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Gone Guru
Gone Guru is a cosy mystery that punctures the writing bubble with a sharp pen and an even sharper look at an industry often accused of peddling unrealistic dreams.
Noni Barlow is broke, jet-lagged and alone in New York with nothing but a dream and a manuscript.
When her idol Joyce Carol Oates tells her that Born Again memoirs are so 'last year', Noni's big break starts to feel like a big mistake.
To add to the general weirdness, she meets her new flatmate only once before he vanishes into thin air - and that's even before Noni discovers he is a transcendental meditation guru with a massive following, and a million-dollar trust fund.
Aided by an octogenarian social worker, and the sarcastic daughter of her Puerto Rican landlady, Noni finds herself deep in the case of the disappearing guru.
Is this the new plot line she needs to save her writing career?
Noni Barlow is broke, jet-lagged and alone in New York with nothing but a dream and a manuscript.
When her idol Joyce Carol Oates tells her that Born Again memoirs are so 'last year', Noni's big break starts to feel like a big mistake.
To add to the general weirdness, she meets her new flatmate only once before he vanishes into thin air - and that's even before Noni discovers he is a transcendental meditation guru with a massive following, and a million-dollar trust fund.
Aided by an octogenarian social worker, and the sarcastic daughter of her Puerto Rican landlady, Noni finds herself deep in the case of the disappearing guru.
Is this the new plot line she needs to save her writing career?
310 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 5, 2026
I came across an excerpt for this debut and was hooked from the opening line – I knew that I had to read more!
“I’d been living in Harlem for two weeks before I realised my roommate was missing.”
Noni Barlow is an Australian in her thirties that’s studying creative writing in New York. Her roommate is a guy named Vincent, a meditation guru with a large following and mysterious trust fund, who then goes missing.
I found plenty to love about this novel. It has a cosy mystery vibe, if that’s possible for a bustling city like New York. The author isn’t afraid to delve beneath the surface and explore deeper topics as well, with themes like identity, race, class and religion featured heavily. For writers and those who enjoy literature, there’s much to like also.
The prose is lively and engaging with a strong voice and rhythm that brought these characters and settings alive. It made me laugh numerous times, and became a world that I looked forward to spending time in.
Noni is a unique main character that feels authentic. I liked how the author slowly peeled back layers of her, revealing an isolated upbringing in a strict Christian cult that shaped her perspective. It contrasts nicely alongside the New York storyline, both ultimately searching for meaning and purpose.
Vincent doesn’t spend much time in the novel, yet his presence is felt everywhere, and he helps progress Noni’s journey well. Scenes between Noni and elderly social worker, Danny, were highlights. I enjoyed their dynamics and conversations, often feeling like I was sitting there with them. Merelis, Maya and Juander rounded out what was a memorable cast of characters that I became quite invested in.
There’s a wonderful meta aspect to this story, and it was fun to live vicariously through Noni as she undertook her prestigious NYU writing course. Gone Guru has a self-awareness that’s quite endearing.
“…I’d somehow been able to scrap a book together about finding him, or finding myself, or finding inner peace, or whatever it was, maybe they were all the same thing.”
Gone Guru is a story that enjoys dancing between the lines of memoir and novel. One of those books that makes you wonder how much is true, and how much the author was drawing from their own life. The tension built effectively as things progressed, and I found parts quite thought-provoking.
The best debut novel I’ve read this year, and one that I’m still thinking about days later.
“I’d already written all the bad endings. Now I was gunning for a happy one.”
Many thanks to Fremantle Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This review can also be found on my blog, where I write about books and feature author interviews. You can read it here.
“I’d been living in Harlem for two weeks before I realised my roommate was missing.”
Noni Barlow is an Australian in her thirties that’s studying creative writing in New York. Her roommate is a guy named Vincent, a meditation guru with a large following and mysterious trust fund, who then goes missing.
I found plenty to love about this novel. It has a cosy mystery vibe, if that’s possible for a bustling city like New York. The author isn’t afraid to delve beneath the surface and explore deeper topics as well, with themes like identity, race, class and religion featured heavily. For writers and those who enjoy literature, there’s much to like also.
The prose is lively and engaging with a strong voice and rhythm that brought these characters and settings alive. It made me laugh numerous times, and became a world that I looked forward to spending time in.
Noni is a unique main character that feels authentic. I liked how the author slowly peeled back layers of her, revealing an isolated upbringing in a strict Christian cult that shaped her perspective. It contrasts nicely alongside the New York storyline, both ultimately searching for meaning and purpose.
Vincent doesn’t spend much time in the novel, yet his presence is felt everywhere, and he helps progress Noni’s journey well. Scenes between Noni and elderly social worker, Danny, were highlights. I enjoyed their dynamics and conversations, often feeling like I was sitting there with them. Merelis, Maya and Juander rounded out what was a memorable cast of characters that I became quite invested in.
There’s a wonderful meta aspect to this story, and it was fun to live vicariously through Noni as she undertook her prestigious NYU writing course. Gone Guru has a self-awareness that’s quite endearing.
“…I’d somehow been able to scrap a book together about finding him, or finding myself, or finding inner peace, or whatever it was, maybe they were all the same thing.”
Gone Guru is a story that enjoys dancing between the lines of memoir and novel. One of those books that makes you wonder how much is true, and how much the author was drawing from their own life. The tension built effectively as things progressed, and I found parts quite thought-provoking.
