This book is definitely a page-turner of a thriller. Laurel's daughter Ellie went missing ten years ago, yet Laurel's new love interest has a young daughter who looks strikingly like Ellie. As Floyd becomes incorporated into Laurel's life, author Lisa Jewell creates a cast of quirky characters: Hanna, the daughter Laurel has a complicated and negative relationship with; Noelle, the weird math tutor; Paul, the ex-husband who Floyd seems freakishly copy; and Poppy, Floyd's young daughter, brilliant, socially over-mature, homeschooled, and a dead ringer for Ellie. Yet with all this mystery, the book ultimately was a bit predictable for me, with too pat of an ending. Read in one day, this is a vacation read that won't let you down, but not one that will linger long in my mind. Thanks to Net Galley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very dark and heartbreaking story. The characters were interesting and flawed, and the story couldn't help but pull you in until the very end. If you're someone who reads a lot of mystery and/or suspense, you'll probably figure out very quickly where the plot is headed. I did find it surprisingly predictable, but I enjoyed the story so much that it didn't really ruin my impression of it. This was the first book by Jewell that I read, and now I'm curious about her others.

I finished this book with a big exhale and a tear in my eye. Then She Was Gone is an emotionally-charged read featuring damaged characters and a story that is as touching as it is chilling. While it’s touted as a psychological thriller, I found it to be more of a dissection of dysfunctional families set around the story of a missing teen.


The story is told by four characters in two different time frames and the switching back and forth was done fluidly with the various points of view adding to the characters' depth. The characters were a diverse bunch – they’re complicated, a few were unlikable and some even sinister. But Jewell shows readers where their damage stems from and while I still wasn't endeared to a few, I appreciated getting a glimpse into why they became that way.


Within the story, Jewell handles some big issues: mental illness, healing, family dysfunction and the struggle to persevere after great suffering. I especially liked the focus on the influence, positive and negative, that parents hold over their children's emotional, physical and mental well-being, and how disconnect of this bond, can influence a child, no matter their age.

As an avid reader of the suspense genre, I figured out the main twist early on, but it was Laurel's journey, and my hope that I was wrong, that kept me glued to the pages. Then She Was Gone is an engaging read with emotional scenes, diverse characters and some mystery, ending with an epilogue that will hit readers hard.

Disclaimer: This Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) was generously provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Exactly what I have come to expect from Jewell. Fast paced thrilling read that keeps readers on the edge of their seats! Bravo.

My biggest issue with this novel was its predictability. I was able to guess from early on where the plot was going to go, and where the twists would lead - and that took away from the suspense of my experience. I was never sitting on the edge of my seat, because it was an overall flat story. It is classified as a mystery and thriller, but I would consider it to be more of an adult fiction with dark themes. In my opinion, there was nothing mysterious or thrilling about it.

This novel did grip me in the beginning being told in the “before” and “after” of the kidnapping, and it was nice to get the perspective of Ellie in order to sympathize with what happens to her later. I felt sorry for Ellie and what she went through, but I could not have cared less about any of the other characters. They didn’t feel real, they felt like every generic family you would see on a talk show after one of the members goes missing.

Oh my gosh. I don't know where to begin. I loved this book.

The story may sound familiar--missing child, grieving mother, strange connections to another child years later. But it's the execution that makes all the difference here. Part of what makes a psychological thriller work, in my opinion, is that it must seem feasible for the main character to be making connections where connections don't exist. To be imagining things. Even as tiny clues start to stack up. And that is what's done so exceptionally well here.

Of course Laurel misses her daughter Ellie. It's natural to "see" her in other children. And Laurel is aware of that. Which, among many other things, makes Laurel so relatable. She reacts as I think most of us would in that situation.

There were also multiple twists that I did not see coming, which made it an exceptionally enjoyable read. I'll be recommending to fans of Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins, B.A. Paris, and the like.

Emotional, dark, moderately paced, mysterious and slightly predictable.

As a huge fan of Lisa Jewell, I was delighted to get a copy of this book in advance. Like cartwheels and Snoopy dance delighted! I certainly wasn't disappointed and she is a go-to auto-buy author for me!

All the way through the first half of the book it was pretty glaringly obvious what was going to come. I did think there were some plausibility issues scientifically speaking that may have been a little out there but really, in psychological thrillers, you kinda have to take those with a grain of salt. As things began to be revealed, although not quite as shocking as I prefer, I was so fully invested that I just felt along with Laurel and Poppy. FEELINGS, y'all! The ending is beautifully emotional and really tugged at my heart strings (yes, you guys, I do have a heart - weird, I know!).

Now, because of the above and the comparisons to Lisa's extremely popular book, I Found You, I'm going to expect to see lower ratings for this book from some reviewers. But NOT FROM ME! I actually think I'm in the minority in putting this book above I Found You.

