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Gone (Jack Caffery #5)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 2,093 ratings · 333 reviews

Praised as a �maestro of the sinister” by the New York Daily News, Mo Hayder delivers her most suspenseful novel to date. By turns thrilling and horrifying, Gone follows the investigation of a brilliant and twisted carjacker with a disturbing game to play.

Jack Caffery’s newest case seems like a routine carjacking, a crime he’s seen plenty of times before. But as the hours...more

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by Atlantic Monthly Press (first published January 1st 2010)

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Jun 27, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-mt-bookpile

How did I not know about this author before? Very dark, similar to Stephen Booth's Cooper & Fry series (although Jack Cafferty nothing like Ben Cooper).

There's an odd carjacking: a man in a Santa mask performs a seemingly opportunistic jacking, not realizing that there's a little girl in the back of the car. In these cases, the child is usually returned (well, released) rather quickly... except this doesn't seem to be "these cases" and Martha hasn't been released quickly. Cafferty and team...more

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May 06, 2012 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gone by Mo Hayder is so good I read it practically at one sitting. I kept thinking, "I need to savor this because I might not find another book I enjoy as much." But, I just kept reading until I finished. She is the author of six other books and I will definitely be checking them out. Okay, now for the review.
The protagonist is Inspector Jack Caffery Of Bristol's Crime Investigation Unit. The plot begins with Jack looking at video of a carjacking. A man wearing a rubber Santa Claus mask rushed...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: thrillers

GONE. (2010). Mo Hayder. ****.
This is the first of Ms. Hayder’s books I’ve read, and I was impressed. She writes a good thriller/police procedural with almost pitch-perfect pacing. I admit that I identified the killer early on, since the author left you almost no alternatives when spinning out her narrative, but that was OK. The story follows detective Jack Caffery and policewoman Flea Marley on their investigation of a carjacker who manages to lead them on a mery chase. What makes the carjacke...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Trev Twinem rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What is it about crime writers that they just do not seem to be able to keep me the reader entertained for the complete read??? I have read all Mo Hayder's books and even enjoyed the stand alone's ie Pig Island...but here in this read we have a real dilemma..:(( The first 300 pages is enjoyable and the plot/storyline is a little different...and our two heroes Caffery and Flea are once again on the case. I particularly enjoy "The Walking Man" which in essence is a "sounding board" for Caffery, a...more What is it about crime writers that they just do not seem to be able to keep me the reader entertained for the complete read??? I have read all Mo Hayder's books and even enjoyed the stand alone's ie Pig Island...but here in this read we have a real dilemma..:(( The first 300 pages is enjoyable and the plot/storyline is a little different...and our two heroes Caffery and Flea are once again on the case. I particularly enjoy "The Walking Man" which in essence is a "sounding board" for Caffery, a man who lives by his wits under the skys and although he and Caffery share a related/sad past for the most part The Walking Man is a way for Caffery to take stock and introduces a nice touch for the reader...we should all have a walking man to bounce our ideas off. Living in Bristol I enjoy the setting for this series with the mystical surroundings of Somerset playing a major part...however this all falls apart if the story becomes somewhat pedestrian and predictable. Someone is kidnapping young children..why?..when it becomes known the answer is somewhat bizarre...who is doing this?...someone with insider information...any amateur reader/detective will soon have worked the solution out by page 300..and then there is the question of Flea??? What exactly is her role in this story, she is a police diver by trade....and well does what she is best at...eh..diving...why...not sure?? She's gets into a little trouble and blow me down the killer tracks her down..will our hero Caffery rescue in time!! Of course he will, this is a series, and so we plod along for some 200 pages...killer dies...Flea lives...what a surprise!! Dear author please try not to bore us the reader, this book was too long by some 200 pages, fine if the story merits it but if not it is a real struggle to finish...but finish I did. I started off giving this latest Hayder book 5 stars....but it became so utterly predictable by the final page I was tempted to award one star...however on reflection and given that I have great respect for the author I decided to award two stars...but come on Miss Hayder if there is no further life in this series and the storylines become even more boring and bizarre...perhaps it is time for Caffery and Flea to do themselves a favour and both retire.....(less)

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May 29, 2011 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 52-books-in-2011, audio-books, library-book, 2011

I get audio books from the the library to help pass the time on the daily commute. When I find myself sitting in the car in the driveway 15 minutes after arriving home because I am totally caught up in the story and need to know what happens next then I know I have picked a good story. When I borrowed this audiobook I didn't realise it was part of a series but that didn't matter the story works as a stand alone book, although I now want to go and get all the other books in the series.

