Gone is a book about grief and regrets, the pain and suffering of a mother having lost her son but with no body for her to bury, she is incapable of moving on with her own life. The tragedy Alison had to face is made worse by the fact that it was her own family who were supposed to be looking out for her son and his safety. This is a really quick read, the way the story is structured means that you literally fly through the chapters and the emotion is right there on every page. There were a few moments within the story where I questioned the plausibility of some of the events but I still found myself hooked, shocked every time there was another reveal or bit of evidence coming to light.

This is an exciting, fast-paced mystery. Although some twists and turns of the plot may become evident to most readers before they are revealed in the story, there are still enough surprises to keep things interesting. At its heart, this is a family story. It is about both the alarmingly dysfunctional kind of family and the warm, loving kind. It is about learning to let go of the former and hold tight to the latter.

Everyone else is moving on but Allison still has questions on her son's death. After ten years, his father wants to have him legally declared dead, not just missing. But how can she bury the questions and start over like everyone is telling her. Allison's mental health is fragile. Without a clear picture of what happened that day, she cannot move forward. Dreda Mitchell does a skillful job of building the characters and the community they move through. The emotions Allison shows every time she thinks of Sam, touch a nerve in readers. The mmemories she picks through as she investigates one more time, leave no doubt taht she will succeed where others have failed. The story builds in layers as the memories unfold until "that day" releases the history that she needs.

Absolutely loved this book.....well, the first 90% of it! Couldn't read this quickly enough and raced through it in 2 days! The characters were very believable although not all likeable.
Was a little too much towards the end of the book and felt like the author was using up some spare word tally. A bit too drawn out, in my opinion, and could have ended a few chapters before it did.
A great story line and I really felt for Alison, can totally understand how easy it can be to lose yourself in grief.......have been there personally and it's not a place I would wish for anyone.
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and publishers for allowing me to read and review this book.

Gone is an intense, gripping journey into the depths of grief, obsession and the pursuit of truth. It kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish, with a dark atmosphere and a relentless pace that never let up.

The story follows Alison, whose life was shattered ten years ago when her son Sam disappeared during a family holiday. His body was never found, and although they presumed him lost at sea, Alison has never been able to accept it. When her ex-husband seeks to have Sam officially declared dead, Alison refuses to let go, embarking on a harrowing quest to uncover what really happened that fateful day. It’s a powerful exploration of a mother’s love and the desperate need for closure.

What made this book particularly compelling is how the lines between reality and fantasy begin to blur. Alison’s grief drives her to the edge of madness, and as she digs deeper into the mystery, strange things begin to happen. Her son’s piano plays by itself, and whispers of secrets long buried haunt her every step. The tension builds steadily, and I found myself questioning everything – just like Alison. The slow unraveling of the truth is both heartbreaking and thrilling, and the twists in the plot kept me guessing.

The characterisation is strong, particularly Alison, whose emotional turmoil is so vividly portrayed. The authors do an excellent job of creating a web of suspicion around every character, and you’re never quite sure who to trust. There’s a sense of claustrophobia as Alison battles not only the mystery of her son’s disappearance but also the people who seem intent on keeping the truth from her.

The final reveal is nothing short of shocking – truly unimaginable. It’s a twist that requires a bit of suspension of belief, but it’s so well done that it feels utterly fitting within the story. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that are dark, suspenseful and full of twists, Gone will not disappoint. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and a truly captivating read.

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I found this book to be a very slow burner. It picked up over half way through with some twists. The flow of the writing could have been better. A good premise but just under delivered for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

It’s been 10years since Alison’s perfect world
Fell apart with out her son Sam was disappeared while on holiday
But what would it be like that truth was losing all the sanity
I had an ARC

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Gone" and all opinions expressed are my own. A slow start but did pick up a bit. Overall it was okay.

This was an engrossing story that started the slightest bit slow to me but I quickly was unable to put down. Overall a tragic story of a family with too many secrets but the book was well written and I was compelled to keep going and figure out the truth.

Good book - kept me guessing, although you know something isn't right about the accounts given at the time of Sam's disappearance, it's hard to work out what.
Good characterisation and writing. I'll be reading more by these authors.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the dual timelines and feel that they really added depth to the characters. A very sad story and all along I was hoping for a miracle. Really illustrates how toxic sibling relationships can be as well.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. A grieving mother, demented by sadness, desperate to get to the truth about the death of her son.
Once she emerges from her cloud of distress, Alison begins to explore relationships within her family. Who was involved in Sam's disappearance / death?
Who is telling the truth?
Who can live with their guilt?
Is anyone who they seem?
There are one or two pacing issues, and a couple of instances of people behaving totally out of character, so four stars from me.
Thanks to Dreda Say Mitchell for an interesting read.

