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And Then You Were Gone
A chilling, twisting thriller for readers of In a Dark, Dark Wood
Emily manages her bipolar disorder well enough to work as a moderately successful child psychologist, and is building a serious relationship with her boyfriend Paolo.
When he wants to take her on an overnight sailing trip, Emily knows her medication, generous amounts of wine, and her attraction to Paolo will help her deal with her aversion to the water and forget the fact that she can’t swim.
But after a romantic night, Emily wakes up on the sailboat, completely alone, drifting through the waves.
Her world is tuned upside down as she becomes a person of interest while grieving Paolo, never getting answers or closure to what happened to him. He was a strong swimmer, and she cannot believe he simply drowned. With her personal and professional life in shambles, Emily attempts to find out the truth and clear her name, discovering a deeper and more dangerous plot than she ever suspected. Fueled by her own mania, Emily questions her own judgment every step of the way.
Emily manages her bipolar disorder well enough to work as a moderately successful child psychologist, and is building a serious relationship with her boyfriend Paolo.
When he wants to take her on an overnight sailing trip, Emily knows her medication, generous amounts of wine, and her attraction to Paolo will help her deal with her aversion to the water and forget the fact that she can’t swim.
But after a romantic night, Emily wakes up on the sailboat, completely alone, drifting through the waves.
Her world is tuned upside down as she becomes a person of interest while grieving Paolo, never getting answers or closure to what happened to him. He was a strong swimmer, and she cannot believe he simply drowned. With her personal and professional life in shambles, Emily attempts to find out the truth and clear her name, discovering a deeper and more dangerous plot than she ever suspected. Fueled by her own mania, Emily questions her own judgment every step of the way.
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2019
266 people are currently reading
3179 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 511 reviews
February 11, 2020
A man and a woman who seem to be in love decide to spend a romantic weekend by the lake. At night something happens and the man disappears. The woman is unable to give a clear account of what she remembers. The plot sounds simple, however, if you add medical research covering a new medicament, it is definitely worth following.
I enjoyed reading this book mainly because of unreliable narrator who suffers from biopolar disease and in consequence makes the narration intriguing.
*Many thanks to R.J. Jacobs, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
I enjoyed reading this book mainly because of unreliable narrator who suffers from biopolar disease and in consequence makes the narration intriguing.
*Many thanks to R.J. Jacobs, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
October 7, 2021
2 stars. Implausible and uninteresting.
This is one I should have DNF’d as I knew once I was a quarter in that I wasn’t going to connect with it. However, I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump and feel like I have DNF’d too many lately so I pushed my way through with the hopes that it would get better. Sadly, it didn’t.
There are a few positives. I enjoyed the pandemic/vaccine aspect of the storyline. This was written before Covid-19 so it was interesting to have that as part of the plot. I appreciated the mental health portion of the storyline and all that added. I also liked the atmospheric feel to the start of the novel. The boat on the water and all that happened within the first quarter really had me feeling like I was there with the characters.
Unfortunately the negatives far outweigh any enjoyment I felt from this book. None of the characters were likeable, especially the main character who became more irritating as the story progressed. Her thoughts and actions didn’t feel authentic or believable. There were several unrealistic and absurd plot points throughout that had me rolling my eyes. I did not connect with the writing - at all! The author used sarcastic humour that missed its mark for me every time. Overall, I didn’t feel any sense of investment in this book making it a chore to get through and therefore I would not be able to recommend it.
Audio rating: 2 stars. I didn’t feel that the narrator added anything to this story (and quite possibly negatively affected my overall enjoyment of the book). Felt robotic at times.
Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy! Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!
This is one I should have DNF’d as I knew once I was a quarter in that I wasn’t going to connect with it. However, I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump and feel like I have DNF’d too many lately so I pushed my way through with the hopes that it would get better. Sadly, it didn’t.
There are a few positives. I enjoyed the pandemic/vaccine aspect of the storyline. This was written before Covid-19 so it was interesting to have that as part of the plot. I appreciated the mental health portion of the storyline and all that added. I also liked the atmospheric feel to the start of the novel. The boat on the water and all that happened within the first quarter really had me feeling like I was there with the characters.
Unfortunately the negatives far outweigh any enjoyment I felt from this book. None of the characters were likeable, especially the main character who became more irritating as the story progressed. Her thoughts and actions didn’t feel authentic or believable. There were several unrealistic and absurd plot points throughout that had me rolling my eyes. I did not connect with the writing - at all! The author used sarcastic humour that missed its mark for me every time. Overall, I didn’t feel any sense of investment in this book making it a chore to get through and therefore I would not be able to recommend it.
Audio rating: 2 stars. I didn’t feel that the narrator added anything to this story (and quite possibly negatively affected my overall enjoyment of the book). Felt robotic at times.
Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy! Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!
June 23, 2019
A fast-paced thriller that will have your head spinning as you try to figure out what happened to Paolo!!
And Then You Were Gone is a unique thriller that features a leading character who has been successfully managing her bipolar disorder for years—a fact that is called into question when her boyfriend disappears.
This was truly an unputdownable one for me!
Fantastic writing, engaging mystery, and a relatable lead character all make this a standout debut novel.
Emily and her boyfriend Paolo are out on a boat together when Emily wakes up to discover Paolo is gone. Emily is adrift on the boat, afraid, and alone. And there is no clear sign on foul play! Though Emily is afraid of the water, Paolo certainly is not. He’s a strong swimmer and the chances he drowned are slim.
I’m always fascinated by missing person mysteries more than any other type, because there are such a huge range of outcomes! Are they alive? Ran away? Kidnapped? Hiding? Lost? The puzzle keeps me guessing.
The set up for this really engaged me! I couldn’t figure out what I thought happened, because there just weren’t a lot of clues. In the weeks after his disappearance, Emily spirals. As everyone moves on and mourns his almost certain death, Emily can’t accept it. If he died, why can’t they find a body?
There is the added layer of Emily’s mental health that was executed so well. I’ve actually had the opportunity to chat a bit with the author, and I know he is a psychologist. It really shows in this book—he describes Emily’s bipolar disorder, treatment, and her fear that her careful balance she has worked to maintain may slip.
The police question Emily when they discover her medication on the boat. Did she drug Paolo? Were they taking recreational drugs? It was such an interesting and unfortunately accurate story. One that happens all of the time.
And the mystery itself? Lightening-paced and fascinating! As you begin to learn more about what may have been the context of Paolo’s disappearance (and I won’t say what that is because it is so fun to learn about in the book), you will have a hard time putting this one down!
Truly—one of the most engaging psychological thrillers I’ve read this year!
