Book Review: Now She's Gone by Alison James

About the Book

She took a mouthful of the sweet liquid and started to feel a pounding in her head. Arms went around her waist and she was half lifted and half pulled. The last thing she was aware of was her head hitting a step… 

Sixteen-year-old Emily had everything to live for. A bright, beautiful teenager with a promising future ahead of her. But in one night her life is cut short. The police say it’s an accident. But her parents think she was murdered. 

When Detective Rachel Prince is called in to investigate the shocking death at the height of the Edinburgh festival, her instincts tell her that things are not as they first appear. Something is very wrong. 

As the case takes an unexpected turn, Rachel discovers a chilling link with the suspicious death of another international student, who stayed in the same house as Emily two years before. 

Just as Rachel finds herself on the hunt for a serial killer, a painful relationship from her own past catches up with her. And Rachel must decide what is more important – catching the killer or keeping her own secrets? 

  

My Thoughts

In Alison James’ Now She Gone, DI Rachel Prince and DS Mark Brickall find themselves in Edinburgh to investigate the supposedly accidental death of a teenage Dutch National.  

I found the mystery handled well and the plot unfolded in a well paced manner. I don’t think the identity of the killer was too difficult to figure out but I was interested to read how all the dots were ultimately joined together.

There’s a good balance between the mystery versus the personal and professional lives of Prince, Brickall and other recurring characters. I was quite surprised at some of the revelations and overall enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about some of the characters. A special mention goes out to DI Morag Sillars. She was quite the character, and I hope that she turns up in another DI Prince book somewhere along the line.

I hope James is beavering away writing the next book in the series because I am eager to read more. I am definitely a fan of Prince and Brickall. 

About the Author

I was born in the Cotswolds but spent most of my formative years abroad. I studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after my two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, I worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.

Twitter: @AlisonJbooks