And Now She's Gone is the latest standalone thriller from bestseller Howzell Hall and boy is it one hell of a thrill ride from exciting start to shocking conclusion. 39-year-old Los Angeles-based newbie Private Investigator Grayson ”Gray” Sykes is assigned a missing persons case by her new boss, long term friend and secret crush, Dominick ”Nick” Rader, the owner of Rader Consulting, and is really nervous about working the field once again. The client is cardiologist Ian O’Donnell who appears concerned about the fact that his girlfriend, Isabel Lincoln, has vanished along with his labradoodle but she may wish to remain missing. As she begins her investigation she discovers that apparent nice guy Ian was actually abusing Isobel and that she had even attempted to commit suicide in the past, which open old wounds and bring back memories for Gray as she had been abused whilst growing up in foster care. Isobel begins texting Gray asking her to stop the investigation and Gray comes to the realisation that Isobel may have changed her identity, something Gray also did eight years ago. Where is Isobel and should Gray stop looking into her case if she really doesn't want to be located?

This is a riveting, intelligent and scalpel-sharp thriller with two incredible women front and centre and twists that blindsided me every time. I wasn't expecting the dark, sardonic humour that was laced throughout but it really added a lightness which was much needed due to the book being heavy on the subject of abuse. Gray is a likeable, tenacious and flawed protagonist, which makes her very relatable, but the case is extra complicated by the fact that Gray truly empathises with Isabel as she has been in her shoes before. She is utterly conflicted. I can relate to her as she's as cynical as I am and is a strong character from the get-go. Like a set of Russian Matryoshka dolls if you peel away one strand to the story there is another underneath and the multilayering really worked and kept my interest in all of the plot threads for the entirety of the story. This is a nuanced, sophisticated and completely unputdownable page-turner and a must-read for all crime connoisseurs. The mystery is captivating, the shocking discoveries fascinating and the danger thrilling enough to have you on the edge of your seat. Many thanks to Forge for an ARC.

This book does a fantastic job at hooking you from the very first chapter. I was immediately intrigued by both Isabel + Gray’s characters. You know Isabel is missing right from the start + Gray is the P.I. that is trying to find her. This book is definitely more of a slow-burn mystery with a hint of thriller, but it was so well done. Rachel Howzell Hall’s writing style was fantastic + even when there wasn’t anything major happening plot-wise, it was still always so much fun to read.

This author's writing style was a bit difficult for me to read and get into. It was way too long, and I was confused at many parts. The metaphors went over my head.

Interesting premise. An investigator Looking for someone who doesn’t want to be found. I wanted to love this one after looking at the cover and I was really into it!

I have always been a fan of a good procedural - known to keep me on my toes but still offer some structure, what more could I ask for? And Now She's Gone is my first book by Hall but I really enjoyed this missing person's case, it took me on more twists than I expected and kept me captivated for over 400 pages!

Thank you to Tor Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I LOVED this book! I finished it in 3 days, because I couldn’t put it down. First, the main character has her own secrets, and she’s had a hard life of her own. But, she becomes such a badass by the end of the book, she does anything for her job as a private investigator, especially when she has to track down the mystery that is Isabel and fights for what she really wants.

The very last reveal of the book gave me chills. The book did a very nice job of putting all the secrets and back stories of each character together.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read and review this book! My reviews can be found at:

https://kileystruecrime.squarespace.com/config/pages
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3646865766

Grayson!!

I started this book with such high hopes for it. I wasn’t totally let down but throughout the book I definitely had moments of “when will it get to the point?”

I loved the twists and turns in the book. There were definitely moments where I thought I knew what was going to happen and the outcome was totally not on my radar. There were a lot of characters in the book, even to the point where I had to keep referring back to remind myself of so they were. So many people were suspects and to me that was one of the best parts of the book.

There were some things that I feel had no significance such as her stomach pain issues from a recent surgery. It was always a constant nag but nothing of substance came from it being talked about in the book.

I could see this having sequel because of a couple of involved issues which would be cool. I don’t think I would necessarily recommend this book to read as an e-copy. I would definitely get a print copy just for the doubling back reference.

All in all I did enjoy the book. It was long but a decent read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan/Tor-Forge for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Real good!

I'll share some thoughts but honestly, if you like crime fiction, go ahead and stop reading this post now - go chase down a copy of And Now She's Gone and get to reading that instead!

The book got off to a bit of a slow start for me. I was engaged enough to keep reading, but I wasn't IN it from the outset. But ohhh, keep reading, because that's to come! We're talking, long after my bedtime, and I'm like... Are you sure you can't stay up all night finishing this book? Do you really need sleep? (to myself. Always a good sign when a book leads me to talk to myself.)

More than anything, I loved that this book was more. The overall plot was more than just an investigation into a missing woman. And Now She's Gone somehow manages to be crime fiction that clips along, and contemporary fiction that really makes you think (about misogyny, racism, domestic violence, and family).

