*Have You Heard? * Audiobooks For Your Listening Pleasure* Good as Gone by Amy Gentry

Good as Gone: A Novel of Suspense by Amy Gentry
Published by Brilliance Audio, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on July 26th 2016
Genres: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Pages: 288
Format: Audiobook
ISBN: 0544920953
ASIN: B01HIJ93NK
Goodreads

Thirteen-year-old Julie Whitaker was kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night, witnessed only by her younger sister. Her family was shattered, but managed to stick together, hoping against hope that Julie is still alive. And then one night: the doorbell rings. A young woman who appears to be Julie is finally, miraculously, home safe. The family is ecstatic—but Anna, Julie’s mother, has whispers of doubts.  She hates to face them. She cannot avoid them. When she is contacted by a former detective turned private eye, she begins a torturous search for the truth about the woman she desperately hopes is her daughter.   Propulsive and suspenseful, Good as Gone will appeal to fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, and keep readers guessing until the final pages.

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Barnes and Noble

  #GoodAsGone #KarenPeakes #Thriller #ChildAbduction #Suspense @unlandedgentry @houghtonmifflinharcourt @audible_com

Good as Gone is author Amy Gentry’s debut novel so I was delighted when it proved to be worthy of any seasoned writer. I must say this book reminded me of that accident or disaster film clip you can’t stop watching.  It was riveting and it was gut-wrenching. There is so much angst, drama, and emotion, it was almost painful to listen to the author’s words.  It may surprise you that I’m giving 4 stars to a book when I had a really hard time taking out the ear plugs and going about my life until I finished. I read and listen to a lot of books and I try to pick winners so I’m saved the agony of writing negative reviews. Five stars will go to a book that is virtually flawless and, despite the fact that Good as Gone is compelling, there are loose ends I expected to be tied up, characters I would have liked to see more developed, and there are implausibilities – not huge ones, but they will make you say “Hmmmm.”  The storyline is so complex, I don’t want to give even a mini-spoiler. Just bear in mind as you read or listen, each of the characters has traveled a rocky road. You will have to listen closely or you may miss details that will give you insight into their choices and point you to the outcome. The story is written from two perspectives.  Anna, the mother,  is written from first person POV and Julie, the kidnapped daughter, from third person. As the story unfolded, I developed a theory as to why the author chose this clever plot device and, if I am correct, it is a truly artful use of alternating POVs.

The performance by Karen Peakes is exceptional. There is a lot of emotional dialogue in this book and her interpretation of the author’s work is passionate, evocative, and reflects the tone of the writing perfectly. Here is a link to an interview with Karen Peakes about the world of audiobook narration that I found very enlightening.

Good as Gone is well worth your time if you are a Mystery/Thriller/Suspense fan. I certainly think Amy Gentry is a promising new voice in what is actually my favorite genre. I changed my mind so many times about what I thought the outcome would be, I can no longer remember if I was surprised by the ending or not! My parting impression is of a family that has a lot of work and healing to do and whose story doesn’t end when the final page is read.