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Harry Starke #5
Gone
Emily Johnston is GONE.
She’s been GONE for more than a week.
She's also the daughter of Harry Starke’s one-time boss and nemesis, Chattanooga Police Chief Wesley Johnston. Harry and Chief Johnston haven't seen eye-to-eye in a long time, but when Johnston needs help, he knows there's only one man he can turn to.
But Johnston’s jurisdiction ends at the city limits and when Emily’s body is discovered in a remote part of the county, Harry has to deal with the imperious sheriff, Israel Hands and two incompetent county detectives. So begins an investigation that will take Harry on a wild ride across Signal Mountain, a case that will include a second murder, two cold cases, sex, alternative lifestyles, and deadly danger for Harry and his friends, until... well, as always, there’s a twist in the tale.
Ready? Let's Investigate!
She’s been GONE for more than a week.
She's also the daughter of Harry Starke’s one-time boss and nemesis, Chattanooga Police Chief Wesley Johnston. Harry and Chief Johnston haven't seen eye-to-eye in a long time, but when Johnston needs help, he knows there's only one man he can turn to.
But Johnston’s jurisdiction ends at the city limits and when Emily’s body is discovered in a remote part of the county, Harry has to deal with the imperious sheriff, Israel Hands and two incompetent county detectives. So begins an investigation that will take Harry on a wild ride across Signal Mountain, a case that will include a second murder, two cold cases, sex, alternative lifestyles, and deadly danger for Harry and his friends, until... well, as always, there’s a twist in the tale.
Ready? Let's Investigate!
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2016
255 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Blair Howard
287 books342 followersBlair C. Howard is a Royal Air Force veteran, a retired journalist, and the best-selling author of more than 50 novels, including the international best-selling Harry Starke series, and 23 travel books. In 2021, having been fascinated by the heavens almost from childhood, and a SciFi fan for almost as long, he decided to try his hand at writing a military space opera. His first journey into this genre resulted in the Sovereign Stars series. Book 1 in the series, Avenger was quickly followed by Gods of War and Armored Fleet.
Blair lives in East Tennessee with his wife Jo, and Jack Russell Terrier, Sally.
Blair lives in East Tennessee with his wife Jo, and Jack Russell Terrier, Sally.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
August 28, 2018
Harry Starke and the local police chief don't see eye to eye, but when the chief's daughter goes missing, that's all water under the bridge.
The daughter goes to a hippie-dippie liberal arts college, which is in the jurisdiction of the notorious sheriff, Isaac Hands, who rules his county like a fief.
Harry begins investigating, and finds links to a kinky sex ring, a serial killer, and whole lot of secrets.
One of the better books in the series.
The daughter goes to a hippie-dippie liberal arts college, which is in the jurisdiction of the notorious sheriff, Isaac Hands, who rules his county like a fief.
Harry begins investigating, and finds links to a kinky sex ring, a serial killer, and whole lot of secrets.
One of the better books in the series.
August 10, 2016
Once again, Blair Howard has crafted a tight, well-thought out mystery thriller for the intrepid Harry Starke and his compatriots.
GONE contains a familiar cast of characters and I found myself relishing fresh views of a few of them, along with the comfy contours of Harry and his love of good Scotch, Italian roast coffee, and expensive watches (not to mention pretty women).
In this novel (all of these are "stand alone" self-contained plots with no cliff hangers which is doubly cool), Harry and Kate must unravel a grisly murder, which is tied to an exclusive girls' school near Chattanooga.
As with all of the books in this series, the plots are tight and well-paced, with snappy, relevant dialogue and just the right amount of danger. Anyone who is a fan of the Lee Childs oeuvre will groove on these books--I'm a Jack Reacher fan but I am finding Harry more and more relatable the more of these books I read.
This is the 5th book in the Harry Starke series but you can jump into it with any of the previous books (or this one) to get a taste of what a very talented author can do with a cool set of characters.
I've given the previous books 4 stars but felt this one was just that much tighter and the characters a bit more complex (which comes with time as an author gets to know his own characters better and better) so I gave it five! There are a ton of great thriller/mystery/crime novels and series out there but I highly encourage you to give this one a shot!
GONE contains a familiar cast of characters and I found myself relishing fresh views of a few of them, along with the comfy contours of Harry and his love of good Scotch, Italian roast coffee, and expensive watches (not to mention pretty women).
