Title: Gone
Series: Dr Bloom #1
Author: Leona Deakin
Publisher: Transworld
Synopsis:
Four strangers are missing. Left at their last-known locations are birthday cards that read:
YOUR GIFT IS THE GAME.
DARE TO PLAY?
The police aren’t worried – it’s just a game. But the families are frantic. As psychologist and private detective Dr Augusta Bloom delves into the lives of the missing people, she finds something that binds them all.
And that something makes them very dangerous indeed.
As more disappearances are reported and new birthday cards uncovered, Dr Bloom races to unravel the mystery and find the missing people.
But what if, this time, they are the ones she should fear?
My review:
Gone is such a gripping read, I struggled to put it down! We follow psychologist (and Private Investigator) Augusta Bloom as she and her investigative partner Marcus Jameson investigate the disappearance of various people, who have upped and left their families on their birthdays for no apparent reason other than all receiving a birthday card inviting them to play a game. It’s a intriguing premise and it really drew me in.
The story is well plotted and moves at just the right pace. We find out more about the link between Bloom and Jameson, and I found both the main characters likable. The plot is also very interesting in that it features some psychopaths, and that alone is a very intriguing topic for a book!
Although I did one particular twist coming, there were still lots of surprises and intrigue to keep me wanting to read on. It’s also the start of a new series, so I am really looking forward to diving back into Bloom and Jameson’s world – they’re interesting characters and Gone definitely leaves big parts of Bloom’s character and past a mystery, so I want to read subsequent books to find out more about her!
Definitely recommended – a past paced, enjoyable and satisfying thriller!
Rating: 4.5/5
Many thanks to the publisher, Transworld, for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.