Girl Nine: Gone

Maya Gray #9

by Molly Black

12 cold cases. 12 kidnapped women. One diabolical serial killer. In this riveting suspense thriller, a brilliant FBI agent faces a deadly challenge: decipher the mystery before each one is murdered.

In the Maya Gray series (which begins with Book #1—GIRL ONE: MURDER), FBI Special Agent Maya Gray, 39, has seen it all. She’s one of BAU’s rising stars and the go-to agent for hard-to-crack serial cases. When she receives a handwritten postcard promising to release 12 kidnapped women if she will solve 12 cold cases, she assumes it’s a hoax.

Until the note mentions that, among the captives, is her missing sister.

Maya, shaken, is forced to take it seriously. The cases she’s up against are some of the most difficult the FBI has ever seen. But the terms of his game are simple: If Maya solves a case, he will release one of the girls.

And if she fails, he will end a life.

In GIRL NINE: GONE (book #9), Maya realizes that time is running out fast when she discovers new victims of a serial killer left, at each crime scene, with an antique moon dial beside them. This killer must be counting down according to the moon’s light.

Yet in a shocking twist, nothing is what it seems.

And Maya realizes, too late, that she herself may just be the target.

A complex psychological crime thriller full of twists and turns and packed with heart-pounding suspense, the MAYA GRAY mystery series will make you fall in love with a brilliant new female protagonist and keep you turning pages late into the night. It is a perfect addition for fans of Robert Dugoni, Rachel Caine, Melinda Leigh or Mary Burton.

Genres: Audiobook, Mystery, Ebooks, Thriller

193 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2023

About the author

Bestselling author Molly Black is author of the MAYA GRAY FBI suspense thriller series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the RYLIE WOLF FBI suspense thriller series, comprising six books; of the TAYLOR SAGE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eight books; of the KATIE WINTER FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eleven books (and counting); of the RUBY HUNTER FBI suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting), and of the CAITLIN DARE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting).

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Molly loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.mollyblackauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

BOOKS BY MOLLY BLACK

GRACE FORD FBI THRILLER

NEARLY MINE (Book #1)

NEARLY SAFE (Book #2)

NEARLY FREE (Book #3)

NEARLY GONE (Book #4)

NEARLY HIS (Book #5)

CAITLIN DARE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

COME GET ME (Book #1)

COME FIND ME (Book #2)

COME TAKE ME (Book #3)

COME CATCH ME (Book #4)

COME SAVE ME (Book #5)

RUBY HUNTER FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

IF I RUN (Book #1)

IF I TELL (Book #2)

IF I LIVE (Book #3)

IF I FORGET (Book #4)

IF I RETURN (Book #5)

MAYA GRAY MYSTERY SERIES

GIRL ONE: MURDER (Book #1)

GIRL TWO: TAKEN (Book #2)

GIRL THREE: TRAPPED (Book #3)

GIRL FOUR: LURED (Book #4)

GIRL FIVE: BOUND (Book #5)

GIRL SIX: FORSAKEN (Book #6)

GIRL SEVEN: CRAVED (Book #7)

GIRL EIGHT: HUNTED (Book #8)

GIRL NINE: GONE (Book #9)

RYLIE WOLF FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

FOUND YOU (Book #1)

CAUGHT YOU (Book #2)

SEE YOU (Book #3)

WANT YOU (Book #4)

TAKE YOU (Book #5)

DARE YOU (Book #6)

TAYLOR SAGE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

DON’T LOOK (Book #1)

DON’T BREATHE (Book #2)

DON’T RUN (Book #3)

DON’T FLINCH (Book #4)

DON’T REMEMBER (Book #5)

DON’T TELL (Book #6)

DON’T HIDE (Book #7)

DON’T BLINK (Book #8)

KATIE WINTER FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

SAVE ME (Book #1)

REACH ME (Book #2)

HIDE ME (Book #3)

BELIEVE ME (Book #4)

HELP ME (Book #5)

FORGET ME (Book #6)

HOLD ME (Book #7)

PROTECT ME (Book #8)

REMEMBER ME (Book #9)

CATCH ME (Book #10)

WATCH ME (Book #11)

Reviews

[anissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

she finds the killer, it's not the killer, 20 seconds before the deadline she has a gut feeling and catches real killer... this is the ninth book with the same plot

[Vivianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

Girl Nine: Gone by Molly Black finally brings the Moonlight Killer storyline to a close — and it does so in classic Maya Gray fashion: fast, tense, and incredibly easy to breeze through, but still light on depth and logic.

