3.5 stars, rounded up
This is a pretty good police procedural, with a bit of romance and drama thrown in. I liked the overall premise of the mystery--four women have been killed ten days apart, and the police detectives are trying to figure out why these particular women were chosen and how to stop the killer from killing again. The unfolding of the clues and the way the villain is revealed are both handled well and and ending is very satisfying. I will definitely read additional books in this series. The author's handling of the character development is solid and I felt the police details seemed accurate.
There were a few POV changes that seemed a bit jarring, it was sometimes difficult to determine whose head I was in for a little while, thus the half star deduction. Otherwise, great book and mystery.

TEN DAYS GONE by Beverly Long

Another new to me author with a great debut novel. A very intense mystery/thriller. The mystery of who is killing and why every ten days. The thriller, the next victim and will the killer get her. Or will A.L. McKittridge and Rena, his partner, be able to save her?

When A.L and Rena start trying to piece together what happened to four victims, with little clues to go by, they have no idea what they are in for. Each victim is found basically in the same shape. Not hurt, not molested but without clothes on and smothered, with their clothes neatly folded beside them. No signs of a break in or struggle. What can these women have in common and can these two detectives save the fifth before it’s to late. Can they figure out who is doing this and why. When they do figure out who will be the fifth victim they are in for a long search to find her before it’s to late. Tess, the next victim, is nowhere to be found.

A town full of people and no one ever sees anything. No one hears anything. A psychopath on the lose. Is he or she right under the detectives noses? Will they find him/her in time? Or will there be a fifth victim. They each have something, one thing, in common. One thing that ties them together. It’s up to you and these detectives to find out what and save the day.

This book was so good. The way the clues fall I was unable to figure out who the killer was. I wasn’t totally surprised buy sure didn’t figure it out at all. At one point I thought it was everyone in this book. Well not the victims of course but everyone that the detectives talked to or about. I wanted to know so bad who it was and whether Tess was going to be save, escape, live or die that I stayed awake later than usual to finish. It had a great ending. One that really had me on the edge holding my breath. It was one thrill after another while the detectives raced to find Tess.

I throughly enjoyed this book from the start to the very last word. I rooted for the victim and for the detectives through the whole thing. It’s a thrill a minute and it’s one that will have you wondering just who is doing this. Why and how are they doing this. You will find out so be prepared.

Thank you to NetGalley, HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada)
MIRA, and Beverly Long for this arc. This is my own true review.

I gave it a big 5 stars and believe it’s worth every single one of them. I highly recommend this book.

I liked this book- it was quick read with a little decent mystery. It centers on police offices A.L. and Rena, who are partners trying to solve a serial killer crime before the killer takes another victim. 4 women have been killed in 40 days, each exactly 10 days after the prior, so the window of time is short to both identify the next victim and stop the murder from happening.

Though this is a police procedural, it also delves heavily into the personal lives of A.L. and Rena, as well as their relationship with each other. I normally hate this, but in this case I thought it worked, as it felt very natural and real. I know some reviewers have said that A.L. was a bit of a chauvinist, but I thought they were both just regular, flawed humans, and I really enjoyed the dynamic. I definitely could have done without the romance piece between A.L and a potential victim, but it was a small part of the story and again, I felt like I "got it" when I read it and it felt believable.

I did figure out the villain pretty early- I feel like the author led you that directly early in the story but then spent the rest of the book trying to steer you away, only to come back and the end and realize you were right all along. Not sure if that was intended or not. Even having a good idea of what was going on, the plot was fast paced and fun to read,

Overall, I'd recommend this book for those who enjoy mysteries and police procedurals. I plan on reading the next book in the series when it is released.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,

I got pulled into this one and didn’t want it to end! The characters of A.L. McKittridge and Tess Lyons were right on. I’m looking forward to the next A.L. McKittridge novel. Maybe she will reveal what A.L. stands for!

I tried my best to get into this one, but for some reason it just wasn't jiving with me. The pacing was quick and the banter between both characters was entertaining, but the story itself was falling flat for me, making it hard to stay focused.

I seem to have become a very picky thriller reader, so perhaps it was just me and the mood I was in. 🤷‍♀️ Sorry..

My blog is diving into the world of suspense and mystery with this review of Ten Days Gone by Beverly Long since I do enjoy the genre and Harper Collins was kind enough to send me an invitation to read this and tell you about it! Heh. That’s my way of saying, I was given an advanced reading copy of this book by the publisher and am required by the FTC to inform you of lest I face heavy fines that I am much too broke to pay. The bequeathing of this advanced copy does not in any way sway my opinions of this book and all views of said book are my own. Let’s get settled in nice and cosy before we get this review started, get in your favourite reading spot, grab a comfortable blanket, and curl up, folks.