And Then You Were Gone is a unique thriller that features a leading character who has been successfully managing her bipolar disorder for years—a fact that is called into question when her boyfriend disappears.
This was truly an unputdownable one for me!
Fantastic writing, engaging mystery, and a relatable lead character all make this a standout debut novel.
Emily and her boyfriend Paolo are out on a boat together when Emily wakes up to discover Paolo is gone. Emily is adrift on the boat, afraid, and alone. And there is no clear sign on foul play! Though Emily is afraid of the water, Paolo certainly is not. He’s a strong swimmer and the chances he drowned are slim.
I’m always fascinated by missing person mysteries more than any other type, because there are such a huge range of outcomes! Are they alive? Ran away? Kidnapped? Hiding? Lost? The puzzle keeps me guessing.
The set up for this really engaged me! I couldn’t figure out what I thought happened, because there just weren’t a lot of clues. In the weeks after his disappearance, Emily spirals. As everyone moves on and mourns his almost certain death, Emily can’t accept it. If he died, why can’t they find a body?
There is the added layer of Emily’s mental health that was executed so well. I’ve actually had the opportunity to chat a bit with the author, and I know he is a psychologist. It really shows in this book—he describes Emily’s bipolar disorder, treatment, and her fear that her careful balance she has worked to maintain may slip.
The police question Emily when they discover her medication on the boat. Did she drug Paolo? Were they taking recreational drugs? It was such an interesting and unfortunately accurate story. One that happens all of the time.
And the mystery itself? Lightening-paced and fascinating! As you begin to learn more about what may have been the context of Paolo’s disappearance (and I won’t say what that is because it is so fun to learn about in the book), you will have a hard time putting this one down!
Truly—one of the most engaging psychological thrillers I’ve read this year!
February 17, 2019
WOW – what a story! What a plot! What amazing writing! To say I loved this book is understatement! When I read the premise – something about micro-technology and greed run amuck, my interest was peaked. What I got was a book full of surprises, full of emotional roller coasters and suspense and twists and turns and a very flawed protagonist that I adored!
Emily Firestone has worked for years to get her life on track and keep her life on track as she lives with bi-polar disorder. She is medicated, a child psychologist and has met a wonderful man who is a medical researcher actually working on a vaccine for the disease that killed her father. Everything appears to finally be flowing in the right direction for Emily. When her boyfriend asks her to go sailing with him, although terrified of water and unable to swim, Emily decides to conquer her fears and give it a go. The day goes beautifully and they cap off the evening with wine – beautiful, right? The next morning Paulo is gone without a trace and no explanation for his disappearance. All suspicions point to Emily and, of course, being bi-polar does not help her case at all, nor does it help her subsequent actions. Her life begins to spiral out of control as she searches for answers and the police search for her.
Full dis-closure: I am a medicated bi-polar person. It took years to get a diagnosis and even longer to find the proper meds to make me stable enough to function in society – some would question whether or not I do that now. It is rare that I ever see someone with bi-polar disorder characterized correctly or even remotely accurately in the media – news or fiction – so as I was reading And Then You Were Gone, I was doing so with a very critical eye. I was amazingly surprised! Reading Emily’s story, her thought processes, her actions, her rationalizations, her play with her medications, her paranoia – ALL of it – was so familiar that it was spooky! This alone was enough to pull me into the book and I encourage you to read it simply to understand what it is like to be a person with bi-polar 2. More importantly, however, is the story line which is fantastic!
As we, a society, need more and more vaccines to counter act an increasingly mounting number of diseases due to climate change, there are going to be those who skirt the laws and the regulations to make that happen. This book deals with some of those consequences. It also has a minor story line that addresses PTSD that is handled very well. ALL of this is wrapped up in a well written, edge of your seat suspenseful thriller! You just cannot beat that. Obviously I highly recommend And Then You Were Gone to any and everyone!
Thank you #Netgalley, #CrookedLaneBooks and especially to #RJJacobs for allowing me to read this fantastic book in advance of publication.
Emily Firestone has worked for years to get her life on track and keep her life on track as she lives with bi-polar disorder. She is medicated, a child psychologist and has met a wonderful man who is a medical researcher actually working on a vaccine for the disease that killed her father. Everything appears to finally be flowing in the right direction for Emily. When her boyfriend asks her to go sailing with him, although terrified of water and unable to swim, Emily decides to conquer her fears and give it a go. The day goes beautifully and they cap off the evening with wine – beautiful, right? The next morning Paulo is gone without a trace and no explanation for his disappearance. All suspicions point to Emily and, of course, being bi-polar does not help her case at all, nor does it help her subsequent actions. Her life begins to spiral out of control as she searches for answers and the police search for her.
Full dis-closure: I am a medicated bi-polar person. It took years to get a diagnosis and even longer to find the proper meds to make me stable enough to function in society – some would question whether or not I do that now. It is rare that I ever see someone with bi-polar disorder characterized correctly or even remotely accurately in the media – news or fiction – so as I was reading And Then You Were Gone, I was doing so with a very critical eye. I was amazingly surprised! Reading Emily’s story, her thought processes, her actions, her rationalizations, her play with her medications, her paranoia – ALL of it – was so familiar that it was spooky! This alone was enough to pull me into the book and I encourage you to read it simply to understand what it is like to be a person with bi-polar 2. More importantly, however, is the story line which is fantastic!
As we, a society, need more and more vaccines to counter act an increasingly mounting number of diseases due to climate change, there are going to be those who skirt the laws and the regulations to make that happen. This book deals with some of those consequences. It also has a minor story line that addresses PTSD that is handled very well. ALL of this is wrapped up in a well written, edge of your seat suspenseful thriller! You just cannot beat that. Obviously I highly recommend And Then You Were Gone to any and everyone!
Thank you #Netgalley, #CrookedLaneBooks and especially to #RJJacobs for allowing me to read this fantastic book in advance of publication.
January 26, 2019
Fantastic!! A 5 ⭐️ read for me! This was a superb thriller - I didn’t guess the killer and definitely not the conclusion!
Our main character had bipolar disorder and her personality was described so well. I find it extremely difficult for most writers to convey the full extent of thoughts that aren’t “normal”. Even better, she was able to recognize when her thoughts were leading her down the wrong path and to use her symptoms as strengths. I found this extremely empowering to read! And I wasn’t at all surprised that the author is a psychologist.
I highly recommend the book to all contemporary thriller readers! You will not be disappointed!
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.
Our main character had bipolar disorder and her personality was described so well. I find it extremely difficult for most writers to convey the full extent of thoughts that aren’t “normal”. Even better, she was able to recognize when her thoughts were leading her down the wrong path and to use her symptoms as strengths. I found this extremely empowering to read! And I wasn’t at all surprised that the author is a psychologist.
