A review by julielb
Love You Gone by Rona Halsall

4.0

Rona Halsall is fast becoming one of my new favorite authors. I really enjoy her mysteries because they are written in past tense, which is a more a comfortable way of reading for me but still has the tension ratcheted up (I believe other authors think that writing in present tense makes for better tension/suspense but not true for my taste). And also because they are slightly different subject matter than the typical new mother, frantic about her new child and worried about husband straying and so on. I posted about this on a book of hers I read earlier this week, which was about an older woman whose adult children are out of the house and her husband left her, and she wanted to show she could be independent and live well on her own.

This book begins from p.o.v. of wife (Mel) of Luke who is driving up to a remote holiday cottage for a holiday, refresh weekend. When she arrives, she finds that Luke and the two children are gone with a note that says they went for a hike. When it gets even darker she begins to worry and ultimately contacts mountain rescue and the police.

The facts of their relationship are slowly delivered over the next couple of days as she reveals she is stepmother to the two children - their mother died - and that the mother's death wasn't years ago, but just 3 years ago. Also, she has only been married to Luke for a year. And there have been fractures in their relationship that she said they are working on healing, thus this getaway weekend.

The book does then shift p.o.v. and goes way back in time. I will be honest and admit that I skim these sections. I really like to stay in the present and I got enough of the gist to understand the rationale for including this backstory.

What we think we know to be true, is it really? In Halsall's books, even when I guess (correctly) what the twist will be, it doesn't diminish my enjoyment. She has a great writing style, it's easy and comfortable to follow along. I think I've already purchased all of her other kindle books and anxious to get to the next one. I highly recommend this one!