This is the first book by this author I have ever read. I love discovering new authors and this one is definitely one I won’t forget. I enjoyed how this story unfolded.

Sloan is a forensic trainee and her project for the year is genetic information that has solved cold cases. To better understand her project, Sloan submits her DNA to an ancestry website. Sloan knew she was adopted but she had no idea she was stolen!

When Sloan discovers her history she immediately reaches out to her adoptive parents and then she has to get the FBI involved. This leads to her finding her birth family. And boy…they are a piece of work!

This is a tale full of family secrets, family drama and pure lies!

The narrator, Vivienne Leheny, did a fabulous job. I will be on the lookout for her!

Need a good story which may have you questioning your DNA…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Fantastic story! My second novel from Donlea and absolutely did not disappoint. One tiny cheek-swab for a mandated thesis setoff an atom bomb that destroyed the lives of many. I love how the story wrapped up, with the readers knowing what happened while the characters will forever be in the dark. Such a dramatic, gasp-out-loud tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance copy of this audiobook

A sign of a good book is when you pick it up to read a few chapters … and then can’t put it down. Mr Donlea had me gripped from the very first page with his latest thriller. This is the third book I’ve read by him, and in my opinion, his best to date.

Told in duel timelines from the present to the past, we follow the story of the disappearance of baby Charlotte in 1995 to the present day. Sloan Hastings has begun a two year fellowship in training to be a forensic pathologist. Her first assignment is the study of genealogy and DNA. Donlea weaves an intricate and clever tale combining science, family dynamics and missing children tropes.

I like my thrillers twisty and full of suspense. Not only did this book deliver on those points (expertly IMO) but was also infused with a level of emotion and depth that I have come to expect from his books, elevating them into a richer, satisfying story.

An expertly crafted plot that had me at the edge of my seat, well developed characters that kept me invested and a suspenseful, fast paced narrative all make for a totally addictive read. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to @netgalley @kensingtonbooks for a complimentary ebook 💌
Huge thanks to #rbmedia for ALC 🎧 The narration by Vivienne Leheny was superbly executed and entertaining.

⛧Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea - I've read a few of Charlie's books, and they always get 4-5 stars from me. This one was no different. I always enjoy family thrillers, and this one had a kidnapping/missing person element, so that made it even better. Writing was great, and so was the narrator.

This audiobook is narrated by Vivienne Leheny

•Thank you to @recordedbooks & @kensingtonbooks

Recently accepted into a prestigious fellowship program in forensic pathology, twenty-nine-year-old Dr. Sloan Hastings is assigned the topic of forensic genealogy as her research project. To enhance her knowledge and gain a better understanding of the field, she submits her DNA to a genealogy website. She has always known she was adopted but little did she know that the results of her DNA analysis would result in a shocking revelation about her real identity – a revelation that connects her to the mysterious disappearance of three members of an influential family in Cedar Creek, Nevada in 1995 - a young couple and their two-month-old daughter, Charlotte.

As Sloan embarks on a quest to find out more about the cold case, her biological family and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her adoption, she travels to Cedar Creek where she meets members of her biological family who are overwhelmed to be reunited with “Charlotte” after all these years. She finds an ally in the local Sheriff who has a personal interest in the cold case but finding out what happened to her biological parents after all these years won’t be easy and whatever information she does gather leaves her with more questions than answers. Complicating matters further is the media frenzy brought on by “Charlotte” being found and the fact that there are people who would resort to any means to prevent Sloan from discovering the truth.

The narrative is presented in dual timelines – the present day where we follow Sloan as she pursues her search for the truth and 1995, wherein the events that led to the disappearance of Charlotte and her parents are slowly revealed.

Charlie Donlea’s Long Time Gone is UNPUTDOWNABLE! It’s been a while since I found a thriller that kept me glued to the pages and I couldn’t be more pleased. With an intriguing premise with a solid mystery at its core, interesting characters and dual timelines that are equally absorbing and seamlessly woven into a fast-paced, suspenseful narrative – this book checks all the boxes!

I paired my reading with the audiobook narrated by Vivienne Leheny, which made for a riveting immersion reading experience. I finished this one in a single day!

This is my third time reading Charlie Donlea and I can’t wait to explore his backlist while I wait for his next book!