I highly recommend the book to all contemporary thriller readers! You will not be disappointed!
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 19, 2018
Emily is on a boat trip with her boyfriend Paolo, after a night drinking she wakes up in the morning to find him gone. The police think that he fell overboard but Emily can't remember anything. Emily has bipolar disorder and is struggling to cope with this and will do anything to find out the truth of what happened to Paolo.
This was a good thriller but a little confusing in parts.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my e-book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a good thriller but a little confusing in parts.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my e-book in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2019
Wow... this was a tough book to put down! I just wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. I could not see how it was going to end at all... and I love that in a book. The main character was far from perfect and the story had me hooked from the very start.
Emily Firestone... her life is finally starting to come good. After years of living with bipolar she has finally learned how to live with it. She has a great job and a fantastic new boyfriend Paolo, who adores her. When Paolo suggests a Sailing weekend away she jumps at the chance. They spend the evening drinking far too much and when Emily wakes in the morning Paolo is missing without a trace. The police believe that he has drowned, but she knows that he is a strong swimmer and refuses to believe it. Before long she becomes a person of interest in the case no she needs to stay well enough to prove her innocence.
A fantastic read and an author to keep an eye out for in the future. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
Emily Firestone... her life is finally starting to come good. After years of living with bipolar she has finally learned how to live with it. She has a great job and a fantastic new boyfriend Paolo, who adores her. When Paolo suggests a Sailing weekend away she jumps at the chance. They spend the evening drinking far too much and when Emily wakes in the morning Paolo is missing without a trace. The police believe that he has drowned, but she knows that he is a strong swimmer and refuses to believe it. Before long she becomes a person of interest in the case no she needs to stay well enough to prove her innocence.
A fantastic read and an author to keep an eye out for in the future. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
March 11, 2019
While on a sailing trip, Emily wakes to find her boyfriend Paolo is missing. Since Paolo is a strong swimmer, Emily finds it hard to believe he could have drowned. As days pass, Paolo's disappearance starts to lean toward murder... with Emily as a suspect. Emily struggles with managing her bipolar disorder, which she though was under control, while she searches for answers to what happened to Paolo.
Emily makes for an interesting unreliable narrator. She has been managing her bipolar disorder well, but when Paolo goes missing and she becomes a suspect, she no longer has control. In addition to that, her memory of the night Paolo went missing is very hazy. The fun thing about unreliable narrators is the reader never knows if they can be trusted.
When Emily looks into Paolo's disappearance, she learns more about his work. Paolo works in medical research, and while Emily was aware of the virus he was working with, she learns a lot more about his research and coworkers as she questions what happened to him.
A fast-paced thriller. Intriguing, suspenseful, and twisty.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Emily makes for an interesting unreliable narrator. She has been managing her bipolar disorder well, but when Paolo goes missing and she becomes a suspect, she no longer has control. In addition to that, her memory of the night Paolo went missing is very hazy. The fun thing about unreliable narrators is the reader never knows if they can be trusted.
When Emily looks into Paolo's disappearance, she learns more about his work. Paolo works in medical research, and while Emily was aware of the virus he was working with, she learns a lot more about his research and coworkers as she questions what happened to him.
A fast-paced thriller. Intriguing, suspenseful, and twisty.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2019
Exiting and Thrilling debut with plenty of Suspence to go around!
Emily
Eighteen months before the lake, I met Cal the same night I met Paolo, at a fund-raiser for medical research. I’d dragged Allie along as my date.
“Remind me why we’re going to a fund-raiser?” she asked as I sped toward the frozen-in- time University Club, with its imposing curtains and sturdy silverware.
There was enough incredulity in Allie’s voice that I smiled to not feel offended.
“It’s for H1-N24 research . It’s been almost twenty years since…”
The air between us changed as she understood. The mention of a deceased parent does that. Allie’s eyes conveyed warmth, even pity, as her lips pressed together.
“It’s not going to be bad,” I said, knowing this only because I’d asked specifically about the content of the presentations before RSVPing yes. No way was I making either of us sit through a slideshow about the disease itself— the symptoms, or various forms of partially effective treatments. I knew plenty about H1-N24 already. First signs showing within three days of infection— mild fever, headache, muscle pains, followed by vomiting. Later, bleeding from the mouth, nose, and gums. Low blood pressure eventually causing organ failure and death.
When Paolo and Emily go on a romantic, weekend getaway on a sailboat, Emily, who can't swim, is already anxious. But Paolo, who is an expert swimmer, assures her it's perfectly safe. When she wakes up alone the following morning she finds Paolo inexplicably gone. The police search but come up empty and Emily finds herself as suspect number one for his murder. But Emily is certain she had nothing to do with Paolo's death. Or is she?
********
Debut novel, And Then You Were Gone by R.J. Jacobs is a suspenful thriller with twists in unsuspected places. The characters are believable and the story is solid for the most part.
To bring more authenticity to the storyline, I would have liked to have more detailed information and/or explanation of what H1-N24 is. I think it's a vaccine but a vaccine to prevent what, exactly, was unclear to me. The book seems to hint that there is a deadly virus in the world capable of becoming an epidemic or pandemic in nature if it falls into the wrong hands but with no specific details about what the virus is. The overall lack of details makes the story murky, which for me, took a bit away from the flow of the story. Having said that, it is fiction and it didn't take away much of the excitement and suspence and I had no trouble reading it to the very end. And I'm glad I did!
With thanks to NetGalley, R.J. Jacobs, and Crooked Lane Books for my digital advanced reading copy for me to read and review.
Emily
Eighteen months before the lake, I met Cal the same night I met Paolo, at a fund-raiser for medical research. I’d dragged Allie along as my date.
“Remind me why we’re going to a fund-raiser?” she asked as I sped toward the frozen-in- time University Club, with its imposing curtains and sturdy silverware.
There was enough incredulity in Allie’s voice that I smiled to not feel offended.
“It’s for H1-N24 research . It’s been almost twenty years since…”
The air between us changed as she understood. The mention of a deceased parent does that. Allie’s eyes conveyed warmth, even pity, as her lips pressed together.
“It’s not going to be bad,” I said, knowing this only because I’d asked specifically about the content of the presentations before RSVPing yes. No way was I making either of us sit through a slideshow about the disease itself— the symptoms, or various forms of partially effective treatments. I knew plenty about H1-N24 already. First signs showing within three days of infection— mild fever, headache, muscle pains, followed by vomiting. Later, bleeding from the mouth, nose, and gums. Low blood pressure eventually causing organ failure and death.
