I would like to thank Netgalley and Vintage for an advance copy of Here and Gone, a thriller set in Arizona written by Stuart Neville under the pseudonym Haylen Beck.

Audra and her kids, Sean and Louise, are running away from her manipulative husband in New York to San Diego. Four days in they are hoping to stay in the sleepy backwater of Silver Water, Arizona when they are stopped by the police. Audra is arrested for marijuana possession which Sheriff Ronald Whiteside finds in the boot of her car. In jail Audra asks about her kids and receives the reply "what kids?".

Here and Gone is not a long read but it is pulse pounding. I felt that my heart was in my mouth from start to finish. I felt so engrossed and tense after the first few chapters that I thought about giving up on it, wondering if my nerves would take it but I'm so glad I continued as it is an excellent read.

Obviously the novel is more a hunt novel than an unraveling of facts as the reader knows exactly what has happened any why but it is more than that as we see Audra's trial by media and the authorities' inability to see past the obvious. Despite the fact that I knew what had happened I was riveted by Audra's plight, Whiteside's ruthlessness and the race to find Sean and Louise. It is extremely well done.

I loved Here and Gone and have no hesitation in recommending it as a great read.

This was a great read. It was easy to feel the emotions of all the characters. The main character was strong and was easy to relate to. This was a very fast paced story that pulled me in from the first page and made it difficult to put down.

Thank you to the publishers who invited me to read and review this arc through Netgalley.
Wow, I loved this book! Audra escapes her abusive husband and drives with her two children from New York to Arizona, hoping to find refuge with a friend. However, on the way, she is pulled over by a small town Sheriff on a trumped up driving charge. Once Audra is arrested and jailed, the authorities deny all knowledge of her children and she is immediately under suspicion of harming them.
What follows is a living nightmare for Audra. We find out her back story, and the reason behind her having to flee her marriage, and slowly the motivations behind the disappearance of her children are revealed. Extremely well written with realistic, complex characters and terrifying situations. Small town American life is accurately portrayed and you could almost feel the heat and suffocating atmosphere of the place. I think there could be a possibility of a follow up to this book, I would certainly love to hear what happens to the characters next. This is one of these books you can't put down, it is a terrifying roller coaster ride of tension and fear. It is also very sad at times.
I would certainly recommend this book, it is reminiscent of Linwood Barclay and Harlen Coben at their best. Well worth a read.

I have given this novel NO stars and find myself unable to review it as my comments would be wholly negative.

A perfect thriller. An abused wife hastily packs up her two kids and flees her home, making a cross-country trek in a desperate search for safety. Along the way she stops for water and soda. A cop follows her out and arrests her on a drummed up charge. Another officer arrives to take her children to safety until she's out of jail, but as soon as the jail door is locked, the officers deny any knowledge of her children. It gets worse, she is then framed for harming them.

The premise is out of a parent's worst nightmare and the way that Beck carefully unwraps and reveals makes this book utterly un-put-downable. Well done.

Here and Gone by Haylen Beck started with Audra and her two kids on the road to California. The author gives a vivid description of the journey, it was on a terribly hot day and Audra and the children were uncomfortable in the car. She made a stop to buy water and snacks and that is when first saw the Sherriff’s car. She later drove off only to be followed and stopped by the Sheriff and this is where all the drama began. It was clear from the start that something was amiss with this Sheriff and his interest in Audra. Things start going terribly wrong then and they become worse when suddenly Audra is locked up and the Sheriff denies ever seeing any kids with her.

The story is narrated through multiple narrators. Audra is the main narrator and through her, we get to know about her marriage and reasons for her trip to California. Her anguish at losing her kids is unimaginable. There were moments when she started doubting her own sanity. I admit that I also started wondering about her recollections. I mean, were the kids even there? That is how good the writing was. It made me doubt even what was supposedly obvious. I also like that her son was also one of the narrators. His narrations were heartbreaking but his portrayal was pretty impressive. Like his mom, Sean was a brave and he made me smile a couple of times. I liked the kid. There are other narrators in the story who we get to meet at different points.

I really loved the setting of this book. I am not sure if I have read any other books set in Arizona although I have watched some movies/series set there. The desert heat and the small town added to the intrigue of the narrative. The first scene on the deserted Arizona road with the Sheriff, phew…the imagery was something else. I have always been curious about the small towns with their 2/3 sheriffs and the diners and everyone knowing everyone. This town had secrets and some crazy people. The author described the setting in such a vivid manner that I could see it all. I could even feel the heat. It was the perfect setting for this story.

I liked everything in this book. The characters were well-crafted. There was a mix of likeable and unlikable characters which made the book feel realistic. I even liked the support characters such as the old guy who lived in the woods with his dog and guns. I loved the action in the book. There were no dull moments. Things just kept moving with new twists and endless jaw-dropping moments. This was a perfect fast-paced thriller where everything just came together to make it a page-turner. I can see this being made into a movie.

Here and Gone by Haylen Beck was everything I thought it would be and more.

