I should have listened to my gut and DNF'ed this one when I originally opened it, and saw that it was 109 chapters long. Because seriously? There is absolutely no reason for that kind of nonsense as far as I'm concerned. But I kept swiping anyway.

Yes, for anyone wondering, they were short chapters which is how I made it as far as I did before I just gave up.

Here is the thing, this book absolutely has the potential to be great. Yes, the first third story is told in a very immature way, BUT I brushed that aside since you are seeing things from the point-of-view of a child so it makes sense that it would be presented that way. In fact, I liked being inside the head of the child because it made things interesting.

Until it didn't.

How many times are people going to get shot over this one child? Why if money was exchanged is this person still involved? How can this child have memories of two different people? Why is EVERYONE SO DRAMATIC (and I meant this most sincerely, there was so much drama going on inside the Gallagher household that it was no wonder Charsis (as I began calling her) had problems fitting in. Everyone keeps secrets, the sisters pit one another against each other, "Mama Michelle" is just overbearing and irritating and the other one is just stupid. I also noticed that sometimes, Charlotte would speak in a way that was much older sounding that how old she was supposed to be.

The book then jumps to Charlotte as an adult, and as it would turn out, after a shocking turn of events a woman has been discovered. A woman who not only looks just like her, but who is also claiming to be Charlotte Gallagher, and she wants what is owed to her. Cue page upon pages where everyone has a secret, and it would seem that no one is who the seem to be. By this point, I was just hoping that it was all going to be over soon, because this was book was just such a train wreck. You know, where you want to look away, but can't? Especially when we get to the part about the families stay at the resort and all of the weird secrets of their parents start coming to light.

Finally, I got to the end, and while I'm sure the author meant for the ending to be some sort of shocking twist, not only did I see it coming from miles away, I was also just absolutely over this entire book and wondering why I wasted so much of my time on something so confusing. And also can we talk about the fact that the one "couple" mentioned during this part and the kinky things they were into was really kind of gross and inappropriate considering the age gap and the history not only between them, but between one of the adults and the Gallagher family as a whole.

As you can see, this one didn't work for me for a lot of reasons. I think it could have been edited down to not be 109 chapters and maybe not have cliff-hangers every other paragraph, but I do believe there will be other people who will enjoy this one.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

This book was quite good, but it did have some confusing elements. The constant shifting between perspectives made it difficult to keep track of who was speaking in each chapter. The characters Charlotte and Iris became so intertwined that it was hard to tell them apart. It would have been helpful to have a clearer indication of who was speaking in each chapter. Despite this, the book was well-written, and with some tweaks, it could be even better. 3.5⭐️

I was thoroughly engrossed in this book from page one!
Everytime I thought I knew what was going on I was thrown on another loop...so many twists, so many things uncovered!
What a thrilling ride! I would recommend this book!

GONE BUT NOT is a dark, complex, edge-of-your-seat thriller. I can honestly say that this was one of the most complicated and intelligently written books that I have read this year. Charlotte went missing two years ago. Now she has been found; however, she insists that her name is Iris and that she has no idea who these people are who claim to be her family. Each character has their own version of Charlotte's disappearance and the reader has no idea who to believe. To be honest, even the identity of the POV character is not always crystal clear. The book is expertly written, and I loved the ending. My only issues with the overall story were some of the more unbelievable actions (there was at least one too many deaths/murders), and I'm never a fan of animal cruelty. I know it explains one of the individual's character/personality; however, there was a bit too much detail. Again, overall, it was cleverly written and quite unique. I will definitely recommend GONE BUT NOT to anyone looking for an exciting but dark thriller that keeps the reader needing to turn pages.

The plot sounded so intriguing so I was excited to read the ARC provided by NetGalley!
It was, for the most part, everything I hoped for, dark, sinister and suspenseful. The plot was clever and kept me on my toes.

I found though that between the different points of view, and back and forth with different points in time, it felt like I was getting whiplash. It often left me very confused as to what was happening. I feel that the plot could have been written in a more streamlined way to keep things straight in the readers head.

Overall, it was definitely enjoyable though confusing at times.

Thank you NetGalley for the read!

Thank you NetGalley and The Book Folks for the opportunity to read an ARC of Gone But Not. I was really excited to read this book but I ended it with mixed feelings. It was very suspenseful and I found myself not wanting to put it down, but more often than not I was confused and not sure what was going on. The POV and timeline were all over the place and hard to follow.

What in the world? This had so many twists and turns it was crazy and good, I would love to see what is next from Shane. If you like thrillers that you can’t put down this is a great read!

The best way to describe this book is as follows. Imagine you're in a shipping container that's being driven by a semi. While in said semi, you're tasked with getting on a treadmill which is at about a level 4. So you try to get a running start and then there's potholes so you fall off get whiplash and then you chug some 150 proof instead of water.

Yeah.

So basically you're dropped into this story and trying to figure out who is who and what actually happened and people are dying left and right and people don't know who they are and oh there's a white dog named Toby?

The crazy thing is? I still read every page and was still somehow interested. I ended the book and still don't know what the heck was going on but. Yeah? Charlotte.

A

This was an amazing read!!! Omg ok my deat the whole time and finished in little over 3 days!!!! Love love love!!! Must read!!!

''Utterly gripping twisty psychological thriller'' indeed. I don't even have words for this book. Twisted? Wicked? Creepy? All the above? One thing is certain: This is the second book by Shane Spyre, and boy, he does know how to write about twisted pre-teen girls with wicked families and creepy scenes. Every chapter is a whirlwind, that even when you think you know what's going on, well not, and the whole plot is so mind blowing that it leaves you dizzy. I can't wait to read the next book by this author. And to say that I highly recommend his books is an understatement.