When Paolo and Emily go on a romantic, weekend getaway on a sailboat, Emily, who can't swim, is already anxious. But Paolo, who is an expert swimmer, assures her it's perfectly safe. When she wakes up alone the following morning she finds Paolo inexplicably gone. The police search but come up empty and Emily finds herself as suspect number one for his murder. But Emily is certain she had nothing to do with Paolo's death. Or is she?
********
Debut novel, And Then You Were Gone by R.J. Jacobs is a suspenful thriller with twists in unsuspected places. The characters are believable and the story is solid for the most part.
To bring more authenticity to the storyline, I would have liked to have more detailed information and/or explanation of what H1-N24 is. I think it's a vaccine but a vaccine to prevent what, exactly, was unclear to me. The book seems to hint that there is a deadly virus in the world capable of becoming an epidemic or pandemic in nature if it falls into the wrong hands but with no specific details about what the virus is. The overall lack of details makes the story murky, which for me, took a bit away from the flow of the story. Having said that, it is fiction and it didn't take away much of the excitement and suspence and I had no trouble reading it to the very end. And I'm glad I did!
With thanks to NetGalley, R.J. Jacobs, and Crooked Lane Books for my digital advanced reading copy for me to read and review.
December 4, 2018
A different book to review. An unlikable, unreliable main character made my job so difficult. Did I like her or did I hate her? Or did I love to hate her? These questions swirled in my mind as I read the book.
The story started simply with Emily and Paolo taking a day off to spend the night on a rented boat in the middle of the lake and Paolo disappeared. Emily sailed the boat to the pier, contacted the cops, and Paolo was presumed to be dead due to drowning with a tinge of suspicion on Emily. The story rolled on with a doubting co-worker, weird co-worker, burnt corpses, drowned corpse, all the while the cops marking Emily for murder.
Writing all this made me feel that everything was so exaggerated in this book, without any real evidence. Author R. J. Jacobs added more uncertainty to the mix when he made the main character Emily suffer from a bipolar disorder grade II wherein she remained in the hypo-maniac state... Oh how was I supposed to believe her or depend on her to lead me to the truth?!
The entire book was written from Emily's POV, and I could see her brain neurons zipping and zapping as she flitted from one thought to the other. The story worked in a fast pace with Emily trying to find her peace of mind. With such an atmosphere, I cast my doubts on everyone in the book including Emily. And yes, I could guess the ending...
Then came my niggles, continuity was not maintained in the scenes. Walking cane was left in the house of the dead body, but the next scene had the cane with Emily, then it went back to the dead body's house. How?!! Repetitive phrases, Emily didn't sleep, didn't take meds, didn't eat was told multiple times. She was a child psychologist who had an appointment for 8am next day, but it didn't happen. Marty her guide disappeared midway down the book, I thought there was a mystery in that, but nahh, he was chopped off. The writing could be tighter; at one point, I dozed off while reading. Ah, well...
A good concept and a swift pace in latter half, but a confused hypo-maniac main character barely made this book worthwhile, I wanted to get it done and get on with my life.
The story started simply with Emily and Paolo taking a day off to spend the night on a rented boat in the middle of the lake and Paolo disappeared. Emily sailed the boat to the pier, contacted the cops, and Paolo was presumed to be dead due to drowning with a tinge of suspicion on Emily. The story rolled on with a doubting co-worker, weird co-worker, burnt corpses, drowned corpse, all the while the cops marking Emily for murder.
Writing all this made me feel that everything was so exaggerated in this book, without any real evidence. Author R. J. Jacobs added more uncertainty to the mix when he made the main character Emily suffer from a bipolar disorder grade II wherein she remained in the hypo-maniac state... Oh how was I supposed to believe her or depend on her to lead me to the truth?!
The entire book was written from Emily's POV, and I could see her brain neurons zipping and zapping as she flitted from one thought to the other. The story worked in a fast pace with Emily trying to find her peace of mind. With such an atmosphere, I cast my doubts on everyone in the book including Emily. And yes, I could guess the ending...
Then came my niggles, continuity was not maintained in the scenes. Walking cane was left in the house of the dead body, but the next scene had the cane with Emily, then it went back to the dead body's house. How?!! Repetitive phrases, Emily didn't sleep, didn't take meds, didn't eat was told multiple times. She was a child psychologist who had an appointment for 8am next day, but it didn't happen. Marty her guide disappeared midway down the book, I thought there was a mystery in that, but nahh, he was chopped off. The writing could be tighter; at one point, I dozed off while reading. Ah, well...
A good concept and a swift pace in latter half, but a confused hypo-maniac main character barely made this book worthwhile, I wanted to get it done and get on with my life.
March 15, 2019
4 "you fooled me" stars to this debut book from R.J. Jacobs
A thrill ride, this time with a bipolar psychologist in a fight for her life to unravel clues before she's the next to disappear.
Set in Nashville, things seem to be great for Emily -- a loving boyfriend and a good job, her bipolar mania managed. Somehow, a magical date with her boyfriend goes all wrong and Emily wakes up with Paolo missing. She becomes a suspect in his case and other mysterious things start happening with the virus research at the lab where Paolo works. Emily teams up with an old friend of Paolo’s, Cal, to try to get to the bottom of the situation, but her mania starts to creep in again. I enjoyed her interactions with Cal, he seemed to be a steady influence for her.
I found this an interesting glimpse into the life of mental illness and a fun guessing game for the ultimate bad guys in the book. It was also fascinating to read more about the life of a psychologist. I was not at all close in my hunches with this one. I look forward to future books from R.J. Jacobs.
Thank you to NetGalley, R.J. Jacobs, and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of the book to review.
A thrill ride, this time with a bipolar psychologist in a fight for her life to unravel clues before she's the next to disappear.
Set in Nashville, things seem to be great for Emily -- a loving boyfriend and a good job, her bipolar mania managed. Somehow, a magical date with her boyfriend goes all wrong and Emily wakes up with Paolo missing. She becomes a suspect in his case and other mysterious things start happening with the virus research at the lab where Paolo works. Emily teams up with an old friend of Paolo’s, Cal, to try to get to the bottom of the situation, but her mania starts to creep in again. I enjoyed her interactions with Cal, he seemed to be a steady influence for her.
I found this an interesting glimpse into the life of mental illness and a fun guessing game for the ultimate bad guys in the book. It was also fascinating to read more about the life of a psychologist. I was not at all close in my hunches with this one. I look forward to future books from R.J. Jacobs.
Thank you to NetGalley, R.J. Jacobs, and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of the book to review.
