lorimichelekelley's review
1.0
Audible edition: Oh my gosh, I HATED this book! Usually I can find something about the story that redeems it at least a bit, but this book was SO dumb! The story is about a couple and their kid (part of why I hated the narration was the way this little guy was made to whine every line), and how the wife/mother goes missing. I never cared a whit about any one of them. The author never succeeded in showing any kind of love between the husband and wife. And it wasn't one of those skillfully done bad-protagonist things. I love those! This one was just poorly done on every level. The sex scenes - "He kissed her, caressed her buttocks, then entered her." The violent parts - "Blue’s cheek crumpled and burst open, his jaw caved in and teeth went flying." The tender parts - "‘Can you stroke my head, Daddy?’... ‘Of course, ten strokes.’ ‘Yeah, ten strokes.’ One of their infinite private confidences, tiny routines they’d worked out over six years of intimate living." How touching (roll of eyes inserted here). I listened to 6 hours and 9 minutes of this 6 hour 36 minute book. 27 minutes to go and I didn't care enough to listen for that much longer. I couldn't stand another minute of that narration or that writing. I returned it.
marilynmalloy's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the story, and how it unfolded. However I really didn't like the style of writing. Found it almost perverse in some spots. And yes, I read ALL kinds of books, but some of the scenes just seemed uncalled for, and wrong.
sarahs_bookish_life's review
4.0
I came across this author after reading another of his books, Hit & Run, which I really enjoyed and very much looked forward to reading more by him.
Mark is very much your average type of guy. Married, a father to Nathan as well as a working man. On the day he gets the phone call to tell him that no one has picked Nathan up from school, he has no idea what a roller coaster of a ride his life is about to take.
You can very much feel Mark's frustration that no one seems to be taking the disappearance of his wife, Lauren, seriously. He is sick with worry but is trying to go on as normal for the sake of his son, Nathan. Nathan is a very bright little boy though and he knows that something isn't quite right where his mother is concerned.
Mark is trying his best to keep it together but as time goes on he starts to fall apart.
Mark very much trusts his own instincts as to who is behind his wife's disappearance and more than once takes the law into his own hands and does some investigating of his own. This causes some dire consequences.
Gone Again is a gripping read that I flew through in no time. I can't say that the story line holds any shocks or surprises but it certainly makes for a tense and enjoyable read and I can't wait to read more.
Mark is very much your average type of guy. Married, a father to Nathan as well as a working man. On the day he gets the phone call to tell him that no one has picked Nathan up from school, he has no idea what a roller coaster of a ride his life is about to take.
You can very much feel Mark's frustration that no one seems to be taking the disappearance of his wife, Lauren, seriously. He is sick with worry but is trying to go on as normal for the sake of his son, Nathan. Nathan is a very bright little boy though and he knows that something isn't quite right where his mother is concerned.
Mark is trying his best to keep it together but as time goes on he starts to fall apart.
Mark very much trusts his own instincts as to who is behind his wife's disappearance and more than once takes the law into his own hands and does some investigating of his own. This causes some dire consequences.
Gone Again is a gripping read that I flew through in no time. I can't say that the story line holds any shocks or surprises but it certainly makes for a tense and enjoyable read and I can't wait to read more.
jeannewrites's review against another edition
4.0
When I began reading, I didn't realize the author was Scottish (at least I think he is) and some of the language seemed odd. Once I figured out it was foreign (to me as an American) I relaxed and just read. The writing style is unique and not what I would normally read, however, the story is intriguing and kept my attention.
It's a fast read that takes you down one road, slams you into the ocean, then down a completely different road.
It's a fast read that takes you down one road, slams you into the ocean, then down a completely different road.
kargoforth's review against another edition
3.0
Immediately, the reader is drawn into the book -- a missing wife, a frightened turned frantic husband, a sweet innocent little boy. The story is fast paced yet the author has spent time developing the characters. The grief, numbness, and anger are described vividly. The last third of the book is more unbelievable, crisis mounting on crisis, but then an action, mystery, thriller should be that way.
I am not a fan of foul language used repeatedly. This novel had more than I would have preferred but it was, for the most part, simply the reaction and conversation that would take place in this scenario.
If you want to read a mystery/action book this one is a quick read. I read it in a few settings at the hospital in between visits.
I am not a fan of foul language used repeatedly. This novel had more than I would have preferred but it was, for the most part, simply the reaction and conversation that would take place in this scenario.
If you want to read a mystery/action book this one is a quick read. I read it in a few settings at the hospital in between visits.
koalachlox's review against another edition
3.0
Mark Douglas' small Scottish life is about to take a bit of a turn, starting with his wife not picking their son up from school. The story spirals into despair and heart break.
I enjoyed the relationship between father and son but the story feels very rushed and silly. It was quite predictable really with such a focus on key parts of the story as it goes downhill.
I enjoyed the relationship between father and son but the story feels very rushed and silly. It was quite predictable really with such a focus on key parts of the story as it goes downhill.
emmkayt's review
3.0
A single gulp of holiday reading. Nothing original in this tale of a photographer whose pregnant wife fails to pick up their son from school one day, but a fun popcorn read.
taika2112's review
1.0
This is essentially a basic potboiler -- a generic mystery with some domestic drama thrown in. On the quality and strength of writing, this might've been a 3/5 or so, however the two biggest issues with the book are its total lack of coherent plot, and its weird undercurrent of misogyny.
The plot and resolution come from nowhere, feel terribly convenient, and all kinds of other plot threads never quite get resolved or brought up again in a meaningful way.
And why, exactly, is the main character so annoyed with women in general? At some point you expected it to be an actual function of the story, but instead our male hero goes around sneering at basically every woman he encounters. Women with jobs are useless and stupid. Women without jobs are money-hungry leaches.
It's a gross recurring theme that spoiled any enjoyment I might have had, and the book was killed off completely with its odd and unsatisfying ending.
The plot and resolution come from nowhere, feel terribly convenient, and all kinds of other plot threads never quite get resolved or brought up again in a meaningful way.
And why, exactly, is the main character so annoyed with women in general? At some point you expected it to be an actual function of the story, but instead our male hero goes around sneering at basically every woman he encounters. Women with jobs are useless and stupid. Women without jobs are money-hungry leaches.
It's a gross recurring theme that spoiled any enjoyment I might have had, and the book was killed off completely with its odd and unsatisfying ending.