The best debut novel I’ve read this year, and one that I’m still thinking about days later.
“I’d already written all the bad endings. Now I was gunning for a happy one.”
Many thanks to Fremantle Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This review can also be found on my blog, where I write about books and feature author interviews. You can read it here.
Read
August 19, 2026GONE GURU is a mystery (not thriller) thriller set in an NYC which will charm non-New Yorkers.
Premise - Noni Barlow is a broke aspiring memoirist who pulls up to NYC with a manuscript and a dream. When her idol, Joyce Carol Oates, tells her cult escapee memoirs are so "last year," she has a crisis, exacerbated by her weird rooming situations.
Noni's flatmate is a trust fund baby she met once before he disappeared into thin air. He's also a millionaire trust fund baby and a transcendental meditation guru with a massive following. Noni sets to work solving the mystery, along with some kooky NYC characters, in the hopes of fixing (creating?) her career.
It was my mistake to request this on NetGalley. It's a solid book and I'm sure plenty of people will love it, I just read the blurb and between a cult escapee protagonist and a cult leader type who goes missing, I thought this would be a thrilling, zany read. It's a solid mystery, but it's a mystery -- cozy, quippy, and not too tense.
I love stories set in NYC that are written for New Yorkers to read, but I think this one is more for people who haven't spent much time in the City, but are fascinated by the freedom of identity it allows. The kooky characters are kooky in the way of a wisecracking taxi driver more than someone you might actually bump into at the NYPL or in a Saturday morning queue on a SoHo sidewalk.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Clarisse Bonello. She was my favorite part of the story -- I haven't read a ton of Australian fiction and I haven't heard a ton of Australian-narrated audiobooks, so it was charming to have a different accent in my ear. Her read really gave the story the feel of being an outsider entering an unfamiliar, very American world.
Thanks, NetGalley and Bolinda Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Premise - Noni Barlow is a broke aspiring memoirist who pulls up to NYC with a manuscript and a dream. When her idol, Joyce Carol Oates, tells her cult escapee memoirs are so "last year," she has a crisis, exacerbated by her weird rooming situations.
Noni's flatmate is a trust fund baby she met once before he disappeared into thin air. He's also a millionaire trust fund baby and a transcendental meditation guru with a massive following. Noni sets to work solving the mystery, along with some kooky NYC characters, in the hopes of fixing (creating?) her career.
It was my mistake to request this on NetGalley. It's a solid book and I'm sure plenty of people will love it, I just read the blurb and between a cult escapee protagonist and a cult leader type who goes missing, I thought this would be a thrilling, zany read. It's a solid mystery, but it's a mystery -- cozy, quippy, and not too tense.
I love stories set in NYC that are written for New Yorkers to read, but I think this one is more for people who haven't spent much time in the City, but are fascinated by the freedom of identity it allows. The kooky characters are kooky in the way of a wisecracking taxi driver more than someone you might actually bump into at the NYPL or in a Saturday morning queue on a SoHo sidewalk.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Clarisse Bonello. She was my favorite part of the story -- I haven't read a ton of Australian fiction and I haven't heard a ton of Australian-narrated audiobooks, so it was charming to have a different accent in my ear. Her read really gave the story the feel of being an outsider entering an unfamiliar, very American world.
Thanks, NetGalley and Bolinda Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2026
Gone Guru is the first novel by Australian author, Nadine Browne. The day in late August that Noni Barlow arrives at the Harlem apartment, having paid him her bond and a month’s rent, is both the first and last day she sees Vincent Maclean. It’s only when the Puerto Rican landlady’s daughter, Merelis asks, that Noni realises she hasn’t seen him. It’s been two weeks.
Her first impression of him was calm and peaceful. But, jetlagged, disoriented by New York (“sometimes I felt culturally incompetent in America, the body language was all wrong, and the intonations different”), plagued with insomnia, missing Bob the Pomeranian, and preoccupied with her two-semester fiction intensive writing course, she hadn’t really noticed his absence. Apparently, his rent is due. Calls, texts, emails: no response.
Online, she discovers he’s Moksha, a guru with six million followers, espousing nondualism. It shouldn’t be her problem, she has enough to deal with, but soon she’s trying to track him down: the Zen Center where he leads meditation, his social worker surrogate uncle on the Lower East Side, his older brother (a disgraced motivational speaker).
Meanwhile, when her work in progress, a memoir of her escape from a Born-Again Christian doom-prepper cult and the aftermath, is workshopped, respected author Joyce Carol Oates dismisses it, telling her she’s missed the cult bus, start on something else.
Everyone she talks to seems to offer a different picture of the gone guru: the kind and reliable tenant who cares for his landlady and walks her dog; the damaged soul looking for meaning; the wise guru whose meditations Noni finds helpful when she listens. Everyone, though, agrees that Vincent never goes off on retreat without letting them know.
And then there’s the trust fund, discovered when a bank statement arrives: a very large sum of money, untouched since 2008. Noni begins to wonder if Vincent is the victim of foul play… The whole situation is an intriguing one: is Vincent’s mysterious absence the perfect premise for a novel? Her classmates and her tutors seem to think so when she shares what she’s written about it.
Browne easily evokes her New York City setting and her quirky characters cannot fail to charm the reader. There are copious literary references to delight the literature lover, and it’s clear there’s a strong autobiographical element to the novel, giving it an unmatchable authenticity. An outstanding debut.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Fremantle Press.
