Many thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books, Recorded Books Media for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by a favorite, Charlie Donlea, and perfectly narrated by Vivienne Leheny. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Sloan Hastings is studying to become a medical examiner. Her assigned research project is to study forensic genealogy. She starts by submitting her DNA to a genealogy site. Sloan has always known she was adopted and never desired to find her birth parents. But when the results come back, they show that she was actually Baby Charlotte, a 2-month-old who disappeared along with her parents 30 years ago in Nevada. She meets the sheriff of the small town from where she went missing, and he has a mystery of his own to solve that may be related.

Wow - this was such a suspenseful, intriguing book! I started reading the digital but found I had to keep going, so I switched to the audio which was perfectly narrated. I was pulled in from the very beginning, as the subject of forensic genealogy is so fascinating, Sloan was a very likable character and I felt like I was going along on her journey to discover the secrets of her past. The story is told in both the past and present timelines, and the tension kept building throughout the book. Clear some time and read this one!

I really like the way Charlie Donlea tells a story. This is the first of his novels that I've tried, and it definitely will not be the last. He does a marvelous job with characterization and pacing, drawing readers into his world and then keeping a tight hold on their attention with a series of well-timed revelations that intrigue and tease the reader in alternate measures. The narration was excellent and really suited the story. It added a depth to the characters and my investment in the story in a way that I thoroughly enjoyed. This one felt like it had the potential to lead to future books set in the same universe and I, for one, would love to revisit Sloan's world and see her in action as a full-on medical examiner!

Thank You NetGalley, Charlie Donlea, and Recorded Books Media. I enjoyed the Audiobook and the narrator Vivienne Leheny did a good job. **Release date 5/21/2024**

After 30 years a mystery will be solved. Will Sloan Hastings find her parents and why she was put up for adoption. The storyline includes the past and present but was never confusing. I would label this as a chill Mystery. Everything was paced comfortably and nothing overly heart racing. With that said it was still a surprise ending and a very enjoyable listen/read.

4.5 stars

As someone who reads a ton of thrillers, I am always looking for fresh takes. Enter Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea, which incorporates forensic genealogy. The plot was well thought out, and I really enjoyed the twists that the shifting between past and present timelines resulted in. It was a quick one to become invested in, and I just had to know how to all turned out. Kudos to Vivienne, the narrator, who did a fabulous job giving each character a distinct voice.

Read if you like
-True crime
-Family secrets
-Strong & smart FMCs
-Forensics
-Bingey thrillers

Thank you to RB Media for my gifted audiobook!

I have truly enjoyed every Charlie Donlea novel and this was no different. While I have a few nits (why even mention the podcast host? She was under utilized, IMO. Also the way the photos came to be? Come on, man. LOL) they did not stop me from eating up this 9 hour audiobook in fewer than 24 hours. I love a storyline that snaps-- nothing bothers me more than dragging out a storyline in a thriller. This was masterful (but not without issues) storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so intricate and gripping. I loved how there were chapters from the past that followed the crime that was being investigated in the present because it added so much to the story and made the book amazing. I really enjoyed this book, the characters were great and the story was so well done. I did not see that ending coming.

Dr. Sloan Hastings wants to be a medical examiner. She enters a prestigious fellowship and is assigned a research topic- investigative genetic genealogy. When she meets with a genealogist, he recommends submitting her DNA. It will help her best understand it if she goes through the process of building her own family tree. She is hesitant because she is adopted. She loves her parents and hasn't ever had the urge to learn about her birth family. She ultimately decides to do it for research and her whole world is turned upside down when she finds out she is Baby Charlotte- she and her parents disappeared in the 90s and the case was the talk of the country for a long time. No one ever knew what happened to the family.

Investigative genetic genealogy fascinates me. (Genealogy has always fascinated me- add catching criminals and what is not to love?) I've watched so many documentaries, specials, etc... on the subject. So I jumped at the chance to read this book, since it's plot is related to forensic genealogy.

I enjoyed this from the beginning. There were two parts that bogged down the story for me. The first was the explanation of investigative genealogy. I get why that was included, because not everyone has knowledge of the GSK, Parabon, and Cece Moore, lol. However, later in the book, we got into a very detailed description of film and developing it. It is relevant later in the story, but it was still far too long and detailed. I get that people under 30 likely never developed film, but I think that could have been much shorter and less detailed. Most of the readership did not need pages of detailed explanation. Those that do are well versed in Google.

This moved quickly other than the aforementioned parts. I enjoyed unravelling the complicated series of crimes and seeing if I was right about who were good guys and who were not.

I do wish the ending had been more detailed. I'd have liked to know more about the aftermath.

