Long Time Gone

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your reaction to the twists at the end of Long Time Gone? Were you surprised?

2. If you’ve read other books by Charlie Donlea, like Those Empty Eyes or Summit Lake, how does Long Time Gone compare? If not, how did you feel about Long Time Gone in the context of the mystery/thriller genre?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Throughout the novel, Sloan seeks to keep the details of her family history and investigation out of the media. Have you ever needed to avoid the scrutiny of social media or the media as you navigated personal territory? What challenges did you face?

2. The novel discusses the complex impact of hidden truths on identity as Sloan uncovers details about her biological origins. Have you ever experienced a perspective shift that caused you to question your identity? How did her journey resonate with your personal experiences in defining your identity?

3. Sloan is an outsider to Cedar Creek, and yet Cedar Creek is at the center of her story. Have you ever gone to a new place and felt a connection to it? How does Sloan’s experience mirror the real-life feeling of being an outsider?

4. Cedar Creek is dominated by the Margolis family, and many small towns have similar power structures. Can you think of a comparable structure in your own life? How does it affect the power dynamic of your community?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The media plays a significant role in Long Time Gone, usually as an antagonist to Sloan’s family. Is this a realistic portrayal of the media? How do the novel’s critiques of the media enter into contemporary conversation about privacy, safety, and the media?

2. The novel takes place in both 1995 and 2024. What changed culturally in the United States between those periods, and how do those changes impact the story? Re-read the section in which Nora explains cameras to Sloan and think about how that discussion impacts the broader narrative.

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Why do you think Donlea chose to break the novel into present and past sections? How does this narrative choice affect the tension and world-building of the novel?

2. Donlea’s characters are placed in intense situations, but they are largely average, everyday people. How does putting a normal person in an extraordinary circumstance affect Donlea’s storytelling? How would the novel be different with extraordinary characters, like Sherlock Holmes, as a part of the narrative?

3. Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, making it a large city center, while Cedar Creek is a small town in rural Nevada. What is the effect of setting the action in these two drastically different settings?

4. Throughout the story, Donlea emphasizes the wealth and influence of the Margolis family, but what does that wealth and influence amount to in the narrative? Discuss how the Margolis family contributes to its own downfall.

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If Long Time Gone were adapted to film or television, who would you want to see playing the key roles of Sloan, Eric, Nora, and Ryder? Are there scenes or storylines that you would omit or amplify? Explain the changes you would make.

2. The novel ends with John offering Sloan a job with the FBI. Sketch out a premise for a sequel in which Sloan tackles a mystery in her role at the FBI. What role would she play in the investigation? How would her personal characteristics, like her love of CrossFit and photography, enter into the narrative?