The Lovelorn killer is back- just as evil as ever. His M.O. is to stalk, ritually bind and strangle women. For some reason, he disappeared and has been gone for twenty years - leading detectives to question if he was arrested on another offense, passed away, or was still out there biding his time. Now that he is back, Detective Annalisa Vega has caught his attention. Annalisa is one of the newest members of the squad, where her ex-husband Nick works, and they soon become partners investigating the Lovelorn Killer's recent murder. Not only was Annalisa's father one of the detectives working the Lovelorn Killer's case twenty years ago, but Annalisa lost a close family friend and neighbor, Katie Duffy to him twenty years ago. The woman was like a second mother to Annalisa and the mother of her boyfriend, Colin.

Lovelorn is a clever, diabolical and sadistic killer who always seems to be a step ahead of the police. He enjoys toying with law enforcement and writes letters to his victims. He has even left nooses in the homes of members of the Gravediggers - an online group of amateur sleuths who investigate cold cases. Most of their activity takes place online but a core group of then get together in person to discuss cases of interest. Grace Harper, a member of the group, has her theories about the Lovelorn killer and quickly becomes one of his latest victims.

Annalisa is a likeable character who, while investigating this case, must juggle working with her ex-husband, Nick, while becoming reacquainted with Colin after he returns to town when she informs him that his mother's killer may be back in action. Being introduced to her family members provides a fuller picture of Annalisa's life, motivation and allows readers to view her as a fully-fledged character.

The story goes back and forth between Annalisa and Nick's investigation and Grace's notes. This was a nice touch and provides more information about all involved and theories about the killer. As the killer begins to taunt and stalk, Annalisa, the tension mounts. I enjoy police procedurals and trying to figure out the identity of the killer. We are given a clue and then I knew exactly who the killer was. I kept wondering when Annalisa would figure it out!

What a terrific start to a gripping new series!!! This was a very well-done police procedural with engaging characters. It started slowly and kept picking up momentum until the heart pounding conclusion. We are left with a little snippet in the end, which has me excited to read the next in the series!

Gripping. riveting and oh so good!!!!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Joanna Schaffhausen starts a new series with Gone for Good featuring Detective Annalisa Vega. Schaffhausen fans already know to expect interesting story lines, characters so complex they become real, and twists that continually ratchet up the suspense. Gone for Good delivers all of this in spades!

Detective Annalisa Vega is a crack detective for the Chicago PD. With only a year as a detective under her belt, she's already closed over three dozen cases including three homicides. Her latest call takes her to the murder scene of Grace Harper, a grocery store clerk, with her partner Nick Carelli. Nick is also her ex-husband - they married and divorced young, and he always made a better partner than a husband. The scene shocks Annalisa as well as her fellow officers. All signs point to the fact that the Lovelorn Killer, who murdered seven women before going underground for twenty years is back.

The killer's seventh victim Kathryn Duffy, was a neighbor of Annalisa's family, the wife of a cop, and the mother of Annalisa's first love, Colin. This case has long been personal for Annalisa, and she is determined to not let the serial killer get away this time.

Grace Harper, the latest victim, was a member of an amateur murder group who investigated cold cases. Grace had been interviewing people regarding the Lovelorn Killer, and had developed some new theories on the case. Readers are privy to her diary entries which are most interesting. Grace's interest caught the attention of the killer and she paid the ultimate price. Now his attention is focused on Annalisa. Can she out-wit him, getting enough proof to put him away, before he gets to her? Can her fellow officers protect her?

A wonderful start to a promising series, I'm already looking forward to reading the next book!

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur who allowed me to read an ARC of this book which is scheduled for publication on 8/10/21. All opinions and any errors expressed in this review are my own.

