Long Time Gone
When DNA results reveal a disturbing connection to the mysterious disappearance of a famous baby nearly three decades ago, a woman’s search for answers draws her to an ominous small town in Nevada and a dangerous web of corruption, power, and lies in this engrossing, propulsive new novel from the internationally bestselling author of Twenty Years Later.
For fans of Alice Feeney, Stacy Willingham, Riley Sager, and Megan Goldin.
THIRTY YEARS AGO, BABY CHARLOTTE VANISHED.
TODAY, SHE WANTS ANSWERS.
On the first day of an elite two-year fellowship, Sloan Hastings receives a research assignment in the emerging field of forensic genealogy. It’s the exciting, rapidly evolving science behind the recent breaks in high-profile cold cases from the Golden State Killer to the Cameron Young murder, and Sloan enthusiastically begins by submitting her own DNA to an online genealogy site. Her goal is to better understand the treasure trove of genetic information contained on ancestry websites, but the results she receives are shocking.
Raised by loving parents, Sloan has always known she was adopted. But her DNA profile suggests her true identity is that of Charlotte Margolis, aka “Baby Charlotte,” who captured the nation’s attention when she and her affluent parents mysteriously vanished in July 1995. Despite a large-scale investigation and months of broad media coverage, there were never any suspects, and the case has been cold for decades.
Racing to stay ahead of the media and true crime junkies ravenous to know what really happened to Baby Charlotte, Sloan’s search for answers leads her to small-town Cedar Creek, Nevada. There, the Margolis family’s power and influence permeate every corner of the county, and while Sloan’s birth relatives are initially welcoming, they’re also mysterious and tight-lipped. Not everyone seems happy about Sloan’s return, or the questions she’s asking.
The more she learns, the more apparent it becomes that the answers Sloan seeks are buried in a graveyard of Margolis family secrets. And someone will do anything to keep them hidden . . .
Do YOU hold the secrets in your blood?
To find out, text “CHARLOTTE” to 775-239-0320.
“Zigzagging mercilessly between past and present, Donlea keeps up the tension…in a superior thriller.” — Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
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Community Reviews
This one was my book club’s October read. This is only the third book of Donlea’s that I have read, but I have several others on my to-read list because I really love his work. He is such a good writer and storyteller.
Well, the book summary pretty much lays out the whole primary storyline. I hate it when a book summary does that! Anyway, the death of Eric’s father, is actually a secondary storyline even though they are kind of related. Most of the story follows Sloan and Eric investigating his father’s death and what happened to her and how she became to be adopted. Sloan’s adoptive parents thought they were going through legal adoption with the biological mother and her attorney. After seeing a picture of Sloan’s biological mother, they inform the police that was not the woman they dealt with.
Sloan and Eric decide that the best way to find out why her biological parents disappeared, how she ended up adopted, as well as what happened to Eric’s dad, is to insert herself into her biological family with the goal of finding out what happened the night she and her biological parents disappeared. The finale was a doozy of a reveal and kind of crazy too. I was laughing, but a shocker, nonetheless.
The character development of Sloan and Eric and a couple of Sloan’s biological relatives was well done. The pacing was steady to fast, especially in the second half. The storyline was very interesting: taking a DNA test as part of a research project and then finding out you were a famous missing baby was a really clever storyline. The writing was also well done and classic Donlea. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.4 that I will be rounding up to a 4.5star review.
Well, the book summary pretty much lays out the whole primary storyline. I hate it when a book summary does that! Anyway, the death of Eric’s father, is actually a secondary storyline even though they are kind of related. Most of the story follows Sloan and Eric investigating his father’s death and what happened to her and how she became to be adopted. Sloan’s adoptive parents thought they were going through legal adoption with the biological mother and her attorney. After seeing a picture of Sloan’s biological mother, they inform the police that was not the woman they dealt with.
Sloan and Eric decide that the best way to find out why her biological parents disappeared, how she ended up adopted, as well as what happened to Eric’s dad, is to insert herself into her biological family with the goal of finding out what happened the night she and her biological parents disappeared. The finale was a doozy of a reveal and kind of crazy too. I was laughing, but a shocker, nonetheless.
The character development of Sloan and Eric and a couple of Sloan’s biological relatives was well done. The pacing was steady to fast, especially in the second half. The storyline was very interesting: taking a DNA test as part of a research project and then finding out you were a famous missing baby was a really clever storyline. The writing was also well done and classic Donlea. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.4 that I will be rounding up to a 4.5star review.
This one was my book club’s October read. This is only the third book of Donlea’s that I have read, but I have several others on my to-read list because I really love his work. He is such a good writer and storyteller.
Well, the book summary pretty much lays out the whole primary storyline. I hate it when a book summary does that! Anyway, the death of Eric’s father, is actually a secondary storyline even though they are kind of related. Most of the story follows Sloan and Eric investigating his father’s death and what happened to her and how she became to be adopted. Sloan’s adoptive parents thought they were going through legal adoption with the biological mother and her attorney. After seeing a picture of Sloan’s biological mother, they inform the police that was not the woman they dealt with.
Sloan and Eric decide that the best way to find out why her biological parents disappeared, how she ended up adopted, as well as what happened to Eric’s dad, is to insert herself into her biological family with the goal of finding out what happened the night she and her biological parents disappeared. The finale was a doozy of a reveal and kind of crazy too. I was laughing, but a shocker, nonetheless.
The character development of Sloan and Eric and a couple of Sloan’s biological relatives was well done. The pacing was steady to fast, especially in the second half. The storyline was very interesting: taking a DNA test as part of a research project and then finding out you were a famous missing baby was a really clever storyline. The writing was also well done and classic Donlea. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.4 that I will be rounding up to a 4.5star review.
I loved this story, especially getting to learn about what happened to A and P from the perspective of those in the past, as well as present time! This story did not start off slow in my opinion, just a couple short story building chapters and then BOOM! We hit the ground running!! Do not delay, read this book!
Donlea does it again 🫨 my favorite thriller author of all time; truly no one compares. This book was nothing short of exceptional. The story goes so deep, going between past and present. Layers and layers. Probably my favorite yet. This one played like a movie in my head and wow it would be an incredible one! As always, I just love his overlapping characters from book to book- it makes it so fun for the reader to connect to.