At the heart of the fifth novel in this mystery series is spousal abuse and a battered women's shelter called Ruby's Place. Annalisa Vega has left the Chicago Police Department and become a private investigator. She's six-month pregnant so she hasn't been attracting many clients. Now her brother Alex, who is in prison for murder, has asked her to look into the case of Joe Green, a fellow inmate who he's convinced is innocent. The man was convicted of murdering his wife's divorce lawyer who worked pro bono at Ruby's Place. As it happens, Vega's husband, Nick Corelli, is the CPD detective who investigated the murder, becoming convinced of Joe's guilt because of an eye-witness's statement. Was it all a lie? Digging deeper now could make Nick look bad and put pressure on their marriage.

There are many layers to this story which makes it very intriguing. I enjoy this series, especially the characters and its Chicago setting. This one can be read as a standalone but I can highly recommend the entire series. Note that they all have the word 'gone' in their titles.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new mystery via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Another stellar mystery/thriller in the fantastic Annalisa Vega series. Annalisa’s latest case has personal ties when a criminal that her husband convicted years ago is claiming innocence. Schaffhausen has the perfect blend of suspense and personal stories relevant to this very exciting series. Her writing is above and beyond enjoyable and intelligent. For fans of Edwin Hill and Julie Clark.

Unfortunately, I was unable to keep interest in this book. I felt like it was going in too many directions and there were different storylines/individuals to keep up with. I only made it to Chapter 10 and I’ve been trying to push through it for almost two weeks.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

Gone in the Night is the 5th book in a series and I should have done a better job preparing before reading this one. However, the mystery is so well done and Schauffhausen captivates you with her characters and the unfolding of the plot.

Gone in the Night by Joanna Schaffhausen is a very highly recommended investigative mystery. This is the fifth novel featuring Annalisa Vega, now a private investigator but formerly a police detective. It can be easily be read and appreciated as a standalone novel.

Annalisa Vega is back with her ex and now current husband, Nick and is currently pregnant with their first child. He is still a detective with the police department and she's working as a PI, but business is slow.

Annalisa is surprised when her brother Alex asks her to visit him in prison because neither has forgiven the other for his role in the murder that she turned him in for. When she arrives it turns out that he wants her to look into the conviction of Joe Green. Green received a note in prison saying the eye witness in his case that lead to his conviction lied.

When Annalisa starts looking into the case. She knows that Nick was the officer who arrested Green. Upon investigating, she determines that the eyewitness did lie about what she saw the night of the murder and that there may be other similar murders. Some how they may be connected to a women’s shelter, Ruby's House.

The writing is excellent in this mystery. The main mystery is the Joe Green investigation which is full of complications and increasingly looks into the past along with the present. After determining the eye witness lied, the question is why, and that question increases the intrigue and suspense as more information is uncovered. There are a couple surprising twists in the investigation. Readers are provided with information in the opening chapter that show Green was innocent, so we know that Annalisa may be able to discover the truth. There is also a smaller, lighter, side investigation to help a woman, Effie Christo, find a missing ring her late husband, Theo, gave her. The only suspects are her close group of friends.

Annalisa and Nick are both fully realized characters with plenty of strengths and weaknesses fully displayed. Annalisa is intelligent and complex, and those traits are present throughout the novel. All of the other characters are also realistically portrayed. There is a tie-in to abuse of some characters. This is my favorite Annalise Vega novel to date.

Gone in the Night is a great choice for those who enjoy investigative mysteries. Thanks to St. Martin's press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Another winning entry in the Annalisa Vega series, Book 5 takes us into a topic that may be triggering for some readers: domestic abuse.

The book opens with the first victim - lawyer Cyrus Merriman - being led unsuspectingly to his death by a mystery woman whose idea of a lakeside walk ends up with his body in it. Jump thirteen years later and a now pregnant Annalisa is visiting her imprisoned brother Alex who introduces her to the person convicted of his death, a man named Joe Green.

When Joe shows Annalisa an anonymous note he received claiming the sole witness who put him behind bars lied, she agrees to take his case, but there’s one wrinkle: her husband - detective Nick Carelli - is the one whose investigation put him in prison. Things are about to get very awkward between these two!

