Gone Before Goodbye

 

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2025. 340 pages. ****

From Goodreads..."Maggie McCabe is teetering on the brink. A highly skilled and renowned Army combat surgeon, she has always lived life at the edge, where she could make the most impact. And it was all going to plan ... until it wasn’t.

Upside down after a devastating series of tragedies leads to her medical license being revoked, Maggie has lost her purpose, but not her nerve or her passion. At her lowest point, she is thrown a lifeline by a former colleague, an elite plastic surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand the best care money can buy, as well as absolute discretion.

Halfway across the globe, sequestered in the lap of luxury and cutting-edge technology, one of the world’s most mysterious men requires unconventional medical assistance. Desperate, and one of the few surgeons in the world skilled enough to take this job, Maggie enters his realm of unspeakable opulence and fulfills her end of the agreement. But when the patient suddenly disappears while still under her care, Maggie must become a fugitive herself—or she will be the next one who is ... Gone Before Goodbye"

This was the perfect read for a snowy weekend; I thoroughly enjoyed it. While author collaborations aren't always perfect, the story held together for me. I enjoy Coben's thrillers and there were enough twists and turns to hold my attention. The relationship that Maggie has with her father-in-law, Porkchop, a biker, is priceless. We all need that no matter what person who has our back especially when others are not who they seem to be. Reviews are mixed on this one, however, I found it to be entertaining and a perfect escape from the news channel and the snow!

Griefbots - https://sites.uab.edu/humanrights/2025/02/07/griefbots-blurring-the-reality-of-death-and-the-illusion-of-life/

Harlan Coben - https://www.harlancoben.com/reese-witherspoon-harlan-coben-novel/

Reese Witherspoon - https://reesesbookclub.com/

Interview on their Collaboration - https://www.npr.org/2025/12/31/nx-s1-5137288-e1/reese-witherspoon-and-harlan-coben-on-their-new-novel-gone-before-goodbye

Follow me on IG at flaming_books

#bookstagram #medicalthriller #griefbotfiction #espionagefiction 

You Killed Me First

 

You Killed Me First  by John Marrs. Seattle : Thomas & Mercer, 2025. 381 pages. ***

Told in the alternating voices of three women, neighbors with secrets that include each other's families. It's November and one of the women wakes up tied and gagged in the middle of a wood pile for the neighborhood bonfire. The events leading up to her confinement set the stage for why there is a killer in their midst and how she has changed her identity to hide her past killings. No one is who they seem to be, and alliances are formed to protect their misdeeds. 

I really enjoy psychological thrillers and this is a complicated story with many twists and turns. At times, there were a few subplots that seemed to intentionally confuse the main plot. Fans of B. A. Paris will enjoy the psychology of the killer's intentions. 

John Marrs is an author and former journalist based in Northamtonshire, England. After spending his career interviewing celebrities from the worlds of television, film and music for numerous national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time author. 

For more info, https://www.johnmarrsauthor.com. 

Follow me on Instagram at flaming_books.

#bookstagram, #psychologicalthriller 

Skylark

 

Skylark by Paula McLain. New York: Atria Books, 2026. 464 pages. Good Morning America January Book Club pick.

I received two copies from the Publisher, Atria books, through the Little Free Library to share in my LFL. Stop by and claim one or check out the latest books. 

To watch this morning's GMA interview with the Paula McLain, click Here.

From Amazon - "1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, who secretly dreams of escaping her circumstances and creating her own masterpiece. When her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette's efforts to save him lead to her own confinement in the notorious Salpêtrière asylum, where thousands of women are held captive and cruelly treated. But within its grim walls, she discovers a small group of brave allies, and the possibility of a life bigger than she ever imagined.

1939: Kristof Larson is a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris, whose neighbors on the Rue de Gobelins are a Jewish family who have fled Poland. When Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof becomes their only hope for survival, even as his work as a doctor is jeopardized."

Ratings are 4.4 out of 5. 

Paula McLain is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, including The Paris Wife, Circling the Sun, and Love and Ruin, as well as two collections of poetry and a memoir. For more info on her, here.

Follow me on IG at flaming_ books

#bookstagram @paula_maclain @atriabooks @littlefreelibrary @gmabookclub

If you read Skylark, please leave a comment and let us know what you think!