In this novel (all of these are "stand alone" self-contained plots with no cliff hangers which is doubly cool), Harry and Kate must unravel a grisly murder, which is tied to an exclusive girls' school near Chattanooga.
As with all of the books in this series, the plots are tight and well-paced, with snappy, relevant dialogue and just the right amount of danger. Anyone who is a fan of the Lee Childs oeuvre will groove on these books--I'm a Jack Reacher fan but I am finding Harry more and more relatable the more of these books I read.
This is the 5th book in the Harry Starke series but you can jump into it with any of the previous books (or this one) to get a taste of what a very talented author can do with a cool set of characters.
I've given the previous books 4 stars but felt this one was just that much tighter and the characters a bit more complex (which comes with time as an author gets to know his own characters better and better) so I gave it five! There are a ton of great thriller/mystery/crime novels and series out there but I highly encourage you to give this one a shot!
June 15, 2021
What an intriguing story. Whenever Harry is involved, there’s a definite mystery happening. Someone is missing, will Harry solve it. You definitely don’t want to miss out reading.
June 25, 2016
Page turner.
Great story, full of suspense. Harry Starke trying to find out who and why of the girls dead. Prestigious girls college, ex-military private security, and uncooperative police department. Good story, but his repeated coffee drinking and three fingers with one ice cube scotch drinking get old.
Great story, full of suspense. Harry Starke trying to find out who and why of the girls dead. Prestigious girls college, ex-military private security, and uncooperative police department. Good story, but his repeated coffee drinking and three fingers with one ice cube scotch drinking get old.
November 28, 2021
Howard has a fast-paced writing style that keeps the reader forging on. Despite Starke’s many smug references to expensive scotch whiskey, rare roast black coffee, two hundred dollar bottles of wine, twenty-six thousand dollar watches (these self-satisfied asides would not endear him to the average reader), I was enjoying this book, caught up in the layers upon layers that began to open up during the investigation of what started out as a single murder. Clues were followed, connections were made, macho idiots tried to exercise authority and got some serious comeuppance. That was good to read. Not quite Jack Reacher ... but close.
About eighty percent into the story, the various threads came together nicely, bad guys were identified and safely tucked away, and all was heading for a satisfactory conclusion. It was here, however, that I hit a significant bump.
When Harry got a report on the girl’s murder from the pathologist, there was a glaring clue right in the middle of it. Initially, I thought it was a red-herring because not only was I immediately able to identify the murderer, I was also able to make a decent guess at the possible motive. At that point my thinking was, “This is obviously calculated to mislead, but if it isn’t, if I’m right, I’m going to be hugely disappointed.”
Unfortunately, things turned out as I had assumed, and immediately the five-star rating I was contemplating dropped to three. Not simply because I guessed the killer ... although the clue was, indeed, too blatant for me ... but because of who the killer was. The culprit I identified had appeared in the book for only a couple of seconds (with another vague mention during team conversations.) I believe the killer should have been one of the many unpleasant principal characters who fully inhabited the story.
There is an unwritten rule that in a good mystery story the killer is someone who, while hidden in plain sight, is a reasonably prominent character in the book, is part of the action, and crops up several times during the investigation. The killer in Gone came out of left field near the end, almost like a Greek Deus ex Machina. It is tough enough for readers of mysteries to try and piece the various bits together in an effort to identify the killer. When nothing leads to the killer throughout the entire book except one sudden and very unsubtle clue towards the end, it almost feels as if the author is cheating. As a result, Harry’s closing explanation about how he figured it out reads false and manufactured.
A pity. It was a good story up until then. There were about five serious suspects. Driving the investigation subtly towards one of them, while retaining the surprise element, would have made for a better denouement.
Still. There are many people who are nowhere nearly as picky as I am, and the good bits in the first eighty percent will make this book a very enjoyable read for them.
About eighty percent into the story, the various threads came together nicely, bad guys were identified and safely tucked away, and all was heading for a satisfactory conclusion. It was here, however, that I hit a significant bump.
