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Roy Ballard Mysteries #1
Gone the Next
Meet Roy Ballard, freelance videographer with a knack for catching insurance cheats. He's working a routine case, complete with hours of tedious surveillance, when he sees something that shakes him to the core. There, with the subject, is a little blond girl wearing a pink top and denim shorts—the same outfit worn by Tracy Turner, a six-year-old abducted the day before. When the police are skeptical of Ballard's report—and with his history, who can blame them?—it's the beginning of the most important case of his life.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 2012
About the author
Ben Rehder
51 books261 followersBen Rehder wanted to become a writer ever since he was dropped on his head as a toddler. As he grew into a young adult and the vertigo gradually dissipated, his passion for literature grew. Ben longed to craft the type of soul-stirring prose that would touch people’s lives and help them explore new emotional horizons. But he went to work at an ad agency instead.
Throughout his rewarding and fruitful career in the ad business, Ben has been known to write such imaginative and compelling phrases as “Act now!,” “Limited-time offer,” and “Compatible with today’s rapidly changing network environment.”
However, there eventually came a time when, as unbelievable as it sounds, writing brochures and spec sheets simply wasn’t enough to satisfy Ben’s creative urges. Ben knew: It was time to write a novel.
“But what kind of novel?” Ben asked himself, drawing stares from passersby.
A mystery? A thriller? A work of suspense? Ben had read hundreds of books in these genres and loved them all. But nothing had sparked his creative juices enough to try it himself.
Fate played a hand one day when Ben’s father-in-law tossed him a copy of a Carl Hiaasen novel. And then it hit him. It literally hit him, right in the forehead. When the swelling went down and Ben had a chance to read the book, he discovered a type of fiction he had never experienced before—the comic crime novel! He loved the wacky characters, the zany plots, the interesting writing that threw a good deal of humor into the mix.
So Ben set out to write his own novel. After many grueling minutes in front of a computer, Ben was proud to present Buck Fever. Like many best-selling classics, Buck Fever has lots and lots of verbs, prepositions, adjectives, and the occasional gerund. It was even nominated for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel!
Next came Bone Dry, Flat Crazy, Guilt Trip, Gun Shy, and Holy Moly. Best of all, Ben is now releasing the earlier novels in ebook format at the low low price of just $2.99. What a deal!
Throughout his rewarding and fruitful career in the ad business, Ben has been known to write such imaginative and compelling phrases as “Act now!,” “Limited-time offer,” and “Compatible with today’s rapidly changing network environment.”
However, there eventually came a time when, as unbelievable as it sounds, writing brochures and spec sheets simply wasn’t enough to satisfy Ben’s creative urges. Ben knew: It was time to write a novel.
“But what kind of novel?” Ben asked himself, drawing stares from passersby.
A mystery? A thriller? A work of suspense? Ben had read hundreds of books in these genres and loved them all. But nothing had sparked his creative juices enough to try it himself.
Fate played a hand one day when Ben’s father-in-law tossed him a copy of a Carl Hiaasen novel. And then it hit him. It literally hit him, right in the forehead. When the swelling went down and Ben had a chance to read the book, he discovered a type of fiction he had never experienced before—the comic crime novel! He loved the wacky characters, the zany plots, the interesting writing that threw a good deal of humor into the mix.
So Ben set out to write his own novel. After many grueling minutes in front of a computer, Ben was proud to present Buck Fever. Like many best-selling classics, Buck Fever has lots and lots of verbs, prepositions, adjectives, and the occasional gerund. It was even nominated for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel!
Next came Bone Dry, Flat Crazy, Guilt Trip, Gun Shy, and Holy Moly. Best of all, Ben is now releasing the earlier novels in ebook format at the low low price of just $2.99. What a deal!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 773 reviews
September 23, 2022
RATED 3.5⭐️, rounded to 4.
The locale of this book is current day Austin, Texas. A fraud investigator, Roy Ballard and the case of an abducted child intersect. Time is of the essence as Roy tries to get the police to listen to his story. Will the detectives take advantage of what Roy shares with them, or will they plod through their investigation following the everyday suspect interrogation playbook?
I enjoyed this book. The story was plausible, the chapters short and the pace quick enough to keep the suspense high.
