An exciting and fresh new series about FBI agent Val,
Val’s life is being sidelined with her narrow escape from a killer and her only child launching into the world.
Having been forever marred and marked by the Bear, Val is sucked into a new case close to home.
I sucked in my breath with shock over the diabolical twist of the plot and what was occurring.
Val had to put in for her early retirement but she’s still very needed by local law enforcement.
I’m eager to see what’s next in line for Val!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this arc. This is a multi pov from Scarlett’s mom and FBI agent Valerie told in first person. From the prologue, the girl Scarlett disappears and we then follow Val, who was recent captured by a serial killer with the name “The Bear” and she has gotten rescued by her team. This happens right away in chapter one. She really wants to get back on the case of tracking Bear down and getting revenge before he can hurt anyone else and since Val’s encounter with Bear she’s been having nightmares and PTSD from the event and has to deal with it daily as she goes about trying to do everything she can to help Scarlett and find her as quick as possible. This is really good but I didn't find it to be much of a thriller more less just murder mystery/crime but I fully enjoyed it and some plot twists I was shocked by. I really loved the character Valerie the most and I highly recommend to anyone who likes mystery, there’s not much else to say about this book.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this awesome book

having read book 2 before this one... a mistake...i knew what to expect from this author and man did they run me a merry dance through their book

when scarlett was first reported missing everyone in the community looked for her.... but things werent adding up and it was vals idea to bring in the cadaver dogs.....

it wasnt long before they had a body.... question was...was it scarlett and if so why...

the answers when they came didnt make sense and the parents werent being helpful....

things were going to get stranger.....

man what a ride this book gives.... who knew where next you going to end up and what else was going to happen... well written and the characters were very life like and likeable... i cant wait to see what book 3 brings....

I was gifted this ARC. This is my second read by Christie and it was as good as the first! I found the pacing to be perfect. There are a lot of chapters, but they are the perfect length. I find when there are less chapters but they are long, the story feels drawn out.

The story follows Val (FBI Agent) who we find out was hunting a serial killer and she was captured and held, but was able to escape. She goes home to visit family and stumbles into a search for 5 missing people. She rekindles an old friendship and solves the case, all while she’s supposed to be recovering. I can appreciate this though because I also have a habit of pushing myself to avoid thinking about any past traumas. While she solved one case, we are left wondering about her own capture. I can’t wait to get into the second book! 5⭐️read for me!

Very good start to a new series. Valerie Costa FBI agent has gone to visit her mom and gets caught up in a missing persons case. She teams up with lifelong friend Brady Tanner to work on the case. You will really get caught up in the turn of events.

Gone by Dawn is book one in the Val Costa series by H.K. Christie.
A brand new addictive crime thriller with pulse-pounding suspense that never lets up.
I was so eager to jump right into book two and be back with FBI Agent Val Costa.
The book's pacing was excellent, keeping me engaged and very entertained.
Christie‘s writing is compelling and I was immediately hooked.

Book one in a new series and a great introduction to the character of FBI Agent Val Costa, after escaping the clutches of a serial killer Val is sent home on enforced leave to recuperate but finds herself thrown into assisting in the disappearance of a local girl and soon finds herself unravelling something far more sinister.

An intense engaging read look forward to seeing how this series develops.

A brand new police procedural series which stars Val Costa. Val has been given time off after being kidnapped by a criminal who they have named Bear. While relaxing with her family she gets involved in the disappearance of a young girl named Scarlett. This is where things get interesting and the fast pace building begins. The different cases are easy to follow and seem to flow together breathlessly. I enjoyed trying to figure out the culprit and the cliffhanger ending has left me with many questions. I am hoping to have answered in the next book. This book is a very good start and I already feel like I personally know the characters especially Val.

