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Already Gone
2012 International Thriller Award Nominee
Jake Reese is a writing teacher at an American university. He lives in a small brick Tudor close to campus with his art buyer wife, Diane. His life is quiet — ordinary even. And he likes it that way. But it wasn’t always quiet. Jake’s distant past was a life on the streets, inflicting damage and suffering on more people than he can count. And now someone from his past, it seems, has come looking for him.
A raw, gripping thriller about the price paid for past sins, John Rector’s third novel is a live wire that crackles with the intensity of a man with nothing left to lose. When two men attack Jake in a parking lot and cut off his finger, he tries to dismiss it as an unlucky case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But when events take a more sinister turn and Diane goes missing, Jake knows he can no longer hide from the truth. As he embarks on a mission to find his wife, he realizes his dark past is refusing to stay buried and that his future is about to unfold in ways he could never have imagined.
Jake Reese is a writing teacher at an American university. He lives in a small brick Tudor close to campus with his art buyer wife, Diane. His life is quiet — ordinary even. And he likes it that way. But it wasn’t always quiet. Jake’s distant past was a life on the streets, inflicting damage and suffering on more people than he can count. And now someone from his past, it seems, has come looking for him.
A raw, gripping thriller about the price paid for past sins, John Rector’s third novel is a live wire that crackles with the intensity of a man with nothing left to lose. When two men attack Jake in a parking lot and cut off his finger, he tries to dismiss it as an unlucky case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But when events take a more sinister turn and Diane goes missing, Jake knows he can no longer hide from the truth. As he embarks on a mission to find his wife, he realizes his dark past is refusing to stay buried and that his future is about to unfold in ways he could never have imagined.
316 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2011
478 people are currently reading
1648 people want to read
About the author
John Rector
23 books264 followersJohn Rector is the bestselling author of the novels Broken, The Ridge, The Cold Kiss, The Grove, Already Gone, Out of the Black, and Ruthless. His short fiction has appeared in numerous magazines and has won several awards, including the International Thriller Award for his novella, Lost Things.
He lives in Omaha, Nebraska.
He lives in Omaha, Nebraska.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 384 reviews
January 1, 2013
ALREADY GONE felt like a study in how not to conduct your marriage. Sure, it may all work out for you in the end, but you’re liable to meet up with some really bad dudes, lose a finger and your wedding band, get punched enough that you’ll be sucking grapefruit juice through a straw, question your sanity, have Gabby, a man you’ve known most of your life, question your sanity, and spend most of the novel running from said bad dudes, most of whom sound worse than rabid Dobermans. Needless to say, by the end of the novel, you may question your own sanity as I did, and it made me more than a little glad that I lead a sedentary life, and my name is not Jake Reese.
The dead bodies piled up faster than an 80-car pileup in the middle of a whiteout and nearly as much fanfare. This is classic noir where nearly no one is left standing at the end, and just when you think you have it all figured out, there might be one more twist at the end. If you don’t mind dead bodies galore, then you might just find yourself enjoying this one.
The dead bodies piled up faster than an 80-car pileup in the middle of a whiteout and nearly as much fanfare. This is classic noir where nearly no one is left standing at the end, and just when you think you have it all figured out, there might be one more twist at the end. If you don’t mind dead bodies galore, then you might just find yourself enjoying this one.
February 9, 2013
Reese has an unsavoury past – one that he’d put behind him as he concentrated on being a good husband, author, and teacher at a University. However, when a violent encounter by two unknown assailants leaves him with a digit less, he presumes his former criminal ways are back to ruin his peaceful existence. He was part right.
ALREADY GONE wastes no time in delivering the drama. From the outset author John Rector grabs the reader’s attention and never fails to let go. The story takes a few twists and turns and ultimately catches you off guard. It’s the sort of crime novel you wish every crime novel was; tightly plotted, explosive, unpredictable, yet emotionally deep. The portrayal of Reese and Diane’s marriage is multi faceted, all at once wholesome, tragic, a sham, and meaningful. The personal element added to the over crime and ensured each subsequent action was not without cause regardless of how suspect it seemed (re: Gabby).
What I love about ALREADY GONE is that the villain isn’t easily identifiable throughout the novel. Sure Gabby (former crim and father figure to Jake), Lisa (fortune teller), Diane (Jake’s wife and art dealer), Briggs (art collector, bad man) etc all have a shadier side to them, some more noticeable than others but all fit the role in some form or another. Even the ending doesn’t truly account for the actions of certain characters – did they do it for the betterment of themselves or are they genuinely good people caught in a bad situation, or perhaps the bad guys are misunderstood? Either way, this constant guesswork post reading (and while reading) leaves me very satisfied. I like that - for me, the ending is open ended and leaves much to individual interpretation – a perfect way to end a very good book.
ALREADY GONE wastes no time in delivering the drama. From the outset author John Rector grabs the reader’s attention and never fails to let go. The story takes a few twists and turns and ultimately catches you off guard. It’s the sort of crime novel you wish every crime novel was; tightly plotted, explosive, unpredictable, yet emotionally deep. The portrayal of Reese and Diane’s marriage is multi faceted, all at once wholesome, tragic, a sham, and meaningful. The personal element added to the over crime and ensured each subsequent action was not without cause regardless of how suspect it seemed (re: Gabby).
What I love about ALREADY GONE is that the villain isn’t easily identifiable throughout the novel. Sure Gabby (former crim and father figure to Jake), Lisa (fortune teller), Diane (Jake’s wife and art dealer), Briggs (art collector, bad man) etc all have a shadier side to them, some more noticeable than others but all fit the role in some form or another. Even the ending doesn’t truly account for the actions of certain characters – did they do it for the betterment of themselves or are they genuinely good people caught in a bad situation, or perhaps the bad guys are misunderstood? Either way, this constant guesswork post reading (and while reading) leaves me very satisfied. I like that - for me, the ending is open ended and leaves much to individual interpretation – a perfect way to end a very good book.
