Item: Then She Was Gone
Rating: 4
Author: Lori

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Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell is a fast-paced book that will take the reader by surprise. This is a creepy thriller that is well written and has many points of view to give the reader lots of perspectives. The characters have so many layers and they will really tug at your heart strings.

Title: Then She Was Gone
Author: Lisa Jewell
Also by this author: Watching You
Publisher: Atria Books
Genres: Thriller
Publication Date: April 17, 2018
Rating: four-stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Ten years after her teenage daughter disappears, a woman crosses paths with a charming single father whose young child feels eerily familiar, in this evocative, suspenseful drama from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell—perfect for fans of Paula Hawkins and Liane Moriarty.

Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was fifteen, the youngest of three. She was beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic post-exams summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her.

And then she was gone.

Now, her mother Laurel Mack is trying to put her life back together. It’s been ten years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a café, no one is more surprised than Laurel at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters—and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie. And now, the unanswered questions she’s tried so hard to put to rest begin to haunt Laurel anew. Where did Ellie go? Did she really run away from home, as the police have long suspected, or was there a more sinister reason for her disappearance? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl?

❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃

Review: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

I have really been enjoying the thriller genre lately and Lisa Jewell has become an instant auto-buy author for me after reading this fantastic book. The story moves along at a quick pace between the before and after time periods. It had me glued to the pages to find out where the plot was headed next. The details surrounding Ellie’s disappearance are very believable and you can imagine this happening to any family. The one thing that I found a little bit hard to understand was the poor police work because some of the evidence is not hard to find. However, I concede that this sort of thing happens in real life, so I can look past it.

❀ Multiple Perspectives

Multiple perspectives in a novel such as, Then She Was Gone, always seem to be the perfect way to describe the events that take place in a mystery. Laurel is the main character, so it is mostly her story. However, Jewell does also take us into the mind of the perpetrator. This can get a bit unnerving at times. Ellie’s story is also interesting to read, and I think that the author did a fantastic job writing from a teen’s perspective.

❀ Fantastic Characters

There are so many rich, faceted characters in this novel. Even the secondary characters have layers to them that unfold as the plot thickens. I love how Laurel is constantly working on her inner struggles. At the same time, she is so desperate to find her daughter. Also, Ellie is a very head strong character. Her story is just so heartbreaking that I was in tears by the end of the book.

❀ Brilliant Writing

Fans of the thriller genre are sure to enjoy Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell. The writing is brilliant and the characters are perfectly developed. Lisa Jewell has created a believable story that is both disturbing and heart-wrenching.

About Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell was born and raised in north London, where she lives with her husband and two daughters. She is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling author of twelve novels, including The House We Grew Up In and The Third Wife.

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About Lori

Avid reader. Contributor to The Candid Cover. Educator.

11 thoughts on “Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell”

Stephanie - Bookfever says:

April 12, 2018 at 9:10 am

I both love and hate when thrillers go into the mind of the perpetrator because it can get so creepy but I wouldn’t have it any other way. 😀
Stephanie – Bookfever recently posted…Blog Tour — Review: Ecstasy by Mary Sharratt + Giveaway (US)