I wasn’t really a fan of Ten Days Gone for several reasons which I’ll lay out for you here. I’ll start with saying that I so disliked the investigative duo, Detective A.L. McKitteridge and his partner, Detective Rena Morgan, that I was decidedly Team Serial Killer before I even reached chapter four. McKitteridge is a real man’s man and I just want to feed him to an alligator, y’all. He’s a prime example of latent misogyny and toxic masculinity and he does very little regarding this case he’s lead on. He scoffs at his new boss’ appearance because he dresses smart and maintains a manicure. He gets romantically involved with the woman they believe to be next on the serial killer’s hit list. And actually pulls the Thin Blue Line family crap with a fellow officer so his daughter doesn’t get arrested for underage drinking and just throw the whole man out, please! Detective Rena Morgan seems to do most of the work in this case despite her constant worries regarding her disastership of a marriage and thinking “disastership marriage+baby=saved marriage”. No! Rena does all of the work and all of the thinking in this investigative pairing and gets none of the credit from her partner or her co-workers. And we really played some nasty little points in her storyline that I wish had not been written because this is 2020 and why are we still doing ish like this for storyline foil?

I had the ‘whodunnit’ part figured out pretty quickly, the clues were a bit obvious for me. I’ve watched 30 years of crime shows and obsessed over suspense novels for just as long, I can see them coming from a mile away unfortunately. I was also a bit bored while reading this when I wasn’t wanting to chuck the ‘hero’ into the lake behind my house (we have alligators…). Nothing really reached off of the page and grabbed me, which I really wanted to happen because I love serial killer suspense. I actually came close to DNFing this book, but I’m trying to get better at seeing things through to the end. Look at me, embracing commitment and ish. Next thing you know, I’ll be signing up for a dating app. Someone set up an intervention before that happens, please.

Overall, Ten Days Gone is not a book I’d recommend unless you want a book to keep you mildly occupied at the Dentist’s but not ensconced while you wait for your mum to have surgery and you have to be there to drive her home. Because that’s how I got through this book. Anxiety and a need for distraction. I am giving Ten Days Gone two stars and no flames because I was not a fan of this book which was surprising because I used to enjoy reading Beverly Long’s HQN novels as a teen. As always, these views are my own, I’m a picky heifer at times so you might enjoy this where I didn’t. So if it sounds like a book you’d enjoy, have fun. It’s your reading time, read what you want!

This has been a review from Once Upon a Time, I Read a Book, if you enjoyed this review, come visit me on my site, give me a follow (it encourages me), or say hi on social media! Until next time, have a happily ever after!

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

#BeverlyLord #TenDaysGone #A.L.McKittridge #MIRA

The first installment of the A.L. McKittridge series by Beverly Long.
This swiftly moving novel features two Wisconsin detectives A.L and Rena rushing to discover the identity of a killer, murdering women exactly ten days apart.
A suspenseful romance thrillerTen Days Gone" is narrated in third perspective giving both points of view. The case to find the killer builds up slowly as the detectives uncover the clues. The author sets up the series with notable backstories.
Great character development with captivating mystery and intriguing storyline

The publisher and Netgalley provided me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first in a new procedural crime series, and features lead character A.L. McKittridge. The story is set in the upper Midwest, across Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.

At the onset of the book, the fourth woman in a string of deaths over the past forty days is discovered. Detectives A.L. and Rena Morgan are forthright characters who struggle to maintain the boundaries between their personal and professional lives, and this struggle is as compelling as the murders they must solve. A.L. and Tess have a solid partnership, and their snarky humor was perfect.

There are three POVs in this book, a third person narrator that follows A.J., first person narrative from Rena, and the narrative of a victim. The multiple POVS add to the complexity of the plot, and are masterfully woven together to form a cohesive story.

The chase to save the next victim will pull you in.

Readers of Karin Slaughter will enjoy this novel.

This is the first installment of the A.L. McKittridge series by Beverly Long. The beginning of this story introduces the fact that there is a serial killer that has murdered four women in the last thirty days. They were all killed ten days apart. The premise is pretty interesting as someone who enjoys thrillers. 

The characters were good enough. I liked A.L. and Rena, but the background characters in addition to the two main were a little confusing. There wasn't much development and the romances were too much going on in my opinion. When starting this book, I did feel like I should've known them already which I was kind of confused about since this is the first in the series. 