A great read, and I'm looking forward to checking out this author's backlist.

I really wanted to like this book, but it just wasn’t working for me. I put it down for a bit and then picked it up to try again but just couldn’t ever get into it. There are too many characters, none of them I was invested in, and the writing was overly descriptive with too many analogies. The main character kept popping pain killers which really bothered me. I don’t know anything about private investigators, but I had a hard time believing Gray’s PI role. Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for the copy to review.

Wow, that was great! Chosen for the cover but read for the wild ride. My first by this author and I can’t wait for another one. Tricky, suspenseful, unexpected twists and the great protagonist. What more could I wish for.?

New private investigator Grayson Sykes has finally received her first case. She’s hired to search for Isabel Lincoln, a mysterious woman who has vanished. Haunted by memories from her own past, Gray is reluctant to search for a woman who clearly does not want to be found. While she initially believes it will be an open-and-shut case, it becomes more complicated and dangerous with every new discovery…

This one started off as a slow burn but once it picked up I could not put it down! The well-developed, complex characters were what really sold it for me. I found Grey likable from the start, which is what really hooked me before the plot started to pick up. The alternating story line to her past with her abusive husband kept the intrigue and gave her a new depth. The story was engaging and full of twists and turns - I was shocked with every new discovery. This was my first book by Hall, but I will definitely be checking more out!

This was a great detective thriller. Lots of twists and turns which kept the reader guessing. The main character was very relatable and enjoyed seeing her navigate as a new PI.

And Now She's Gone
A Novel
by Rachel Howzell Hall
Macmillan-Tor/Forge
You Like Them
Forge Books
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 22 Sep 2020 | Archive Date 31 Mar 2021

New author for me! I love mystery and thrillers and this is one of the best! Good story and lots of twists and turns.
Thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC of this book.

5 star

Isabel Lincoln is gone. But is she missing? It's up to Grayson Sykes to find her. Although she is reluctant to track down a woman who may not want to be found, Gray's search for Isabel Lincoln becomes more complicated and dangerous with every new revelation about the woman's secrets and the truth she's hidden from her friends and family. review: If you're looking for a complex suspense book that will hook you from the very start, be sure to pick this one up. I had heard rave reviews of this one, so I decided to order it and I'm so glad I did. Hall is a Black female author and she wrote a damn good slow burn suspense novel! The suspense/thriller genre can sometimes feels predictable and stale, so when a book has well developed characters, a unique plot and a well told story, I am all for it! This book takes place over two different timelines - the past and present day - and provides the ultimate cat and mouse game as you try to figure out what is happening! I loved that the private investigator, Gray, is running from her own dark past, while trying to solve a case in which she feels connected to. Throughout the novel the author touches on race, gender, and interpersonal relationships, and gave a look into how society treats women and POC. rating: 4.5 out of 5 ⭐️

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this read! I liked Grayson Sykes - her insecurities, her attitude, and her resolve. I thought the mystery was well-done and tied in nicely with Grayson's backstory. I also appreciated the interesting twist on the classic missing girls scenario. Hopefully this is the start of a new series!

Rachel Howzell Hall has crafted an intricately woven thriller in the same vein as “Gone Girl” but in a much more complex way. Private investigator Grayson Sykes is tasked with tracking down Isabel Lincoln, a woman who has disappeared without a trace. in order to find her, Gray must infiltrate the missing woman’s life, unveiling dangerous secrets and meeting new characters along the way. Gray becomes increasingly involved in Isabel’s life as she is also forced to confront her own past before it catches up with her.

This book was a wild ride from start to finish. As soon as I thought I had it all figured out, another shocking twist was thrown at me. “Gone Girl” is one of my favorite books, so I'm always a sucker for a gone-without-a-trace mystery. Rachel has taken this trope to a whole new level with storylines that are connected to one another in ways that you never see coming.

I think my biggest complaint about “And Now She’s Gone” is that it did get a bit confusing at times because of all of those intricate characters and storylines. I found myself flipping back pages to remind myself who is who. The climax also felt a bit rushed. Other than that, I really enjoyed this story and will definitely read more of her books in the future!

🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀️/5

Great book! Review to follow in a few weeks on MurderinCommon.com.
Loved the character of Grayson and want more of her...hopefully that will happen.

And Now She's Gone has lots of twists and turns that many thriller lovers will enjoy. The pacing was a little off for me, but I loved the characters and guessing along the way. Both women were complicated and interesting. It was nice to have complex characters in a thriller!

A mini review is here: https://www.bethfishreads.com/2020/11/16-books-i-read-in-october.html and a longer review appears on Goodreads. Audiobook review in AudioFile Magazine

I struggled reading this story big time. It took a long time for the story to pick up for me. When it did I was hooked, but then it would get slow again. I also felt it had a lot of things going on at once and it was too much at times. I did alternate with the audiobook which is how I was able to finish. I’m not against reading another book by this author in the future.