I have only read one other book by this author, but after reading Long Time Gone, I will be searching for more! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity to read an early copy.
I read this book in one sitting because it was so good! I love when books use multiple timelines and this was done so well with this story, that I couldn't put it down. It was fast paced. I enjoyed everything about the plot and the characters. I found the ending to be twisty and satisfying.

First I want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC! What can I say about this book, other than I loved it! Charlie Donlea has become one of my favorite authors! I finished this book in less than a day. Donlea’s storytelling through dual timelines seamlessly come together to tell what happened to a family missing for nearly 30 years.

Sloan Hastings, a fellow at OCME in Raleigh has been tasked with researching forensic genealogy. To get a better idea of how genealogy and their websites have help crack cold cases, Sloan submits her own DNA. When the results come back, she finds out she is in the center of one of the biggest missing person cases in the country.

Quickly Sloan’s life is turned upside down with police and FBI questioning her and her adoptive parents, and because her DNA matched with close family on a genealogy website, she is now thrust into meeting family she never knew existed.

In this fast paced, page turning book Sloan finally finds out what happened to her birth parents and how she came to be adopted by the parents she has always known and loved.

📖Long Time Gone
✍️ Charlie Donlea
🗓️ 21.05.2024
📝 Kensington Books, Kensington

Holy moly what a ride!!!!
I went into this blindly after a good friend recommended this to me. So of course I went to request it. Not regretting this for a second!

This was definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year and I’ve read quite some so far, I am impressed!

I’m afraid that I’ve never heard of Charlie Donlea, but they are on my radar now, definitely will be watching out for their future novels!

I loved the fast pacing of this, the characters and the story in general. The scenario is nothing you’d wish on anyone and I felt for the characters. The character building was so incredibly well done!

The book was not only entertaining but also informative. Forensic Genealogy, definitely fascinating.

I do love myself a dual timeline, that was well done. This had so many things I like, the genealogy aspect, kidnapping story, fast past and dual timeline.

I will be reading Donlea’s book again, definitely!

⭐️Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own, I was under no obligation to review.

I loved this mystery thriller! This story is suspenseful and leaves you guessing till the end. It is an easy 4.5 stars for me. The character building was just enough not to take away from the plot itself. It was not too detailed to lose interest yet detailed enough to keep the pages turning. I loved it! Will recommend to others.
Big thanks to Kensington publishers for an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. You have officially hooked me as a reader for this author!

Wow!

Long Time Gone is the first novel I’ve had the opportunity to read by Charlie Donlea and it really blew me away!

As a mother, the missing child storyline is not something I typically like reading but Donlea made this story unique and interesting without following the same old tropes.

The characters were easy to root for, especially baby Charlotte, her parents, and the Stamos’s. The twists were great and the story was fast paced. I cannot recommend more!!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read this early ARC before its intended release date of May 21, 2024!

Charlie Donlea hasn't disappointed me yet! In this his latest to be published book, he hits the mark again! One of the things I love about his books has been that every single one has been very informational as well as entertaining. I love the explanations of things as we uncover clues in a story and he manages to use professional characters who are able to do this ,and it makes you feel more involved in the plot!

In “Long Time Gone” by Charlie Donlea, a startling revelation upends the life of forensic scientist Dr. Sloan Hastings. When her DNA results hint at a connection to the decades-old disappearance of Baby Charlotte, Sloan is thrust into a dangerous quest for answers. As she delves into her past and uncovers buried secrets, Sloan teams up with Sheriff Eric Stamos to unearth the truth behind the enigmatic Margolis family. But as they dig deeper, they find themselves entangled in a web of deception and danger, where uncovering the truth may come at a deadly price.

This is a holding story of secret, tension, and persevering through looking for equity. The secret kept me speculating until the end. The creator’s careful exploration loans genuineness to his accounts, raising them above numerous others in the class. Stunning exciting bends in the road lead me up sometime later. It got somewhat wild towards the end and somewhat mind-boggling, notwithstanding, it didn’t much make any difference. I cherished this extraordinary story and will peruse it in the future.