October 25, 2019
Universitätsprofessor Jake wird überfallen , ihm wird von zwei Unbekannten ein Finger abgeschnitten. Sonst führt er ein unaufgeregtes Leben aber spätestens als ihm der Finger samt Ehering in einem Einmachglas zugeschickt wird und seine Frau Diane verschwindet, ist klar, dass er kein zufälliges Opfer ist.
Er hat ihr versprochen Gabby nicht anzurufen aber er muss herausfinden was mit ihr passiert ist. Wer ist hinter ihm her? Gabby könnte seine kriminelle Vergangenheit wieder heraufbeschwören aber hat die ihn nicht schon eingeholt?
Als er dann ihre Leiche
Dann soll er Dianes Leiche identifizieren identifizieren soll, muss er feststellen, dass auch seine Frau eine Vergangenheit hatte und ist plötzlich auf der Flucht vor den Killern und gleichzeitig vor der Polizei...
Ich war anfangs direkt gefesselt: Die Idee, dass ein Mann vor einer Bar auf die Art überfallen wird, ist interessant. Aber nach dem spannenden Anfang ist es ruhig und man hat Zeit sich in der Situation zurechtzufinden.
Als es dann rasant weitergeht, voller Action und Wendungen ist es durchgehend unterhaltsam, stellenweise spannend, konnte mich aber nicht mehr fesseln.
Ich konnte es zu jeder Zeit zur Seite legen und die Szenen sind wie aneinandergereiht, es wirkt zu sehr beschrieben anstatt dargestellt.
Die Protagonisten nehmen einen auch nicht besonders ein. Gabby war gelungen, geheimnisvoll, weil man ihn nicht durchschaut.
Diane konnte ich auch nicht durchschauen, lag aber daran, dass sie nur da ist und nicht wirklich vermittelt wird was sie ausmacht.
Vielleicht ein bisschen zu viel Action, zu viele Tote und ich habe zwischendurch auch ein paar mal den Überblick verloren, wer gerade hinter wem her ist. Das sorgt aber auch dafür, dass man nicht weiß wem man trauen kann.
Das Ende hat erst unspektakulär gewirkt aber im Nachhinein fand ich gar nicht so schlecht, wie es gelaufen ist.
Trotzdem ist das Ganze zwar unterhaltsam aber leider nur durchschnittlich. Es sei denn man ist ein Fan von Action-geladenen Verfolgungsjagden.
Er hat ihr versprochen Gabby nicht anzurufen aber er muss herausfinden was mit ihr passiert ist. Wer ist hinter ihm her? Gabby könnte seine kriminelle Vergangenheit wieder heraufbeschwören aber hat die ihn nicht schon eingeholt?
Als er dann ihre Leiche
Dann soll er Dianes Leiche identifizieren identifizieren soll, muss er feststellen, dass auch seine Frau eine Vergangenheit hatte und ist plötzlich auf der Flucht vor den Killern und gleichzeitig vor der Polizei...
Ich war anfangs direkt gefesselt: Die Idee, dass ein Mann vor einer Bar auf die Art überfallen wird, ist interessant. Aber nach dem spannenden Anfang ist es ruhig und man hat Zeit sich in der Situation zurechtzufinden.
Als es dann rasant weitergeht, voller Action und Wendungen ist es durchgehend unterhaltsam, stellenweise spannend, konnte mich aber nicht mehr fesseln.
Ich konnte es zu jeder Zeit zur Seite legen und die Szenen sind wie aneinandergereiht, es wirkt zu sehr beschrieben anstatt dargestellt.
Die Protagonisten nehmen einen auch nicht besonders ein. Gabby war gelungen, geheimnisvoll, weil man ihn nicht durchschaut.
Diane konnte ich auch nicht durchschauen, lag aber daran, dass sie nur da ist und nicht wirklich vermittelt wird was sie ausmacht.
Vielleicht ein bisschen zu viel Action, zu viele Tote und ich habe zwischendurch auch ein paar mal den Überblick verloren, wer gerade hinter wem her ist. Das sorgt aber auch dafür, dass man nicht weiß wem man trauen kann.
Das Ende hat erst unspektakulär gewirkt aber im Nachhinein fand ich gar nicht so schlecht, wie es gelaufen ist.
Trotzdem ist das Ganze zwar unterhaltsam aber leider nur durchschnittlich. Es sei denn man ist ein Fan von Action-geladenen Verfolgungsjagden.
October 7, 2011
Jake is minding his own business after a night in a bar when two men grab him and cut off his ring finger. Jake's just a normal guy and believes that it's just a random act of violence but the police aren't so sure. When his wife goes missing, he must start digging up the past and throw himself into a world of violence.
It's a dramatic start and the plot is fairly fast paced but after a while I just didn't care whether or not the main characters died or not. It's much more action based than introspective so it's hard to connect. The idea of a normal man being targeted out of the blue could have been an intriguing story but it soon turns out that there's a whole lot of back-plot which makes it less interesting to me.
I'm sure there are plenty of readers who will devour Already Gone. It definitely has the feel of an action flick, the lack of character development would make it perfect for the big screen. I don't know if it's the slightly mysterious side to Gabby that made him the most well-rounded character but I found myself wanting to know more about him and carried on for his sake.
It's a dramatic start and the plot is fairly fast paced but after a while I just didn't care whether or not the main characters died or not. It's much more action based than introspective so it's hard to connect. The idea of a normal man being targeted out of the blue could have been an intriguing story but it soon turns out that there's a whole lot of back-plot which makes it less interesting to me.