DI Jack Caf...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Jerome Parisse rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I recently reviewed The Devil of Nanking, by Mo Hayder, which I loved. Gone is a bit different, it is part of a series featuring Jack Caffery, a murder detective; however it is great as a standalone book as well. I really liked it. Hayder is a great writer of thrillers. She keeps you on edge all the way, and you honestly don't know who's done it until the very end. Her books are scary. In Gone, a car is stolen with a girl sitting in the back. What initially looks like a car jacking turns out to...more

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Jul 17, 2010 Nicola rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

Reason for Reading: Mo Hayder ... new book ... nothing more to say.

This is an all-nighter police procedural that has Jack Caffery on the case of a supposed carjacker who takes a car with a girl in the back seat. The girl is not found and the realization is made that he didn't want the car but the girl. Then it happens again. Another car, another girl, this time much younger. With statistics showing that child abductors kill their victims sooner than later, the team is on a race against time. Fle...more Reason for Reading: Mo Hayder ... new book ... nothing more to say.

This is an all-nighter police procedural that has Jack Caffery on the case of a supposed carjacker who takes a car with a girl in the back seat. The girl is not found and the realization is made that he didn't want the car but the girl. Then it happens again. Another car, another girl, this time much younger. With statistics showing that child abductors kill their victims sooner than later, the team is on a race against time. Flea comes to Caffery and tells him about two previous unsuccessful attempts that are identical and this helps the team start to put together a case. Separately, the book focuses of Flea, as an individual and how the events from the previous book "Skin" have affected her emotionally and on the job as she tries to put herself together but she also notices Jack's complete change in manner towards her.

The story is clever. There are turns that move the plot in different directions but guessing the identity of the culprit wasn't exactly hard, though Hayder does keep you with a tiny seed of doubt until the final reveal. A thoroughly enjoyable police procedural. But also very much tied to previous books, especially "Skin", so should not be read out of order or at least not before "Skin", since Skin's whole shocker is outed in "Gone".

Why do I give the book a rating of three if it's a clever, enjoyable police procedural? Because when I read Mo Hayder I am expecting a whole lot more than enjoyable. I have read all her books and am a huge fan. Words I usually use to describe her books are gruesome, disturbing, weird, roller-coaster ride, heart-thumping, breath-holding, twists and turns, a shocker! This book had none of those elements, aside from a few turns (only turns, no twists) and I was disappointed. Her books The Treatment and The Devil of Nanking have made me hold Hayder above other thriller writers and this one felt more like one of the crowd. Don't get me wrong, it's good and kept me up into the wee hours but I wasn't satisfied that I'd read a Mo Hayder. Not her best, by far. Another thing that got to me was what was with the happy-happy ending, Hayder's books do not have happy endings. Perhaps this is a sign that the Jack Caffery series is over. (less)

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May 11, 2013 Colin Barnes rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'd probably have given this a 3.5 star if the option was there. I did enjoy the book in general, but there were just a few niggles for me.

Firstly, I thought it went on just a little bit too long. By the time we knew who the kidnapper was, I felt it took a while to wrap up, and it seemed to carry on when the emotional climax had passed some time previously. Aside that, my main quibble was that I thought some of the plot points hung on the ineptitude of the police force.

I'm sure in real life thi...more

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Dec 04, 2010 Miles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews

Mo Hayder has been writing for ten years and it shows. Her latest book “Gone”, her eighth and fifth to feature Bristol Detective Inspector Jack Caffrey, is a rollercoaster of a whodunit. Frightening at times the narrative exudes a thrilling quality that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final pages.