Her first impression of him was calm and peaceful. But, jetlagged, disoriented by New York (“sometimes I felt culturally incompetent in America, the body language was all wrong, and the intonations different”), plagued with insomnia, missing Bob the Pomeranian, and preoccupied with her two-semester fiction intensive writing course, she hadn’t really noticed his absence. Apparently, his rent is due. Calls, texts, emails: no response.
Online, she discovers he’s Moksha, a guru with six million followers, espousing nondualism. It shouldn’t be her problem, she has enough to deal with, but soon she’s trying to track him down: the Zen Center where he leads meditation, his social worker surrogate uncle on the Lower East Side, his older brother (a disgraced motivational speaker).
Meanwhile, when her work in progress, a memoir of her escape from a Born-Again Christian doom-prepper cult and the aftermath, is workshopped, respected author Joyce Carol Oates dismisses it, telling her she’s missed the cult bus, start on something else.
Everyone she talks to seems to offer a different picture of the gone guru: the kind and reliable tenant who cares for his landlady and walks her dog; the damaged soul looking for meaning; the wise guru whose meditations Noni finds helpful when she listens. Everyone, though, agrees that Vincent never goes off on retreat without letting them know.
And then there’s the trust fund, discovered when a bank statement arrives: a very large sum of money, untouched since 2008. Noni begins to wonder if Vincent is the victim of foul play… The whole situation is an intriguing one: is Vincent’s mysterious absence the perfect premise for a novel? Her classmates and her tutors seem to think so when she shares what she’s written about it.
Browne easily evokes her New York City setting and her quirky characters cannot fail to charm the reader. There are copious literary references to delight the literature lover, and it’s clear there’s a strong autobiographical element to the novel, giving it an unmatchable authenticity. An outstanding debut.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Fremantle Press.
August 30, 2026
Noni, an Australian in her early 30s, earns a scholarship to NYU's creative writing program. But what will she write about? She rents a room in an apartment and tries to settle into a schedule. When the brash daughter of the Puerto Rican landlady comes to collect the rent, Noni learns that the man who rented to her is not legally allowed to do so, that he is a somewhat famous guru of meditation, and that he is missing. Searching for him becomes both her madcap side job and inspiration for her writing. The characters are interesting, and the narrator does an excellent job with the various accents (Australian, NJ, and more). Very entertaining.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BolinaAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #GoneGuru for review purposes. It is now available.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BolinaAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #GoneGuru for review purposes. It is now available.
August 18, 2026
A light, cosy mystery, with a cast of quirky and memorable characters.
'Aided by an octogenarian social worker, and the sarcastic daughter of her Puerto Rican landlady, Noni finds herself deep in the case of the disappearing guru.'
This was a fun audiobook listen, which is narrated well by Clarisse Bonello.
A good debut novel. I am interested in reading what stories come next from Australian author Nadine Brown.
'Aided by an octogenarian social worker, and the sarcastic daughter of her Puerto Rican landlady, Noni finds herself deep in the case of the disappearing guru.'
This was a fun audiobook listen, which is narrated well by Clarisse Bonello.
A good debut novel. I am interested in reading what stories come next from Australian author Nadine Brown.
October 13, 2026
Gone Guru is the debut novel for author Nadine Browne. It’s a cozy mystery that is witty, unique and filled with quirky characters.
🗽 Gone Guru is a fun, weird and entertaining read that gets you thinking about relationships, identity and finding your way in the world. It’s filled with literary references and feels like a blend of memoir and fiction, with the author drawing from real life experiences throughout the narrative.
I enjoyed how Noni got caught up in the mystery of the missing guru and the people and self-discovery she finds along the way. This is definitely a unique character driven novel, but I did feel like the pacing could have been a little more consistent throughout.
Thank you to @fremantlepress for a copy to review.
🗽 Gone Guru is a fun, weird and entertaining read that gets you thinking about relationships, identity and finding your way in the world. It’s filled with literary references and feels like a blend of memoir and fiction, with the author drawing from real life experiences throughout the narrative.
I enjoyed how Noni got caught up in the mystery of the missing guru and the people and self-discovery she finds along the way. This is definitely a unique character driven novel, but I did feel like the pacing could have been a little more consistent throughout.
Thank you to @fremantlepress for a copy to review.
September 18, 2026
Really fun, weird little mystery with a great literary streak. I loved the whole missing-guru setup and the way Noni’s own life slowly gets tangled up with the mystery. It’s funny without trying too hard, and the metafiction stuff was probably my favorite part.
The pacing wandered a bit for me in places, but overall this was a really enjoyable, quirky read with some surprisingly thoughtful stuff about identity, storytelling and how much of ourselves we put into the stories we tell.
The pacing wandered a bit for me in places, but overall this was a really enjoyable, quirky read with some surprisingly thoughtful stuff about identity, storytelling and how much of ourselves we put into the stories we tell.
September 17, 2026
Gone Guru by Nadine Brown is an engaging and thought-provoking debut fiction novel that explores relationships, identity, and self-discovery.
The story follows Noni Barlow, a young aspiring Australian writer arriving in New York clinging to a half-finished manuscript in hopes it will change her life. She’s determined to make it as a writer, but her first major encounter with her literary idol Joyce Carol Oates ends in disaster. Her memoir idea is dismissed as outdated, and Noni is forced to confront the possibility that her big break may never come.