I'm sure there are plenty of readers who will devour Already Gone. It definitely has the feel of an action flick, the lack of character development would make it perfect for the big screen. I don't know if it's the slightly mysterious side to Gabby that made him the most well-rounded character but I found myself wanting to know more about him and carried on for his sake.
August 15, 2013
One of my favourite life-changing incidents in books is in Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Guy wakes up and he’s a beetle. Genius.
There’s a great life-changer in Already Gone. Guy (Jake Reese) comes out of a bar, has his finger snipped off by a couple of thugs.
A few days later, the finger’s sent in the post which dispels any theories of him being a case of mistaken identity or random violence.
Jake isn’t happy. The police become involved and his wife, Diane, becomes very anxious. When Diane eventually goes missing, life becomes extremely painful.
Jake is driven to find her and the likely abductors at any costs and he’s even prepared to return to his old connection and surrogate father, Gabby, to get the job done. Gabby’s an old time crook who has long arms and lives in a disused crematorium with a group of very loyal followers, ex-street kids, who will protect him in any way they can.
This is gripping stuff, especially the first half.
That mention of Kafka as my opening wasn’t accidental. Part 1 of this book is not unlike the great man’s work.
There seems to be no reason for the attack on Jake. There’s nothing to explain why he should be victimised in the way he is. More to the point, there’s no one to kick against. All the information is so fractured, in terms of his memories, his wife, the police et al, that it’s practically a living hell. At times, the uncertainty and the unfairness of it all had me feeling physically sick. Jake’s world is spinning out of control and the string-pullers are totally invisible.
That first part, then, is as good as it gets.
Part 2 is also very good.
In it, the action takes over and the pieces of the puzzle are put into place one by one. The mood is always intense and the plot remains gripping.
To my mind, the second part lacks the power of the first, possibly because that fractured whole is so unsettling and that the more certainty creeps in the less intense the story becomes.
There’s also an issue in that Rector really does stretch the motives and passions of Jake until they’re wafer thin. Faced with some of the evidence as it arrives, I think I’d have jumped ship way before the climax.
It’s a very good read and you do ‘just have to keep reading’ as it says on the cover.
There’s a great life-changer in Already Gone. Guy (Jake Reese) comes out of a bar, has his finger snipped off by a couple of thugs.
A few days later, the finger’s sent in the post which dispels any theories of him being a case of mistaken identity or random violence.
Jake isn’t happy. The police become involved and his wife, Diane, becomes very anxious. When Diane eventually goes missing, life becomes extremely painful.
Jake is driven to find her and the likely abductors at any costs and he’s even prepared to return to his old connection and surrogate father, Gabby, to get the job done. Gabby’s an old time crook who has long arms and lives in a disused crematorium with a group of very loyal followers, ex-street kids, who will protect him in any way they can.
This is gripping stuff, especially the first half.
That mention of Kafka as my opening wasn’t accidental. Part 1 of this book is not unlike the great man’s work.
There seems to be no reason for the attack on Jake. There’s nothing to explain why he should be victimised in the way he is. More to the point, there’s no one to kick against. All the information is so fractured, in terms of his memories, his wife, the police et al, that it’s practically a living hell. At times, the uncertainty and the unfairness of it all had me feeling physically sick. Jake’s world is spinning out of control and the string-pullers are totally invisible.
That first part, then, is as good as it gets.
Part 2 is also very good.
In it, the action takes over and the pieces of the puzzle are put into place one by one. The mood is always intense and the plot remains gripping.
To my mind, the second part lacks the power of the first, possibly because that fractured whole is so unsettling and that the more certainty creeps in the less intense the story becomes.
There’s also an issue in that Rector really does stretch the motives and passions of Jake until they’re wafer thin. Faced with some of the evidence as it arrives, I think I’d have jumped ship way before the climax.
It’s a very good read and you do ‘just have to keep reading’ as it says on the cover.
June 8, 2017
John Rector has brought a very strong novel to the table and put it down in front of you. You should be picking up what he is putting down.
Before picking up this novel, grab an industrial fan and place it in front of you facing away. When the novelized shit hits it, you will minimize the blow-back you experience.
Within five pages of the opening, the ring finger of Jake Reese has been forcibly removed by a pressure instrument that is not intended to be used for surgery. Bolt cutters, normally tasked to leveraging solid metal into separate pieces, had no trouble going through the bone and flesh of Jake’s finger. Jake goes home to his wife, with his wallet intact, and his pride scuffed, and in a terrible amount of confused pain. What the heck just happened, why was it “Nothing personal” as the attacker stated while walking away.
Rector’s “Already Gone” just gets better from there. I will not summarize anything further, in fear I could introduce spoilers.
What I can advise is that I was kept rabidly interested, a captive audience from cover to cover. Mystery/Thrillers of this kind have a high risk of coming off as heavy handed; they risk a big opening and poor closing; they risk formulaic story lines. This book has surpassed all the risk and achieved all of the reward that a hard hitting story aspires to. It is solid beginning to end.
I doubt that this book will become a best seller immediately, heck, there are so many books on the market that it could never achieve this status. I have high hopes though and I believe this is going to be a sleeper hit. Get in on the ground floor and read it early. Ensure that you are one of the cool people on the cutting edge of excellent fiction. After all, reading is a popularity game, right? You want to be cool…
Highly suggested!
--
xpost https://toastx2.blogspot.com/
Before picking up this novel, grab an industrial fan and place it in front of you facing away. When the novelized shit hits it, you will minimize the blow-back you experience.
