ONCE GONE: A Riley Paige Mystery (Book 1)

Blake Pierce

Dec 2015 · A Riley Paige Mystery Book 1 · Blake Pierce

About this ebook

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”

--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)

“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”

--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)

Women are turning up dead in the rural outskirts of Virginia, killed in grotesque ways, and when the FBI is called in, they are stumped. A serial killer is out there, his frequency increasing, and they know there is only one agent good enough to crack this case: Special Agent Riley Paige.

Riley is on paid leave herself, recovering from her encounter with her last serial killer, and, fragile as she is, the FBI is reluctant to tap her brilliant mind. Yet Riley, needing to battle her own demons, comes on board, and her hunt leads her through the disturbing subculture of doll collectors, into the homes of broken families, and into the darkest canals of the killer’s mind. As Riley peels back the layers, she realizes she is up against a killer more twisted than she could have imagined. In a frantic race against time, she finds herself pushed to her limit, her job on the line, her own family in danger, and her fragile psyche collapsing.

Yet once Riley Paige takes on a case, she will not quit. It obsesses her, leading her to the darkest corners of her own mind, blurring the lines between hunter and hunted. After a series of unexpected twists, her instincts lead her to a shocking climax that even Riley could not have imagined.

A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, ONCE GONE marks the debut of a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.

Book #2 in the Riley Paige series is also now available!

Ratings and reviews

FBI Agent Riley Paige is called to investigate a series of deaths. Bodies of women are turning up, each killed in monstrous ways. Riley is on paid leave ...having survived two attacks by serial killers. The FBI isn't sure of her mental state, but she's the best they got. She's one of the few who seem to be able to get into the head of the killer. As her investigation progresses she realizes she's up against a killer more twisted than anyone could have imagined. This case will have her doubting her abilities, and her sanity. She may lose her job, her family, maybe even her life. After having read the prequel to this series, I couldn't wait to get started on the series. The characters are great. Riley is smart, ambitious, and can be stubborn when she knows she is right. Bob is the perfect partner ... he knows she is smarter than he, and has this amazing ability to read crime scenes. The story is well-written with some twists and turns and plenty of suspects. There is a small cliff-hanger, but the second book in this series , ONCE TAKEN, is already available ... no waiting to see what happens next. Many thanks to the author / Kobo Writing Life / Netgalley for the digital copy of ONCE GONE. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Addictive good mystery psychological thriller! Although, as a mystery lover, I do forsee the twists coming e.g. getting the wrong criminals etc but still, it is a good read but I wish that they would elaborate on the psycho killer's story more instead of just like a one line sentence concluding what/who made him into who he was and why he was so psychotic in killing gals and making them into that way after they were killed. I even suspected that maybe his first victim was one of his family members or someone he might knew personally. I like how the author emphasize on our female protagonist's inner demons, fear and struggles in everyday life. Most of the time we see detectives as 'perfect' heroes/heroines characters in stories & we would never know that they are actually normal weak humans who can also feel emotions, have fears & have demons & struggles of their own.

What a dumb dumb woman Riley is..never waiting for backup thinking she knows all the answers.that's why she was caught by peterson..going in without a plan..and nearly tortured in this book once again not waiting..have zero sympathy for her and refuse to read the rest of the series. .why is it female leads in mystery books are always so bloody annoying..blech. PS you women saying this is "best book ever really have no clue what a "best book" of mystery/suspense is..NO wonder why this was free

About the author

Black Pierce is an avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres. ONCE GONE is Blake’s debut suspense thriller. Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.