REVIEW: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Title: Then She Was Gone
Author: Lisa Jewell
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: April 2018
Genre: Thriller / Suspense
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: THEN:

She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

NOW:

It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet.

Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter.

Poppy is precocious and pretty - and meeting her completely takes Laurel's breath away.

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?

Who still has secrets to hide?

My Thoughts: Very dark and disturbing story about a woman’s search for her fifteen year old daughter who vanished without a trace ten years ago. By pure chance she meets a man who sweeps her off her feet and she meets his nine year old daughter who is the spitting image of her missing daughter.

This story switches between the past and the present of Laurel’s life. The time before her daughter went missing and ten years later after Laurel’s marriage and life are torn apart and she is trying to pick up the pieces and move on. We also get a front row seat into the perspective of the person responsible for Ellie’s disappearance, which I found equally riveting, repulsive and horrifying. Finding out who was responsible wasn’t what disturbed me the most. Finding out the why it happened and events resulting from that moment depict a character so warped and dangerous and with no redeeming qualities that I could discern.

I liked this author’s voice and her ability to weave a story with so many twists and turns that keeps the reader anticipating what happens next. The characters also have many layers and just when you think you know them well enough to figure out their next move, they surprise you. The psychotic lunatic responsible for Ellie’s disappearance is such a character. As Ellie must have felt confusion and shock, trying to understand why this is happening to her, so does the reader at the various displays of alternating concern for Ellie coupled with anger and bitter hatred.

My Final Verdict: Fans of thrillers and mysteries will enjoy this story. I also recommend this book to readers who enjoy complex characters who are not so easy to figure out and intricately woven storylines that will surprise and shock the reader. I also recommend the audio-book version of this book as the emotions and voices make the story richer.