Set in the West Country Jack Caffrey, lead detective in the MCIU, (Major Crime Investigation Unit) is called in to investigate a seemingly random carjacking. However it soon becomes evi...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a fun read! I have read dark and twisty mysteries (Gone Girl) and subtle, psychological crime fiction (the books of Norwegian writer Karin Fossum being a perfect example). "Gone" by Mo Hayder is another style of crime novel altogether. I suppose I'd never read a true thriller, because "Gone" is possibly the most suspenseful, unputdownable, page-turner of a ride I have read to date. Thank goodness this book won a much-deserved Edgar award, or I might never have discovered this author. Mo Hay...more

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Feb 10, 2012 S. J. Bolton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One Friday evening, close to Christmas, when my son was a few months old, I pushed his buggy back to the car park on the edge of town where I’d parked hours earlier. We were completely alone, no one in sight, no residential houses, just empty office blocks, fields and a churchyard. It struck me, in that moment, how utterly vulnerable women with young children are. Had I been attacked, I would have been helpless, unable to run and leave my son behind, incapable of fighting back and risking him co...more One Friday evening, close to Christmas, when my son was a few months old, I pushed his buggy back to the car park on the edge of town where I’d parked hours earlier. We were completely alone, no one in sight, no residential houses, just empty office blocks, fields and a churchyard. It struck me, in that moment, how utterly vulnerable women with young children are. Had I been attacked, I would have been helpless, unable to run and leave my son behind, incapable of fighting back and risking him coming to harm.

Mo Hayder’s GONE explores exactly this premise. Parents, in the moment of getting into their cars with their children are attacked, fast and hard. Taken completely by surprise, they can barely begin to defend themselves before the car and the child are gone.

With this one simple idea, Hayder has us. Because we know how easily the fictional victim could become real – become us.

GONE is a west-country based Jack Caffery thriller. DI Caffery, now in his 5th trip on the Hayder express, is as brooding, sexy and distant as we could ask for (think Heathcliff goes to Hendon) but what really brings this series alive for me is Sergeant Flee Marley, with her “irritating, incurable energy”. Flee is head of the Underwater Search Unit, and only really at home breathing through an aqua lung in the murky depths.

This book deals with some difficult themes, touching upon what, for many of us, is our worst nightmare. DI Jack voices his darkest fears only to himself, when in the presence of a kidnapped girl’s father, he thinks: “...the truth, Mr Bradley is this: he has raped your daughter. He’s done it as many times as he could manage. And he has killed her – to shut her up, stop her crying.”

Do not be put off! I’ve just quoted the most distressing line in the book, and it’s nothing more than speculation on Jack’s part anyway. Whilst no one with a weak constitution should ever read Hayder, this book is excellent. Nail-bitingly, jaw-clenchingly, bone-achingly tense but never tipping over into the “too much, too dark” territory where Mo sometimes likes to play.

GONE has been shortlisted for an Edgar this year, in the best novel category, and in my mind truly deserves to win.
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Jan 30, 2011 Nikki-ann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A woman has been attacked and her car taken by force, and on the back seat was an eleven-year-old girl. She’s still missing. Murder detective Jack Caffrey arrives to interview the distraught mother and he knows that as time goes on it gets less and less likely the child will be found alive.

However, before long the car jacker sends them a letter, a disgusting letter, and Caffrey believes he’s going to take another car and another child. It becomes clear that he won’t stop until he’s caught.

‘Gone’...more A woman has been attacked and her car taken by force, and on the back seat was an eleven-year-old girl. She’s still missing. Murder detective Jack Caffrey arrives to interview the distraught mother and he knows that as time goes on it gets less and less likely the child will be found alive.

However, before long the car jacker sends them a letter, a disgusting letter, and Caffrey believes he’s going to take another car and another child. It becomes clear that he won’t stop until he’s caught.

‘Gone’ is the fifth book in Mo Hayder’s Jack Caffrey series, but it also works well as a stand-alone book. It is the first Mo Hayder book I’ve read, but it certainly won’t be the last. If ‘Gone’ is anything to go by, Mo Hayder is a genius when it comes to crime & thriller novels. The story gathers pace and is fast-paced, exciting, gripping, dramatic and emotional, and you really don’t know what will come next, there’s so many twists and turns. The subject is an emotive one and the ending brought me to tears.