Within five pages of the opening, the ring finger of Jake Reese has been forcibly removed by a pressure instrument that is not intended to be used for surgery. Bolt cutters, normally tasked to leveraging solid metal into separate pieces, had no trouble going through the bone and flesh of Jake’s finger. Jake goes home to his wife, with his wallet intact, and his pride scuffed, and in a terrible amount of confused pain. What the heck just happened, why was it “Nothing personal” as the attacker stated while walking away.
Rector’s “Already Gone” just gets better from there. I will not summarize anything further, in fear I could introduce spoilers.
What I can advise is that I was kept rabidly interested, a captive audience from cover to cover. Mystery/Thrillers of this kind have a high risk of coming off as heavy handed; they risk a big opening and poor closing; they risk formulaic story lines. This book has surpassed all the risk and achieved all of the reward that a hard hitting story aspires to. It is solid beginning to end.
I doubt that this book will become a best seller immediately, heck, there are so many books on the market that it could never achieve this status. I have high hopes though and I believe this is going to be a sleeper hit. Get in on the ground floor and read it early. Ensure that you are one of the cool people on the cutting edge of excellent fiction. After all, reading is a popularity game, right? You want to be cool…
Highly suggested!
--
xpost https://toastx2.blogspot.com/
December 15, 2011
The book starts out with a shocker of Jake literally having a finger cut off. He has no idea who or why this would be done. As I start the book, I think this is going to be a great thriller.
After the opening, the book goes downhill a bit for me. The story just seems to jump around a bit from scene to scene without alot of thought into it, most of it is very non-descriptive i.e. Jake went to work, saw the essays from his students waiting to be graded, Doug came in to talk to him. And then a new chapter--same thing (very little build up, description involved).
Pretty much the only female character also is his wife, Diane. Jake professes to love her undeniable but, I just did not get the feeling about the two of them like this--madly in love with each other.
Though, I will have to admit that when reading about the meeting with Gabby to get Diane back, and about all the shooting, this held my attention, and then it was a bit of a let down at the end of that.
Lastly, the ending just sort of left me hanging, like seriously, that is the end? That is what Jake ends up doing?
Overall, not a horrible story, then again, not one that I keep telling myself just 1 more chapter. I had no problem putting it down but, I would pick it back up the next night and read some more just to see what was really going to happen.
After the opening, the book goes downhill a bit for me. The story just seems to jump around a bit from scene to scene without alot of thought into it, most of it is very non-descriptive i.e. Jake went to work, saw the essays from his students waiting to be graded, Doug came in to talk to him. And then a new chapter--same thing (very little build up, description involved).
Pretty much the only female character also is his wife, Diane. Jake professes to love her undeniable but, I just did not get the feeling about the two of them like this--madly in love with each other.
Though, I will have to admit that when reading about the meeting with Gabby to get Diane back, and about all the shooting, this held my attention, and then it was a bit of a let down at the end of that.
Lastly, the ending just sort of left me hanging, like seriously, that is the end? That is what Jake ends up doing?
Overall, not a horrible story, then again, not one that I keep telling myself just 1 more chapter. I had no problem putting it down but, I would pick it back up the next night and read some more just to see what was really going to happen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. I would give it a full five stars except that the main character's behavior seemed a little unrealistic to me. As a youngster he was a bit of a trouble maker, enough so, that he ended up with a pretty long, fairly serious list of criminal offenses on his police record. But as an adult he comes off completely naive or even oblivious as to how he should respond to those he knows best. He came off as kind of a weakling, who couldn't take care of his self in the midst of trouble. Without his wife he was lost.
The story, though, was entirely compelling and constantly urging me to continue reading. It held my interests with each turn of the page. I was glad for the 'seemingly' happy ending. I was a little disappointed for the loss of a life long relationship. But I was so happy to see that he was willing to lose all for the love of his wife.
4/27/12 - started
5/1/12 - finished.
The story, though, was entirely compelling and constantly urging me to continue reading. It held my interests with each turn of the page. I was glad for the 'seemingly' happy ending. I was a little disappointed for the loss of a life long relationship. But I was so happy to see that he was willing to lose all for the love of his wife.
4/27/12 - started
5/1/12 - finished.
April 27, 2015
I found this book very disappointing. The premise of the book is that it seems that someone from the past of the main character - Jake Reese - has come to inflict harm on him for wrongdoings that occurred when he was in his youth. However, the author never even explains what "dark past" he actually has. The entire book as terrible things are happening to this guy the writing just alludes to all of it being due to his life when he was on the streets; literally that is all he says! At some point Jake contacts his father figure that raised him to help put a stop to the people who are ruining his life, and yet again the author goes into hardly any detail about what Jake did with this man that was so "dark" in his "troubled past". I kept reading waiting for the big reveal and it ended up having NOTHING to do with his past anyway. UGH!
August 20, 2012
This book frustrated me. It was a very easy book to read, due to the way it was written, the length, and also being intrigued as to what was going to happen. However, about a third of the way through, maybe half way, I felt like the story fizzled and was unsure of where it was going. I'm sure Rector had intended the plot to take that course, but it felt largely like it was lacking direction. The other thing that I found frustrating with this book was the main character. A likeable fellow and an obvious protagonist, but so often he just made me mad and I struggled to like him.
I'd read another book of Rector's, as I enjoyed his style of writing but hopefully the story would be a bit stronger as Already Gone was like a weak cup of coffee when you're expecting a good kick.
I'd read another book of Rector's, as I enjoyed his style of writing but hopefully the story would be a bit stronger as Already Gone was like a weak cup of coffee when you're expecting a good kick.
January 1, 2015
Surprisingly good. THe author doesn't overplay his characters. The main character is definitely not all knowing, nor can he kick ass. He gets his ass kicked more often than not. And he never actually kills anyone, which can't be said for the other characters. The final scene was the most interesting, if a bit trite. Is love blind? What are these character's true motivations? What was Gabby trying to whisper?