The story is told mainly through Laurel's POV as we see the past and present over the loss of Ellie and how it not only created ripples in her marriage and her relationships with her other children, but within herself and the ability to feel at all anymore. We do get a smattering of other POVs here and there but this didn't not distract or become confusing in any way. To be honest, my favorite prospective to read was Noelle's - I just love disturbing minds.. I CAN'T HELP IT! And I'm absolutely in love with Poppy and her precociousness. The last half of the book is what completely sucked me in. I was on the fence until I reached this last half and then I couldn't put it down. COULD NOT!

If you're looking for a punch you in the throat kind of thriller with surprising twists everywhere, this isn't the read for you. However, if you enjoy psychological thrillers with an emotional feel and a touch of domestic darkness, you'll be happy with this read. While predictable, the way it all came together did surprise me in its own beautiful way.

Ellie Mack disappeared when she was a teenager. Ten years later, Ellie's mother, Laurel, is on her way to healing after this great loss. Laurel has always thought there were unanswered questions about her daughter's disappearance, but she is ready to move on a grieve her loss. Then Laurel meets a man who has a 9-year-old daughter that bears a striking resemblance to her missing daughter, and those unanswered questions arise again.

Told from multiple points of view and different timelines. The main point of view is from Laurel, but we also hear from a few other characters. The timeline is "then" and "now." The "then" parts were from when Ellie went missing, and the "now" parts were ten years after her disappearance.

Well developed characters and plot. I enjoyed the story, but never really connected to any of the characters.

An intriguing psychological thriller that was creepy and heartbreaking.

This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for a review. Don't want to give a thing away. Read this book. Now!! SO great! You won't be able to put it down! Loved! I'd give it 10 stars if I could!!

Lisa Jewell delivers another tense, emotional, well written suspenseful story. I tend not to read anything involving crimes,psychological tension, and horrible human behavior as exhibited in this work, but Jewell’s character development, and appealing style draw me in. In this work, she draws you into the lives of. Manypeople, most notably that mother of missing teenager Ellie Mack. Her pain is so palpable the circumstances that lead to the reveal near the end of the novel (no spoilers here) do seem a not far fetched, but I was compelled to keep reading nonetheless. Her varying narratives from several of the main characters were written in different yet distinct voices which added credence to the story. I won’t say I enjoyed this novel because of the story, but I did appreciate the writing and the storytelling and would definitely recommend this to suspense fans. Jewell is not as well known in the US as she should be and I hope this novel remedies that situation.

This was the first Lisa Jewell novel I’ve read. Though it was predictable at times, the plot was intriguing and I couldn’t put it down! I look forward to going back and reading more of her books.

As my first read by Ms. Jewell, Then She Was Gone was just okay. I liked it enough to finish it and some parts were interesting, but in all honesty, it was way too predictable. It doesn't take long to figure out the twist, as well as the bad guys. And trust me, it doesn't take a rocket science to catch on, either. I most definitely wouldn't call this suspenseful, nor would I say it left me any where close to the edge of my seat.

Was it merciless? Yes, in parts. Was it disturbing? Yes, again in parts. Did that make it a suspenseful, thriller? Absolutely not.

This was a well written book, other than the predictability. The characters kept my attention and had me feeling. They also appealed to the mother in me. I was able to sympathize with Laurel and her reactions/behavior after her youngest child went missing. None of us ever really know how we would react, unless we had walked that mile in their shoes. So, Ms. Jewell gets plenty of kudos from me there. Floyd also appealed to the parent in me. Which was quite shocking. These two things are what kept me pushing through until the end.

Now, while 3/4 of the book was predictable, it was that 1/4 that worked its magic. But most of all, it was the ending that had me thinking I just might read another one of this author's books. I totally did not see that coming. Not at all. And was quite surprised that I didn't really like the sacrifice at the end. I was actually rooting for this character to walk away with their HEA.

I wouldn't say don't take a chance on Then She Was Gone, or this author, as I am only one person. But if you are looking for that edge of your seat, sends chills down your spine kind of book, this one is not for you.

I saw where the plot was heading about half way through this book, but I kept reading, as I wanted to see the HOW- how Ellie disappeared, and the truth behind Poppy being with her father, and about her mysterious mother. Lisa once again brings the reader a novel of tension and spellbinding wonder, as she looks at the definition of family, and what secrets our chidren can keep from us, and how those secrets could have far reaching domino effects. This is not one to read late at night, as it's every parents worst nightmare, but one that needs to be read!

Thanks to Atria Books for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest review!

Last year I was introduced to the writing and great storytelling of Lisa Jewell with I FOUND YOU. I absolutely loved that one, so when I saw she had another release coming I knew I had to snag a copy! Considering the almost 400 page length, this one read very fast and the second half completely sucks you in.