December 9, 2018
My thoughts
Not your typical psychological thriller and not at all what I expected. It was a quick read...but there is so much more to the story than the description leads us to believe. A well-written and fast-paced debut, that I highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley / Crooked Lane Books / R. J. Jacobs for this digital ARC / in exchange for my honest review.
#AndThenYouWereGone #NetGalley
Book Description
For fans of B. A. Paris and Alice Feeney comes a propulsive, twisting psychological thriller that asks, How can you save someone else if you can’t save yourself?
After years of learning how to manage her bipolar disorder, Emily Firestone finally has it under control. Even better, her life is coming together: she’s got a great job, her own place, and a boyfriend, Paolo, who adores her. So when Paolo suggests a weekend sailing trip, Emily agrees—wine, water, and the man she loves? What could be better? But when Emily wakes the morning after they set sail, the boat is still adrift…and Paolo is gone.
A strong swimmer, there’s no way Paolo drowned, but Emily is at a loss for any other explanation. Where else could he have gone? And why? As the hours and days pass by, each moment marking Paolo’s disappearance, Emily’s hard-won stability begins to slip.
But when Emily uncovers evidence suggesting Paolo was murdered, the investigation throws her mania into overdrive, even as she becomes a person of interest in her own personal tragedy. To clear her name, Emily must find the truth—but can she hold onto her own sanity in the process?
Not your typical psychological thriller and not at all what I expected. It was a quick read...but there is so much more to the story than the description leads us to believe. A well-written and fast-paced debut, that I highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley / Crooked Lane Books / R. J. Jacobs for this digital ARC / in exchange for my honest review.
#AndThenYouWereGone #NetGalley
Book Description
For fans of B. A. Paris and Alice Feeney comes a propulsive, twisting psychological thriller that asks, How can you save someone else if you can’t save yourself?
After years of learning how to manage her bipolar disorder, Emily Firestone finally has it under control. Even better, her life is coming together: she’s got a great job, her own place, and a boyfriend, Paolo, who adores her. So when Paolo suggests a weekend sailing trip, Emily agrees—wine, water, and the man she loves? What could be better? But when Emily wakes the morning after they set sail, the boat is still adrift…and Paolo is gone.
A strong swimmer, there’s no way Paolo drowned, but Emily is at a loss for any other explanation. Where else could he have gone? And why? As the hours and days pass by, each moment marking Paolo’s disappearance, Emily’s hard-won stability begins to slip.
But when Emily uncovers evidence suggesting Paolo was murdered, the investigation throws her mania into overdrive, even as she becomes a person of interest in her own personal tragedy. To clear her name, Emily must find the truth—but can she hold onto her own sanity in the process?
September 17, 2018
I received this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This book was so...random. Though the plot clearly sets an aim for the story, the storytelling itselfis haphazard and vague, to the point where it just gets boring waiting for development. It almost feels like this is the first draft, unfleshed out and raw.
I spent the whole first half of the book waiting for the story make some progress on the plot, but no such luck. The main character is so two dimensional and forgettable, I can't even remember her name anymore. Her being bipolar just seems to be a characteristic given to her to make her more interesting, and that's not something that sits well with me.
By the end of the book, the story has done a complete 180, (no, there's no brilliant twist or anything) almost like the author changed their mind halfway through and decided to write another story altogether. The chapters feel disjointed and so do the characters.
I've been on quite the thriller binge lately, and this turned out to be quite disappointing.
This book was so...random. Though the plot clearly sets an aim for the story, the storytelling itselfis haphazard and vague, to the point where it just gets boring waiting for development. It almost feels like this is the first draft, unfleshed out and raw.
I spent the whole first half of the book waiting for the story make some progress on the plot, but no such luck. The main character is so two dimensional and forgettable, I can't even remember her name anymore. Her being bipolar just seems to be a characteristic given to her to make her more interesting, and that's not something that sits well with me.
By the end of the book, the story has done a complete 180, (no, there's no brilliant twist or anything) almost like the author changed their mind halfway through and decided to write another story altogether. The chapters feel disjointed and so do the characters.
I've been on quite the thriller binge lately, and this turned out to be quite disappointing.
July 28, 2019
Emily at last has her bipolar disorder under control. Its taken her years to get to this point in her life when everything seems to be going her way. She has a terrific boyfriend, Paolo,. a great job, and her own living space.
When Paolo suggests a weekend trip of sailing, she readily agrees. The morning after they set sail, Emily wakes up to a totally empty boat. Where is Paolo? Did he fall overboard and drown? She's alone on the boat and terrified.
Days later with still no answers on what happened, she becomes a person of interest. Her mental health is starting to unravel. She needs to know what happened in order to keep her sanity. But who does she turn to? Where does she start?
This is a real nail-biter. Watching Emily come undone in front of my eyes had me enthralled with the story and I hated to lay it down for any reason. I liked the spunk Emily showed, as she struggled with her illness in order to find the truth. The characters are finely drawn with multilayered emotions and actions.
Many thanks to the author / Crooked Lane Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this twisted psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
February 16, 2019
This book took a little while to warm up, but was most intriguing once it did. I think the most gripping thing was the fact the main character and narrator of the story is bipolar and doubts her own take on reality and the way her mind is processing information.
Emily is a psychologist battling her own demons who is asked on a boating holiday by her boyfriend Paolo, she reluctantly agrees even though unable to swim and being petrified of water. A sequence of events then takes place that has everyone including Emily doubting her sanity. As her fear grows so does her mania as she forgets her medication and sets about trying to find out what happened on the boat.
Who can she trust if she can't even trust herself?
A great read, thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Emily is a psychologist battling her own demons who is asked on a boating holiday by her boyfriend Paolo, she reluctantly agrees even though unable to swim and being petrified of water. A sequence of events then takes place that has everyone including Emily doubting her sanity. As her fear grows so does her mania as she forgets her medication and sets about trying to find out what happened on the boat.
Who can she trust if she can't even trust herself?
A great read, thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 26, 2019
UPDATE: 26th September 2019
After getting a message from the author complaining that I shouldn't be giving mean-spirited reviews to books because it can discourage authors, I am very tempted to drop my rating down to a 1 star. I don't think I will though, because it wasn't necessarily a bad book, I just didn't enjoy it. I don't even think my review was particularly mean-spirited. And can I just add, RJ Jacobs told me that he named the main character after a freind who died but that doesn't mean I should like the character!! I hate it when authors give sob stories. Please don't contact me telling me that you don't like what I wrote about your book. Take criticism from readers or just don't read reviews of your work if you can't handle negativity.
"I had the dizzy feeling of standing on the edge of someplace very tall, of looking out over an expansive canyon."
