A Chicago police procedural starring Detective Annalisa Vega. She and her partner and ex-husband Nick Carelli are called to the scene of the murder of a fellow police officer, Leo Hammond, in his home. Leo was part of a decorated group of officers called the Fantastic Four because of having had the biggest gang-related busts years ago involving lots of guns and drugs.

They start looking into who might have had it in for Leo and discover he'd had a very public fight with a murder suspect named Moe Bocks recently. Annalisa zeroes in on him and the cold murder case he was accused of committing years ago instead of concentrating on her current case, much to her boss's anger.

Annalisa is dogged in her pursuit to prove Moe guilty. She has a high moral sense of right and wrong, which has given her a certain reputation amongst her fellow officers and set her at odds with even her own family. But will it be a career buster?

This was a very intriguing mystery set on some home turf for me which is fun but I'm not sure I'm liking Annalisa as much this time around. She's definitely smart, brave and tenacious but maybe she needs to learn to be more of a team player and listen to cooler heads on occasion.

I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the
opinions expressed are my own.

I love this author and this series so I was absolutely thrilled to dive back in and reunite with the characters! This was twisty and fabulous! I loved the family dynamics, the character development, the drama, the perplexing case- I just loved the book! Returning to Vega is always a delight, I just love this bada## female detective. She’s equal parts fierce and soft, a completely complex and interesting character. I can’t wait to catch up with her in the next book!

LONG GONE is the second novel in the Detective Annalisa Vega series, set to publish on August 9, 2022. In my opinion this novel can very easily be read as a standalone. I read the first novel in the series, GONE FOR GOOD, last year and found it very easy to fall into the beat of the story regardless.

Detective Annalisa Vega turned her life upside down by turning in her ex-cop father for his role in a murder. Her family and her colleagues can't forgive her and, worst of all, they don't trust her. When a bizarre murder happens, taking the life of fellow Detective Leo Hammond, Annalisa must quickly unravel longstanding secrets to get to the bottom of it all.

Joanna Schaffhausen has quickly become an auto-buy author for me. I have easily devoured each book she has published to date... and this one is no different.

The plot and pacing of LONG GONE is very well done, allowing the reader to become immersed in the story very quickly. There is ample amounts of suspense and action to keep the reader engaged. There are two mysteries to be solved - a cold case from twenty years ago and the murder of detective Leo Hammond. I was able to figure out the murderer(s) of one case but was not quick-witted enough to put together the pieces of the second before it was revealed!

Annalisa is a well-developed main character, who we have seen grow over the first and second novels. She has a tendency of backing herself into sticky situations, but finds a way to come out on top. Annalisa has maintained a personal and professional relationship with her ex-husband, Nick Carrelli. I loved the interactions and dynamic between these two and am excited to see where the next book will take them.

All in all, I am excited for book #3 to come to fruition so I can continue along in Annalisa's footsteps!

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.</i>

This was another great book in this series. When Vega gets a bone about something she does not let up until she uncovers the whole truth. As Vega finds one secret to reveal two more pop up. Though in her personal life she goes off track and wants someone she can never have. The main focus of this book is the death of a detective and all his secrets that him and his three buddies hide. As one secret is revealed a past one will come to light that makes Vega want to protect her best friend but at what cost to that relationship. Have fun trying to figure out all the secrets and hope Vega can see through her personal life.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books and Dreamscape Media for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the second book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series by Joanna Schaffhausen, audiobook perfectly narrated by Kelsey Navarro - 4.5 stars!

Detective Vega is trying to get her life back after turning in her ex-cop father for a murder. She is at odds with her family and her coworkers don't trust her. When fellow detective Leo Hammond turns up dead, she has nothing to lose by looking into his death and his past. Annalisa thinks that Mo Bocks, a suspect in a cold case, may have something to do with it. Mo is also dating Annalisa's best friend, so no one is happy with her investigations. But there may be more than hard feelings coming Annalisa's way.

I loved falling back into the Chicago PD detective squad world with Annalisa and her partner and ex-husband, Nick. While you should definitely read the first in this series, the author gives plenty of back story to catch you up if you read it as a stand alone. This one is a bit complicated, with multiple investigations going on, including old cases, but it's another great police procedural and mystery. Annalisa is a wonderful character, always following her strong moral compass. I alternated between the audio, which was narrated so well, and the digital book because I needed to know how it was all going to end! Can't wait for more books in this series!

Detective Annalisa Vega is back and once again, making up her own rules.
She was the "hero" in book one, but at what cost, with her brother in jail and dad on house arrest?