The locale of this book is current day Austin, Texas. A fraud investigator, Roy Ballard and the case of an abducted child intersect. Time is of the essence as Roy tries to get the police to listen to his story. Will the detectives take advantage of what Roy shares with them, or will they plod through their investigation following the everyday suspect interrogation playbook?
I enjoyed this book. The story was plausible, the chapters short and the pace quick enough to keep the suspense high.
February 10, 2017
SURPRISE!
Having reluctantly purchased a $49 nook to appease my husband, Marc, I chose a free eBook just to try it out and satisfy him. (I've always been the hands-on, hard-cover book type.)
Boy, was I in for a pleasant experience. I love my little nook and I LOVED this amazing book. Why was I never aware of this talented author, before?
"Gone The Next" will not be the last book I read by Ben Rehder, and I must look for a copy of the next Roy Ballard mystery in the series. The characters are very likable and the storyline is fast-moving and fun to read. It never lags or gets boring. Great way to finish the year!
Thank you Marc, thank you Ben Rehder, and thank you Barnes & Noble.
Definitely recommend.
Having reluctantly purchased a $49 nook to appease my husband, Marc, I chose a free eBook just to try it out and satisfy him. (I've always been the hands-on, hard-cover book type.)
Boy, was I in for a pleasant experience. I love my little nook and I LOVED this amazing book. Why was I never aware of this talented author, before?
"Gone The Next" will not be the last book I read by Ben Rehder, and I must look for a copy of the next Roy Ballard mystery in the series. The characters are very likable and the storyline is fast-moving and fun to read. It never lags or gets boring. Great way to finish the year!
Thank you Marc, thank you Ben Rehder, and thank you Barnes & Noble.
Definitely recommend.
June 21, 2019
Another hidden gem from the depths of my kindle. It's a pacy well written story full of twists, suspense & humour. I really enjoyed the 2 MC's, Roy & his partner Mia. If you're a fan of David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series, this should keep you chuckling & entertained. I'll definitely be picking up book #2 👍
December 15, 2019
Book 1 in the Roy Ballard series published 2012.
I picked up this book as a free bee quite some time ago and it’s been sitting on my kobo waiting to be read at some point in the future. After recently reading a positive review on this book by a GR friend I decided the future had arrived.
All I can say is ‘WOW’ what a great read it turned out to be.
Roy Ballard was at the park with his young daughter just having some fun, enjoying the moment. In the blink of an eye the girl was there one moment and gone the next.
This moment changed Roy’s life forever. Not only did his daughter go missing but his marriage came to a crashing end.
That was several years ago now and life has moved on. Roy is now a videographer working for insurance companies trying to uncover insurance fraud.
When Roy hears that a young girl has been abducted he is taken back to that horrendous day when is own child was stolen.
Whilst pursuing the case he is working at the present Roy is convinced that he sees the missing girl in the company of, no other than, the man he is investigating.
Roy takes his concerns to the police but they show no interest in what Roy has to say.
But Roy is unable to let this go and decides to pursue it on his own.
What follows is a tense tale of discovery and the more Roy digs the more tense the tale becomes. There’s lots of ‘off the cuff’ dry humour that helps to lighten the mood.
The end was a surprise I didn’t see coming.
All in all this was a damned good, 4 Star, read.
I picked up this book as a free bee quite some time ago and it’s been sitting on my kobo waiting to be read at some point in the future. After recently reading a positive review on this book by a GR friend I decided the future had arrived.
All I can say is ‘WOW’ what a great read it turned out to be.
Roy Ballard was at the park with his young daughter just having some fun, enjoying the moment. In the blink of an eye the girl was there one moment and gone the next.
This moment changed Roy’s life forever. Not only did his daughter go missing but his marriage came to a crashing end.
That was several years ago now and life has moved on. Roy is now a videographer working for insurance companies trying to uncover insurance fraud.
When Roy hears that a young girl has been abducted he is taken back to that horrendous day when is own child was stolen.
Whilst pursuing the case he is working at the present Roy is convinced that he sees the missing girl in the company of, no other than, the man he is investigating.
Roy takes his concerns to the police but they show no interest in what Roy has to say.