Renting a room in a Harlem apartment she meets her new flatmate Vincent, a transcendental meditation guru with a massive following and a large trust fund. When she doesn’t see him for days, she assumes he’s simply travelling or avoiding her but as time passes with unopened mail and a room untouched, he is nowhere to be found and has simply vanished.
Noni plunges headfirst into the mystery of the missing guru, partly driven by curiosity and partly by the hope that Vincent’s disappearance might provide the inspiration her writing desperately needs. She teams up with Merelis, the landlady’s daughter, who knows the city well, and Danny, an elderly octogenarian social worker. Together, this wonderfully mismatched trio navigates New York’s spiritual circles, wealthy neighbourhoods and more unexpected corners of the city in search of answers.
What begins as curiosity gradually becomes an obsession. Noni’s search for Vincent forces her to confront some uncomfortable truths about herself. Is she genuinely trying to find Vincent, or is she searching for the story that will finally make her a successful writer? As the trio gets closer to uncovering the truth, the novel gradually shifts from a light-hearted mystery into something much more emotional.
The characters are one of the novel’s greatest strengths. They are flawed, complex, and wonderfully human, each carrying their own hopes, insecurities, and past experiences. Their relationships provide much of the story’s emotional depth, particularly in the way their experiences influence the choices they make
Noni is quirky, ambitious and determined, but her self-doubt often undermines her confidence. Her search for Vincent becomes a metaphor for her own search for meaning, self-belief and validation as a writer and artist. I enjoyed watching her gradually realise that finding herself may be more important than finding the perfect story.
I particularly enjoyed the authenticity of the secondary characters, especially Merelis. She is sarcastic, sharp-witted and emotionally guarded, often responding to Noni’s dramatics with an unimpressed attitude that adds both humour and depth to their interactions. Danny was another character I really enjoyed. He is wise, kind and empathetic, and his relationship with Noni develops into one of the more meaningful connections in the story.
Brown captures the contrasts of New York beautifully, it is vibrant, unpredictable, and impossible to ignore. I felt as though I was wandering the streets alongside the characters, moving from the energy of Harlem to the grit and charm of the Lower East Side and across to the more unexpected corners of Staten Island.
There were moments when I felt the pacing could have been a little tighter. Some sections took longer than necessary to reach their destination, and there were times when I wanted the story to move forward a little more quickly. However, this didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the novel.
Gone Guru is a warm, entertaining and thoughtful read about change, transformation, relationships and finding your way when life doesn’t quite turn out as expected. It combines mystery, humour and character-driven storytelling with a heartfelt exploration of self-discovery.
I recommend to readers who enjoy character-driven contemporary fiction that blends humour, mystery, and a touch of self-discovery.
Thank you to Beauty & Lace and Fremantle Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The story follows Noni Barlow, a young aspiring Australian writer arriving in New York clinging to a half-finished manuscript in hopes it will change her life. She’s determined to make it as a writer, but her first major encounter with her literary idol Joyce Carol Oates ends in disaster. Her memoir idea is dismissed as outdated, and Noni is forced to confront the possibility that her big break may never come.
Renting a room in a Harlem apartment she meets her new flatmate Vincent, a transcendental meditation guru with a massive following and a large trust fund. When she doesn’t see him for days, she assumes he’s simply travelling or avoiding her but as time passes with unopened mail and a room untouched, he is nowhere to be found and has simply vanished.
Noni plunges headfirst into the mystery of the missing guru, partly driven by curiosity and partly by the hope that Vincent’s disappearance might provide the inspiration her writing desperately needs. She teams up with Merelis, the landlady’s daughter, who knows the city well, and Danny, an elderly octogenarian social worker. Together, this wonderfully mismatched trio navigates New York’s spiritual circles, wealthy neighbourhoods and more unexpected corners of the city in search of answers.
What begins as curiosity gradually becomes an obsession. Noni’s search for Vincent forces her to confront some uncomfortable truths about herself. Is she genuinely trying to find Vincent, or is she searching for the story that will finally make her a successful writer? As the trio gets closer to uncovering the truth, the novel gradually shifts from a light-hearted mystery into something much more emotional.
The characters are one of the novel’s greatest strengths. They are flawed, complex, and wonderfully human, each carrying their own hopes, insecurities, and past experiences. Their relationships provide much of the story’s emotional depth, particularly in the way their experiences influence the choices they make
Noni is quirky, ambitious and determined, but her self-doubt often undermines her confidence. Her search for Vincent becomes a metaphor for her own search for meaning, self-belief and validation as a writer and artist. I enjoyed watching her gradually realise that finding herself may be more important than finding the perfect story.
I particularly enjoyed the authenticity of the secondary characters, especially Merelis. She is sarcastic, sharp-witted and emotionally guarded, often responding to Noni’s dramatics with an unimpressed attitude that adds both humour and depth to their interactions. Danny was another character I really enjoyed. He is wise, kind and empathetic, and his relationship with Noni develops into one of the more meaningful connections in the story.
Brown captures the contrasts of New York beautifully, it is vibrant, unpredictable, and impossible to ignore. I felt as though I was wandering the streets alongside the characters, moving from the energy of Harlem to the grit and charm of the Lower East Side and across to the more unexpected corners of Staten Island.
There were moments when I felt the pacing could have been a little tighter. Some sections took longer than necessary to reach their destination, and there were times when I wanted the story to move forward a little more quickly. However, this didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the novel.
