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Good as Gone: A Novel of Suspense Hardcover – July 26, 2016

by Amy Gentry (Author)

3.7 5,775 ratings

Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

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Thirteen-year-old Julie Whitaker was kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night, witnessed only by her younger sister. Her family was shattered, but managed to stick together, hoping against hope that Julie is still alive. And then one night: the doorbell rings. A young woman who appears to be Julie is finally, miraculously, home safe. The family is ecstatic—but Anna, Julie’s mother, has whispers of doubts. She hates to face them. She cannot avoid them. When she is contacted by a former detective turned private eye, she begins a torturous search for the truth about the woman she desperately hopes is her daughter.

Propulsive and suspenseful, Good as Gone will appeal to fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, and keep readers guessing until the final pages.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An Amazon Best Book of August 2016: The worst nightmare of every parent comes true for Anna and Tom when a stranger snatches their thirteen-year-old daughter, Julie, from her bedroom at knife point. No evidence has been found to prove her alive or dead, but Anna knows deep inside that Julie was murdered. Now, eight years later, a girl who looks like Julie shows up on their doorstep, similar in many ways to the daughter they loved and in other ways completely different. Is it really Julie? Amy Gentry doesn’t pull her emotional punches as the chapters oscillate between maybe-Julie and Anna, and it’s soon clear that the truth is not what it seems. But the truth might not be what you think it is either. This thriller pierces into the darkest corners of the heart where both love and fear reside, escalating the suspense to deliver a gut-plunging finale. --Adrian Liang, The Amazon Book Review

Review

A New York Times Book Review "Editors' Choice"
An Entertainment Weekly "Must List" Pick
A Refinery 29 "Suspense Thriller You'll Love"
A "Skimm Reads" Pick

"[One] of the most anticipated summer thrillers...Gentry's novel isn't primarily about the version of the self that comes from a name and a family of origin; instead, it draws our attention to the self that's forged from sheer survival, and from the clarifying call to vengeance." —The New York Times Book Review

"Gentry’s debut novel is more than worthy of the analogy [to Gillian Flynn’s 2012 smash, Gone Girl]…it’s so gripping you might start to question your own family’s past." —Entertainment Weekly

"So much about this novel is fresh and insightful and decidedly not like every other thriller…Good as Gone ranks as an outstanding debut, well worth reading. This is no mere Gone Girl wannabe.” —The Dallas Morning News

“A mother, a daughter, a zealot, an investigator, a family, a stripper, and more than a few survivors lay the riveting groundwork, but it's Amy Gentry's realistic portrayals of victims and their families that set Good as Gone apart from other page-turning crime dramas...The end result is a true ‘novel of suspense’: a book that's hard to put down not only because of our investment in the plot, but also because of our investment in the lives of the complicated characters.” —The Austin Chronicle

"Compelling and emotionally nuanced." —The Seattle Times

"This smart, crisply written thriller begins with a ‘ripped from the headlines’ premise, but broadens to explore themes ranging from the mothering of daughters to the inwardness of suburban life and the lure of the megachurch in an era of consumerism.” —The Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Both a mother-daughter and a family-under-fire story, Good as Gone is laden with confused identities and a thrumming plot. Amy Gentry's debut also holds a mirror up to the myriad ways rape culture is perpetuated.” —Bustle

“Good as Gone…confirms the entrance of a powerful new voice in the world of crime fiction—Gentry knows crime fiction as a critic and as a writer, and brings her experiences with her for a novel that is as playful and self-aware in its structure as it is responsible in its themes.”—MysteryPeople

"If you love a measured and thought-provoking novel of suspense, with one eye on character study and one eye on a city’s conflicted culture, this might just be the next book for you.” —Crime by the Book

"Debut novelist Gentry delivers on genre expectations with crisp, unobtrusive writing and well-executed plot twists." —Kirkus Reviews

"Clever perspective changes give Gentry's debut building suspense...Fans of Paula Hawkin's The Girl on the Train will enjoy the shifting points of view and the complex female characters, and those who liked Samantha Hunt's Mr. Splitfoot will appreciate the seedy characters and haunting theme of childhood vulnerability...Gentry's depiction of a family working through immense suffering will connect with many readers." —Booklist