Due to the subject matter (little girls being kidnapped by a possible paedophile), you just know this isn’t going to be an easy read, and it isn’t. However, what it is is a real page-turner that keeps you wanting to read on and not put the book down. I was up until well past midnight one evening because I just couldn’t put it down.

I had an inkling of who the car jacker/kidnapper was around a third of the way through the book, but then the story took a whole new turn and a suspect was revealed… it wasn’t who I was thinking of. But, ‘Gone’ features one of those police investigations that keeps you on your toes, so just when you think you’re sure of who the kidnapper/car jacker is, something else comes into play.

Despite this novel being quite long at over 550 pages, it didn’t feel all that long and it certainly didn’t drag. You’ve got the main story of the car-jackings & kidnappings, but then there are a couple of underlying stories involving Jack Caffrey and other staff members too.

Having read ‘Gone’, I’ll definitely be picking up more of Mo Hayder’s books in the future, especially as her next book, ‘Hanging Hill’, is due out in April.

A highly recommended crime thriller!(less)

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Dec 17, 2012 Jamee Zielke rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gone is fast paced and I read it over a weekend, including a marathon session at the end to find out how things turn out. Well, mostly to confirm that my theory would prove correct. It's a well crafted story, but stronger on the "thriller" side than the "mystery" side. I would have rated it a bit higher if the plot had been less predictable. Because of the author's ability to build up tension, however, I'll definitely check out other books by Hayder.

After I read the book, I checked out some revi...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5 stars out of 5 - caught up with the Jack Cafferty series with this one (third in a row I read).

Jack and Flea are investigating, albeit separately, a major crimes case of car jackings that involve the nabbing of little girls. The kidnapper seems to be much more clever than the police and ALWAYS more than a step ahead.

Meanwhile, Jack still has suspicions about Flea that prevent him from getting closer to her. She continues to have what are basically some kind of hallucinations where her pare...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Gail Amendt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just to be clear, I hate crime novels, especially those in which really horrible things happen to ordinary people like us, and most especially when those horrible things happen to children.....but this was a book club pick, so I had to read it........and I have to grudgingly say that it was good. It grabbed my attention and I couldn't put it down. I'm not going to say that I enjoyed it because I really didn't. That is the problem with crime novels for me - they are engrossing, but it is not an e...more

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Jun 21, 2012 L rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

This is, as promised, a nail-biter of a thriller. As it raced to its conclusion, I couldn't help reading into the wee hours, heart pounding. So why only 3 stars? Well, the characters, while solid enough, are mostly predictable and the key female investigator, Flea, does a quite predictable, quite risky stupid thing. She is also up to her neck in a very serious cover-up. Apparently this is supposed to make her "human" to the reader. For me, it makes her, despite her skill, a completely crooked, s...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of fast paced, gritty thrillers.

Recommended to Carol by: library patron

Shelves: fiction

Yesterday, I was almost finished with Gone, you know at the point where everything is coming to a head and wrapping up. I was so bummed that I had to go to work. Now, I’m really a good employee, rarely sick and hardly ever take time off, but boy was I tempted to call in, stay home and finish this edge of your seat thriller. Reason won out and I convinced myself that when I got home at nine, I could finish Gone and that anticipation would just make it better. I suppose I could have brought it to...more Yesterday, I was almost finished with Gone, you know at the point where everything is coming to a head and wrapping up. I was so bummed that I had to go to work. Now, I’m really a good employee, rarely sick and hardly ever take time off, but boy was I tempted to call in, stay home and finish this edge of your seat thriller. Reason won out and I convinced myself that when I got home at nine, I could finish Gone and that anticipation would just make it better. I suppose I could have brought it to work with me but for those of you who think working in a library is great, because all we do is read, I hate to burst your bubble, but I rarely get a chance to read at work. Yesterday would have been impossible.

I arrived home a bit after nine, quickly chatted with my husband; “no, nothing new, anything with you?, fine dear, talk later”. And then I hopped into my chair, put my feet up and raced to the finish.

