shows how valuable she is to the force, she is much less reckless in this book than in the previous releases. She doesn't hide her whereabouts from others and is quick to ask for assistance, something she didn't always do previously. Does this keep her out of trouble? No, of course not, lol. But she is quick to get aid, putting her life at less risk, so there's that.

Given how this book ends, I'm not sure what the author intends to do. End the series or continue, as Annalisa embarks on a new road. I hope she continues, but we shall see . . .

Relentless, sinister, and intricate!

Dead and Gone is an intense, unpredictable thrill ride that takes us back to Chicago, where Detective Annalisa Vega now finds herself delving into the open cases of murdered former CPD officer turned private detective Sam Tran, which include the investigation into a missing mother from the late 1980s, a man looking for justice into the slaying of his wife and her lover, and the protection of Annalisa’s own niece who seems to have become the latest object of fascination for a stalker on her college campus.

The writing is eerie and tight. The characters are diligent, attentive, and flawed. And the plot builds quickly into an ominous tale full of twists, turns, red herrings, secrets, lies, danger, obsession, violence, mayhem, and murder.

I’ve been a huge fan of Joanna Schaffhausen since I read The Vanishing Season in 2017, and whether it’s one of her Ellery Hathaway novels or another saga in the Detective Annalisa Vega series, such as this latest release, Dead and Gone, I am always riveted, entertained, satisfied and highly impressed.

After listening to book two in this series and getting a little confused with all the characters, I decided to read this book. Great decision. I loved it. Five stars.

Again--Detective Annalisa Vega is dealing with a lot. I think it would have been too much for me to keep track of on audio. So many characters and just one narrator.

Detective Vega is assigned a new case while potentially dealing with a very personal issue between her and Nick Carelli. (her ex-husband, but partner on the force and again boyfriend.) On top of that, she is dealing with a family situation involving her niece at the local college.

There is never a dull moment in this twisty book. Just when I think I have something figured out, I realized I don't. Ah, I love it! I can't wait for more from this author!

Thank you to Minotaur Nooks and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Goodreads Giveaway, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books for gifting me both a physical and digital ARC of the latest in the wonderful Detective Annalisa Vega series by Joanna Schaffhausen - 5 stars!

Chicago police detective Annalisa Vega has been assigned to investigate the death of ex-cop turned PI Sam Tran. He was found hanging from a tree with a message written across his chest sending a message to police. Annalisa begins investigating his open cases, sure that there is a link, and is surprised to see that her brother, Vinny, was one of Sam's clients. Vinny hired Sam to find a stalker on his daughter's college campus. One of Sam's open cases was a brutal double homicide from over 20 years ago. Annalisa has to figure out how all this fits together, trying to keep both her and her niece safe in the process.

This is such a fabulous series and I was thrilled to escape into this book with these characters. Certainly read the first two books first, although this could work as a stand alone as well. Annalisa has so much bad history with her family, since she turned in her dad and brother, and now her other brother plays a role in her investigations. I love the ongoing relationship with Annalisa and her ex-husband/boyfriend/coworker Nick, with a few surprises in this book in that category. There are multiple storylines of investigation and I kept turning the pages to see how it would all end up. Can't wait for the next book in this series!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book for a review.

I’m a sucker for a strong, female detective story. I’ve read all Annalisa Vega stories, and this one is just as fantastic as the two previous!

There were a lot of storylines running in this book, and while I’m happy they were all wrapped up, it felt a bit rushed towards the end to close all the loops. A small complaint really, since I loved the book overall.

I can’t wait for Book #4!

Joanna Schaffhausen is one of my must-read authors, I've read and love every book she has written! Dead and Gone is the 3rd book in the Annalisa Vega series. I highly recommend reading the first two books so you get to know the character's backstories, but I don't think it's essential to follow or enjoy this book.
Vega is a Chicago PD detective, partnered with her ex-husband on and off the clock. When private investigator and former cop Sam Tran is found dead under suspicious circumstances, Vega is pulled off a serial robbery case to investigate. Convinced Tran's death is linked to one of his open cases, Vega starts to look into them herself, surprised to learn one of them involves her own niece. The characters are nuanced and likeable, easy to invest in, and there is never a dull moment in this many-threaded mystery.