When Harry got a report on the girl’s murder from the pathologist, there was a glaring clue right in the middle of it. Initially, I thought it was a red-herring because not only was I immediately able to identify the murderer, I was also able to make a decent guess at the possible motive. At that point my thinking was, “This is obviously calculated to mislead, but if it isn’t, if I’m right, I’m going to be hugely disappointed.”
Unfortunately, things turned out as I had assumed, and immediately the five-star rating I was contemplating dropped to three. Not simply because I guessed the killer ... although the clue was, indeed, too blatant for me ... but because of who the killer was. The culprit I identified had appeared in the book for only a couple of seconds (with another vague mention during team conversations.) I believe the killer should have been one of the many unpleasant principal characters who fully inhabited the story.
There is an unwritten rule that in a good mystery story the killer is someone who, while hidden in plain sight, is a reasonably prominent character in the book, is part of the action, and crops up several times during the investigation. The killer in Gone came out of left field near the end, almost like a Greek Deus ex Machina. It is tough enough for readers of mysteries to try and piece the various bits together in an effort to identify the killer. When nothing leads to the killer throughout the entire book except one sudden and very unsubtle clue towards the end, it almost feels as if the author is cheating. As a result, Harry’s closing explanation about how he figured it out reads false and manufactured.
A pity. It was a good story up until then. There were about five serious suspects. Driving the investigation subtly towards one of them, while retaining the surprise element, would have made for a better denouement.
Still. There are many people who are nowhere nearly as picky as I am, and the good bits in the first eighty percent will make this book a very enjoyable read for them.
January 16, 2021
Staring at a putrefying body is stomach churning, something you never get used to, but when that corpse is the beautiful daughter of your ex boss, a daughter that you have known since she was a cute little girl who wanted to marry you when she grew up there are no words.
Harry Starke left his job in the Chattanooga PD because of the restraints and his constant run ins with his boss Police chief Wess Johnson( usually because Harry wouldn't stick to the rules) but When Wess's daughter Emily disappeared there was only one person Wess could trust to find her and that was, now PI, Harry Starke,
Harry teamed up with his ex partner Captain Kate Gazarra and was aided by his girlfriend TV news frontwoman and journalist Amanda, it was out of state so it was going to be difficult.
The journey leads them to an exclusive, expensive girls collage where Emily had been a student, when they learned that two other students had disappeared and the local PD had done very little to find them Harry and Kate pulled in all the favours that they could .......Harry was going to find Emily's killer.
Why were there military style armed guards at the school ?
Why were the local police department so unhelpful ?
This brilliant story covers murder, police corruption, homophobia and a determination by Harry to get closure for Wess, the suspects were many and the clues were few. Another great story from the pen of Blair Howard.
I received a free copy of this book and I leave my review voluntarily.
Harry Starke left his job in the Chattanooga PD because of the restraints and his constant run ins with his boss Police chief Wess Johnson( usually because Harry wouldn't stick to the rules) but When Wess's daughter Emily disappeared there was only one person Wess could trust to find her and that was, now PI, Harry Starke,
Harry teamed up with his ex partner Captain Kate Gazarra and was aided by his girlfriend TV news frontwoman and journalist Amanda, it was out of state so it was going to be difficult.
The journey leads them to an exclusive, expensive girls collage where Emily had been a student, when they learned that two other students had disappeared and the local PD had done very little to find them Harry and Kate pulled in all the favours that they could .......Harry was going to find Emily's killer.
Why were there military style armed guards at the school ?
Why were the local police department so unhelpful ?
This brilliant story covers murder, police corruption, homophobia and a determination by Harry to get closure for Wess, the suspects were many and the clues were few. Another great story from the pen of Blair Howard.
I received a free copy of this book and I leave my review voluntarily.
July 14, 2020
Elite murder.
Harry is surprised to get a phone call from his old boss, Wes. His daughter has been missing for nearly a week and now he wants Harry to investigate. Not generally a fan of his, but it is his daughter and he wants the best.
Harry agrees to help, he has known Emily for a long time and is fond of her.
Emily attends an elite academy, more like a finishing school. Harry goes there and is unwelcome. The school is rum by an imposing woman, with an English accent, fake or not, and she has a private security force, unnecessary for a school?
Emily's body is found about a mile from the school by a dog walker. Seems another two girls have also gone missing in the past few years, then Emily's lover, Erika is found dead.