Gone Guru is a warm, entertaining and thoughtful read about change, transformation, relationships and finding your way when life doesn’t quite turn out as expected. It combines mystery, humour and character-driven storytelling with a heartfelt exploration of self-discovery.
I recommend to readers who enjoy character-driven contemporary fiction that blends humour, mystery, and a touch of self-discovery.
Thank you to Beauty & Lace and Fremantle Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 11, 2026
Gone Guru is the first novel by Australian author, Nadine Browne. The audio version is narrated by Clarisse Bonello. The day in late August that Noni Barlow arrives at the Harlem apartment, having paid him her bond and a month’s rent, is both the first and last day she sees Vincent Maclean. It’s only when the Puerto Rican landlady’s daughter, Merelis asks, that Noni realises she hasn’t seen him. It’s been two weeks.
Her first impression of him was calm and peaceful. But, jetlagged, disoriented by New York (“sometimes I felt culturally incompetent in America, the body language was all wrong, and the intonations different”), plagued with insomnia, missing Bob the Pomeranian, and preoccupied with her two-semester fiction intensive writing course, she hadn’t really noticed his absence. Apparently, his rent is due. Calls, texts, emails: no response.
Online, she discovers he’s Moksha, a guru with six million followers, espousing nondualism. It shouldn’t be her problem, she has enough to deal with, but soon she’s trying to track him down: the Zen Center where he leads meditation, his social worker surrogate uncle on the Lower East Side, his older brother (a disgraced motivational speaker).
Meanwhile, when her work in progress, a memoir of her escape from a Born-Again Christian doom-prepper cult and the aftermath, is workshopped, respected author Joyce Carol Oates dismisses it, telling her she’s missed the cult bus, start on something else.
Everyone she talks to seems to offer a different picture of the gone guru: the kind and reliable tenant who cares for his landlady and walks her dog; the damaged soul looking for meaning; the wise guru whose meditations Noni finds helpful when she listens. Everyone, though, agrees that Vincent never goes off on retreat without letting them know.
And then there’s the trust fund, discovered when a bank statement arrives: a very large sum of money, untouched since 2008. Noni begins to wonder if Vincent is the victim of foul play… The whole situation is an intriguing one: is Vincent’s mysterious absence the perfect premise for a novel? Her classmates and her tutors seem to think so when she shares what she’s written about it.
Browne easily evokes her New York City setting and her quirky characters cannot fail to charm the reader. There are copious literary references to delight the literature lover, and it’s clear there’s a strong autobiographical element to the novel, giving it an unmatchable authenticity. An outstanding debut.
This unbiased review is from an audio copy provided by NetGalley and Bolinda Audio.
Her first impression of him was calm and peaceful. But, jetlagged, disoriented by New York (“sometimes I felt culturally incompetent in America, the body language was all wrong, and the intonations different”), plagued with insomnia, missing Bob the Pomeranian, and preoccupied with her two-semester fiction intensive writing course, she hadn’t really noticed his absence. Apparently, his rent is due. Calls, texts, emails: no response.
Online, she discovers he’s Moksha, a guru with six million followers, espousing nondualism. It shouldn’t be her problem, she has enough to deal with, but soon she’s trying to track him down: the Zen Center where he leads meditation, his social worker surrogate uncle on the Lower East Side, his older brother (a disgraced motivational speaker).
Meanwhile, when her work in progress, a memoir of her escape from a Born-Again Christian doom-prepper cult and the aftermath, is workshopped, respected author Joyce Carol Oates dismisses it, telling her she’s missed the cult bus, start on something else.
Everyone she talks to seems to offer a different picture of the gone guru: the kind and reliable tenant who cares for his landlady and walks her dog; the damaged soul looking for meaning; the wise guru whose meditations Noni finds helpful when she listens. Everyone, though, agrees that Vincent never goes off on retreat without letting them know.
And then there’s the trust fund, discovered when a bank statement arrives: a very large sum of money, untouched since 2008. Noni begins to wonder if Vincent is the victim of foul play… The whole situation is an intriguing one: is Vincent’s mysterious absence the perfect premise for a novel? Her classmates and her tutors seem to think so when she shares what she’s written about it.
Browne easily evokes her New York City setting and her quirky characters cannot fail to charm the reader. There are copious literary references to delight the literature lover, and it’s clear there’s a strong autobiographical element to the novel, giving it an unmatchable authenticity. An outstanding debut.
This unbiased review is from an audio copy provided by NetGalley and Bolinda Audio.
October 10, 2026
Reviewed by Nan van Dissel for Bluewolf Reviews and Fremantle Press.
In her debut novel, Gone Guru, Australian author Nadine Browne has drawn on her own upbringing in a fundamentalist church community to create this engaging cosy mystery set in New York, where the main protagonist’s life mirrors her own.
Like the author, Noni Barlow has won a prestigious academic scholarship to undertake a two-semester intensive creative writing course at New York University, where the staff included luminaries like Zadie Smith and her idol Joyce Carol Oates.
Two weeks after arriving in Harlem, and having paid Vincent, her landlord her bond and a month’s rent, she realises that she hasn’t seen him since parting with her hard-earned money, which has left her in a precarious financial position. Vincent has just vanished! Has he just gone on one of his journeys or is he the victim of foul play?
Who is Vincent McLean? Outwardly he looked as if he was down to his last cent with his bed sheets as clothes, but surprisingly he is the owner of a multimillion-dollar bank account! There are so many different views of him; Moksha, a charismatic guru with six million followers, the damaged soul looking for meaning, the kindly dog walker, or the despicable man, who was impervious to other people’s suffering.