The story was just alright. I didn't find it THAT boring, but I didn't find it to be that intriguing either. The story did grab my attention, anything about murder and what happened is interesting, especially in the eyes of the police/detectives who are trying to figure out the case. The first half did drag a little, but it did pick up around halfway through. 

I really wish the ending was a little more detailed and drug out. I feel like the ending was thrown in very quickly and it ended so abruptly. I understand that this is going to be a continuous series, but this story should've been a little bit longer in order to really wrap up this installment. 

Overall, it wasn't phenomenal, but it wasn't bad either. I appreciate the A.L. McKittridge series so far, and I will definitely read the next installment. I do like the way that Beverly Long writes, and it makes me want to read her other books!

This story sucked me right in! Detectives McKittridge and Mason have ten days, that’s it. Ten Days before a killer strikes again. They don’t know why the killer is targeting these particular women, but they have ten days to figure out why and stop them from killing again.
Adding to the mounting pressure is the home life of each detective. Det. McKittridge is dealing with his ex-wife dating one of his daughter’s teachers, and a teenager who’s now taken to skipping school and being found drinking. Det. Mason is dealing with a husband who she suspects is cheating, and the fact that she’s been trying to get pregnant but hasn’t yet.
I’m a fan of police procedurals, I love a good mystery. I love serial killers, ever since I first heard about Jack the Ripper in junior high, I’ve loved to read all I can on killers, real or imagined.
Ms. Long has written a real winner, a slow building, suspenseful tale that will keep you reading way past your bedtime. A real whodunit with a killer that was well thought out. I absolutely loved this story and can’t wait for more in this series! A must read for fans of police procedural, serial killer mysteries, and small town detective stories.

Terrific book. Absolutely loved it. Compelling characters and story line. Kept me interested the entire time.

This is your fairly typical standard detective murder mystery that ends in some type of love connection.

Writing was good but predictable.

Ten Days Gone is the first book in a new series featuring detective A.L. McKittridge and his partner Rena Morgan. This first book finds the team investigating a serial killer who has killed 4 women in the past 40 days. The deadline for the next murder is coming up and they need to figure out who the victim is before it is to late. It is pretty much a straight police procedural. I really enjoyed it.

The mystery was well written. I felt like the plot was well laid out and I was kept guessing until the end. The best parts of the story were the characters. I really liked A.L. as well as Rena. I felt like I got to know them as detectives as well as just regular people. The made a great team. I enjoyed the interactions between A.L. and his ex-wife as well as his daughter. I also loved the side story with Rena and her husband. I felt like those side stories made them seem a lot more human and not just caricatures. I highly recommend this one. I can't wait to see what happens next with these detectives.

Started out slow but tne mkre i read it picked up and somehow it worked with tne slow beginning it had, it mad the story more interested, and maxe it so i wanted to know more about what was happening. With tbat said i want to thank NetGalley for letting me read and review it and i can't wait to read more of this series .

This one was up-and-down for me.

I really enjoyed the murder mystery and the actual case itself. It has more of the classic thriller that will keep you guessing like most novels in this genre.

Now, do know that this is a character-driven story with tons of background on all their personal lives that slowly come together at the end. It was because of this that I felt the story was a bit drawn out and slow.

I saw myself wanting to know more about the killer and his victims and the mystery behind it all versus having to hear all the drama outside.

Even though it was an entertaining story, I ended up giving this one a 2 out of 5 stars. If you love slower, character-focused mysteries, you may really enjoy this one. It just wasn’t for me.

RATING: 3.5 STARS
2020; Mira/Harlequin/HarperCollins

Ten Days Gone wasn't what I expected, and that turned out to be a good thing! I thought this was going to be a romantic suspense novel, but it was more suspense with a bit of romance. I enjoyed the case even though it was easy to figure out. I found it worth reading to see how the whole thing would get tied up. I liked that we also saw more of A.L. and Rena's personal lives. It felt realistic that life keeps going on while police try to solve a case - find a serial killer. I am down to read more about Rena, and even A.L. What I don't understand is why this series is called A.L. Kittridge instead of Rena and A.L (or Kittridge & Morgan). I found Rena more of an interesting character than A.L. especially with his "man's man" thoughts and action. Sometimes I feel like he should be from an older generation, but I am hoping he grows more in the series. I am looking forward to seeing where the series takes both characters and their lives.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss & NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

A. L. McKittridge and Rena Morgan have been working in the police department for years. But nothing prepares them for 4 women who have died in forty days. Each are killed 10 days apart. As they are trying to figure out who did it they are also trying to stop the next death from happening.
Meanwhile Rena and her husband are trying to get pregnant and then she sees something and thinks her marriage is in trouble.
I liked how well these 2 detectives worked together and had each others backs. We also see their relationships outside of work. I would like to read the next book when it comes out in this series.
I received this from NetGalley for a review.