The local Sheriff and his two detectives have done the minimum investigating the three girls disappearance, Harry is not happy, the more he digs the worse it gets, lesbian escort website which is human trafficking, all connected to the school.
The twists & turns of the plot and its many threads keep you engrossed to the end, which is pleasure to read, just to see some nasty characters get their comeuppance. Getting addicted to the Harry Starke novels, Blair Howard has a knack of creating the reoccurring characters with tells and quirks that are relative to the personality portrayed.
Harry is surprised to get a phone call from his old boss, Wes. His daughter has been missing for nearly a week and now he wants Harry to investigate. Not generally a fan of his, but it is his daughter and he wants the best.
Harry agrees to help, he has known Emily for a long time and is fond of her.
Emily attends an elite academy, more like a finishing school. Harry goes there and is unwelcome. The school is rum by an imposing woman, with an English accent, fake or not, and she has a private security force, unnecessary for a school?
Emily's body is found about a mile from the school by a dog walker. Seems another two girls have also gone missing in the past few years, then Emily's lover, Erika is found dead.
The local Sheriff and his two detectives have done the minimum investigating the three girls disappearance, Harry is not happy, the more he digs the worse it gets, lesbian escort website which is human trafficking, all connected to the school.
The twists & turns of the plot and its many threads keep you engrossed to the end, which is pleasure to read, just to see some nasty characters get their comeuppance. Getting addicted to the Harry Starke novels, Blair Howard has a knack of creating the reoccurring characters with tells and quirks that are relative to the personality portrayed.
November 23, 2020
Another winner by Blair Howard. Once you start reading, you will not want to put it down. The story begins with the Chief of Police, Harry's former boss, asking Harry to look into the disappearance of his daughter. Harry agrees and with the assistance of Kate begins looking for information. The discovery of Emily's body, the Police Chief's daughter, starts Harry looking to find out who the killer was. As information comes to light which brings out that Emily is the 3rd student who had disappeared from the school that she was attending. Amanda, Harry's girlfriend, begins pursuing a story about the missing girls, but runs into opposition from the school; and Harry's associate is wounded while protecting Amanda.
As the story progresses, it brings into play a deep web website which enlightens Harry and begins to lead him in the right direction. As Harry pursues the killer, he also runs into opposition from the school's police department as well as the Sheriff's office. Continuing his investigation, he ultimately uncovers a plot, unfortunately, this doesn't lead to the killer who is involved with all 3 girls, plus 1 other party that Emily was involved with.
The ending brings the individual responsible and outlines what the reasoning was behind the killings. You will definitely want to read this book.
As the story progresses, it brings into play a deep web website which enlightens Harry and begins to lead him in the right direction. As Harry pursues the killer, he also runs into opposition from the school's police department as well as the Sheriff's office. Continuing his investigation, he ultimately uncovers a plot, unfortunately, this doesn't lead to the killer who is involved with all 3 girls, plus 1 other party that Emily was involved with.
The ending brings the individual responsible and outlines what the reasoning was behind the killings. You will definitely want to read this book.
November 2, 2021
A thrilling story! So intense and sad. Villains galore. Thank goodness Harry Starke has the wherewithal to stay with the case. His team follows his lead and never lets him down. Amanda, his love, is a strong person, but thinks she is untouchable since she is a journalist. Thank goodness Harry has his right-hand man, Bob, watching after her or she would be dead. Instead, Bob is critically injured. But Amanda doesn't listen. Harry really has his hands full trying to solve the case and keep a safe eye on Amanda.
Thank goodness Harry has his old friend Lt. Kate Gazzara to back him up. Also now that Harry is a PI, he needs official law enforcement to be with him to open doors and elicit cooperation. And that is what he needs when he sets out to find his boss' daughter who has gone missing. Its amazing the twists and turns in the story involving a web site for a female escort service that is using pretty girls from the private school where the chief's daughter attends. In the end there are so many people involved in this plot that it is hard to imagine it could be real...but it just might. What a great story!
Thank goodness Harry has his old friend Lt. Kate Gazzara to back him up. Also now that Harry is a PI, he needs official law enforcement to be with him to open doors and elicit cooperation. And that is what he needs when he sets out to find his boss' daughter who has gone missing. Its amazing the twists and turns in the story involving a web site for a female escort service that is using pretty girls from the private school where the chief's daughter attends. In the end there are so many people involved in this plot that it is hard to imagine it could be real...but it just might. What a great story!
