Gone But Not Forgotten

by C Michele Dorsey

An elderly mother with dementia - and dark secrets.
A daughter who's desperate to know the truth - no matter what.

Get hooked by this thrilling, slow-burn novel of domestic suspense from critically acclaimed mystery author C Michele Dorsey.
" Engrossing . . . This solid psychological suspense novel should appeal to Lisa Unger fans" - Publishers Weekly "Dorsey escalates the tension masterfully" - Kirkus Reviews 
Ever since Olivia and her mother fled their home, back when she was just a child, Olivia's lived with her mother's secrets and mantras. Don't stand out. Don't make friends. And most important of Don't ask questions.

Olivia is now a twenty-nine-year-old law student. She lives in Boston in a beautiful home with the perfect husband. It's a good life. But she's always longed to know more about her family history, and now her beloved mother has dementia, she knows she probably never will.

That is, until her mother signs a check in a different name, the day before she dies, leaving Olivia an unexpected clue to her past - a clue that will lead her down a dark and deadly path.

Because someone doesn't want Olivia to know her real identity. Her husband, her mother's caregivers, even her best friend - can she trust they're who they say they are? The truth about Olivia's past may set her free - but only if she doesn't die first . . .

Genres: Mystery

240 pages, Hardcover

Published July 4, 2023

Reviews

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
Olivia and her mum have been hiding for most of their lives, supposedly on the run from Olivia's father who wanted to kill them.
Olivia visits her mother in a care home regularly as her mum suffers from dementia and Olivia is dying to know about their past, but her mum refuses to tell her anything. She's married to Daniel, a psychiatrist, who is not very sympathetic to her quest.
There's someone who is obviously out to harm her, but who would that be and why?
The first half of the book is really good, but then becomes a bit tedious as Olivia seems to feel sorry for herself and doesn't stand up to her husband. Thankfully that changes and the ending is very satisfying. All in all a good book, definitely recommended!

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia has always wondered about her past, something her mother has kept hidden from her. Now, her mother is suffering from Alzheimer’s, and Olivia fears she might never learn the truth. Then, her mother signs a legal document with a name that isn’t her own. Is this the clue Olivia needs to find her past?

I’m a fan of the author, and the premise sounded intriguing, so I jumped in. I was hooked early, and I enjoyed watching the story unfold. I do feel like it has too many storylines, so a few things were rushed. Still, I was satisfied when I set down the book. This is almost a coming-of-age story wrapped in a mystery, so that means lots of growth for Olivia, which I enjoyed since I liked her from the beginning. The rest of the cast, both friend and potential foe, were fun to spend time with. This is intended as a standalone, and you’ll be glad you picked it up when you turn the final page.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Leeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia has spent most of her life wanting to know her father’s name and what secrets her mother is keeping about their family history. When Olivia’s mother starts to lose her memory due to Alzheimer’s disease Olivia fears she will never find the truth until the day her mother signs the wrong name on the transfer of ownership on her car so Olivia can sell the car.
Olivia is a law student and her husband Daniel is a third year psychiatric resident.
Life with Daniel is not always easy Daniel is very controlling and insists that Olivia have anti-anxiety therapy with his friend Kayla. Daniel tries to stop Olivia developing friendships with other law students.
I loved the twists and turns as Olivia secretly tries to find out who her mother really was. This was a murder mystery about identity and mental health.
I loved the way Olivia developed friendship with fellow law students and how she kept secrets from her husband Daniel. This was a quick easy read full of action.

[Sharon Valler: Live Love Read Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine never really knowing your past. Your Mum has never told you anything, except that she took you and ran, to save your lives. Now she is in a dementia home and signs a cheque with another name…

I was hooked from the start of this book and flew through it in one sitting. It slowed a little in the middle, mainly due to the Daniel storyline. His connection to Kayla intrigued me, however I didn’t feel the rest of his storyline added anything to the main plot.

I really bought into Olivia’s character and her determination to know the truth. I was really rooting for her and enjoyed watching her relationships with her law classmates /friends develop. The tension build towards the end was gripping and my heart was racing. That twist was an absolute OMG moment that I didn’t see coming 😱

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Kate Durant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda slow to start, kinda predictable. Gaslighting as a whole is just so aggravating and at times it was hard to not get frustrated with the main character. There were a number of characters, likely some that could have been eliminated.
Ultimately I did enjoy this book but it wasn't anything really amazing. I did enjoy the Boston setting, the familiarity of the neighborhoods, and the mention of things all Boston- rotarys, dunkin, the Irish, etc.
One of the few books that I bought- on the clearance shelf at Trident, but it was worth the $10 and the donation back into the little libraries for others to enjoy.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia has never known her father or why, exactly, her mother had created a tight, claustrophobic existence for the two of them but now she's determined to find out, Funny thing is, for some reason, her husband Daniel doesn't want her to investigate. But you know she will, Her mother, before she died from dementia, gave her a clue when she signed a check with a different name. This has a fast start, sags a bit in the middle, and then picks up for a dramatic end. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC, A good read,

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story that kept me guessing and on the edge. There's a woman who want to know about her past and who her mother was. There's an unknown quantity that could hurt her and there's a lot of suspense.
I thoroughly enjoyed most of the book even if Olive, the MC, was a bit full of self pity at times.
It's a good book that I recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Cynthia Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book.

[Kay Childs · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars..not bad story. I just feel the main character could have had more of a backbone.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s got a plot, and the story moves well, but the characters are mechanical and don’t talk or act like real, grieving, busy, married, employed people.

[Hannah Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. My perfect mystery, a quick buildup, twists and turns to keep you guessing and an ending that wraps things up! Loved it!

[Kitty Axelson-Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rarely -- almost never -- do I read a book in one day, but "Gone But Not Forgotten" broke that wretched pattern. Back and forth did I tromp, from beautiful pool to beautiful reading room, all on a sweltering summer on Cape Cod day. I enjoyed it ever-so-much, thanks to its plot with its nice plot twists and suspense, and its characters, with their surprises. It didn't hurt to have happened to meet the author, Michele Dorsey, earlier in the week in a wondrously delightful paper and ephemera shop in Wellfleet, MA, Jules Besch Stationers . I look forward to reading her other books. And I hope she reads this review because I can't find a way to contact her on the internet.