This is a twisty one. It opens with the ritualistic murder of Grace, a member of an informal group that works to find answers to cold cases. She was focused on and sadly is killed in a way reminiscent of the Lovelorn Killer, who was active 20 years earlier. Det. Annalisa Vega, assigned to the case, is shocked because her beloved neighbor (and mother of her long gone love interest Colin) was the last known victim of the fiend. Moving back and forth between Grace's investigation and Annalisa's, this one holds several surprises, especially once Annalisa becomes a target. Know that fans of procedurals will find this lacking (or ignoring) various legal and procedural requirements in an investigation, especially when FBI is in the lead and that Vega, despite being a cop kid and a detective, is deficient in common sense at times. That's not to say that she isn't an interesting character (as is Nick, her ex husband) or that the story doesn't hang together even when it goes over the top. The pacing is good and the tension amps up. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I've been a fan of Schaffhausen and I'm curious to see where she takes this series next.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on Aug 10th

Gone for Good book one is the Detective Annalisa Vega series, was a well written book. Joanna Schaffhausen is a new author to me, and I have to say I really enjoyed her writing. I most definitely will be reading more of her books. The author had the ability to make her characters come to life on the pages of the book. I most certainly would recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Minotaur Books, in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Gone for Good is the first in a new series by Joanna Schaffhausen featuring Annalisa Vega, a Chicago detective. Det. Vega lands a case tied to a series of murders from 20 years earlier, in which one of the victims was a close family friend.

As if that isn't enough personal pressure, Vega is assigned a new partner: her ex-husband; there are family dynamics galore due to her large Catholic clan; and the case draws her long-lost high-school sweetheart back to Chicago.

This was a more personal story than any in Schaffhausen's Ellery Hathaway/Reed Markham series, and tended more toward romance than police procedural. I didn't find Det. Vega as compelling a protagonist as Ellery Hathaway.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur books for an advance readers copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Joanna Schaffhausen - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Detective Annalisa Vega of the Chicago Police Department is called to investigate a murder where the MO is identical to unsolved murders of young women in the area decades before. In addition, the victim, Grace Harper, was part of a group called the Grave Diggers, who tried to solve cold cases. Grace had a wall full of photographs from the Lovelorn Killer, as he was dubbed, when she was apparently his next victim. Detective Vega also has a tie to the killer - her high school boyfriend's mother and their old next door neighbor was his last victim before Grace. The killer taunts the media and the public through letters and now he's contacting Annalisa personally.

I raced through this book and absolutely loved the twist at the end that I never saw coming. The author kept the tension high as we followed along the investigation and hunt for this killer. I also liked getting to know the backgrounds and personal sides of these characters and am beyond excited that this is the first in a series featuring Detective Vega. Highly recommended!

Publisher: Mintotaur Books
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Thriller
Goodreads Rating: 4.33
My rating: I really loved it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an e-arc!

SUMMARY:
When Detective Annalisa was young, The Lovelorn killer killed murdered many women, including her high school boyfriend's mom. The serial killer was on a role, until he suddenly stopped, and no one knows why. Decades later, an amateur crime group who looks into cold cases decides to take this one on. Then the murders start happening again.

MY THOUGHTS:
💌 This was a fast paced, action packed novel and I loved every second of it. It kept me up late and from any responsibilities until I finished it. Add in the semi-present love triangle and this book had everything I needed.
💌 I love a good serial killer - and this one was so well thought out and written. It made me feel a little creeped out at home alone while reading!!
💌 The combination of professional detective / couch detective was really neat- because everyone has their opinions and takes on evidence.
💌 I also liked the balance of detective / victim, once the Lovelorn killer went after Annalisa.

A decades old serial killer resurfaces and the police are determined to find him.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the relationships between the characters. Many old relationships are tested and in the end everything is wrapped up correctly.

I did not expect the ending. The book had about 10% remaining and I thought everything was solved but there was more! If you like crime thrillers, I highly recommend this book!

It's not very often that I find a cop procedural book that I don't figure out the end to before we get there. "Gone For Good" was a fantastic read. Joanna Schaffhausen reminds me a bit of Karin Slaughter (which is definitely a compliment!) and I'm glad she's got other books out right now, because I'm about to have to binge read them!

Detective Annalisa Vega is called to the scene of a gruesome murder - one that brings back memories of the unsolved murder of her childhood friend's mother twenty plus years ago. The Lovelorn Killer was responsible for the brutal murder of several women back then, but afterwards disappeared without a trace. The dead woman bound in ropes tells Det. Vega that the killer's back after a twenty year hiatus? Why? Is this Annalisa's opportunity to finally get justice for the victims' loved ones, healing some old wounds? Can she do so without becoming his next victim?