This was boring. The main character (who I think was called Emily) had no personality traits apart from having bipolar disorder (which is not a personality trait) and the other characters were literally cardboard cut-outs. Nothing happened. The plot tried to be fast-paced and intriguing but it wasn't until about 70% through and even then, it was boring. The unreliable narrator trope is so overused that it has to be done really well and this time, it just wasn't.
I am very disappointed.
After getting a message from the author complaining that I shouldn't be giving mean-spirited reviews to books because it can discourage authors, I am very tempted to drop my rating down to a 1 star. I don't think I will though, because it wasn't necessarily a bad book, I just didn't enjoy it. I don't even think my review was particularly mean-spirited. And can I just add, RJ Jacobs told me that he named the main character after a freind who died but that doesn't mean I should like the character!! I hate it when authors give sob stories. Please don't contact me telling me that you don't like what I wrote about your book. Take criticism from readers or just don't read reviews of your work if you can't handle negativity.
"I had the dizzy feeling of standing on the edge of someplace very tall, of looking out over an expansive canyon."
This was boring. The main character (who I think was called Emily) had no personality traits apart from having bipolar disorder (which is not a personality trait) and the other characters were literally cardboard cut-outs. Nothing happened. The plot tried to be fast-paced and intriguing but it wasn't until about 70% through and even then, it was boring. The unreliable narrator trope is so overused that it has to be done really well and this time, it just wasn't.
I am very disappointed.
October 27, 2018
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
This thriller grabbed me from the first page (too bad I don't have more time for reading) and there’s no way I could have guessed how it ended. I did not like much the main characters, but the plot was interesting.
This thriller grabbed me from the first page (too bad I don't have more time for reading) and there’s no way I could have guessed how it ended. I did not like much the main characters, but the plot was interesting.
March 28, 2019
I was going to read this in time for publication day, but when I picked it up to start and had a look at the blurb, thought “oh no, not another amnesia plot line!” and put it aside. Fortunately I came back to it, and discovered that while yes, it’s a book about a woman who wakes up on a boat to find her boyfriend missing, with no memory of what happened, the amnesia turns out to be largely irrelevant, and there’s a lot more to it than that.
Set in Nashville, Tennessee, this is told from the point of view of Emily, a child psychologist whose bipolar disorder is finally under control. When her hunky Argentinian boyfriend Paolo, a medical researcher, suggests a romantic night sailing on a lake, Emily goes along with it, despite never having learned to swim. Crushed by his disappearance and under suspicion by the police, she makes a series of bad decisions as her illness spirals out of control, but when one of Paolo’s former colleagues confides her suspicions that something untoward is happening at the lab, Emily will risk everything to discover the truth.
This is the second book in a row about skulduggery in medical research, in this case it’s about the quest for a vaccine for a highly pathogenic influenza variant. This is just the backdrop really and there wasn’t much medical stuff in it. Emily is a frustrating character to follow as her illness makes her unreliable both as a friend, an amateur detective, and a narrator, but the portrayal of bipolar disease was well done. The suspense took a while to build but the pace ramped up in the last quarter, leading to a satisfying if somewhat predictable outcome. The writing was crisp and fluent, and I’d happily read more from this author.
My thanks to NetGalley for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review.
And Then You Were Gone is available now.
Set in Nashville, Tennessee, this is told from the point of view of Emily, a child psychologist whose bipolar disorder is finally under control. When her hunky Argentinian boyfriend Paolo, a medical researcher, suggests a romantic night sailing on a lake, Emily goes along with it, despite never having learned to swim. Crushed by his disappearance and under suspicion by the police, she makes a series of bad decisions as her illness spirals out of control, but when one of Paolo’s former colleagues confides her suspicions that something untoward is happening at the lab, Emily will risk everything to discover the truth.
This is the second book in a row about skulduggery in medical research, in this case it’s about the quest for a vaccine for a highly pathogenic influenza variant. This is just the backdrop really and there wasn’t much medical stuff in it. Emily is a frustrating character to follow as her illness makes her unreliable both as a friend, an amateur detective, and a narrator, but the portrayal of bipolar disease was well done. The suspense took a while to build but the pace ramped up in the last quarter, leading to a satisfying if somewhat predictable outcome. The writing was crisp and fluent, and I’d happily read more from this author.
My thanks to NetGalley for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review.
And Then You Were Gone is available now.
December 24, 2019
You all probably know by now that I have a weakness for audiobook thrillers. So it is no surprise that I picked And Then You Were Gone by R.J. Jacobs and read by Amy McFadden. The story introduces Emily Firestone, a child psychologist and who is also bipolar. One weekend, she and her boyfriend Paolo go sailing. When she wakes up after a deep sleep, Paolo is gone. There is no way he drowned, but then what happened to him. His assumed death is linked to his work as a scientist coming up with a vaccination for a deadly disease that had taken the life of Emily’s father when she was younger. However, due to her instability, she immediately becomes a suspect. She recruits the help of Paolo’s best friend, but more mysterious deaths begin to happen. Can they find answers before it is too late?
UGHHHHHHH! I had high hopes for this book. I saw that fans of Alice Feeney would enjoy this book. Welp. I did not enjoy it. Where to begin? First of all, I love when authors discuss mental illness to reduce the stigma. When they first mention that Emily is bipolar, I was thrilled. They discuss what she experiences and how everyone is different. That is absolutely wonderful. I started listening to the book thinking that this book will be phenomenal. As the book went on, I discovered that Emily’s bipolar disorder is the only thing that defines her. I feel that discussing mental illness is one thing, but those who suffer from any mental illness are not defined by it. It felt like she mentioned bipolar every single time she spoke. I struggle with OCD and anxiety. It wreaks havoc on my life daily. But it is not the only thing about me. Emily is not the only character that lacks dimension. It seems like all the characters in the story are very similar. Also, for how much Emily claims she isn’t an alcoholic, she sure drinks a lot. She seems like she is always drinking and even gets a DUI. But nope, alcohol is not a problem. (sarcasm)
I have not quite decided what the problem is with my next issue. I can’t tell if it is the dialogue, the narration, or perhaps both? The author was trying to give Emily wit and sarcasm and it just came off cheesy and cringeworthy. The narration did not help it. I can’t quite describe it but the way Emily’s voice was portrayed, came off annoying.
Lastly, the pace of this novel is unbelievably slow. And the twist? Predictable. So, unfortunately, I have to rate this book 2 out of 5 stars. I appreciate what the author was trying to do with shedding light on mental illness but it was not executed well.
Oh! Merry Christmas! Sorry, this is not a more positive and happy blog post! I hope you all have a wonderful time filled with happiness and joy beyond measure!
