Gone the Next

By: Ben Rehder

Narrated by: Johnny Peppers

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's Summary

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.

©2012 Ben Rehder (P)2013 Ben Rehder

Nice start to a series!

Insurance fraud photographer Roy Ballard had his young daughter kidnapped when she was with him years ago, so although it is not a part of his business he becomes interested when another young girl is kidnapped. He works on the case despite police telling him to stop. Along the way he convinces waitress Mia Madison to join him in his business. Author Ben Rehder uses a lot of witty dialog in his fast paced novels. Narration is excellent.

Here One Minute...

What made the experience of listening to Gone the Next the most enjoyable?

The protagonist was awesome. Very engaging main character.

What about Johnny Peppers’s performance did you like?

It didn't sound like a performance. His reading blended so well with the story it was like a movie in my head.

Any additional comments?

Just a note that there are two story lines going on here. Past and present. I think Mr. Rehder does a good job signaling but just be aware.

Creepy Fun right from the start!

If you could sum up Gone the Next in three words, what would they be?

Suspenseful, unpredictable, sarcastic

What was one of the most memorable moments of Gone the Next?

Learning about Roy's background - how his lost child gave him a personal stake in finding the little girl.

What about Johnny Peppers’s performance did you like?

I liked the pacing of the narration.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed at times at some of Roy's comebacks. He obviously has a need waiting to be fulfilled.

Not for me

It's not fair for me to give this book a review. I simply can't read books about vulnerable children.

Narration makes all the difference

Story often difficult to follow because of the narrator's lack of pauses between key events, and the use of only one voice throughout. It would also have been a lot less tedious a listen if narrator would have used different voices.

Must listen to this book!

Downright fantastic! Not my usual style but I could say more but I don’t want to soul anything... YOU GOTTA LISTEN THIS BOOK!

Sometimes you just luck out; this was a winner.

After a big disappointment in my previous book, I was ecstatic to find this listen to this exciting psychological thriller. A sincere thank you to author Ben Rehder for a promo code to allow me to enjoy this suspenseful first in the Roy Ballard series. With so many twists and turns, I found it hard to take a break. Already familiar with my favorite narrator Johnny Peppers, I was not surprised at his quality of vocal perfection. Peppered with both humor and heartbreak at the same time, I found “Gone the Next,” an intriguing and addicting listen. Rehder intricately interweaves subplots, surprises and jaw-dropping moments throughout. Again, thank you to Rehder and Peppers for introducing me to the Roy Ballard series. I will be back for more. Highly recommended. Epic, I say, EPIC!!!
👏✍🏻⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✍🏻👏

Roy Ballard, videographer, investigator

This was a "don't want to put it down" book. Roy Ballard is a professional videographer. Mainly he is hired by insurance companies when they have a claim they think might be a fraud. This is a minor plot line as his investigative skills gets him neck deep in a child kidnapping case. This hits home big time, because his daughter, Hannah, was abducted 6 years earlier. While working on a fraud case he is sure he sees the little girl that news stations is saying was abducted. He goes to the police and they think he is a bit of a nut case. What you see real soon, is that he has a sarcastic wit when dealing certain types, of which Detective Ruela is apparently one. Lots of action and plenty of humor!

Great book

Really enjoyed the book. Well written, well told.
Would like to read more Ben Rehder books

The First Of The Roy Ballard Novels.

This is the first in the Roy Ballard mystery series. Don’t miss this series. Great plotting repeat with twists and surprises. This series is set in Central Texas with all the beauty and characters who inhabit this area. Yes, I live in Central Texas near the state Capitol of Austin. So, I know Ben Rehder (a native to the area) nails it. This book is a fun read and well narrated. It comes highly recommended.

Great !!

I loved this book , I couldn’t stop listening to it, I I instantly warmed to the main protagonist, he was real and had his faults like all of us , but he had a relentless attitude to follow his gut , even when he was at risk of losing everything himself. I liked his sidekick also as she brought even more depth to the story . The writing was superb and I look forward to more from this author , the narrator was fantastic too .

Great audible. long story!

Great story and easy to listen to. interesting all the way through and one you don't want to put down! You just want to know who did it. Ejoyed this!

Gone the next

This was a good story.I enjoyed it.A man who makes his living checking to make sure people who claim they can't work,really can't stumbles onto a kidnapping. Johnny Peppers was a very good narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'

Don't let it go

I did enjoy this book but it wasn't what I was expecting. I have listened to all the authors Blanco County series and was expecting this series to be similar but it is a more grown up mystery in the fact that it lacks the humour. Not to say there isn't some comic relief, it is more in the from one liners and banter than the characters themselves. I like the relationship between the characters especially the jokey nature between Roy and Jessica. The mystery was good and took lots of twists in the plot. The author also covers the hard subject of child abduction very well and makes you think how quickly your world can turn upside down, a real eye opener. Off to start the next book.
Roy is a freelance videographer catching people that are committing insurance fraud but when a young girl goes missing he has a hard time letting it go. To many memories of his own daughters disappearance comes to the surface but then he thinks he sees her at his latest target. Can be convince the police of what he has seen? With no evidence to back up his claim Roy sets up his own surveillance and investigation to find the missing girl.
I like the narrator, he does a good job with all the many and varied voices needed in the story.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

enjoyed

I enjoyed listening to Johnny Peppers

We have a missing child, a great plot and characters. The one liners and humour with a good story, will keep you listening

Very enjoyable

An interesting take on crime solving

Roy Ballard has an interesting history, making him a character I want to know better. Being an insurance videographer by profession- he catches insurance cheaters - makes for an interesting take on crime solving.

The mystery part of this book, however, was not so great. I felt the story often dragged because it was directionless. Links were made with each new discovery Roy made but instead of clever red herrings, it felt by the end that any number of people could have committed the crime and the author made a decision late in the game about who it would be.

I listened to the audio version narrated by Johnny Peppers. I felt he brought Roy Ballard to life. His female voices were also acceptable.

2.5 stars

A good listen

I’ll not lie when I started listening I wasn’t sure but then things started to go & boy did they go!
The tempo took off the characters went with it & so did I. A great listen.
Narrator was good, a smooth voice.

fantastic

So good, can't wait to read the next one. Good start to a new series and author for me 📚📚

Great start to a series

The first in the Roy Ballard series by an author new to me. I really enjoyed this mystery, the pace was just right and I liked Roy and his partner Mia. Although a serious topic, the light-hearted moments were amusing and helped to break up the story and inject a bit of humour. With twists and turns as Roy investigates first an insurance cheat and then the disappearance of Tracy Turner. I liked the way his own history was weaved into the present day and gave the opportunity to get to know the character. The narration really suited the main character and was just right. A really good start to a series which I'm looking forward to listening to more of.

Great start to a new series

I really loved this audio from a new author and narrator. This new series of books starts with Roy Ballard who is a freelance videographer who is currently working on an insurance fraud case when he believes he sees the insurance claimant with a child who has been recently abducted. Problem is no one believes him. Will Roy find out the truth or is his history clouding his judgement. This is an exciting audio with great narration.