Review - All the Way Gone

Title:  All the Way Gone

Author:  Joanna Schaffhausen

Series:   Detective Annalisa Vega #4

Publisher:  Minotaur Books

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   341

Date of Publication: August 13, 2024
Rating: 5 Stars

The fourth installment in the beloved Detective Annalisa Vega series

Is there such a thing as a good sociopath? Newly minted private investigator Annalisa Vega is skeptical, but her first client, Mara Delaney, insists that some sociopaths are beneficial to society. Mara has even written a book titled The Good Sociopath that is centered around Chicago neurosurgeon Craig Canning. Dr. Canning has saved hundreds of lives so it shouldn’t matter that he doesn’t actually care about his patients, should it? But Mara has a more urgent problem, which is that she is now concerned that Canning might not be such a good sociopath after all. A young woman in Canning’s apartment building mysteriously plunged to her death from a balcony, and Mara fears Canning could be responsible. She needs to uncover the truth about Canning before the book comes out, so Annalisa has little time to search for answers.

Annalisa quickly discovers that more than one person wanted the young woman dead. Canning insists he didn’t do it. His charming, unflappable demeanor suggests that either he’s telling the truth or Mara is right and he’s cold-hearted to the core. The cops, including Annalisa’s husband, think the girl’s death was an accident. The more Annalisa probes, the more she becomes convinced it’s a fiendishly clever murder, one only a brilliant psychopath could pull off. She draws deeper into a battle of wits with Canning, so determined to prove his guilt that she forgets Mara’s most important warning―that sociopaths only care about winning at all costs. When Annalisa finally peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the horrifying truth of the girl’s death, she may be too late to save herself.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Of what benefit to society do psychopaths or sociopaths serve? Well, Mara Delaney has authored a book titled The Good Sociopath. Mara hires private investigation Annalisa Vega, and from the start, their relationship has a disconnect, because Annalisa believes that Mara’s theories are unfounded. 

To begin with, Mara is not there to convince Annalisa of her theories. Instead, she wants Annalisa to investigate a neurosurgeon named Craig Canning. Dr. Canning may be a successful neurosurgeon, but completely lacks empathy for his patients. Now, a young woman that lived in his apartment building is dead, and her body was found by a neighbor named Ruth. Mara suspects Dr. Canning was responsible, and that is the reason for her hiring Annalisa.

There’s a twist! Maybe Dr. Canning wanted the young woman dead, but then, as Annalisa soon finds out, there were others who might have wanted it as well. Honestly, while reading this book, I felt like Annalisa’s reticence and unease were right there on the page. As a big fan of this series, I was right there with Annalisa as she faced huge challenges while trying to get justice, all while showing off her amazing skills. I can’t wait for the fifth book in the series, Gone for the Night, which comes out next August!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books as well as NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joanna Schaffhausen wields a mean scalpel, skills she developed in her years studying neuroscience. She has a doctorate in psychology, which reflects her long-standing interest in the brain―how it develops and the many ways it can go wrong. Previously, she worked as a scientific editor in the field of drug development. Prior to that, she was an editorial producer for ABC News, writing for programs such as World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and 20/20. She lives in the Boston area with her husband and daughter.

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