But Roy is unable to let this go and decides to pursue it on his own.
What follows is a tense tale of discovery and the more Roy digs the more tense the tale becomes. There’s lots of ‘off the cuff’ dry humour that helps to lighten the mood.
The end was a surprise I didn’t see coming.
All in all this was a damned good, 4 Star, read.
September 23, 2017
❝Because, let me tell you, until you've had your daughter snatched right out from under you at a public park -- there one minute, gone the next -- you have no idea what helplessness feels like.❞
A little girl has been taken and the police aren't on their game, but Roy Ballard is. And he'll do anything to find her. Ballard knows about helplessness. That's why he's trying his best to help a family avoid the pain he experienced years ago.
What I liked
-The old-timey radio crime feel of the writing. Ballard talk to us, the reader. He's telling us a story. It's a great book to curl up to in front of a fire while imagining that there's a big old crackly radio in the corner carrying the staticky voice of a wise-cracking detective.
-The story. The pacing was great. The sections that were devoted to the kidnapper's voice gave us insight and left us longing for the ultimate capture.
What I didn't like
-There was very little that I didn't like about this book other than the fact that at the last page I was truly left wanting more.
I got this book as a free Kindle ebook via BookBub. #score !
A little girl has been taken and the police aren't on their game, but Roy Ballard is. And he'll do anything to find her. Ballard knows about helplessness. That's why he's trying his best to help a family avoid the pain he experienced years ago.
What I liked
-The old-timey radio crime feel of the writing. Ballard talk to us, the reader. He's telling us a story. It's a great book to curl up to in front of a fire while imagining that there's a big old crackly radio in the corner carrying the staticky voice of a wise-cracking detective.
-The story. The pacing was great. The sections that were devoted to the kidnapper's voice gave us insight and left us longing for the ultimate capture.
What I didn't like
-There was very little that I didn't like about this book other than the fact that at the last page I was truly left wanting more.
I got this book as a free Kindle ebook via BookBub. #score !
November 28, 2019
Roy Ballard worked freelance, hired by insurance companies to find fraud cheats. His latest case was progressing in its usual mundane and boring way when Roy spotted a small child with the person he was watching. Was that Tracy Turner, the six-year-old who’d been abducted only the day before? Roy was sure it was – but what was he to do? The police didn’t believe his story so it seemed quite obvious that Roy, along with his new partner Mia, would have to investigate on their own…
Gone the Next is the 1st in the Roy Ballard Mystery series by Ben Rehder and it was great! Wry humour along with sarcastic wit; plenty of twists and a mystery which became more dangerous the closer Roy came to answers. There was a blend of past mystery which mimicked the current one – well written and thoroughly enjoyable. Highly recommended (and it’s free on Amazon ATM)
Gone the Next is the 1st in the Roy Ballard Mystery series by Ben Rehder and it was great! Wry humour along with sarcastic wit; plenty of twists and a mystery which became more dangerous the closer Roy came to answers. There was a blend of past mystery which mimicked the current one – well written and thoroughly enjoyable. Highly recommended (and it’s free on Amazon ATM)
May 14, 2022
A six-year-old girl from a very wealthy family goes missing. There are no clues, no witnesses, no ransom demand, no nuttin. Roy Ballard, who investigates potential workman´s compensation fraud for insurance companies, apparently sees the little girl during the course of such an investigation but the police are disinclined to believe him. Roy´s own daughter disappeared in a similar fashion some years back and he thought that he saw her on several occasions, which he reported to the police. Each ¨sighting¨ proved to be inaccurate. His credibility was further damaged by his conviction for popping a guy in the mouth in a bar and getting fired from his job, as a result.
As days pass, Roy´s conviction in what he saw begins to lessen. As an insurance fraud investigator, he is aware that eyewitness testimony is very unreliable. His best friend, Mia, becomes interested in the case, which has had huge media coverage and she joins him in his ongoing investigation. The suspected fraud case that initially brought him into contact with the kidnapping is dropped because of evidence that the suspect did not, in fact, commit insurance fraud.
I started reading this book when I unexpectedly spent a night in the hospital without my iPad and Gone the Next is what I could find on my iPhone - In point of fact, I went to the hospital for a routine test, and during the pre-test examination, a problem was discovered so they slapped into a room iPadless!
