Thank you to Netgalley for an arc of this book in return for an honest review. I requested this because Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite authors She writes well and tells a good tale. Here, as in the past, “The House We Grew Up In”, she has woven a fictional story around a topical issue. In that previous book and in this, she takes a difficult subject and seemingly explores it, but lets the tale down in the end with a positive, happy ending which does no justice to the seriousness of the subject that she’s taken on. Previously in “The House We Grew Up In” she covered the issue of a very unhappy mother turning to extreme hoarding and the damage inflicted on her family. After the hoarder dies, the family all pulls together in an almost party atmosphere to clear and clean the house and bridges are built, past hurts reconciled and all ends on a generally positive note. Sadly I know from actual experience of the tragedy that this is not how it concludes and never can be.

In this book I asked myself if this could really have happened. A lot is highly improbable, although the basis of the idea is possible. But there are too many questionable happenings. I’d be happy to list them but they would mainly constitute spoilers., as would a precise of the story. Sufficient to say that it involves the disappearance of a very bright A grade teenage girl from her loving, stable home in London two years previously and the effect this has on her family. The mystery of her vanishing is slowly revealed. Despite what I’ve previously written I enjoyed most of the book with the exception of the chapters narrated by Noelle. These often verged on the silly and I skipped several bits here. The whole mess of this story was created by two very maladjusted human beings, damaged by their own upbringing. There are distressing and horrific episodes which I don’t think that the author explores in enough detail. They should have been described in all their blackness. To end on a great note of hope in a fictional world is lovely, but real life, which is the core inspiration of the story, is not so simple.. Another deeply traumatised person has been created and all the love and support in the world will not sort this, although it might help. Lisa Jewell has to decide if she is creating fiction in some cosy fairy dairy world, which is fine. . In which case she should not be tackling stories based on hard, real life or creating fiction based on a reality and giving them an unreal ending. If she believes that such happy conclusions are possible she needs to do a little more research.

Lisa Jewell will remain one of my favourite authors so long as she’s not exploiting serious real life issues and turning them into happy ever after stories. I urge anyone to read this book and see for themselves how they feel about it.

Mystery and suspense, a little different to the rest. Keeps you guessing as the story unravels and you might have the answer, but just not quite. Well worth a place on your bookshelf and a good one for a book club. First one I have read from this author but would certainly read more.

Having read several of Lisa Jewell's other books, I was looking forward to this one, and was definitely not disappointed.

The well drawn characters and a twisty-turny plot kept me engaged throughout. The subject matter reeled me in emotionally and tugged on my maternal heartstrings. I felt genuine empathy for Laurel, and sadness for some of the other characters - not least Ellie.

Five stars from me.

Thanks to Lisa Jewell for another fabulous read. And thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for my honest review.

When bright, clever, and beautiful Ellie goes to the Library to study for her GCSEs and doesn't come back, her whole family fall apart, especially her mother Laurel who idolised her youngest daughter.

Fast forward 10 years and after a reconstruction of events, Laurel meets a man in a café who she is immediately attracted to. This surprises her as she hasn't been attracted to anyone since Ellie's disappearance. What is more surprising is that he has a daughter who is remarkably like Ellie was at the same age.

This book was a real page turner, and I didn't want to put it down. It takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions, so whilst you should get the tissues ready, you will smile too at different parts.

Very well written, and wonderful to read. An author to watch, I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

Thank you to the publishers Random House UK and net galley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I raced through this gem of a book, it is so good. The writing is superb and I lost myself in a world of implausible events that were made real, such is the strength of Ms Jewell's story telling.

The book is the heartbreaking story of a missing 15 year old girl and the family that she left behind. The story focuses mainly on the mother, Laurel, as she makes her peace with the grief that she feels for the loss of her daughter and starts to build a new relationship with a new partner. Simultaneously the reader discovers the awful truth of what really happened to her daughter Ellie Mack.

The incredible emotions that the characters feel in the book ; isolation, grief, pain, fear, jealousy, hope, love and pride are all so well depicted and realistic. Laurel is so believable because she is not perfect, and has not always behaved well. She is so likeable because she admits this, and consciously tries to atone for her behaviour. For me, it is the tremendous characters that kept me turning the pages, but there are sufficient twists and turns in the plot that also kept me guessing.

The ending of the book is a big emotional sock to the jaw, and tears were shed.

Bravo Ms Jewell, this book is surely destined to be a top 10 bestseller in the UK.

I LOVED this. Around 80% into the book, I actually said 'Wow" This was actually my first Lisa Jewell read, but I've stock-piled some of them, and I'll be binging now.

Lisa Jewell amazes me with how she can come up with one thrilling book after another. This is a real tear-jerker page-turner that will keep you on your toes as you try to connect one coincidence after another. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I finished this book and said WOW!
I love Lisa Jewell books and this was no exception, it had my attention from the very first page to the last.
If you are looking for a CPID read then look no further!
I give this book 5 big fat shiny stars and totally recommend it!

Just finished this book in less than 24 hours. Loved it, easy but gripping reading. Although, some elements of the book are predictable. It does not in any way deter from the story or pleasure in reading. Loved how the story is told throughout from various key individuals. Gripped from start to finish. And a must read if you love psychological thrillers.