Vivienne Leheny narrates the audiobook and does a good job.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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I have been a huge fan of Donlea after reading Twenty Years Later and have had a plan in place to read all fo his backlist. Then I came across this one NetGalley and I knew I needed it. I mean come on, if you dont know by now, any type of cold case story is my absolute favorite. This was no exception.
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Long Time Gone is told in a dual timeline. The present and in 1995 when multiple crimes are committed. Right from the start this one was captivating and addictive. It starts off fast paced and maintains that momentum throughout the entire story, making this one of those books that you just cant put down. There were the perfect amount of twists and I loved the suspenseful ending.
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Majority of the characters are great besides a select few. Sloane, her adoptive parents, her boss and Eric, the sheriff she assists in the cold case were my favorite. I would absolutely love to see another story with these characters, especially another cold case perhaps!?
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I listened to this one via audiobook while reading on my kindle. Vivienne Leheny was phenomenal. I love what she did with the audiobook. There was no issue with following along with the dual timelines.
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Long Time Gone was a pleasure to read. I loved it. Highly recommending this one to all of my murder mystery / thriller friends! This will be releasing on 5/21. Be sure to check it out! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Charlie Donlea, Recorded Books Media and Kensington Books for the ALC and eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Charlie Donlea, RB Media, and NetGalley.

This story is perfectly narrated by Vivienne Leheny. This has a lot of twists and turns not to mention 2 timelines, Ms. Leheny masterfully handles the narration of this story.

This is the first novel I've read by Mr. Donlea and it most definitely won't be my last. This story was fully developed, well plotted and the reveals were fantastic. Just the book publisher's blurb alone left me desperate to read this. Dr. Sloan Hastings is a research student in forensic pathology. As part of her graduate studies, she's been assigned to find a cold case impacted by ancestry DNA tests. Sloan locates a local DNA based genealogy expert and begins by testing her own DNA so she can understand the process. Sloan is the daughter of two successful and loving dentists and has been raised knowing she was united with her beloved parents as the result of an open adoption. Sloane is a bit leery of what her DNA test will reveal as she's never had the desire to locate her birth parents. What she finds is shocking and unexpected. Sloane has been missing along with her married birth parents for 29 yrs, since 1995 when Sloane was 6 months old.
The DNA test set off a chain reaction in Sloan's life leading her to the small Nevada town she was born in which her wealthy birth family still dominates. Once there she will receive help from a small town sheriff, a very successful true crime podcaster, that podcasters fans, Sloan's own Margolis birth family and others. Willingly or otherwise, this summer truths aged 30 years will finally be decanted.

This novel feels like the first in a planned police procedural series. In many ways it reminds me of Karin Slaughter's Will Trent series or even James Patterson's Alex Cross series. I don't know if more books are planned but I'd definitely be interested in another book featuring Dr. Sloan Hastings.

Thank you to Charlie Donlea, RB Media, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

What was I thinking? I started this on audio this morning while walking the dog thinking I would listen to a few chapters, read a few chapters, and easily finish before pub day in a week. What actually happened is I realized after dinner that I could not wait to finish this book. While the hubs watched 'Survivor' I dove in to I could finish this one before bedtime. What is it about this new title from Charlie Donlea that makes it so hard to put down?

📸An almost 30-year-old mystery. What happened to Preston and Annabelle Margolis and their daughter Charlotte?
📸Sloan Hastings is driven to become the best forensic pathologist she can be. She begins a research project on Forensic Genealogy and finds much more than she bargained for.
📸Sloan is into CrossFit. You will be so amazed at her fitness regimen. And I have to agree with her that Diet Dr. Pepper is delicious.
📸The Margolis family has a juggernaut on Cedar Creek, Nevada. Parallel timelines for 1995 and 2024 will show the reader just how extensive it is.
📸As with my last Charlie Donlea title (Don't Believe It, there is a podcast thread. With all the true crime podcasts available today, it is hard to imagine a cold case without a podcast connection.

Why did I use a camera for my visual in this review? If you have read this book you know. Quite possibly the most interesting piece of the plot concerns a Nikon camera.

Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also to Edewleiss+ and Kensington Books for a digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

One word. Obsessed! This is storytelling at its finest, and I absolutely loved how the author tied in genealogy. From start to finish, I was hooked! The narrator was fantastic and really brought the story to life. A must ready for anyone who loves a good old-fashioned mystery!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was wonderful! I have read and enjoyed other books by this author so I was excited for this one. The premise was interesting, I loved the storyline and the characters. This was going to be a 5 star read for me for the first 90% of the book until the ending completely ruined it. I’m sure others will enjoy it but I’m so disappointed in the way it turned out.