If you’ve been bored with a certain thriller writer, not mentioning any names, then pick up Gone by Mo Hayder. This is the fifth to feature Detective Jack Caffrey. I don’t feel deprived that I haven’t read the first in the series. This was a very satisfying read on it’s own but I wouldn’t hesitate going back to read the rest. Hayder can join the men in her capacity for gritty storytelling. Where Hayder stands out is her descriptions of the psychology of evil and the writing of some great dialogue. But there’s a softer side too, a nice blend of punch you in the gut action and when you think you can’t take anymore, Hayder will give you a bit of a reprieve from harsh reality. All might not be as bad as it seems.

Gone is about a jacker, a despicable guy, a man who comes out of nowhere, knocks you to ground, calls you some awful names, jumps in your car and speeds off. You’d lick your wounds and all would be ok, only your child happens to be in the car. Imagine the terror? This is not a one-time incident and as no bodies have been found, no ransoms sought, it’s up to Caffrey and his team to figure out this guy’s motivation. Not a small order for a flawed group of police with hearts in the right place.

Suspenseful, fast paced, with graphic violence that’s not gratuitous; put this on your list. Be certain you don’t get caught having to go to work towards the end as I can’t be responsible for your actions.
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Aug 02, 2012 Gigi marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

booklists top ten:
Gone. By Mo Hayder. 2011. Atlantic Monthly, $23 (9780802119643).

In this fifth riveting entry in Hayder’s series starring haunted homicide detective Jack Caffery, the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl leaves police playing catch-up against an adversary who seems to anticipate all their moves. The meticulously crafted plot is heightened by Hayder’s skillful evocation of mood in this utterly gripping thriller.

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Jul 05, 2012 Cindy Huffman rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It's been a long time since I've read a bona fide mystery...like the whodunnit types. This one was one of those. It is also a serialized novel - a series with Detective Inspector (DI) Jack Caffery.

As I've mentioned before, I'm not a fan of serialized novels. I like some series, like the Harry Potter series, or the Hunger Games' trilogy, or even better, the Song of Ice and Fire but the continual publication of one genre of one guy and different crimes? Yeah, doesn't really do it for me. I used to...more

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Nov 18, 2011 Paula pccst rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Quando vi este novo livro de Mo Hayder, e depois de já ter lido "Pele" não pensei nem duas vezes na hora de o escolher como próxima leitura.
Quem conhece esta autora, ou os casos policiais do inspector Jack Caffery e da sargento Flea Marley sabe, de antemão, que ficará envolvido no enredo do princípio ao fim.
Abordando os crimes de sequestro e car-jacking, o livro é iniciado com o desaparecimento de Martha, uma criança raptada por um misterioso homem escondido atrás de uma máscara de Pai Natal....more

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Mar 13, 2011 Melody rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gone is the fifth instalment of Mo Hayder's Jack Caffery series. If you'd follow this series, you'd know that DI Jack Caffery of Bristol's Major Crime Investigation Unit and Phoebe "Flea" Marley of the Underwater Search Unit are the protagonists of this series.

Anyway, Jack Caffery is once again called upon to solve a case involving child kidnapping. When the story opens, Jack and the readers are given the impression that it was a car-jacking case, but as the story picks up and more clues are sho...more Gone is the fifth instalment of Mo Hayder's Jack Caffery series. If you'd follow this series, you'd know that DI Jack Caffery of Bristol's Major Crime Investigation Unit and Phoebe "Flea" Marley of the Underwater Search Unit are the protagonists of this series.

Anyway, Jack Caffery is once again called upon to solve a case involving child kidnapping. When the story opens, Jack and the readers are given the impression that it was a car-jacking case, but as the story picks up and more clues are shown do we realise that there are more than meets the eye. And when they received news that the kidnapper had abducted a second victim, it sent them all into hysteria because apparently he doesn't pick his little victims randomly and that he is enjoying playing hide-and-seek with them. And no matter how much time and efforts Jack and his team spent on tracking him, at the end the kidnapper is always a step ahead of them.

Flea Marley, on the other hand, has a hunch of the case but Jack Caffery as well as her team do not see her views. Call her stubborn or courageous, her next step is to follow her instincts and without assistance from anyone, explore a secret tunnel which she believes the kidnapper has hid or buried his victims away. It is also at this time that Jack has found some clues on the kidnapper and this entitle him a search warrant, but then is he the right person?

