Charlie Donelea is an absolute favorite of mine. His books have depth, twisty, and he's the only male author who knows how to write female protagonists (take note Sager, lol)

Sloan is assigned forensic genealogy while her final year of residency to become a medical examiner. She partners up with an expert who advised her to submit her own DNA to a genealogy site. She's adopted, so this brought many concerns and expectations. What happens next is a rollercoaster of emotions as Sloan discovers some long time secrets of her past brought to light through DNA.

I HIGHLY recommend all of his books...especially to those who feel like they've read all thrillers and are looking for something new....this one being no exception.

Charlie Donlea has done it again! There’s a reason he’s an automatic buy for so many readers, myself included. As soon as I read the book’s blurb, I immediately added it to my To Be Read list. And this book did not disappoint. Mr. Donlea delivered exactly what he promised in the book’s dust jacket synopsis!
 Exciting DNA results with online genealogy revelations
 Mystery cloaked disappearance of a wealthy couple and their baby
 Family Secrets
 And a cast of characters who piece by piece reveal the truth of what really happened

I listened to the audiobook format and loved this book from start to finish! Great audiobook for a long road trip.

*I received an early release copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Much love to NetGalley, the book's publisher and of course the author for this gracious opportunity!

This is a review of the audio book narrated by Vivienne Leheny. Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy. This was a super-quick read/ listen. I finished listening to this in a day (the weekend cleaning time also helped).
The chapters were very short, but the way it was organized didn't make sense.
The mystery was intriguing. The ending, not so. Some plot points defied logic. An amateur sleuth manages to find the address of Sloane's rental cottage easily when nosey reporters are unable to find it. And the photographic evidence of what happened 30 yrs ago conveniently falls into the MC's hand.
The audio narration was fine while narrating all the characters except Sloane's. The tone used for her was too peppy, like a teenager's. She sounded cheerful even when she was supposed to be stressed.

HOLY MOLY! I am having trouble finding the words for this book. Let's just say, as soon as I finished, I went and added every other Charlie Donlea book to my TBR. I try to be picky about handing out 5 stars but Long Time Gone was very deserving. It was fast paced from a couple chapters in and didn't let up. All the twists had my mind reeling and I had no clue how it was going to end. I would love to see a Sloan Hastings series building on this (and I think the ending left it open enough to be possible). I loved all the small details and tidbits of forensic science that were mentioned in the book. I wanted to take notes to see if I could piece it all together! I can't wait to read more books by this author and I feel confident saying that he may become one of my favorites (especially if his other books are as great as this!). The narration was great as well but honestly this book was so good I don't think bad narration would have even effected it! To sum it all up, WOW! READ THIS BOOK!

My first read by Charlie Donlea, I had high expectations having seen all the praise for his other books.

When Dr Sloan Hastings submits a DNA sample as part of her forensics research study she has no idea of the mysteries that will be unearthed and the people she’ll come into contact with.

The DNA results pull Sloan into investigating mysteries and unresolved crimes from decades ago. Looking back in time while telling the story isn’t my favourite style of thriller but this book does a good job, the cases are complex and involving.

The audiobook narration is fine, I found it a little bit ‘TV newsreader trying to convince me this is interesting’ at the start, but this quickly settled down.

It comes together nicely as all the threads tie together. Not bad at all but not one for me to get too excited about.

Thanks to Netgalley and RB Media

"Long Time Gone" by Charlie Donlea is an absolutely riveting novel that hooks you from the first page and refuses to let go. The story centers on Dr. Sloan Hastings, a brilliant forensic scientist whose seemingly innocuous DNA test submission unravels a chilling mystery dating back nearly three decades. What begins as a research assignment swiftly transforms into a perilous journey of self-discovery and danger. Donlea masterfully crafts an engrossing and propulsive narrative. The pacing is impeccable, blending Sloan’s forensic expertise with a deeply personal quest for identity and truth. The characters are richly developed, particularly Sloan, whose determination and vulnerability make her a compelling protagonist. "Long Time Gone" is not just a mystery; it’s a profound exploration of identity, family, and the lengths to which people will go to protect their secrets. Charlie Donlea's storytelling prowess shines through in this expertly woven thriller, making it a must-read for fans of the genre. This is one of the few books this year that I rated four out of five stars. Highly recommended!

I recently discovered Charlie Donlea and was excited to read this upcoming thriller. I love the premise of this story with Sloan submitting her DNA for a genealogy research and learns she is actually a baby that disappeared 30 years ago. Sloan goes to Nevada to find out about her biological family as well as what happened to the Sheriff's grandfather.

Vivienne Leheny did a great job with the narration and kept me engrossed with the story with both the past and current timelines. The reveal of what happened was a bit far fetched and I enjoyed this over all.

Thank you @recordedbooks @kensingtonbooks @netgalley for a copy of the audiobook.

This was my first Charlie Donlea book and I’m sure it won’t be my last. This was a well done audio book with a good flow and narration. The story gripped me from the very start of the book and I blew through this audio book in a few sessions. I loved how this fiction novel added some real facts about how ancestry websites are able to use DNA samples to solve cold cases. That is fascinating to me so this story was right up my alley.

Sloan Hastings is working toward being a forensic pathologist and has landed a highly sought fellowship in the field. Her dissertation topic is forensics in genealogy.