Grace Harper is the killer's latest victim. By day, she was a grocery store clerk. By night, she was a member of an amateur sleuth group known as The Grave Diggers. Grace was obsessed with the Lovelorn Killer and by all reports, may have been getting close to discovering his identity - something the police have never been able to do - before he killed her. In order to investigate the crime, Det. Vega will have to dig deeper into the group's activities and her own disturbing childhood and follow the leads from there. It isn't long before she starts rattling some skeletons of her own and begins being taunted by the killer. With the help of her partner Nick who's also her ex-husband and a teenage love interest, Colin, who's mother was murdered by the killer, Annalisa refuses to be intimidated into abandoning the case. Will it get her killed?

Gone For Good is an intense, fast-paced, action-packed thriller that kept me turning pages from beginning to end. Det. Annalisa Vega is a strong, bold, smart heroine who refuses to back down when threatened. The story unfolds through alternating chapters of present and victim Grace Harper's journal entries which are electrifying. The tension elevates until culminating in an explosive climax. I will say I figured out the killer's identity prior to the reveal, but the story is so well crafted that being pretty sure of his identity in no way lessened my reading pleasure as I read most of this one in one sitting. Highly recommended to fans of mystery, suspense and thrillers.

A straightforward police procedural, with decent character development. When a serial killer that wreaked havoc on her childhood resurfaces in her hometown of Chicago, Annalisa, now as a police detective herself, must find the killer. The killer takes a liking to her, and she must grapple with him, her ex-husband and her first love, returned to find vengeance for his mother (one of the serial killers first victims). For whatever reason, this story seemed to focus more on the crimes than the characters for me, but for a first in a series, it definitely sets up multiple story lines for future books.

This is the best mystery/thriller I have read in a while. The characters were all great. None seemed unecessary and they were all well rounded and intriguing. I wasnt bored by any characters.

The tension in this book was amazing. I was reading this at a restaurant and actually jumped when the waitress came to check on me. There was also a tinge of romance in which was a delightful surprise, and it added beautidully to the tension of the whole story.

If book two in this series were available I would have already started it.

If you pick up this book, do yourself a favor and make sure you have nothing planned for the next few hours because you wont want to put this down!

First time reading this author, very much enjoyed this murder mystery. Detective Vega is full of sass and has great interactions with all the characters. Lots of twists that make you think you have it figured out…you don’t!! Loved the ending.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions in this review are my own. Thank you St Martins Press.

Full review to come on Instagram closer to Pub Day. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Read this if…you like reading about serial killers and are prepared to read late into the night.

*This book contains violence and some graphic descriptions. Nothing overboard, but your typical thriller fare.*

It’s been twenty years since the Lovelorn Killer terrorized the people of Chicago. Responsible for the deaths of seven women, whom he tied up and strangled in a ritualistic way, this terrifying serial killer is no longer active. Many believe he’s dead or locked up for lesser crimes, but a small group of armchair detectives led by Grace Harper believe he’s still out there and can be caught. When Grace is found murdered in the same way as the Lovelorn Killer’s other victims, Detective Annalisa Vega gets her chance to solve the infamous case that has eluded the best law enforcement agencies, but at what cost?

WOW! I haven’t read a police procedural this good in a long time! It was suspenseful and spooky. I read mostly at night and there were a few times that I got up to close the blinds because I was just so creeped out by this story. This is my first time reading this author, but I plan on following more of Detective Vega’s adventures as they come out. I guessed the serial killer, so I took a star off for that, but then the ending just blew me away, so it earned the lost star back. If you’re a thriller fan, you’ll devour this one!

*Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Grace Harper is part of a group of amateur sleuths who work on cold cases. She is on the trail of the "Lovelorn Killer" who murdered 7 women twenty years ago, then went dark. People in Chicago think he may be dead, or in jail on some other charge, but Grace thinks he is still out there and that she can find him. She's right: she becomes victim #8. Assigned to investigate Grace's murder, detective Annalisa Vega recognizes the Lovelorn Killer's signature right away, especially since someone close to her was the 7th victim and that murder changed Anna's life. Can Anna figure out what Grace knew that got her killed and finally identify the killer? One of Joanna Schaffhausen's strengths as an author is character development, and this book is no exception. As Anna works the case, she also navigates being partnered with her ex-husband, dealing with her father's Parkinson's disease and her brother's alcoholism, and being reunited with the childhood sweetheart she lost 20 years ago. Fast-paced, hard to put down, just when you think you've figured things out, Schaffhausen throws in a twist or two to make you doubt yourself.