In this book, she and her partner/ex, Nick, are on the case of a murdered police officer, Leo Hammond. With there being some obvious shady elements to this decorated cop's past, you'd think Annalisa would have her hands full trying to solve this case. But her focus is split, with a good amount of time spent on an unsolved murder that was previously handled by Leo.

I admire that Annalisa wanted justice to be served all around, but her methods were reckless, putting her in harm's way multiple times and putting her job in jeopardy. Even after being reprimanded by her Commander, she continued to make bad decisions time and time again, which was maddening.

Although Annalisa frustrated me as a main character, the mystery of the two crimes was interesting and I did like how she put the pieces together to figure out who was guilty in both cases. I personally didn't figure it out, but once the clues were revealed, it all made sense.

After two books, it is clear that Annalisa is a "good" cop, committed to catching the bad guys, no matter who they may be. But the definition of good gets muddled by her actions and lack of following orders. Does she make the streets safer? Yes. Does she cause her Commander heartburn due to her reckless nature? Also, yes. So, you take the good with the bad.

Overall, a fast paced and intriguing installment.

Can she solve this bizarre murder while trying to piece her life back together?
Chicago detective Annalisa Vega's life has been shattered. Her family can't forgive her and her fellow officers don't trust her, all because she turned her ex-cop father in for his role in a murder. When detective Leo Hammond is murdered, Annalisa has no problem investigating what secrets he kept hidden behind his badge. What else could she possibly lose? Annalisa's prime suspect, Moe Bocks, has gotten away with murder once and she isn't about to let that happen again. Can she save her best friend from the same fate as Bocks' previous girlfriend? Annalisa is desperate to protect her best friend and make Bocks pay for his crimes, but no one else believes the connection. She is willing to take whatever risks necessary to unravel the truth. Both men had secrets they would prefer stay hidden, can Annalisa bring them all to light? Or will she be picked off next?
I couldn't get enough of this long-awaited installment of the Annalisa Vega series! I barely put this book down, longing for answers alongside Vega. Annalisa continues to amaze me with her impressive detective skills. I loved getting more of her and Nick's story, along with seeing more of the drama within her family. I listened to the audiobook along with reading the e-book. The narrator, Kelsey Navarro, did a great job giving each character their own voice. I especially loved how she narrated the moments when Annalisa was working through her thoughts and trying to crack the case. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves thrillers!
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and Edelweiss+. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I really enjoyed the first book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series (Gone For Good), so I was excited to see a second book in the series. I was not disappointed! Vega is a strong main character with a lot of baggage. She is a detective in Chicago and because of something she did (read about it in the first book!), many police officers treat her like she’s the enemy. And there are plenty of bad cops in this story (so many that I was getting them confused). She’s also got a strained relationship with her family, and her ex-husband (Nick), who is also a detective, is currently her partner, leading to some interesting situations. She’s headstrong and sometimes goes off on her own to chase down a lead, often putting herself in danger. I love the character of her boss (another female cop), who will not put up with any nonsense,

There’s a lot going on in this book! She and Nick are called out to a murder scene, and the murdered person turns out to be a fellow police officer. Then her sister-in-law (former sister-in-law, anyway) is dating someone who was the main suspect in an unsolved murder 20 years before, one that Annalisa and Nick are now looking into, even though it’s not their case. Are these two cases connected? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

I strongly recommend you read the first book in the series before reading this one, because - while the author provides plenty of background info for the reader - if you read this one first, it’ll provide too many spoilers for you to enjoy the first one.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The audiobook is narrated beautifully by Kelsey Navarro.

Thank you to Dreamscape Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Having read and loved Gone for Good (Detective Annalisa Vega #1) last year, I was SO excited to get this second book. Although it had been quite a while since I read the first book in the series, Schauffhausen made it easy to get right back into that world. A few pages in, and I already remembered most of the book that I loved so much.

I still loved Annalisa Vega and her strange family dynamic. I think her personality showed through in this sophomore novel, which was both a pro and con. She is so determined to get her guy that she ends up doing some really stupid things.

Some of what happened seemed more like amateur sleuthing rather than detective work, but it was very interesting and I kept wanting more.

I was intrigued by the whole “Frogman” story because I watched a Dateline episode recently about a similar story that happened in California, I believe. I wanted to see how this one would end!

The romance dynamic between Annalisa, Nick (and Colin) was just enough. Sometimes, authors like to turn books into romance novels, and this one just touches the surface of these relationships, which I find to be the perfect amount in a detective series.

I am seeing a pattern with Detective Vega (I won’t spoil it for you). I am excited to see what the next novel brings!!