Set in Chicago, this is the third book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series. If you like a solid police procedural story, this one is great. The setting is solid, and the characters have depth to them which I appreciate. This book stands on its own, but if you want back history, grab the first two. You won't be disappointed. I will be waiting patiently to see what comes next for Annalisa and her partner/ex-husband.

A suspicious death has Annalisa Vega returning for my reading pleasure.
She has been called to investigate a body in the woods which turns out to be the body of Sam Tran a former police officer, turned PI. Having no leads, Vega investigates the last three open cases Tran was working on. Cold cases of murder, a missing women and a stalker on the college campus that Vega’s niece is attending. The dialogue is good, the characters are excellent and the red herrings were enough to hold my interest throughout the book. Suspense, family drama, missing persons and murder are my type of books and this book had it all. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s books for an early copy. The comments and review are my honest opinion.

Fans of Chicago Police Detective Annalisa Vega will enjoy the third book in Schaffhausen's series, Dead and Gone.

If you are just meeting Annalisa for the first time, then please carefully put the book down, pick up the first two books in the series - Gone For Good and Long Gone - and read them first. Some book series are standalone books that you don’t have to read in order, but the Vega series isn’t. I’m not trying to punish you; on the contrary, I want you to enjoy an excellent series.

Annalisa is a complicated character, and that’s why the series works. Sure, a detective that breaks the rules and won’t let anyone stand in her way is a common detective series trope. She’s dealing with the same basic situation in each book. Most of the police department resents her because of the personal relationships destroyed in her quest for the truth, and the only one willing to partner with her is ex-husband Nick Carelli.

She’s forced to address her personal conflicts in a stalking/missing persons case at a local college. One of the stalking victims is her niece Quinn, so Annalisa must connect with her estranged brother who frantically wants his daughter to be safe. The college is in the jurisdiction of an officer who is more concerned about her presence in his district than solving the case.

The thriller’s plot is interesting, and Vega’s complicated relationships kick the book up a notch. Schaffhausen's stories are not formulaic and stand out because she digs deeper into the characters than many thrillers do.

So Annalisa Vega fans, you will be pleased with the continuation of her story. For those of you not yet acquainted with Vega, catch up to us by reading all 3 books in order. They’re worth it.

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Joanna Schaffhausen for the advanced copy of Dead and Gone in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 stars rounded up.

Joanna Schaffhausen has definitely done it again - I cannot get enough of the Annalisa Vega series. There are so many intriguing mysteries in this book but the story is incredibly well-told and everything weaves together so I was never confused.

I don't think I solved any of the cases before Vega did and that's always a treat for me as a reader. I sincerely hope we get to see more of Vega in the future!

Don't miss Dead and Gone on US bookshelves next Tuesday August 8!

Detective Annalisa Vega and her partner Nick are meant to be chasing the chicken robber when Sam Tran, a former Chicago PD detective who had recently been working as a PI, is found hanging in the woods. Annalisa quickly realizes that his death is likely related to the three cases he had been working- but which one? At the same time, her niece Quinn is being stalked and her university room mate has gone missing. Annalisa and Nick insert themselves against the wishes of the campus police as does, perhaps unwisely, Quinn, who has clearly inherited the investigative instincts of her family. This is the third in a series which has seen Annalisa's family torn by their past bad deeds- she turned in her father and her brother for murder- but new readers will have enough information to understand the tensions, as well as her long running personal and professional relationship with Nick. The multiple story lines- the cases Sam was investigating, the situation at Quinn's university- make this a complex procedural that will keep you guessing. And the characters are terrific. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A page turner. I'm looking forward to more.

Still one of my favorite series!! Even though in the past Nick was 1000% trash, I’m happy to see how far they’ve come. Annalisa is so badass & this book proves it. I really enjoyed all the different storylines & that even with five different crimes, it was still easy enough to keep them separate and not get confused.