There were a lot of characters that assumed fitting parts, giving you heaps of whodunnit suspects without being exaggerated. I didn’t see the whodunnit coming and had bounced from a couple of individuals all through the novel, so it was a wonderful little treat to have been deceiving. This is a high speed and elements characters from Donlea’s different books. There’s a great deal of gore close to the end so be cautioned.

I have read quite a few of Charlie Donlea’s books and always enjoyed the deep dive and commitment he exhibits in learning about the different and complex topics he rolls up into every book and this one is truly one of my favorites! I also enjoyed seeing some familiar characters from past books (even in their small parts).

This book takes us into a world and topic that is blowing up the crime world, Forensic Genealogy. I will be the first to admit it can become annoying and overwhelming when every author jumps on the newest trend (ex: crime podcasts) and we are stuck reading the same “book” over and over… HOWEVER..Donlea didn’t do that with this book! He made it unique and just enough of genetic science to reel me in and not confuse me.

We meet Dr. Sloan Hastings who has started her fellowship under Dr. Livia Cutty, and the topic she is assigned to study is Forensic Genetics. Wellllll Sloan is in for a mind blowing revelation when she decides to better understand the topic it would be best to submit her own DNA to a site and see what happens. Sloan does this knowing she is adopted, but what she doesn’t know is she is actually baby “Charlotte” . Charlotte and her parents completely vanished over 30 years ago in 1995 and the story was EVERYWHERE for years, but never solved. Suddenly Sloan is a missing piece that is about to unravel the dark, twisted, complicated truth of what happened all those years ago… whether some people want it out or not.

This chapters alternate between the past (1995) and the present in a way that flows nicely and gives us the background information we need. Sloan’s character develops well and I was compulsively reading to put this whole crazy story together!!

I absolutely loved this book , it was a well written book, fast paced, and kept me intrigued the entire time. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to the Author, Netgalley, and Kensington Books for the ARC!

Long Time Gone
by Charlie Donlea
Pub Date: May 21, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
When DNA results reveal a disturbing connection to the mysterious disappearance of a famous baby nearly three decades ago, a forensic scientist's increasingly perilous search for answers draws her to an unsettling small Nevada town in this engrossing, propulsive new novel from the internationally bestselling author of Twenty Years Later.
This book reminded me of why I usually LOVE the author’s work. His meticulous research lends authenticity to his stories, raising them above many others in the genre.

I sat down to read a few chapters this morning and cancelled my plans so I could finish this one today!

And, I have no regrets!

Always so good to read a Charlie Donlea book! Long Time Gone did not disappoint.
Imagine doing a DNA test and finding out you are a missing person? And that you disappeared with your parents, who are still missing? Dr. Sloan Hastings gets this information while completing a research assignment, and her whole life is upturned.
But there are some people who can’t allow the truth behind her kidnapping to come out. Can Sloan trust her new family?

What a rollercoaster of a ride it was. Long Time Gone was terrific and I loved every minute of the book.

When Dr Sloan Hastings accidentally stumbles on an information about her DNA match to a rich and powerful family, she's beyond shocked. She'd known that she was adopted by her parents but what she didn't know was that her birth parents had loved her very much and that she wasn't given up for adoption by them.

More shocking revelations come to light as Sloan decides to visit her place of birth - Cedar Creek, a gorgeous town in the foothills of mountain ranges.

A shocking disappearance and suspicious deaths that had been covered for 30 years are about to come out in this fast paced, hugely addictive thriller by Charlie Donlea.

I enjoyed knowing the forensic science and technology and the investigation that takes place as well as learning how photographs were made back when digital cameras were invented.

Many thanks to Kensington Books for my ARC.

The opening scene of this novel is gripping, and it doesn't stop there. I loved the premise of the novel--using genetics and family trees to solve cold cases--and loved that the idea came from a real criminal who was caught this way. Sloan is starting her medical fellowship to become a medical examiner, and she's given a thesis question to explore: how can genetics play a role in solving cold cases. As she dives into her research, and uses her own DNA to see how the process works, she finds herself at the core of an old crime. This was my first Charlie Donlea novel, and I totally get the hype! What a fun read!

