Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and the author, Joanna Schaffhausen, for gifting me both a physical and digital ARC of the latest installment of one of my favorite series feauturing Detective Annalisa Vega. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Is there such a thing as a good sociopath? Detective Annalisa Vega has quit the Chicago Police Department and become a private investigator. Her first client is a professor who is writing a book saying that exact thing, featuring local star neurosurgeon Dr Craig Canning as her subject. But before her book is published, Mara needs to ensure that Craig really is a good sociopath. Because a young woman in his apartment building, Vicki, mysteriously fell to her death and she fears he could have something to do with it. So begins Annalisa's investigation that may have dire consequences to her and her family.

I am a huge fan of this series and was so excited to dive into the latest chapter. It can easily work as a standalone, but it's too good not to start at the beginning! Annalisa is now remarried to Nick, whose daughter, Cassidy, has just come into their lives. There's a lot going on here, from Annalisa's investigation into Vicki's death, to trying to find the biological mother of one of Cassidy's friends and the cat belonging to Vicki's neighbor, Ruth. But in Schaffhausen's skilled hands, it all works perfectly. You'll be questioning what really happened, and I would never have guessed that ending. Plus, the discussion of sociopaths is fascinating. Full of intriguing characters (I loved Ruth!), this book left me anxious to read more in this series.

I didn’t realize this one was the fourth book in a detective series. I don’t like to read books out of order, so I’ll need to go back and read the series from the beginning.

Schaffhausen has become a favorite of mine. Her books are well-written, suspenseful, and solidly plotted, with great characters and an intriguing hook. In this one, the hook is whether there are "good" sociopaths who benefit society. The author's own PhD in psychology and years of studying neuroscience add depth and credibility to this question.

PI Annalisa Vega's personal life is taking some turns amid her cat-and-mouse game with a sociopath. Dr. Craig Canning is the subject of a book about "good" sociopaths, but he might be responsible for a neighbor's suspicious death. His character was very well done. He had layers. All of the characters are complex, flawed, and well-developed. Annalisa is tough and smart, with a strong moral compass. Now, she is opening her own PI business after leaving the Chicago PD. As usual, Annalisa is dealing with complicated family dynamics. This time, remarriage to her ex-husband Nick and getting to know his newly discovered teenage daughter, who was conceived when he cheated on Annalisa during their first marriage. Lines blur between personal and professional life, adding to the tension and stakes.

The case is fascinating. Canning is a brilliant neurosurgeon who has saved hundreds of lives. Did he also commit the perfect crime, one law enforcement determined was an accident? Annalisa's husband, Nick, was one of the investigating officers, and he is skeptical that Annalisa's investigation will prove otherwise. Seeing her match wits against a sociopath was fun. I did figure out the major twist, but this in no way lessened my enjoyment. Several smaller twists along the way genuinely surprised me. It will be interesting to see where all of the changes this book ushers in for Annalisa's personal life take the series. If you enjoy a good mystery/procedural, add this to your tbr!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the free book!

4.5 stars

I have to admit that I love this author’s books so much that I was prepared to really enjoy his book! And I did.

This is book #4 in the Annalisa Vega detective series. This time, though, she is no longer a detective. She has left the force and branched out on her own into private investigation.

Her first client, Professor Mara Delaney, is about to write a book about sociopaths being good. It’s centered around a local doctor, but now she fears that he may not be so good after all.

The twists were abundant in this story! I like how the author interlaced another storyline regarding Annalisa’s stepdaughter into this main one. Once the mystery was solved, I looked back at certain clues throughout and had an “ah-hah” moment.

Another solid installment in this series.

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

This was my first adventure in the world of Detective Annalisa Vega and she's such a wonderful character. I'll definitely be adding the first three books of this series to my TBR. Annalisa turns PI in this tale and her first client, Mara, is very intriguing as are her views on good sociopath and potential murderer, Craig Canning whom she has Annalisa investigating. I enjoyed all the twists and turns involved in the plotting of this one as I tried to work out who the villain was alongside the detective.