Nonetheless, I am very glad that I discovered Gone the Next because it really hooked me - and I am not an easy hookee. I was up most of the night because there was a mass of cables attached to me and the blood pressure cuff inflated at annoyingly frequent intervals. But enough about my travails and back to the book!
Rehder has a very nice, comfortable, conversational writing style. It´s enjoyable to read and very easy to follow as it´s absolutely straightforward. The plot is clever, unique and has a twist or two each of which is reasonable when put in context. One does NOT have to suspend reality in reading this book. The characters are interesting although not quite as well developed as I would have liked. And Roy is just a little too much of a smartass. In fact, his constant wisecracks got a little annoying.
Nonetheless (NEVER use a big word twice in the same review, unless it´s ¨nonetheless¨), the book was a fun, quick read and I have no hesitation recommending it to anyone who enjoys such mystery books. BTW, It is set in Austin, Texas where I lived for four years and my son and his family live now so, I enjoyed the references to places with which I am familiar.
Fini
As days pass, Roy´s conviction in what he saw begins to lessen. As an insurance fraud investigator, he is aware that eyewitness testimony is very unreliable. His best friend, Mia, becomes interested in the case, which has had huge media coverage and she joins him in his ongoing investigation. The suspected fraud case that initially brought him into contact with the kidnapping is dropped because of evidence that the suspect did not, in fact, commit insurance fraud.
I started reading this book when I unexpectedly spent a night in the hospital without my iPad and Gone the Next is what I could find on my iPhone - In point of fact, I went to the hospital for a routine test, and during the pre-test examination, a problem was discovered so they slapped into a room iPadless!
Nonetheless, I am very glad that I discovered Gone the Next because it really hooked me - and I am not an easy hookee. I was up most of the night because there was a mass of cables attached to me and the blood pressure cuff inflated at annoyingly frequent intervals. But enough about my travails and back to the book!
Rehder has a very nice, comfortable, conversational writing style. It´s enjoyable to read and very easy to follow as it´s absolutely straightforward. The plot is clever, unique and has a twist or two each of which is reasonable when put in context. One does NOT have to suspend reality in reading this book. The characters are interesting although not quite as well developed as I would have liked. And Roy is just a little too much of a smartass. In fact, his constant wisecracks got a little annoying.
Nonetheless (NEVER use a big word twice in the same review, unless it´s ¨nonetheless¨), the book was a fun, quick read and I have no hesitation recommending it to anyone who enjoys such mystery books. BTW, It is set in Austin, Texas where I lived for four years and my son and his family live now so, I enjoyed the references to places with which I am familiar.
Fini
June 27, 2022
It was a light weight, fun read. I liked the two main characters. The girl seemed smart and knew when to tell what she knew and when to keep quiet. The male character was easy to like, and to keep rooting for him to solve the kidnapping. No help from the cops, as they were mostly a bunch of idiots. There is a back story that explains why it was so important to Roy Ballard to find this missing child. It shows a lot about the Roy character that would have been missed without it. Roy's constant one-liners are amusing...especially the ones he uses when flirting with the opposite sex. There's no sex, no foul language, just a good mystery, so it should appeal to all fans of this genre. This is the first in the series and it has a very promising start. I may read more of them.
October 13, 2014
Rehder's Blanco County series was full of humor and wacko characters. Gone The Next is a full on mystery about an abducted girl.
I enjoy authors who have the ability to shift gears and still put out a good read. This is listed on Amazon as 'Roy Ballard Mysteries, Book 1'. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
I enjoy authors who have the ability to shift gears and still put out a good read. This is listed on Amazon as 'Roy Ballard Mysteries, Book 1'. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
February 6, 2017
"Classy mystery"
There's a phrase we use over here for something that's a cut above the rest - 'different gravy'. Roy Ballard is a videographer, or a master investigator, take your pick. A child goes missing, and he thinks he spots her while on a totally different case. The devil is in the detail; it's handled with great precision by Ben Rehder. The thread of humour that runs throughout this book helps keep you entertained and the sub-plots never let the tension, or the mystery slacken. Super.