July 11, 2021
I received a copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.
This is such a good mystery book. As Harry Starke is asked to look into his Chief’s daughter’s disappearance, he is shocked to discover that, Emily, the girl whom he’s known since she was a toddler, is gone. His investigation into her disappearance hits the proverbial brick wall. He is spurned away at every turn until Emily’s body is discovered. Now, it’s personal. He has to tell his Chief that his child is dead.
But nothing stops Harry Starke when he is on a trail. And so he digs deeper and deeper into a snake pit of deceit and corruption. With the help of Kate Garazza, his best friend, Bob, and his girlfriend, Amanda, Harry sets out to solve the murder. Someone is hiding a killer.
I had always loved mysteries but had gotten away from most of them due to their predictability. However, Blair Howard has brought me back. This is the second book of his I have read, and I am a believer, again. Thank you, Blair Howard!
This is such a good mystery book. As Harry Starke is asked to look into his Chief’s daughter’s disappearance, he is shocked to discover that, Emily, the girl whom he’s known since she was a toddler, is gone. His investigation into her disappearance hits the proverbial brick wall. He is spurned away at every turn until Emily’s body is discovered. Now, it’s personal. He has to tell his Chief that his child is dead.
But nothing stops Harry Starke when he is on a trail. And so he digs deeper and deeper into a snake pit of deceit and corruption. With the help of Kate Garazza, his best friend, Bob, and his girlfriend, Amanda, Harry sets out to solve the murder. Someone is hiding a killer.
I had always loved mysteries but had gotten away from most of them due to their predictability. However, Blair Howard has brought me back. This is the second book of his I have read, and I am a believer, again. Thank you, Blair Howard!
December 16, 2024
Gone by Blair Howard is book 5 in the Harry Stark Novels, but it is not the first book by Blair Howard that I have read. Howard never fails to please the adrenaline jockey. He is a master of his craft.
Gone is a nonstop, action-packed roller coaster thrill ride from the first to the last page. Howard’s Harry Stark reminds me of a 21st-century version of Mickey Spillane's two-fisted private investigator, Mike Hammer. Harry, like Mike, can take a beating; but is never beaten.
If you love a mystery thriller that’s tightly plotted, a thriller with more unexpected twists and turns than a sidewinder leaves in his path across the desert sands, a thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the final pages, you will love Gone. If you only read one more thriller this year, make it Gone. I'm hooked on this series and will read all the books that led up to this one, before moving on to the next book. After reading Gone, if you’re anything like me, you will want to know how Harry arrived, where we met him in book 5.
Gone is a nonstop, action-packed roller coaster thrill ride from the first to the last page. Howard’s Harry Stark reminds me of a 21st-century version of Mickey Spillane's two-fisted private investigator, Mike Hammer. Harry, like Mike, can take a beating; but is never beaten.
If you love a mystery thriller that’s tightly plotted, a thriller with more unexpected twists and turns than a sidewinder leaves in his path across the desert sands, a thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the final pages, you will love Gone. If you only read one more thriller this year, make it Gone. I'm hooked on this series and will read all the books that led up to this one, before moving on to the next book. After reading Gone, if you’re anything like me, you will want to know how Harry arrived, where we met him in book 5.
January 8, 2018
An Engrossing Mystery
Emily (the daughter of Harry Starke's ex-boss--the chief of the police department) is missing and the Chief asks Harry to find her. Emily is attending an elite college. She soon turns up murdered and Harry puts together a team that includes his office, Lt Kate Gazzara (his ex-lover), and Amanda Cole (his current love). As they dig deeper into the murder, the body count rises and they discover there is a seemingly related sex-for-hire ring.
Blair Howard delivers another engrossing novel that exposes more of the character of Harry's team while providing a great story attempting to solve the two mysteries. This can be read alone (no cliffhanger) or as part of the Harry Starke series. Either way, it's a great read.
Emily (the daughter of Harry Starke's ex-boss--the chief of the police department) is missing and the Chief asks Harry to find her. Emily is attending an elite college. She soon turns up murdered and Harry puts together a team that includes his office, Lt Kate Gazzara (his ex-lover), and Amanda Cole (his current love). As they dig deeper into the murder, the body count rises and they discover there is a seemingly related sex-for-hire ring.
