This was a super quick read that really kept me hooked; there weren't really any slow parts. I like that all of Donlea's books take place in the same universe, so you're constantly seeing names you recognize if you'd read his other books.

I think the conclusion to the mystery was a little bit obvious, but I was still on the edge of my seat for most of it!

I started this one on audiobook and I liked the narrator. You should understand though that I really only listen to audiobooks while I am driving or out for a walk. So when I was done driving for the day I decided I absolutely couldn’t wait to know what happened and abandoned that audiobook for the kindle and devoured this one. Dr. Sloan Hastings has just started the most prestigious fellowship in forensic pathology and she is given the topic of using genealogy to help solve crime as her dissertation project. After consulting with a genealogist she decides to upload her own DNA to one of those sites to really understand the process to give her a better foundation. While she always knew she was adopted she was shocked to find out she and her parents disappeared almost 30 years ago and the adoption her parents did wasn’t completely above board. Sloan is quickly drawn into the mystery of Charlotte Margolis and her parents and is determined to figure it out. I loved this one. I like Charlie Donlea but I felt like this one actually blew me away. It’s not that the mystery was super twisty, but the book was so engrossing I literally did not want to put it down.

Sloan Hastings is training in autopsies and specializing in familial genealogy and DNA testing. One of the easiest ways for her to learn about the process is to submit her own sample for testing. Being adopted, this makes her slightly nervous but her parents support her and would also love to reconnect with her birth mother. The results turn everything upside down. Sloan is actually Charlotte, who has been missing for 30 years along with her biological parents. How could she have placed for adoption if her parents are still missing? Sloan is determined to find out what happened to her and her parents. The path leads to even more questions when she learns about the mysterious circumstances of their disappearance.

Wow! This book was fabulous! I could not put it down without finding out what happened! A fast paced thriller for sure!

3.5 stars rounded up.
I realllllllly wish I had read this one instead of doing the audiobook….the narrator killed the story for me in a lot of ways. It sounded like a matter-of-fact news anchor reading a teleprompter and it killed the vibes.

That being said, I did my best to separate the story from the narration and it was a good story. I’m hoping this is just the first in a series (seemed like it would be). Excited to read more.

Securing an ARCand ALC for a contemporary DNA mystery and a family saga felt like discovering a literary treasure. The book intricately wove the intrigue of DNA secrets with the complexities of familial relationships, delivering a reading experience that immediately captured my attention.

What struck me was the seamless blend of genres. The mystery intertwined with family dynamics in a way that kept me engrossed, turning page after page in anticipation.

What made this book stand out was its storytelling finesse. The author crafted an intricate plot filled with surprising twists and turns, keeping me guessing throughout. Each character felt authentic, with their own secrets driving the narrative forward.

As I explored the mystery within this story, I appreciated the meticulous attention to detail and the depth of research evident in every revelation. Each piece of the puzzle felt integral, urging me to piece together the clues and unravel the truth.

This book had a profound impact on me, lingering in my thoughts long after I finished reading. It's the kind of story that provokes thought and sparks discussions, appealing to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted tale. Whether you're drawn to mysteries, family sagas, or simply enjoy immersive storytelling, this book is a must read

I’ve been loving Charlie Donlea lately and this book is no exception. I would definitely class this one as a domestic thriller. Very enjoyable and quick listen

This was different than anything I have read. Using DNA banks to solve old cold cases. I liked Sloan and I and felt for her since she finds out so much after submitting her DNA to an ancestry site. There was some of repetitiveness and I could guess a few things but overall I really enjoyed this book.

HOLY MOLY now THAT was a good book!
A missing baby found through genetic genealogy that is also linked to multiple murders???? Yes please!
The writing was fantastic and I felt like I was completely swept up in this mystery/ thriller and listened to the majority of the book in one sitting, I just couldn’t stop! I now need to read everything else this author puts out and anything that’s come before it!
10\10 for the narrator

As part of a research project, Sloan submits her DNA to an online genealogy site to better understand how these websites are a gold mine of information. She's hesitant at first, because she was adopted and had never seeked her biological parents, but she decides to do it anyway and find out that she was part of a big unsolved case where she and both her biological parents disappeared in 1995. As part of her research for what happened to her biological family, she meets Eric, the sheriff of Cedar Creek, who is eager to help her because he is convinced that finding out what happened to Sloan decades ago will also help him find out what happened to his father, who died under suspicious circumstances soon after he started investigating the case Sloan's disappearance.
This is a mystery thriller, and the first one I read by this author after hearing many fantastic things about their other books, so I was excited to read this one. I have read many amazing reviews (the ratings speak for themselves), but it fell a bit flat for me. It was not as compelling and surprising as I had hoped it would be. It was predicatable and repetitive at times. Also, I would be curious to know how many times the name Margolis was repeated in this book... It felt a bit overdone. The narrator of the audio book did a stellar job.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I wanted to like this more than I did, but the plot holes took me out. The writer is clearly talented, so it’s a good read, but it may have benefited from another pass of developmental edits.

Premise - Dr. Sloan Hastings is training to become a forensic pathologist, so when she’s asked to submit DNA to a genealogy site as part of an assignment, she does it despite hesitations. She expects some discomfort when she receives the result, since she was adopted as a baby, but what she learns instead reopens a decades-long cold case.

It turns out Sloane is not only part of an incredibly powerful (and decidedly less ethical) family, but she went missing, along with her parents, when she was just a baby. She reconnects with the Margolies family, her relations, while participating in a criminal investigation.

Donlea is a strong writer and can certainly develop and maintain characters well. Unfortunately, a few plot holes kept this one from feeling truly satisfying to me.

First, Margot is sooooo over the top stupid I’m counting it as a plot hole. How do you get bought off by someone who’s clearly a criminal (she realizes she is, but he’s the one who contracted her - aka a bigger criminal!) and have them check up on you for yours (threatening no matter if it comes with cash or not) and then after you betray his confidence, do the ONE THING he asked you not to do, you call him to let him know that hey, I’m a rat, here’s my current location, please swing by?! There is no way anyone with two functioning brain cells to rub together would do that, so: plot hole.

Second, how was the camera not taken as evidence? At that time the film would have been discovered, developed, case closed.

Third, as the parent of a toddler, a two year old cannot take clear photos of a crime scene. All the photos my kid takes are either just a blur of colors (and this with the stabilizing tech of 21st century smartphone cameras, which wasn’t a thing in 90s film cameras) or they’re straight up the nose. It’s just not realistic that a two year old would accidentally take useful, incriminating photos. That happened because the plot required it, not because it fit the story/situation.

Despite the plot holes, Donlea is a strong enough writer that I’d read more from him. This felt like a case of underediting, but I imagine there are some other fantastic books from this author.

Thanks, NetGalley and Kensington, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.