When her idol Joyce Carol Oates dismisses her cult survivor memoir as old hat, Noni is forced to look to another theme for her writing. Vincent’s mysterious absence is the perfect idea for her novel. Also partly driven by curiosity, she enlists the help of Merelis, the sarcastic daughter of her Puerto Rican landlady and the fascinating octogenarian retired social worker, Danny, to track the guru down.
Readers will enjoy being able to picture the city and places referred to in this novel and will thus appreciate Nadine’s ability to bring New York and Harlem to life. I recommend this character driven contemporary fiction to readers, who enjoy a blend of light mystery, humour and quirky characters.
In her debut novel, Gone Guru, Australian author Nadine Browne has drawn on her own upbringing in a fundamentalist church community to create this engaging cosy mystery set in New York, where the main protagonist’s life mirrors her own.
Like the author, Noni Barlow has won a prestigious academic scholarship to undertake a two-semester intensive creative writing course at New York University, where the staff included luminaries like Zadie Smith and her idol Joyce Carol Oates.
Two weeks after arriving in Harlem, and having paid Vincent, her landlord her bond and a month’s rent, she realises that she hasn’t seen him since parting with her hard-earned money, which has left her in a precarious financial position. Vincent has just vanished! Has he just gone on one of his journeys or is he the victim of foul play?
Who is Vincent McLean? Outwardly he looked as if he was down to his last cent with his bed sheets as clothes, but surprisingly he is the owner of a multimillion-dollar bank account! There are so many different views of him; Moksha, a charismatic guru with six million followers, the damaged soul looking for meaning, the kindly dog walker, or the despicable man, who was impervious to other people’s suffering.
When her idol Joyce Carol Oates dismisses her cult survivor memoir as old hat, Noni is forced to look to another theme for her writing. Vincent’s mysterious absence is the perfect idea for her novel. Also partly driven by curiosity, she enlists the help of Merelis, the sarcastic daughter of her Puerto Rican landlady and the fascinating octogenarian retired social worker, Danny, to track the guru down.
Readers will enjoy being able to picture the city and places referred to in this novel and will thus appreciate Nadine’s ability to bring New York and Harlem to life. I recommend this character driven contemporary fiction to readers, who enjoy a blend of light mystery, humour and quirky characters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Gone Guru was an okay listen for me. The premise definitely sounded like something I would enjoy—a struggling writer in New York, a mysterious missing roommate who happens to be a meditation guru, and an amateur investigation that could potentially become the inspiration she needs for her own writing.
There were some fun moments, and I liked the mix of quirky characters and the Australian/New York setting. It has more of a light, cozy mystery feel rather than anything particularly suspenseful, which worked for the story. I just never found myself completely invested in the mystery or the characters.
Clarisse Bonello's narration was enjoyable and easy to listen to, but overall, nothing about the audiobook really stood out to me. It wasn't a bad read by any means—it was just one of those books that I enjoyed well enough while I was listening but probably won't think much about afterward.
A solid 3 stars for me.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
There were some fun moments, and I liked the mix of quirky characters and the Australian/New York setting. It has more of a light, cozy mystery feel rather than anything particularly suspenseful, which worked for the story. I just never found myself completely invested in the mystery or the characters.
Clarisse Bonello's narration was enjoyable and easy to listen to, but overall, nothing about the audiobook really stood out to me. It wasn't a bad read by any means—it was just one of those books that I enjoyed well enough while I was listening but probably won't think much about afterward.
A solid 3 stars for me.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Noni has moved from country Perth, Australia, to New York City on an academic scholarship studying creative writing. She's newly arrived in the city when her roommate, who she's met only once, seemingly disappears - along with her rent money. She later discovers he's a meditation guru sitting on a huge amount of cash, and inspiration for her writing begins to take root. Along with her landlady's daughter, she embarks on a quest to uncover what happened to her roommate, and hopefully kick off her writing career in the process.
Gone Guru reads like less of a mystery to me, and more an exploration of identity and belonging. I loved Noni's backstory, and also the found family angle - in particular Noni's relationship with Danny.
Unfortunately I was not particularly invested in the storyline - the 'mystery' aspect really seemed to take a back seat, and I struggled to stay interested. I also found the reveal a little confusing and unsatisfying.
Overall I enjoyed the audiobook, and think Clarisse Bonello did a wonderful job of narrating - she really brought life to the characters.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bolinda Audio, and Nadine Browne for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Gone Guru reads like less of a mystery to me, and more an exploration of identity and belonging. I loved Noni's backstory, and also the found family angle - in particular Noni's relationship with Danny.
Unfortunately I was not particularly invested in the storyline - the 'mystery' aspect really seemed to take a back seat, and I struggled to stay interested. I also found the reveal a little confusing and unsatisfying.
Overall I enjoyed the audiobook, and think Clarisse Bonello did a wonderful job of narrating - she really brought life to the characters.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bolinda Audio, and Nadine Browne for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A light and entertaining mystery set in a colorful New York told by the Australian Noni Barlow while she is struggling to thrive and write the story that is in her heart during her semester abroad and find her missing roommate in her spare time. I found the characters quirky and interesting, from the landlady's daughter, to a fascinating octogenarian, Danny, who has a wild and inspiring past for Noni to learn about. I will say, the mystery of Vincent's disappearance was kind of put on the back burner (though it did give Noni some thought on what she should write about) and this was more of a journey for Noni to discover her inspiration, reconcile with her mother and past, and have a memorable experience in New York before heading back to Australia and her much missed pooch.
