A pair of young, would-be movie stars, Michaela and Dylan, stage a publicity stunt, hoping to garner attention and film offers. Both attend the drama school run by a wealthy, eccentric older woman who never made it as an actor herself. Psychologist Alex Delaware is hired to evaluate Michaela in preparation for her trial for wasting police resources. When, weeks later, Michaela is murdered, Alex assists the cops with the investigation. The school, it seems, is a very dangerous place to enroll.

As a thriller, Gone simply never takes off. The investigation is a plodding, rather dull one, and the upshot of the case is less than surprising. Alex's clinical skills are way underutilized. This novel's OK, but if you're looking for better, better look elsewhere.