RB Media ALC
This was a fun, new addition to the thriller genre. Sloan thinks she's getting a simple DNA test for her genealogy project during residency but instead, finds out she's a child that's been missing since 1995. This book was so well plotted and twisty. The book starts with a flashback with the sheriff during the initial 1995 investigation and then changes between his and Sloan's and a few others POV. The author did a great job of leaving chapters on the perfect cliff hanger, so I had to keep listening. I enjoyed how the mysteries slowly built on each other to come a well thought out ending. The chapters are short and bingeable. This is a perfect thriller for summer, and I had such a fun time reading it.

What an amazing book. The plot was fantastic and kept me on my toes. I thought I had an idea of who was behind everything but was wrong. The story follows a lady who is adopted and turns out to be a missing child from 30 years ago. She sets out to find answers to her past.

Thank you NetGalkey, RB Media and Charlie Donlea for the ALC for my hinet eview.

"Long Time Gone" by Charlie Donlea is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Set in a small town with dark secrets, the novel follows the investigation of a cold case that intertwines with the present in unexpected ways.

Donlea brings depth to each individual character, making them feel relatable and authentic. The protagonist's journey is particularly compelling as they uncover layers of deception and danger lurking beneath the surface.

The plot is intricately woven, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the final pages. Donlea skillfully builds suspense, gradually revealing clues while maintaining an air of mystery that propels the story forward.

The writing style is engaging, with vivid descriptions that bring the setting to life and add to the overall atmosphere of tension and intrigue. The pacing is well-balanced, alternating between moments of high intensity and quieter, reflective scenes.

Overall, "Long Time Gone" is a must-read for fans of suspenseful thrillers. Charlie Donlea delivers a captivating story filled with suspense, secrets, and unexpected revelations that will leave readers eagerly anticipating his next book.

After taking a DNA test through a genealogy website as part of a research assignment, forensic scientist Sloan Hastings learns more than she bargained for about her biological family's history--including her own kidnapping and the disappearance of her parents. I'm a fan of Charlie Donlea's writing, and LONG TIME GONE did not disappoint. I was drawn into the intrigue from the start, and really enjoyed reading the smart, engaging female characters, especially Sloan. Loved the relationships that developed alongside the mystery.

Thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for the great listen.

Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea
Release Date: 5/21/24
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Vivienne Leheny

Cold cases, and drama, and murders, oh my!!

I gotta say I loved this book so much! I saw @forthebookstagram_ give this book 5 stars and I took my behind to @netgalley to request it so fast! This book is easy to binge, engaging, and for a thriller has surprisingly likable characters!

Despite this book having dual timelines and a decent amount of characters, I thought it was pretty easy to follow on audio! Narrator Vivienne Leheny did a great job keeping you in the story without being over the top too!

I don’t want to say too much because there are several twists in this one so I recommend you just go in blind! Highly recommend grabbing this one when it releases next week! Thanks to Nergalley for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a wild ride. This was such an unputdownable thriller following Sloan a forensic pathologist who enters fellowship which requires her DNA. Little did she know providing this DNA sample would uncover secrets about her life. This is heart pounding from the beginning and the small town secrets make it even more thrilling,


Thank you to NetGalley, Charlie Donlea, and Kensington Books for this e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

When I need a guaranteed, solid thriller, Donlea is my go to! I know he will deliver every time! Long Time Gone has it all for me! The writing is great, as always, I loved the characters, even the ones I loved to hate! There were multiple timelines and POVs and I love that in a thriller when done well! At times I felt bogged down by the science, but overall this was a great read! Fans of Donlea will love it!

ncestry-type sites. Sloan, being adopted, agrees to submit her DNA to one of these sites to learn more about her background. Bam, that is where the chaos ensues as Sloan, or should I say, baby Charlotte, gets more than she expected when the results come in.

My sole complaint would be the lack of character development for some characters, and some of whom seemed unnecessary at times as they didn’t seem pertinent to the storyline. Honestly, I don't remember much about them. There's a chance that we'll see more of them in a follow-up book, and this was just a brief introduction.

The book has a lot of procedural elements, which involve anthropologists, a sheriff, a medical examiner, and the FBI just to name those I remember. This focus means you don’t get a lot of emotion or connection with the characters. I personally connected with the story, and some will love it for what it is, but others might find it lacking in this department.

If you are a fan of suspenseful mystery stories without graphic content, this would be a great read for you. I quite enjoyed the writing and narration; it read very much like a whodunit and was pleasant to listen to.

It’s a yes for me!
@deannsdailydrop 🖤

Thanks you to NetGalley, RB Media and Charlie Donlea for the Advance listen copy in exchange for my honest review. It was my pleasure.