The book is another short and sharp read, keeping the pace high and the suspense tight. The action moves quickly, and there’s definitely a sense of urgency as the long-running mystery is finally wrapped up. But here’s the thing: we worked toward this for nine books… and the conclusion was just very unsatisfying. It all played out exactly how I would have written it — and I don’t mean that as a compliment. No twists, no shock, no emotional payoff. Just the obvious ending you see coming from a mile away.

As always, the story lacks emotional or psychological depth. Everything stays on the surface, racing from scene to scene without taking time to explore anything meaningful. The writing is tight, sure — but also a bit soulless.

And yes, once again, Maya goes off on her own. Not once, but TWICE in this book. No backup, no informing anyone, no plan. Just vibes. It’s absurd, especially coming from a supposedly experienced FBI agent. I’ve lost count of how many times she’s done this exact same thing. It was frustrating before — now it’s just laughable.

To be fair, the book is easy to consume, and there’s something mildly addictive about the fast pacing and clean structure. But when the storylines are repetitive, the characters lack depth, and the writing never really surprises you, it starts to feel hollow.

And that brings me to this: I think I’m finally done with this series. Maya got her sister back. She's happy with Marco. The Moonlight Killer has been stopped. The arc is complete. And even though there are 8 more books, I just don’t want to keep going. I’ve read nine of these now, and while they were always quick and somewhat entertaining, they were also shallow, emotionally flat, and built around the same recycled case formula — a woman strangled, at midnight, under a full moon. Every plot played out exactly as expected, with little to no surprise, and each new case felt like a slightly tweaked version of the last. On top of that, Maya, as a main character, never really grew or learned from her mistakes. Her constant solo stunts, irrational decisions, and lack of realism as an FBI agent made it hard to take her seriously — or to stay invested.

I’m just not willing to keep spending my time on a series that offers the same thing over and over without ever deepening, evolving, or truly surprising me.

Girl Nine: Gone gave me the closure I needed — and now I’m ready to let the rest of the series go.

[Lara Aelric · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got into this series for the premise. I allowed grace for what felt like an ever-increasing amount of repetition because I wanted to see Maya solve the murders and rescue the kidnapped women. I wanted to see her reunited with her sister, and I was rooting for her.

But wow, this series was a struggle. While there were some great twists early on, the last few books have been more and more of a slog, with countless paragraphs of repetition. While the formula for each novel in this series was the same (Maya gets a postcard, Maya starts to solve a case with an impossibly short deadline, Maya finds one or two or three people that everyone thinks did it, just to have an epiphany at the last second and realize it couldn't be them!, Maya goes off on her own to confront the actual killer, Maya nearly dies in the process before getting saved. Rinse and repeat.

These last few books, however, took that formula to a whole extra level. Not only did we have a repetitive plot (especially if you're bingeing the series like I'd been); we had a repetitive structure for details. Step 1: Maya has an internal thought about something and comes to a conclusion. Step 2: someone else immediately brings up the thing she just thought through for several sentences and comes to the same conclusion. Step 3: Maya confirms that she had the same conclusion. Step 4: the thing they all just concluded occurs and is described in full detail.

I stuck it out because I'd gotten too deep to want to quit. I wanted to see this through. I did so.
And then the confrontation with the Moonlight Killer felt super anticlimactic.

There is supposedly a next book in this series but I will not be reading it. They caught the Moonlight Killer in the book. They gave us an epilogue. Whatever twist they use to explain how there's more story after this, I'm no longer interested.

[Deanna Berger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Same plot, same story, but supposedly a different book. I swear each book is so repetitive. She’s such a brave (or stupid) character. Always running off on her own to catch a killer. She endures injuries that anyone else would spend weeks recovering from but she’s back out on the hunt a couple hours later. My eyes are tired from all the rolling. Honestly at some point, I’m pretty sure I was laughing at the predictable story lines. I only kept reading these books because I wanted to find out who Frank is and what his beef with Maya was. Even that was a disappointment. No interest in reading any more of this series. But hey, if you enjoy a brainless read, this series has you covered.