UGHHHHHHH! I had high hopes for this book. I saw that fans of Alice Feeney would enjoy this book. Welp. I did not enjoy it. Where to begin? First of all, I love when authors discuss mental illness to reduce the stigma. When they first mention that Emily is bipolar, I was thrilled. They discuss what she experiences and how everyone is different. That is absolutely wonderful. I started listening to the book thinking that this book will be phenomenal. As the book went on, I discovered that Emily’s bipolar disorder is the only thing that defines her. I feel that discussing mental illness is one thing, but those who suffer from any mental illness are not defined by it. It felt like she mentioned bipolar every single time she spoke. I struggle with OCD and anxiety. It wreaks havoc on my life daily. But it is not the only thing about me. Emily is not the only character that lacks dimension. It seems like all the characters in the story are very similar. Also, for how much Emily claims she isn’t an alcoholic, she sure drinks a lot. She seems like she is always drinking and even gets a DUI. But nope, alcohol is not a problem. (sarcasm)
I have not quite decided what the problem is with my next issue. I can’t tell if it is the dialogue, the narration, or perhaps both? The author was trying to give Emily wit and sarcasm and it just came off cheesy and cringeworthy. The narration did not help it. I can’t quite describe it but the way Emily’s voice was portrayed, came off annoying.
Lastly, the pace of this novel is unbelievably slow. And the twist? Predictable. So, unfortunately, I have to rate this book 2 out of 5 stars. I appreciate what the author was trying to do with shedding light on mental illness but it was not executed well.
Oh! Merry Christmas! Sorry, this is not a more positive and happy blog post! I hope you all have a wonderful time filled with happiness and joy beyond measure!
January 19, 2019
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.
Emily and boyfriend Paolo are off on a short boating trip on a lake near Nashville. They have a few drinks and when Emily wakes up the next morning she finds Paolo gone. I had expected her to be stuck on the boat, but no, she sails it back to safety and the search for Paolo starts, police involved. Not much happens for a while apart from Emily's life throwing her one setback after another.
It's a pleasant read so far, but nothing too exciting.
Until finally some clues into Paolo's vanishing appear. Suddenly the story picks up speed, accompanied by Emily's manic episode. More characters enter the trail, all well developed and likable and we are on a fast track to discovery. The reader is kept in suspense until the very end.
Kudos to the writer for letting us in on Emily's darker introspective moods. The descriptions are tragic, yet almost poetic in writing. The final scene is just beautiful.
"And then you were gone" definitely surprised me and I would recommend it to anyone in for a good mystery.
Emily and boyfriend Paolo are off on a short boating trip on a lake near Nashville. They have a few drinks and when Emily wakes up the next morning she finds Paolo gone. I had expected her to be stuck on the boat, but no, she sails it back to safety and the search for Paolo starts, police involved. Not much happens for a while apart from Emily's life throwing her one setback after another.
It's a pleasant read so far, but nothing too exciting.
Until finally some clues into Paolo's vanishing appear. Suddenly the story picks up speed, accompanied by Emily's manic episode. More characters enter the trail, all well developed and likable and we are on a fast track to discovery. The reader is kept in suspense until the very end.
Kudos to the writer for letting us in on Emily's darker introspective moods. The descriptions are tragic, yet almost poetic in writing. The final scene is just beautiful.
"And then you were gone" definitely surprised me and I would recommend it to anyone in for a good mystery.
February 20, 2019
When Emily and her boyfriend Paolo decide to spend a night on the lake, things quickly take a turn for the worse when Emily wakes up to find Paolo is missing and she has zero memory of the night before. Even though the police have declared him dead, Emily cannot accept that this is what happened, and she decides to do a little investigating of her own. Due to lack of sleep and dealing with her bipolar, Emily becomes an unreliable narrator leaving the reader to question everything along the way.
This book was a decent read, but I never found myself reaching for it to find out what happens next. The author did a great job of depicting mental illness and it was a good psychological thriller, but I did find myself a little bored at times. It was a good debut from the author, and I will try more of his books in the future.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a decent read, but I never found myself reaching for it to find out what happens next. The author did a great job of depicting mental illness and it was a good psychological thriller, but I did find myself a little bored at times. It was a good debut from the author, and I will try more of his books in the future.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2019
And Then You Were Gone is a wonderfully mesmerizing and suspenseful read.
Emily Firestone, a woman diagnosed as bipolar, has struggled for years to get and keep herself on track. Now, for the first time in a long time, everything seems to be running smoothly; she has a job she loves, a home of her own, and a boyfriend, Paolo, that she finds herself falling in love with.
When Paolo suggests taking a break from their busy work lives (he is a medical researcher working on the virus that killed Emily’s father, she is a child psychologist), Emily is all in. To have a weekend alone with Paolo, who promises to keep his phone OFF the entire time, is impossible to resist! She is so excited that when he suggests sailing, Emily decides to put her fear of open water (she doesn’t know how to swim) aside and go for it. They enjoy a wonderful night together, talking and laughing over several glasses of wine. The perfect start to an awesome getaway so Emily thinks.
Emily wakens the next morning to find that Paolo is not on board. Thinking he must be swimming, she calls his name repeatedly. When there is no response, and she doesn’t see any sign of him in the water, she begins to panic. What happened to him? He’s an excellent swimmer, and she heard nothing overnight. But she slept surprisingly deeply – would she have heard anything? Her heart now racing, she steers the boat back to the marina to report Paolo missing. The police soon arrive to take her statement, and it doesn’t take her long to realize she is the main suspect in his disappearance.
With stress abounding, Emily starts to spiral out of control – she’s not sleeping and can’t remember when/if she took her meds. Emily begins to see clues everywhere and becomes convinced that Paolo was murdered, but how can she get the police to believe her when she’s not sure her thoughts are clear?
This book was stunning and well written. I find myself waiting for the next book by R.J. Jacobs because if it is anything like this one and as well written I am in! New authors who can give me a fresh take on a thriller are always welcome to join my reading list.
Emily Firestone, a woman diagnosed as bipolar, has struggled for years to get and keep herself on track. Now, for the first time in a long time, everything seems to be running smoothly; she has a job she loves, a home of her own, and a boyfriend, Paolo, that she finds herself falling in love with.
When Paolo suggests taking a break from their busy work lives (he is a medical researcher working on the virus that killed Emily’s father, she is a child psychologist), Emily is all in. To have a weekend alone with Paolo, who promises to keep his phone OFF the entire time, is impossible to resist! She is so excited that when he suggests sailing, Emily decides to put her fear of open water (she doesn’t know how to swim) aside and go for it. They enjoy a wonderful night together, talking and laughing over several glasses of wine. The perfect start to an awesome getaway so Emily thinks.