Charlie Donlea's newest novel (to be published on May 21) grabbed me as all his others have. This story describes how a young physician studying pathology comes in contact with the world of genealogy. Sloan's first assignment as a Fellow with the Raleigh Medical Examiner led her to connect with someone who knows about the world of Legacy companies. His suggestion that she study it by sending her DNA for analysis sends her life into an intriguing mystery.

CD leaves tiny breadcrumbs that are hard to put down. I tried to read this one in a single sitting. Sloans's questions and answers make for an excellent novel.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

This book completely derailed my weekend, but, honestly, I'd be happy to have a distraction like this every single weekend. I know I'm in for an amazing read when the very first sentence of a book pulls me into the story and has me desperate to know more. This story lived up to the promise of the first sentence and reminded me of how much I love Charlie Donlea's narrative style.


Long Time Gone takes a fascinating look into the world of forensic genealogy and its ability to solve cold cases. Cedar Creek, Nevada is a small town haunted by the decades old disappearance of a young couple and their infant daughter, part of a prominent, affuent family holding more than a few secrets. The current sheriff is determined to clear his father, the former sheriff's, tarnished reputation and solve his final case. Sloan Hastings is completing her fellowship in forensic pathology and, in the course of working on her fellowship research project, makes some shocking discoveries about her ties to a past crime. All these story threads intersect and form a riveting mystery that had me carrying this book around with me until I turned the final page. 


Compelling storytelling, perfect pacing, an instantly engrossing mystery, and relatable, and down-to-Earth characters who act in a believable manner are a few of the elements that set this author's books a level above most other thrillers for me. I've loved all of Charlie Donlea's books, and this is an impressive addition to his book list. 


Thank you, Netgalley and Kensington Books for providing an early copy for me to read and review.

I cannot stress enough how much I love Charlie Donlea’s writing style. Long Time Gone did not disappoint in the slightest.

We follow Sloan Hastings as she submits her own DNA to an ancestry site and is found to be a long time missing child, cracking open a cold case that swept the nation decades earlier. She works tirelessly to try and find out what happened to her birth parents and why she was adopted by two innocent people states away from where she was born.

The character development, plot build up and the main villain were just *chefs kiss* Charlie Donlea is an impeccable story teller.

WHAT A BOOK!

I have read all of Charlie Donlea’s novels, and this is my favorite one thus far!

"Long Time Gone" is a story that follows Dr. Sloan Hastings. Sloan has started her first year of her fellowship with guidance from the renowned Dr. Livia Cutty. When Dr. Cutty assigns Sloan the research thesis of forensic and investigative genealogy, she is pressured to submit her DNA profile to an online website in order to familiarize herself with genealogy. Sloan is hesitant to do this because she is adopted and has never considered tracking down her real parents. However, she ultimately decides to submit her profile. When her DNA profile matches that of Charlotte Margolis, Sloan’s life is turned upside down.

Nearly thirty years ago, Charlotte Margolis was assumed to have disappeared with her parents, Preston and Annabelle. Despite exhaustive efforts, the family was never seen again, and the case turned cold.

Sloan decides to investigate her ties to the Margolis family and the disappearance of her biological parents and is led to the small town of Cedar Creek, Nevada. Sheriff Eric Stamos is currently in charge of the police department in Cedar Creek, and his father investigated the Margolis’ disappearance. However, Eric’s own father died under mysterious circumstances while investigating the Margolis family.

Sloan embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth behind her parents' fate, the mysterious disappearance of Sheriff Sandy Stamos, and her own illicit adoption.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it did not disappoint and was a quick read. The novel was action-packed and suspenseful. Every chapter kept me wanting more, and I really appreciated how relevant a topic such as genealogy is to the current world of forensic science.

A massive thank you to Charlie Donlea, Kensington Books, Kensington, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Be sure to pick up this book when it is published on 5/21/2024!

Trigger warnings include murder and overdose.

Long Time Gone is the second book by Charlie Donlea that I’ve read, both ARCs through NetGalley and the publisher, so thank you again for the chance to read and review this new book.

