I found the mystery of this book very intriguing and it piqued my curiosity. Deb Thomas's husband Grant is murdered and two cops deliver the news to her in the morning after she realizes he hadn't come home the previous night. It appears he might have been a victim of what appeared to be a serial killer. When she discovers why he was murdered she was shocked to say the least. Her daughter who is 19 and Deb become the next targets. Then we hear of Cessy Castillo whose abusive husband was also murdered and she gets a visit from two men who threaten her and want money they say her husband Hector owed them. When Deb and Cessy's paths crossed, it became clear what they had in common and how similar their stories were. There was a big twist in the story but I didn't buy it so that kind of ruined it for me.

I would like to thank Crooked Lane Books and the Netgalley website for allowing me to read this book.

It all begins when two men are murdered on the same night. With similarities in the modus operandi, both shot in the head, one in the heart. Their wives wonder.

Beth Linh Thomas, a freelance writer in Virginia, is saddened to learn that her husband has been murdered. But a week after his funeral, she learns that the FBI was following him closely because he had withdrawn a large sum of money from their joint accounts.

As for Cessy Castillo, a bartender in Baltimore, she is less upset because her husband was violent with her, but he had debts and Cessy had to pay for them.

Deb and an FBI agent investigate her husband's murder and learn that he was a target for criminals. They will have to be very careful in their investigation if they don't want to end up like their husbands.

A book read in one sitting, so much so that I was hooked on the story, so moving at times, captivating, addictive, full of intrigue, suspense and twists and turns with very endearing characters. I love the author's writing.

Boom! What a book. I’m truly looking forward to more by this author. This was dark, riveting and truly evocative.

A fast-paced and interesting thriller with likeable characters. I really enjoyed the author's portrayal of the DC area and thought he did a wonderful job creating motivations for his characters.

They’re Gone is the best thriller I’ve read in a long time! It kept me turning the pages late into the night! It is full of tension and was paced. Dark, gritty secrets that will have you side eyeing your man wondering what he’s up to when you’re not around. Loved this one. I highly recommend it.

The book got really confusing, more plot twists were unfold. Even though it had tons of twists and turns it wasn't just satisfying. It was more likely used for shock value that didn't have any positive impact or pleasure after reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for the ARC. The book was all right. Characters were one dimensional. Predictable.

3 for neutral. I couldn’t get this book to download, even though I tried multiple times, will update once I buy and am able to read.

Deb and Cissy both have husbands murdered I suspiciously the same fashion and no one seems to notice. The story follows both women whose story eventually intertwines. After an investigation by the FBI turns sours, the women must fight for their lives to survive. There were many twists and turns in this book! Definitely worth reading

A compelling story of two widows trying to discover the truth behind their husbands' murders on the same night, and intersecting as they try to stay out of harm's way. Wonderfully developed characters, and fascinating twists in the plot.

What a freaking page turner. Book had me guessing from page to page and I never wanted to put it down. Literally did not see the end coming. At all. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Really enjoyed the book.
Full Murder in Common review here: https://murderincommon.com/2020/11/29/e-a-barres-theyre-gone/

I loved the plot as laid out in the description, 2 women, 2 husbands, 2 deaths and a whole lot of questions a they find themselves in danger. They are the least likely two to be drawn to each other but necessity demands. I didn’t love the characters though rooted for them as they found their way through the story. I questioned decisions and characters and some of the plot decisions. I was drawn to the coverage trafficking and abuse which is always something to keep in front and when done well draws attention to an sad element of our society that needs to find an end!. As the two families begin to work together the progress of the novel was satisfactory. I had my ‘what’ moments in the plot but never felt connected to the main characters. They’re Gone was a satisfactory read so 3 stars.

The first part of THEY’RE GONE, by E.A. Barres, is really good; the moment when the readers introduced to Deb and Cessy, their similar narratives intertwine after their husbands' deaths. I love the diversity of the characters.

There’s a twist that I wasn’t expecting that adds to this whodunit's tension. However, it’s the overall dialogue and actions of the characters that didn’t seem to meld, in my mind, creating a disconnect.

Though THEY’RE GONE didn’t tick off all the boxes for me, I look forward to reading what Barres comes up with next.

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for loaning me an eGalley of THEY’RE GONE in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of They're Gone by E A Barres, first novel I have read by this author, I liked it but didn't love it, I thought it would have been more of an edge of my seat read, The story line was good, but almost didn't move fast enough. At times I wanted the story just to end.
Deb and Cessy have both lost their husbands, both murdered, but why? Cessy and Deb now try to understand how and why the murders happen, They meet part way through the story as they run from and to the criminals who have a prostitution ring. Deb has been left broke by her husband and Cessy is told that she owes her dead husbands debt. They find out that the investigator is crooked, who can they trust but themselves.
I would recommend as a book to read, just wasn't my favorite

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Release date November 10, 2020.***

2 - 2.5 stars

I really tried with this book. The story matter was interesting to a point, but also seemed a bit preachy at times. Also, I'm not the biggest fan of stories told through multiple POVs.

Two women, Deb Linh Thomas and Cessy Castillo, learn their husbands have been shot dead by unknown assailants on the same day. Deb is devastated when she finds out her husband Grant had been regularly seeing a prostitute and that their financial situation is a lot worse than she thought. Cessy is glad that her abusive Hector is dead but is not thrilled when she gets a visit from a man claiming Hector owned a lot of money and wants to be paid now.

The two cases become more connected when FBI Agent Levi Price enters the scene. He is not all that he appears to be. And a corrupt Baltimore DA named Temple also plays a key role in the motive and betrayals that take place.

This should have been a thrilling read but bogged down at times and was hard to finish.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

This book started out interesting and had me intrigued, but the middle seemed to drag and I had a hard time getting through it. Interesting twist to the important topics of sex trafficking and domestic violence, but this book wasn’t for me.

Deb and Cessy don't know each others and, to the best of their knowledge, their husbands Grant and Hector didn't either. Hah! When Hector and Grant are murdered in the same way, it turns out that their wives will discover there are secrets, lies, and a lot of danger ahead for them. They join forces to find out the truth- and you'll find out who the murderer is far earlier than you might expect. But- and here's the thing, the identity of the murderer is not the real issue here. You know there's a conspiracy but how big is it? This is violent in spots and at times strains credulity, but the characters are well done. You might find yourself tut-tutting at them but I'll bet you keep turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fast and entertaining read.

Consider my attention grabbed during this book. There were multiple POVs, even more twists, which equals a rollercoaster of a book. I definitely felt the whiplash and nausea if you will, so hold on tight.

Content Warnings: Death, violence, infidelity, corruption.

The story centered around Deb and Cessy, two women who don’t know each other until tragedies occur. We quickly learn what happens to their loved ones and from there, we are on the fast track to uncover the truth of what actually happened rather than what they were told.

About halfway through the book, the killer is revealed. WHAT! But don’t worry, revealing the killer is only the first domino to fall. But the dominoes fell a little crooked because it sort of got weird. This is not your average "whodunit" because it eventually becomes a "whydunit" and "whatdunit."

It was a mixture of good guys vs. bad guys vs. even worse guys and I sort of lost grip of who was on what team. If that wasn’t a big enough spoiler, there are a lot of characters!

Despite having a lot of characters, each character had a purpose. No matter how big or small of a role he or she had, they served their purpose to elevate the story. On the plus side, there is a ton of diversity and the women were written really well, especially for a male author!

Big thank you to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC!