What a book!! I've read Fisher's work before with Colleen Hoover in Never Never so I was definitely excited to be reading something else from her. This thriller about a missing twin follows Iris who is obsessed with finding out what really happened to her sister. It goes back and forth between past and present tense, and definitely had me on the edge of my seat and wanting to read more and more. I could not put it down! It kept me guessing until the very end and I loved how twisty it was. Definitely enjoyed this read and I look forward to reading more from Tarryn Fisher!

I did not love or hate this book. Last 20% was great.

Kidnapped twin sister and no body believes her. Sounds like a good story in the making.

But I just got lost and confused in the back and forth timelines

Thank you for the ARC copy!

I have enjoyed Tarryn’s other books, however, this one missed the mark for me. It was hard to follow at times with all the characters and completely unrealistic.

I enjoy Tarryn Fisher’s writing style so that’s what pushed me through.

The story begins with 15yr old Iris calling 911 to report the kidnapping of her twin sister Piper. The police are skeptical of her story from the get-go and fail to properly investigate the disappearance. Fast forward 9 years and Iris, still looking for answers, decides to take matters into her own hand. Her investigation leads her to take an internship at Shoal Island Hospital, a hospital for the criminally insane, where she hopes to finally find out what really happened to her sister.

This is my first book by Tarryn Fisher so I had no expectations about the author or her writing style. The story goes back and forth between Iris' past and present. While I liked the different timelines, sometimes things were not always clear or seem to happen out of order. I also liked learning about Iris' character, but it would've been great to learn more about some of the other characters. I would've also liked to see at least a chapter, maybe at the end, from Piper's POV. Overall, I liked the story but the big reveal at the end, while unexpected, seemed rushed and in parts unbelievable.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes; opinions expressed are honest and mine alone.

Dual timelines that really weren’t necessary only added to the lack of suspense in GOOD HALF GONE, by Tarryn Fisher.

When the book began, I had great hopes of a fast paced thriller but unfortunately, the story gets bogged down and sidetracked with what turns out to be useless paths. These are bulk builders and add nothing salient to the story; sigh…

Fisher does create a main character that many will want to root for. She faces the stereotypical challenges associated with those living in poverty, especially as pertaining to accessing help from police and other government agencies. It’s a long road of struggle but there are victories and advancement as this small family seeks answers and justice for the missing twin.

At approximately the 60% point, the dual timeline ceases. This is also the point where I was sure my hunch was correct about who did what to whom. That left a bunch of pages to get thru without much reason other than the hope of an unexpected twist…nope.

Other than the main character, there’s very little development of the others. I wanted to know Gran better and needed to know much more about the female detective, Poley. Building up these two characters would have allowed for greater depth to the psychological aspects of the story, which I found lacking.

Setting and atmosphere are both very good. I’ve spent a good deal of time in the area where this story takes place and could feel the damp and cold and smell the evergreens with that ever present hint of mould in the background. It’s a unique place to live and experience and Fisher does a good job with the descriptive prose.

The publisher blurb is minimal, with regard to content, so I will mention potential triggers: trafficking, sexual abuse, drug & alcohol abuse, child abuse, abduction. None of this is accompanied by graphic descriptions. Violence level is 4/10 as is the language which does include f-bombs and assorted other soft expletives, not in a gratuitous manner.

Best suited for readers of dark stories that explore the human condition and unfold slowly with a few twists and moderate adventure📚

Read and Reviewed from a PW Grab A Galley eARC via NetGalley, with thanks

Thank you to Tarryn Fisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

Good Half Gone:
Iris Walsh saw her twin sister, Piper, get kidnapped—so why does no one believe her?

Iris narrowly escaped her pretty, popular twin sister’s fate as a teen: kidnapped, trafficked and long gone before the cops agreed to investigate. With no evidence to go on but a few scattered memories, the case quickly goes cold.

Now an adult, Iris wants one thing—proof. And if the police still won’t help, she’ll just have to find it her own way; by interning at the isolated Shoal Island Hospital for the criminally insane, where secrets lurk in the shadows and are kept under lock and key. But Iris soon realizes that something even more sinister is simmering beneath the surface of the Shoal, and that the patients aren’t the only ones being observed…can we say, OMINOUS?!

The story unpacks slowly as we get to know Iris, her kidnapped twin sister Piper, and their grandmother. We get past and present points of view and I found myself liking the present best. Iris is desperate for answers about her sister and will stop at nothing to get the answers and proof she needs, but at what expense. Nothing is what it seems and had I been paying more attention, I possibly could have picked up on little clues the author left along the way. The ending was like, WTH did I just read. I definitely did not predict the ending correctly. This is an edge of your seat kind of thriller that will keep you guessing til the end.

This is a psychological thriller that is engaging and so twisted that I thought my mind was never going to be straight again! Iris’s sister Piper is kidnapped from a movie theater. Iris sees Piper taken but no one will believe her since Piper is not a young child. The police think that Piper just ran away, but Iris saw two men hustle her into a vehicle. This is the story of Iris trying to find her sister and seeking revenge against those who took her. There are so many layers to the plot that just when I thought the surprises were all done, there was another one that was even more convoluted and added more depth to the story. I thought that the story started a little slow, like a bicycle on a gravel path. Then, it speeded up like a car on an interstate out west where there are no speed limits. Ultimately, the pace was like a rocket ship that took off and was not going to be stopped until the destination was reached. The finale was absolutely mind-blowing and left me gasping and saying, “What just happened?” There were some totally unexpected twists at the end that I don’t think any reader will see coming. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, but I wasn’t totally sure whether Iris was a reliable narrator or not. She was so obsessed with her sister’s disappearance that I wasn’t sure she was telling the story accurately or putting her spin on. It. Regardless, the characters were relatable and evoked sympathy from me, especially for Iris’s long suffering grandmother who encouraged her to find the perpetrators and find closure. This novel had me completely stymied at times, rooting for Iris to find the truth and wondering what in the world was going to happen next. Perfect psych thriller! The four stars are because of the slower start, but I did enjoy the book and sped through the last half.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Another page turner from Fisher. Iris has never been able to convince the police that her twin Piper was kidnapped so now she's determined that she'll get the truth by working at the hospital for the criminally insane where she thinks the villain is held. She's worked hard to get where she is but she'll give it all up for answers. Well, what she finds is twisty and nasty. And she should not be as trusting as she is of certain people. No spoilers from me but know that this has some twists you might see coming and others you won't. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Perfect for travel.

Iris and Piper are twin sisters. Iris witnesses Piper’s kidnapping and calls 911. The police swear she is a runaway but Iris and Gran know she was kidnapped. Iris spends her life investigating her sisters disappearance. Which lands her an intern job on an island for the criminally insane. She thinks she has tracked down Pipers killer but things unfold on the island and you must read to find out what happens.

I usually enjoy Tarryn's books but I found this one lacked in substance and times I felt this book dragged on. I also did not find I connected with the characters or cared what would happen with them.

Imagine this: You are 15 years old and you watch your twin sister get abducted right before your very eyes. But…when you try to get help…NO ONE BELIEVES YOU! I am a big fan of this author ((An Honest Lie, The Wrong Family, The Wives) and flew through this one! Pick it up if you are looking for a bingeable read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Iris is now an adult and continues to search for answers surrounding her sister’s disappearance. Is it possible she ran away as the police suggested all those years ago or was she the victim of something more sinister? Trafficking or even murder? Fluctuating between past and present, Iris’ quest eventually leads her to a mental institution on Shoal Island, where she believes the man who was the last person to see her is being held in solitary confinement. As she searches for answers, she begins to fall for the infamous Dr. Grayson and that is when everything begins to unravel. Will she finally have the closure she is so desperately seeking or will she end up missing like her sister?

I wish there was a little bit more development with the security guard, George and the security officer that was roaming outside to give the reader more of a hint as to what was going on behind closed doors at the institution. Overall, another solid read by Taryn Fisher!

A twisty, turny, thriller!