A suspicious death, a new job, family drama, and past secrets provide multiple plot layers to Joanna Schaffhausen’s novel All the Way Gone. It’s the fourth book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series. Annalisa is still setting up her private investigator office when her first client, Mara Delaney, enters. Mara has written a book that is nearing release. It is focuses on Chicago neurosurgeon Craig Canning, a doctor who has saved hundreds of lives.

When a young woman in Canning’s apartment building falls from her balcony, Mara needs to know if Canning was complicit in her death. She needs answers before the book is published. As always there are multiple suspects as well as the possibility that it was a simple accident. Was it murder or not?

Annalisa has a strong sense of right and wrong, but she is also willing to go into gray areas to find the truth. She’s courageous and has great investigative skills. However, she also takes risky chances and still has trouble communicating with those close to her.

What a disquieting and unsettling prologue! The author’s doctorate in psychology and interest in the brain come to life in the characters in this novel. The book has a solid and deeply involved plot with great character depth. The plot is twisty, with exciting scenes and plenty of drama and action on both the business and personal aspects of the novel. The novel highlights complicated family relationships, friends, deceit, death, terminal illness, manipulative behavior, and much more.

The author is a great storyteller. The tale grabbed my attention with the first chapter and kept be engrossed in the tale throughout the book. A twisty and clever plot with exciting scenes and a desire to find clues to what is really happening captivated me. The insight into the characters’ thoughts, behaviors, and actions towards others blended smoothly with the plot. The ending contained some surprises and wrapped up most things nicely, but I had a couple of lingering questions. My biggest quibble is that I couldn’t really tell that the story mainly takes place in Chicago.

Overall, this was a tense, emotional, and suspenseful novel with an unusual and riveting story arc that kept me engaged throughout. This series is best read in order as this series has spoilers for the earlier books. Those who enjoy mysteries and suspense stories featuring a strong female main character will likely enjoy the series. I can’t wait to see where the author takes the next book in the series.

St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Joanna Schaffhausen provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for August 13, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

All the Way Gone is book 4 in the Detective Annalisa Vega series by Joanna Schaffhausen.
This series is one of my absolute favorites!
Schaffhausen’s writing is stellar, as always!
This book was full of interesting characters and kept me up late flipping the pages.
There are still plenty of twists and turns and surprises.
A fun detective fiction with well-drawn characters, this is a great series that I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Big fan of this series & the sociopath aspect was super interesting!! So many twists throughout the story & I thought the ending was really well thought out.

Up to this point I have really enjoyed the Detective Annalisa Vega series by Schaffhausen. ALL THE WAY GONE is the fourth in the series and it’s losing its appeal to me.

I found it to be predictable and full of obnoxious characters making bad decisions, but the most frustrating part for me is Annalisas husband Nick and how big of a jerk he is. I just don’t find the love story necessary 🤷🏼‍♀️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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All The Way Gone
Author: Joanna Schaffhausen
Source:  NetGalley ARC
Pub Date:   Aug. 13, 2024

I am a hardcore fan of all thriller books by author Joanna Schaffhausen featuring her Detective/Private Investigator, Annalisa Vega. Don’t worry. You do not need to read her books in order to appreciate the latest story, All The Way Gone. Ms. Vega is now in private practice as an investigator when she is hired to hunt down a sociopath and find out if he has committed a murder. This sociopath investigation creates a juicy whodunit story that will keep you reading past bedtime. Ms. Schaffhausen has a fantastic way of writing her novels, which are truly addictive. This ending was a doozy. This book will be published on Tuesday, Aug. 13th, and it is a solid 5-star read. #sociopath #thriller #mystery #whodunit #scary #murder #greatbackstories #love #marriage #police #fiction @joannaschaffhausen @stmartinspress @netgalley
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I received a complimentary copy ARC of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this novel.
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#book #books #bookAddict #BooksOfInstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #reader #booklove #bookreader #bookreviewer #bookish

ALL THE WAY GONE  is an intriguing mystery with a good twist. Annalisa Vega is a new private investigator in Chicago, and Mara Delaney, the author of "The Good Sociopath," is her first client. At the center of Mara's book is neurosurgeon Craig Canning, who has saved hundreds of lives despite lacking empathy and genuine emotions. But Mara might be wrong since she now suspects that Dr Canning is responsible for the death of Victoria Albright.