[Justina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
Postcard. Serial killer. Law enforcement is chasing the wrong suspect. “The psychopath has my sister!” Repeat. And of course, a magical ending where Maya saves the day in the dumbest way possible.

I wanted to like this. I really, really did. Nine books. NINE. And most of it feels copied and pasted.

The problem?
Not just the recycled dialogue (though, yes, that too), but Maya never grows. She’s painfully boring—a martyr for a “reason.” Marco never gets smarter. His main contribution is worrying and holding her hand… badly.

The wasted potential:
The killer kinda works—well, one of them does. There are two killers, but the more interesting one is the one with the moondial. Unfortunately, we skip right over the freed hostages from the Moonlight Killer and jump straight back into reheated tension like, “If she didn’t solve this, another woman would die.” Cue the mad dash: one minute to midnight, solve the case, run a marathon, crack a calculus problem, all while being shot. Okay, I may be exaggerating the last part… but not by much.

Honestly? I was rooting for the psychopath to just kill the blank-slate sister character so something interesting would happen.

The villain problem:
Bad guy has to be a bad guy, something something military, everyone in his unit died—but he “doesn’t want to bore the hostage with details.” I wanted those details! Instead, he somehow has a slush fund to stalk the heroine but no nerve to finish his master plan. He just… lets himself get captured. Like a discount “Criminal Minds” subplot.

The clichés:
A reckless boss. An agent who “works alone” (eyeroll—this isn’t 1985). A super smart criminal who quits when he gets bored. Recycled lines like “Marco has a swimmer’s physique” (fun fact: he never mentions swimming and never goes swimming).

What could have saved it?
Less time copy-pasting tired lines and more time exploring the psyche of the killers, their communities, and the fallout. As it stands, the plot and characters just can’t carry the nuance the author keeps trying to graft onto them.

If you’ve made it this far, I’d honestly love to know—did this series frustrate you too, or am I just shouting into the void?

[Toni Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5 stars)
Girl Nine: Gone by Molly Black was another thrilling installment in the Maya Gray series, and it did not disappoint! This one had me hooked right from the start with its chilling premise of a killer leaving antique moon dials at crime scenes, creating a haunting countdown that kept the tension high. The concept was unique, eerie, and clever—exactly what I’ve come to expect from this series.
Maya’s journey continues to be both gripping and emotional. The stakes feel even higher as she races against time, and the shocking twist near the end had me reeling. Just when I thought I had figured out the direction of the story, Molly Black pulled the rug out from under me. That unpredictability is what makes this series so addictive.
As with the previous books, the audiobook narration added so much to the suspense. The pacing, intensity, and delivery pulled me deeper into the story and made the danger feel more real.
The only reason I held back from a full 5 stars is that I wanted just a little more development with certain side characters who seemed like they had big potential. Still, the story more than made up for it with its fast pace and heart-stopping moments.
Overall, Girl Nine: Gone is a must-listen for fans of dark, twisty thrillers. Maya Gray continues to shine as a strong, determined, and very human protagonist. I’m already eager to jump into book 10 to see what happens next!

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of this last book just felt rushed and clunky... like, this character of Maya is supposed to be a brilliant detective but makes buffoon moves... For instance, when staking out the suspected location for the next killing/staging and not staying and following through to see if the suspect was legit, or at the very end with just magically removing the watch with no repercussions... I just can't imaging an actual genius detective doing this in real life. Sometimes, it's a bit painful to read through as it seems so implausible. I guess it works for fiction though.