Gone By Dawn is the first book in the Val Costa Series. It has a good plot, it's full of action and mystery, and as the story grew I started to think about the actions I would take to protect my child. It's heartbreaking to learn how so many people get entangled in the organ trafficking business and how ugly things may get. Val is an interesting and promissing character as is Jake. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I thank Ms. Christie, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Fast-paced thriller. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Fantastic first book in the Val Costa series. There was intrigue and suspense. The characters interacted well, each with their own strengths combined to solve a complex and quite moving situation. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Well once again H. K. Christie has done it! Val is amazing. This is going to be an amazing series, just like Martina Monroe and Selena Bailey. This book kept my attention the whole time and I just wanted to keep reading to see what happened. I can’t wait to start the second one to see what adventures Val takes us on….kind of hoping for her and Brady to become a couple…. Only time will tell. On to the next one!

A new mystery around every corner! The Val Costa series is kicking off with a bang as danger lurks with one mystery after another rearing it's head to peak our interest. I feel like the main story was developed well and held my attention page after page as twists kept heating things up, but Val's personal storyline lacked development and left us hanging a good bit. I wanted more from her and her case and a connection to secure her deeply into my mind to carry forward into more books. I'm hoping she will fill out some in the next book with a lock in of what is going on with her to make her more satisfying.

Thanks to Bookoture and H.K Chrtistine for having me on this tour of Val Costa Series.


At the beginning of the series, we meet Val, who is on leave at the hospital to visit her mom and rest. She comes across a mysterious stranger nicknamed the Bear who leaves the letter "S" on her skin. Meanwhile, in her hometown, a young girl named Scarlett goes missing. Against the rules, Val decides to help the local police department find the missing girl. The story unfolds, featuring multiple points of view, a quick pace, and plenty of suspense. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down. I loved the police procedural aspects and the different points of view, which added extra depth to the story. Trying to figure out who was behind everything kept me guessing, and the ending completely shocked me. I nearly dropped my Kindle!


Dive into the captivating Val Costa Series with its intricate plot twists and engaging storytelling! #Bookoture #HKChristine #ValCostaSeries #MysteryNovel #SuspensefulRead #PoliceProcedural #PageTurner #ShockingEnding #BookLoversUnite

5⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of Gone Before Dawn.

This book follows an FBI agent named Val who is recovering from being kidnapped and held hostage by a serial killer she was trying to catch named the bear. While she is trying to recover physically and emotionally from what she endured she takes refuge in her hometown with her mother and teenaged son. She resents the fact that she has been placed on leave from work when all she wants to do is catch the monster that abducted her. She reconnects with her old friend Brady who is now a deputy and she is shocked to find out a teenager in her hometown has gone missing. She teams up with Brady as a volunteer to help find the girl. As the investigation carries on Val senses there is more going on. Has the bear tracked her down? Is her family in danger? Can she find the missing girl?

This book had me hooked from the first page. This is the first book in the Val Costa series. I am new to this author but love the writing style. There was truly never a dull moment in this book and I could not put it down. I cannot wait to see what the rest of this series has in store for Val.

Love, love, love this book. If the rest of the books in this new series are even half as good I’ll be waiting for each new book to be released just as I wait for this authors other series books. The story was engaging and the characters wowed me. It was hard to put down but I didn’t want it to be concluded. A great problem to have!

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

What an explosive start to a new series by H.K Christie.

Gone by Dawn is book 1 in the FBI Agent Val Costa series. After surviving being captured by the serial killer she was hunting down known as the Bear, Val finds herself back in her hometown of Red Rose County to recover and spend time with her son and mother when she is drawn into a local case of a missing teen.

Feeling that this case is bigger and more complex than first thought, Val offers her assistance on a volunteer basis as a loophole to being on forced leave to recover both physically and mentally.

You will be introduced to a great cast of characters, learning their backgrounds and drawn into this mystery, wanting that next installment.

This is the first book in a series which I honestly hope continues. Recuperating after being attacked by a serial killer, Val can't sit it out when a girl disappears near her mother's house where she's staying. Soon this leads to organ trafficking and it's easy to see where the other missing kids might've vanished too. I won't tell you who survived the plot with both organ trafficking and the serial killer on the loose as that would spoil the book. I recommend reading it to see for yourself

Featuring Val Costa of the FBI, this is a fast paced twisty thriller with good characters and an excellent storyline.

My, what a scary little tale! H.K. Christie writes in a way that really scratches my brain just right. I definitely was hooked right from the start, and I think it's safe to say that I want more from this author!