First Girl Gone is a novel written by L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain. It is the first novel written in the Charlotte Winter series. It was originally published on September 18th, 2020 by Bookouture. I was able to obtain an Advance Review Copy (ARC) of this book on NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a disappearance/murder mystery novel centered on the main character, private investigator Charlotte Winters, who goes by Charlie. She is forced to move back home to Salem Island when her uncle who helped raised her and falls ill with cancer and is unable to be on his own anymore. She takes it upon herself to help take care of him, and take over his private investigator business in her hometown where her twin sister was abducted and presumed murdered when they were attending the local high school.

While there is information about Allie, her sister’s case, the central mystery occurs when an old friend comes to Charlie and asks her to find her missing daughter, Kara. It is during Kara’s investigation that Charlie begins to make connections to possibly her sister’s case, but is sidetracked when another young woman disappears, and she is having to do everything she can to find them both and bring them home safe.

I really enjoyed the book, and I was a little surprised by the reveal of the perp. The only thing I did not really enjoy is the disappearance of Allie’s voice at the end of the novel, since it still felt their relationship and issues were still unresolved.

I rate this book as 4/5 stars. I would recommend it for fans of the mystery genre.

Great thriller which kept me turning the pages well into the night. Great characters and plot. Highly recommend to others!!

I had SUCH a great time reading First Girl Gone! This action-packed amateur sleuth thriller had my ears perked up right from the opening chapter, when we witness a kidnapping. After that, the reader meets Charlie Winters, a fairly new small-town investigator holding up her uncle's business. When she's tasked with solving the mystery of a missing girl, the assignment hits close to home as it triggers memories of her twin sister's disappearance many years ago. Vargus and McBain use their quirky writing and twisty plotting to unfold an unexpected tale that left me simultaneously haunted and itching for more. I can't wait for the sequel!

Really enjoyed the book and Charlie's character. Looking forward to reading more in the series. Some good twists and plenty of tension.

This is the first book of a series. I liked the blurb and hence requested it. And the book was as good as promised. I five it 4.5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

As this is more of a crime thriller than mystery, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book, but I was pleasantly surprised!
I definitely enjoyed the characters, and being more in their heads, as well as all the red herrings that were thrown our way.
I enjoyed the surprising use of humour in the book, as it's not something that I typically expect from thrillers.
It is absolutely one that I would be recommending!

This book is so addictive , compulsive , and fast paced police story with a bit of thriller thrown in there. It was very well written , lots of twists and turns . The book takes you to another place and has you non stop turning the pages.

Flawed characters, a dead twin sister, and crimes that are a constant reminder of her sisters case. This book is jampacked with action, suspense and intrigue that captures your attention from the very first page.

This book was impossible to put down and I easily found myself engrossed in this story. A definite must read.

This latest offering from McBain & Vargus has it all, a flawed lead character with a dead twin sister, crimes that mirror the sister’s case, nonstop action and a few well-placed instances of misdirection just to keep the reader on their toes. Once again, this team has created a story that is near impossible to put down once it sets its hook into the reader. If you are fans of the Loshak and Varger stories you should really give First Girl cone a look, you just may find one more offering from Tim & Lex that will have you looking forward to the next story in the series. I received an advance reader copy and chose to provide this review.

I love a good detective series brimming with unexpected twists and turns. Detective Charlie Winters finds herself back in her hometown investigating a missing teen. This case hits close to home because Charlie's sister was abducted and never found when they were teens. The plot and pace of this book kept me reading late into the night and it was well worth it. I had to know how this part of the story would end. I look forward to the next book and am excited to add a new series to my go to reading list.

Thank you to Bookoture and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review..

Just when I thought that I knew who the villain was.....I was very surprised. The author is a great storyteller and had a way with words.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Misty Dawn turns to Charlie when her teenage daughter has gone missing. When her daughter has not communicated or come back home, Misty is positive that she was kidnapped. After spotting one of Charlie's missing person posters, another family has come forward that their daughter, Amy had gone missing a week before. As Charlie continues to investigate the girl's disappearance, her sister Allie helps her along the way. But when a set of feet are found on a beach without a body, Charlie is thrown back in time to her sister's own disappearance and presumed murder.

Charlie Winters has come home, but she never envisioned herself here. It is running her Uncle Frank's private investigating company or the unsolved disappearance and presumed murder of her sister Allie that has called her back? Can she save the girls on time?

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture, and L.T. Vargus, and Tim McBain for allowing me to read this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley, publisher and authors, for giving me a free copy of this book. I really liked this story, the authors are new to me. This story was really interesting. It was also sad, for reasons I don't want to disclose to avoid spoiling it for people who have not read this book yet.. I liked Charlie's character. I also liked Allie's voice with her. It felt like Allie was always protecting Charlie and keeping her company. This gave it a bittersweet vibe. The end was a triumph and it helped me decide I want to read more from these authors. Excellent!