[Aoibhe finnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved this series to start. But the last three books have been painful. It seems the author forgets what they’ve written previously and contradicts herself. For example, the start of this case gave maya until midnight to solve the case, but later on in the book she is stressed because she only has a day and a half left. The final moments between the killer and maya are always the same - them choking her and marco having to save her. It’s truly bizarre. The ending was okay. I probably won’t read the next books.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have made my way through this series as an easy audio book to listen to while driving. They are all captivating enough, intriguing enough...just enough. None of these have been spectacular no great twists very recycled plot points and a main character who makes the EXACT SAME mistakes book after book. As this boom came to a close I kept waiting for a big twist or a reveal to justify Nine more books but it never came. If you want something to occupy your time that doesn't take any thought Maya Grey is fine but don't expect too much. Not sure if I will continue the series or not.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from author in exchange for an honest review.Finally a possible end to this series. or is it. Although i have enjoyed this series it feels like its been going forever. For me it felt like a finale. Maybe your opinion will be different. Overall a good book hence the rating. Advice to the author. if its not the last book. I suggest not do to many books after. Fans of the series will get most of the answers in this book. So if that interests you give it a try.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was waiting for a while for this one and I’m not going to lie, based on the other 8 books, im a bit disappointed. I thought that there would be more twists and turns and not such a clean cut ending. I mean, it doesn’t leave anything unturned, which I guess is okay but I was just expecting more of a “surprise, gotcha” reaction at the end. All in all, a decent series to read and one that you would read until the very end.

[Carrie Esler · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3
It’s amazing how one person can break all the rules and still be the most amazing FBI detective ever with zero consequences.
Feels like this book wrapped everything up so I’m not sure why there’s a book 10 so why not, I’ll probably finish that book too.
The series could’ve been condensed to about three books , but all were pretty fast paced and entertaining enough to listen to while folding laundry.

[Larly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I really enjoyed the series. Is it Shakespeare? No. Is it amusing and an easy read that helps with passing time? Yes. A little repetitive in some parts but generally, if you like these sort of detective series, this is a good one to listen to whilst doing chores. Nothing ground breaking but decent.

[Samantha Buckle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

As always! Read it as fast as I could!

But how is there another book?? What could it be about! She caught him, got back her sister? WTH!?

In all seriousness, love this series, switching to reading instead of listening, great idea!

Ending was great! And not exactly how I predicted! It was great!

Love this!

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maya keeps on running against the clock, however, in this story, with a much smaller time span than in the past. She has to fight with her boss to be able to continue hunting the Moonlight Killer and she'll find an unexpected ally. Girl Nine: Gone is a very good ending for this series.

[susan maitland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this series, even if it was getting a bit repetitive at books 5 & 6, but the heroine and her knight had to beat the bad guy in the end. My first books of Molly Black so looking forward to reading more.

[Gale Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally Maya gets her reward…. The freeing of her sister and the capture of the moonlight killer. What a journey it has been for her and yet there’s still more to come! She was promoted, and Marcos is now part of the FBI. What comes next?

[Christy Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure about this one, I was not super thrilled with this book the ending was okay. I'm for sure going to finish this stupid series, but I hate it at this point, I'm glad they caught the moonlight killer. but since there are still several books I/m assuming he escapes or has a henchman. Idk lol

[Lawanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrated by Rosanne Pilcher. So much creativity with such disappointing writing. Maya brings a startlingly new definition to “brilliant.” Her attitude toward Marco
changes from the first book and the narrator’s voice for him makes him sound very young and soft - fully subservient.

[Tifanee Oliver-Crosmas · Rating 2 out of 5]

iveral not my favorite series I have been listening to them on auto
I can't stand some aspects of Maya.. I understand extreme stress and trying to find her sister but poor macro just deals with her crap and is just cool with it.... how is there still 3 books after this

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely great series…loved !!

[Joanna Bess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The author wrapped it all up nicely and left no loose ends.

[Ashley Marden · Rating 2 out of 5]

I truly loved this series but this ending was a let down.

[Carolina Rojas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The moonlight killer is caught!!

[Teresa Terstegge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good series but best if listened to in order. Characters build well with the continuous intrigue and in the end the author ties everything up so you are not left hanging.

[Kari Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t hate this series, but I really need it to end so I can move on from it…. It’s getting so repetitive!!

[Julie Simeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm finally done with this. I know there are mofe books to the series but as far as I'm concerned it's over. The main case is closed.

[Madelyn Ohene-Ntow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series! I’m not sure if I can read more though. It’s kind of been wrapped up in a bow.

[Haley · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was ok… like the last several books. Idk I just lost interest with it and didn’t finish. Wanted to gut it through the last few books of this series but honestly think I’m over it.

[Lauren Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. But I had a dreadful feeling for the rest because the moonlight killer is caught. Now it’s just copycats trying to do the same thing.