The story leads us to a women’s shelter run by a woman named Charlotte Higgins who, along with her two employees Layla and Karma, is clearly holding secrets that connect her to Joe’s ex, Vanessa, as well as another ex named Jessica. Also in the mix is Gwen Beaufort, the lone witness connecting Joe Green to Cyrus Merriman’s death.

Why are all these women so intent on keeping Joe in prison? When the count of men’s bodies pulled out of the lake starts adding up, Annalisa and Nick realize this case may be bigger than they thought. Is there another serial killer on the loose?

There’s much more to the story, including a mystery surrounding a young girl’s abduction years before and a sweet side story for Annalisa involving an elderly woman and a missing ring, but the heart of the story is the mystery of who is killing all these men and why.

Because of the topic of domestic abuse, it was important for the author to handle it sensitively, and I thought she did a great job of allowing the reader to see the experience of victims, particularly where the justice system fails them, while also keeping the guilty parties accountable. The story isn’t heavy, but it is potent.

I really liked this one and found the story pretty riveting. The multiple mysteries were well done, there were a couple excellent twists, well-written characters and a clever satisfying ending. There was even an adorable cat named Jack. Schaffhausen knows the way to my heart! 🐈

Where this book really worked for me was the relationship between Annalisa and Nick. In some ways, Annalisa’s investigation is cleaning up Nick’s past mistakes, and he takes a lot of flack from his peers for that. Ultimately, though, they’re working together for the same purpose and it’s nice to see their support for each other, even when things get occasionally tense. Speaking of this, there’s a scene between them that for a split second had me questioning if I could continue to enjoy the series. I understand its purpose in the context of the story, but it was shocking. I’m sure many others who read it were equally surprised!

All-in-all, another excellent addition to a series that I’m always excited to read! Considering the ending of this one, I’ll be so curious to see what direction Schaffhausen takes Annalisa next. I can’t wait!

★★★★ ½

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and author Joanna Schaffhausen for this digital ARC to honestly review. It’s out on August 12, 2025.

I will start by saying that the book description does not really mention this, but major content warning for spousal, sexual and child abuse, mentions of pedophilia and related subjects. Much of the discussion centres on a women's shelter and the women who work and live in it, their abusive partners showing up at the shelter etc. If you are sensitive to that kind of content, it might be best to skip this review and the book.

Gone in the Night is the fifth book in the Annalisa Vega series but very readable as a standalone. The major points in her history are covered early on in the book, as are her husband's who originally investigated the murder of the lawyer. The case takes them back to a hard time in their lives when they were separated before Nick moved away. Now heavily pregnant and back together, the case causes some stress between them.

I initially found the old ladies a nice break from the harder subject matter but it soon became a distraction. I get that Annalisa needed the cash to fund the main investigation but found myself wanting to get back to the main storyline after the first few chapters looking for the ring.

The abuse isn't graphic for the most part and often in their pasts, but a theme through the whole book so a heavy read. Nick frustrated me too. There was a scene with him that really annoyed me. It is hard to say without spoiling the book but few people knew the outcome of it and it reinforces that men and police cannot be trusted. He and Annalisa clearly have a more solid relationship than they did back when he first arrested Joe but without reading the other books, I don't like him at all.

But the book had good pacing even with the side investigation. It kept me guessing between the women involved and whether Joe's ex was still alive / and if she was one of them under a new name. I did guess the killer and twist but had plenty of times when I thought oh maybe it is X instead. Overall, a good read for mystery/police procedural lovers. I just wish the description was more clear about what you are reading.

I picked up the Annalisa Vega series on a whim back in 2023. I read the first two books in two days (then had to wait 7 months for the third.) I love this series. It is so well-written. The character development is great, they develop more and more with each book.

While Gone in the Night is book 5 of the series, you can still jump in at any point, each book gives enough background so you’re not completely lost. I did figure out the twist pretty early in this one, but it did not make it any less enjoyable - plus, the likelihood of me being wrong was pretty high. The twists kept coming and per usual, I loved the book.

