Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Minka Kent for letting me read “Gone Again” in exchange for an honest review.

Minka Kent, what shall I do with you. I enjoyed most of her books until “Unmissing”, which was just ridiculous. But I wouldn’t be me if I did not jump at the opportunity to read a book by one of my comfort to-go authors. So I snatched it up.

My initial thoughts at the beginning was alongside “meh” and “boring. But the story did pick up. I did not particularly like any of the characters but the story line kept me going.

Celia grows up in a household of a religiously fanatic family. The church goes over everything else. If any kind of not respectable behaviour is shown, the kids are punished with beatings, devotions and the hell shack. Also Reformation camp from hell was in her cards. Something happened when Celia was 14 years old, but that’s only revealed at the end and I had my suspicions about it from the start.

Celia can be called the rebellious type.
Celia leaves her family aged 18, with a 14 years older man who becomes her husband. The relationship seems perfect. Money, a doting husband and an abundance of friends. She even moves her younger sister to the same city, to help. Gen always felt guilty and also unloved by her sister. Being the good girl she is, she stuck with the rules of the parents.

After he fortieth birthday Celia disappears. She finds a card that says she does not deserve her life. She keeps on driving and ends up in New York and all were are left with us a scene of her attack.
Gen takes it onto herself to investigate as the husband dies not seem too worried.

What’s up with “adopted” sister Celeste?
Will the sisters be reunited?

I liked the concept of the story. I had no idea where this was going and how it ends up. It’s a shame that all the characters felt unlikable to me. Gen tries, but I felt no connection to her or any of them.
The ending was meh…. While “Unmissing” was over the top crazy, this was too tame for her usual style. The story was good right up until the end.

But…. Pepper pot soup? It sounded so good until I looked it up. Mistake. 🤢

I am a fan of the author, but not psychological thrillers. Still, I gave this a try and am glad I did, The disappearance of the main character and the subsequent search for her draws the reader into the story of her childhood and possible suspects in her disappearance. Overall -- this was a fast and interesting read.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I loved it! Fast paced, had me flipping the pages to know what would come next. Suspenseful in parts and I did not expect the ending. Highly recommend for thriller lovers.