ALL THE WAY GONE

4 stars out of 5

Somewhere between the most recent book in this series - this is the fourth that I've read and enjoyed - Chicago detective Annalisa Vega underwent something of a metamorphosis. She left the department to open her own private detective agency and got hitched - to her ex-husband and still-Chicago PD detective Nick Carelli, who recently learned he has a teenage daughter, Cassidy (putting Annalisa in the hazy world of stepmoms). And amid all that, she seems to have become, for want of a better description, less of a strong, independent character. The career change I can sink my teeth into, but the jury's still out on the remarriage and personality shift. 

This story, however, is right up my alley; I'm a student of psychology, so anything that touches on that subject gets my full attention. Here, it doesn't just touch; it smacks it right between the eyes. As Annalisa is looking to kick-start her new P.I. business, in walks Mara Delaney, a potential client. She's authored a book on "good" sociopaths - her term for people who really care nothing for anyone else but nonetheless do good. The focus of the book is local neurosurgeon Dr. Craig Canning, whose expertise saves lives every single day, but his pride lies solely in what he's doing, with zero caring or concern for the lives themselves.

As the about-to-be-published book garners media attention (thus fueling the good doctor's pride in his talents, tragedy strikes in the building in which he lives; a young woman who also lives there falls from her balcony to her death, which at the outset deemed an accident by the police (including Annalisa's husband). Learning of the death and her book subject's proximity to the young woman, though, the author seeks Annalisa's help to be absolutely certain Canning played no role in the death - because if he did, it might negate the book's premise that there's such a thing as a "good" sociopath.

But there's considerable evidence that Canning is innocent; in fact, he's got a virtually airtight alibi and no discernible motive. Besides that, it becomes clear that if the woman was murdered, a couple of other folks have reason to do the deed. Still, Canning almost goes out of his way to be irritating, annoying and self-serving - making him a prime suspect in Annalisa's eyes. But that may be meaningless; after all, isn't that kind of behavior characterstic of all sociopaths? 

The investigation takes up quite a bit of Annalisa's time, but she's got another dilemma of sorts on her hands; Nick's newfound daughter Cassidy is dealing with a couple of serious personal issues, and he is trying his best to help her. That puts Annalisa, who can relate to Cassidy on a personal level, square in the middle of an awkward situation - all while she's trying to outsmart someone who's whole life is based on outsmarting everybody else.

Much of the fun for me, at least, was watching Canning's manipulative behavior with everyone around him, including Annalisa, as her determination to prove him guilty (or not) once and for all picks up steam. Along the way are plenty of twists, turns and surprises right up to the end, including one that no doubt will have implications for the next installment. Already looking forward to it! Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

All the Way Gone by Joanna Schaffhausen (Minotaur Books, August 2024); 343 pp.