Don't Go

by Lisa Scottoline

When Dr. Mike Scanlon is called to serve as an army doctor in Afghanistan, he's acutely aware of the dangers he'll face and the hardships it will cause his wife Chloe and newborn baby. And deep inside, he doesn't think of himself as a warrior, but a healer.However, in an ironic turn of events, as Mike operates on a wounded soldier in a war-torn country, Chloe dies at home in the suburbs, in an apparent household accident. Devastated, he returns home to bury her, only to discover that the life he left behind has fallen apart. His medical practice is in jeopardy, and he is a complete stranger to the only family he has left - his precious baby girl. Worse, he learns a shocking secret that sends him into a downward spiral.Ultimately, Mike realizes that the most important battle of his life faces him on the home front and he'll have to put it all on the line to save what's dearest to him – his family.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Suspense, Book Club, Adult, Chick Lit

Paperback

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

Lisa Scottoline is a #1 bestselling and Edgar award-winning author of 33 novels. Her books are book-club favorites, and Lisa and her daughter Francesca Serritella have hosted an annual Big Book Club Party for over a thousand readers at her Pennsylvania farm, for the past twelve years. Lisa has served as President of Mystery Writers of America, and her reviews of fiction and non-fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Philadelphia Inquirer. She also writes a weekly column with her daughter for the Philadelphia Inquirer entitled Chick Wit, a witty take on life from a woman’s perspective, which have been collected in a bestselling series of humorous memoirs. Lisa graduated magna cum laude in three years from the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.A. in English, and cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she taught Justice and Fiction. Lisa has over 30 million copies of her books in print and is published in over 35 countries. She lives in the Philadelphia area with an array of disobedient pets and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

When an author has as many books out as Lisa Scottoline, it's easy to assume she probably has a handle on things like character development, dialogue, and coherent, realistic plot lines. I didn't find that to be true in this case whatsoever. A handful of sloppy editing mistakes didn't help (if they scream off the page at ME, who are they paying for this?!), either. This book tries to do too much. All at once, it attempts to show life in the military, solve two deaths/murders/killings, cover military-related PTSD, and for good measure, we'll throw in a custody case. If Scottoline had maybe focused on one or two of these things, they maybe could have been developed to a point of feeling authentic...as it was, however, it just felt overdramatic, sensationalistic, and trite. Stilted, awkward dialogue didn't help. Definitely a disappointing read for me.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

Oh man, where do I start? Okay, first of all, I love the cover. And second, I really like Lisa Scottoline. Third, I REALLY wanted to like this book. I was so excited to win an ARC of this and be one of the first to read it.

I am usually very forgiving with books. Things that people dwell on and make a big deal out of I am usually willing to look past and enjoy the book anyway. I can't say the same for this one. I wanted to rate this book 5 stars when I received it. A little ways in I decided this could be 4 stars, tops. And then throughout most of the book I decided this book was more like 3 stars. And then I read the ending and I just couldn't give it more than 2 stars. I realized that I had just read through too many things that bothered me and the ending cemented the deal for me.

I just wrote about three more paragraphs breaking this book down but I decided that wouldn't be fair since the book hasn't even been released yet. I will just mention some of the things that really bothered me.

The military was portrayed really badly in this book. Between living in the most concentrated military area in the world, being previously married to someone in the service, and having very close friends in the military who get deployed I just don't think that the way the military was portrayed was fair at all. Also, has there ever been a weaker hero? I had to force myself through the first 100 pages or so because if I was his wife I would have been rolling around in my grave with the way he acted after her death, espcially about the child. And then the military convincing him he needs to re-up his tour for an extra year because they are more important than his child? Please. I can understand why Scottoline painted the in-laws the way she did to add mystery but the 180 degree turn they made? Again, please. The lawyer that entered the picture was expected and I can get past that. The "whodunit" part was ridiculous. I can't really say anymore without giving things away but I was really disappointed in this book. I'm kind of hoping the author makes a few changes before the release date and if I see reviews at that time that look different from what I read then I would be willing to read the book again and rate and review it accordingly. Until then, unfortunately, I don't have very many good things to say about this one.