Here and gone by Haylen Beck.
Here and Gone begins on a desolate road in Arizona where Audra is fleeing her abusive husband in the family car. Her children, Sean and Louise, are buckled up in the back. Desperate not to draw attention, Audra is petrified when she is pulled over by the local sheriff. What happens next is every parent’s worst nightmare: one minute her children were here, the next they were gone.
Absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. I loved the story and the characters. Really had me thinking. Full of twists and plots. 5*. Netgalley and random house UK.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange of a fair review.

This is a well told story of kidnap, murder and greed.
I found it easy to read and a bit of a page turner.
I liked reading the different characters points of view rather than the story just revolving around the main character.
It is well told and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of a good thriller.

Here and Gone is a very tense thriller about a mother fighting against the corrupt police to find her missing children.

Audra is fleeing across America with her children, Sean and Louise. She is trying to escape her abusive husband when she is pulled over by the local sheriff for having an overloaded car. That's when her nightmare begins. What happens is terrifying and kept me guessing to the last page!

Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

What a gripping story. This is certainly a one day read as it keeps exploding into new avenues but keeps the same track throughout..As a mother I felt distraught at the situation and kept considering how I would be in such a situation. To have suffered an abusive marriage , have her children kidnapped and to have no-one to turn to what a distressful start to a true psychological thriller. I have driven the roads in Arizona frequently and could relate to the description of the bareness, the odd coffee stopping places and the rundown out of the way little towns that seem to be a law unto themselves. Audra was real all the way through the book. I admired Sean and the way that he looked after his little sister right until the very end. The author has captured beautifully the fear that Audra, Sean and Louise suffered and transferred these to the reader excellently. A wonderful read and one that I highly recommend to fans of this genre.

Law enforcement officers wouldn't have anything to do with your children going missing would they? Well the corrupt officers in 'Here And Gone' would, as Audra Kinney is about to find out!

Audra is stopped by the local sherriff whilst travelling through Arizona. She and her two children are fleeing an abusive marriage, but she's about to face what can only be described as a mother's worst nightmare.

The sherriff takes her into custody on a flimsy jumped up charge and calls for another officer to take the children somewhere safe while he deals with Audra. When they get to the station Audra demands to know where her children are, and that's when it all starts to go terribly wrong.

Oh boy, this was edge of the seat stuff as the race begins to find out what happened to Audra's children, and it takes us to some very dark places along the way. It was a cracking thriller where the pace never let up. It's not difficult to experience the gut wrenching fear that Audra has to endure, not least that the finger of suspicion points to her, the consensus being that she's harmed her own children.

The author has created a nerve jangling storyline and by the time I'd finished, I felt like I'd been through the washing machine and thrown out on full spin!

Very dark and scary theme but very good!

*Thank you to Random House UK, Vintage Publishing for my ARC in exchange for an unbiased review*

March hasn't been a particularly prolific month for my reading. Birthdays, Visits from Parents, Kids, Moving house, you know the drill, real life have all gotten in the way.
However the books I have read have been amongst some of the best I have read, Here and Gone is no exception. Set in the run down and forgotten Arizona wilds, the story plays on every Parents nightmare. At times its a harrowing tale that made me put the book down for a bit. The story and moves a good pace with well written characters that come to life with realistic dialogue. I thought Danny was a great character who could quite easily have his own series of books, the new Jack Reacher?
A great fast paced thriller that will keep you hooked and wanting more.

What a terrifying idea for a book it certainly made me cringe.I thought the story was well told and very realistic and all the more scary because it was so believable .I felt that anything could happen and that made it all the more frightening .I'm not going to give anything away but this book had me page turning ,I really was invested in the story and had to read as fast as I could to find out the outcome for everyone.There were a few surprises along the way and the book was a cracking read Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A tense thriller about a mother's fight to be reunited with her children..Set in Arizona, Audra gets pulled over by the Sheriff while she runs away from an abusive husband. Her two children are taken into care and thus begins the struggle to be reunited. A good read, a steady pace and enough twists to keep you going with a really good ending. Perfect for holiday reading. Thank you Net Galley for my copy.I reviewed on Goodreads.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
This is an "edge of your seat" chilling thriller. For me, the subject matter was horrific. A woman who has been abused by her husband and left him taking her 2 children, is driving to California for a new start and is stopped by the police. Not wanting to give any spoilers away what follows is unbelievable and shocking. On occasion I questioned the possibility of it being credible, but we live in a cruel world. A really well written thriller, nicely paced and one of those books that you have to keep reading to get to the end and find out how it concludes.
The only reason it does not get 5 stars is I needed some explanations. Again cannot say more without giving spoiler alerts!
4.5****