This story follows Iris, who lost her sister when they were 15 to a couple of boys at a movie theater. Iris never sees her sister again and makes it her life mission to figure out what happened to her.

This leads her to getting a job at a criminally insane asylum on an island, as she believes she has a lead there.

Even she is shocked by the end.

I really liked following Iris’ story and all of the clues she puts together to find her sister. In the end, it’s anything but what you might expect.

Well written, and thoroughly enjoyed!

I absolutely loved this book!! Jept me guessing the whole time and did not see that ending coming!!! Another 5 star read from Fisher! Love everything she does!!

🥰Thank you so much to @librofm for the gifted audiobook and to @htp_hive @htpbooks for the ARC!

📖Title: Good Half Gone
✍️Author: Tarryn Fisher
📆Pub date: March 19, 2024

🏝️As soon as I saw one of the marketers for this book compare it to Shutter Island, I knew I needed to read it immediately!!

😱This book was fun and mysterious and definitely creepy at times! This was my first Tarryn Fisher, but it won’t be my last!

⌚Switching between present day and the past, we watch as Iris will stop at nothing to discover the truth about her twin sister Piper’s mysterious disappearance.

🏝️And yes, stopping at nothing may also include sneaking into an island reserved for the criminally insane. Need I say more?

🌀The twist DEFINITELY surprised me! I listened to this audiobook basically straight through because I couldn’t stop!

🎧The narration was done by Tara Sands and she was so easy to listen to and really helped the story come alive for me! I definitely recommend the audio version for this one if you can!

Iris Walsh desperately wants to know what happened to her twin sister when she was abducted at age fifteen, She will stop at nothing to find out the truth. When she begins an internship at Shoal Island, a hospital for the criminally insane in Washington State, the story begins to pick up in pace and with lots of twists and turns. Iris is trying to get close to a patient at the hospital who she suspects has something to do with her sister Piper's disappearance. While at the hospital, Iris has to become close to Dr. Leo Grayson in order to gain access and opportunity to the man she suspects. She begins to have feelings for Dr. Grayson which cloud her judgment and put her at risk. Iris is raising a young son and living with her grandmother, but she will risk everything to find out what happened the day she and her sister went to the movies and her sister was dragged into a car never to be seen again. There were many surprises and twists to Tarryn Fisher's latest novel. I have read most of the author's previous works. While this one was not my favorite, it was suspenseful and worth the read. Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for the ARC!

My favourite Tarryn Fisher book by far!

Looking for a book you can fly through in a day? This is it! I absolutely devoured this and think it’s the perfect read for any thriller lover. It follows a women trying to find out what happened to her twin sister when she was kidnapped years before. I loved the setting, think isolated island that houses an ominous psychiatric facility. I really enjoyed how this has a popcorn thriller vibe but with way more heart. I also really appreciated how the author handled the topic of mental illness. Highly recommend!

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐈𝐟…
✨you love creepy settings
✨you enjoy numerous twists
✨you’re looking for a binge-able read

🫶🏻thank you so much Graydon House Books & Harlequin Books & NetGalley for this ARC!
🚨pub date: March 19/24

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I was hooked on this one from the beginning! The vibes were creepy and the storyline was super intriguing with short chapters that kept me turning the pages! I read this one in just a few hours and was constantly trying to figure out what was going on! I did not guess the ending twist, but I also didn’t love it and didn’t think it made a lot of sense. It was honestly a pretty great read up until the ending for me, so if you are a thriller lover, you might really like this one!

Since she started venturing into thrillers, Tarryn Fisher has become more hit or miss for me (I miss her romance era...) but I still will read everything she writes! Unfortunately, Good Half Gone was not my favorite of hers - with confusing timelines and too much going on, this had a lot of potential but ultimately fell flat for me.

Thank you to HTP books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Tarryn's books always keep me on my toes, and this one is no different! She did a great job with characterization, settings, and drama! This was a quick read for me because I couldn't put it down! Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

A unique and bingeable story. I found myself very intrigued by this book and on the edge of my seat for the first half. At about 50% + I was able to predict most of what was happening. Despite being predictable, I thoroughly enjoyed this quick and thrilling read.