"Gentry’s treatment is effective, with a swift-moving narrative and an interesting backstory for Julie and engrossing insight into Anna’s ambivalence and grief...A good pick for fans of mysteries, thrillers, and family drama." —Library Journal

“Amy Gentry has burst out of the gate with a monumentally intelligent, wily thriller about identity, vengeance, and homecoming that introduces readers to some of the most badass female characters on the shelf. Good as Gone is a river that shoots the reader deftly through rapids, over cliffs, past eerie vistas to a shocking, elegant and well-earned ending. Do yourself a favor: jump in.“—Kelly Luce, author of Pull Me Under

“A bracing, scarily honest look at what it means to be female—and to be a daughter, sister, wife, mother—wrapped up in a vicious thriller. Gentry's ambitious debut will satisfy fans of Gone Girl, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and The Killing.”—Merritt Tierce, author of Love Me Back

“Unreliability sets the tone for this page-turner as it begins with a kidnapping where the only witness is the victim's a ten-year-old sister. Pitting innocence and earnestness against criminality and manipulation, this novel, with its deft twists and turns, will leave you haunted long after the final page...You need to read this book. Like a literary James Patterson, this is a not-to-miss debut.”—Steph Opitz, book reviewer, Marie Claire

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 1st edition (July 26, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0544920953
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0544920958
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,414,989 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #18,423 in Family Life Fiction (Books)
- #54,843 in Suspense Thrillers
- #69,104 in American Literature (Books)

Customer Reviews:
3.7 5,775 ratings

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Amy Gentry

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Amy Gentry is the author of the debut thriller Good as Gone, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2016. She frequently contributes book reviews to the Chicago Tribune, and her freelance writing has appeared in Salon, Fusion, The Rumpus, LA Review of Books, Austin Chronicle, Gastronomica, The Best Food Writing of 2014, and many more. Amy holds a doctorate in English from the University of Chicago and lives in Austin, Texas.

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Lacey Eder

A confusing, but wild ride

Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2020

Verified Purchase

The flashbacks were what were confusing. Not knowing what spot in time you were being dropped into made it hard to keep up with the various characters.
The twist feels like it was ripped straight from Abducted in Plain Sight (an infuriating, yet great documentary that I recommend). The writing style of Amy’s is great and keeps you hooked.
While I don’t usually care for graphic imagery or vulgar words, I was taken aback by it here. It felt out of place and didn’t flow with the rest of the book.
At the heart of it all, though, the graphicness of what Julie endured matters. That gut punch and sickening feeling is important to feel. It feels very real.
When you piece the whole narrative together towards the end, it feels you with so many emotions. While none of the characters are really likable, you do sympathize with Anna, Tom, and Jane in the end. The parents aren’t perfect (what parents really are, though?) and the sister rebels because of that, so in the end..it all makes sense and falls in place.

Some things in the story were, in my opinion, unnecessary. What was the point in talking about the trust money and how it was ultimately spent? That has no bearing on the story. Or Vi’s relationship with Lina? They don’t fit into the trials and tribulations Julie faced through the years. But in the end, any complaints are minor and worthy of just a loss of a star. Not bad for a first novel! I definitely did end up enjoying the book after things started picking up and would be interested to read Amy’s other work.

One person found this helpful

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Kaleigh Murray

Probably would be better on the second read.

Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2018

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I did not obsessively scour through book reviews before choosing this book as my next read. Good As Gone was listed on a BuzzFeed article along with many other novels I ended up adding to my collection. Many of the novels listed in the article had peaked my interest by their descriptions alone, an extreme oddity for such a picky reader like myself. Good As Gone had the similar premise of a book I had read previously, titled Only Daughter. While Only Daughter may have had the best intentions (and some juicy dramatic moments), the overall storytelling was lackluster. Both these novels focused on the dynamics of a family following the return of an abducted child. Because of the similar plot points, I was secretly hoping that Good As Gone would fill the void that Only Daughter had left in my psychologically-thrill-seeking heart, however, I had no such luck. The second I read the final page, I went to Good Reads to get some insight on what I had actually just read. It was all extremely difficult to keep up with. I generally enjoy stories that alternate character points of view, but this just seemed messy. Like a teacher throwing you an unplanned test review the night before a big exam. Information overload. The daughter, who didn’t end up being an imposter after all, had lived life as many different people since the night she escaped from her captor. While it was hinted that the random characters were linked together, It was in no way obvious that they were all the same person. Some of the reviews I read following my completion of this book stated that the only reason some fellow readers were able to somewhat keep up with the jumbled character situation was due to the fact that they finished the novel in one sitting. I, too, finished the novel in one night, yet still I was left confused. This book had it’s moments. The shell of a thrill seeking novel was there, but in the end it did entertain me as much as I had hoped. On the other hand, I do believe that it is possible that this could be a good reread. Knowing what I do now, it would probably be much easier to understand from the point of view of the main character as all her past selves. I am a sucker for a reread, so here’s to hoping the second time is a charm!

