THE #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER! 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 … 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?
“Jewell teases out her twisty plot at just the right pace, leaving readers on the edge of their seats. Her multilayered characters are sheer perfection, and even the most astute thriller reader won’t see where everything is going until the final threads are unknotted.” —Booklist, starred review
“More than a whiff of The Lovely Bones wafts through this haunting domestic noir…Skillfully told by several narrators, Jewell’s gripping novel is an emotionally resonant story of loss, grief, and renewal.” —Publishers Weekly
“Sharply written with twists and turns, Jewell’s latest will please fans of Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train, or Luckiest Girl Alive.” —Library Journal
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I could not put this book down!
I’m reading this book now and can already give it 5 stars. I can hardly put it down. A pleasant surprise was the reference if one of my favorite books, The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt. I recommend both to everyone.
I love her books, she is getting better and better everyday. I cried at the end of the book. Emotional gutted! Looking forward to read more of her books again.
Loved it!!!! Yes. Just yes
This is, hands down, my favorite by Lisa!
So, there were a lot of things about this book that I liked, but there were also a lot of things about this book that I didn’t like. I’ll start first with what I liked. The characters were amazing. I feel like they were really developed well and had such complex emotions. Ellie especially stole my heart. I liked the premise of the novel, the plot, and how everything tied together. Although, the plot and how everything tied together is kind of a double-edged sword.
I really wasn’t sure how I felt about the alternating point-of-views. There were so many. At first it was just between then and now with Ellie and Laurel, but then it gave so many perspectives it just felt conflicting. The ending and how everything tied together really upset me. I won’t go into it until I announce the spoilers next, but it was really triggering for me and upsetting. So, if you get upset easily about kidnapping and other gruesome things, don’t read this book.
Overall, though, I do think it was a good book despite the gruesome ending. I think that seeing how grief and tragedy can change a family is really important for people to understand. The plot was good even if I could’ve done without a few extra point-of-views, and it was an extremely fast read. I would recommend treading lightly, though, because of all of the potential triggers.
Favorite quote: “‘The nightmare of the thing is the not knowing.’”
This review is for the Audible version.
The narrator was great — but the story so horrific, I had trouble believing what I was listening to — not at all what I had expected from the synopsis. To make a comment without spoilers: is the reader really expected to believe that Noel had that type of medical expertise?
Then She Was Gone had the makings of a fantastic book, and it was, mostly.
Extremely well-written, good plot, nicely defined characters, and overall I have nothing to point a finger at – but it just wasn’t a home run, maybe more like a triple.
Ms. Jewell is an incredibly accomplished author, and I only wish to be anywhere near her status as a writer and author, but from a reader’s perspective, Then She Was Gone just didn’t feel original enough to pique my interest to a ten, eight point five, maybe.
I would recommend this book for really anyone looking for a good thriller, just don’t expect to remember it for years to come.
Then She Was Gone tells the story of a mother’s world that has been turned upside down. Laurel Mack has not been the same since her youngest child, Ellie Mack, disappeared without a trace. Even though officials haven’t had a lead in months, Laurel still continues to search for even the smallest possible clue to where her daughter could have possibly gone. These feelings grow even stronger when Laurel meets a charming man with a daughter who is a spitting replica of Ellie. But this has to be just a coincidence right? Unless, there is a more dark secret about the day that Ellie disappeared that is just waiting to be unearthed…
WOW I flew through this book. I could not put it down! This book gives you some subtle clues along the way, but still has curveballs that you won’t see coming. I really enjoyed the end of the book and thought it was a nice resolution for this story. I definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting a thriller that you won’t be able to put down. Can’t wait to read more from Lisa Jewell!
3.5 stars!!
This is a story of one moms quest to find her daughter. And one daughters quest to be found….
This book was twisted and really out there. My heart broke so many times. The ending was excellent!
Another good recommendation from my reader friends! I think my only critiques were the entire book felt really predictable and a little off the mark. But what I will say is this book is original and the story is crazy! There were a few things that caught me off guard.
I enjoyed these characters as well. I could see them clear as day in my head. I could feel their pain, anger and anguish. I totally enjoyed this authors writings and will definitely check out other books by her.
15 year old Ellie Mack vanished without a trace leaving her family broken wondering what happened. Ten years later partial remains are found but questions remain unanswered. Laurel, Ellie’s mom meets a man, Floyd one day with a young 9 year old daughter Poppy who has an uncanny resemblance to Ellie. Little by little Laurel unravels the mystery of what happened to Ellie and how Floyd her new beau is involved. Fantastic read I had a hard time putting it down!
Then She Was Gone is a classic missing teen story with some surprising twists. Overall, the book was a fast read that kept me engaged until the very end. The book had several likable characters, particularly Laurel, the mother of Ellie Mack, the teenaged girl who disappears. I liked how Laurel’s character evolved during the story.
I would have rated this book four stars, but I took off a star because of the ending. I did not buy that Floyd’s character was capable of making the choices he makes in the end.