An intriguing police procedural featuring Annalisa Vega, Joanna Schaffhausen's new heroine. While I like this series, I don't quite like it as much as the Ellery Hathaway series. For some reason Annalisa doesn't quite pull me in. Everything that happened to her dad, brother and her best friend's mother and their family in the first novel really got me, but this time around, there was none of that. While I liked her and Nick, I didn't like them enough. The rest of the storyline here involving the detective who was murdered left something to be desired.

Thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the arc.

Joanna Schaffhausen returns following Gone for Good with her popular cop procedural and #2 Detective Annalisa Vega series set in Chicago with another gripping suspense mystery—LONG GONE.

Fans of kick-ass female investigators will be well satisfied.

Vega's career and family life were deeply affected when she turned in her ex-cop father for his role in a murder in the last book. She's estranged from her family, and many of her fellow officers don't trust her.

However, she is tenacious and unstoppable and often pushes away those she loves when obsessed with justice.

We also get more Nick, her ex-husband, and partner. Love their witty banter and am a huge fan!

When a police officer is shot in his bed with his young wife present (the killer was dressed in a wet suit), with numerous suspects —it is the beginning of the unraveling of an earlier incident, exposure of corruption, and more murders.

Nick and Annalisa are called to the scene. Their investigation reveals multiple suspects, including the prime suspect in a 20-year-old murder that resonates with Vega in more ways than one, and she soon finds herself trying to solve both cases.

Leo, the police officer shot, was a member of the (Fantastic Four) four officers known for solving numerous crimes, drug busts, etc., with many complaints and controversy.

Moe (now a suspect-car dealer) and also suspect in an earlier woman's murder, against whom there was not enough evidence to convict—but this leads Annalisa to revisit the case when warned to stay out of it. Her best friend/former sister-in-law is now dating him, so she has skin in the game.

The other cops aren't happy she is digging around in their old cases. Can she solve the cases before more dead bodies pile up?

The second book in the series did not disappoint! You can read it as a standalone; however, you may want to go back and read the first in the series to learn the background.

I enjoy Detective Annalisa Vega's character. She is intelligent, quick on her feet, and takes no crap from anyone. Yes, she is flawed and goes out on her own— without backup and is impulsive sometimes, but she has excellent instincts.

She is involved in complex personal relationships, family secrets, and a romantic relationship with her ex-husband, Nick, and her partner. I like how the author keeps her human, integrating her life's personal and business side.

This series is fast-paced, intricately plotted, and character-driven. Full of tension, action, and suspense. Fans of Lisa Gardner will enjoy this series, and I cannot wait to see what comes next for Detective Annalisa Vega!

I had the pleasure of reading the digital copy and listening to the audiobook narrated by Kelsey Navarro for a highly entertaining listening experience.

A special thank you to #StMartinsPress #Minotaur Books #Netgalley #DreamscapeMedia for an audio (ALC) and e-book (DRC) to read, listen to, enjoy, and review. #SMPInfluencers #MinotaurInfluencers

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Pub Date: Aug 9, 2022
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Aug 2022 Must-Read Books

Chicago detective Annalisa Vega has had a rough go of it after she turned in her ex-cop father for his involvement in a murder. She has lost the trust of those in her life. With nothing left to lose, Annalisa decides to investigate the murder of detective Leo Hammond. But wait, her partner, Nick, is her ex-husband. Yeah, that makes things interesting!

There is a lot going on in the book and quite a few characters. There are those in this book who will do anything to protect their secrets and they do not want her sniffing around.

There is a boy’s club here and crossing that blue line, does not make Annalisa very popular. But she is strong and determined. She is not going to let anyone get in her way of solving the case, even if it means throwing caution to the wind. She doesn't give a hoot if she steps on some toes or hurts some feelings in the pursuit of justice.

This is the second book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series. This book would easily work as a stand-alone but as it is book #2, one could easily go back and read Gone for Good prior to using this book. I like how Schaffhausen has used "gone" in both book titles. I wonder if "gone" will be in book three?

I found this book to be well written and riveting. I had both the e-book and the audiobook and found both to be enjoyable. The narrator of the audiobook did a very good job. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Annalisa and Nick in future books.

#LongGone #NetGalley

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Dreamscape Media, 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 provides readers with a police procedural full of danger, suspense, and grit in Long Gone , the second book in the Detective Annalisa Vega series set in Chicago, Illinois. Vega’s career and family life were deeply affected when she turned in her ex-cop father for his role in a murder. She’s ostracized from her family and many of her fellow officers don’t trust her. When Detective Leo Hammond turns up dead, Annalisa decides to investigate whatever secrets he had. After all, she thinks she has nothing left to lose. When she finds a connection to someone who was perceived to have gotten away with murder, she pursues both the current murder and the cold case relentlessly.