17 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Solid Thriller - Couldn't put it down

Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2016

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This is a fantastic breakout novel that solidly delivers as a page-turner. It kept me riveted throughout and I found great satisfaction at the conclusion.

The book has a simple premise, but navigates complicated waters. This novel brings to life the horrors many real women experience in the form of sexual violence. This is approached in a manner which is not exploitive nor sensationalized; we sympathize with the pragmatic choices these characters make because these moments of violence are described in a straightforward and stark manner. It's easy to understand how a person could unravel under these circumstances, and we as the reader can easily relate.

The plot and characters are all solid, and the rich descriptions make it easy to spend time in their world. It is well-crafted in both plot and in its details.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling and highly enjoyable read!

4 people found this helpful

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Megan Sargent

It was good, twisted

Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2018

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Whoa! It was good, twisted, not what I expected, stressful, very well written and I couldn’t put it down. If you want to read a thriller/mystery that will for sure keep you guessing this is it. I read the first chapter on Amazon for free and then immediately had to purchase it. •
•
•
The premise is a young girl is kidnapped by knife point out of her home at 14 and shows up at her parents home 7 years later. Then the story leads you down winding roads to a shocking conclusion.

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Harjot

Read it if you want something to consume

Reviewed in India on May 10, 2019

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At first the book grips your attention, and Sparks curiosity as to what'll happen. But then as it proceeds, it wanders off to not so interesting plots. The books has a bidirectional flown. One plot proceeding the events after she came back home after 8 years, while the other unwinding the events before her arrival. The problem with this flow is that I felt a little lost as to what is even happening. You may also feel a certain lack of interconnectedness in the plots. There are a few missing links and justification to the events in the book.
But this at your own risk, after reading it I feel like I wasted my time, but that's my opinion. Choose wisely :)

Charlotte C.

Good book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2017

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I enjoyed this twisty book. I changed my mind a couple of times about how it would end up!

Something that bothered me: a fake DoB was given of 1989 which was meant to be close to her real year of birth, so let's say 1991. But then she'd have gone in 2004 which doesn't match the mention of Facebook or video calling or smart phones. If we work backwards from 2016 when the book was published, she'd have a DoB of 1995, and the technology is a bit less anachronistic considering she would be 13 in 2008 (although, still, Facebook chat didn't exist then). Just a little issue, but one that bugged me.

JRI

Search for the truth

Reviewed in Germany on June 28, 2017

Verified Purchase

A 13-year-old girl gets kidnapped from her bedroom and shows up as young woman at her parents’ house.
First her family is blissfully happy, but slowly doubts arise.
Is this really July?
Mother Anna starts a search for the truth.

Easy to read with an exciting plot and lots of twists and turns.
Although not all seemed plausible to me they kept me reading.

One person found this helpful

dinky826

Didn’t want it to end

Reviewed in Australia on June 5, 2018

Verified Purchase

A great read. I didn’t want it to end. Surprises around every corner. When you think you’ve work it out...you’re wrong

Amazon Customer

Good as Gone was good when it was over!

Reviewed in Canada on September 16, 2016

Verified Purchase

Stories about child abduction and abuse seem to be all the rage with authors lately.
A strong storyline and characters you can sympathize with are essential. In this novel even the victim herself was hard to sympathize with. Her family which included a mother, father and sister was equally difficult to care about because they were all portrayed as self serving and self involved. The plot was implausible at best.
I gave it 3 stars because this author CAN write well. This particular novel, however, was just not that enjoyable.

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Good as Gone: A Novel of Suspense Hardcover – July 26, 2016

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