The tension in ALL THE WAY GONE builds gradually, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The writing is highly engaging, and the psychopath angle is intriguing. The book's premise of whether or not good psychopaths exist raises interesting questions on morality and ethics. The characters are complex  , and the several intertwined stories come together at the end in the most startling way. Overall, an excellent read!

Many thanks to Joanna Schaffhausen, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve really enjoyed following Detective Annalisa Vega and her cases in the past. Now that she’s a PI, she works under a different set of rules, and her first case is a doozy! She quickly set out to solve the case, and along the way seems to solve other mysteries! This was a good, quick read that kept me engaged the entire time!

4 sociopath stars

Annalisa Vega is back in book #4 of this series. What is new is that she’s a private investigator, having left the police force. She’s remarried to Nick, and his recently discovered teen daughter also has a role in the story.

A new client, Mara, has Annalisa investigating a brilliant surgeon who is also a sociopath, possibly a good sociopath. How can there be such a thing, you ask? Mara has written a book about the surgeon Craig Canning and proposes just that. Now she’s having second thoughts and wants to make sure a recent death is not connected to the good doctor.

Annalisa investigates the death of a young woman, trying to determine if she fell from the balcony or if she was pushed. Canning lives in the building but has a solid alibi. As Vega and Canning play a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, I wasn’t sure how this one would go. Is Annalisa in danger from Canning if she pushes him too hard?

This one kept me guessing and was filled with complex characters. There were definitely some surprises in this one. I also had to do some more thinking about sociopaths and wonder how many are around me!

Annalisa Vega is back! Having resigned from the Chicago PD to start her own detective agency, Vega's first client, Mara Delaney, is a university psychology professor who has written a book based on local neurosurgeon Craig Canning called "The Good Sociopath", which claims some sociopaths are beneficial to society. Delaney's research identifies Canning as a sociopath, but through his career he has saved hundreds of lives. After a woman in Canning's apartment building dies under suspicious circumstances, Delaney is worried Canning could be responsible, and if he is it would undermine the premise of her soon-to-be-released book. As Vega digs into the case, she becomes convinced the death is murder, but can she prove it? And can she figure out who the murderer is? Schaffhausen has crafted another superb mystery with a unique premise and lots of clues and red herrings for Vega -and the reader- to follow. The characters also shine, and fans of the series will enjoy the subplot centered on Vega's personal life and her recently discovered step-daughter.

I admit to being a fan of this well conceived and complex series but know that this will also be fine as a standalone. Annalisa has left the Chicago PD and is setting up her own PI shop, learning the ropes with her new stepdaughter Cassidy, and navigating her remarriage to Nick when Mara arrives on her doorstep demanding that she investigate whether Dr Craig Canning actually killed a woman who plunged from a balcony. Whew. Actually, this has a highly engaging character in Ruth, an elderly widow who, along with her cat, proves key to the case. And Annalisa takes on a second case-finding the mother of Cassidy's pal who needs a kidney. This gets twisty, especially with regard to Canning, who is decidedly creepy (well, he is a sociopath) and know that you might need to suspend credulity for the ending but he's a dynamic character to be sure. It kept me guessing, that's for sure. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great read with an ending that hopefully portends another installment.

Thank you to Joanna Schaffhausen, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

"Is there such a thing as a good sociopath?"

This book follows Private Investigator, and former Police Detective Annalisa Vega, who gets hired by Author Mara Delaney, to investigate Doctor Craig Canning, and his possible relation to a death that had been ruled as an accident. Mara states that Doctor Canning is a sociopath, but a good one that is beneficial to society. To explore this, Mara has written a book about Doctor Canning and all of the good things that he has done and focuses on the question. However, Mara is worried that Doctor Canning may have had something to do with the accidental death, and it wasn't actually an accident, and wants Annalisa to find out if he actually had something to do with it, or if it truly was an accident.