There's a phrase we use over here for something that's a cut above the rest - 'different gravy'. Roy Ballard is a videographer, or a master investigator, take your pick. A child goes missing, and he thinks he spots her while on a totally different case. The devil is in the detail; it's handled with great precision by Ben Rehder. The thread of humour that runs throughout this book helps keep you entertained and the sub-plots never let the tension, or the mystery slacken. Super.
June 6, 2016
Found this book on Bookbub. So glad I did! Well written. Loved the characters...
June 26, 2016
Strong Voice, Strong Plot, Great Dialogue - I can't wait for more from Ben Rehder!
From the first paragraph this book pulled me in. I'm a sucker for a first-person narrator with a strong voice, and Roy Ballard is just that. The witty banter he has with the women in his life, and the peeks at his painful past made this character irresistible, and the time-pressure tension of the child abduction plot made the book a page-turner for me.
Ben Rehder is a skilled writer I've now added to my must-read list. My only complaint about this book has nothing to do with the writing, and everything to do with Kindle formatting. I read this on the Kindle app on my iPhone, and every time a page ended with a hyphenated word, the rest of the sentence was missing from the next page. Very annoying!
I figured out about half-way through the book that if I increased or decreased the font size, the missing part of the sentence would magically appear, so I no longer had to lose pieces of the book periodically, but it was kind of annoying to have to change font sizes in order to keep reading.
First World problem, as they say. A small de traction from an otherwise excellent book that I will be recommending to anyone who loves a good mystery.
From the first paragraph this book pulled me in. I'm a sucker for a first-person narrator with a strong voice, and Roy Ballard is just that. The witty banter he has with the women in his life, and the peeks at his painful past made this character irresistible, and the time-pressure tension of the child abduction plot made the book a page-turner for me.
Ben Rehder is a skilled writer I've now added to my must-read list. My only complaint about this book has nothing to do with the writing, and everything to do with Kindle formatting. I read this on the Kindle app on my iPhone, and every time a page ended with a hyphenated word, the rest of the sentence was missing from the next page. Very annoying!
I figured out about half-way through the book that if I increased or decreased the font size, the missing part of the sentence would magically appear, so I no longer had to lose pieces of the book periodically, but it was kind of annoying to have to change font sizes in order to keep reading.
First World problem, as they say. A small de traction from an otherwise excellent book that I will be recommending to anyone who loves a good mystery.
April 12, 2019
Gone the Next
This is my first mystery/thriller by Ben Rehder, and I already downloaded the next book in the series!
This is a story of an insurance fraud investigator who stumbles across a kidnapped little girl. The investigator is Roy Ballard, who is a cocky but likeable character. I liked Mia as well.
I am not sure how realistic the interaction with the cops would have been, but it was amusing banter for sure.
This book followed the formula of "give away the kidnapper, then let the investigators figure out the how and why." There were plenty of twists involving the bad guy, and Rehder manages to make the "why" and "who else" interesting. I did NOT like how at first, the italics were the kidnapper's POV...then it was a lady..then a different detective... Very confusing. There was some storytelling at the end of the book that could have easily covered those other storylines, and the italics could have been left for only the kidnappers.
Anyway though - as I said, I already have book 2 downloaded and would not hesitate to recommend this book and author to anyone who is a fan of the genre!
This is my first mystery/thriller by Ben Rehder, and I already downloaded the next book in the series!
This is a story of an insurance fraud investigator who stumbles across a kidnapped little girl. The investigator is Roy Ballard, who is a cocky but likeable character. I liked Mia as well.
I am not sure how realistic the interaction with the cops would have been, but it was amusing banter for sure.
This book followed the formula of "give away the kidnapper, then let the investigators figure out the how and why." There were plenty of twists involving the bad guy, and Rehder manages to make the "why" and "who else" interesting. I did NOT like how at first, the italics were the kidnapper's POV...then it was a lady..then a different detective... Very confusing. There was some storytelling at the end of the book that could have easily covered those other storylines, and the italics could have been left for only the kidnappers.
Anyway though - as I said, I already have book 2 downloaded and would not hesitate to recommend this book and author to anyone who is a fan of the genre!
June 3, 2016
Another good series!
