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Eastbourne Murder Mystery #3
Before You Were Gone
The truth can’t stay buried forever…
Emer Doran’s life was torn apart when her sister, Kitty, drowned. Her body was never recovered. Twenty years later, Emer sees a woman who is the image of Kitty. In that brief moment, Emer is convinced – her sister is alive.
Dee Doran jumps at the chance to get to know her long-lost cousin when Emer calls asking to meet. But it is not the happy family reunion Dee had expected. Emer is desperate for Dee’s help to find out what really happened to Kitty.
As Dee works to uncover the truth, one thing becomes clear: there is a tangled web of lies that date back many years. And those with the answers are determined to keep their secrets at any cost.
A tense and gripping crime thriller perfect for fans of Alex Marwood and Fiona Barton.
Emer Doran’s life was torn apart when her sister, Kitty, drowned. Her body was never recovered. Twenty years later, Emer sees a woman who is the image of Kitty. In that brief moment, Emer is convinced – her sister is alive.
Dee Doran jumps at the chance to get to know her long-lost cousin when Emer calls asking to meet. But it is not the happy family reunion Dee had expected. Emer is desperate for Dee’s help to find out what really happened to Kitty.
As Dee works to uncover the truth, one thing becomes clear: there is a tangled web of lies that date back many years. And those with the answers are determined to keep their secrets at any cost.
A tense and gripping crime thriller perfect for fans of Alex Marwood and Fiona Barton.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2021
42 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Bugler
32 books108 followersI'm the author of the Ellen Kelly and Dee Doran crime novels. My first stand alone novel, The Lucky Eight, is published in July 2021.
I grew up in a small town in the west of Ireland. After studying Psychology at University College Galway, I left Ireland and worked in Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland, Argentina and London before finally settling in Eastbourne, where I now live with my husband, Sean, and our two children.
I grew up in a small town in the west of Ireland. After studying Psychology at University College Galway, I left Ireland and worked in Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland, Argentina and London before finally settling in Eastbourne, where I now live with my husband, Sean, and our two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
July 22, 2021
Really well written book with multiple threads all coming together in a spectacular display of attention to detail and more than one twist that I didn’t predict……. All a recipe for at least a 4* book (not a 5* as I wouldn’t read again)… however despite all the praise I have for this book it felt like something was missing! Still throughly recommend - although make sure you’re paying attention as there are quite a few characters and from the outset an intricate web is being weaved! C
January 28, 2021
Before You Were Gone is the third instalment in The Eastbourne Murder Mystery series, featuring retired journalist and amateur sleuth/Private Investigator (P.I.) Dee Doran. The story begins with Emer Doran, Dee’s cousin, on board a busy tube train in London on the last day of her holiday as she makes her way back to her hotel to collect her luggage and head to the airport. She had initially been in The Big Smoke for a job interview but her mother, Ursula, had once again managed to make her daughter feel inferior and self-conscious and claimed the only reason Emer had ventured to London in the first place was to try to win back ex-fiancée Nikki, who had walked out on her instantly obliterating their wedding plans. Occupying a space by the door she let's the powerful vocals of Lana Del Rey take her away from the sea of bodies and the heat emanating from them. As the tube winds it's way slowly to Victoria, Emer catches a glance of a bleach-blonde woman reading a book and wearing a stunning hand-painted silk dress. When she looks up from her book, it takes Emer's breath away completely; the woman puts her book away and alights the train but with endlessly whirring memories and joyous nostalgia overshadowing everything else at that moment, Emer follows the woman off the train despite it not being even close to her stop. The woman looks the spitting image of Emer's seemingly deceased sister Kitty, who she was told died in an accident - now twenty three years ago. She has an overwhelming feeling that this IS Kitty rather than just someone who resembles her immensely so she continues to follow her.