Wow this book was a rollercoaster from beginning to end. Once it started, it did not stop until the end. There was so much going on with the investigation, and then a side investigation which turned into a complete cluster, there was never a dull moment. However, I do want to say that although there were constantly things happening, they weren't overly exciting until the last 10% or so when all of the pieces really started to fall into place.

Annalisa was a force to be reckoned with. She was not afraid to get herself into any kind of situation and would run right in without a care. She was very strong willed, and very smart when it comes to figuring things out, and not accepting answers she is given when it doesn't make sense.

Doctor Canning was a well written antagonist, and had so much depth and kept adding new layers to the story with every chapter. The other characters, Paul, Mara, Ruth, Cassidy, were also well written. Although Cassidy did annoy me a bit when she wouldn't listen to anything (even though she was given as little information as possible since she was 16 and an actual child), and the whole situation happened.

I was not a fan of Nick. Keep in mind that I have not read any other books related to Annalisa Vega and Nick, but the book eludes to Annalisa and Nick going through their honeymoon phase, meaning they were recently married. Then it also talks about how they were previously married when he cheated and ended up getting another woman pregnant, resulting in his now 16 year old daughter. Due to this, I can infer that they were married, he cheated, which resulted in a child, him and his wife got divorced, and then she forgave him and they got back together? Is Annalisa supposed to be this amazing former Detective who is super well known and respected for the investigation and arrest of a serial killer? Yet, I don't think it was the best for her self-respect to be that low to where she would forgive and forget. Nick also added very little to the story and annoyed me every time he showed up in a scene. He didn't believe in Annalisa at all and would often discredit or brush off anything she had to say. Yes, he was the cop assigned to the investigation of the "accidental death", but when things started to not make sense with the investigation, you would think he would have cared to actually listen and look into it a bit more. Maybe he is better in other books, but I did not care for him at all in this one.

Mara Delaney hires Annalisa as a PI to investigate Dr. Craig Canning so she can be sure he was not involved in the death of a woman in his apartment building. Mara has just written a book about "good" sociopaths, that has already gotten a lot of buzz, with Craig as her main study. But if he is revealed to be bad, her whole book deal, and career, is sure to go up in flames.

I had not read any of the other books in this series, but I will now! I am not usually a huge fan of police procedurals, but I loved this one. The pacing was great and I loved Annalisa, Nick, and Cassidy. I also love when there are multiple story lines that do not feel the need to tie together in some "perfect" kismet ending because there is never realism to it.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

For those like me who might have forgotten the hints given in Ms Schaffhausen’s previous Annalisa Vega book, Dead and Gone, her latest, All the Way Gone starts with a few surprises. These surprises could serve as a reset for new readers. Sort of a come on in, the water is fine situation.
Between the two books Annalisa has quit the Chicago Police Dept, and has become a private detective. Also she, has remarried her former husband, Nick Carelli, and did not invite long time readers to the wedding. Nick was Annalisa’s partner on the Chicago PD which made for some interesting dynamics.
Schaffhausen explores the idea there are ‘good’ sociopaths in All the Way Gone . Those who manage to live normal lives, or those whose traits enable them to have professions that benefit society. Obviously, most sociopaths do not become serial killers.
Maybe some become CEOs or politicians, or in this case, a topnotch surgeon, who has saved many lives. Dr Mara Delaney has written a book exploring the life of a real-life ‘good’ sociopath, a famous neurosurgeon, Dr Craig Canning. With Dr Delaney’s book dropping in a few weeks, she is worried that he might have had something to do with the death of a young socialite living in the same Gold Coast high-rise as he. Delaney wants to make sure her book’s subject is squeaky clean.
Annalisa’s husband catches the case but makes the determination that the socialite’s dive off her balcony is an accident.
After Annalisa begins investigating the death, she isn’t too sure. The case seems to be turning into sociopath, sociopath, who is the sociopath.
Once again Schaffhausen writes a tight book, with a tough and tender secondary story of Nick, Annalisa, and Cassidy, Nicks newly discovered daughter. Cassiday is the result of a one-night stand from seventeen years ago. Cassidy's mother is near death from ALS, and Nick and Annalisa both try to support Cassidy while forming a modern family.
There are some lovely characters in this book, people you would truly like to have as friends. Other characters, not so much. I’m always fascinated by how Schaffhausen turns her villains into totally realistic, fascinating characters. You wouldn’t want to know them, but reading about them is just dandy.
I was intrigued by how Annalisa decided to disregard much of how she had to operate as a cop. Interesting how Annalisa changed from cop to P.I mode so quickly. A surprising turn of events.
Schaffhausen continues her streak of hitting out of the ballpark with All the Way Gone . She ratchets up the apprehension in a slow steady pace, which always seems to be more effective than a rush at the end. Always original, with a fresh take on a genre where it is hard to be fresh.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur/ St Martin’s Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy.

