Review of DEAD AND GONE by Joanna Schaffhausen (New Release)

 4 Stars

This is the third in the Detective Annalisa Vega series set in Chicago.  It is a police procedural with elements of a psychological thriller. 

The body of Sam Tran, an ex-policeman turned PI, is discovered and his death is ruled suspicious.  Annalisa is put on the case and believes that the answer to his death will be found in one of his three open cases.  Those include a double homicide from 20 years ago, a missing woman from 30 years ago, and a stalker on the campus of the college Annalisa’s niece Quinn attends.   As Annalisa investigates, she is also dealing with some issues in her personal life. 

With its multiple plot lines, the book is certainly action-packed.  There are actually 6 investigations (Tran’s death, Tran’s three open cases, a string of robberies committed by the Chicken Bandit, and a second double homicide cold case).  The stalker case becomes the focus because the danger is imminent.  What is interesting is that Quinn’s point of view is given, as is that of one of the suspects.  In the end, all the cases are solved though two are not entirely closed. 

There are lots of red herrings and several twists.  Since more than one character is in danger, tension is high.  My interest was maintained throughout.

Annalisa is a likeable character.  She is certainly brave and determined.  Her flaw is taking risky chances; more than once she runs into situations without backup.  Her renewed relationship with her ex-husband adds an interesting dimension because it comes with a couple of complications.  What I appreciated is that her personal life doesn’t distract from the police procedural. 

I like crime fiction which offers more than just suspense and entertainment.  This book does that.  Annalisa, more than once, is faced with a moral dilemma:  following the rules may cause more harm than has already been experienced.  There’s a particular statement that caught my attention:  “How hard it was to live with a broken family.  How little you could do to fix it, no matter how desperately you wanted to.”  This applies to Annalisa because of her complicated relationship with her family but there are also other difficult family relationships in the novel. 

The ending is a surprise though not totally unexpected considering some of Annalisa’s thoughts and feelings.  She dislikes the restrictions placed on her so she can’t do what she wants to do with some cases.  This ending suggests a new turn in further books in the series. 

There is much to recommend this book:  crisp writing, a well-crafted plot, engaging characters, and lots of suspense.  Aside from a stupid assumption about the purchase of a phone and a couple of minor coincidences, there are few flaws.  If you haven’t encountered Annalisa Vega, you should.  And for a fuller understanding of her, start with Gone for Good and Long Gone. 

Note:  I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.