I love Joanna Schaffhausen’s books featuring newly minted private investigator Annalisa Vega. ALL THE WAY GONE is the fourth entry in a series that includes GONE FOR GOOD, LONG GONE and DEAD AND GONE, and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

The novel begins with a classic opening line: “The day the girl fell from the sky started like any other for Ruth Gold Bernstein because she preferred it that way.” Vicki Albright fell --- or was pushed --- off the balcony of her apartment and landed in the courtyard below with a sickening death thud witnessed by her neighbor, Ruth, an elderly widow.

"Schaffhausen has crafted a terrific cat-and-mouse plotline, and the idea of sociopaths being good gets called into question constantly.... The ending delivers one final twist that really works well and makes ALL THE WAY GONE an outstanding read."

Ruth gives her statement to Detective Nick Carelli and becomes preoccupied as she seems to have lost her precious cat, Duchess, during all the commotion. Nick is married to Annalisa, who has just opened her own private investigation firm, Vista. For her first case, Dr. Mara Delaney darkens her doorway with a strange situation. She insists that her name be kept confidential and that neurosurgeon Craig Canning never finds out about her involvement.

Mara and Canning have an interesting relationship. She has just completed a book, The Good Sociopath, and Canning was her primary subject. His face adorns the cover, and he is proud to be considered a sociopath --- as those with professions such as doctor and police officer often are, according to Mara. She highlights how Canning meets every criteria that would constitute being a sociopath, but he uses his skills for good by saving lives through brain surgery.

It turns out that Mara and Canning live in the same complex where Vicki’s life ended. Mara is convinced that Canning had something to do with it as his reputation for trying to bed every female he meets precedes him. Mara informs Annalisa that he allegedly drugged and raped Vicki, which may have been the reason behind her being permanently silenced.

Annalisa is happy to dive right into this case as she has made a name for herself taking down predators and serial killers such as the Lovelorn Killer. Assisting her is Nick’s daughter, Cassidy, a high school junior who handles the office work for a few hours after school. There is also a nice side case involving Cassidy’s best friend, Naomi, who asks Vista to try to find her long-estranged mother --- a woman with a wild reputation who also may be a sociopath.

Scenes between Annalisa and Canning really drive the narrative and are hugely entertaining. He seems to enjoy toying with the ex-detective and makes everything seem like a game that can only have one winner. Annalisa also learns from Mara’s book that sociopaths do not like to lose. Even though the publication of The Good Sociopath will make Mara and Canning amazingly wealthy and famous, someone breaks into Mara's office and burns all the copies she had before they could even be released. For some sick reason, Annalisa suspects Canning of the theft because he knows deep down that Mara hired her to investigate him and raise suspicion over Vicki’s death.

Schaffhausen has crafted a terrific cat-and-mouse plotline, and the idea of sociopaths being good gets called into question constantly. They are mostly deadly, especially when threatened, and readers will be twisted in knots trying to keep up with the games being played by this trio, as well as other suspicious characters. The ending delivers one final twist that really works well and makes ALL THE WAY GONE an outstanding read.