I have to admit I was on pins and needles while reading Gone. Though child kidnapping is a common theme in a crime thriller, I have to say what's so great about this book is aside from the emotional intense and the suspense, Mo Hayder has further explore the nature of humanity and that there's only a fine, thin line between the good and the evil. Because I was a huge fan of this series, I was hoping to see some developments between Jack and Flea but there isn't much going on between them, and that is due to a misunderstanding which I'd rather not mention here but all I can say is I am happy to note that there is still some hope flickering between them.

Another thing I wish to mention is it touches me a lot to see the strength and the emotional support among the victims' mothers. Because I am a mother of two, I could totally understand their feelings of losing their little girls and my heart went out to them. Their role may be minor to the story, but they do play a crucial part in some ways so in my opinion, this story is very much about them other than the cops and the bad guy.

Needless to say, I highly recommend Gone. If you are new to Mo Hayder's books and would like to get a gist of her writing style, perhaps I can point you to the direction of a few of her stand-alone books: The Devil of Nanking (aka Tokyo), Pig Island and her upcoming new release next month, Hanging Hill, in which I am eagerly anticipating. (less)

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Apr 06, 2011 Bookmarks Magazine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: may-june-2011

After seven novels (Pig Island [2006] and The Devil of Nanking [2010], in addition to the Walking Man books), Mo Hayder continues to set herself apart in the crowded crime genre by defying readers’ expectations and by offering edgy plots, complex characters, and sharp prose. Seemingly immune to the ebbs and flows typical of crime series as they explore the darker sides of their main characters, the Walking Man books continue to surprise, and Jack Caffery has become one of the most complex protag...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Kristiana Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: have-in-bookcase, thriller, for-review, read-2013

Obyčejná krádež auta. Jen s jedinou výjimkou. Na zadním sedadle byla malá holčička a pachatel se nehodlá dívenky vzdát. Ba naopak, za jeho počínáním je něco, co děsí hlavního detektiva Jacka Cafferyho. Protože jeho přesvědčení, že si pachatel uvědomí chybu a dítě někde vysadí se s ubíhajícími hodinami, kdy je dívka nezvěstná, zmenšuje. Ve chvíli, kdy dojde ke stejnému útoku si je jistý, že tady jde o ta malá děvčátka. A pachatel se všem jen vysmívá.

Jack Caffery si uvědomuje, že pachatel je zatra...more Obyčejná krádež auta. Jen s jedinou výjimkou. Na zadním sedadle byla malá holčička a pachatel se nehodlá dívenky vzdát. Ba naopak, za jeho počínáním je něco, co děsí hlavního detektiva Jacka Cafferyho. Protože jeho přesvědčení, že si pachatel uvědomí chybu a dítě někde vysadí se s ubíhajícími hodinami, kdy je dívka nezvěstná, zmenšuje. Ve chvíli, kdy dojde ke stejnému útoku si je jistý, že tady jde o ta malá děvčátka. A pachatel se všem jen vysmívá.

Jack Caffery si uvědomuje, že pachatel je zatraceně chytrý a že jeho dopadení nebude jednoduché. S podezřením na souvislost se sérii předešlých obdobných útoků se Cafferymu svěří kolegyně Phoebe Marleyová, zvaná Blecha, ale tomu moc nepřikládá váhu a dál se snaží vyrovnat s faktem, že o ní ví něco, co jeho city k ní zadupalo do země. Ani Blecha to nemá jednoduché, protože posledního půl roku se její jednotce vůbec nedařilo a jeden průšvih střídal druhý. Oba se tak upínají na nalezení Marthy a jejího únosce.

Postava hlavního detektiva Cafferyho není žádný miláček policejní stanice, má za sebou svou minulost o které nechce mluvit a celkově je to podivín. Pro ostřejší slovo nejde daleko, s nikým nehodlá dvakrát diskutovat o jedné věci a neskutečně ho vytáčí, když mu někdo háže klacky pod nohy a nedělá svou práci. Dá se i říci, že má svým způsobem zlomené srdce a proto se občas chová jako idiot.