This series is spectacular, I cannot recommend it enough. Definitely hoping for more Annalisa Vega!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Annalisa Vega may not be a police detective anymore, but as a PI she's still investigating. The only thing slowing her down is her pregnancy. Still she tries to take cases. When her brother, Alex, who she put in prison for murder requests she visit the prison she's skeptical at what he could want. Turns out he wants her to meet Joe Green who is in prison for the murder of his then wife's lawyer thirteen years ago, which Joe says he didn't do. He shows her a note he received in the mail that says Joe didn't do it, but no name of who sent it. What Alex doesn't tell Annalisa is her husband, Nick, was the detective who arrested Joe. Is he getting to her by knowing she won't walk away from the case till she solves it, even going against Nick...What follows are lots of lies, secrets and many more dead men turning up before all the truth comes out. Another great read in this series.

Gone in the Night is a solid, easy-to-read mystery with lots of action and interesting, tangled plot lines. The story moves along quickly with several surprises as the multiple mysteries are resolved. I enjoyed this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

In the fifth installment of the Annalisa Vega series by Joanna Schaffhausen, Annalisa is pregnant and still chasing justice through her private investigation business—and unsurprisingly, this fifth book earns a solid FIVE action-packed stars!

This time, the case comes from a very unexpected source: her brother Alex—the very one she helped put behind bars. Putting their complicated history aside, Alex reaches out from prison with a plea. A fellow inmate, Joe Green, was convicted of a crime he claims he didn’t commit, and Alex wants Annalisa’s help clearing his name.

But there’s a major twist: Joe was arrested by none other than Nick, Annalisa’s ex-husband turned current husband. Looking into Joe’s case means Annalisa may have to confront the possibility that Nick got it wrong—and played a part in sending an innocent man to prison.

As she digs deeper, Annalisa’s investigation leads her to a battered women’s shelter and a chilling pattern that suggests there’s far more to the story than anyone realized.

I’ve read all five books in this series and continue to find them thrilling, suspenseful, and utterly engrossing! I really admire Annalisa’s relentless pursuit of the truth, no matter who it hurts. She doesn’t leave stones unturned or leads unfollowed—she’s thorough, fearless, and fiercely committed to justice.

That said, I have to admit I was more than a little frustrated with Nick this time around. I get that one key confrontation was necessary for plot tension, but his behind-closed-doors behavior left a bad taste in my mouth. He seemed more interested in lashing out than owning his past mistakes. Here’s hoping he gets it together in book six—because I don’t want to see Annalisa file for divorce again!

While this can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend starting from the beginning to fully appreciate the evolving relationships and dynamics. Several books in the series have popped up for free on Kindle Unlimited, so keep an eye out—or check your local library; mine had the first four available!

Thank you NetGalley, Joanna Schaffhausen, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review ahead of the proposed August 12th, 2025 release date.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This one was a struggle to get through. The side plot with the ring was completely unnecessary - or was it only to show that Annalisa was getting income so she could finish the Joe Green job and have money to travel back and forth to Wisconsin? I ended up skipping most of the Effie/ring part of the story and didn't feel I missed anything. I figured out the rest of the mysteries, maybe that's why I had a hard time getting through it as nothing was a surprise. As with the last couple in this series, not sure why Anna and Nick are even together (although now there's a baby on the way). I don't think there's any chemistry there.

The Detective Annalise Vega series is always a go to book for me. She has left the police force and is now a PI and pregnant , married to her former police partner and now husband. She is investigating a murder that occurred 13 years ago as a favor. The man, Joe Green, is in jail and says he has been wrongfully accused of the murder of an attorney. Annalise’s investigation leads to what seems to be, other like murders that Joe Green could not have committed. Could there be a serial killer?
The author has written another intriguing stand alone in this series. The characters personalities shine through, the twists are engaging and the story itself is twisted with evil, abuse and manipulation. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the eARC and the opportunity to give my personal review. 4.5 stars.

Although I had not read the previous installments of the Annalisa Vega detective series, I was intrigued by the blurb enough to dive in.

