I went into this book not knowing much about it. It was my first book by this author and I really love her writing style. She pulled me in from the very first page and kept me guessing till the end. It’s a thriller/mystery that takes place in Chicago. Lots of murder scenes to solve and Detective Vega is on the manhunt the whole entire time. I love a good twist and it comes at the end which I did not see coming! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

As a reader who is totally addicted to the mystery/thriller genre, I'm always looking for an author who can hold a candle to my favorites, Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner, and the like. Joanna Schaffhausen is definitely going to be the next author I consistently seek out. While this was my first of her novels, following Investigator Annalisa as she tracks down a killer who may be linked to unsolved murders decades ago. This is a fun, fast-paced novel that kept me on my toes. I definitely recommend it.

I received this book through the "NetGalley" reading program.

I read an excerpt of this book through the Minotaur Sampler. The story has Annalisa investigating the murder of a woman whose staging was similar to that of the Lovelorn Killer from 20 years ago. Back then he killed several women in the same fashion as that of the new victim. One of the people killed back then was a neighbor of Annalisa when she was a teen. This killing was brought about because this person wanted to reopen the case using her team from the "Gravediggers" club.

Annalise was assigned the case and it eventually came quite personal to her. It seems that she had been specially target by the killer. The killer even came so close with calling her, invading her home as well as killing her neighbor since she wasn't around. She was put under protection because of this, but she received a call and she decided to evade her protection unit.

To discover who the killer was, what information was developed that she had to act on and whether they were able ton finally close the case of the killings in the early years, then you must read this book. You will read notes from Grace, the woman killed that cause the case to be reopened, and how she laid out her suspicions on searching for the Lovelorn killer.

The book is well written and want you asking for more.

This was one of those thrillers that gives you more than you ever dreamed!...lots of twists and PLENTY of suspense. Thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the well-written storyline. Joanna Schaffhausen has written a winner!

I have read all of her other books, part of a series, so was excited to read this one with a different set of characters. Strong female lead, and strong female victim, both working to solve the closed case of a serial killer, who has re-emerged. The lead has a big family and community network and lots of possible suspects and also two past loves have come back into her life. All this and the story is told in an understated way, that got me involved and kept me interested. Look forward to move from this author and maybe these characters

I absolutely loved this book. The setting, the characters, the development....everything. I cannot wait for this to come out in hardcover so I can add it to my collection!

First off, thanks Netgalley, St Martins Press (specifically Minotaur books) & Joanna Schaffhausen for letting me read Gone for Good in exchange for an honest review.

Second off, I need you all to read this when it comes out.
If you’re looking for the next great crime novel- look no further. Detective Annalisa Vega may be my new favorite fictional crime solver & I’m so excited this is only the first book in series.

Annalisa Vega is a 2nd generation cop in the Chicago PD.
When a serial killer comes out of hiding it’s she who gets to take on the case her father got taken off of years ago. This case already hits close to home for her- this serial killer (Mr. Lovelorn) tore up her personal life years ago. What she doesn’t know is just how close to home his crimes would lead her.

I was hooked from the first chapter. The first chapter starts as a journal entry and the entry ends in the middle of a sentence, in the middle of a word. I was quite confused by this at first. It’s an ARC- was it just a mistake? A typo? Nope, it was intentional. I’ll let you put the pieces together as to why.
Throughout the book we get alternating chapters between Grace (true crime sleuth & murder victim) & Detective Anna Vega (head detective on her case). Grace’s journal entries make it seem like we (the readers) are solving this case right alongside her and Detective Vega & I loved it.
There was so much detail and something was always happening, I had a hard time putting this one down & finished 80% of it in one sitting. At times it felt like I could have been reading about a real serial killer because within the pages they’d reference real life crimes, serial killers, & even mentioned the Maura Murray case. This put such a realistic & eerie spin on the book for me and I wouldn’t have changed a bit of it.
I told myself early on I wouldn’t trust any of the characters (you can’t in crime novels) and I was right not to because THAT ENDING THOUGH!!!

I would 10/10 recommend this book to anyone who asks & I can’t wait for everyone to be able to read it!

Joanna Schaffhausen Does it again! GONE FOR GOOD Is that rare thing; a thriller with real heart and psychological depth.

Annalisa Vega was assigned to The Lovelorn Killer case that re-surfaced after 20 years.

The killer's newest victim, Grace, is a member of a group called The Grave Diggers that researches cold cases.

Grace also is the member who had the most information on each of The Lovelorn Killer cases and was close to solving the mystery.

The police thought this killer was long gone, but when he kills again and also contacts Annalisa, leaves a noose with her favorite stuffed animal in a church, and also leaves a noose for another member of The Grave Diggers, the hunt for the killer becomes personal for Annalisa and more intense.

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Schaffhausen and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Her detailed, easy-to-follow writing style kept me glued to the pages with the tension mounting as Annalisa found the killer and was in danger herself.

Ms. Schaffhausen has marvelous, well developed characters…loved the debut character, Annalisa Vega.

GONE FOR GOOD is an excellent thriller that kept me guessing and has a satisfying, surprise ending.

Thriller fans won’t want to miss this book. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A really enjoyable thriller, and perfect for the beach. There were instances in it, where the killer seemed to be drawn from the Thomas Harris school of maniacs, but the book is highly entertaining, and the pages fly. I also enjoyed Annalisa as a character, and working things out with her ex and partner, Nick. Hoping there is a further case down the road.