I was enjoying it from the first pages of the book. The description above describes this book quite well. It started with Audra in the car with her children. That got my attention. Why? Where are they going? And little by little the main character, Audra, unfolded it. I am not big fan of the books about children and their parents, because all you read is how much parents love their kids. But this book somehow gripped me. The main character suffered a lot in her life, so the way she was trying to fight for her kinds and not to give up, really made me respect her. I think that author of this novel done a great job by letting all the main characters to speak in this book, even the evil ones. Another great point of this book, that author was finishing every chapter with a cliff hanger and just starting the next chapter with different characters story. It was so addictive and all I wanted was to figure out how the previous story finished. I enjoyed reading the story from children’s perspective as well. The little boy, Sean, was a real sweetheart; incredibly smart, caring and little hero. (Reminder, I do not like children). The ability to read the story from different perspectives and told by different characters made it very enjoyable and allowed to understand the characters way better.
The whole plot was happening in one area and was really concentrated on a small, dying town of Silver Water. I really liked the whole story; I found it really original and very interesting. The more I read this book, the catchier it got. I really liked how this story unfolded, with Audra’s difficult past and husband’s abuse and her fight for her children at present. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. When I thought that no one there to help Audra, author nicely twisted in a help for her. I liked the topics this novel was discussing: different ways of emotional abuse against women, hard life and decisions when you don’t have money, corrupt authorities and how they can ruin people’s lives. There are some violent details in this book, so if you have weak nerves, be prepared. The ending of the book was well thought through and didn’t leave me disappointed. It was well deserved after everything. So to conclude, it is twisted, fast paced and addictive thriller filled with mother’s fight and love for her children and surprisingly I really enjoyed it.

Here and Gone

I was hooked by the blurb and once I had the book, I really couldn't put it down!

Audra is escaping an abusive marriage with her two children when she is pulled over by a sheriff. Things happen and she is taken into custody, but what happens to her kids? Where are they and who has them?

This truly is a tense, taught thriller, it's not always a comfortable read but it is one that you won't be able to put down. A fast paced thriller that has it all, 5*.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

I thank Netgalley for providing me with an un-proofed copy of this book to read. There are levels of proofing and this is at the level where my brain screams...NO...STOP...put it down now!

I didn't because I had agreed to read and review.

Have you ever read those articles that start "You will be astonished at what happened next"?

I am astonished. Within pages my brain overcame my usual reaction. I only stopped reading at 2am when an urgent need for sleep floored me. I was reading again by 6am. Proving to myself that if the story works the words will show you what they should be.

This story is AWESOME. It grabbed me and pulled me in even when my pedntic nature should have had me kicking and screaming.

I will not re-hash the blurb. No way would I chance any spoilers. If you read only one book this year make it this one.

Tense and exciting I read it with my heart in my mouth most of the time. I thought the plot was very clever and very well paced. The characters were well developed and I soon loved some of them and equally hated others.
If I had a tiny complaint it would be that the timing of events just towards the end of the story was a bit off with people being able to get to the scene of the action a bit quicker than the distances would allow but that really is me being picky because overall this was an excellent book and I am only sorrry I have finished it.

Oh I LOVED this one. Well, you know, I use the word loved to mean it destroyed me and stole a few hours of my life then spat me out ragged the other side. One sitting, totally immersive, bang on the money thriller with heart. Just load up on the sugar and dive right in (the slight sugar rush might be running this review too)

So Here and Gone has a hugely emotional core, missing children, now in danger – of course its going to get you right by the throat. What helps that along and makes it so darned addictive is the near perfect pacing, the highly intriguing and resonant characters and that indefinable something that means you just CANNOT put it down.

I always think its clever when an author manages to make a book fairly rock along, but still keeps the heart and soul in it. Here and Gone is a book that you feel – from the opening pages when Audra is making her tentative but determined escape from an abusive marriage you just get enveloped right into it. Then the heart stopping moment when she loses sight of her kids stays with you from that moment and as events unfold you spend half the time wanting to clap your hands over your eyes, wondering what fresh hell Audra will face next. The plotting is tight, intense and utterly riveting, the final few chapters I barely drew breath for and in the end you let out a huge sigh of…well you’ll have to read it to find out but the whole thing was completely traumatic – reading trauma. Its what I live for.

Oh that Sheriff, I wanted to poke him with red hot pokers. Danny I adored. Audra was a particularly strong character because her flaws were on display for the world to see but she had that tough inner core that just resonates so you are with her all the way. And she wasn’t stupid. You know? Sometimes in thrillers like this the main protagonist is so stupid you want to throttle them, but Here and Gone has a healthy dose of reality that just feeds into the wider drama.

Things I wish would happen now.

Danny would get his own book series.

I could see what Audra does next.

Patrick’s mother falls down a well and Lassie never comes. (remember the whole sugar rush thing)

Seriously though, Here and Gone is a very clever, very emotive, highly charged read that will mess with your head and keep you up at night. The themes running underneath the thrill ride are hard hitting and distressing. None of it is impossible. All of it is compelling. Overall Here and Gone is a purely dazzling read.

I thought I would probably like it, this being the pseudonym of an author I’m already a fan of – but you can never be quite sure when these authors go rogue and write something different whether they really should be doing that or not. In this case the answer is a hugely resounding YES. So do it again please.

An edge of the seat full on emotional blast of a novel.

Highly Recommended.

**Review also available on Goodreads**