Blair Howard delivers another engrossing novel that exposes more of the character of Harry's team while providing a great story attempting to solve the two mysteries. This can be read alone (no cliffhanger) or as part of the Harry Starke series. Either way, it's a great read.
April 3, 2021
GONE BY BLAIR HOWARD is the fifth in the Harry Starke PI series. For me, its the first in what I know will be many more books by the author.
Harry Starke has been asked by his former boss Chattanooga Police Chief Wesley Johnston to find his daughter. She has been missing for more than a week . At first Harry is very reluctant to take the assignment and when her body is found,he finds that things at a very prestigious women's college is not what they seem .
GONE is full of twists and turns making it a must read in my opinion. I listened to this as an AUDIBLE book and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing Harry and all the characters to life. Mr. Lennon made listening to GONE a real pleasure.
I recieved this audio book free in exchange for a honest review.
Harry Starke has been asked by his former boss Chattanooga Police Chief Wesley Johnston to find his daughter. She has been missing for more than a week . At first Harry is very reluctant to take the assignment and when her body is found,he finds that things at a very prestigious women's college is not what they seem .
GONE is full of twists and turns making it a must read in my opinion. I listened to this as an AUDIBLE book and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing Harry and all the characters to life. Mr. Lennon made listening to GONE a real pleasure.
I recieved this audio book free in exchange for a honest review.
April 26, 2021
Gone is an intriguing mystery that starts with a missing girl who disappears from an elite college for women. There’s a lot to this mystery, and it’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Contains sexual content including BDSM and lesbian relationships as well as a fair amount of disturbing content including corpses that have been badly abused. Sex scenes are of the fade to black variety, but this one isn’t for just anyone.
The narrator of the audiobook does a very good job with the story. I listened to this as part of the box set which includes book 4-6. I strongly recommend going that route.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Contains sexual content including BDSM and lesbian relationships as well as a fair amount of disturbing content including corpses that have been badly abused. Sex scenes are of the fade to black variety, but this one isn’t for just anyone.
The narrator of the audiobook does a very good job with the story. I listened to this as part of the box set which includes book 4-6. I strongly recommend going that route.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. This is my honest and voluntary review.
July 29, 2022
When Police Chief Wes Johnston comes to Harry after hours, Harry knows something bad has happened. After leaving the Chattanooga PD years ago, their relationship has been rocky at best. But Chief Johnston's daughter, Emily, has gone missing. A young woman Harry remembers as a child and he can't say no. Emily has been missing for a week and the trail is cold. Harry will find himself immersed in a dark and dangerous world where nothing is as it seems, up against secrets regarding sex and alternative lifestyles that some people in high places would like to keep buried. But will Harry find Emily? And if/when he does, what condition will she be in. From beginning to end this tale has some wicked twists and turns.
January 29, 2018
Harry's ex-boss and chief of police asks Harry to look into his missing daughter's whereabouts. Too soon, Emily is discovered discarded in the woods. As Harry investigates, he soon learns that Emily is not the first young lady to go missing from the girl's school she attended. The school, protected by an armed and surly security presence and overseen by a mysterious head mistress, seems to have some secrets they don't want known. The local police presence seems to be complicit in the goings on, as well. After much investigating and not escaping without injury, either for Harry or his right-hand man, Bob. All comes together.
February 18, 2018
"An Intriguing Investigative Mystery"
This is another great investigative thriller. Chattanooga Police Chief's daughter has been missing for more than a week. Chief Johnston will need some expert help and Harry Starke steps forward even though the chief and Harry didn't often agree. Emily Johnston's body is soon found outside Johnston's policing region so he'll have to rely on Starke working with two inexperienced county detectives. There is another body soon found which brings forward two cold cases. Many twists and turns here in this well-written, action packed thriller. Highly recommend.
This is another great investigative thriller. Chattanooga Police Chief's daughter has been missing for more than a week. Chief Johnston will need some expert help and Harry Starke steps forward even though the chief and Harry didn't often agree. Emily Johnston's body is soon found outside Johnston's policing region so he'll have to rely on Starke working with two inexperienced county detectives. There is another body soon found which brings forward two cold cases. Many twists and turns here in this well-written, action packed thriller. Highly recommend.