From my blog: Always With a Book:

This is the first book in L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain's new series and I am all in! I love crime thriller series and I think this one is going to be a new favorite.

This was one fast-paced, suspense-filled read that kept me flipping the pages from start to finish. It is filled with an array of interesting characters that kept me intrigued and so many twists and turns that it was hard to put any solid guesses together. My favorite aspect of this book, however, was the voice that Charlie hears in her head throughout the book...I loved this unique part of the story and found it to be at times humorous as well as quite telling.

As far as intros to series, I think this was a great set-up and I am looking forward to really getting to know more about Charlie. She's a strong, independent female character but she is a flawed character and I loved those types of characters. As someone who loved series, I am excited for the authors to dig into her backstory as the series progresses. This case she is working on, that of the missing girls is tough for her because it forces her to relive the disappearance of her sister, a case that has never been solved. I really felt for her and can see that this is what drives her. Will her sister's case ever be solved?

I will for sure be continuing on with this series and already have the next book sitting in my kindle just waiting to be read. This was my first time reading this author duo and I loved their writing style. I can't wait to see what awaits Charlie Winters!

Private Detective Charlie Winters never thought she’d find herself back on Salem Island, but she’s forced home re-open the wound that never healed: her sister was abducted from the small town when they were teenagers.

For Charlie, her sister’s voice in her head—pushing her to risk everything to seek justice for the innocent—is a painful and constant reminder of what she lost. And never has that voice been louder than when a family friend comes to Charlie begging for help to find her missing daughter, Kara. Searching Kara’s messy, poster-covered bedroom, Charlie finds more questions than answers. Did Kara run away, or was she snatched? She’s clearly been keeping secrets from her family—but don’t all teenagers?


Review

First Girl Gone is the first book in the new Charlotte Winters series. Private Detective Charlotte Winters is investigating a case involving a missing teenage girl. The case proves emotionally difficult for her as she lost her own sister in the same town when they were teenagers. Charlotte soon finds herself racing against time to find the missing girl even as the case starts to appear eerily similar to her own sister’s disappearance.

This was a page-turner with a riveting, twisty mystery at its heart. Charlotte as protagonist is interesting. I enjoyed the break from the usual police detectives. A private investigator brought an intriguing, fresh angle and I like how she worked with the local police.

Tightly –plotted, twisty and quite well-written, this is a promising start to what sounds like another entertaining crime thriller series.

Private Detective Charlie Winter didn't think she would be back on Salem island but a family friend has been in touch asking for help to find Kate her missing daughter.
Charlie's sister was abducted from the Island when they were teenagers and was never found.
Kara has been keeping secrets from her family. Has she run away or has she been taken.
While looking into Kara's disappearance another mother reports her daughter missing .
Then a body is found in the last spot where traces of Charlie's sister were found.
Someone is taunting Charlie but she has to keep going to get these girls back.
A Brilliant read
Thanks NetGalley

A good and interesting read!

I would recommend this to everyone who loves a good story with captivating characters! Definitely a good read!

Private investigater Charlie Winters is asked to search for a missing teenager when a second girl goes missing. It has a personal feel to the case as Charlie's own sister disappeared years earlier. Could it be the same killer?
Charlie is a wonderful character. I loved her ghost or imaginary sister Allie. They have a natural dialogue with really resonated with me as a sister! Our family always know us best and especially as Charlotte and Allie are twins, they know the right things to say to support as well as wind each other up. This provides humour as well as an emotional background for Charlie.
Charlie has taken over the detective agency as her uncle who owns it has cancer. This is another way that the authors endear us to the protagonist as we see her softer caring side.
The plot has plenty of twists and turns as characters become suspects and are then discounted as Charlie uncovers evidence. I didn't guess the murderer and really wasn't sure whether there would be a connection to Allie's disappearance. I admit to being surprised by the police allowing Charlie to complete some aspects of the investigation rather than sending their own officers.
The writing style is easy to read and the plot rushes along quickly. The chapters are short and it was always tempting to read just one more when I should have been doing something else!
I am fascinated by the idea of two people writing together and have absolutely no idea how it works (do they sit together and write it out? do they each take a chapter or dialogue or description section?) However they do it, LT Vargus and Tim McBain have created a brilliant lead character in Charlie Winters and I look forward to seeing what happens next for her and her ghostly sister...

Charlie's twin sister disappeared when they were teenagers. Now Charlie is back in town, working for her uncle as a private investigator and hearing the voice of her dead sister running commentary on everything she does, and is hired by one of her old classmates to find the woman's missing daughter, who most people think is a runaway. I enjoyed this. It is the first in a series, and I would definitely read a second book. Four stars.

Charlie Winters Is a fabulous new character who I hope returns a gazillion times. A bright, smart woman, Harriet is a private investigator by trade and a rather withdrawn , yet humorous woman who returns to her home town to help out a relative, Harriet is carrying incredible grief over the loss of her twin sister and keeps her in her mind, literally talking over cases with her. This book flies past the reader and I’m really looking forward to the next.