[Sarah Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

DON'T GO is the first novel that I have ever read by Lisa Scottoline. I had never even heard her name before. When I read a brief synopsis of the plot of DON'T GO, I was drawn to her main character, Mike Scanlon, because he was an army doctor. I sincerely thought that I would enjoy it since military servicemen and doctors both hold special places in my heart. The men and women who serve in both professions are all heroes and heroines, as far as I am concerned; thus, I convinced myself that Dr. Mike Scanlon would awaken those true, heartfelt feelings in me as I read this account of his life. However, I must admit that I was sorely disappointed from beginning to end. First, Lisa Scottoline's writing style is extremely poor and uninteresting throughout DON'T GO. Second, all the characters who appear within the plot are flat and one-dimensional. Third, the structure is very sloppy and unorganized. There were far too many chapters crammed into a novel of this length, and the chapters are far too short and pitifully underdeveloped. As you can tell, I had a strong, visceral reaction to reading DON'T GO. And...based on this reaction, I don't know whether I will take a chance and read any of the other novels that Lisa Scottoline has written.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, this book was bad. I know I shouldn't even rate it because I could not finish it - I skimmed through even though I didn't really care enough to find out what happened in the end. The characters were not developed and so unbelievable - his wife dies, he hasn't seen his baby in months and months due to being deployed, he comes home and is about to go up the stairs to see his baby but his sister in law says, no she's sleeping come sit down and eat and he obliges? And it kind of goes on like that -- nothing rings true in how it happens. I wanted to read this based on the reviews -- guess I'm in the minority on this one.

[Cindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Message to Lisa Scottoline who I will say, for the record at the get-go, is one of my favorite authors: Lisa. Please. Go back to your Rosato & Associates mystery series. The stand-alone general fictions are not cut from your usual fine fabric. Look Again was quite good but as much as I wanted to like this one too I just could not. It was sloppily written (so unlike Scottoline!), and filled with far too much inane conversation, implausible action, and irrelevant details. (Really, do we need to know the file number at the top and the entries in each field of the autopsy report?) The main character, Dr. Mike Scanlon, was, in a word, a flippin' wimp. (OK, that was two words.) While he is serving as a medic in Afghanistan, his wife dies suddenly and horribly. He returns home to bury her, where he is shocked and heartbroken to discover several very disturbing aspects of her last few months and his infant daughter has, for all intents, been stolen from him by his in-laws...and he does what? Voluntarily re-ups for another full year away from her?! Who would do that? Then, nearly a year later when he returns, having been severely wounded, the child is now emotionally attached to her aunt and uncle who likewise don't want to return her to him--who didn't see that coming?--and again he wimps out: doesn't push back when they refuse his attempts to bond with her, allows them to be called "mommy and daddy," blah blah. I wanted to slap him. In his defense he seems to be suffering from PTSD and has become addicted to pain killers, and he is preoccupied with investigating what was going on with his wife before her death. He jumps wildly to unsupported conclusions and goes off on irrational pursuits, including tracking down a killer, while simultaneously allowing himself to be run rickshod over by his bulldozer in-laws and former medical partners, and while also simultaneously retaining a lawyer and completing an entire custody trial--all that in ONE WEEK after his return from war--ridiculous! The ending, while happy, was predictable and poorly wrapped up in a sloppy cheesy bow.

I'm giving it a generous three stars because I love Ms. Scottoline. Anyone else would've gotten two stars at best.

[Karina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Emily wailed at the top of her lungs, clinging to Danielle as she stood at the entrance to the family room. The baby had burst into tears at the sight of Mike, who had walked over to her, holding out his arms. (PG 48)

Contrary to popular belief, skimming a book justifies a low star rating whether you/yourself or anyone makes you feel bad about not reading a boring book to its entirety. - Karina, the Wise One (LOL)

So this book was a kitchen sink book with horrible editing skills or lack of::: Let’s cover the topics.


-Alcoholism
-War veteran
-PTSD
-Murder Case
-Drug abuse
-Custody Case
-Cheating Spouse
-Saw-it-coming twist
-Horrible acting skills

At 82 chapters and 374 pages I expected more from Scottoline. She lead me on, strung me along! (I joke, I joke!)

Second book by this author and she is not for me. I tried, she failed, I must move on….

[Dorie - Cats&Books :) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh darn, this was a disappointing audiobook. I have recently been listening to some of Ms Scottoline’s books, most notably Every Fifteen Seconds which I really liked. That book was well written and a real psychological thriller. I couldn’t stop listening to it.

