The next installment of Joanna Schaffhausen’s critically acclaimed Detective Annalisa Vega series.
For Chicago police detective Annalisa Vega, Sam Tran’s death presents an ominous puzzle. The ex-cop turned PI is found hanging from a cemetery tree with a message across his chest that suggests someone holds a murderous grudge against the police. Annalisa suspects the real answer lies in one of Tran’s open cases. She believes he stumbled on a dark secret during his investigations and someone killed him to keep him quiet. Her own family harbors plenty of secrets, something Annalisa is reminded of when her brother turns out to be one of Sam’s last clients.
Vinny Vega hired Tran to find a dangerous stalker on his daughter’s college campus. Now Sam is dead and the stalker remains at large, with Annalisa’s niece Quinn firmly in his sights.
To protect Quinn, Annalisa begins tracing Sam’s steps back through his open cases, which include not only the campus stalker but also a brutal double homicide from twenty years ago. Did Sam finally find the killer? Did he uncover the stalker’s identity? Annalisa must figure out which secret got Sam killed, and fast, or someone else will die. Every move she makes brings her closer to the truth of Sam’s death and closer to a murderer who will stop at nothing to remain free.
Thank you, St. Martins Press, for the free digital book!
- One-word review: Inordinate
- Emojis: 👨👩👧👦💉🦍
- Rating: 4🌟s
My thoughts:
I always enjoy being back in Det. Annalisa Vega’s world. She is a detective who is not scared to do what’s right even when it’s hard, and it’s often hard in her line of work. She comes from a long line of Chicago cops and balances work and family in the best way possible. I loved her personal storyline in this series installment, which can easily be read as a stand-alone. She grows and changes with every book in a completely authentic manner, and I love following that growth.
There were four mysteries in this story which is a lot. I thought, “Wait, there’s more,” more than once. I understand technically how it ended up that way, but from a reading enjoyment perspective, it was too much. Also, involving Annalisa’s family for a third time in the series is a stretch. It is a large family, but is it really feasible for them to be involved in each book’s mystery?
Still, I found the mystery involving her niece on the college campus the most compelling of the three mysteries. It was not because it was her niece but because the mystery was so delightfully confounding. I just knew who did it, and boy, was I wrong! I love being wrong!
The pacing was fast for the majority of the book. The chapters are short, which supports that fast pace. The narration is in the third-person point of view, focusing on Annalisa’s perspective, except for the few chapters that are in the first-person point of view through the eyes of the killer. I liked it when the story breaks away and lets the reader in on what’s going on in the killer’s mind. It’s just so fascinating!
I can’t wait for the next installment – some significant changes are on the horizon!
15 responses to “Dead and Gone by Joanna Schaffhausen #BookReview #Mystery #Thriller”
Unusual for so many mysteries in one book, must have been hard to follow at times, great review 😊
It just made it never end more than anything 😊
I swear I plan to start this series before the year is out! Excellent review, Tessa💜 I’m a big fan of multiple storylines.
Oh, you defintiely do. I thought 1 and 2 were stronger than this one but I’m excited about where it’s going.
I love being wrong about the main suspect too! I’m glad you enjoyed this one.
It’s so fun to be outwitted!
I like it when they involve family in mystery book. This sounds really good. Amazing review, Tessa!
Three mysteries in one book – more bang for your buck! I also love it when I’m proven wrong with the culprit, Tessa. Sounds like a great series.
The series is wonderful – great well-developed characters!
It sounds intriguing, my review for The Brother has been posted, and I am now going to finish ”The Survivors”. Lots of thrillers for me to read.
I’ve had a lot of thrillers too!
Sadly, I think I enjoyed your review more than I would the book.. the ”but wait there’s more” ones are usually too all over the place for me.
Thank you for your honesty!
[…] to Tessa @ Tessa Talks Books for the heads up about this third book in the series. It’s a library audiobook […]
I loved this one as well, Tessa. It seems more realistic when there is more than one case going on at a time. Great review.
That’s very true. I didn’t think of that ❤️