I still was entertained for the whole book and though that the narrator, Clarisse Bonello, did a wonderful job in bringing Noni and her colorful tale of New York to life. I am glad I got the chance to listen to this and so many thanks go to Bolinda Audio for letting me have this ALC to listen and enjoy.
I still was entertained for the whole book and though that the narrator, Clarisse Bonello, did a wonderful job in bringing Noni and her colorful tale of New York to life. I am glad I got the chance to listen to this and so many thanks go to Bolinda Audio for letting me have this ALC to listen and enjoy.
August 26, 2026
Noni is a young, Australian, aspiring writer who has relocated to New York City and is facing the hurdles of chasing a dream. Her project about her lived experience is not quite cutting it, and to top it off, her pseudo-guru "landlord" has done a runner, leaving her in a precarious financial situation.
This is not a thriller or even a mystery, and it makes the listening experience better to not even concern yourself with where the guru has gone (witty title though). The tale is very much about Noni and her own self-reflection, the variety of people she interacts with, and being in NYC. There were humorous moments, but I didn't really like Noni or most of the characters in this story, and the ending was what I expected.
The audiobook performance by Clarisse Bonello was a very good production; the various accents and different characters' voices were well portrayed and it didn't feel like one person trying to put on a voice. It was very enjoyable.
Overall, this was not entirely what I was expecting, but still a nice, light listen with a bit of depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the ALC for review.
This is not a thriller or even a mystery, and it makes the listening experience better to not even concern yourself with where the guru has gone (witty title though). The tale is very much about Noni and her own self-reflection, the variety of people she interacts with, and being in NYC. There were humorous moments, but I didn't really like Noni or most of the characters in this story, and the ending was what I expected.
The audiobook performance by Clarisse Bonello was a very good production; the various accents and different characters' voices were well portrayed and it didn't feel like one person trying to put on a voice. It was very enjoyable.
Overall, this was not entirely what I was expecting, but still a nice, light listen with a bit of depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the ALC for review.
October 5, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Thank you so much for the copy of this one! I absolutely DEVOURED it in one day 😍
Gone Guru is a debut novel from Australian author Nadine Brown and follows Noni, an Australian girl in the Big Apple, as she navigates college life while trying to solve the mystery of her missing roommate.
If you love a cosy mystery, definitely add this one to your TBR! I was hooked from the first page and found myself trying to work out what had happened alongside Noni. I was guessing the twist right up until the very end!
But honestly, what I loved most wasn’t even the mystery. It was the CHARACTERS. All the side characters had so much heart and personality, and I genuinely wanted to know more about these people in Noni’s life.
I also loved Noni trying to turn everything happening around her into her own mystery novel. It was so fun getting inside her head and seeing where her imagination would take the story.
The book was so easy to read, and I loved all the little Australian references. Having been to New York myself, I could picture the settings so easily.
Such a fun debut! 💕
Thank you so much for the copy of this one! I absolutely DEVOURED it in one day 😍
Gone Guru is a debut novel from Australian author Nadine Brown and follows Noni, an Australian girl in the Big Apple, as she navigates college life while trying to solve the mystery of her missing roommate.
If you love a cosy mystery, definitely add this one to your TBR! I was hooked from the first page and found myself trying to work out what had happened alongside Noni. I was guessing the twist right up until the very end!
But honestly, what I loved most wasn’t even the mystery. It was the CHARACTERS. All the side characters had so much heart and personality, and I genuinely wanted to know more about these people in Noni’s life.
I also loved Noni trying to turn everything happening around her into her own mystery novel. It was so fun getting inside her head and seeing where her imagination would take the story.
The book was so easy to read, and I loved all the little Australian references. Having been to New York myself, I could picture the settings so easily.
Such a fun debut! 💕
August 19, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this ALC.
Gone Guru is such a wonderfully quirky and unexpected story. When a group of very different people find themselves drawn into an increasingly strange situation surrounding a charismatic guru, their lives begin to collide in ways that are funny, dark and completely unpredictable.
It was the cast of characters and their development that really drew me in. They are all wonderfully individual, flawed and eccentric, and I loved seeing their stories unfold and become increasingly intertwined.
The dark and wonderfully quirky humour was a huge part of the appeal for me and kept me listening. The audiobook really brought the characters to life and I found myself happily returning to it whenever I could.
A genuinely different, funny and thoroughly entertaining audiobook. I loved the characters, the humour and the sheer quirkiness of it all. Five stars from me!
Gone Guru is such a wonderfully quirky and unexpected story. When a group of very different people find themselves drawn into an increasingly strange situation surrounding a charismatic guru, their lives begin to collide in ways that are funny, dark and completely unpredictable.
It was the cast of characters and their development that really drew me in. They are all wonderfully individual, flawed and eccentric, and I loved seeing their stories unfold and become increasingly intertwined.
The dark and wonderfully quirky humour was a huge part of the appeal for me and kept me listening. The audiobook really brought the characters to life and I found myself happily returning to it whenever I could.
