Member Reviews
Annalise Vega has dropped her gig as a police officer and turned in her badge for a PI license. That’s not the only thing that’s changed. But for all the changes, much remains the same. She has her husband and some family drama to deal with while on the hunt for a sociopath. Thanks to NetGalley for this entertaining read!
Of what benefit to society do psychopaths or sociopaths serve? Well, Mara Delaney has authored a book titled The Good Sociopath. Mara hires private investigation Annalisa Vega, and from the start, their relationship has a disconnect, because Annalisa believes that Mara’s theories are unfounded.
To begin with, Mara is not there to convince Annalisa of her theories. Instead, she wants Annalisa to investigate a neurosurgeon named Craig Canning. Dr. Canning may be a successful neurosurgeon, but completely lacks empathy for his patients. Now, a young woman that lived in his apartment building is dead, and her body was found by a neighbor named Ruth. Mara suspects Dr. Canning was responsible, and that is the reason for her hiring Annalisa.
There’s a twis! Maybe Dr. Canning wanted the young woman dead, but then, as Annalisa soon finds out, there were others who might have wanted it as well. Honestly, while reading this book, I felt like Annalisa’s reticence and unease were right there on the page. As a big fan of this series, I was right there with Annalisa as she faced huge challenges while trying to get justice, all while showing off her amazing skills. I can’t wait for the fifth book in the series, Gone for the Night, which comes out next August!
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books as well as NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
This author writes so incredibly good!!! It was full of suspense and mystery! This follows a disappearance vibe and it definitely has weird dark twists in this book that keeps you guessing.
Some of the things were predictable but the pace was so quick and I don't mind a little predictability when you have the twists and turns in a book, which this author delivers.
I will read more by this author.
Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.
BOOK REVIEW: All The Way Gone by Joanna Schaffhausen
Series: Detective Annalisa Vega | Book 4
2024 Publication Date: August 13
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Thriller
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2024
Pages: 343
Genre: Thriller
Sub-Genre: Detective Series | Women Sleuths
Time Period: Contemporary
Location: Chicago (US)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books
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All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read
♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.
All the Way Gone by Joanna Schaffhausen is a terrific, smart thriller by this masterful author! In this fourth book in the series, Annalisa Vega has left the Chicago P.D. and is now an independent private investigator.
Annalisa is hired by a local psychology professor and author who is ready to publish a book, “The Good Sociopath,” and finds herself caught up in the debate of sociopath vs. psychopath, and their associated behaviors. A wealthy young woman falls to her death off a balcony—is her charismatic neighbor, neurosurgeon Craig Canning, culpable? Is he a sociopath, or worse?
The investigation has great detail and drama. Annalisa is a strong, smart female character, but her past personal experience with a sociopath makes this case feel darker and more personally dangerous. Her complicated home life adds even more humanity and depth to her character. The rest of the cast is well-developed and resonate with the readers. The prose is lovely, descriptive and evocative of place and atmosphere.
I highly recommend this novel to readers who look for thrillers and investigative procedurals that are complex, with deep psychological suspense and rich character development.
*This book can be read as a stand-alone, although the characters will be even more interesting if the reader starts with book one of the series.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the DRC. This is my honest review.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for the digital copy to review.
Annalisa Vega is back! This time she is a PI, and her first case is a doozy. Her first client has written a book on good sociopaths, but the main character might now be not so good and linked to the murder of a young woman. Vega needs to investigate and uncover the truth before the book comes out and it is not proving easy as it seems, given several people potentially wanted this woman dead. Some think it was an accident, and our good sociopath is charming as can be of course.
My goodness I have missed Vega and I really enjoyed this story. It was clever, well done, and kept me doubting myself in how I thought it would end. I really enjoyed this one and note it absolutely can be read as a standalone. However, I definitely recommend this series, Vega is one of my favorite female protagonists who happens to be in one of my favorite series so why would you not read it? Just saying.
I hadn’t read any of the books in the series before but this peaked my interest in the sociology part of humans. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was t able to guess the ending which is a huge plus for me!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of All the Way Gone by Joanna Schaffhausen. This thriller is packed with suspense and tension, keeping me hooked from the first page. The story follows a complex investigation into a chilling disappearance, and Schaffhausen expertly weaves in dark twists that kept me guessing. While the premise is strong and the pacing quick, some plot twists were a bit predictable, and I wished for more depth in the supporting characters. However, the main character is compelling, and the book's tightly woven suspense makes it a solid, engaging read. Fans of crime thrillers will find plenty to enjoy in All the Way Gone.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it.
Though part of a series, this book works seamlessly as a standalone. Annalisa Vegan, a retired cop turned PI, tackles two cases that let her put her detective skills and old connections to good use. It’s a fast-paced, twisty thriller that kept me gripped from start to finish.
The characters were so compelling that I’m excited to dive into the first three books of the series!
I was so excited to dive back in to the world of Detective Annalisa Vega and this book did not disappoint. While it wasn’t my favorite in the series I still enjoyed it from beginning to end. The writing is easy and quick to read, the storyline was solid and the mystery was fun to follow. I wasn’t a big fan of the parts with Annalisa and her husband but it wasn’t enough to make me not recommend the book. Definitely give this one a read if you’re in the mood for a detective mystery.