Annalisa is someone that people will root for and hope she succeeds or someone that readers will dislike. She has a strong sense of right versus wrong, as well as courage, resolve, and strength of character. However, she also takes risky chances. Crossing the blue line has resulted in a loneliness that makes her feel she has nothing left to lose. Detective Nick Carelli is her partner and ex-husband. There is a fun dynamic between them, and I look forward to seeing how it evolves during the series.

This book has a solid and deeply involved plot with great character depth. The plot is twisty, with exciting scenes that captivated me. The novel highlights family, friends, corruption, jealousy, and much more. The author is a great storyteller who kept me on the edge of my seat as I rapidly turned the pages. There are multiple believable suspects with realistic motives. Will you guess correctly?
Overall, this was a tense, emotional, and suspenseful novel that kept me engaged throughout. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Joanna Schaffhausen provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for August 9, 2022.

The Detective Annalisa Vega series might just be my new police procedural!! I did not want to put this down.
This author weaves this story so well, giving us just enough to keep us reading. The chemistry between Nick and Annalisa was great- I cannot wait to read what comes next for them.
Joanna Schaffhausen, consider me a new loyal reader!

Thanks to St.Martins Press, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and review!

This is book two of the series. This is a mystery/procedural novel. The main character is Annalisa Vega. Annalisa is a talented detective, with messy personal and family relationships. She is very dedicated and intuitive, but has a tendency to go rogue.

In my opinion this book has a few flaws 1) The tenacious rogue cop with a messy personal life is somewhat cliched 2) the plot meanders somewhat, so the readers attention tends to wander.

Overall, I would say that this book is good, but not great.

Long Gone Joanna Schaffhausen August 9, 2022

This is the second in the detective Annalisa Vega series. I think it works as a standalone, as Schaffhausen fells in a lot of background information.

Annalisa’s life is complicated. Her persistence in an earlier case resulted in the arrest of her brother and her police officer father, putting her on the outs with many others in the department. Her ex husband is her partner.

When a hot shot police officer is shot in his bed with his young wife present, it is the beginning of the unraveling of an earlier incident, exposure of corruption, and more murders. Add to that Annalisa’s determination to solve another cold case and we are off on a fast paced, intricately plotted police procedural.

I enjoy Schaffhausen’s writing (see also her Ellery Hathaway books). With strong character development, Annalisa is an intelligent young woman whose doggedness is her worst enemy. I look forward to the next in the series.

Thanks to #netgalley and #minotaurbooks for the DRC.

I read Gone for Good last fall and was blown away by how much I loved it. I’m mostly a fantasy and romance reader, so cracking open a procedural detective series is not normal for me. Nonetheless, I got wrapped up in the mystery and thrill behind Detective Vega’s job with the Chicago PD and couldn’t wait to get my hands on Long Gone - shoutout to @minotaur_books and @netgalley for the ARC.

Long Gone finds Detective Vega in the middle of a homicide investigation - one involving a killer who is targeting a group of cops connected to a cold case from 20 years ago. And because Vega hasn’t had enough experience with dirty cops, she finds herself battling some old school detectives who don’t play nice.

Similar to Gone for Good, this was a fast-paced, entertaining read that leads you around all sorts of twists and turns. Schaffhausen sprinkles in plenty of surprises and I was blown away by the final reveal - I definitely didn’t see it coming.

I’m hoping we get a lot more of Detective Vega because I need to see how everything with Nick and Colin plays out. I’m firmly on Team Nick!

Check this one out when it releases on August 9th!

My thanks to Joanna Schauffhausen, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley.
I really just love this series, and the people.
This is my second Analisa book and she is fan freaking tastic. I'll be honest with you and state that I'm not even sure why I love this gal! But, I do. Her backstory is heartbreaking, but also something that I understand. I get her.
Yep. I often try to minimize my authors.
Joanna has pretty much said to me "watch me!"
Believe me.. I'm watching 👀,

Joanna Schaffhausen's portrayal of Detective Annalisa Vega is at her best in Long Gone. The book is fast paced and hard to put down.

Detective Vega is at it again! Once again, she’s determined to solve crimes….no matter who the perpetrator is! This was a good detective story. It is helpful to read the first in the series to follow all of the storylines. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. The opinions expressed are all my own!