Member Reviews

Livia Cutty is studying to be a forensic pathologist. A year ago her younger sister was abducted at the same time as another girl. Livia's sister is still missing, the other girl managed to escape. Livia feels tremendous guilt because on the night her sister disappeared she called her and Livia ignored the call.

This book goes back and forth from the time before the kidnapping to present time. The characters in this book are connected by the fact they have all experienced the disappearance of a loved one. There is plenty of suspense to keep you guessing as to who did it. You're not quite sure if Livia's sister is alive or dead. The ending snuck up on me, totally out of the blue. I would give this book 4 1/2 stars.Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

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Two high school seniors disappear from a beach party, but after two weeks of captivity--only one escapes. A year later, Megan McDonald continues to come to terms with the changes in her life since her escape; Nicole Cutty is still missing.

Nicole's sister Dr. Livia Cutty is a forensic pathology fellow and has a special commitment to analyzing the forensic evidence provided by the dead. She expects that she, or someone like her, will one day perform the autopsy on her sister's body. But when she performs an autopsy on a young man from her sister's past, Livia needs answers to what happened the night the two girls disappeared, and she wants to know who is responsible.

In an effort to find out more, Livia approaches Megan McDonald, the girl who escaped. Megan may know more than she realizes.

The chapters move from present to past, filling in background information about Nicole and Megan as they each moved toward the night of their disappearance.

I always wonder about those individuals who choose to become medical examiners. Autopsies, regardless of how important these examinations are in determining cause of death and forensic detail, are gruesome affairs. Livia has a sense of humanity about her work, but it is grim work.

Donlea does a good job of both giving and withholding information, and I was surprised when I finally caught on about the villain.

Although there were a few things that felt underdeveloped, The Girl Who Was Taken was a compelling read. Not a particularly good title or cover, but a tense and compelling story.

(The chapter that takes place after the crime is solved indicates there will be more from Livia Cutty.) Read in March; blog review scheduled for April 12.

NetGalley/Kensington Books

Crime/Suspense. April 25, 2017. Print length: 320 pages.

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Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald, both high school seniors disappear from a beach party.
Megan escapes and writes a book about her time in captivity. Livia, Nicole’s sister and
a fellow in forensic pathology, starts her own investigation to find out what happened to Nicole.
The plot was strong and moved at a good pace with twists and turns to keep up the suspense.
I was sure I had figured out the suspect half way through
only to be surprised at the end. I would have like to have known the id of the body at the end, not that it affected the story, but because I don't like hanging threads. The characters were well developed and the dialogue was realistic and believable. Well worth the read and I recommend it to others.

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Yesterday I dropped my beloved Kindle I picked it up and gave it the once over and all seemed well......until I reached a point in this book and I thought it had failed me. There I was, at the high point of this book really getting into it. Flicked for next page....no next page.....checked Kindle and no it was working fine. Then said to myself they must not have put all the book in....it must be a mistake. No mistake, this book left me high and dry. I could have cried!
I'm not sure exactly how I feel about this book. I found it very slow to get moving and overly descriptive about certain things like the history of the areas and way too elaborate on some of the forensic stuff. But once it got going it was really good.
The charachter of Livia is one that is really well developed throughout the book. The sister of a missing teenager and coroner in training. She was one that you really felt for. Her missing sister Nicole, I just had no compassion for her at all. I found her charachter hard to get on with. So as the story partially centers around her being missing your feelings are very mixed....you want her found safe and well for the sake of Livia but at the same time...she's really annoying!!!
Megan was another character that was very well developed and really likeable.
When the book warms up there are several false leads for the reader which are really well written. You think you've got it solved but then about a third of the way through the book there is a scene that gave it away for me. Though you can never be 100% certain with these kinds of books I wasn't overall surprised when the kidnapper was revealed. In saying that it was still very enjoyable reading how it all falls apart.
Now here is where I'm torn....the ending...that last sentence. The book just stops. The way it ended unsettled me as a reader. It was a great book but I was left sitting there thinking what just happened....

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Forensics don't lie even though people do.