A.L. McKittridge is a seasoned detective and a divorced father of one daughter. His job was one of the reasons he got divorced and he is trying really hard to be an involved father in his teenage daughters’ life.

Rena Morgan is married and is desperately trying to have a baby. She is tired of being disappointed as each month passes and she still isn’t pregnant. This is becoming a strain on her marriage and her work life.

Both A.L. and Rena are seasoned detectives, working as partners to investigate a serial killer who is killing a new person every ten days. They only have another ten days to solve the mystery before another person will die. They quickly start looking for leads and similarities between the victims, but nothing is coming up and they are exhausting every resource. What is tying all the victims together, there has to be a pattern the killer is following. Soon they get a small lead which leads them on a chase of the clock. Can they figure it out before the killer claims his next victim?

I absolutely loved this face paced mystery by Beverly Long. She wrote the story brilliantly focusing on the murders yet giving the reader a glance into the personal lives of both A.L and Rena, leaving you wanting to know more. I loved the main characters working relationship and how they are also friends. I’m so excited to read the next book in the series to find out more about A.L and Rena. Thank you so much to Beverly Long, Harlequin and Net Galley for an advanced copy of the book to read and review.

New series are like candy to me.  I've stumbled into so many that are in-progress and have fifteen or more books and I get discouraged.  That's not to say that I won't start a series with a lot of books, because I will.  Susan Wittig Albert's Chyna Bales is a good example.  Only just discovered those last year.

So, when I saw Ten Days Gone available on Netgalley, I knew I needed to read it.  I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that I clicked the request button and was approved!  I was hooked from the very beginning.  The characters were engaging and the mystery was, too.

Ten Days Gone takes a bit of a different take on your usual police procedural.  Instead of finding the first body and starting the hunt, they're already three bodies in when the story starts.  I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but I kind of enjoy being thrown into the middle of a story like that.

A. L. was my favorite of the detective pair.  Despite his attitude towards pretty much everyone and everything, his soft spot for his daughter made me smile.  Even the way he did his best to make his ex-wife happy proved he wasn't the jerk he wanted everyone to think he was.  The initials did bug me a bit, I kept thinking he was Al.  If you're going to give your main character initials as their name, for me, it needs to be something more common - B. J. or something that you run into more often.  A. L. just threw me every time I saw it.  However, when Tess kept trying to guess what it stood for, I laughed.

Rena took me a bit to warm up to, but once I did, I decided I really liked her.  It's never easy for female detectives, but she proved herself over and over again to be as good as A. L. or any of the others.  I'm happy that certain things were not what she thought them to be, although I think a little honesty on the other person's part could have helped.  When the truth came out, it seemed like a ridiculous bit of drama that could have been avoided.

The leadup to discovering the next victim was interesting.  From that point, everything fell into place as all the details came to light.  I thought that the reasons and eventual perp were well thought out and I hadn't expected any of it.  Truthfully, I had suspected the person who wound up being the killer, but the author did a great job of convincing me it was someone else.  So, when things started pointing back towards them, I was surprised and a bit pleased with myself.

I'm excited to see what the next in this series brings because I want to know more about A. L., Rena, and everyone else.

Books such as 'Ten Days Gone' remind me of James Patterson's The Women's Murder Club and The Alex Cross Series. Procedurals are one of my faves. I'm sure the A.L. McKittridge Series will be one of the my faves series's.
The book opens up with the death of the fourth woman in forty days. Each killed 10 days apart. The clues are out there. He has a M.O. The Baywood, Wisconsin Police Department have to act fast before the killer takes on his next victim. The author does a great job at describing the characters, making sure they stay embedded into your memory. A.L and Rena are very feisty characters and I love it. Both are dealing not only with the murders but, also dealing with their own personal battles in their respective homes. I loved the different point of views. I didn't feel overwhelmed like certain authors make you feel sometimes. Ten Days Gone kept me on my toes (as a great thriller should make you feel), wanting to know what was coming next, and holding my breath for the next victim. The ending was mind blowing and I can't wait to see what's going to happen next. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Mira and Beverly Long, and NetGalley for a e-arc in a exchange for an honest review. I'm happy to be a part of the Harlequin Blog Tours