July 30, 2019
DNF. I read 40% and can’t do anymore. It is just too stupid. I won’t even get into the main plot itself but how many people have you heard of who have a “troubled past,” including time in juvie, who go on to graduate college, write a book and get hired to be a professor at a university by their mid-twenties? Oh, and he and his professor friend, who “saved” him in juvie, go out for liquid lunches and happy hours all the time, including lunch at a strip club. I don’t know about you but most of my professors were more likely to hang out in a coffee shop than a bar. Stupid.
January 12, 2017
2.5 stars.
Do NOT read the spoiler section if you're going to read the book.
I found the first half of this book fast paced and gripping.
Toward the end, it really jumped the shark. I don't have any problem suspending belief for an action thriller, but I was really spending too much time saying "Wha? Seriously?" at our hero's actions at the climax.
All in all, a good, violent action thriller. I just couldn't get past the above.
Do NOT read the spoiler section if you're going to read the book.
I found the first half of this book fast paced and gripping.
Toward the end, it really jumped the shark. I don't have any problem suspending belief for an action thriller, but I was really spending too much time saying "Wha? Seriously?" at our hero's actions at the climax.
All in all, a good, violent action thriller. I just couldn't get past the above.
September 1, 2015
Per my review at http://baltimorereads.wordpress.com/2...
Nebraska-born author John Rector already has two bestselling novels under his belt (The Grove and The Cold Kiss) and is set to have a third with the October 25th release of Already Gone. If you enjoy a book filled with mysterious deaths, ruthless villains, and countless plot twists and turns, read on.
Readers can tell right from the beginning that Jake Reese is not the most fortunate of men. He finds himself face down in the parking lot of bar, at the mercy of two mysterious men (one of which is holding a bolt cutter to Jake’s ring finger). Questions surrounding Jake’s troubled past begin to surface as the police investigate this seemingly random act of violence, straining the relationship between Jake and his wife Diane and making Jake wonder if he should do some digging around himself. He refrains from interfering at the request of Diane, but when she goes missing, he doesn’t hesitate to step back into his former life in order to find and save the woman he loves.
Rector brings some really impressive writing and strong characters into a genre that is often teeming with contrived, cringe-worthy dialogue and flat, unoriginal characters. The main character, Jake Reese, has an interesting back story that constantly has the reader wondering what is going to happen next and who is behind the awful things that are occurring. With a mother who took her own life when he was young and a father who was constantly in jail, Jake found himself living under the guidance of a mobster of sorts, Gabby Meyers. Before long, Jake was getting into trouble of his own – it took the friendship of Doug, a tutor who met Jake while he was in juvenile detention, to set Jake on the right path. Now a college professor and the author of his own memoir, Jake is far removed from the mistakes of his youth. Readers can’t help but feel sorry for a man who is still suffering from his past despite finding a way to make something of himself.
Reese is surrounded by people that bring out his true personality throughout the novel. He has a soft spot for Diane, his new wife who has accepted him, past and all. However, her fear of what Jake’s past actions is bringing to the present sends her on a “business trip” for an extended period of time. Jake can see the current violence is chasing Diane away, which sends him to the bottle. Readers also get the chance to meet Jake’s father figure, Gabby, when Jake hits rock bottom. Gabby claims to be retired from his illegal and ruthless ways, but is willing to pull some strings to help out Jake. Jake’s respect for this man as a stand-in father is obvious, even though Gabby is partly responsible for the life Jake led as a boy.
My only complaint about Already Gone would be the ending (don’t worry, I won’t give it away!). Throughout the story, Rector kept throwing curveballs that had me constantly changing my mind on who I thought the “bad guy” really was. Everyone seemed suspicious except Jake (thanks to first-person narration), and when certain characters were revealed for their true colors, I absolutely loved that I had never even suspected them in the first place. It is rare to find a suspense novel in which the author is actually able to hide the true culprit until he deems it fit to reveal them. And yet the end seemed a little too neat for me. It wasn’t horrible, it just fell a little flat compared to the rest of the novel.
When all is said and done, though, Rector’s Already Gone lives up to the hype that his previous novels have set. His novel Cold Kiss is being made into a movie, and I could easily see Already Gone making it to the big screen as well.
Nebraska-born author John Rector already has two bestselling novels under his belt (The Grove and The Cold Kiss) and is set to have a third with the October 25th release of Already Gone. If you enjoy a book filled with mysterious deaths, ruthless villains, and countless plot twists and turns, read on.
Readers can tell right from the beginning that Jake Reese is not the most fortunate of men. He finds himself face down in the parking lot of bar, at the mercy of two mysterious men (one of which is holding a bolt cutter to Jake’s ring finger). Questions surrounding Jake’s troubled past begin to surface as the police investigate this seemingly random act of violence, straining the relationship between Jake and his wife Diane and making Jake wonder if he should do some digging around himself. He refrains from interfering at the request of Diane, but when she goes missing, he doesn’t hesitate to step back into his former life in order to find and save the woman he loves.
Rector brings some really impressive writing and strong characters into a genre that is often teeming with contrived, cringe-worthy dialogue and flat, unoriginal characters. The main character, Jake Reese, has an interesting back story that constantly has the reader wondering what is going to happen next and who is behind the awful things that are occurring. With a mother who took her own life when he was young and a father who was constantly in jail, Jake found himself living under the guidance of a mobster of sorts, Gabby Meyers. Before long, Jake was getting into trouble of his own – it took the friendship of Doug, a tutor who met Jake while he was in juvenile detention, to set Jake on the right path. Now a college professor and the author of his own memoir, Jake is far removed from the mistakes of his youth. Readers can’t help but feel sorry for a man who is still suffering from his past despite finding a way to make something of himself.