Emer realises the girl walks with quite a faint limp, that can be explained by Kitty's tumble and resultant broken leg from a pony at the fair when she was a mere four years old. We fast forward to two months later, Dee is returning to the nineteenth century, candlelit Gordon's Wine Bar on London's Embankment despite it holding many conflicting memories for her. She had often spent a wicked night there with close friends and ex-husband, Billy; actually it was where they had their first ever date together. After taking the wrong tube, Emer eventually turns up at her table and introduces herself. The meeting had been a consequence of an email Emer sent last week hoping Dee, as a sort of P.I., would lend her expertise to a case of apparent family secrets, love, loss, lies, deceit and revenge. Emer also discloses the sighting of Kitty on the tube not long ago. Can Emer and Dee discover the fate of Kitty and what actually happened to her when they had only ever been told that she had died after a tragic drowning? The family weren't even able to mourn the body, given there wasn't one, after the drowning occurred in the ocean and her body was never found. This is a compulsive, captivating and mystery-filled read with large and explosive family secrets at its heart. I found it fast-paced with great characters in both Emer and Dee who will stop at nothing to finally discover the truth after decades of silence, cover-ups and betrayal. I particularly enjoyed that it was not only full of intrigue and intensity but emotion too and it proves just how lying to your family about something large will always come to the surface and hurt them in the end. A deeply twisty and enthralling unravelling of one family's lifelong hidden skeletons and the quest to put them right. Highly recommended.
Emer realises the girl walks with quite a faint limp, that can be explained by Kitty's tumble and resultant broken leg from a pony at the fair when she was a mere four years old. We fast forward to two months later, Dee is returning to the nineteenth century, candlelit Gordon's Wine Bar on London's Embankment despite it holding many conflicting memories for her. She had often spent a wicked night there with close friends and ex-husband, Billy; actually it was where they had their first ever date together. After taking the wrong tube, Emer eventually turns up at her table and introduces herself. The meeting had been a consequence of an email Emer sent last week hoping Dee, as a sort of P.I., would lend her expertise to a case of apparent family secrets, love, loss, lies, deceit and revenge. Emer also discloses the sighting of Kitty on the tube not long ago. Can Emer and Dee discover the fate of Kitty and what actually happened to her when they had only ever been told that she had died after a tragic drowning? The family weren't even able to mourn the body, given there wasn't one, after the drowning occurred in the ocean and her body was never found. This is a compulsive, captivating and mystery-filled read with large and explosive family secrets at its heart. I found it fast-paced with great characters in both Emer and Dee who will stop at nothing to finally discover the truth after decades of silence, cover-ups and betrayal. I particularly enjoyed that it was not only full of intrigue and intensity but emotion too and it proves just how lying to your family about something large will always come to the surface and hurt them in the end. A deeply twisty and enthralling unravelling of one family's lifelong hidden skeletons and the quest to put them right. Highly recommended.
January 31, 2021
Emer Doran unexpectedly sees her sister, Kitty. Very surprising since her sister drowned twenty years ago. Her body was never found and Emer has always felt she didn't die.
No one seems to believe her .. not her father who walked out on them after Kitty's accident, not her mother who wants only to control her daughter, not friends who didn't even know her sister.
Working temporarily in London, Emer reaches out to her cousin, woman Emer has never met. Dee jumps at the chance to meet and get to know her cousin ... until she asks for help. Dee doesn't know if she believes Emer or not. But as an investigative journalist, she senses a good story.
What Dee finds are lies and secrets that have been in the shadows for many years. The only people who know what happened that day twenty years ago are not talking ... and someone will make sure their secrets remain secret ... no matter what it takes .... even murder.
This is a nicely paced well-written family drama. Suspense starts slow but builds steadily leading to twists and turns that keep one compelled to keep reading. The ending was surprising, totally unexpected. The characters are solidly drawn, the plot well thought out. Although this is third in the mystery, it is easily read as a stand alone.
Many thanks to the author, Canelo Publishing, Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
No one seems to believe her .. not her father who walked out on them after Kitty's accident, not her mother who wants only to control her daughter, not friends who didn't even know her sister.
Working temporarily in London, Emer reaches out to her cousin, woman Emer has never met. Dee jumps at the chance to meet and get to know her cousin ... until she asks for help. Dee doesn't know if she believes Emer or not. But as an investigative journalist, she senses a good story.
What Dee finds are lies and secrets that have been in the shadows for many years. The only people who know what happened that day twenty years ago are not talking ... and someone will make sure their secrets remain secret ... no matter what it takes .... even murder.
This is a nicely paced well-written family drama. Suspense starts slow but builds steadily leading to twists and turns that keep one compelled to keep reading. The ending was surprising, totally unexpected. The characters are solidly drawn, the plot well thought out. Although this is third in the mystery, it is easily read as a stand alone.