Many thanks to Kensington Books for the digital review copy and RB Media for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I chose this suspense thriller for three reasons. One, because it is Charlie Donlea, two, because it involved forensics and three, the protagonist was adopted. The main character was researching the use of DNA to solve murders through tracking down relatives' DNA, a hot topic these days. It was suggested to her that she complete her own ancestry so that she had a better understanding of how it was done. This was complicated by the fact that she was adopted. Through her own study, she discovered startling circumstances around her adoption.
This is as much as I will say so as not to give away too much of the plot.
I think that because of my own personal connection to the topic, I was much more interested in that part of the story as well as the forensics (it is just fascinating to me) than in the whodunit aspect. However, it did keep me guessing. I think this was a good solid suspense novel and pretty much in line with Charlie Donlea's previous books, even though I think the DNA aspect was a bit different. It was an easy read which I can appreciate.
The narrator was good and did a fine job, with good diction and inflection. Thanks to NetGalley and to RB Media for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Long Time Gone" and all opinions expressed are my own. I listened to the audio book. I did like Vivienne as the narrator. Overall the story was okay, some parts were predictable. So I need to give this 2 stars.

A gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish! Sloan is a compelling protagonist, and the family drama intertwined with a DNA mystery made for a riveting listen. Vivienne Leheny's narration was superb, bringing Sloan and the diverse cast of characters to life with skill and nuance. I couldn't stop listening!

Now that's what I call a thriller!

Charlie Donlea's Long Time Gone is such an easy read & great on the ears by narrator Vivienne Leheny. Most days you would prefer to listen to a soothing voice reading out a good mystery and that should be the number one reason why you choose this book. Apart from being a great find on NetGalley, I felt it was a bit too long with 74 chapters and there was room to make the storyline a little more crisp. No regrets anyhow.

On other counts, Dr Sloan Hastings is studying to be a forensic pathologist. She lives with her adopted parents and has led a good life. She never felt the necessity to track down her biological parents. Until now. Information for her research needs her to submit her DNA to a website that studies genealogy, which would aid her to gather a treasure trove of information for her assignment.

The DNA results dig up age old secrets. Sloane's DNA seems to match the ancestry connections of the famous Margolis family of Cedar Creek, Nevada. Her DNA claims her to be a "Baby Charlotte" who had mysteriously disappeared with her parents in 1995. No search party could dig up information as to where this family could have gone.

A Margolis family member contacts Sloane over the DNA website suggesting they meet. This fateful meeting leads Sloane to meet a huge family - her family supposedly and also Sheriff Eric Stamos. She comes to know that the Margolis family was extremely influential and had connections all over the place. Eric fills Sloane with incomplete information about how his father was investigating the disappearance of her biological parents when he was found dead with the blame that he was high on drugs.

Would the Margolis family accept Sloane to be one of theirs? Where did Sloane "Baby Charlotte"' s parents disappear? How did she end up in an adoption agency? What does Eric, along with Sloane unearth in this far off small town that would shake the very ground from their feet?

Do pick this up once it is released. For those who like Alice Feeney, Karin Slaughter etc, you would strike gold with this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Charlie Donlea for the complementary advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

I rate this book as a solid 4 stars. I really dug into this book and found that I wanted to know more and continue listening. I really like the whole genealogy set up and its relationship to an old cold case. Donlea makes sure that the tension remains high throughout the book. The pacing is really well done as well. Done presents a unique story I haven’t come across yet in all my reading.

I loved Sloane’s parents, and their love and support for her. I really liked Eric as a character. He’s always so calm and collected - and you can see him working through the case. You also learn about his personal connection to the case and so when it’s solved, you feel relief for Eric and closure. I appreciate how he worked with Sloane, instead of always trying to handle her (which is common in books with this set up). Sloane is a good character as well with being so persistent and determined. I also liked that she is a bodybuilder/exerciser - so you know that she isn’t just a typical frail MC. The only thing that I don’t like about Sloane/Charlotte is how naive she is. I’m her age and live in the same area. I know the basics of genealogy testing - especially with all the commercials for 23&me and ancestry. I also know the history of cameras - they still had the cameras you had to get developed when I was a kid…so how Sloane is just so ignorant to all this just puts me a little off from connecting to her.

I really liked the ending of this book - and how it slowly unfolded with the use of photography. I was expecting part of the ending, but I was not expecting the other half of it. I think Donlea did a good job of giving you a plot twist you weren’t expecting. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this audiobook and review it. I have read this author before (listened to a different audiobook) and found him to be a great storyteller. Unbeknownst to me, this new book, Long Time Gone is actually featuring a character I got to know in the other book. This story is all about Sloan Hastings, who is in her final two years of training before she is fully licensed as a medical examiner. Her first year of Fellowship at the local morgue in Raleigh, North Carolina is comprised of being assigned a research topic that she has the year to study, research and somehow advance. Her topic is Forensic Genealogy. At first, she's unsure what to do with this subject, but gets on it quick and finds out about cold cases that have been solved using DNA that was uploaded into Geneology/trace-your-ancestors type sites. Sloan finds out, when she submits her own as part of her research, that she is actually the very same infant, who almost thirty years prior, went missing. Baby Charlotte Margoles and her parents Preston and Annabelle disappeared without a trace nearly 3 decades prior. So begins Sloan's journey to figure out how she got to be adopted and raised by her current parents and what happened all those years ago. She gets in touch with her birth father's family, who are based out of Cedar Creek, Nevada (where she and her parents were living at the time of their disappearance). She meets her Aunt by marriage, Nina, her Uncle Ellis (Nina's husband) and her grandparents...the very rich and very influential Reed and Tilly Margoles. There is a very tangled web of murder and deceit that Sloan has to untangle with the help of her newly found Aunt Nina and her new friend, Sheriff of Cedar Creek, Eric Stamos (who's father originally investigated Sloan's parents' disappearance and was later mysteriously found dead). Things slowly get unraveled and we get a surprising reveal...or two! Well paced, interesting and a great job by the narrator as well. I'll look forward to more by this author!