The book was a blend of intrigue and confusion, a potpourri of emotions that left me both fascinated and frustrated. The concept of the book was undeniably intriguing, and as a seasoned reader who has navigated numerous narratives with multiple points-of-view, this aspect of the book did not phase me. However, the constant lying that each character engaged in, it was difficult to discern the truth. Every character seemed to be shrouded in a cloak of dishonesty, each one hiding more than they revealed.

One of the glaring plot holes that stood out was the lack of a DNA test on the child. This simple procedure could have easily resolved the mystery surrounding her identity. The absence of this logical step was baffling and somewhat detracted from the credibility of the narrative.

Despite these shortcomings, the author's writing style was commendable. The narrative was gripping, the prose was eloquent, and the story was told in a manner that was compelling enough to keep me turning the pages. While the book was a captivating read with a fascinating concept and well-crafted prose, the convoluted narrative and the lack of logical progression were significant drawbacks. The constant deception and the confusing timeline made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. While I appreciated the author's writing style and the gripping nature of the story, the overall experience was somewhat marred by the book's complexity and confusion.

After a short outing with her mother, ten year old Iris finds herself picked up by the police, not knowing that her life is about to change drastically. The police explain that she is really Charlotte Gallagher, and has been missing from her family the past two years. The woman who she believes is her mother is truly her abductor. As she struggles to recall her abduction and piece together the mysteries surrounding it, Charlotte wonders--is she really Iris, or is she Charlotte?

After reading the description for this book, I was really excited because it seemed to have everything I want in a thriller--plot twists, deception, weird children, etc. But after reading, the execution was a little disappointing. I found the plot poorly structured, and almost thought there were too many crazy plot twists. The jumps back in forth in time were not executed in a way that was understandable to me, as well as the many shifts in POV towards the end. I also didn't feel connected to the characters.

Gone But Not by Shane Spyre was my first read from this author, and I was immediately intrigued by the premise of a missing child being returned to the fold of her biological family.

Ten year old Iris has been missing for two years when she is reunited with her family, the Gallaghers, to whom she is known as youngest daughter Charlotte. But far from being a perfect family unit, the Gallaghers clearly have secrets, and Charlotte is left to try to piece together just who she really is, and where she truly belongs.

This is a fast-paced tale that very quickly sucked me into its vortex, though I'll admit to being quite confused by the multiple POVs and timelines as the narrative progressed. Overall, however, this was an enjoyable read and I will certainly keep an eye out for this author in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and The Book Folks for an ARC.

This was a good read! It was hard to know who to trust and who not to trust which really kept me guessing. I enjoyed this book!

Shane Spyre wields his pen like a sword, challenging his readers to solve the great conundrum in his plot. The writing is captivating and from the very beginning one has an irresistible urge to find out what happens next but the author is determined to keep secrets right to the very end. Each tantalising glimpse of the truth is revealed like the...drip...drip...dripping of an old tap into a zinc bathtub. As the puzzle becomes ever more perplexing it is a real effort not to start biting one's nails.
With deft sleight of hand, like a modern day Houdini, the author conjures up surprise after surprise, shock after shock, until the final dark disturbing revelations.
Pitch perfect psychological plotting.

Such an awesome thriller! There were so many twists and turns, and it kept my attention the whole time. Definitely pick this one up!

3⭐️
Publisher: The Book Folks
Publication Date: 5/6/2024

When Charlotte was 8 years old, she disappeared from her family's farm. Two years later, she turned up again, only she didn't know herself as Charlotte. She knows herself as Iris. She knows a different woman as mom. She can't remember this new past. Both "mothers" claim her as theirs. But who is telling the truth?

My Thoughts

I've read this type of storyline before. It's not new. Normally, it's told from the mothers point of view. This author took a different approach and told it from the child's Charlotte/Iris. The writing comes off as a bit immature until you understand it's told through the eyes of a traumatized 10 year old. It's actually brilliant in its simplicity.

The part that irked me the most was the lack of any kind of testing or confirmation that Iris WAS Charlotte. They seemed to all just take it for a fact even when the child couldn't remember any of her "real" family.

The whole book has multiple timeline jumps between Charlotte and Iris, who are essentially the same person but with separate pasts. It's confusing. It's disjointed. Something entirely wrong is going on, and it is hard to keep up. No wonder the poor mite is so scared and confused. She doesn't even know who she truly is.

The first two parts of the book were intense and had me throughly engrossed and engaged. The third part.......? Well, that's when the whole thing went off the rails. The timelines become screwed. The author messes up what happened in the first few parts. Nothing quite adds up or makes sense. You can see where she is trying to go and how she is trying to get there ( it concept is amazing FYI) she just seems lost on the way. It needs a better edit. Someone needs to take noats on the first few sections and correct the mistakes. There are no clear indications as to who is talking, whose life we are seeing, and whose story we are hearing. It all becomes an incoherent mess.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The first 80% of this book was brilliant - the language is a little more basic than I'm used to but the premise is good and it was easy to read. The thought of figuring out who the FMC was really kept me guessing! The last bit of the book I found a bit disappointing just because it was a little confusing and I think it could have been written a bit better. I did still enjoy the book though and it definitely has promise!

"Gone But Not" is a nice, quick, suspenseful read. I enjoyed the multiple POV's, the deceit, and the twists and turns the story took. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I will be interested to read what Shane Spyre pens in the future. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
#GoneButNot

I struggled with this. Its layered whoch I normally love but this goes to extremes! I found myself rereading parts to try and get everything straight. There are so many twists and turns, absolutely everyone is lying, nothing seems logical and it's all just chaos lol. It's well written if a bit all over the place but if you focus then it is actually a pretty entertaining book. Its just one fo those books you need to absolutely concentrate on or you'll be lost within a page