The author of Blanco county mysteries has a new series out and it's another good one! This one is set in Austin, TX so there are lots of familiar places mentioned. This story was really good, I'll definitely read more in this series.
The author of Blanco county mysteries has a new series out and it's another good one! This one is set in Austin, TX so there are lots of familiar places mentioned. This story was really good, I'll definitely read more in this series.
July 12, 2019
As a Texan, this review may be a little biased considering the book is set in Texas. The story was engaging and I loved the characters. Roy was a great new character and I loved how different his job was compared to other mysteries. I just found his sarcastic smart-ass humor likable. Mia was a great grounding character for Roy and she was a great balance to him. The author developed the chemistry between Roy and Mia with some great banter that seemed natural to each way the character was portrayed.
The mystery definitely grabs you from the beginning and the author builds the suspense for both sides of the story. Roy’s reactions as the mystery deepens seem realistic and not too extreme in any sense. The only issues with the story I think relate to the audiobook version – it was very difficult to keep all the timelines organized and then there was an extended time at the end where the author closing out loose ends that may the story drag a little.
The narrator Johnny Peppers did an excellent job. I can some other reviewers didn’t like the narration but I did. He was telling me a story and I was listening with rapt attention. I didn’t need different characterizations to keep me engaged.
The mystery definitely grabs you from the beginning and the author builds the suspense for both sides of the story. Roy’s reactions as the mystery deepens seem realistic and not too extreme in any sense. The only issues with the story I think relate to the audiobook version – it was very difficult to keep all the timelines organized and then there was an extended time at the end where the author closing out loose ends that may the story drag a little.
The narrator Johnny Peppers did an excellent job. I can some other reviewers didn’t like the narration but I did. He was telling me a story and I was listening with rapt attention. I didn’t need different characterizations to keep me engaged.
August 7, 2016
An entertaining easy read
Roy Ballard makes a living investigating insurance fraud. While on a stakeout. he thinks he sees a little girl who matches the description of a missing child recently in the news. Unfortunately, the police don't take him seriously because a few years before, his own child went missing, and he went off the deep end.
This is an easy to read psychological thriller. It didn't leave an impression on me so strong that I'll still be thinking about it a month from now. In fact, I'll probably get it mixed up with any one of a dozen other psychological thrillers I've read recently. But while I was reading it, I was entertained. A solid 3 stars.
Roy Ballard makes a living investigating insurance fraud. While on a stakeout. he thinks he sees a little girl who matches the description of a missing child recently in the news. Unfortunately, the police don't take him seriously because a few years before, his own child went missing, and he went off the deep end.
This is an easy to read psychological thriller. It didn't leave an impression on me so strong that I'll still be thinking about it a month from now. In fact, I'll probably get it mixed up with any one of a dozen other psychological thrillers I've read recently. But while I was reading it, I was entertained. A solid 3 stars.
August 26, 2018
Gone The Next, is the first book in the Roy Ballard Mysteries series by Ben Rehder. One night while videographer Roy Ballard surveillance for an insurance company he saw Tracy Turner the missing little girl that been on the news. However, due to Roy Ballard history with law enforcement, he was not believed. Roy Ballard decided to investigate himself. The readers of Gone The readers of Gone The Next will continue to follow Roy Ballard investigation into the Tracy Turner disappearance.
Gone The Next is the first book I have read of Ben Rehder, and it was enjoyable to read. Due to the main characters are so different from other crime mysteries books that I will read other books in this series. Gone The Next is well written, and research by Ben Rehder. I like Ben Rehder portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout Gone The Next. Ben Rehder did a great job in describing his settings and engaging me with the plot of Gone The Next.
The readers of Gone The Next will see the devastation for the parents when their child goes missing. Also, the readers of Gone The Next will learn about the role and procedures to be a freelance videographer for insurance companies.
I recommend this book.
Gone The Next is the first book I have read of Ben Rehder, and it was enjoyable to read. Due to the main characters are so different from other crime mysteries books that I will read other books in this series. Gone The Next is well written, and research by Ben Rehder. I like Ben Rehder portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout Gone The Next. Ben Rehder did a great job in describing his settings and engaging me with the plot of Gone The Next.