June 6, 2019
ANOTHER AWESOME, AWESOME READ!!
Can never go wrong, with a Harry Starke book!! A NON-STOP READ!!
Harry is asked, by his former boss, Police Chief, Wes Johnston to find his missing daughter, Emily. Harry remembers Emily as a young girl, who came to the Police station, quite a bit. Emily as a young girl, actually told Harry, that she wanted to marry him. All those memories come back to Harry as the search for her continues. Emily was going to a Private School, when she disappeared, a place where things are not as they seem.
This book, is a read, you won't want to put down, until the very end!!!!
Can never go wrong, with a Harry Starke book!! A NON-STOP READ!!
Harry is asked, by his former boss, Police Chief, Wes Johnston to find his missing daughter, Emily. Harry remembers Emily as a young girl, who came to the Police station, quite a bit. Emily as a young girl, actually told Harry, that she wanted to marry him. All those memories come back to Harry as the search for her continues. Emily was going to a Private School, when she disappeared, a place where things are not as they seem.
This book, is a read, you won't want to put down, until the very end!!!!
June 1, 2020
I listened to this novel on Audible and immensely enjoyed it. There is a different feel to a novel that is being read to you, like sitting in an audience of a well-scripted play. This novel was a bit different than the others I had read. Harry is now put to the test by taking on a case requested by a person he least expects. But, how can he turn away from a man who has a missing daughter? I could feel the tension among all the characters, not only because there was a mystery to solve, but there was an animosity there which led me to wonder 'who dun it this time?' Everyone was a suspicious character in my mind. This one will keep you guessing.
October 11, 2020
Enjoyable but.......
The first two books were great. The plot and characters kept my interest. But then I got to book three and the enjoyment was no longer there. I don't think I've ever read a book with so many grammatical errors. Words were missing or in the wrong place in a sentence. Punctuation was poor. It is truly stressful when the flow or the story is distorted because of all these errors. I can accept one or two mistakes but the book was loaded with them as well as the next two. I'll finish the series because I like the characters but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who likes a well edited book.
The first two books were great. The plot and characters kept my interest. But then I got to book three and the enjoyment was no longer there. I don't think I've ever read a book with so many grammatical errors. Words were missing or in the wrong place in a sentence. Punctuation was poor. It is truly stressful when the flow or the story is distorted because of all these errors. I can accept one or two mistakes but the book was loaded with them as well as the next two. I'll finish the series because I like the characters but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who likes a well edited book.
October 22, 2020
Deceit...you bet
Gone is a great spider web of a whodunnit. Starting with the murder of Emily, a person Harry knew as a child into adulthood, the case was personal. Throw in a few additional murders, a goon squad, some disreputable law enforcement, and you have a puzzle that appears to be more like an unsolveable riddle. Add to that some very elite professionals who clam up and get feisty. These are all what made the book so interesting. Jaques gets to become a valuable player. Of course you have Harry, Kate, Amanda, and Bob contributing to resolution (Bob, in a more passive role.) I couldn't put the book down.
Gone is a great spider web of a whodunnit. Starting with the murder of Emily, a person Harry knew as a child into adulthood, the case was personal. Throw in a few additional murders, a goon squad, some disreputable law enforcement, and you have a puzzle that appears to be more like an unsolveable riddle. Add to that some very elite professionals who clam up and get feisty. These are all what made the book so interesting. Jaques gets to become a valuable player. Of course you have Harry, Kate, Amanda, and Bob contributing to resolution (Bob, in a more passive role.) I couldn't put the book down.
January 13, 2021
Blair Howard has done it again. His book Gone, the fifth the series is set in Hamilton County, Tennessee and tells the story of the murder of the daughter of the Chattanooga Police Chief. This murder opens up a multitude of crimes from forced prostitution and human trafficking at an exclusive all girls college on Signal Mountain. The suspects are many and the clues are few. Working with Kate Garza on leave from the police department to the final inclusion of the TBI, they stop the human trafficking but the murder is still unsolved. Who killed Emily and four other women. Is Harry able to find the killer? Great book as usual.
I received this book free from the author for my review of same.
I received this book free from the author for my review of same.
