An influential couple’s baby is kidnapped and when FBI Agent Max Carter starts his investigation, he realizes from the outset that there are lies and secrets behind the kidnapping. Max has a solid reputation as an investigator especially since he himself was kidnapped when he was a child. Carter realizes that there is more than meets the eye with regard to the baby’s father and his brother. This is rather frustrating to Carter and his team because with all of the lies Carter knows that he could’ve had a much better chance to find the baby sooner.

As if Carter doesn’t have his hands full trying to locate the baby, he receives news that is adversely connected to his own family. In which direction is Carter going to go? Always relentless, the decision is made even more difficult.

This thrilling story by Ed James is told in dual perspectives. The kidnapper’s is first person. So it is easily clear to the reader who kidnapped the baby and it is eventually made clear as to why With Carter’s third person perspective readers to see the investigative process. Each is equally compelling, and the tension level is very high from beginning to end. While the first book in the series focusEd more on the case Carter was working on, this book delves a bit deeper into his personal life.

While Gone in Seconds is the second book in the Detective Max Carter series, with book one being Tell Me Lies, it could serve well as a standalone. However, readers that read these two in order begin to meet Carter on a different level beyond his job as an FBI agent. There’s no doubt that I will definitely be following with at least the third book in the series as things are left open regarding Max’s situation.

Gone in Seconds is an exceptional crime thriller that starts at top speed and never lets up. It is a multi-layered story that definitely makes the reader pay attention. The chase leads to a thrilling conclusion, with plenty of red herrings thrown in.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Excellent read full of action and suspense. I highly recommend reading the first book or you will be confused on this one. Several characters and events carry over. At the heart of this one is a missing baby. The hunt is fast paced and there is a lot of tension. Carter is one of the better agents I have read. I like that he is flawed but determined. There is a bit more of his home life revealed as well. The ending was a shock and a bit of a cliffhanger, but so well written. I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you Bookouture for giving me this ARC in response for my honest review.

A massive congratulations to Ed James for writing such an incredible and thrilling book. This is the first book I got to read from Ed and I must say he has gained a fan. I’ll be on the lookout for more books from him now going forward (no pressure 😉). I must also commend his team for doing a stellar job on the cover.

Now back to the book. The storyline grabs your attention the moment you set your eyes on it. Max Carter leads the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Unit and has a very big task ahead of him when a child goes missing under the supervision of a nanny, not just any child but a child of a rich family.

Things go south when there are too many unanswered questions and missing pieces to the puzzle and Carter tries to work his way through to try and solve the complicated puzzle.

The twists and turns that come follow as you progress (ahem, I’ll let you explore that). One of the things I love about this book and this something that Ed James has done exceptionally well on is the fact that he takes us through the journey with each character and shows us different perspectives on their actions.

I give book a solid and perfect 5 and I would recommend to all the fans of crime novels.

Really good read with loads of suspense. A bit predictable in places but still an enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This fast paced thriller is voiced from the perspectives of numerous characters including Max Carter, Chase Bartlett and the kidnapper. I loved Max, he had character and personality traits that were identical to one of my favourite tv characters Jack Malone from Without A Trace. They both had close working relationships with the members of their teams, they were both prepared to break the rules in order to get results. They both had quick tempers and they both had complicated relationships with their fathers. As well as trying to figure out who had taken baby Ky and what the motives were behind their actions and worrying about his father, Max also had to deal with the added complication of his gut feeling that Layla Al - Yasin was still in the area and the possibility that she may have been involved in another kidnapping. Throw into the mix a cunning and unpredictable mafia boss who had his own reasons for finding baby Ky and Max and his team find themselves in a desperate race against time to find the baby before he falls into the wrong hands. Once the truth was revealed,I did feel quite a bit of sympathy for the person who took Ky but when you took into consideration their lack of basic provisions and preparation when they did take him, it made you wonder if he was better off with the Bartletts. But then again, was he? they weren't exactly very cooperative throughout the investigation into their babie's disappearance. Their secrets and reputations came across as more important to them than getting their child back.