Many thanks to the author, Canelo Publishing, Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
December 22, 2020
Set in Ireland and the UK, this is a crime novel which concerns the death of Emer's (the main character) sister. She drowned as a child, but Emer is not convinced that she is dead. This feeling is heightened when she sees her sister on the tube in London. The sisters'cousin, who lives in Eastbourne is an investigative reporter. She (Dee) starts to delve into the case, ruffling a few feathers along the way. The book is written from different viewpoints , Mainly Dee (the cousin) and Emer, but also in the childrens' childhood (Kitty)
Some chapters are set a month earlier, 2 months earlier and around the original incident in 1997. I found this quite muddled and confusing to keep track of. Some parts of the story and links between characters seem a bit contrived and at times repetetive and some parts of the story did not fall into place until quite late in the book. This was a turning point for me, the story then started to make sense and the pieces fell into place. As previously mentioned, it was confusing at times before that.
All in all not a bad read, but could have been better. I did not feel anything much about any of the characters, all seemed pretty prone to emotional outbursts and changing opinions within a very short time. Dee is a strange character who has few social contacts and who involves herself with the concerns of others at the drop of a hat . The parents all seem overly involved in the lives of their grown children. Small irritations which spoilt the book for me
Thank you to Net Galley for the read in exchange for an honest review
Some chapters are set a month earlier, 2 months earlier and around the original incident in 1997. I found this quite muddled and confusing to keep track of. Some parts of the story and links between characters seem a bit contrived and at times repetetive and some parts of the story did not fall into place until quite late in the book. This was a turning point for me, the story then started to make sense and the pieces fell into place. As previously mentioned, it was confusing at times before that.
All in all not a bad read, but could have been better. I did not feel anything much about any of the characters, all seemed pretty prone to emotional outbursts and changing opinions within a very short time. Dee is a strange character who has few social contacts and who involves herself with the concerns of others at the drop of a hat . The parents all seem overly involved in the lives of their grown children. Small irritations which spoilt the book for me
Thank you to Net Galley for the read in exchange for an honest review
March 1, 2022
Loved it! Easy to follow but lots going on. A great read.
December 19, 2022
3.5 rounded up to a 4 on GR ✨ I really liked this book! There were lots of characters to keep things interesting and the story developed over the book as opposed to one massive twist. But it lacked something else to give it a 4/5 - I read this as a stand-alone.
December 7, 2020
“Before You Were Gone,” is a literary masterpiece written by Irish crime writer Sheila Bugler. Although this is the third book in her Eastbourne Murder Mystery series, it can stand alone. For lovers of crime fiction, this completely gripping suspense with strong potential for screen adaptation, is a must-read and worth pre-ordering before publication date of January 28, 2021.
Ever since her sister Kitty drowned 20 years ago, Emer Doran’s life has continued to go downhill. In addition to losing her sister, her parents have separated, her mother has remarried, she’s been unable to keep any relationship for very long, and she’s suffering depression at the hand of her overbearing and controlling mother. The fact that her sister’s body has never been recovered has given Emer hope that she’s still out there somewhere. Then one day she spots her sister, or someone very like her, on the tube in London. Convinced it’s her sister, Emer devotes every waking moment to finding Kitty. They say the truth can’t stay buried forever. Is her mind playing tricks on her or is Kitty really alive?
This is my first read by Bugler and I’ve just added her to my auto-buy list. What an amazing nail-biting, roller coaster ride. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with so many twists, turn, loops and cutbacks! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I had to ditch my hypothesis and start again. I love it when that happens. The multi-layered characters with rich backgrounds are the star players in this novel. Not only does the author craft her characters with superb lifestyle and expertise, but also allows her readers to see their thought process. For example, Emer’s step-father is involved in Irish politics and is in the running for Prime Minister. This position gives him opportunity to help or hinder his step-daughter and his wife. Dee, the investigator, is Emer’s cousin. This gives her insight into the family dynamics. It’s in unravelling the nature of the relationships and seeing their vulnerability that we identify with the characters. Woven throughout the plot is the thread of empathy. Readers want Emer to find Kitty because we understand her pain and loss. We may not have been raised deprived of a sibling relationship, but we identify with it and it causes us to be invested in her character. Bugler’s characters steal the show and the reason becomes obvious after reading that the author crafts her characters prior to building a plot. I can see why this book is part of a series; readers want to know more about these spectacular people. Bugler deftly explores the dark secrets that lurk beneath our public persona to produce a stellar novel that has us wondering if the truth can be as fatal as the secret.