Don’t Go is, I guess, a mystery. It’s the story of Mike Scanlon who is a podiatrist currently serving a tour in Afghanistan. The story starts out with his wife dying suddenly and horribly. He is called home to see to her funeral and finding a temporary home for his infant daughter. He also finds out that she has been hiding things from him and he was totally blind sighted. He finds out from the autopsy that his wife was pregnant from another man.

His wife Chloe’s sister and her husband are more than happy, actually thrilled, to take care and raise Emily. His brother in law, how handy, is a lawyer and has him sign a custody agreement which he barely reads. We know there will be trouble ahead with that decision! While away he is talked into another tour of duty, a full year. Right here is when it started to become very unbelievable. What father would sign up for another tour of duty, with the possibility of being killed, when he has an infant at home who needs him.

When he finally returns home, surprise, surprise, Emily is emotionally and physically attached to his in laws. While trying to fight for her return Mike is also convinced that he knows who Chloe’s lover is. Then another shocker, her best friend is murdered within a week of his return. He starts to investigate and gets into aggravated assault with the suspected lover/murderer.

There is just way too much going on here and too many characters who are not fully developed. Mike comes across many times as a wimpy pushover, and then at other times he is portrayed as a very heroic soldier. To really mix things up he has come back as an amputee, so he is dealing with that and the related drug dependence.

Enough already. All of these things are quickly tied up at the end in an unbelievable fashion. I know that this is one of her earlier novels so I think she has improved along the way. I think if I had been reading this I never would have finished, as a listen it was all right while I was cleaning the house!
So I would say don’t discount Ms. Scottoline as she has some good things out there, just say no to “Don’t Go”.

[Jeannie Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Ordered it for two reasons-1) have read other Scottoline books- so I knew it would be good, 2) author offered via Facebook to send a paperback of my choice if I preordered Don't Go, so that's a win-win 'in my book'.
Super fast read, and since I do most of my 'for fun' reading in bed- I especially appreciated the short chapters. That being said, it didn't make that much difference because just as you end one chapter, you are impelled to continue!
The action is good, most of the characters are likeable enough, the detail of the main character's military life had me laughing one minute and crying the next. I really thought I had figured out 'the bad guy' then a plot twist had me feeling guilty for the false accusation.
I have always held our military personnel in high regard, but after reading this book, that status is higher than ever!
Scottoline writes in a detail that is always where you need it and not overdone.
I would recommend this book to anyone- but I must warn you, it's not all 'puppies and kittens. There are graphic parts, very tender parts, raw emotion, true love and adoration and definitely perseverance shown from the characters.

[Mary Alice Sexton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do not read this book. I picked it up because when I walked in B&N it was on the New Arrivals Hard Cover book store and the review looked good. However, I did read online reviews of the book and they were all poor so it's my own fault, but, still B&N, take it out of the spot light. The plot could have been written by my 12 year old, that is how predictable it is. There is a twist just like in all murder mysteries, but, it's down right awful. The support for the new characters and information is poor to non-existent. Maybe a tween might like this if they like murder mysteries??? Anyway, please don't read it. The only reason I even gave it one star was because somewhere around middle there was a tiny moment that I actually was interested. But, it was brief. The one good thing I can say...very easy read, took me 3 days on the train.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a thriller! I had no idea what to expect but this book got off to a chilling start and the suspense continued to build from there in Don't Go, Lisa Scottoline's latest. I listened to the audio version so I couldn't go any faster than the reader but this quick paced story kept me enthralled the entire way through.

Audio books usually take me a little while to get into because I have to get used to the different voices by the same reader. This one pulled me in a lot quicker than usual where I was able to get completely lost in the story and wasn't distracted by the reader.

Mike Scanlon has one misfortune after another beginning with his wife's death. Things really fall apart when he comes home to bury his wife to a daughter who doesn't know him and his practice falling apart. Things go from bad to worse when he discovers what his wife had been up to when he was gone. He questions everything he knows and loves.

He returns to Afghanistan and tries to bury himself in his work. Catastrophe seems to follow him wherever he goes and when it strikes again in Afghanistan, he returns home for good. Trying to get his life back proves to be a bigger challenge then he could have dreamed. Things continue to go wrong in every possible way. Darkness is his constant companion as the life he once knew slips out of his grasp.

Scottoline makes you feel empathy for Mike on the deepest level possible, despair for his predicaments and hope that he will be able to pull it together and get his life back. Life is hard to Mike and he has to fight for what he believes to be true and repair what has been broken in his life.