Annalisa Vega is a very fun protagonist and the book was awesome. the discussion of sociopathy was definitely fun. at times i did find it a bit slow, but mostly great
This was one of the most original plots I have read in a long time, so I was very impressed from the start! All The Way Gone is about Annalisa Vega, a former police officer starting a PI business. Her first client is a professor, Mara, that has written a book about "good sociopaths" and wants Vega to investigate the subject of her book, Dr. Canning. This plot was fascinating, and while I did love the second plot line about Vega's stepdaughters friend’s case, I was much more interested in the plot involving Dr. Canning. I would absolutely recommend this book, especially to people who read a lot of mysteries because it was so unique.
I really enjoyed this book. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I definitely plan to read the other books in the series.
I felt like the author did a lot of research for this book since she was talking about sociopathy so much. I think the details really added to the story.
I liked the mystery a lot. I found myself so devoted to the case and what the outcome would be. I’ve developed an attachment to the characters and I can’t wait to see what happens to them next.
Without having read the first three books, there may have been some things I missed. However, I still enjoyed this book. Well written and kept my attention.
**A Sequel That Struggles to Live Up to the First**
All the Way Gone by Joanna Schaffhausen is a decent follow-up, but it doesn’t quite capture the suspense and character depth of its predecessor. The plot felt forced at times, and some twists seemed more contrived than genuinely surprising. While the writing is still solid and there are moments of tension, the overall story lacks the gripping quality that made the first book so compelling.
Fans of the series might enjoy revisiting familiar characters, but this sequel doesn’t fully deliver on expectations. **Three stars.**
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
In the fourth installment of the series, Annalisa has taken over a private investigator office and her first client is a professor who wants the doctor who's the focus of her soon-to-be released book to be looked into. Mara Delaney is sure that Dr. Canning is a good sociopath, the title of her book, but when a woman in his building falls to her death, Mara thinks maybe he's not so good after all.
During Annalisa's investigation, everything points to Canning, but he was at the hospital in surgery when it happened. How could that possibly be? When things start happening to Mara and Annalisa, and it seems that Canning is two steps ahead at every turn, Annalisa starts second-guessing herself.
Cassidy, Annalisa's stepdaughter, has decided she wants to be Anna's assistant at the PI office. After asking Anna to look for her friend Naomi's mom, and Anna doesn't take it on, Cassidy does it herself. Her investigation instincts are good, but not good enough to keep her out of trouble.
There were definite twists in this one, and although I wouldn't say it was a thriller or even very suspenseful, it was a really good mystery with a turn around every corner. The stories between the characters were well-developed and moved the plot along. The characters were fully fleshed out, and had their own voices and personalities.
All in all, I think this is a good addition to the series. I haven't read the first three books, but if they're like this one, then I'm sure they're worth the read. If you like a female cop/private investigator with real-world issues and a twisty pyschological mystery, then this is for you.
Thank you to @Minotaur_Books and @NetGalley for a digital copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.
I loved the previous 3 books in this series and was excited to read the next. It did not disappoint. I think it's Joanna Schaffhausen's writing that I enjoy. The way she writes a mystery that feels like more than just a typical detective-solves-the-case type book. Her characters seem to come to life and a movie plays in my head. Will there be a 5th book to this series???
Can a sociopath be good? That’s the question that Mara Delaney wants newly minted PI Annalisa Vega to figure out. Mara wrote a book all about one particular “good sociopath,” but now that there’s been a murder in his building, Mara has to make sure he didn’t do it. Annalisa is happy to have this be her first case in her new role, but she’s also trying to figure her new family dynamic with her husband Nick and his daughter Cassidy. While this story has a lot of moving parts and several perspectives, all of the pieces fit together well, and the story was engaging. While previous books in the series storylines’ were alluded to, this could also be read as a standalone. The psychological aspects were intriguing, and the mysteries, yes plural, will keep readers turning the pages. It did wrap up a little abruptly after so much buildup, but the ending was not predictable at all. The last book in the Annalisa Vega series was underwhelming, but this book revived the series and had the potential to even bring in new readers.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#AllTheWayGone: 🚔🔎💨
Thank you @minotaur_books for my gifted copy!
Holy sociopath Batman! Also, I couldn’t stop singing “on the way down” very Ryan Cabrera like. What makes me laugh is that I told my husband there’s a new Annalisa Vega series and the title and he immediately asked about Ryan Cabrera. That’s why we’re married.
Ok but honestly, holy sociopaths. They’re everywhere! The fourth installment of the series was such a good wild ride. I didn’t know who to trust, why to trust, and how downright evil it would get. We got more info on Cassidy and I loved it. She had me worried like she was my child today!
It was very cat and mouse and really begged the question, “can there be a good sociopath?” It was very tender (if that makes sense) with Nick navigating fatherhood and Annalisa’s life beyond the force.
Out now, definitely read the series in order. They’re so good!
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