And lightning seems to strike quite often in the same locale.

Charlie Donlea is back with another thriller here. The characters within find themselves oddly connected by the eerie strand of a missing loved one. No clues. Just gone.

But one unfortunate victim, Megan McDonald, has slipped from the clutches of her captor and run head-long onto a lonely highway. She's been rescued, but her inner being is still tangled up in the horrendous nightmare of those dark days and nights. Sessions with her psychiatrist reveal nothing of substance. What actually happened?

Enter Dr. Livia Cutty, a forensic pathology fellow, whose sister, Nicole, has also been missing. Livia is under the scrutiny of her professor, Dr. Colt, and yet she seems to have a wild gene for bucking the system. Donlea takes us deep into the world of pathology and forensics through the bodies brought into the lab for autopsies. Prepare yourself for very detailed descriptors. The man has done his homework well.

But it's the character of Nicole that adds chinks to this armor. Livia is a powerhouse and Megan displays a rare stamina for getting to the core of her abduction. Nicole is an irritating individual and the high school banter between teen girls was done in overkill. The premise for the storyline expects the reader to buy waterfront property in the Sahara at times. We've seen too many renegade "sisters" and family connections trying to unmask the abductor. Livia should have been a solo act with no emotional strings tied to vengeance.

I enjoyed Charlie Donlea's Summit Lake. He's growing well as an author. I upped this one to 4 stars for that very reason. And the ending? Let's just say that this sandwich was cut off in mid-bite. Expect another round with Livia in the future. Here's hoping there's plenty of crust on that bread.

I received a copy of The Girl Who Was Taken through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Publishers and to Charlie Donlea for the opportunity.

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This is my first read of a Charlie Donlea book and I was thoroughly impressed.
The novel is about two abducted girls, one who returns, one who doesn’t.
Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald are both high school seniors in the small town of Emerson Bay, North Carolina. When they disappear from a beach party one warm summer night, police launch a massive search. No clues are found, and hope is almost lost until Megan miraculously surfaces after escaping from a bunker deep in the woods.

A year later, the bestselling account of her ordeal has turned Megan from local hero to national celebrity. Nicole is still missing and Nicole’s older sister Livia, a fellow in forensic pathology decides to investigate the evidence and try to uncover the mystery behind her missing sister. Livia asks Megan for help, hoping to learn more about the night the two were taken.
The character Livia is an excellent likeable character and with the aid of a vert good story-line and a suspenseful finale make this book a very good read.

I had never heard of author Charlie Donlea previously but I am well aware of him now and will look out for his other books in the future.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Kensington for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Oh, this book, this book. I went back and forth and then, back and forth. I just knew who the suspect was. Wrong. Then I just knew who the suspect was again and who was helping the suspect. Wrong. Then I absolutely knew who the suspect was, final answer. Wrong.

You would think I would be frustrated. No! I was loving it. So many suspects. Who doesn't love a book that gives you many suspects? Who wants to know who did it right off the bat?

This was a great book. The author took us to before the disappearance of Megan and Nicole and what was going on with those two girls. Then to a year after Megan's escape from her captor. At this time, Megan had written a book, became a national celebrity and Nicole was still missing. Nicole's older sister, Livia, meanwhile had become a forensic intern and was still searching for her sister. Scared that any day she would show up on her table, but still anxiously waiting to hear any news.

Livia uncovers something from one of the bodies that shows up on her table and links it to Megan's and Nicole's past. Then her and Megan start to work together to find Nicole. Megan still hasn't put all the pieces together. This is when the suspense starts.

An outstanding read that I could not put down. Yes, I was guessing up until almost the very end. And . . . yeah, that's all I'm going to tell you. It is worth your time to find out yourself.

Huge thanks to Kensington Books for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

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A story of missing girls, with a different angle, from the sister of one of the girls. Olivia wasn't there for her sister at the most crucial moment of her young life. She lived to regret this and make amends. This book delves into the darker side of life, has plenty of twists and turns, making it a thought good read.