Autorka se v knize nezabývá "pouhým" pátráním po unesených děvčátkách, ale i tím, co se ukrývá ve vztazích, jak se jednoho dne můžete probudit a zjistit, že jste někde, kde jste být nechtěli. A vedle vás je někdo, koho už vlastně neznáte. Samotný pachatel je ukázkou toho, jak se může veřejná tvář lišit od té, kterou ukazujeme doma. Jak někdo tak příjemný a laskavý může být nelidská zrůda, bytost schopna všeho. Něčeho, kde je bezbranné dítě jen náčiním k vyššímu cíli.

Po první čtvrtině jsem tušila sice kdo, ale proč vůbec ne. Musím říct, že se to autorce opravdu povedlo. Sice jsem čekala, že to bude morbidní či jinak nechutné, ale příjemně mne celá kniha překvapila a především styl, jakým autorka píše. Konec každé kapitoly mne nutil pokračovat dál.Nechci ji k nikomu přirovnávat, ale rozhodně se zařadila mezi ty, ke kterým se budu ráda vracet. Pokud chcete napínavé čtení, plné záhad ale i lidského nepochopení, utrpení, zvratů a hledání cesty zpět, je tohle ta pravá kniha.

"Pojďte. Losos bude až za chvíli, takže se zatím přesuneme do obýváku a vy mi řeknete všechno o tom vašem jo, totiž."
"Vážně?"
Janice se usmála. "No jistě. To víte, že mi to řeknete."
V obývacím pokoji vytáhl Prody z kapsy mobilní telefon, vypnul ho a posadil se.(less)

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Jan 01, 2013 Laura rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't know. Maybe I read too many mysteries. (BLASPHEMY!) But I couldn't quite finish this one. A little over 100 pages to go and I just chucked it. What's the problem? 1) No humor. NONE. Just tortured, flawed people which is FINE. It's a staple of the genre. I get it. But MAN it gets old after a while. And you can be dark and still allow us a few light moments. Pacing! 2) All the descriptions of Flea puttering around boats and underground caverns and blah blah. I get that as a scene these pla...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Mieke Mcbride rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've been disappointed with the last few mysteries I've read, but a collection of short stories piqued my interest again so I went on a hunt for a good one. I saw this had won the 2012 Edgar Allen Poe Award, so I decided to give it a shot. All in all, I enjoyed this one and would give it 3.5 stars. I liked the protagonist-- felt he was complicated with a past without being overly moody, sharp without being cocky and too perfect, personable minus the James Bond smoothness. The plot also was full...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Elizabeth Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars

Brilliant, sharp, with wonderfully drawn characters. I LOVE UK thrillers--they take something that is sensationalistic and run with it, but then twist and turn and shape it until you're left saying "oh. OH!" I also love that the main character, Jack Caffery (who has apparently been in other books by Hayder), didn't feel like a "And this is the hero and here is his backstory and now he will save the day by doing a, b, and then c"--I had no idea he was in other books by Hayder till I looked up wha...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Alexandra Sokoloff rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

How do I love Mo Hayder? Let me count the ways...

No, I don't have anywhere near enough time to count the ways but I've read this one three times, now. I keep trying to read other things on my shelf and keep finding myself picking this one up again, getting hooked and racing through the whole thing. I rarely read series but I love her DI Jack Caffery, and this case is a real nail-biter (but not as agonizing as her brilliant but nearly unbearably horrific THE TREATMENT). There's one trope in it th...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Kath rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, thriller

Gone, by Mo Hayder, is the fifth book in a series featuring Bristol DI Jack Cafferty, and the first of hers I read. Despite four books of back story, I felt no lack or loss for jumping in at the wrong end, as Hayder gave just enough relevant information to offer a bit of depth and context without flogging a reader with past events.