To say I devoured the new Charlie Donlea book is an understatement. "Long Time Gone" was a wonderful book with a great reader. Loved it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC Audiobook of Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea.

Dr. Sloan Hastings is starting her fellowship in forensic pathology. Her mentor assigns her forensic genealogy for her research topic. Sloan is adopted, so when she takes a DNA test she is surprised to find out that she is part of a missing case from years ago. Turns out she is "Baby Charlotte" from the powerful Margolis family.

In this dual timeline we follow Sloan as she attempts to find out what happened to her missing parents, and we follow people closely related to the case days before the disappearance of the family.

I enjoyed this thriller and didn't figure it out until right before the reader finds out.

I became a Charlie Donlea fan after reading Twenty Years Later. I usually read and listen to the book as I love the narrator. I was thrilled to get the audiobook Long Time Gone. What can I say. This book was fabulous and I am pretty picky. I have done an extensive family tree so this story really hit me. I am also an aunt to 5 adopted nephews and nieces so again, this book hit me. The characters were real, the narration perfect, the story never got boring and the ending awesome. This is truly my kind of book and now I am bummed it is over.. Even the picture on the front was great. Thank you again...5 starts from me

this is a review of the Audiobook that I was gifted from Netgalley.
So this was the first story I ever read/listened to by this author and was not disappointed in the least.
What would you do if you found out your true identity? The one you were born with before you were adopted by loving parents? What would you do if you found out that identity was tied to a 30-year-old mystery?
That's the premise behind Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea. I don't like to go into too much in reviews because I like readers to unfold the story in their own time, but this was a really good read, with an excellent plot.
There were a few things that kept it a four point 5 star for me and not a total five star.
the repetition of "Baby Charlotte."
the repetition of "Sloane Hastings."
And I was getting weary of all the mentions and details about CrossFit. I get it, though, because it tied into the ending. It was just boring to read so many descriptions about it but that's just me.
The narrator was amazing. The best I've heard to date. I will be looking for more things she's narrated in the future.
So Book/storyline 4.5 stars
narrator 5+ stars
Thanks, Netgalley for a sneak peek at this story.

Excellent plot, perfect pacing, fantastic narrator, dual timelines, and great characters - this book has it all!

This one kept me engaged right up until the overly easy resolution. I liked the way the genetic ancestry test triggered the start of the mystery and the characters were engaging. The story was compelling as it went back and forth between what happened in the past and the attempt at uncovering the mystery in the future. However, I was disappointed with the way the ending took the easiest, most obvious way out and tried to make up for it with the "thrill" of gratuitous violence rather than a more intricately plotted answer to the mystery.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Thanks so much for the audio Arc!

This is my second Charlie Donlea & I’ve really enjoyed them both. I love listening to this type of book on audio. It gets your heart racing and the surprises are that much more shocking.

Sloan Hastings is beginning her journey as a forensic pathologist. We meet her as she’s starting her program. She enters her DNA to contribute to the research she’s learning from. But when it comes back- her whole life changes.

She always knew she was adopted. But it turns out she may be a missing child. Her biological parents have been missing for years. Her case had gone cold. How did her parents adopt her? Are they suspects? Who is safe in her world?

We also meet podcaster Ryder who helps dig into this case. She also stirs up the public interest. This adds a layer of challenge in Sloan staying under the radar.

There were so many twists as we follow Sloan to figure out who she really is and what really happened to her and her parents. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could picture it as a mystery/thriller movie as I listened. I enjoyed the narrator as she had me totally hooked.

I enjoyed this story and would love future adventures with Sloan. Part of me was hoping Eric would show up at the last minute to rescue her but kinda glad it turned out the way it did. I don’t understand why her aunt didn’t stick around after her dissertation.

This very well might be the best book Charlie Donlea has ever written. He had me until the very end trying to figure out what happened. A whole family disappeared? Sign me up. Holy crap what a mystery. I devoured this in less than 24 hours. I did listen to the audiobook, and the narrator was marvelous and did a fabulous job at keeping the reader engaged with the story.