November 15, 2017
Another very good Harry Starke novel from Blair Howard. When the police chief's daughter goes missing from an elite private girls school, differences are put aside. Harry has known Emily since she was a little girl and finding her is as important to him as it is to the rest of the crew. Rather than assistance from the school's security force and the chancellor, he is met with resistance and threats. The further Harry digs into the events of Emily's time at the school the darker the secrets he learns.
May 4, 2021
Why do bad things happen to good people.
Hard boiled Harry and his crew of willing participant work together to help Police Chief Wes Johnston on a very personal case. Harry requests Kate for the duration of the case. He needs her strength, talents and calming effect once again. Death is the issue and death is what he finds. Twisted people and twisted plots evolve into a gut wrenching story that has you not wanting to put the book down. Everybody and nobody is guilty. Trouble on the horizon every time Harry walks into a room.
Read and read it to the end as Harry's life spins.
Hard boiled Harry and his crew of willing participant work together to help Police Chief Wes Johnston on a very personal case. Harry requests Kate for the duration of the case. He needs her strength, talents and calming effect once again. Death is the issue and death is what he finds. Twisted people and twisted plots evolve into a gut wrenching story that has you not wanting to put the book down. Everybody and nobody is guilty. Trouble on the horizon every time Harry walks into a room.
Read and read it to the end as Harry's life spins.
July 24, 2025
This time it is personal, very personal. Emily was the cutest little kid. He knows her father well. Will his usual fist and gun first approach work or does he need something more subtle. Maybe Kate will rub off on him and dial him back or the converse?
He is a good detective and he slowly uncovers the facts, related but not the solution he is looking for. "The nagging tick at the back of my mind was still as elusive as ever", that's what he needs. Maybe just a little too close this time.
He is a good detective and he slowly uncovers the facts, related but not the solution he is looking for. "The nagging tick at the back of my mind was still as elusive as ever", that's what he needs. Maybe just a little too close this time.
July 23, 2018
BH's Harry Starke reminds me of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. He was an honest hard nosed cop in Chattanooga, TN. Once he is on the trail of the bad guy he may as well surrender. The Chief of Police, an arch rival of Harry's, daughter goes missing and even though the two dislike each other Harry takes the job. Once he does the fur begins to fly in the southern town of Chattanooga as the Wolf goes on the prowl. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
June 26, 2020
I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title.
A missing girl, a police chief's daughter, no less. Harry is asked to find her.
However, there's a lot more going on at the elite college that the young woman had attended, that just the one missing student.
Harry, along with Kate, get into and out off a lot of tight jams.
How the case gets solved, well, that's something the author will reveal as the plot is revealed.
A missing girl, a police chief's daughter, no less. Harry is asked to find her.
However, there's a lot more going on at the elite college that the young woman had attended, that just the one missing student.
Harry, along with Kate, get into and out off a lot of tight jams.
How the case gets solved, well, that's something the author will reveal as the plot is revealed.
December 29, 2020
This is a very sad story and I feel for Chief Johnstone's loss of his daughter. As Harry digs up the dirt on Emily's college, he discovers a prostitution ring, a website called Calista and an alternative lifestyle of intrigue and corruption. What he doesn't find is Emily's killer. The twist in this story is that the killer was overlooked, as Harry states, "A Rookie Mistake". It wasn't my mistake, because I suspected her from the beginning.
May 22, 2021
A child has gone missing. Harry Starke is caught up in a case of intrigue, lies, misrepresentation, mystery and incompetence. The cast of characters is large, but each is well-defined by the author, from his own detective agency's family of agents and outside law enforcement to the list of suspects, informants and nefarious characters.
The storyline is cleanly defined, filled with action but action which does not overshadow the twists of Harry's investigation. I highly recommend GONE.
The storyline is cleanly defined, filled with action but action which does not overshadow the twists of Harry's investigation. I highly recommend GONE.
December 18, 2021
An excellent murder mystery with some action , humor and a lot of curve balls. The City's police Chief's daughter Emily is missing. The Chief asks Harry Starke for assistance ,which surprised Harry until The Chief explained to Harry the situation. Later Emily's body is found and it appears that the situation is worse than thought . It appears that Emily was gay and was prostituting. But this appears to be just the tip of the iceberg. Well written and well worth reading.
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