Don't Go is a suspenseful dramatic mystery that will keep you in the dark until the very end. It is a true testament to the human spirit and what one can accomplish if they set their mind to it and never give up.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop in this book. Mike's wife dies,although someone came in her home and probably could have saved her (we don't know who) Mike is in Afghanistan and has a baby at home that is now living with his sister-in-law and brother-in-law. He comes home after reinlisting for another year with his left arm blown off and his daughter is afraid of him and calls her Aunt and Uncle "mom and dad" because they say they didn't want to confuse her WTF. He found out while in Afghanistan that his wife was four weeks preggo when she died (not his)and also had a bad drinking problem. When he gets home his medical practice has dissolved and he is trying to investigate what was going on with his dead wife Chloe. He finds the email address and thinks it could be an old neighbor he confronts him and gets in a fight. Bob is defending him. Sarah is killed Chloe's best friend and Mike thinks it is because the person who Chloe was having an affair with killed her to keep her quiet. Mike finds a bracelet in Chloe's jewelry box that he thinks the guy she was having an affair with gave her. He takes it to the police station. He is being sued for the assault for $500,000. I like this book but it is very aggravating. One thing after another!

[Kris (My Novelesque Life)]

DNF @40%

I found the characters and plot a bit unrealistic, and just could not get beyond the 40% mark. Please see link below for Come Home's review for further explanation. I would be repeating lot of the same things.

[Buggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty good, but I wanted to like it a whole lot more than I actually did. The story premise had me excited and the cover is great but the execution was just all over the place, with too many story ideas all thrown together so that ultimately none of them really work. I’ve also yet to figure out what this book was trying to be; a murder mystery, a child custody story, a military memoir, a PTSD recovery, a legal thriller? It’s all of these things.

And while I’m new to author Lisa Scottoline I’d still been expecting more, or maybe just a more polished story from a “bestselling” author. As it was this felt like a first book, with immature writing and stilted, repetitive, painful dialogue that I struggled to get through without rolling my eyes. There are also several obviously placed red herrings throughout and this is coming from someone who doesn’t usually read mysteries, but I was often like, yeah that’s probably a bad idea.

That’s not to say this was entirely terrible, mostly just disappointing because it had so much promise and so many good ideas.

Don’t Go starts with our main characters wife dying on her kitchen from a knife wound, (this is not a spoiler) someone comes to the door but instead of helping they leave. We then switch over to our main character Dr. Mike Scanlon, who is a serving as an army doctor in Afghanistan. I really enjoyed the army sections of this book (which take up a large section) they’re obviously been well researched and you get a real feel for the living conditions, the surgeries, the comradely with the other doctors and the hardships and horror.

So while Mike is operating on a wounded soldier his wife dies and within 24hrs he finds himself back in America trying to figure out what happened and how exactly he is going to care for a baby who was only a month old when he deployed and now doesn’t know him and screams at the very sight of him. He also discovers that the medical practice he took leave from is in jeopardy and that his wife was not only a closeted alcoholic but having an affair…

So what does Mike do? He signs some papers that give his sister-in-law and her husband temporary guardianship of his daughter and goes back to finish his tour in Afghanistan. This part lost me a bit; I mean wouldn’t the military have granted him some kind of compassionate leave?? Anyways I can’t say much else without getting heavily into spoiler territory but some bad stuff happens to Mike and the second half of the book is spent with him solving his wife’s death/murder, making bad decisions and trying to piece his life back together because nothing was as it seemed.

Definitely an emotional, compelling read with more military issues that I expected, well there was more everything than I expected LOL. I did like the character of Dr. Mike even if he was a bit stupid in his actions. Can’t say that I would actively seek out anything else from this author though. Cheers.
~3.5~
415jb35

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't Go

Don't Go
by Lisa Scottoline


2.0 out of 5 stars Not Shocking, Surprising or Thrilling, April 14, 2013


It is going to be quite difficult to describe why I did not see this novel in the same light so many others have. However, I will try. I have to wonder just why the editor/publisher chose not to add a synopsis of the book here but used the first chapter, which has nothing to do with giving an over-all look at the book.

Ms. Scottoline wrote this as if it was two almost separate books in one. The first book was the emotional one, dealing with the death of Chloe and then several of the members of his medical team. This first half was written while Mike was still at war and was filled with a lot of medical technical jargon.