Thank you Sheila Burger, Canelo Publishing, and NetGalley for this adrenaline rushing advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ever since her sister Kitty drowned 20 years ago, Emer Doran’s life has continued to go downhill. In addition to losing her sister, her parents have separated, her mother has remarried, she’s been unable to keep any relationship for very long, and she’s suffering depression at the hand of her overbearing and controlling mother. The fact that her sister’s body has never been recovered has given Emer hope that she’s still out there somewhere. Then one day she spots her sister, or someone very like her, on the tube in London. Convinced it’s her sister, Emer devotes every waking moment to finding Kitty. They say the truth can’t stay buried forever. Is her mind playing tricks on her or is Kitty really alive?
This is my first read by Bugler and I’ve just added her to my auto-buy list. What an amazing nail-biting, roller coaster ride. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with so many twists, turn, loops and cutbacks! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I had to ditch my hypothesis and start again. I love it when that happens. The multi-layered characters with rich backgrounds are the star players in this novel. Not only does the author craft her characters with superb lifestyle and expertise, but also allows her readers to see their thought process. For example, Emer’s step-father is involved in Irish politics and is in the running for Prime Minister. This position gives him opportunity to help or hinder his step-daughter and his wife. Dee, the investigator, is Emer’s cousin. This gives her insight into the family dynamics. It’s in unravelling the nature of the relationships and seeing their vulnerability that we identify with the characters. Woven throughout the plot is the thread of empathy. Readers want Emer to find Kitty because we understand her pain and loss. We may not have been raised deprived of a sibling relationship, but we identify with it and it causes us to be invested in her character. Bugler’s characters steal the show and the reason becomes obvious after reading that the author crafts her characters prior to building a plot. I can see why this book is part of a series; readers want to know more about these spectacular people. Bugler deftly explores the dark secrets that lurk beneath our public persona to produce a stellar novel that has us wondering if the truth can be as fatal as the secret.
Thank you Sheila Burger, Canelo Publishing, and NetGalley for this adrenaline rushing advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2024
Another cracking good yarn in Sheila Bugler's Eastbourne Murder Mystery series. Before You Were Gone follows a similar pattern to the previous two in the series with a time frame that spans more than two decades.
The truth can't stay buried forever...
Emer Doran's sister Kitty was pronounced dead by drowning when she was thirteen years old. But did she? Is there a lot more to this? One day, twenty-three years later, Emer sees a woman in London who she is convinced is her sister Kitty - not dead at all. She contacts her long-lost cousin Dee Doran begging her to help in finding the woman she believes to be her sister.
What follows is a tangled web of lies that date back more than two decades and really leaves your head in a spin. Is Emer right? Who is determined to keep their secrets whatever the cost?
A highly recommended, totally absorbing read. Hats off to Sheila Bugler - again!
The truth can't stay buried forever...
Emer Doran's sister Kitty was pronounced dead by drowning when she was thirteen years old. But did she? Is there a lot more to this? One day, twenty-three years later, Emer sees a woman in London who she is convinced is her sister Kitty - not dead at all. She contacts her long-lost cousin Dee Doran begging her to help in finding the woman she believes to be her sister.
What follows is a tangled web of lies that date back more than two decades and really leaves your head in a spin. Is Emer right? Who is determined to keep their secrets whatever the cost?
A highly recommended, totally absorbing read. Hats off to Sheila Bugler - again!
May 17, 2022
A really good read. Great story line and twists to keep the plot interesting.
March 28, 2024
Given 4* due to the fact it was hard to get into as quite a complicated storyline and found you had to read several chapters at a time. But it was still a great read .