This book is a harrowing journey down a swift river, and there were several times I got off the ride only to jump back on as soon as I could. Hayder's villain is given...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As soon as I saw Mo Hayder had a new book out I RAN to the library...and was not disappointed. It does seem as if Ms Hayder may be mellowing a bit with age--I could barely make it through some of the gruesome scenes in BIRDMAN and THE DEVIL OF NANKING, two earlier efforts--but she is up to her usual high standard of characterization in GONE. Flea Marley manages to get herself into more claustrophobic situations here, and Jack Caffery is as tortured as always. I especially love the whiff of the s...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Elondel rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library, read-2012

Even the most avid genre reader has the urge to branch out every now and again, and since I was two books behind on Mo Hayder’s offerings, it was time for a little trip to the local library. Ever since I read Birdman and The Treatment back in 2009, I’ve been fascinated with her writings, especially the Jack Caffrey series, seeing as her two previous stand alones, Pig Island and Tokio, weren’t much to my liking. The last Caffrey I read – Skin – was, however, a bit of a letdown. Upon reading the b...more Even the most avid genre reader has the urge to branch out every now and again, and since I was two books behind on Mo Hayder’s offerings, it was time for a little trip to the local library. Ever since I read Birdman and The Treatment back in 2009, I’ve been fascinated with her writings, especially the Jack Caffrey series, seeing as her two previous stand alones, Pig Island and Tokio, weren’t much to my liking. The last Caffrey I read – Skin – was, however, a bit of a letdown. Upon reading the blurb of Gone, I was pretty sure Hayder was about to redeem herself. How wrong I was…

The idea behind this book, is very good. There is a carjacker roaming the streets – aptly referred to as ‘The Jacker’, you don’t want to confuse your readers – but he only takes cars with little children on the backseat. Can you say creep? With vague memories of The Treatment running around in my head, I braced myself for a horrifying ride – pun intended. This book, however, was everything but that and for the most part I thought is was plain boring. The first half of the book is somewhat okay, though. If there would have existed an accompanying soundtrack, the first couple of songs would be really suspenseful and perhaps even a little chilling. Then the songs would be replaced by the sound of a deflating balloon. A big one.
Seriously, I am very bad at figuring out plot twists and identifying bad guys before I’m told. That’s so great about me reading, I’m always taken by surprise. With Gone, however, I figured out who did it when I was halfway trough and about fifty pages later I could tell you why and who would be next. Hayder tried to pour sand in my eyes, buckets of it, but I didn’t buy it and when it turned out to be exactly who I thought it would have been and for the exact reason I pointed out, I felt like I wasted my time reading this book. There’s just nothing fun about it when you know it all and the police just keeps making a mess when everything they need is right in front of their eyes. (view spoiler)
So I figured it out. That’s unfortunate, but no harm done cause the children were still missing and since it’s Mo Hayder who made them disappear, they’re probably chopped up and put back together but with different heads on different bodies and stuff like that – am I seriously saying this? But once again, a balloon deflated. Let’s start with the actual finding of the girls. (view spoiler) What is this, Psychic 101? I wasn’t amused and found that incredibly lame. When they found the kids at last (view spoiler) Granted, he probably isn’t as insane as I thought he should have been, but it was still quite a bummer when you’re expecting something along the way of Birdman of The Treatment.
Another thing that rubbed me the wrong way were the characters. Caffrey is his grumpy, annoying self, but not the good-annoying he previously was. Here he was just annoying. On top of that, Flea became a shadow of the strong woman she was when introduced in Ritual and I want her back. This little bag of misery and self-pity can leave, thank you very much.

In the end, it all comes down to one thing: disappointment. I wonder what happened. What made an author, who used to deliver raw, edgy and horrifying thrillers, deliver prefab cookie cutter like Gone? I guess there’s a market for both, but I’m not buying this. Stand out, don’t blend in.(less)

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About Mo Hayder

Mo Hayder left school at fifteen. She worked as a barmaid, security guard, film-maker, hostess in a Tokyo club, educational administrator and teacher of English as a foreign language in Asia. She has an MA in film from The American University in Washington DC and an MA in creative writing from Bath Spa University UK.

Mo lives in Bath with her daughter Lotte-Genevieve.

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* Jack Caffery

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“Só porque o Turner usa aquele estilo manhoso depois das seis da tarde. Lollapalooza julga que é porreiro andar descalça e eu tenho uma cadela labrador no meu escritório, isso não significa que pode baixar os seus padrões.” — 1 person liked it

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Gone (Jack Caffery #5)

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