This slick and stylish thriller had some seriously intense moments, was packed full of twists and turns and a story that kept you in the edge of your seat. This is the second book in the series and can be read as a stand alone but because of some continuing story lines and references to events from the previous book, it is advisable to read Tell Me Lies before this one. Gone In Seconds is very well written, had some fantastic, well rounded characters and after the cliff hanger ending, I can't wait to read book 3 and find out what happens next

This is a real rollercoaster of a novel. There are so many twists and turns that you don’t see coming. This will grip you and you are guaranteed not to be able to put it down

The Bartlett’s seems to have it all, let me rephrase that, they do have it all materially. But like in many families there can harbour secrets, oh yes, and let’s not forget lies.

A rich family in need of......what? Nothing.

But there are dealings and double dealings, hmm but what are they?

So the nanny is watching TV and hears nothing, when the baby gets taken.
The lovely mansion they live in, their home has been invaded taking the baby right from its cot, right under the care of the Nanny.

No money, no material possessions can come close to this.

Max Carter who we met in book 1 deals with child abduction cases. He’s on this one like a hot potato.

I got to doubting so many on the pages of this book and equally had ideas of my own.

This is told in various perspectives by various characters but it’s so easy to follow.

My thoughts, but slow in the beginning but make the most of that because you’ll soon be hyperventilating at the end.

If you like thrillers, you’ll like this.
If you love suspense, you’ll like this.
And if you want a puzzle to do, you’ll drop many pieces before the ending!

Thrillers always bring me out of a reading slump, and this was no exception. I was kept wanting more until I found I'd reached the end!⠀ .⠀ The book plays out every parent's nightmare - having your baby stolen while with the babysitter. I felt my heart pounding in my chest as I read this... I loved the way that the author intertwined the different POV, between the cop chasing the kidnapper and the kidnapper and the parents.⠀ .⠀



Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Ed James for allowing me to read this and give my honest opinion.⠀

I loved the sound of this book. I didn't realise it was book 2 in the series. Sometimes it doesn't matter if you haven't read the previous book but in this case it really does. This is more like Part Two.

I tried to read round the parts and characters referring to book one but in the end it was all linked. So for me it was just too confusing.

I enjoyed the main character of Max and I'd be interested to read the next book to find out more about him and his father after that phone call.

Thank you Bookouture for my ARC.

I have not read the first Max Carter character book, but this did not matter to the storyline. It took me about a third of the book to really get into it, I struggled to start with who was who. After about a third I was hooked and there was plenty to keep you hooked, little twists and intrigue. There's plenty going on in this book - baby kidnapping, corruption, chases, detective work, mafia links, victims etc.

Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this review and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. This is the second book in the Max Carter series, I have book one on my TBR pile but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. You can read these as stand-alone but I am definitely going back to read book one. I love crime novels and I love giving new (to me) authors a try.

Special Agent Max Carter is the lead in the kidnapping of Ky Bartlett. As well as trying to hunt down Ky's kidnapper and bring him home safe Max has his own problems to deal with. We learn quite a bit about Max, his childhood and his dad in this book. Max is a very good agent but he does blur the lines a little. I think Max also lets his own issues affect the case a little. I'm looking forward to hearing the full story on Max because I think it's going to be a damn good one.

The case of Ky Bartlett is very interesting. At first, I was very confused by all the different threads to it. There seemed to be so many people involved but how they all came together was not at all what I was expecting. It also shined a light on a subject that I've not considered too much.

The story was well written and very easy to keep reading. There were some parts that were difficult to read due to their content but even then Ed manages to put the reader at ease. There were some horrific scenes but I always wanted to keep going. I can't wait to read more of this series.

Such a big problem with this one. I liked it. A lot. I finished it in less than a day. Unfortunately, I did not read the first in the series. So even though this is a completely new case, it is connected to the previous case. I simple quick summary would have helped so much. Consider adding it to the third book. Especially if characters are going to continue to cycle through the series. Otherwise, the new reader feels like someone standing next to two people having a conversation full of inside jokes and half references to things that happened before they walked up. Just feels awkward and rude. Other series manage this. It's easy.