Reese is surrounded by people that bring out his true personality throughout the novel. He has a soft spot for Diane, his new wife who has accepted him, past and all. However, her fear of what Jake’s past actions is bringing to the present sends her on a “business trip” for an extended period of time. Jake can see the current violence is chasing Diane away, which sends him to the bottle. Readers also get the chance to meet Jake’s father figure, Gabby, when Jake hits rock bottom. Gabby claims to be retired from his illegal and ruthless ways, but is willing to pull some strings to help out Jake. Jake’s respect for this man as a stand-in father is obvious, even though Gabby is partly responsible for the life Jake led as a boy.
My only complaint about Already Gone would be the ending (don’t worry, I won’t give it away!). Throughout the story, Rector kept throwing curveballs that had me constantly changing my mind on who I thought the “bad guy” really was. Everyone seemed suspicious except Jake (thanks to first-person narration), and when certain characters were revealed for their true colors, I absolutely loved that I had never even suspected them in the first place. It is rare to find a suspense novel in which the author is actually able to hide the true culprit until he deems it fit to reveal them. And yet the end seemed a little too neat for me. It wasn’t horrible, it just fell a little flat compared to the rest of the novel.
When all is said and done, though, Rector’s Already Gone lives up to the hype that his previous novels have set. His novel Cold Kiss is being made into a movie, and I could easily see Already Gone making it to the big screen as well.
February 6, 2012
John Rector's masterfully crafted novel opens in the middle of something bad that we know will only get worse. Jake Reese's past has caught up to him, or so he believes, but even then what's happening to him makes no sense. As the novel progresses, Jake does some rather stupid things and compounds his stupidity. This makes him a rather unsympathetic character. Yet, in spite of this, I did care about him (even if I wanted to smack some sense into him). Rector takes the reader deeper and deeper into the mystery as the book progresses and pulls surprise after surprise. I found no slow spots, and the descriptions were tight and vivid, never intrusive to the story.
Other reviewers have found Jake's character unbelievable. I disagree. Given his background, I found him perfectly believable in this situation. And being able to write such a character is a mark of literary genius. A writer has to go against his own logic and desires and dig into the head of his creation--and stay there consistently throughout the novel. Which Rector does. In his pig-headed ways, Jake Reese thinks he can solve this himself and often goes against the good advice of others because he foolishly trusts everyone. Even after he does give in and asks for help, he still can leave well enough alone. I found the ending had a fitting, quirky irony that worked.
As one astute reviewer put it, this novel has many layers, and I suspect that those who have given it low ratings either missed or failed to appreciate the depth of it. I find weak story lines and two-dimensional writing in too much of the work published today. It's a treat to read the work of an author not afraid to sprinkle in a bit of literary flavor and who refuses to succumb to popular trends and formulaic writing. For me, a good novel is one I want to read again and will recommend to other discerning readers. This is one of those. Bravo, Mr. Rector.
Other reviewers have found Jake's character unbelievable. I disagree. Given his background, I found him perfectly believable in this situation. And being able to write such a character is a mark of literary genius. A writer has to go against his own logic and desires and dig into the head of his creation--and stay there consistently throughout the novel. Which Rector does. In his pig-headed ways, Jake Reese thinks he can solve this himself and often goes against the good advice of others because he foolishly trusts everyone. Even after he does give in and asks for help, he still can leave well enough alone. I found the ending had a fitting, quirky irony that worked.
As one astute reviewer put it, this novel has many layers, and I suspect that those who have given it low ratings either missed or failed to appreciate the depth of it. I find weak story lines and two-dimensional writing in too much of the work published today. It's a treat to read the work of an author not afraid to sprinkle in a bit of literary flavor and who refuses to succumb to popular trends and formulaic writing. For me, a good novel is one I want to read again and will recommend to other discerning readers. This is one of those. Bravo, Mr. Rector.
December 1, 2011
The opening is gripping – quite literally – as Jake is mysteriously attacked outside a bar and the assailants cut off his finger with bolt cutters. They give him no clue why they have done this, and he’s unable (or unwilling) to think of a reason for the assault. But Jake is no innocent – he has a violent past that he has worked hard to put behind him, in fact he’s recently married and is about to take up a new position as a university lecturer.
The attack affects the relationship between Jake and his wife, Diane, which isn’t helped when he starts drinking to excess. The tension creeps up when Jake spots his two attackers on the university campus, and then Diane disappears. Unable to convince the police to take her disappearance seriously Jake takes matters into his own hands.
And I’ll leave the storyline there to avoid any chance of giving too much away!
So what is it that really makes this such a great read? I think in truth the answer is balance. A bit like Goldilocks & those bears, it’s finding something that has just the right amount of action, a plot that makes you think, but isn’t so convoluted that you don’t know whether you’re coming or going. There’s plenty of tension, changes of pace, some pretty gruesome violence and there are psychological angles that keep the reader guessing until the very end.
Jake’s character is well written - although he had a violent past and he doesn’t shirk from getting his hands dirty, he obviously loves his wife & while this may cloud his judgement he remains likeable. I was certainly rooting for him. He suffers physically and mentally from the very beginning of the story. Unlike some authors whose heroes seem to miraculously heal, Rector keeps it realistic with Jake bandaged and bruised.
Rector is an engaging writer and it’s no word of a lie to say I couldn’t put the book down.
The attack affects the relationship between Jake and his wife, Diane, which isn’t helped when he starts drinking to excess. The tension creeps up when Jake spots his two attackers on the university campus, and then Diane disappears. Unable to convince the police to take her disappearance seriously Jake takes matters into his own hands.
And I’ll leave the storyline there to avoid any chance of giving too much away!