When Annalisa’s niece becomes part of the story the old family conflicts make it harder for her to do her job as it needs to be done. Her brother isn’t willing to listen to a sister he is still angry with blaming her for all the current family troubles and is more than ready to lock up his daughter in her room and throw away the key. It may not be necessary to read the previous books in the series but to fully understand where these siblings’ emotions come from you need a bit more than the short references to the previous situations mentioned in this book.
So, we not only have family tensions but also, she isn’t favorite person to some of her coworkers. Add to it the mixed feelings toward her ex-husband who also is her temporally partner you have whirlwind of emotions.
The story has some interesting plots and I’m glad I read the book. Hope this isn’t the last one in the Annalisa Vega series.

This was a fantastic book. So many twists and turns which made this book so great. Loved it.

First time author for me. Great job. I'm hoping to read more of your books.

I'm so glad I had a chance to read this super great book.

I don’t read a lot of series but this is definitely one I’m enjoying . Annalisa and her partner and x- hubby Nick don’t solve just one mystery but several in this story and they definitely keep us on our toes . There are some twists and red herrings and I definitely enjoyed one of them - which I can’t talk about because that would be a spoiler ! It was also nice to see Annalisa start repairing some of her family relationships

Annalisa Vega is back investigating the death of a PI. At the same time, she must help her niece with a stalker who is escalating. Are the two somehow related?

I enjoyed this one a lot. There were lots of good twists, especially with the Quinn case! Every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. The PI case is more secondary I’d say, but it worked with the plot. I am interested to see if there will be more books now that Annalisa probably plans to become a PI herself. I think this would allow for more interesting cases potentially!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

Dead and Gone (ARC)
Joanna Schaffhausen
4 ⭐️

Pub Day: 8/8/2023

A cop turned PI Sam was found hanging from a tree and Detective Annalisa Vega believes that the answer lies within his unsolved cases. One of those relates to her brother and niece. Now it's personal. To protect her family she retraces Sam's steps, following his trail with the investigations. Vega uncovers a trail of stalkers, harrasers and murderers. Somebody wants Sam quiet. The question is which one of these did he get too close to be killed?

Okay I made a booboo and didn't do enough research before requesting this ARC. This is the 3rd book in the series. It can be read as a stand alone but there's definitely some details that spoiled book 1 and 2 for me. It's easy to infer though. (Yes I got book 1 and 2 now so will be reading those soon). It started off a little slow for me but it's interesting right off the bat and actually compelling to read. There are actually multiple cases that were being investigated in this book, all interconnected in some way. But surprisingly, it is very easy to follow (no need for plot/character maps). There's a main case and then the minor ones. And even the minor ones are twisty. Overall, this is a good read. Not sitting-at-the-edge-of-your-seat, fingernail biting good but coherent and engaging. It definitely threw me in a loop with the whirlwind of evidence and clues.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

*3.5 stars.

In this third outing featuring Chicago Police Detective Annalisa Vega, she is assigned a very personal case for her boss, Zimmer: the murder of a former Chicago cop turned private investigator. He had s number of open cases and that's where Vega begins. She's surprised when her brother's name crops up. He had hired the P.I. to try to find a stalker annoying his daughter on her college campus. Vega is also dealing with her partner, ex-husband, and current lover, Nick Corelli, and is worrying that she might be pregnant. So there are lots of plot lines and complications to this story. It's an enjoyable mystery that keeps the reader guessing till the end.

I received an arc of this new thriller from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

I was anxious to read this after giving her previous book Last Seen Alive, a five-star rating. Sadly, in my case, this book didn’t catch my interest. There were several subplots, and the carelessness that the characters showed for their own safety didn’t endear me to them.

Though this book, like the last, worked fine as a standalone, I would recommend starting with the first book, since we’re not that far into the series. The writing is good, and for the most part, I do like the characters. Another reason to begin with the first book is the fact that Annalisa not only is dealing with various threads throughout the story but personal family issues. I think it would help to know about her past relationships with her dad and ex-husband.

My Concerns
This book didn’t hold my interest like the last. The threads ran throughout, making it feel more complicated than it needed to be since threads are dropped and picked up later in the book. Not only do the subplots seem to interrupt the flow of the book, but they cause it to feel longer than it needs to be.

Final Thoughts
Though this wasn’t my favorite book, I like the characters and plan to continue with the series. If you like police procedurals with a woman as the MC, I highly recommend you take a look at this series.

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for a review ARC of this book