Okay Curious One, here we go! Today I walked into the world of Blake Pierce. I found his first Riley Paige Mystery Series book and it hooked me. Once Gone is a dark, psychological thriller where you hunt down this serial killer who is kidnapping women, torturing them, then dressing them up and posing them as dolls.
Fractures In Reality
It was great to have a female lead in a mystery series that was struggling to come to terms with the results of a past case, causing some fracturing of her psyche prior to solving this case. It gave her a realistic vision and you could connect with her so much more than the typical badass heroine detective who always solves everything and comes out on top.
Not that there is anything bad about that, but when the genre is saturated with the same tropes, you struggle to find a differing viewpoint. But Pierce has given you that chance and it sounds like the sequels in the series further explore what is happening to Riley and I hope that down the road she gets some resolution.
With that said, I did find his writing style a bit dry. There was barely any connection to the killer, and you were pretty focused on Riley’s surroundings. It wasn’t a bad thing, and maybe his next few books are a little more relaxing in style, but even with the stiff and dry reaction I was having, I still definitely enjoyed Once Gone.
You know I say how I feel here, and even with all the amazing things this book has; I was a bit bored with it. The killer was sick and twisted, that’s for sure, but the way he was revealed felt a bit too plain. Like, it was coincidence that Riley was there the morning after the lady had her shop cleaned and found the trail of the killer. Maybe if it was decided whether she was simply a super skilled Profiler or has some natural, unnatural ability it may have been better for me? I’m not sure.
Seeing Is Believing
Like I said, it was a good book and I will probably eventually get around to some of the others in the series, but I wanted more, I guess. I was so ecstatic that the main character was already struggling with her own demons, giving her a realistic vibe and past, that maybe I was expecting more of a climax and reveal in the storyline.
I did like how you were given a chance to understand why the killer was doing what he was doing. It was nice to have that stated for you, so you weren’t left guessing with the characters as to his motives. I mean, dressing women as dolls and torturing them is pretty specific and to get clued into his own past, what made his own mind break, was relieving.
I can only imagine what it would be like for a young boy to be forcibly dressed as a girl, play with dolls, and do things he deeply didn’t want to do – all because his mother was that desperate for a girl. I’m just saying, maybe the mom, if she were alive, should have been brought in and arrested for abuse. That’s just strictly appalling.
I honestly got a small vibe here from a favorite T.V. series of mine. Once Gone reminded me a bit of Criminal Minds. Especially the B.A.U. setting. I liked it.
Once Gone’s Story
So, Riley is trying to get a handle on her last case, in which she was caught by a serial killer and tortured. She freed his current victim, only to be caught herself and tortured through various means. Mostly a blowtorch, it seems. The confusing part is that she knocked him unconscious, and blew up the house she was being held in. Assuming he was still inside. They discovered a body that was burnt beyond recognition, which is part of my confusion here. I mean, maybe they didn’t have any DNA, but I would have assumed they would have something to cross-reference his bone marrow or a deep tissue sample or something. But they didn’t and were therefore only 99% certain that is was the guy.
I do think she is being stalked and watched by someone though, especially after the pebbles found on her bed, but why pebbles? And the victim she saved was so thoroughly convinced that she was being haunted and hunted that she committed suicide to escape it. I even have the slightest feeling of doubt that if it was a suicide, it should definitely be thought of as an assisted suicide. I mean, to be haunted by your memories so deeply that you cannot leave your house… I connect with that and don’t want to believe that she gave up. Also, with Riley’s apparent ability to connect so deeply and accurately with the minds of those she hunts, I would think her instincts about her torturer would be accurate and don’t understand why her partner and even psychologist (maybe) don’t believe anything she is saying and going through.
(Remember to check out The Library if you’d like to support Time for a Book!)
Once Gone’s Family Matters
The whole world wants to put labels on things and PTSD isn’t always the answer. It’s not. Sometimes, it’s more than that…
I liked that her daughter wasn’t 100% obnoxious either. From the beginning, you get the feeling that she is acting out only to try to get her mother to talk to her. It makes sense, especially from a 14-year-old’s perspective. If you are watching your strong, independent mother succumb day-by-day to depression and fear, it makes you want to lash out and understand why she won’t let you help.
I get that it’s a parent’s job to teach their children what they can and to protect them as much as they can from everything they can, but parenting is a two-way street. You have to be willing to learn from and be open with your children. If you don’t, you almost always lose them because they think you no longer love them or care about them and they are burdens in your life instead of being the light of your life. I understand where her daughter was coming from and I’m super glad that resulted in what it did.
And I say screw her ex-husband. He seems like selfish and arrogant jerk. Hahah!
Final Thoughts on Once Gone by Blake Pierce
I’m fully aware I am giving you some mixed opinions here, Curious One and I apologize for that, deeply. I am going through a slew of my own personal problems and I’m hoping that’s why this book didn’t have quite the explosion I was expecting. It certainly had all the elements of a breathtaking book that makes you want to read more, but I was left a little bit wanting. I can’t pin down why I was bored with Once Gone, as there are so many unique and wonderful things about it, but I am almost certain I will revisit it and have hope that it will hook me in, keeping me up late at night with a light on.
Like I said, hopefully it’s just my own personal issues coming into play that kept me from thoroughly enjoying this book and when I run into the second book, perhaps I will re-read Once Gone and give it an updated discussion.
I wish you all the best, Curious One, and I hope you enjoyed Once Gone by Blake Pierce. It truly was a refreshing book and deserves a second chance from me! Let me know if you have a question or a suggestion. As always, keep on reading on!
For now, it’s time for another book…
Check out Blake Pierce at the following links:
Blake Pierce’s Website
Blake Pierce’s Facebook Page
Support Time for a Book!
You can support Time for a Book by visiting The Library!
You can like us on Facebook, follow on Instagram, or follow on Twitter as well!
If you enjoyed this discussion, check out some other discussions in the Fantasy, Suspense/Thriller, and Other pages! Make sure to check out the Time for a Notebook as well for notes on things book related! Thanks!!