November 22, 2020
Wow. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Sheila Bugler’s Before You Were Gone, book 3 in the Dee Doran series and released 28 January next year. Dee is an Investigative Reporter and she has a knack for finding herself in some hairy situations. Sheila paints a great picture of the characters, with details that make them come alive. The surprises during the story keep you on your toes – just when you think you know what’s happening, the story goes in another direction. It was hard to put the book down, but life got in the way in the beginning. Today I have been able to sit and read, which has been wonderful. I have read the previous 2 books in the series and each one has been better than the one before, although they are all great. I would highly recommend this book, as well as the series.
November 27, 2020
Wow there are a few twists in this one! Just when you’ve worked out the characters, the author whips it all up and it’s not quite as it seems... This an enjoyable read with plenty going on from the start. Kitty drowned when she was on holiday with her mum and sister, but then Emer is sure she has seen her on a train years later..her estranged cousin Dee is an Investigative reporter and gets involved hunting down the person thought to be Kitty after being contacted out of the blue by Emer....but looks like Emer has got it wrong, was she just hoping she was still alive? Did Emer really contact Dee? And why did Kitty’s friend just disappear shortly before Kitty drowned? As I said, plenty going on... I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of this book and found it a thoroughly enjoyable read.
March 3, 2023
I think I was getting tired by the time I finished it, so I’m feeling not quite sure of the facts, with so many different liars telling their versions of events. I do like the complexity of these tales tho; keeps me interested! Didn’t like the vagueness of the chapter headings like “2 months earlier”; earlier than what?! Earlier than the previous chapter? Earlier than the first chapter? 🤷🏼♀️
Ok, upon thinking it over, I’ve realized there are some things that were just left unclear. So Kitty & Lucy saw “something” at the unoccupied house; something to do with sex & cameras, which I assumed was porn; Kitty thought she’d heard Ursula & Robert having sex, like an affair, but there were more people there that night; only at the very end was there mention of a “girl” from the office (15 yrs old??) there, & charges of rape! So…Ursula wasn’t having sex in the house, she was just arranging the “party”? Is there no statute of limitations in the UK, that such charges can be brought 23 yrs after the crime?
Robert threw Kitty in his trunk/boot, so how does she know what he did with Lucy’s body? And Robert just happened to have a shovel in his car?? Ok, I carry a small plastic snow shovel in my car—in winter only—do most people carry a dirt shovel in their car??
Then…Robert brought Kitty to her home & threatens her if she ever tells what she saw. Ursula wasn’t in the room when he did that. Eamon was passed out in the kitchen. So…who decided to have Kitty appear to have drowned while she’s shuffled off to England? Ursula knew—contrary to her claims at the end—because Kitty said her mom told her to pick a fight & run off, throw her shorts in the water, & meet up with Eamon. (And why didn’t Kitty mention that at the end, when Ursula was claiming to have no idea Kitty was still alive?! Confront her mother with that fact!) Wait, Eamon wasn’t on vacation with them—had Robert “found” work for him just to keep him away so he & Ursula could spend time together? Or was the vacation—which Robert paid for—just an excuse to get Kitty near the ocean to pull off the “Omg Kitty drowned!” scene??
Why was Ursula so mad at Frank? Because she thought they were entitled to the money Eamon took from his parents?? Why did she vehemently not want Emer to have any contact with Dee? Even after Dee’s parents were both dead? She thought Dee might have been told about Kitty??
That’s quite a family Emer’s trying to overcome! Ursula’s a compulsive liar, delusional, & possibly psychopathic. Robert’s acting & manipulation skills say to me that he’s a sociopath. But Kitty—she PUSHED Lucy in front of the car!! And earlier (that day?) had fantasized about doing something else to her! That sounds like psychopathy to me! Why was Maeve only mad at Kitty for not speaking up, & not for pushing her sister in front of the car?! How is it she wasn’t charged with anything for that?
Then Robert paid Eamon to go away
Ok, upon thinking it over, I’ve realized there are some things that were just left unclear. So Kitty & Lucy saw “something” at the unoccupied house; something to do with sex & cameras, which I assumed was porn; Kitty thought she’d heard Ursula & Robert having sex, like an affair, but there were more people there that night; only at the very end was there mention of a “girl” from the office (15 yrs old??) there, & charges of rape! So…Ursula wasn’t having sex in the house, she was just arranging the “party”? Is there no statute of limitations in the UK, that such charges can be brought 23 yrs after the crime?