A genuinely different, funny and thoroughly entertaining audiobook. I loved the characters, the humour and the sheer quirkiness of it all. Five stars from me!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Noni Barlow is an aspiring memoirist, who is devastated when her idol Joyce Carol Oates dismisses cult survivor memories as being a theme that has been done to death. Pondering her options, she is plunged into the mystery of her trust fund baby roommate (aka a self-styled and remarkably successful "guru"!) who suddenly and mysteriously disappears.
Noni's search for a new narrative combines with her determination to track down her erstwhile roomie - with the assistance of a ragtag bunch of misfits she picks up along the way.
This is less of a thriller and more of a cosy mystery, so will be better enjoyed by fans of the latter genre. The narrator does a spectacular job of adding texture to the story. It earns 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Noni's search for a new narrative combines with her determination to track down her erstwhile roomie - with the assistance of a ragtag bunch of misfits she picks up along the way.
This is less of a thriller and more of a cosy mystery, so will be better enjoyed by fans of the latter genre. The narrator does a spectacular job of adding texture to the story. It earns 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5/5
The narrator of this audiobook really kind of ruined this book for me. Sorry.
I also didn't like how the characters all felt like stereotypes (and the narration definitely didn't help with that). And that was especially true with the characters that weren't white. New Yorkers don't all talk like an exaggerated Harley Quinn cartoon or Linda from Bob's Burgers...and it's not just the women of color who have accents in the real world...
And that was disappointing because the mystery and background of the main character was actually really interesting and I was really invested in it. The stereotypical characters and weird narration kind of ruined the mystery's potential. It was just so distracting!
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
The narrator of this audiobook really kind of ruined this book for me. Sorry.
I also didn't like how the characters all felt like stereotypes (and the narration definitely didn't help with that). And that was especially true with the characters that weren't white. New Yorkers don't all talk like an exaggerated Harley Quinn cartoon or Linda from Bob's Burgers...and it's not just the women of color who have accents in the real world...
And that was disappointing because the mystery and background of the main character was actually really interesting and I was really invested in it. The stereotypical characters and weird narration kind of ruined the mystery's potential. It was just so distracting!
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
September 25, 2026
4/5 Stars
I really liked Gone Guru. It was such an enjoyable and fun read and I found it really easy to get into. The story kept me interested the whole way through and I kept wanting to read just a little bit more to see what was going to happen next.
Noni was a fantastic FMC as she was smart, sassy and relatable and I enjoyed following her through the story. The mystery around her missing flatmate made it even more interesting without making the book feel too serious. There were also some really funny moments throughout which I enjoyed and I liked the mix of different characters and how they all fitted into the story.
I also loved that it was set in New York City. I have always wanted to visit New York, so that was definitely one of my favourite parts of the book. I really enjoyed being able to picture the city and the different places while I was reading.
I really liked Gone Guru. It was such an enjoyable and fun read and I found it really easy to get into. The story kept me interested the whole way through and I kept wanting to read just a little bit more to see what was going to happen next.
Noni was a fantastic FMC as she was smart, sassy and relatable and I enjoyed following her through the story. The mystery around her missing flatmate made it even more interesting without making the book feel too serious. There were also some really funny moments throughout which I enjoyed and I liked the mix of different characters and how they all fitted into the story.
I also loved that it was set in New York City. I have always wanted to visit New York, so that was definitely one of my favourite parts of the book. I really enjoyed being able to picture the city and the different places while I was reading.
October 10, 2026
A good debut, but not a particularly compelling read.
I liked the premise and appreciated the freshness of the characters. They felt like real individuals rather than the same cookie-cutter characters we see recycled in so many stories. Unfortunately, the plot never quite lives up to that promise. The search for the missing “guru” doesn’t lead to enough interesting developments to sustain the story, which ends up feeling quite small and, at times, repetitive.
A few plot points didn’t land for me, including why she never gave a statement to the police and what ultimately happens with her writing. The final reveal felt rather silly, not believable, and ultimately unsatisfying.
I liked the premise and appreciated the freshness of the characters. They felt like real individuals rather than the same cookie-cutter characters we see recycled in so many stories. Unfortunately, the plot never quite lives up to that promise. The search for the missing “guru” doesn’t lead to enough interesting developments to sustain the story, which ends up feeling quite small and, at times, repetitive.
A few plot points didn’t land for me, including why she never gave a statement to the police and what ultimately happens with her writing. The final reveal felt rather silly, not believable, and ultimately unsatisfying.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Gone Guru is about Noni who just moved to New York on a scholarship , her roommate disappears and she needs to find out where he went as she had already paid all her money for the rent to him and he didnt pay before he disappeared. Personally I didn't find this as much of a thriller as I had hoped but was still a great read and I really liked the audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the Audio ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the Audio ARC.
October 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A fun cast of “only in New York” characters. A cozy mystery with a lovely protagonist trying to find herself. I really enjoyed the her storyline. Great pacing & narration. The ending was satisfying.
A fun cast of “only in New York” characters. A cozy mystery with a lovely protagonist trying to find herself. I really enjoyed the her storyline. Great pacing & narration. The ending was satisfying.
Read
August 11, 2026This was not that grabby for me.
I persevered and the character I most enjoyed was the octogenarian social worker ...
I didn't believe in Noni being so invested in searching for the Gone Guru.
I persevered and the character I most enjoyed was the octogenarian social worker ...
I didn't believe in Noni being so invested in searching for the Gone Guru.
October 9, 2026
Great to have the option of 3.5! This is easy to read and a mildly interesting premise but none of the characters felt real. They were all caricatures
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