Will include in our Summer Boom Reading Recommendation blog.

Thank you Netgalley for advance copy of this excellent book. Laurel's 15year old daughter Ellie went missing 10 years ago and there has been no sightings or leads since. Laurel's happy family is now fractured leaving her divorced and with a strained relationship with her two remaining children.
What follows is the story of Laurel's new relationship with a handsome man Floyd who she meets by chance - or does she? - and the gradual unravelling of the mystery surrounding Ellie s disappearance.
An excellent read with good plot twists and well worth 5 stars! Full review left on Good reads with link below. Thank you.

First the good points: this is a beautifully written novel that quickly engages the reader and brings the characters and their settings to intimate life. There are no over-written efforts to impress with faux clever description or narrative, and the fluency of Ms Jewell's writing is exemplary. I truly found it hard to put down. The plot is clever and the the different individuals' perspectives and time periods are deployed to good effect without in any ways seeming artificial. So far, you would guess this is a 10+ out of 10 review and you would be correct. So what is it that detracted from my enjoyment? Put simply I think Ms Jewell herself sums it up by wondering aloud whether the work was brilliantly bizarre or just bizarre. Sadly, the plot's denouement - for me, at least - tipped it dangerously close to the bizarre category. The subject matter - a teenage girl who goes 'missing' - run away or abducted is not clear for quite some time - is always going to be distressing, given the well-publicised and tragic cases that we have seen reported all too often. Ms Jewell, throughout most of the book, was properly sensitive to this tragic dimension of her work. However - for me - the eventual unravelling of the mystery (no plot spoiler here) is simply too close to being macabre, and the consequences for the characters less than satisfying. Despite this, I rate this author highly. Her writing brought pleasure and engagement to my reading - thank you.

Scarily convincing and utterly gripping. Bravo!

Oh no! I thought here we go again with another missing girl mystery. However, this book hardly had a policeman in it, as the story unfolded from various characters and a bit of time travel. Lisa Jewell also has the ability to paint detailed scenes to give the reader a chance to let the imagination take over, e.g the café scene with Floyd. I really enjoyed the twists and turns, but could not give it five stars as the whole Floyd/Poppy relationship felt odd.

I haven't exactly avoided Lisa Jewell but I was under the impression she was a chick-lit author. Reading "Then She Was Gone" has shown me that whilst she isn't in the mainstream of thriller writers she has a good sense of whodunit plotting. So if you like police detective plots with a complete catch of red herrings this book is for you.
For previous readers familiar with Jack Stratton and want to know more about his past this is a must. I will be looking back over the author's other Jack Stratton volumes and starting from the first published see what else she has to offer. Whilst I hesitate to call myself a fan I will admit to admiration it cannot be easy to intertwine this level of plotting and keep your main fan base entertained.
If you want spoilers or details of the book read the other reviews or the plot description on the cover.

Ellie Mack, a schoolgirl goes missing just before her GCSE exams. An intelligent, vivacious girl her disappearance fragments her loving family and destroys her parents once happy marriage. Ten years later, Ellie's mother enters into a relationship with a man whose nine year old daughter bears a striking resemblance to Ellie. A beautiful and absorbing novel about the nature of family relationships and loss. Keep the tissues ready.

This is the first book I have read of this author and it definitely won't be my last. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and it had me hooked from the first page. It had a few twists and turns that I wasn't expecting and a lovely ending which all added to the overall enjoyment of the book. I would definitely recommend reading this authors books.

Well written, believable, tense and set at just the right pace, this story gripped me from the start and had all the elements of a great mystery thriller.

This was the first book that I've read by Lisa Jewell but definitely won't be the last.

Many thanks to TBC, the author and Netgalley who provided me with this ARC. I chose to read it and give a voluntary and unbiased review.

Loved this book - it was my first Lisa Jewell novel. I liked the several voices telling the story and enjoyed putting it all together. I liked Laurel and her growing realisation that she had lt her family down seemed real. I was amazed by her fortitude and so glad the loss of her daughter did have a positive outcome. I did not find Floyd as convincing nor could I get a grip on Noelle. However I was gripped and will be ready no more by this author.

Lisa Jewell is a well established and respected author and this, her latest novel is well worthy of that respect.
It follows the story of Ellie Mack 15 year old GCSE student who is approaching her exams, and her family. With the gorgeous boyfriend Theo being a high achiever Ellie feels she needs a little extra help with her maths so her mum Laurel enlists the help of local tutor Noelle Donnelly. From there on in life for the Mack family is never the same as Ellie goes missing shortly afterwards.
I really don't want to give too much away with this review as I feel it's a journey the reader needs to take themselves in order to appreciate the complexity of some of the characters. Suffice to say there are twists and cul de sacs brilliantly interwoven by the author throughout and just when you think events can't get any more disturbing more information comes to light to make you wonder just how much more Laurel can endure in her search for the truth about her daughter's disappearance.
By the end of this book I felt I had been through an emotional wringer. How an author can take the reader through such a journey by putting words on a page will never cease to earn my respect. Would I buy this book? YES! Buy the book, buy a big box of tissues and settle in for one of the most emotional reads of your life!

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