This book was twisty turny in a good way. There were plenty of characters that played fitting roles, giving you lots of whodunnit suspects without being overdone. I didn’t really see the whodunnit coming, and had jumped from a few different people throughout the novel, so it was a pleasant surprise to have been mislead.

The novel itself takes on a unique point of view for a typically overdone topic; the missing child trope. A pathologist, using DNA, ancestry and genealogy as part of a research study for their education, discover they themselves to be a missing child - this was done meticulously, with lots of information to help the reader understand the science in this process while not bogging down the story. There wasn’t a simple and heartfelt reunion, in fact, it had an entirely unpleasant ending, which to me also adds to the uniqueness of what could be a common plot.

Overall, this is a solid 4 star read. It’s fast paced with wonderful short chapters, making it a bingeable read. It has interesting characters, lots of interwoven story, and an ending that was a TAD ridiculous but also satisfying as you may not see it coming.

In Long Time Gone, Dr. Sloane Hastings is assigned to learn more about forensic genealogy as part of her fellowship with a well-known medical examiner in North Carolina. She sends in her own DNA for testing to see if she can learn anything about her biological parents, and to learn more about how the process works as part of her research. When her results come back, everything Sloane thought she knew is turned on its head.

Thirty years prior the Margolis family, a husband and wife and their infant daughter, went missing on the other side of the country. The world was enthralled with the case of the missing couple and baby Charlotte. It turns out Sloane and baby Charlotte are one and the same.
As Sloane searches for answers about who took her, where her biological parents are, and how she was placed for adoption without any red flags being sent up, she works with the local sheriff, the FBI, and her aunt from her birth family to discover all of the secrets long buried in the small town in Nevada the Margolis family seems to run.

I thought the plot of this one was very interesting, and the pacing of the story was good. Sloane was a likable character, as were her adoptive parents, her biological aunt, and the local sheriff. The sense of foreboding some of the Margolis family gave off was palpable. I liked the alternating timelines and multiple points of view as well, but something about this one just felt a little off for me. I am a fan of Charlie Donlea, and there is nothing bad about this book; I just struggled to feel as invested in the outcome as I have with his past novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My thanks to Net Galley and Kensington Books for this more than 5 star read!!!!

Wow!!! What a read!! Sloan Hastings is doing her forensic rotation and is assuming the science of Forensic Genealogy as the subject of her dissertation. She sends her DNA in and finds out she is the missing baby Charlotte, daughter of Preston and Anabelle Margolis who disappeared decades before. With the help of the town sheriff, the son of the original sheriff who investigated the hit and run.where Annabelle Margolis was framed, then he who mysteriously died, Sloan goes down a dangerous path to find out what happened to her parents, what happened to Sheriff Sandy Stamos, and why Charlotte was illegally adopted.

Quick chapters, easy read, great flow, interesting characters. I loved this!

A Good One!

Long Time Gone is a mystrery/thriller about a forensic science investigation that links back to a missing child case.

Almost 30 years ago, baby Charlotte and her parents disappeared without a trace.

Presently, Dr. Sloan Hastings, starting a fellowship under Dr. Livia Cutty, is assigned to research forensic genealogy. Her personal DNA submissions lead her to the cold case of baby Charlotte. What unfolds is a compelling mystery rife with tension and suspense.

The narrative alternates between the past, in 1995, and the present moment. Narrated by Sloan, a former Sherrif, and a few others, all of their stories are interesting and connect in surprising ways, including how one murder went down. Sloan is a likable lead, and I found the storyline about forensic geneology fascinating.

Many of Donlea's previous characters appear, including Dr. Livia Cutty, Ryder Hillier, and others. While they don't play major roles, I enjoyed seeing them again.

My gripe, because I have to have one, is Donlea's unnecessary continuous reference to the characters by their first and last names, i.e., Sloan Hastings, even in the final chapters. But this is a minor complaint.

Long Time Gone is a fast-paced can't put it down read! The mystery kept me guessing until the end. I didn't love Donlea's most recent novels, but this one restored my faith in him. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.