This was such an intriguing book. I loved how it unraveled, giving just enough of the “what really happened “ from the perspective of the girl who disappeared to have a glimpse but not the full story until later. The fact that you get multiple first person stories that all fall together was an interesting way to tell the story and made it feel complete. I would definitely recommend this book.
This is just amazing a perfect book, Its so mysterious and once you read it you get so interested and into it. I just love it to much. Totally recommend!
I love anything by Lisa Jewell, anything! And this book was no exception. There is a perfect balance of emotions, secrets, twists, and creepiness. Laurel’s family fell apart after her daughter Ellie disappeared without a trace. Her other daughter has become distant, and her ex-husband, although still her best friend, has found a new life without her. And Laurel is left drifting, unsure of how to move forward in her new reality. But then she meets a man, and she soon finds herself realizing that maybe there is something else out there for her.
I absolutely love Lisa Jewell’s writing. She pulls the reader into the story and keeps them there. The atmosphere that the author creates is dynamic. The characters are full bodied, interesting, and so diverse. And the twists and turns take the reader on a journey. The “missing girl” storyline isn’t a new one, but the author puts such a creative spin on it, one that descends into madness.
This will be a short review as I don’t want to spoil the plot in any way. This is one of those books a reader need to just dive into blindly, with no preconceived notions!
My recommendation: If you love a thriller, this is a fantastic one to read!
Although much of this story was very predictable, I still enjoyed it. The characters were likable except for Noelle. So much of this story was a bit unbelievable from the police investigation side. How many times do you hear about police so determined they have the “right” idea of what happened or who did i, only to see they were wrong. This story has an edge of darkness to it with animal cruelty and cruelty towards people. But things like this go on in the real world, so it’s not that different in this story. The story wrapped up nicely at the end in a way that surprised me a little. So even though the bulk of the story was predictable, it was nice to see a little surprise ending. I appreciated the writing style as POV for each of the main characters. I found I had to listen a bit more at the beginning of each chapter to hear if it was taking place in the present or in the past. Good overall story.
Then She Was Gone is a psychological thriller that left me gutted. This story is about fifteen year old, golden girl, Ellie Mack and about what happens after she suddenly goes missing one afternoon. The book is told in the perspective of her mother, Laurel, but also flashbacks to Ellie’s perspective. The family is lead to believe that Ellie ran away, but why would this perfect girl want to leave her perfect life? It just doesn’t make sense.
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As the story progresses, Laurel meets Floyd and his unique daughter, Poppy. Things seem to be too good to be true with Floyd; no one can be THAT perfect. Poppy reminds Laurel of someone too… could it be the daughter she lost 10 years ago!?
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I really enjoyed the changing perspectives in this book. There were a total of four. It really gets inside these characters heads, and fills in missing pieces of the puzzle that we would’ve missed otherwise. I felt the @lisajewelluk did a great job keeping us guessing. Even though we find out some details early on, we never know the full story until the very end! I never did have the whole thing figured out!
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Astra Jewel definitely recommends this Lisa Jewell thriller!
The characters were so true to life that I felt I knew them personally. Some of the best writing I’ve read in a long time. Story takes unexpected turns and provides a heart felt closure.
This captured my attention from the first chapter! It’s definitely a psychological thriller through and through.
When Ellie disappears, Laurel’s life caves in. Ellie was her golden child. Smart, beautiful, loving, everything a mother needs in a daughter. Then, she goes out on an ordinary errand and never returns.
In the aftermath Lauren emotionally abandons her husband and other children. Her marriage disintegrates. Her son and daughter grow up, move out, and become strangers. Lauren can’t push past her grief, but she does learn to live with it. Until a chance meeting in local cafe brings a man named Floyd send his precocious daughter Poppy into her life.
Poppy is an anamoly. She is more adult than ten year old girl, a homeschooled wunderkind who is the sole focus of her father’s attention. She wears miniature versions of adult clothes, converses on topics most children aren’t aware of, and conducts herself as if she has no clue she is only ten. She is also Ellie redux.
Poppy looks so much Lauren’s lost daughter it’s downright unnerving. Her mannerisms and expressions scream Ellie. So much so that Lauren can’t help falling more in love with Poppy than her father.
It’s also creepy. The whole situation sets the reader’s teeth on edge. Poppy is too perfect. Floyd is too solicitous, too focused on this child. What secrets are this man and this doppleganger hiding?
You won’t believe the truth about Poppy and her father. It’s too horrible to imagine, although not in the way you think. What happened to Ellie, and the circumstances of Poppy’s birth, are more than disturbing. They will make you cringe for days.
If you are a parent, this might be a difficult read. The issues of loss, grief, abduction, and Ellie’s fate are portrayed with unflinching honesty. But it is also a story of hope, and recovery. If you are suffering from a loss you will be encouraged by the unexpected way the things Lauren loves come back to her. And you will close the book with a sigh of contentment, feeling that in an imperfect and capricious world all is put right in the end.