The second book deals with Mike coming back to the US, dealing with his medical condition and trying to become a proper father to his daughter. It reads as if the time passage is much longer but only about a week goes by while it is all hitting the fan.

All I could think while I was reading this novel was just how obvious everything was. You knew every mistake Mike was making BEFORE he made it just by reading closely
I had no sympathy for Mike or any of the other main characters in this book. Where I should have been experiencing deep emotion, I was rolling my eyes. He was always using what could be termed `the easy way out' and I never saw him as good father material. ------------> SPOILERISH <--------- By the time Bob and Danielle was having Mike's parental judgment questioned and they all went to court, if you read between the lines as I did, you knew it was coming right from the time that he went back to war after Chloe's death. You just knew these two were hoping that he would make some sort of mistake and they would get Emily's custody. The fact that they waited less than a week to do this cruel thing, was quite telling. The clues were there all along as to who fathered Chloe's love child too. ------------->END SPOILER<------------------

What kind of Aunt and Uncle would EVER allow this child to call them Mom and Dad; this was just beyond wrong. I have no children and my younger sister has four, and even if something had happened to my sister when the kids were young, I would never want to take away her memory as their mother by allowing the kids to call me mom. Moreover, to have Emily call Bob Dad, when she still has one is in my estimation - self -serving and vile.

I could not warm to anyone in this novel and I find that amazing. Usually you end up liking or sympathizing with someone, but not in this book. Nothing came as a shock to me, surprised me, or thrilled me in this entire novel.

[Darla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not my favorite Lisa Scottoline. I miss Mary and Bennie and the girls. Mike Scanlon's life was a trainwreck! I could not stop reading, but it was just to push through to the end HOPING that he would have something turn out right. The first chapter is the best of the whole book and then it goes downhill from there.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read Lisa Scottoline books before and this one didn't seem like it was her writing. I almost felt like I was reading Nicholas Sparks.

It's a quick, easy read. The story line was promising. The husband is doctor who has taken leave from his practice to serve in Afghanistan, and his wife dies at home, in a freak accident. He's goes home, discovers that his wife had a major drinking problem he knew nothing about, which may have played a part in her death, and he has questions about how she died. Their baby is being cared for by his wife's sister, and the baby doesn't know her dad, and wants nothing to do with him. So he leaves her there, and returns to Afghanistan, deciding to figure it all out later.

One thing leads to another, and he feels he has to serve another year. And then everything goes wrong. He comes back to one nightmare after another. I had to ask myself if it was possible this guy could be so stupid and handle everything as poorly as he did in this book. While I felt bad for him, I also wanted to slap him upside the head. At no time did I ever feel he was acting like a parent to his child.

I wish there had been some backstory about Mike and Chloe's relationship. All we know is that she became a drunk while her husband was gone, that the two of them really loved each other, but that she'd done some awful things while he was gone. Chloe didn't feel like a real person to me. The only information we get about their relationship is Mike thinking about how much he loved her.

Then we have the sister and brother-in-law. It was pretty obvious where that situation was going to go. The biggest problem I had with this book is that the author devoted most of it to making the reader hate these two, and then at the end, asked for a 180.

As for the "mystery," I didn't see quite where it was going. The author clearly wanted the readers to come to one conclusion, and then switched it up. The problem was that there should be clues that make the answer make sense. And that Mike solved the mystery based on the little amount of information he had -- nope, I can't buy that. The entire ending was too neat, and incredible to me.

There are some interesting issues about the best interests of a child, what is "family," and the issues facing soldiers serving for their country. I appreciate having received a free copy of this book from the publisher, through FirstReads, so I could preview it.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel is far from the usual which issues from this author: It is not a mystery. In fact it is closer to a soap opera which, if it were a pilot, would not see its option picked up by the network. It is the story of Dr. Mike Scanlon, successful podiatrist, surgeon, husband and a new father who gets called up from the reserves to serve in Afghanistan and the effects on him and the toll it takes on his life and his family.

When his tour just about comes to an end, two surgeons are killed in an ambush and no replacements are available, so Mike is asked to re-up for a year. And toward the end of that period his wife accidentally stabs herself, bleeding to death, leaving a seven-month-old daughter whose care is taken over by her older sister, Danielle, and brother-in-law, Bob. To make matters worse, Mike loses his left arm during an ambushed convoy transporting his unit and he becomes addicted to an opiate pain So, when he returns home, what further calamities could befall him?