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3.5 *'s rounded up to 4. "The Girl Who Was Taken" is definitely an engaging read. Two high school girls go missing, one escapes abduction (Megan) and the other remains missing (Nicole). A year later, Nicole's older sister Livia is a fellow in forensic pathology. She hope to someday find out what happened to her sister. I did have to suspend belief a bit that such a young woman could gain so much information on her own and actually never got in trouble for doing so. This novel has great pace, switching both timelines and character viewpoints. I loved the parts from Livia's point of view. Unfortunately, I did for the most part figure it out quite early on despite numerous red herrings. There were still surprises along the way. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read and I would definitely pick up another Charlie Donlea novel again.

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Zipped right through this one, and then dove into Charlie Donlea's previous book, "Summit Lake".

I'll say that "The Girl Who Was Taken" was a better book, but "Summit Lake" had a satisfactory ending. I'm assuming that Donlea left the door open and the mystery unresolved so he can crank out a sequel or series. I'm hoping that he'll get it out quickly!

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Great book! Loved the forensics and the main character Livia. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The end is a shocker...

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The Girl Who Was Taken is the first book I have read by the author and I have to say that I am impressed. Charlie Donlea certainly knows how to weave a thrilling story while leaving readers hanging by the edge of their seats wanting more. This is done with shorter chapters (which go back and forth in time from past and present) giving readers small glimpses at a time. For me, this adds to the flow of the story and makes it even more suspenseful. Just be warned, you are going to constantly tell yourself "just one more chapter" and then poof you read the whole story.

In terms of plot and characters, I think the author presented the perfect heroine. She has just the right amount of smarts and is connected to everything that is happening which makes the story easy to get lost in. You sort of feel like you are the one investigating what is happening so kudos to the author for pulling this off. The plot itself is very good as well. It's a bit unnerving, completely thrilling and intriguing, and for the most part believable. However, I am not a huge fan of how everything ended which is why I had to go down a star. As a readers (and this is only my personal opinion) I like everything wrapped up at the end of a story in a tight little bow and we simply do not get this with the novel. Maybe there will be a second book? We shall see.

Overall, I certainly enjoyed the novel and would recommend it to fellow readers who enjoy this genre. I would also go back and read the authors debut novel based on the writing style, flow, and plot of this book.

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WOW! What a twist this book gives you! Very interesting book- in a good way! As i was reading this, points i forgot what i was reading about because we got so involved in the sisters life, and her job that i actually forgot for a few pages that this was about two missing girls, but other than that one point i found the book to be very intriging and thrilling. I kept having different theories run through my head as to who could have kidnapped these girls- when we finally do find out who the "monster" is- you will literally scream "WHAT?!" out loud! I was so shocked, because i never expected that person. That is the best kind of twist, the one you never see coming, and the ending while sad, also didn't expect but understood how it ended. You have to be paying attention to small details to understand the ending, but once you do its an amazing and empowering ending!!

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The Girl Who Was Taken is a story told in a roundabout way. We go back and forth in time as the story unravels.

“We all know the harrowing story of Megan McDonald. The all-American girl, daughter of Emerson Bay’s sheriff, who was abducted in the summer of 2016. One year later, Megan is out now with her book, Missing, the true-story account of her abduction and courageous escape.”

But what about the other girl, Nicole, who also went missing that night? Megan and Nicole both disappeared after their end of summer party. Only Megan escapes and has written a book about her time while in captivity.

Livia who happens to be Nicole’s much older sister is a pathologist and through a discovery, she makes on an autopsy, she starts working out what happened the night the girls went missing.

Throughout the book, there were little clues to who might have abducted the girls and while some stuff seemed a little random and out of place at times. There was one thing - an action of sorts - that stood out to us and lead to figuring out who the abductor was. (A little side note - Kristin (KC) and I read this book together and spent time discussing each section of the book.) It’s nothing major but from the very beginning that noise, per se, stood out to Kristin. I won’t mention what it is that lead us to solving the mystery otherwise, when you read the story you’ll know early on who had done it.

The future was something taken for granted. It was always there, waiting to be lived.