She submits her DNA to a site. She was hesitant because she was adopted and never sought out her history. But it could be good for her career to do this and her adoptive parents are supportive.

This definitely opens a can of worms. Secrets come out. Regarding her birth parents AND her adoptive parents.

The final reveal is shocking and well done! The audio was fantastic and this book had my attention from start to finish.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books for an eARC and RB Media for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Dr. Sloan Hastings is beginning a two-year fellowship in forensic pathology under the legendary Dr. Livia Cutty. Not only will she have to complete the required number of autopsies, but she will also have to present research on a project. Sloan’s project is forensic and investigative genealogy, where a person submits a sample of a perpetrator’s DNA to different genealogy websites to find a match.

Sloan decides to start with her own DNA. Since she was adopted, she isn’t sure what to expect when she submits her DNA sample. However, the results are shocking. Her DNA profile reveals that she is Charlotte Margolis. Baby Charlotte captured the nation’s attention in July of 1995 when she and her parents disappeared from Cedar Creek, Nevada. Sloan naturally heads to Cedar Creek to investigate. Upon her arrival, it seems the Margolis family has many secrets. Will Sloan be able to uncover their secrets and find out what happened to her parents almost 30 years ago?

This was my first book by Charlie Donlea and it definitely won’t be my last. I have been interested in forensic and investigative genealogy ever since the Golden State Killer case. Donlea does a great job explaining the process in this book. The short chapters drew me in. I enjoyed the past (1995) and present (2024) timelines. I honestly had no idea where the story was going and the twists totally surprised me, which is hard to do since I read a lot of thrillers. The narration by Vivienne Leheny was perfect. I highly recommend it to fans of thrillers! I give it 5/5 stars.

I loved the two timelines and the creative plot and the way they overlap via sloane—even the final fence post was satisfyingly grotesque in a Flannery O’Connor way.

Sloan, a medical examiner in training is given her thesis topic. She has a year to research and deliver her presentation to a number of professionals in her field. Her topic leads her to submitting her own DNA. This would show her the wealth of information available to lay persons and investigators.
To everyone’s surprise, her results yield the astonishing fact that she wasn’t just adopted, but that she was the missing child - Baby Charlotte.
With the help of Sheriff Eric Stamos, they start their own investigation of the disappearance of Charlotte and her parents. Together, they unravel the web that includes a fake adoption, the influential Margolis family and Eric’s father’s death.
There were so many twists and turns and an ending I didn’t 100% expect.

Thank you to @charliedonlea & @netgalley for the ARC Audiobook to review. Vivienne Leheny presents this with such a calm intonation. Not only is her voice mesmerizing, the story is captivating.

This was a great book! From the very beginning I was hooked. Ancestry searching has always been an interest of mine. I actually have a kit, at home to send in, but I haven’t. Wanna know why? Because my father said it may not be a good idea. YUP! Do I want to find myself in a Baby Charlotte situation? Nope. But thankfully I look just like my parents so I don’t think I have to worry about that. lol
It starts off as a genealogy project, but ends up in an intense search for the truth about Sloan’s origins. It felt real and believable. Everything from the public’s interest, media circus, and the FBI’s presence seemed legit. I felt like I was glued to a CNN livestream the whole time. The media gets information at the same pace this book deals it out. I waited with each chapter for the next clue. Highly suspenseful.
As an audiobook, the narrator nailed it. I felt the emotion in her voice with every new surprise she uncovered. This really added to the overall vibe of the story. I felt completely immersed in the story.
I definitely feel like this should be the first book in a series. I’d love to see more of Sloan, especially in her career as a medical examiner. Now that we know where she comes from, I feel like there’s more in that family we need to hear from. With her media fame, I also believe Sloan could get big cases in her field. I seriously hope Charlie Donlea brings her back.

Where has this Author been all my life?! Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for an advance copy of this book.

Loved the story, it had me interested and cheering them on right from the beginning. Good character development and they were likeable, as well, which goes a long way with me, lol.

I will definitely be looking for more books by #CharlieDonlea

Reverting! You won’t want to put the book down. The author made this book so realistic and authentic. A great read.

Thank NetGalley for the ARC of this Audiobook. This story was catchy from the beginning with the discovery of the main character’s DNA matching to a missing family. The pace of this book was fast and entertaining the entire time. I love all the shocking discoveries and twists and this book unfolded. The narrator was great and was perfect for the main character,

I really enjoyed this book! It kept me interested from the beginning. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for the ARC!

So I liked the narrator, I thought she was fine. I also really enjoyed the premise of this book but the actuality of it was just meh for me. Didn’t love Sloane and thought the whole thing was predictable in parts. Not a bad read, but just a meh one.

I'm usually more a fan of YA thrillers, but this one kept me on my toes for the entire time. The storyline is very easy to follow even if it has dual timeline and the narration is really good. I just wish in the end it took more a darker path but I still enjoyed it.
Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for a digital listening copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks netgalley for the audiobook arc. This was my first Charlie donlea book and I’m excited to read more. This was a great thriller and a quick read. I liked the genealogy aspect of it. The narrator did a great job. There were a few annoying parts, like the detailed descriptions of her CrossFit workouts. But overall a great summer read and I would recommend it! Also posted on goodreads.