The first in a new mystery series by Joanna Schaffhausen featuring Chicago Homicide Detective, Annalisa Vega.

The plot: Twenty years ago, a serial killer stalked young women in Chicago. He was dubbed 'The Lovelorn Killer' because he would send a love letter addressed to each victim to one of the local newspapers after her murder. But he completely disappeared after his seventh victim and the cases remain unsolved.

Now a group of amateur detectives calling themselves The Grave Diggers has organized to try to solve cold cases. One member of the group, Grace Harper, is particularly interested in the Lovelorn Killer case and thinks she has found a clue the police missed twenty years ago. But before she can follow this up, she is found murdered in the same way as the Lovelorn's previous seven victims. Is it a copycat crime? Or has the killer made a return?

Interspersed amongst the current police investigation are sections from Grace's notebooks as she works with The Grave Diggers on cases. Through these, we can see what she is figuring out and how this information might have led to her death.

Both past and present cases are very intriguing but not too gory, with taut plotting and enough red herrings and clues sprinkled throughout to keep this veteran mystery reader guessing till the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the edge-of-your-seat action scenes and a couple clever plot twists at the end. And who doesn't love a book set in a big city they are familiar with? It makes a reader feel that much more involved in the story.

Annalisa is an interesting character, a little too headstrong at times, but clever, loyal and determined. Her family was intimately involved with the neighbor woman who was the last victim of the Lovelorn Killer. Her father was a CPD detective at the time, although not allowed to participate in the actual investigation. On the personal scene, two past loves are suddenly back in Anna's life, asking for forgiveness--which one will she pick?

I always enjoy this author's mysteries. This is a good place to start if you are interested in sampling her books. I'm looking forward to more in this series!

I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.

Ms Schaffhausen does it again. This new protagonist is addicting! I really enjoyed this first installment (hopefully) featuring a female cop from a Chicago neighborhood of cops including her father. The twists and turns, the surprise developments kept me reading when I should have been doing other things. I wish I could pick up another police procedural featuring Annalisa Vega and start reading now. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for this copy of #goneforgood to read and review.

I cannot rave about this book enough!!

Love love love Detective Vega. She is just so real to me.

This was the read I needed - fast paced, police prodedural, seriel killer madness!
What I loved (besides everything):
-Journal entries from one of the Lovelorn serrial killer's recent victim
-True crime serial killer name drops, making this read feel that more believable
-Plot, twists, characters, relationships

What I didn't like:
-That I had to adult and couldn't spend the entire day reading
-That it ended. But good news - Two more books are coming for this series and I am so ready for more!

I know I’m reading a good thriller when I’m not reading the book. I’m replaying the plot in my mind, analyzing and over-analyzing characters to try and get a step ahead.

I could not stop thinking about Gone For Good by Joanna Schaffhausen. Like the amateur sleuths in the book, I was trying to find every possible clue, eliminating potential suspects, and connecting the dots to solve this complicated mess.

There’s so much to unpack. The Lovelorn Killer cold case stalled unsolved for decades - so why did they start again? Many cop families are involved, both personally and professionally. Add in a social media group of amateur sleuths who get in way over their heads as they race to solve the case before the police. That’s plenty for Detective Annalisa Vega to handle, but throw her first love (and victim’s son) and her new partner (and ex-husband), and she’s dealing with more knots than the killer’s ties on his victims. Speaking of victims, guess which female detective is the next victim being stalked?

I couldn’t escape this book when I wasn’t reading it and kept trying to unravel the clues and settle on a suspect. Be prepared to uncover the killer, change your mind, and kick yourself at the end for how close you had been to solving it yourself. Schaffausen does a great job presenting the evidence while posing the right questions that keep the reader guessing. Most importantly, she crafts an ending that ties up loose ends and makes sense.

I can’t stop impatiently wondering when the next Annalisa Vega mystery will be published.