Robert threw Kitty in his trunk/boot, so how does she know what he did with Lucy’s body? And Robert just happened to have a shovel in his car?? Ok, I carry a small plastic snow shovel in my car—in winter only—do most people carry a dirt shovel in their car??
Then…Robert brought Kitty to her home & threatens her if she ever tells what she saw. Ursula wasn’t in the room when he did that. Eamon was passed out in the kitchen. So…who decided to have Kitty appear to have drowned while she’s shuffled off to England? Ursula knew—contrary to her claims at the end—because Kitty said her mom told her to pick a fight & run off, throw her shorts in the water, & meet up with Eamon. (And why didn’t Kitty mention that at the end, when Ursula was claiming to have no idea Kitty was still alive?! Confront her mother with that fact!) Wait, Eamon wasn’t on vacation with them—had Robert “found” work for him just to keep him away so he & Ursula could spend time together? Or was the vacation—which Robert paid for—just an excuse to get Kitty near the ocean to pull off the “Omg Kitty drowned!” scene??
Why was Ursula so mad at Frank? Because she thought they were entitled to the money Eamon took from his parents?? Why did she vehemently not want Emer to have any contact with Dee? Even after Dee’s parents were both dead? She thought Dee might have been told about Kitty??
That’s quite a family Emer’s trying to overcome! Ursula’s a compulsive liar, delusional, & possibly psychopathic. Robert’s acting & manipulation skills say to me that he’s a sociopath. But Kitty—she PUSHED Lucy in front of the car!! And earlier (that day?) had fantasized about doing something else to her! That sounds like psychopathy to me! Why was Maeve only mad at Kitty for not speaking up, & not for pushing her sister in front of the car?! How is it she wasn’t charged with anything for that?
Then Robert paid Eamon to go away
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2025
Before You Were Gone is the third instalment in the Eastbourne series featuring journalist Dee Doran and whilst it can be read as a standalone, I do encourage you to read the previous two books to fully immerse yourself in it’s brilliance. You won’t be disappointed!
When Dee Doran receives a call from her long lost cousin Emer, wanting her help in locating a woman whom she believes is her dead sister Kitty, Dee jumps at the chance. But the deeper she becomes involved, the more herself and Emer put themselves in danger. Someone is hiding a deeply buried secret and they will do anything to make sure it stays that way…
I loved the premise for this story and was immediately hooked and caught up in trying to solve this mystery alongside Dee and Emer. Could this woman really be Kitty? I was just as invested to uncover the truth as the others were and when the story took a dramatic turn at the halfway mark, that was when things really got good! A brilliant twist that caught me off guard!
I loved catching up with Dee again, which also makes you feel like you are catching up with an old friend. She is such a great character and my heart was breaking for her as she threw herself into this latest mystery, as a way of trying to avoid the inevitable with what occurs in a smaller subplot.
The setting in Eastbourne, is just magical. Through each book Sheila Bugler brings the sea side town to life so vividly, adding another element of perfection to the series. I love when books are set in this environment in this genre, It really adds to its chilling and sinister tone.
Before You Were Gone is a perfectly written, gripping and suspenseful crime thriller that will have you reading long into the night as you race through the pages. I absolutely love this series and I am hopeful for some more to come. I have everything crossed! It was an absolute pleasure to read and review Before You Were Gone, which I highly recommend.
When Dee Doran receives a call from her long lost cousin Emer, wanting her help in locating a woman whom she believes is her dead sister Kitty, Dee jumps at the chance. But the deeper she becomes involved, the more herself and Emer put themselves in danger. Someone is hiding a deeply buried secret and they will do anything to make sure it stays that way…
I loved the premise for this story and was immediately hooked and caught up in trying to solve this mystery alongside Dee and Emer. Could this woman really be Kitty? I was just as invested to uncover the truth as the others were and when the story took a dramatic turn at the halfway mark, that was when things really got good! A brilliant twist that caught me off guard!
I loved catching up with Dee again, which also makes you feel like you are catching up with an old friend. She is such a great character and my heart was breaking for her as she threw herself into this latest mystery, as a way of trying to avoid the inevitable with what occurs in a smaller subplot.
The setting in Eastbourne, is just magical. Through each book Sheila Bugler brings the sea side town to life so vividly, adding another element of perfection to the series. I love when books are set in this environment in this genre, It really adds to its chilling and sinister tone.
