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Back Gone Save as PDF
Chapters (77)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. Acknowledgements
  75. Reading Group Questions
  76. Read More
  77. I
  • ‘She knew Jameson was lying. He hadn’t called to prevent her feeling ambushed. He’d called to plant a seed because he knew she couldn’t resist a mystery.’
  • At the beginning of the novel, Augusta and Jameson are presented as a very efficient, capable duo. How do you think their partnership changes as the novel progresses? In what ways do their key similarities and differences affect their working dynamic?
  • Why do you think the author chose the title Gone for this book?
  • There are two epigraphs at the beginning of the book. What do you think these are referring to? Why are they significant?
  • ‘Bloom didn’t have the answer, but she knew not to ignore the question. She often spotted important gaps and links long before she could explain why they were significant. The trick was to note these gut feelings and to interrogate them ruthlessly.’
  • How does Augusta compare to other fictional female detectives, either in books or on television and in film? In what ways does she stand out?
  • Gone is set in a number of different locations, from London and Bristol to Leeds and Manchester. How do the different places affect the story? Where do you think Bloom feels most at home?
  • There are many different characters in Gone and we see the narrative evolve from a number of perspectives. What were your initial suspicions in the first few chapters? Did they change as new characters were introduced?
  • Leona Deakin, the author of Gone, is an occupational psychologist. How do you think she has used her experiences to shape the story and the characters?
  • The characters in Gone frequently have to make difficult moral decisions. Did the book make you question your own decision-making? What would you have done in some of these situations?
  • ‘Fourteen. You should have one foot still in childhood at fourteen. Innocence should drift away, little by little: Santa and the Tooth Fairy first; then the realization that your parents are flawed; then that people can be selfish; and finally that the world itself can be unfathomably cruel. Childhood needs to unravel slowly so that the mind can adjust.’

    How do childhood experiences go on to shape the key characters in this novel?

Read More

If you loved Gone, don’t miss Leona Deakin’s next brilliant thriller featuring Dr Bloom . . .

LOST by LEONA DEAKIN

Available to pre-order now! Read on for a sneak preview . . .

HOW DO YOU SOLVE A CRIME WITHOUT THE CLUES? THE VICTIM’S MEMORIES ARE

LOST

READ AN EXTRACT FROM THE SECOND DR AUGUSTA BLOOM NOVEL, LOST

There is an explosion at a military ball. The casualties are rushed to hospital in eight ambulances, but only seven vehicles arrive. Captain Harry Peterson is missing.