The readers of Gone The Next will see the devastation for the parents when their child goes missing. Also, the readers of Gone The Next will learn about the role and procedures to be a freelance videographer for insurance companies.
I recommend this book.
April 2, 2019
I really enjoyed this Roy Ballard Mystery book. The MC Roy Ballard is flawed but a good guy at heart. He is deeply affected by something that happened to his daughter years earlier. I also liked his partner Mia and her wit and wisdom. Great first book for a series.
February 13, 2017
So, this Mary Sue character who everyone likes/wants to sleep with violates his parole when he runs into the house, winds up getting shot point-blank with a .357 ('tis only a flesh wound!), traumatizes a little girl, and forces a police officer to kill the girl's uncle before her eyes, which will in turn likely traumatize the officer for the rest of his life. Instead of going to jail, being reviled by the public, losing his business, and having his life otherwise made a living hell by the officer in charge (completely justified, btw), Roy Ballard's parole mysteriously and conveniently disappears, he survives the gunshot with only slight discomfort, is treated as a hero by the media, is completely let off the hook by everyone he knows because he's just so awesome, actually gets an increase in business, and he banters back and forth with the officer in charge before the officer then tells him everything he wants to know about the case's resolution. What, the author couldn't work in a scene where Ballard's massive dick tears a hole in space-time, opening a stable wormhole into the All right, all right, all right dimension where everything is made out of frozen margaritas and queso?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2020
Good story and witty dialogue. I enjoyed this Amazon Kindle freebie, think I got it through BookBub.
October 29, 2018
Ben Rehder has sewn a good mystery thriller in Gone the Next. With apt writing, and subtle details throughout the story, the book is a treat to read.
Roy Ballard is intelligent and funny at the same time. The way he tries to bring humor in the most tensed situations is a skill not every one can possess. The author has done a good job creating such a character. He makes one smile from his witty comments, but also ensures the underlying situation is not undermined by the humor - enough to be funny, yet making sure the reader has the clues running in the back of their mind while putting the dots together. Roy Ballard has joined the list of my favorite fictional characters.
The plot is strong, except for the protagonist's sidekick. She is like the female counterpart in many Bollywood movies - adds nothing of significance to the storyline, but is present just for the sake of it.
Will I read the next book in the series? Definitely. At this time, I will read anything that features Roy Ballard in the primary role.
Verdict: Highly recommended.
Roy Ballard is intelligent and funny at the same time. The way he tries to bring humor in the most tensed situations is a skill not every one can possess. The author has done a good job creating such a character. He makes one smile from his witty comments, but also ensures the underlying situation is not undermined by the humor - enough to be funny, yet making sure the reader has the clues running in the back of their mind while putting the dots together. Roy Ballard has joined the list of my favorite fictional characters.
The plot is strong, except for the protagonist's sidekick. She is like the female counterpart in many Bollywood movies - adds nothing of significance to the storyline, but is present just for the sake of it.
Will I read the next book in the series? Definitely. At this time, I will read anything that features Roy Ballard in the primary role.
Verdict: Highly recommended.
July 22, 2020
A. The day after a child has been kidnapped and an Amber Alert has been issued, it’s not very credible that, by the next day, the kidnapper would have her still in the same outfit mentioned in the Amber Alert.
B. If your child has ever been abducted (and I didn’t read enough to know how that turned out) and then you hear a child the same age has been abducted, you’re going to be a mass of PTSD.
C. If you then think you see the kidnapped child, that PTSD will be worse.
D. PTSD will impair your ability to banter and go about your daily activities.
E. If you are male and over the age of 30, and you still think of every female you meet in terms of how she looks, you’re probably a pig.
F. Did not finish at 15% because my time is too valuable for this bullshit.
B. If your child has ever been abducted (and I didn’t read enough to know how that turned out) and then you hear a child the same age has been abducted, you’re going to be a mass of PTSD.
C. If you then think you see the kidnapped child, that PTSD will be worse.
D. PTSD will impair your ability to banter and go about your daily activities.
E. If you are male and over the age of 30, and you still think of every female you meet in terms of how she looks, you’re probably a pig.