The Girl Who Was Taken is a standalone set in North Carolina. The author plans to have more thrillers featuring Livia who will use forensic science to solve more mysteries.

✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
RELEASE DATE: April 25, 2017
Pre-order | order: http://amzn.to/2lUEhgW

STANDALONE

**Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**

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This was suspenseful! It goes back and forth from the summer leading up to the disappearances and the aftermath. It was well-written and left me guessing until the very end. Livia has an interesting profession and I didn't find it too bogged down with the terminology that went along with it.

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The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie Donlea

This is the story of two teenage girls, High School Seniors, (Emerson Bay, North Carolina) erstwhile friends but now somewhat estranged. Megan McDonald is somewhat of a poster girl, doing everything right while Nicole Cutty has changed in many ways and now seeks all the attention. Then, on one night both girls disappear from a beach party. Despite a huge search they can find no sign of the girls. Two weeks elapse and then Megan manages to escape and returns to Emerson Bay. There is still no sign of Nicole.

Encouraged by everyone, including her therapist, Megan publishes an account of her ordeal and the book becomes a best seller and catapults Megan into centre stage, a position she hates. She suffers from survivor’s guilt; whilst she is lauded Nicole is forgotten. Meanwhile Nicole’s older sister, Livia pursues her career as a forensic pathologist and dreams of discovering what happened to her sister.

The story unfolds in two separate time frames, events before the abduction and events a year later switching between the two. This structure provides a tense mystery with each timeline adding more weight to the tension. As Megan strives to recover more memories of her incarceration her frustration is felt by the reader, but like Megan’s elusive memory the answer is also out of the readers’ reach, although I guessed, I guessed wrong.

Livia’s experiences as a student of forensic pathology provide an extra dimension to the plot without detracting from the mystery.

This is a chilling thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed and would readily recommend.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

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I think I found a new favorite author for suspense stories! Last year I read Donlea's dubut novel, Summit Lake, which was very good. The Girl Who Was Taken is even better.

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This is a solid mystery that I enjoyed even more than this author's debut novel [book:Summit Lake|25489185]. Told from different POV's and varying timelines, I found this writing style really helped to create a build up that made the last 100 pages a complete nail biter for me.

The main protagonist is Livia Cutty-a fellow in forensic pathology, fueled by the disappearance of her younger sister Nicole. It's been over a year since she disappeared from an end of summer beach party, along with a fellow classmate Megan McDonald. Nicole called her cell phone that night, and it's Livia's biggest regret that she ignored this call, not wanting to get involved in Nicole's late night drama.

When the body of a young man found floating in the water ends up on her table, Livia discovers a possible connection to her sister in the unlikeliest of ways. This is the spark that builds and pushes Livia to start digging for more answers on what happened the night her sister was taken. She reaches out for help from another unlikely source-Megan, who managed to escape after 2 weeks of captivity.

While I really liked Livia's character, I felt that she read like an established career woman already in her mid thirties, not someone in her mid twenties. She was too calm, too wise, and I felt a bit too emotionally detached to have been so successful in her detective work right from the start. Part of that could come from the ease in which she was given access to medical records or was able to get people to give up secrets so easily. This seemed to be a bit of a stretch for me.
There were a couple of other side plots I would have liked more information or closure on as well. <spoiler> I was waiting to hear more about the relationship between Casey and the Sheriff. How did they find each other? The sheriff didn't appear to recognize him at the final showdown, even though he was waiting in his car for his latest 'delivery', which indicated to me that this is what he often did when new girls were brought to him. I also would have liked a better understanding of why the Sheriff became this way.</spoiler>

Outside of this, I really found myself immersed in the mystery, trying different characters on for size as the antagonist, and was happy to have been mislead many times over. I felt the forensic research done to give Livia the credibility needed to lead this story was also well done. I am by no means an expert in this field, but the details felt credible. (Maybe a bit heavy handed with the smells of death throughout)

I highly recommend this to all mystery lovers, you won't be disappointed!

ARC provided by NetGalley

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If you like intrigue and suspense, this book is a good one! Very interesting story line and the author keeps you engaged until the very end.

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