Before You Were Gone is a perfectly written, gripping and suspenseful crime thriller that will have you reading long into the night as you race through the pages. I absolutely love this series and I am hopeful for some more to come. I have everything crossed! It was an absolute pleasure to read and review Before You Were Gone, which I highly recommend.
July 19, 2021
A very suspenseful story with a couple of twists. The novel fluctuates between present-day and flashbacks chapters. Dee is asked by a cousin she has never before met to find out what happened to her sister who supposedly had drowned at the age of twelve. The cousin, Emer, is the daughter of Dee’s uncle, her father’s brother. But Emer is convinced that Kitty, her sister did not drown because she has seen her on a train—even though ten years have passed since her sister’s drowning, she recognizes her by the distinctive colours of her eyes, one blue, one green. In addition, the woman walks with a slight limp caused by an accident in which her leg was broken. These details set in motion Dee, the investigative journalist, who wants to help her cousin and give families some closure with the truth. As it turns out, there are more than one family involved in deceit, lies, murder, and more. A fairly good read.
June 1, 2024
3.5 stars.
This was my first book by Sheila Bugler. It was an enjoyable read though I felt that the various twists weren’t always well executed.
The setting of the story in Ireland, London and Sussex was great and I thought the locations were really convincing. The ongoing mystery about Annie’s identity was well told and really held my attention. The plot twist around Emer’s initial contact with Dee was clever, and completely took me by surprise.
However the intertwined stories of Lucy’s death, Kitty’s disappearance, Robert’s dubious reputation and Ursula’s lies could have been handled slightly better. It’s also disappointing in the #metoo era that the poor treatment of a vulnerable young women exposed at the end of the book was given minimal attention in the plot. I think it would have improved the book to have less focus on the conflicts in Emer and Dee’s family and to hear from the victim of exploitation.
This was my first book by Sheila Bugler. It was an enjoyable read though I felt that the various twists weren’t always well executed.
The setting of the story in Ireland, London and Sussex was great and I thought the locations were really convincing. The ongoing mystery about Annie’s identity was well told and really held my attention. The plot twist around Emer’s initial contact with Dee was clever, and completely took me by surprise.
However the intertwined stories of Lucy’s death, Kitty’s disappearance, Robert’s dubious reputation and Ursula’s lies could have been handled slightly better. It’s also disappointing in the #metoo era that the poor treatment of a vulnerable young women exposed at the end of the book was given minimal attention in the plot. I think it would have improved the book to have less focus on the conflicts in Emer and Dee’s family and to hear from the victim of exploitation.
February 22, 2024
Since a friend recently passed on five of this author's books to me, accompanied by rave reviews of how good they are, I agreed to work my way through them asap and give her my verdict! However, until I read this one my general impression was that, whilst I found the stories relatively entertaining and quick to read, I felt they lacked the plot-development and sense of tension I look for in this genre.
It was with a sense of relief that by the time I reached the end of Dee Doran's third outing as an investigative journalist, I finally felt able to agree with my friend's recommendations! I think that's probably because the portrayals of the main, recurring characters felt much more nuanced and, consequently, more convincing ... so much so that I've now ordered #4 from the library in order to see where Dee's investigative nose takes her next!
It was with a sense of relief that by the time I reached the end of Dee Doran's third outing as an investigative journalist, I finally felt able to agree with my friend's recommendations! I think that's probably because the portrayals of the main, recurring characters felt much more nuanced and, consequently, more convincing ... so much so that I've now ordered #4 from the library in order to see where Dee's investigative nose takes her next!
January 12, 2022
I really enjoyed this book, I couldn’t but it down and ended up missing many hours of sleep. I was constantly trying to work out who was involved in what and it kept me thinking right to the end. Lots of twists and turns and surprises, which I love in a story.
I didn’t give it a 5* because I did feel that some of the story kept being repeated and a lot of it could have been cut out.
Also there were a lot of characters and different things going on so you really have to keep up with it all. Sometimes I had to go back to check things.
However, well written, good characters, excellent plot and ending!
Definitely recommend. And I’m going to now read another one of the authors books as this was my first.
I didn’t give it a 5* because I did feel that some of the story kept being repeated and a lot of it could have been cut out.