Aside from that, it was a great story. Often these kinds of books are pretty easy to predict. Here, we know they child abducted, his parents, the investigator, the families of everyone involved, and the abductor...all pretty early on. We even know part of the story pretty quickly. But the characters and how they are all intertwined keeps unwinding into a true thriller.

3.5 stars
A good read from Ed James. It was a bit slow to start with but really picked up the pace from halfway through.
A baby is taken from his crib and Max Carter is called in to find the baby belonging to this high profile couple. Wealthy businessman Landon Bartlett and his wife Jennifer have everything money can buy but their lives are sent into turmoil when their baby is abducted.
Investigations into the case throw suspicions onto the Bartlett family but it’s clear that one of them knows more about the abduction than he’s letting on.
We get to know who has taken baby Ky early on but it doesn’t become clear until a bit later why he’s been taken.
Alongside this story is a mafia linked storyline which relates to the Landon and his brother Chase but I’ll be honest, it got a bit confusing for me.
We also have a storyline relating to Carter’s personal life which will carry forward into the next book.
Overall a good read from Ed James.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is the second book in the Max Carter series, a follow up to Tell Me Lies. You don't need to have read that one to enjoy Gone In Seconds as it can easily be read as a standalone, but I do feel it would be beneficial to do so. And they're both good!

Six week old Ky is abducted from the crib in his parent's house. And despite security cameras around the house, the perpetrator can't be identified. As possible sightings of Ky start to come in, Max and his team begin a hunt that takes them all over the place. And all the while, Max is trying to track someone linked to a former case and navigate the tricky situation of having his ill but difficult father living with the family.

I really like Max. He's a straight up, loyal, hardworking and dedicated man who loves his family. But he's not without his demons. He chose this particular line of work because he was abducted himself as a young boy and it's this experience that gives him the determination to try to solve every case. We see the fire in him. But finding kids is a team effort and the rest of his unit are all well described. My standout is Tyler who regularly performs tech magic.

As a mum myself stories involving children in possible danger always send a shiver down my spine and this one was no different. I felt for Ky's mother but the whole family is full of secrets and dodgy dealings which James reveals bit by bit, layer by layer. And, in this case, I felt sympathy for the kidnapper and that's down to good writing. We also see the return of a character from a previous case who goes on an emotional journey here - lump in the throat stuff.

The action is non stop as the team race to save the baby. There are some red herrings and some really unexpected twists along the way as the tension mounts towards the finale. It easily kept me turning the pages. The denouement is nerve-racking, bloody and sad and sees a brief, unlikely alliance.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable and gripping story about overwhelming love, loyalty, family, dark secrets, difficult choices, sadness and hope. Full of action, tension and a fair bit of violence, it's a belter. And the ending took the wind right out of me! Look forward to more of that in the next book.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and literary fiction however I wanted to take the opportunity to read something from outside my norm. And I am glad I did!! Thank you for opening up my mind to something totally different.

Hi there everyone! I hope everyone is staying home and staying safe! I've been using this time at home to read a ton, and I am SO excited to tell you about my newest read, Gone in Seconds by Ed James. Talk about a total thriller....I could NOT put this one down.

Landon and Jennifer Bartlett are uber-wealthy, live in a $7 million home, and seem to have it all- money, prestige, and a precious new baby boy, Ky. One night, the baby's nanny stays at the house with their six week old baby, while Landon and Jenn attend a gala for their foundation's new cancer center...until Landon receives a call that their baby IS MISSING. What happened to him...has someone taken him...and if so, who?!

As a mom myself, this is absolutely my worst nightmare. I could feel the terror everyone feels, including the cops, the nanny, and of course the parents. Max Carter is an FBI agent, and head of the Child Abduction Unit. As he investigates the crime, Carter learns that Landon and his brother Chase have been involved in some super shady business dealings (isn't this always the case these days?!?!) with some sketchy people. Could there be a connection here to the kidnappings? Carter puts his life in danger and decides to risk it all in order to find out what happened to baby Ky before it's too late.

I have to say, I really loved this book. It was super fast-paced and a quick read, and I read it all in one sitting because I just had to know more about Ky's abduction. I loved Max Carter's character as a no-nonsense investigator, and it was so fun and easy to like and hate all of the Bartletts. If you are a fan of juicy whodunits and mystery/thrillers, this is definitely a book for you. I found myself holding my breath at some of the twists and turns!