Well, to top it off, the autopsy of his wife indicates she was one month pregnant when she died. Mike is determined to discover who her lover was, setting off further ramifications on his readjustment to civilian life. Obviously he can no longer perform surgery. And to make his life more complicated, his daughter cries every time he looks at or touches her. The pressures keep mounting and eventually he is asked to leave Bob and Danielle’s house and they enforce a previously effected custody agreement, forcing Mike to seek legal redress, setting the stage for a tear-jerker of an ending. Enough already.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I currently do not read mystery/suspense books because when I read some in the past, I found the violence to be absolutely horrible. I normally read for pleasure; if I want to deal with mind-numbing horror, I will read or listen to the news.

However, I was attracted to this book when I visited my local library. I knew that the reviews had been favorable and decided to "give it a try." While there were multiple deaths in this story, they were dealt with in what I felt was a "matter-of-fact" manner without lots of "gory" details.

Ms. Scottoline focused much more on human relationships that included families, work colleagues, and members of the military in war and after being discharged.

Although I am a novice in this area, it seems that she did an excellent job in portraying the lives of members of the military.

Hopefully, this story will make people more aware and compassionate in regard to the needs of active duty forces and retired veterans, especially those who are struggling to deal with difficult health issues. I know that this book has been very "eye-opening" for me.

I also might even read another book by Ms. Scottoline!

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK! Read in one sitting, couldn't put it down. While Mike is serving as a dr in Afghanistan, his wife dies in an apparant household accident, leaving his baby daughter motherless. He only has 10 days back home to take care of business and places his daughter in his brother and sister-in-law's custody. After he's back overseas, he begins to find out that things may not be what they seem. Upon his return, he launches himself into uncovering secrets while dealing with his emotional and physical injuries from the battlefield and his wife's death.

While it's a mystery along the lines of Lisa Scottoline's usual writing, it also delves deeper into the emotional stuff, like Jodi Piccoult or Nicholas Sparks.

The writing is excellent, the action steadily flowing from one horrendous event to the next, leaving the reader unable to find a stopping place.

Thoroughly enjoyed.

[Sk · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well I picked this up as a library book club suggestion. wish I didn't. the shame of it is that the first chapter started out well. from there it went quickly downhill and became so unbelievably trite and stereotypical that I was stunned to see it's fairly decent rating here goodreads. I can't even begin to list all the issues...
however, I'm so annoyed by this book I feel the need to mention a few of the major problems I had.

***BELOW THIS THERE WILL BE SPOILERS***
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the absolute biggest one, hands down, that almost made me toss the book in anger was at the very end when he's in the hospital almost killed by his wife's lover, and the people trying to keep his daughter--who have WON custody in court because HE SAID THEY SHOULD--come in and tearfully give back his daughter, no strings attached, on your terms xoxo kisses and hugs all around. ummm...what? what exactly changed your minds on his fit/unfit status as a parent? was it his prescription medication addiction? the way he gave up custody and said you were the better choice? maybe it was when he threw himself into the middle of a murder investigation and almost got killed in the process despite being warned that he was damaging his chances at having any visitation with his daughter? let's all "beam with joy" at how we're one big family now.

and speaking of the lover/murderer and his cohort wife--the stereotypical evildoers of the tale who make an 11th hour appearance--I love the way they just completely admitted to everything. because that's totally realistic...when the super rich commit crimes they immediately confess rather than go to trial. lawyers are expensive you know. eye roll.

another point that killed me: we're supposed to believe this guy is a successful doctor, living in a housing development a few doors away from a millionaire heiress, who's wife dies and he gets an insurance payout ($$), sells said home ($$), still getting a base salary from his practice ($$) and goes back to serving in the military. all of this money is piling up, untouched, because he's not paying for anything--including the care of his daughter, but when he's being sued for $500,000 he's got nowhere near that amount?

people say and do the most ridiculous things in this book. this intelligent, educated man finds a random bracelet in his wife's jewelry box and rushes it immediately to the police, because clearly the friend was killed by his wife's lover who also gave her this bracelet and I'll just drop it off so you can test it for all the things and it will lead us all to the killer yay! my experience with homicide investigations is limited to reruns of law and order, yet even I know that just sounds ridiculous.