Having left the Chicago Police Force, and opened up a failing PI firm, Vega is surprised to hear from her younger brother who has requested that she visit him in prison, even though she was the one responsible for his being there. Still not sure how to deal with her murdering sibling, she is relieved to find out that he was asking for a favor for a cell mate, Joe Green, who claims to have been wrongfully convicted of an Attorneys murder 13 years ago. As she has no other prospects, or paying clients, she agrees to look into the circumstances of his conviction, even though Annalisa's then and present husband was the arresting detective.

As this takes place around Christmas time, the true crime shows are once again focusing on the mysterious disappearance of Eve Collier from a Christmas Parade in Wisconsin 25 years ago. Rather pregnant Annalisa then delves deeper into the circumstances regarding the murdered lawyer found in the Lake, as other bodies start washing upon the shore. As she finds a similarity in the corpses they all seem connected to a Women's Shelter, Ruby's Place, where Joe Green's ex wife went, and the murdered lawyer was helping the victims of abuse.

This leads Annalisa to realize she is once again dealing with a serial killer, and there may be some connection with the abduction of the little girl 25 years ago.

With the exception of the repeated male bashing by not only the residents and Employees of Ruby's Place, but also the teasing of the Chicago PD for poor Annalisa's husband, Nick, this was a very good mystery/police procedural. I kind of figured out who the serial killer was, but there was some other mysteries that were resolved to my surprise. The other case Annalisa was working on, to find a misplaced engagement ring did nothing to move the plot along, other than to ensure that Annalisa had a rich paying client so she could afford her expenses in tracking down the serial killer (again)!
This brought my rating down from a 5 to 4 star rating.

I would certainly recommend this, and will probably go back and start the series from the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Joanna Schaffhausen and
St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review!

4.5/5
I’ll be honest—I requested this ARC purely because the cover caught my eye and I was in the mood for a mystery. I didn’t realize Gone in the Night was the fifth book in a series, but that didn’t end up being a problem. I was able to catch up quickly and never felt lost or like I was missing key backstory. I really loved the main character, Detective Annalisa Vega. The story had plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged, and overall, it was a quick, satisfying read. I’m glad I stumbled upon this one and will definitely be checking out more books in the series.

Go grab this August 12, 2025!!

Thanks to NetGalley, St.Martin’s Press/Minotaur books for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve been a huge Joanna Schaffhausen fan since the beginning, and I continue to be impressed with her ability to create compelling, complex female protagonists. When she launched her Annalisa Vega series, I loved how different Annalisa was from her prior main character—strong in her own way, with a voice and drive entirely her own.

In Gone in the Night, Annalisa dives into the case of an alleged wrongful murder conviction involving one of her brother’s inmates. True to form, she doesn’t let go once she starts digging. Her relentless pursuit of the truth is exactly what I expect and love about her character.

I did miss seeing her work alongside her husband / ex-partner, though they still share some meaningful interactions that develop the story emotionally between them. This book has a large cast of characters—at times it was a challenge to keep everyone straight, but every one of them served a purpose. If you need to jot names down as you read, do it! It’s worth it.

There’s also a secondary mystery that seemed a bit disconnected but ended up being a sweet storyline.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Title: Gone in The Night
Series: Detective Annalisa Vega #5
Author: Joanna Schaffhausen
Publisher: Saint Martin’s Press- Minotaur Books
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: August 12, 2025
My Rating: 4.7 Stars
Pages: 320

Annalisa is asked to go see her brother in prison. Since she’s the one that put him there she can’t help but wonder why he wants her to visit him. He has a case for her, another one who is in prison for murder claims he is innocent. She needs the money so she takes the case

Joe Green is doing hard time for killing his ex-wife’s lawyer, but an anonymous letter sent to the prison warns that the eyewitness in Joe’s trial made up her story. Annalisa starts investigating the possibility of Joe’s wrongful incarceration’, she immediately finds problems: the eyewitness definitely lied about what she saw the night of the murder; and another is Annalisa’s husband Nick Carelli was the arresting officer.(however at that time Nick was her charismatic ex-husband- Yes they remarried and are expecting a baby.)