Gone in Seconds by Ed James comes out on June 12th, 2020 and is available for purchase here. A huge thank you to the author and to Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are entirely my own.

A high octane book, author Ed James gave his main character Max Carter a shot of adrenaline before writing his second investigative thriller of a missing week’s old baby.

The Barlett’s had everything, yet all was not as it appeared on the surface. In the midst of their family politics, due to a few minutes of inattention by the nanny, baby KY was taken from his cot. The maze of a plot started right then…

My second book by the author, I was sucked into multifaceted plot which had many suspects who could have masterminded such a plot, yet I knew who had taken him, not the why.

A couple of subplots had the continuum from book 1, but this was a complete story with many conspiracies. I never knew who was telling me the truth. The twists occurred when I expected them, the author sure kept me on my toes.

Some scenes were unbelievable, but that was what I wanted, to forget realities of my world with a thriller of a book. Quite fun a read with an ending twist, the book kept me engrossed over a lazy Sunday.

Gone In Seconds is a skilfully crafted police procedural from Ed James. The second book in the FBI Special Agent Max Carter series, Tell Me Lies being the first. This book is set in Seattle and follows Max in his Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team role.A child has been taken from his cot while his parents have been attending a party and his nanny was watching tv. The team are called in and Max has a feeling the family are not being totally transparent with them. The tension between the parents and the baby's uncle is clear to see. The uncle ends up a person of interest and the digging the team have to do turns up all sorts of dodgy dealings and they discover that they have a fair few enemies. The family are apparent in their willingness to keep these secrets even if it makes searching for their son even harder.
An action packed thriller that has so much going on you want to keep reading until you literally need to sleep. Max and the team work diligently to uncover a conspiracy but then have to catch the person they know is involved, which brings it's own difficulties.
I found it a fast paced and entertaining thriller. I would definitely recommend if you enjoy high octane, fast, easy to read books that will keep you reading till the very end.A big thank you to Bookouture Books-On-Tour for letting me be a part of this Blog Tour and Netgalley for the copy of the book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
I thought this would be a page turner, but this has just too many characters with too much happening all over the place. Didn't like it one bit. Actually struggled to finish it

Gone in Seconds is the second book in the Special Agent Max Carter series by best-selling author, Ed James.

Max Carter is a FBI special agent leading a rapid response unit specialized in abduction cases. In the aftermath of the previous book, he’s still on the trail of a person of interest. However, a new abduction soon has him and his team scramble for another race against the clock. A baby has been taken from a family who’s been using their fortune to fund charitable causes. But, behind this honorable facade, secrets, a siblings feud, and shady dealings, threaten to derail the case and the fate of the kidnapped baby.

The unusual writing style Ed James used for Tell Me Lies is there again. The first person narrative focuses on one of the perpetrators, while we follow Max Carter and his team through a third person narration. And, even if I didn’t expect this literary device to make a return, this feels more natural the second time around.

Unlike the first book, however, and in spite of this focus on a secondary character, we learn a lot more about Max Carter, his personal life, his past, and his motivations. He’s still dead serious, focused, and not letting anything get in the way of his job and the law, but we get a better picture of what makes him tick.

As unexpected is this second novel serving, in part, as a sequel to the first. And, if you thought the author was blurring the lines between good and evil in Tell Me Lies, prepare for more of the same as this new story is downright heart-wrenching

From start to finish, this is a book that doesn’t let you escape its grasp. It is more thrilling manhunt than whodunnit, and It’s hard to get more fast-paced, with a clock ticking on the page frequently evoking the legendary sound of the « 24 » split screen chapter breaks.

While, by the last pages, the main plot points are resolved, the book nonetheless ends on a personal cliffhanger for Max Carter and, aside from this obvious one, the acute reader will have noticed a few other threads left dangling. This makes me think that, even if each book stands on its own, the start of this series has been planned as a trilogy. Judging by the quality of the first two outings, this couldn’t be more welcome.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.