F. Did not finish at 15% because my time is too valuable for this bullshit.
September 26, 2016
I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover but I have to admit that I almost passed over this gem because of it. It looks rather unprofessional and it didn't give me any clues about what I would find inside. But I took a chance and, happily, found an intriguing main character, super sharp dialog, a plot that kept me up late reading, and an author well-worth pursuing.
July 22, 2020
Loved it.
The plot of the story was excellent but what I really enjoyed was the character of Roy Ballard. Quirky and unpredictable, his reactions somehow changed the very tenor of the story.
The thrill and action were perfect till the very end and the twists and turns kept me hooked.
The plot of the story was excellent but what I really enjoyed was the character of Roy Ballard. Quirky and unpredictable, his reactions somehow changed the very tenor of the story.
The thrill and action were perfect till the very end and the twists and turns kept me hooked.
January 30, 2021
Great thriller. Loved the main character. It is a real 3 dimensional figure. Cynical with lots of hummer. I'll most defiantly look for books from Ben Rehser
November 3, 2021
Book Club read for Oct. 2021.
If this hadn't been a Kindle freebie, I might never have read a Ben Rehder book. I am glad our book club chose this. Rehder's humor reminds me of Harlan Coben, who is one of my favorites. A good mystery of a child abduction. Roy Ballard, whose daughter was previously taken, wants to find the little girl no matter what it takes. He'll stop at nothing. His day job as an insurance investigator leads him to a suspect, and from there it's a mad race to look into it or convince the cops to do so. Twists and turns and lots of double entendres.
If this hadn't been a Kindle freebie, I might never have read a Ben Rehder book. I am glad our book club chose this. Rehder's humor reminds me of Harlan Coben, who is one of my favorites. A good mystery of a child abduction. Roy Ballard, whose daughter was previously taken, wants to find the little girl no matter what it takes. He'll stop at nothing. His day job as an insurance investigator leads him to a suspect, and from there it's a mad race to look into it or convince the cops to do so. Twists and turns and lots of double entendres.
December 16, 2015
This was a splendid tale and I can't believe I downloaded it way back in October 2012 and only just got round to it for some reason !! I really enjoyed it a great deal and I'm a little disappointed to see he only has one other in this series. Hoping he sticks with the characters as they're very likeable indeed.
I liked how he weaved Roy's own loss alongside the abduction of young Tracy in the book-that was well done. There were some very funny lines in it throughout but thankfully he stayed this side of funny and it didn't turn into a tiresome comedy. I liked he used his own photography for his cover as well.
It wasn't without nitpicky mistakes like hundreds being used when it should've been hundred and he persisted in leaving out the apostrophe in friends' list which was annoying then mind used in place of minds. The biggest error I spotted was queued used instead of cued which isn't too shabby at all.
It's certainly one I'd highly recommend-a gripping read.
I liked how he weaved Roy's own loss alongside the abduction of young Tracy in the book-that was well done. There were some very funny lines in it throughout but thankfully he stayed this side of funny and it didn't turn into a tiresome comedy. I liked he used his own photography for his cover as well.
It wasn't without nitpicky mistakes like hundreds being used when it should've been hundred and he persisted in leaving out the apostrophe in friends' list which was annoying then mind used in place of minds. The biggest error I spotted was queued used instead of cued which isn't too shabby at all.
It's certainly one I'd highly recommend-a gripping read.
September 8, 2016
This was a wonderful easy reading crime drama. Roy Ballard, videographer and fraud investigator, stumbles across a child abduction case in the process of one of his work assignments. He is funny and droll and actually solves the case. It is well written and good entertainment.
August 28, 2018
Interesting debut of a new character, an insurance fraud videographer \semi
amateur detective. Good not absolutely great story line but it was original. Some characters a bit stereotypical ( hard boiled police detective, wisecracking hero) but I enjoyed it overall and might give this series a second chance.
amateur detective. Good not absolutely great story line but it was original. Some characters a bit stereotypical ( hard boiled police detective, wisecracking hero) but I enjoyed it overall and might give this series a second chance.
July 1, 2017
Roy Ballard is a cocky idiot that you end up rooting for anyway. Decent storyline told at a fast pace, with believable characters. Enough to make me give one of Ben Rehder's other books a read.
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