#Gone #NetGalley
Awesome.
The deeper into the past she digs, the higher the price she must pay for the truth.
It’s been ten years since Alison’s perfect world fell apart. Ten years since her son Sam disappeared while on a family holiday. Lost at sea, they said, his body never found. And even though her brother and sister were supposedly looking after the kids, Alison will always blame herself. Caught in a spiralling web of all-consuming grief where the lines between reality and fantasy blur, Alison refuses to let go. So when her ex-husband seeks to have Sam officially pronounced dead, Alison embarks upon a desperate and harrowing quest to discover what really happened that day on the beach.
But is the truth worth losing what is left of her sanity?
I loved it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for giving me an advance copy.

This was definitely a raw and emotional psychological thriller. And I think you'd guess by the blurb just how hard hitting this book is going to be.
It's great at showing the grief the mum feels. As we swerve back and forwards in time it only adds to the tension. You both fear what's coming for this mum and fear for her afterwards as she spirals into deeper grief and obsession. She is convinced her son who disappeared all those years ago is still alive. And also can't come to terms with how she wasn't there looking after him when he vanished.
Is there something much darker going on in those involved?
I was suspicious of everyone in this book. The sister, the husband. Did her husband know something with the way he was pushing to have their son pronounced dead. Or just a dad needing to say goodbye. And her sister was meant to be watching their son...wasn't she?
A very heart jumping read. And a great portrayal of how a mum must feel in these circumstances.

Alison’s once idyllic existence was irrevocably altered a decade ago when her son, Sam, vanished during a family vacation, presumed to have drowned at sea. This tragedy enveloped her in a profound grief, exacerbated by overwhelming feelings of guilt and self-recrimination as her brother and sister were babysitting at the time of Sam’s disappearance. Alison is fervently determined to uncover the truth behind the day on the beach, convinced that Sam is not dead, as his body has yet to be found. The narrative initially, has a slow pace, but in the latter part of the novel, the pace picks up. I found Alison’s character well developed and I was really engaged with her. I liked how the novel adeptly moved between the past and the present, which allows one to fully experience the depth of Alison’s grief and desperation. As Alison delves deeper into the investigation, the search for the truth unveils disconcerting revelations regarding her loved ones, and the ones that were present with Sam. I was engaged in this story until the bitter end, and was surprised at the twists and turns, and ultimately the ending- the truth. Anyone interested in a good psychological thriller, will enjoy this title.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Gone’ written by Dreda Say Mitchell & Ryan Carter in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Alison’s son Sam disappeared ten years ago while on a family holiday and while she’s never been able to believe he’s gone, her ex-husband Mark will go to any lengths to have him pronounced dead.

‘Gone’ is the first book I’ve read by either of these authors and while initially I thought it was a book I’d enjoy with a promising plot and characters who sounded interesting, after the prologue it slowed down considerably and I quickly lost interest. I’ve no doubt it’s well written and will appeal to a lot of readers but I’m afraid I’m not one of them and struggled to get involved in the story for which I apologise.

A slow starting read that I had trouble getting into when it did pick up, it seemed very rushed, so no middle ground, really.
I've enjoyed the authors other books and for me, her gangland series of books are where she excels.
Sorry this was just not for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas &Mercer for the Arc.

Gone is a heart-wrenching journey through grief, obsession, and the search for truth. The book perfectly captures Alison’s spiraling descent as she struggles to hold onto the hope that her son Sam might still be alive, despite the years that have passed since his disappearance. Her pain and desperation are so palpable that I couldn’t help but feel for her as she delves deeper into the mystery of that day on the beach. The emotional intensity kept me hooked, and the lines between reality and fantasy created an eerie, disorienting atmosphere that added to the suspense. While I found some parts of the plot a bit predictable, the raw emotion and Alison’s relentless pursuit of answers made it a compelling read. Four stars for its deep emotional pull and the way it keeps you questioning what’s real until the very end.

Whilst I enjoyed the plot of the book, the flow seemed a little off. The start was extremely slow and it picked up in the middle but the end seemed fast and rushed. It just seemed a little off to me personally.

The actual plot was good, although some parts were predictable. I liked how it spoke about everyone’s grief and how it affected them and what their life was like afterwards.

Overall it was a good book.

This book was a rollercoaster with a seemingly unreliable narrator. However, the ending absolutely blew me away and I had so many emotions at the end of it. Wonderful book , well written and has a great storyline.