Book Review: Gone Without a Trace by Patricia Bradley

by Sandra Ardoin

The past is repeating itself—and time is running out.

I’ve enjoyed the whole Logan Point series and can see Patricia Bradley being a must-read author in the future. Gone Without a Trace is the third book in the series, but I don’t think it’s the last.

Livy Reynolds is a Memphis cop who experiences confidence issues after a shooting. When a waitress disappears and the case is similar to her cousin’s, she takes a leave of absence to investigate. Alex Jennings, son and grandson of successful attorneys and politicians, agrees to solve the case of the missing waitress or take the bar—something he doesn’t want to do. Together, they search for a serial kidnapper before he kills someone—if he hasn’t already.

Though the hero and heroine of this book are Livy and Alex , my opinion is that Livy’s cousin, Robyn Martin, takes center stage. Frankly, I think the book would have been better served if Robyn was the heroine. She had the most to lose and the most emotional and suspenseful portions of the plot. Because a good bit of the story is from her point-of-view, I must admit I felt let down in the wrap-up of her circumstances. Maybe drawing it out another three or four pages would have sufficed. 

Otherwise, Gone Without a Trace is an action-packed romantic suspense that kept me guessing until the climax. The characters are well-drawn and sympathetic. Ms. Bradley did a great job with red herrings and releasing just enough information at the right time to make an absolute claim of “who-done-it” impossible. I couldn’t stop until I knew the culprit.

While this novel is a stand alone, you’ll want to start with the first book, Shadows of the Past, and read the whole series.

So … six months of 2015 have passed. Who is this year’s standout, new-to-you author? 

Disclosure of Material Connection: This book came to me free from the author and the publisher, Revell, with the hope that I would mention it on this blog. There was no requirement for me to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.