What a thrilling start to the new series. If I could give it 6 stars I would. We meet Val, a FBI agent who returns to her hometown to recover from a case with her mom and son. While there she finds herself jumping into a case with a missing local teenager. The twists and turns of the story were so good. I love the in depth nature you get with Val and her family, along with the cases that intertwined. I can’t wait to continue on with the series!

gone by dawn is yet ANOTHER five star read from h k christie that had me hooked from the very start! as someone who loved the martina monroe series, val costa had a slightly different pace that worked REALLY well for the plot- and despite thinking i knew exactly who did it at 30%, was kept guessing until the very last second. as with her other books, the three ‘separate’ threads of cases wound together to create a very satisfying whole, and the cliffhanger of an ending has me wondering when the next book is coming (and please can it be soon)!

(oh, and i loved val and brady. their dynamic is perfect and i really hope we get to see more of them being partners.)

Gone by Dawn is a gripping crime thriller by H.K. Christie.

In the story, FBI Agent Val Costa came face to face with a serial killer known as the Bear. One of only two women ever to survive, she’s forever branded with his signature: a curling “S” carved into her skin. Val knows it’s only a matter of time before he takes another victim.

Forced home to recover, Val returns to Red Rose County, California, to be with her son. But the very next day, she finds the close-knit community panic-stricken over the disappearance of blonde-haired, freckled-faced local teen Scarlett Douglas.

Gone by Dawn is a good start to a new series. There were times I felt it was a bit tedious to get through some chapters; there was a lot of info to wade through and not needed to move the story forward. But, overall, the story held my interest and was enjoyable.

I liked Val as a character as she is a strong female protagonist. She has a difficult time balancing her career, a child who is about to launch on his own, and her aging mother. The storyline with her mother was touching and sad.

I will check out more books by this author as it is a new author for me and I did enjoy the story and the ending.

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