Emily wakens the next morning to find that Paolo is not on board. Thinking he must be swimming, she calls his name repeatedly. When there is no response, and she doesn’t see any sign of him in the water, she begins to panic. What happened to him? He’s an excellent swimmer, and she heard nothing overnight. But she slept surprisingly deeply – would she have heard anything? Her heart now racing, she steers the boat back to the marina to report Paolo missing. The police soon arrive to take her statement, and it doesn’t take her long to realize she is the main suspect in his disappearance.
With stress abounding, Emily starts to spiral out of control – she’s not sleeping and can’t remember when/if she took her meds. Emily begins to see clues everywhere and becomes convinced that Paolo was murdered, but how can she get the police to believe her when she’s not sure her thoughts are clear?
This book was stunning and well written. I find myself waiting for the next book by R.J. Jacobs because if it is anything like this one and as well written I am in! New authors who can give me a fresh take on a thriller are always welcome to join my reading list.
March 3, 2019
2.5 STARS - This debut suspense novel, written by R.J Jacobs - a psychologist by trade, brings readers into the mind of a person with mental illness as she tries to solve the mystery surrounding her missing boyfriend.
This novel had the makings of a good suspense read but lacked in a few areas. Initially, I liked that the author put Emily's struggle with her bipolar disorder at the forefront of the story. But with readers only getting Emily's first-person narrative, the story soon became choppy with a plot that became more increasingly outlandish.
Unfortunately, the story relied on the reader connecting to Emily, a character that just wasn't likable. I understood that Emily's impulsiveness was due to her bipolar disorder, but it felt like her mental illness took over the plot and was mainly there to provide an excuse for her being an unreliable narrator (a writing style that has been overdone in recent years).
This debut thriller has a stunning cover and the interesting addition of mental illness, but unfortunately didn't deliver for me. It lacked focus, momentum and good twists resulting in a story that dragged in a few spots with a character that needed more depth.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This novel had the makings of a good suspense read but lacked in a few areas. Initially, I liked that the author put Emily's struggle with her bipolar disorder at the forefront of the story. But with readers only getting Emily's first-person narrative, the story soon became choppy with a plot that became more increasingly outlandish.
Unfortunately, the story relied on the reader connecting to Emily, a character that just wasn't likable. I understood that Emily's impulsiveness was due to her bipolar disorder, but it felt like her mental illness took over the plot and was mainly there to provide an excuse for her being an unreliable narrator (a writing style that has been overdone in recent years).
This debut thriller has a stunning cover and the interesting addition of mental illness, but unfortunately didn't deliver for me. It lacked focus, momentum and good twists resulting in a story that dragged in a few spots with a character that needed more depth.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 14, 2019
(3.5) Ok.. This was a good book. I especially liked the beginning & the end. The middle got a little long for me.. The narrator got on my nerves a bit. I understand the reasons given for her reckless behavior, but it still felt a little forced to me. & by the time i finally got to the explanation of what had really happened.. It was just like yeah ok. (I had already worked some out but the details came slowly.) I don't know, it wasn't bad. I just wasn't very interested. Ultimately though i was happy how it it ended.
October 10, 2018
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Bipolar Emily has her act together, a job, a place to live and an adoring boyfriend, Paolo.
Paolo suggests a day out on his boat on a lake and Emily jumps at the chance to spend some alone time with him as he's always working in his job as a micribiologist.
The following morning Emily wakes with a fuzzy head and a missing Paolo. In the ensuing story Emily becomes a person of interest in his disappearance and fights to clear her name and find out what happened and who is responsible. Missing sleep and pills in the process her thought processes become less than credible, although she enlists the help of someone else who happily goes along with it all.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and Emily was a great protagonist - I like a flawed heroine! (or hero, lets not be sexist here)
I would recommend this book
Bipolar Emily has her act together, a job, a place to live and an adoring boyfriend, Paolo.
Paolo suggests a day out on his boat on a lake and Emily jumps at the chance to spend some alone time with him as he's always working in his job as a micribiologist.
The following morning Emily wakes with a fuzzy head and a missing Paolo. In the ensuing story Emily becomes a person of interest in his disappearance and fights to clear her name and find out what happened and who is responsible. Missing sleep and pills in the process her thought processes become less than credible, although she enlists the help of someone else who happily goes along with it all.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and Emily was a great protagonist - I like a flawed heroine! (or hero, lets not be sexist here)
I would recommend this book
November 23, 2018
This was a really good read!! A woman finds herself a top suspect in the sudden disappearance of her boyfriend. On a weekend outing on a boat she wakes in the morning to find that her boyfriend is not on board ,no where to be found and she can’t remember a thing! She quickly takes the boat to shore and calls the police! In a quest to find the answers and evidence to clear her name it turns into more drama and more murders than she had imagined. A definite page turner and must read!
January 15, 2019
And Then You Were Gone is a psychological thriller. The heroine is bipolar, so I assumeshe will be unreliable. I won't spoil anything. The story is engaging and mysterious and leaves you guessing. It's a did I do this maybe kind of story for the main character. Overall, it's well written and keeps your interest until the end. The characters are engaging. A good read. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2019
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC, in exchange for my honest review.
I have to say I really enjoyed this book, after reading a few reviews I was kind of worried I wouldn’t be able to finish it. The saying goes “different strokes, for different folks” and I’m glad I read on anyway. I found I was totally drawn by this book. It held its suspense throughout the book, there were a few parts I questions but all in all, this book was well done.
Great book by Jacobs.
I have to say I really enjoyed this book, after reading a few reviews I was kind of worried I wouldn’t be able to finish it. The saying goes “different strokes, for different folks” and I’m glad I read on anyway. I found I was totally drawn by this book. It held its suspense throughout the book, there were a few parts I questions but all in all, this book was well done.
Great book by Jacobs.
September 20, 2019
Emily and her boyfriend Paolo are on a boat trip when she wakes up and finds him missing. After reporting this to the police, her frantic search uncovers shocking evidence of deception and murder.
This was interesting and fast-paced, although I did find the plot to be predictable, hence the 3 stars rather than 4. Still, well worth the read.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and R. J. Jacobs for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was interesting and fast-paced, although I did find the plot to be predictable, hence the 3 stars rather than 4. Still, well worth the read.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and R. J. Jacobs for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
September 17, 2018
I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review
This one moved two slowly and I never really connected with the characters along the way. A good depiction of mental illness tho.
This one moved two slowly and I never really connected with the characters along the way. A good depiction of mental illness tho.
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