Also there were a lot of characters and different things going on so you really have to keep up with it all. Sometimes I had to go back to check things.
However, well written, good characters, excellent plot and ending!
Definitely recommend. And I’m going to now read another one of the authors books as this was my first.
January 8, 2022
his one took awhile to get into. It felt like it didn’t have much action until about 80% in. Once it got to the climax however, it was good.
There weren’t any twists that I didn’t see coming, which was unfortunate in these circumstances since it wasn’t that thrilling. It felt like there were so many unnecessary characters in this book as well. Like what was the point of Nikki and mentioning her 1000x? And Ella and Jake? That side story (if you can call it that) added nothing to the story and I don’t see why it was included.
All of that said, the premise of the story was a good one. Definitely original. I wouldn’t personally recommend this book as it wasn’t for me.
There weren’t any twists that I didn’t see coming, which was unfortunate in these circumstances since it wasn’t that thrilling. It felt like there were so many unnecessary characters in this book as well. Like what was the point of Nikki and mentioning her 1000x? And Ella and Jake? That side story (if you can call it that) added nothing to the story and I don’t see why it was included.
All of that said, the premise of the story was a good one. Definitely original. I wouldn’t personally recommend this book as it wasn’t for me.
January 20, 2022
This book took me longer to read than normal because I had to keep putting it down and walk around the room or get another coffee. This is probably the most exciting book I have read in the last few years. Just when I knew what was what I would turn the page and find I was totally wrong. There are of course, clues so that you feel as if you know what is happening. However, I was wrong more times than I care to admit. This is the third book in the series but I had only read the second before but they are all stand alone, so I cannot wait to read the first, along with every word Sheila Bugler has ever written.
August 15, 2021
Astonished this book has received an overall rating of 4.20. Flowed really well as good page turners do, so kudos to the author for that, but the story was pretty clumsy and confusing at times as well as being a bit too repetitive, with certain characters (especially Dee) drawing conclusions that she’d reached 30 pages earlier. The book was also littered with grammatical errors, missing words etc, so maybe the publisher should think about hiring a new proofreader! Will try another Sheila Bugler book as she’s definitely got something but, for me, this one was just a little bit lacking.
June 24, 2022
Wow, what a book. I read this in 3 sittings. Had me hooked from page one. The twists and turns in this were perfect and the way it is written, you really feel for each character in turn. I would of loved a bit more of a longer ending to know how their lives progressed, but thats because i just wanted me of the story. Would re-read.
May 1, 2024
A womens hunt to know the truth about the disappearence of her elder sister. A book well written. Only mi us with the story is you can imagine the end and the suspence has no value at all. If you are a reader about the thrillers you will be able to find out, what is coming in. But a decent mix. One time read.
September 18, 2024
I have not read anything by this author before. I found the plot rather convoluted, and it definitely pushed at the boundaries of credibility. Some of the characters were on the shallow side. It probably sounds as though I didn't enjoy the book, but that isn't the case. It was okay, but nothing special.
August 6, 2022
I really enjoyed this book and though I hadn't read any of the other books in the series it worked well as a stand-alone book too. I'll read her other books now. Very easy to get into and despite a lot going on in the story, it was no problem keeping up with what was happening. Excellent!
October 7, 2022
I was halfway through this book before l realised the characters were familiar, then found it was one in a series and I'd read the previous book. It still works as a standalone. A good story, although I did get confused at times over the characters. Will now have to find the rest of the series.
June 23, 2024
I struggled through. I thought some of the conversations between characters and some of the events a bit silly. But the plotline was quite good, I could see what was going to happen but I still finished
August 15, 2024
This took me 2 days to read. First book I’ve read from this author and I’ll be getting more books from her. Wow. A lot of characters involved I kept forgetting who was who lol but what an absolute plot twist. 👏🏽
June 14, 2021
Great Read
This story is full of unpredictable twists and turns.I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good interesting easy read.
This story is full of unpredictable twists and turns.I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good interesting easy read.
July 12, 2021
Set in the Uk and Ireland this book tells a story of deceit rape murder and corruption
2 sisters Emer and Annie torn apart to protect their mother and her rich powerful man friend
2 sisters Emer and Annie torn apart to protect their mother and her rich powerful man friend
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