he falls in love with his lawyer. with. his. lawyer. who OMG! has auburn hair and wears pink boots and is the first unmarried female character with more than a half page of dialogue.

ugh...I could go on and on...he writes himself prescriptions for narcotics, is found out and admits it in open court, yet at the end he is not prosecuted and goes on to have a thriving medical practice once again.

a half full bottle of liquor is found and he immediately springs to action yet again, deducing the truth and shaming a former colleague and "hitting him where it hurts"--to wit, his pockets. because this guy was the semi-evil guy of the story, and God forbid this book should leave any story line not wrapped up in a tidy little (unrealistic) package.

others have mentioned the poor editing ('where' instead of 'were', that sort of thing), so I won't even go their (ha).

ok, I'm done now or I'll never end. if you like a book where you can see it all coming a mile away and know how it's going to end 1 chapter in, then this book is for you.

[Joanne Guidoccio · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had been a while since I read Lisa Scottoline’s books. I expected a legal thriller with a gutsy female protagonist. Instead, Scottoline introduces Mike Scanlon, a podiatrist in crisis.

While serving on a surgical team in Afghanistan, Mike receives a devastating message from home. His wife Chloe has died in her kitchen, a victim of a household accident. Upon his return, Mike discovers that his wife had a problem with alcohol, drinking vodka even while driving her car. Probing further, he learns that she was pregnant with another man’s child.

As he searches for explanations, his life continues to spiral downward.

His medical practice is in jeopardy and his infant daughter Emily screams uncontrollably whenever he approaches. Confused and angry, Mike returns to Afghanistan. While there, he is wounded and becomes dependent upon prescription painkillers. He returns to the United States, broken and unsure of how to proceed. More devastation follows and Mike faces a custody battle for his beloved Emily.

Throughout the novel, there is ample evidence of Scottoline’s intensity and accuracy. The horror of the battlefield comes alive and we can easily imagine scenes such as the following: “Black smoke flooded the interior. Joe and Dermot became frantic shadows trying to get out of the vehicle. Flames licked under the dashboard, superheating Mike’s face, searing his lungs. He gasped for breath. They’d burn alive if they didn’t get out.”

Mike’s inner struggle with Oxycontin as he faces the new “normal” dominates the second half of the book. We can empathize and understand the circumstances that would drive Mike to illegally prescribe opiates to himself.

A page turner that could be read in one sitting.

[Rexine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Premise was exciting, execution was mediocre. It was my first Scottaline book and I would give another one of re books a try if one caught my fancy, but I won't go out of my way to do so.

I was hoping to read a story about the struggles our war vets go through when they return home, alas it was the story of a man who goes into a jealous rage after learning his lonely and vulnerable late wife had an affair. I thought the book would be about his efforts to re establish a relationship with his daughter, but the story was more about him trying to find out who slept with his wife than trying to bridge the gap with Emily, his 2 yr old. The front cover is very misleading, it's only in the last chapter that we see a relationship between Mike and Emily and its so brief. Very disappointing.

The book was difficult to get interested in and excited about. I couldn't cheer for Mike cause I hated his character, he was irritating and selfish.

All in all a mediocre read. I wanted to enjoy it, but it was so far from what I expected.

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

When an author has as many books out as Lisa Scottoline, it's easy to assume she knows a thing or two about character development, dialogue, and creating a coherent, realistic plot.

But this one…oh, this one was bad.

I know I shouldn't even rate it because I could not finish it - I skimmed through even though I didn't really care enough to find out what happened in the end.

Okay, I skipped to the end, and geesh, the "whodunit" part was ridiculous.

How could the author wrap up the story in such a cheesy way?

This book was filled with far too much inane conversation, implausible action, and irrelevant details.

Was it worth even skipping through it as I did? Good question!

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grade: D

I met Lisa Scottoline at a book signing, she was funny, warm and gracious. I hate that I'm about to give DON'T GO a bad review. The only part of the blurb I remembered was Dr. Mike Scanlon's wife died and he had an infant daughter. 10-15% into the book, I was pretty sure I had the plot and resolution figured out, and I was about 90% right.

Scottoline has an easy, engaging style of writing. Scanlon was an interesting, layered character.

The plot was neither unique, nor suspenseful. I'm being vague because I don't want to reveal spoilers. For me the predictability ruined the book. I'm so glad I only paid $2.99, and even that was a waste of money.

[Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I REALLY enjoyed this book. Lisa is one of my favorite writers and she does a great job with this book. I was a little frustrated with Bob and Danielle and also with Mike not fighting hard enough for Emily. It wrapped up really nicely and I liked the decision that was made for Emily. I listened to the book and the narrator did a great job.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good keeps you guessing who committed the two murders. Lots of twists and turns

[Brynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever kept reading a book solely because you were so annoyed that you had to get to the end to see if all of that frustration was going to have a point? That was Don’t Go for me. And spoiler alert, it didn’t. I generally like Scottoline’s writing, but this one was a miss. I’ll admit that I thought I had it figured out from the first chapter and I was wrong. But the ending, even with a twist (albeit a very anticlimactic one,) wasn’t very good. She made me hate characters, making them complete jerks, for no good reason. I couldn’t believe the way Mike’s family and so-called friends were treating him when he came home from deployment, nor could I believe that he just put up with it and kept apologizing. He seemed awfully spineless. And don’t even get me started on his unfaithful wife. He so easily forgives her and says that he understands why she did it, because she missed him and she was lonely. What a load of horse you know what. While my husband was deployed I missed him too, him, not anyone else. It really grinds my gears that Scottoline is condoning the actions of cheating wives while they’re husbands are away at war. Forgiveness is one thing, with the help of God, but not condoning it as perfectly understandable. I could get into my issues with the boy and his puppy leading to the grenade because that whole thing was ridiculous, but I’ll spare you. Moving on, Danielle was acting crazy, Bob was a complete ass from start to finish. I don’t think I liked a single character in this book.
My biggest issue though was the editing, or lack there of. I’m not convinced anyone actually read this book before it was printed. I found four typos and two stupid mistakes. Sara’s husband all throughout the book is named Don until one time when it says Dan. Or when she starts a sentence calling the dish in her hand a bowl and finishes with it being a plate. One typo I can roll my eyes at and overlook but six is completely unacceptable. I have half a mind to email the publishing company. But since it was published in 2013 it probably wouldn’t do much good. This was a two star, maybe a 2.5, read. The only reason I gave it three is because she somehow sucked me into this messed up story and made me finish it in two days. Although I was sick in bed, so plenty of time to read.

[Marleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many elements were present to make this a great read. Elements such as the accidental death of Mike’s wife; Mike’s active reserve duty as doctor at the front in Afghanistan; his single parent status; Mike’s alienation from his infant child during his deployment; his depression when he comes back injured - and many others.
Unfortunately, Lisa Scottoline didn't do a good enough job in using all these elements to present a consistently good read. This read lacked subtlety and nuance, in my opinion. She magnified some issues to the point it became irritating. For instance, the fact that little Emma, Mike’s baby cried all the time when he, as a father, wanted to connect with her, that was just unrealistic because the little girl was willing enough to not cry when other strangers took her in their arms. This occurred again and again, and it felt exaggerated, like forcing the issue as if we didn't get the point. Ridiculous, if you ask me.
My favorite parts were actually when Mike was with his buddy doctors at the front in Afghanistan. He felt more authentic there. He acted like a man who had determination, but when he was home and staying with his sister-in-law (his dead wife’s sister) and her husband for the funeral and then after when he comes back for good, Mike simply didn't stand up to them. He was meek and weak, and that was disappointing. Mike must have been blind and deaf, because I saw the signs from the very first chapters, the fact that Danielle and Bob wanted that child for themselves, regardless if Mike was the legitimate father or not. What selfish people those two and then suddenly they see the error of their ways? Come on. I was not persuaded.
Anyway, I enjoyed the premise, but not the execution. I wish for a re-write. Ha !
**2,5**

[Connie Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had not read a Scottoline book in quite some time and was pleased to see a man as the lead character. I think she did a good job relating how service men and women learn to cope with all the horrors of war....and Dr. Scanlon had plenty of horrors to deal with. I enjoyed the relationship he developed with the other men her served with, particularly "Chatty". She also delved into the difficulties of returning home to the life before the war.
This is where I found things not quite as smooth. I thought more emphasis would be placed on trying to reconnect with his daughter but instead his focus was on the loss of his wife...and who was responsible. As a suspense, it was so-so....and none of the characters were very "likable" for me....including the good Dr. His behavior was a bit extreme to me.......
All in all, an OK read. Not a page turning "who done it". I think I expected a bit more.