So what is it that really makes this such a great read? I think in truth the answer is balance. A bit like Goldilocks & those bears, it’s finding something that has just the right amount of action, a plot that makes you think, but isn’t so convoluted that you don’t know whether you’re coming or going. There’s plenty of tension, changes of pace, some pretty gruesome violence and there are psychological angles that keep the reader guessing until the very end.
Jake’s character is well written - although he had a violent past and he doesn’t shirk from getting his hands dirty, he obviously loves his wife & while this may cloud his judgement he remains likeable. I was certainly rooting for him. He suffers physically and mentally from the very beginning of the story. Unlike some authors whose heroes seem to miraculously heal, Rector keeps it realistic with Jake bandaged and bruised.
Rector is an engaging writer and it’s no word of a lie to say I couldn’t put the book down.
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April 5, 2012This book is an excellent introduction for young adolescents into a more mature mystery novel since the main characters are adults. It centers on the wrong side of the law and gives a clear picture of how negative actions can come back to haunt someone. Though the main character has a daunting past, the crime suspense will leave the readers with a clear outlook of how hard and truly unrewarding a life of crime can really be.
For the student reader this novel is a wonderful introduction into the mind of crime and the criminal underground. It sways the ideology from the sometimes appealing life of crime and supposedly "easy" money but giving a realistic outlook of the negativity that is encountered and the fact that it cannot be outrun. The plot is vivid and constantly moving so it is great to hold attention and the writing is fairly easy to read.
For the teacher this is a wonderful novel for the student to pick a character to side with (as far as the husband and wife go) and ask students formulate an arguement as to why they side with that character and what they would do if they were that character, during the novel. It is also good for character mapping, as well a prediction charts for the class to anticipate what will happen, and take an interactive poll with the ability to change their prediction as the plot continues.
For the student reader this novel is a wonderful introduction into the mind of crime and the criminal underground. It sways the ideology from the sometimes appealing life of crime and supposedly "easy" money but giving a realistic outlook of the negativity that is encountered and the fact that it cannot be outrun. The plot is vivid and constantly moving so it is great to hold attention and the writing is fairly easy to read.
For the teacher this is a wonderful novel for the student to pick a character to side with (as far as the husband and wife go) and ask students formulate an arguement as to why they side with that character and what they would do if they were that character, during the novel. It is also good for character mapping, as well a prediction charts for the class to anticipate what will happen, and take an interactive poll with the ability to change their prediction as the plot continues.
November 2, 2011
When Jake Reese, a college professor is attacked in a parking lot, he thinks it's just a mugging. But when he sees the bolt cutters lop off his ring finger, he knows it's something worse. He wonders if his unsavory youth has come back to haunt him.
The police seem to be dragging their feet, asking him questions. He knows if he asks Gabby for help, it will be over quickly. But his wife Diane doesn't want him returning to those long ago roots.
Then the package arrives a few days later and inside, packed in a jar of formaldehyde, is the cut-off digit, wedding ring still intact. The police still have that ho-hum attitude, but Diane still doesn't want him to call Gabby.
Things keep going downhill. When he spots the two men who originally attacked him outside his university office, he calls Diane and she begs him to call the police. So he does and, of course, they are gone when they arrive.
Getting home, he finds Diane gone, car gone, but no clothes or luggage missing. The policeman insists she's probably just gone and takes it all to lightly.
He finally gives in and calls Gabby!
A wild ride that doesn't let up. I started it this morning and finished it a couple of hours ago.
The police seem to be dragging their feet, asking him questions. He knows if he asks Gabby for help, it will be over quickly. But his wife Diane doesn't want him returning to those long ago roots.
Then the package arrives a few days later and inside, packed in a jar of formaldehyde, is the cut-off digit, wedding ring still intact. The police still have that ho-hum attitude, but Diane still doesn't want him to call Gabby.
Things keep going downhill. When he spots the two men who originally attacked him outside his university office, he calls Diane and she begs him to call the police. So he does and, of course, they are gone when they arrive.
Getting home, he finds Diane gone, car gone, but no clothes or luggage missing. The policeman insists she's probably just gone and takes it all to lightly.
He finally gives in and calls Gabby!
A wild ride that doesn't let up. I started it this morning and finished it a couple of hours ago.
May 22, 2012
This is a terrific thriller that pulls you in quickly and holds your attention throughout. It's a read-in-one-sitting kind of book with a twisty turny plot that keeps taking turns you don't expect. This the second book I've read by John Rector and he's fast becoming one of my favourites. As the cover art suggests, the story will appeal to fans of Linwood Barclay and Harlan Coben, but the writing style is tauter: more like Neil Cross.
The story is narrated by Jake, a college professor with a shady but distant past who is recently married to Diane. One night he is attacked and his finger is cut off. What he initially assumes is a random mugging gone wrong emerges to have been a targeted attack: but why? As things spiral out of control, he will be forced to go back to the man he never wanted to ask for help again.
While the first half of this book is extremely good, the second half does become overly complicated, as the author favours pace ahead of logic. Nevertheless, one of the better thrillers I've read in a while. If you enjoyed this, I strongly recommend his earlier book, Cold Kiss.
The story is narrated by Jake, a college professor with a shady but distant past who is recently married to Diane. One night he is attacked and his finger is cut off. What he initially assumes is a random mugging gone wrong emerges to have been a targeted attack: but why? As things spiral out of control, he will be forced to go back to the man he never wanted to ask for help again.
While the first half of this book is extremely good, the second half does become overly complicated, as the author favours pace ahead of logic. Nevertheless, one of the better thrillers I've read in a while. If you enjoyed this, I strongly recommend his earlier book, Cold Kiss.