First in a promising new series. This one has a main character who will intrigue you — a cop with their own issues. A serial killer brings the past to the present for Annalisa in this outing. It’s a good one!

This book was intense. I loved that I thought I knew what was going to happen. but right at the end I was thrown for a loop. I loved that it was paced in such a way that kept my interest and engaged. I thought it was very character driven and each character was very well fleshed out. I highly recommend this book to lovers of thrillers!

Loved this one in a new series! Annalisa is a great cop who has been through a lot of trauma as there is a serial killer who has re-surfaced and is terrorizing her neighborhood. She's lost many of her friends and people close to her so this is very personal for her. Bring in her ex-husband and ex-boyfriend and things get even more complicated. But it's a great story: fast-paced, intricate, and with plenty of red herrings. I can't wait for the next one as I feel like I already know Annalisa and love her!

In Joanna Schaffhausen's Gone for Good, Detective Annalisa Vega has just been thrown for a loop whilst initially investigating the murder of Grace Harper... she's being partnered with her ex-husband who has conveniently moved back to Chicago. When they investigate Grace's death, they notice in her bedroom that she's been following/hunting/trying to solve the cold-case Lovelorn murders as a member of a local murder club. The story is told in alternating voices with Annalisa's perspective and readings from Grace's diary. To complicate matters, Annalisa's father (a retired cop) helped work the initial case and the Lovelorn Killer killed her boyfriend's mom when they were in high school .It a fantastic read!!! And, I'm so excited to see where Ms. Schaffhausen takes Annalisa next!

Detective Annalisa Vega is on the hunt for a serial who has just come out of retirement after 20 years. The Lovelorn Killer, a killer who left love notes after murdering women. Why, after 20 years, has the killer returned?

Annalisa lost someone she cares about to the Serial Killer when she was just a teen. Annalisa partners up with her ex-husband, a police officer, to find the killer before anyone else dies. Can they catch him before he kills again???

I’m eager for more since the description touts this as the first in a new series. It’s off to a great start. The action is fast paced, the mystery right. I couldn’t figure out until almost the end, when the author revealed who the killer was. Except after the big case is solved author has a couple more mini bombs to detonate. I suspected part of the smaller renewals, but didn’t know all, of it. I liked all the characters and Annalisa made some very tough decisions. I hope her personal,life continues to progress, but I would like to see her with her ex. Good read.

Gone for Good is the first book in a new series (Annalisa Vega Detective #1) by Joanna Schaffhausen. This is the first book I have read by this author and I am excited to read more! She has a knack for developing likable, believable characters and creating fast paced, action packed storylines.

Detective Annalisa Vega is a woman in a man's world. But it is a world she has lived in her whole life, her Dad was a cop too. Heck, even her ex-husband Nick was a cop too. There were a string of serial murders that took place in her Chicago neighborhood growing up. One of the murders was of her neighbor, her childhood sweethearts Mom. A lot of people from Annalisa's past are about to collide with her present and it makes for a great story!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book in a new detective series. My favorite series (other than HP) is the D. D. Warren series by Lisa Gardner, so I was a little nervous about reading this one - let’s face it, I compare, compare, compare. It’s what I do.

I was pleasantly surprised that I actually really liked this! I like Annalisa Vega and her complicated world. I thought maybe her personality didn’t really shine through until close to the end of this first book, but that there is a lot to offer for future books.

This first book follows a serial killer cold case that heats up again - and FAST. It’s interesting and has a wide array of suspects, just as it should. I did guess part of the ending, but definitely not all of it! I would have liked to get more info on the killer, but I think it ended well, anyway.

I will absolutely be looking forward to more Annalisa Vega novels!!

The Lovelorn Killer murdered seven women, ritually binding them and leaving them for dead before penning them gruesome love letters in the local papers. Then he disappeared, and after twenty years with no trace of him, many believe that he’s gone for good.

However, there is one who believes, strike that, knows the killer is still out there. Meet Grace Harper. She has been working in a grocery store for some time and it’s there that she hears lots of gossip and rumors. Grace becomes part of a sleuth group where she obtains skills that help her look for clues when she is not working. What she finds out frightened her to the bones.

Meet Detective Annalisa Vega. She has lost a lot over the years including someone she loved dearly to a killer that has remained elusive to her. The scene has been set and now Annalisa is at a crime scene where Grace is bound and dead. It almost seems so surreal and like she had been in this exact spot before. If only the memories could help her. There are clues everywhere, but can Annalisa figure it out before it’s too late? This one kept me up all night and reading the entire book. I was enthralled and definitely entertained and enticed to read more. This one gets 5 stars from me.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the Author/Publisher for giving me this book to read and give my honest review.

I haven’t read a book by Joanna Schaffhausen that disappointed me.
I you are a person that thinks you can do a better job than the police and start seriously digging into cold cases you might want to second guess that desire.
Detective Annalisa Vega is somebody that really grows on you as the main character and I hope I’ll get to meet her again with a continuation of the series.
Her dealings with the rather complicated family relationships, ex-husband and past love are told so expertly that you feel with her all the way. You might have preferred a different ending but this was a very realistic ending. This book will keep you hooked till the last page.