This is the fourth book in the series featuring Annalisa Vega. I certainly enjoyed my latest visit with the intelligent and determined Annalisa.

Annalisa has left the Chicago Police Department and become a private investigator. For her first case, she is hired by Mara Delaney who is anxiously awaiting the publication of her book entitled The Good Sociopath focused on Dr. Craig Canning, a local neurosurgeon. The thesis of her book is that sociopaths can benefit society because they are useful in professions requiring emotional distance. A young woman plunges to her death in Canning’s apartment building, and Mara is worried that her poster-boy for desireable sociopathy may have been involved, thereby threatening the argument of her soon-to-be released book. Annalisa is hired to investigate and hopefully prove that Dr. Canning is indeed what Mara has portrayed him to be: cold-hearted but not homicidal or violent. Annalisa’s investigation convinces her that a clever murder has been committed but Canning insists on his innocence. Where lies the truth?

As in the other books, Annalisa also has some conflict in her personal life. Her remarriage to Nick has brought his teenaged daughter Cassidy into their lives. A typical teenager, Cassidy doesn’t always listen to advice and sets out to help a friend find her mother. This case becomes Annalisa’s second case, but Cassidy sets out to solve it on her own.

Tension builds gradually. Cassidy places herself in danger and Nick and Annalisa have to rush to rescue her. Annalisa, like her stepdaughter, also finds herself in tense encounters with Canning. He realizes why Annalisa is investigating him so a cat-and-mouse game ensues in which they both intrude on each other’s territory. More than once Annalisa faces him alone.

The author has a doctorate in psychology and her knowledge of the workings of the brain is at the forefront. She asks a number of questions: Can sociopaths be good people who make valuable contributions to society or are they “violent predators to be eliminated at all costs”? Can sociopaths be helped or are they “all the way gone”? The book also inspires the reader to consider whether it is justifiable to kill a murderous psychopath if that death actually helps save others?

The plot is complex with a lot of twists, especially at the end. Given the psychological makeup of the characters involved, this complexity seems appropriate. There is a clue about 45% through the book that steered me in the right direction, though I certainly didn’t guess the details.

Though this is the fourth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone because there is enough backstory provided to ensure the reader will not be lost. However, I advise readers to treat themselves and read the previous three books (Gone for Good, Long Gone, and Dead and Gone) first.

Thank you @minotaur_books for the gifted eARC of ALL THE WAY GONE!

ALL THE WAY GONE is Book Four in Joanna Schaffhausen’s Detective Annalisa Vega series and it’s just as good as its predecessors!

Annalisa has left the Chicago PD to go private. For her first case, an academic asks Annalisa to investigate whether or not the subject of her future book murdered his neighbor. The police think it was an accident. But Mara is convinced that Dr. Canning, who she claims is a good sociopath, might have actually done it… and might actually be the bad kind of sociopath after all.

What comes next is a vicious game of cat and mouse between Annalisa and Dr. Canning. I was completely hooked and constantly second guessing whether or not I thought Dr. Canning had done it. The big reveal at the end shocked me.

I can’t wait for the next installment of this series! It keeps getting better and better!

ALL THE WAY GONE is out on August 13, 2024.

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