December 18, 2014
After finishing this, I was left feeling unsettled about the main character, Jake. It opens with him leaving a bar and being accosted by two foreign men who chop off his wedding ring finger, taking it and the ring with them. He has no idea who they are or why. He is a university professor leading a normal life, he thinks, and recently married to a woman he only knew for a short time. He doesn't know much about her past. She is everything to him, apparently, to the point that one wonders why.
Things heat up from that point on. It does keep your interest for sure. It is not for the squeamish, however, as it has several graphic scenes of violence. Jake makes what seem to me as poor choices at every turn, fueled by the commitment to his new wife. At the end of the novel I was real disappointed in Jake. You, dear reader, will have to decide that for yourself. I've liked the two novels I've read by Rector. He does get you caring about what happens to his characters. I will seek out his other works.
Things heat up from that point on. It does keep your interest for sure. It is not for the squeamish, however, as it has several graphic scenes of violence. Jake makes what seem to me as poor choices at every turn, fueled by the commitment to his new wife. At the end of the novel I was real disappointed in Jake. You, dear reader, will have to decide that for yourself. I've liked the two novels I've read by Rector. He does get you caring about what happens to his characters. I will seek out his other works.
November 15, 2011
John Rector's got some serious chops. His terse and fluid prose creates a momentum that drives the story forward at an insane clip. When I started reading, I was convinced that the first-person present tense narration would bug me, but it worked. The story is short and the read is quick.
If I have any fault with ALREADY GONE, it's that the story feels really familiar and relies a little heavily on genre conventions. That's not necessarily a bad thing. This is very much a genre work and it embraces the ordinary man/extraordinary situation with a full bear hug. The story just isn't nearly as strong as its execution. Basically, this is a good story told extremely well.
For any fan of thrillers, this is a must-read. Regardless of my petty gripes, John Rector always delivers.
If I have any fault with ALREADY GONE, it's that the story feels really familiar and relies a little heavily on genre conventions. That's not necessarily a bad thing. This is very much a genre work and it embraces the ordinary man/extraordinary situation with a full bear hug. The story just isn't nearly as strong as its execution. Basically, this is a good story told extremely well.
For any fan of thrillers, this is a must-read. Regardless of my petty gripes, John Rector always delivers.
January 9, 2012
I decided to read this book after reading the synopsis and I must admit I was not disappointed. I normally shy away from novels that start with violent acts, such as finger removal, but I had to find out what happened next. This novel reminded me of some of the best 50's film noir movies.
I really enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot, but I found Jack Reese a bit to naive to be completely believable. For a man raised in the criminal underworld, I would have expected him to anticipate the actions of the criminals around him.
I highly recommend this novel for an enjoyable read on a cold winter's day, with a glass of red wine by your side. This is a true guilty pleasure of a novel.
I really enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot, but I found Jack Reese a bit to naive to be completely believable. For a man raised in the criminal underworld, I would have expected him to anticipate the actions of the criminals around him.
I highly recommend this novel for an enjoyable read on a cold winter's day, with a glass of red wine by your side. This is a true guilty pleasure of a novel.
October 3, 2011
This is easily a top 10 book of 2011. John really took a gamble here and hit one out of the park. It may not be as dark as The Cold Kiss or The Grove, but it is every bit as well written. This book crackles with electricity from page one and keeps you glued to the page until the end. Written in the same vein as James M.Cain & Raymond Chandler, Rector may be the closest thing we have to the masters.
November 2, 2011
For the most part, the cast is masterfully lead by Rector and has one of the wisest and most interesting gang bangers to spearhead its rockiest moments. There's fast paced action and an avalanche of plot twists, but ALREADY GONE does all the small, subtle details properly. I have some reserves over a few details, but those are preferences and not glaring weakness. For what it is, a thriller, this is as good and as dark as it gets.
August 15, 2019
A very good thriller
With Already Gone John Rector writes a right thriller that used theoretical tropes of the genre but by coming at it from a different angle. It's fast paced and well written with plenty of twists. However the big twist here bugged me for some reason even though it worked perfectly well. I just didn't like how it went in that direction instead of being a little more sad and mysterious. Either way it's a good thriller written by a top-notch writer.
With Already Gone John Rector writes a right thriller that used theoretical tropes of the genre but by coming at it from a different angle. It's fast paced and well written with plenty of twists. However the big twist here bugged me for some reason even though it worked perfectly well. I just didn't like how it went in that direction instead of being a little more sad and mysterious. Either way it's a good thriller written by a top-notch writer.
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September 6, 2012I chose to go into this book blindly, without having read any description of it at all which provided an extra sense of intrigue and more of a devotion to figuring out this mystery, just as the main character is, step by step. I thoroughly enjoyed the the point of view the author took as well as the tense way in which he wrote at times, all heightened the mystery.
November 28, 2012
I read this book in practically one sitting--haven't done that in a while. It is sparely and finely written with driving action and plenty of plot twists. A little more character development would have gone a long way in making it a more substantial novel. But I really enjoyed it--and would recommend it.
November 3, 2011
This book had me from the very fist pages. It is a very fast & action packed. There was alot of twists and turns and left you at your edge of seat wanting to know more. In the end do I think Jake was fooled? yep, I do. He took what he thought was love over true loyalty.
December 5, 2011
Do yourself a favor. Before you crack open this book, cancel all your appointments. Call in sick to work. Make no plans. Because once you start reading it, you won't want to stop until you turn the last page.
May 13, 2015
Money, always money.
Can't trust anyone, nobody. Is it truth or lie, who to trust? Many broken noses, fingers cut and gun fights. Best thing about this book is narration, did my ironing and listened.
Can't trust anyone, nobody. Is it truth or lie, who to trust? Many broken noses, fingers cut and gun fights. Best thing about this book is narration, did my ironing and listened.
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