Not to be a spoiler but Joe Green may be innocent of the murder he was incarcerated but he does seems to be guilty other crimes.
There is a lot going on in this story including some heavy topics such as abuse. I liked that ‘Ruby’s Place’ a shelter for women and their children played a supportive role in this story.
On the lighter side there is a side story of ‘a missing ring’ Annalisa was hired to find Effie Christos’ diamond-and-sapphire engagement ring given to her by her now deceased husband Theo. There are fears that the elderly housekeeper Matilda accidently lost as she was cleaning but cannot remember where she may have placed it.

This is my eight novel by Joanna Schaffhausen and my fifth Detective Annalisa Vega.
In "Gone for Good|" which was first in this series, we learn that Annalisa is a gifted police officer and the daughter of an ex police officer. Annalisa is well known for being the daughter who turned in her father for his role in a murder.
About the Author ~ Joanna Schaffhausen wields a mean scalpel, skills she developed in her years studying neuroscience. She has a
doctorate in psychology, which reflects her long-standing interest in the brain―how it develops and the many ways it can go wrong.
Previously, she worked as a scientific editor in the field of drug development. Prior to that, she was an editorial producer for ABC News,
writing for programs such as World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and 20/20. She lives in the Boston area with her
husband, daughter, and an obstreperous basset hound.


Want to thank NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books for granted me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 12, 2025.

This is the 5th book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series and another fantastic novel. Annalisa hasn’t heard from her brother Alex since she helped to put him behind bars for murder. When he contacts her, saying he has a case for her about a fellow prisoner who was wrongly accused of murder, she cannot help but be intrigued. Since she left the force and is now a PI, she gladly agrees to take the case of Joe Greene and try and prove his innocence. However, she is immediately met with problems, including the fact that her husband Nick Carelli was the officer who made the arrest in the case. Very pregnant and not wanting to step on her husband’s toes, Annalisa treads lightly. She soon learns that although Joe may not be guilty of murder, he has committed other horrible crimes and someone wants him to pay the price for what he has done. This case tests not only Vega’s investigative skills, but her marriage and family relationships as well. A very twisty novel that once again leaves the reader with a satisfying conclusion. I love this series and cannot wait for her next novel.

“Gone in the Night” is Joanna Schaffhausen’s fifth installment in her Detective Annalisa Vega series. Since I’ve read all of the books in the series, I was again excited to read this one early.

Annalisa’s brother, Alex, requests she come visit him in prison. When Annalisa arrives, she discovers Alex may have a case for her. Alex’s fellow inmate, Joe Green, received a letter saying the eyewitness to his supposed crime was lying. The eyewitness’s testimony was largely the reason he was convicted of murder.

Annalisa knows before she leaves the prison visit that her husband, Nick, was the investigator who arrested Joe Green. After she begins revisiting Joe’s case and its evidence, she quickly determines the eyewitness lied in her statement. The question then becomes why would she lie?

A large part of the storyline around Joe’s case involves a women’s shelter for women and children who have been abused. A smaller storyline involved Annalisa being hired to find a woman’s missing ring. The ring was given to the woman, Effie, by her late husband. It has a lot of sentimental value, but is also apparently worth a lot of money.

Overall, I recommend this book. This was a solid entry in the series. It had a couple of twists that made sense. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

The Annalisa Vega series is one of my favorites and I look forward to the latest installment every summer. This book lived up to all of my expectations and then some. Annalisa is very pregnant I was curious to see what case she could take in this phase of life. She and Nick are trying to solve the mystery of a series of dead men being fished out of the local lake. As always, there are subplots weaving throughout and plenty of action. I loved revisiting these characters and seeing Annalisa develop as a character. I also loved to see the complexity of the relationship between she and Nick (working the same field as your partner must be tricky) and how she fairs as a PI. I highly recommend reading the other books in the series first to really appreciate the plot but this is a great read not matter what background you have for the characters. I can't wait for the next in the series! Thanks to Joanna Schaffhausen, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.