I would classify this as more women's fiction or contemporary fiction and a little less on the thriller side, but that doesn't take away from the novel. So that would be worth knowing before starting - if you're looking for a crazy thriller like I FOUND YOU, then you may end up disappointed in the end. The characters were so real, the emotions were raw, and the story came together so well at the end.

Laurel Mack has the perfect teenage daughter. A smart girl, had a loving boyfriend, and close with her other siblings. At only 15 years old, Ellie disappears. Ten years later, Laurel is still trying to move on and piece her life back together. With a missing daughter, a divorce, and no new clues, she feels that it will be impossible to lead a normal life. Then one day, she meets a charming and handsome man, Floyd. When she meets his daughters, the youngest one, Poppy, stops her in her tracks. She has a striking resemblance to Ellie.

More questions pop up and Laurel is brought the emotional ringer trying to find out more about Floyd and why Poppy reminds her so much of her missing daughter. This one definitely had a more predictable ending, but that didn't take away from the reading experience. I can see Lisa Jewell fans being split on this one, especially if they are wanting something more along the lines of I FOUND YOU.

I give this one 4/5 stars!

I really love a novel that is a nice blend of suspense and women’s fiction. I find them to be such a nice breath of fresh air in a genre saturated with the serial killer and psychological thrillers (mind you, I enjoy those as well!).

After reading the synopsis of Then She Was Gone, the newest publication by Lisa Jewell, I knew this would fit that bill for me. Having read several of Jewell's other novels, I was excited to dive into this one. Just as entertaining as her others, I flew through my reading but, truthfully, I didn't find it to be as suspenseful as some of the other novels I have read by Jewell. I actually found it to be quite predictable but still incredibly entertaining.

Let me break it down a bit further.

So, the novel follows Laurel Mack, who is still reeling after the disappearance of her daughter, Ellie, 10 years prior. She has never been able to fully move on and this has ultimately affected most of her relationships. This begins to change when she meets Floyd and she finally starts to feel like herself again. However, Floyd’s nine-year-old daughter unsettles Laurel when she realizes she shows a startling resemblance to Ellie. All those memories of Ellie come flooding back pushing Laurel to find out once and for all what happened to her daughter.

I loved the writing style of Jewell, as I always do! Something about her writing is so easy to digest. It is sort of like chatting with a good friend. I really like that I can start one of her novels and them just sort of settle in and enjoy the ride.

However, like I said above, I found this novel lacking suspense. To me, it read more like women’s fiction or contemporary family drama. I enjoyed it. I wanted to know what happened. I just feel like it was a bit misleading in this genre. Also, I felt like it was very predictable. I was able to guess what had happened very early on in the novel but was still interested to see whether or not I was correct.

Overall, I really like this novel as an easy read and will continue to read more Lisa Jewell. If you are looking for an on the edge of your seat style suspense, this will be lacking but I would highly recommend if you are looking for a well-rounded and developed story.

3.5/5 stars.

I was excited to receive an advance copy of this book (Thanks NetGalley!) since I have enjoyed other work by Lisa Jewell. This psychological thriller is cleverly constructed. Ten years after teenager Ellie goes missing, we meet her family who is still struggling to find closure. This story is told from several points of view -- including the missing girl's -- as we see how the characters begin to overlap and fit together. When Laurel, Ellie's mother, meets a charming stranger, things start to get interesting. It is definitely creepy and disturbing, but I was very interested in seeing how it would all shake out.

This teeters on 5 stars and I may change my mind after having time to absorb it. This was such an original and unexpected plot. I know some disagree but I’ve genuinely never heard of such a storyline. It was just a bit slow going at first but eventually I was fully engaged reading every word and wanting to know what was going to happen. Jewel did a great job of always keep some level of mystery all through the book. I really didn’t know what to expect. I had ideas and much of the time, I was wrong! I’m grateful for the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I’ve not read this author before but I plan to look into her other books for sure.

A very odd set of characters awaits the reader in THEN SHE WAS GONE.

Two families are the main focus and somehow they become blended by a chance meeting.

Laurel’s family has been mourning their daughter Ellie’s death for ten years, and then her body is found. Meanwhile the family has fallen apart - a divorce for Paul and Laurel and sort of an estrangement between their children. Floyd‘s family has a precocious daughter, Poppy, who looks like Ellie and a sister that is quite different.

The more time Laurel spends with Poppy, the more confused she becomes about her personality, her outlook on life, and how Laurel sees her dead daughter in Poppy.

Laurel finds clues that seem to connect Floyd and Poppy to Ellie.

THEN SHE WAS GONE had an undercurrent of doom and sinister things lurking. The sinister thing seemed to be the tie to all of the heartache the characters were experiencing both present and past.

THEN SHE WAS GONE kept my interest, but I can't say it was a thriller until the past was coming into the picture and the book went back in time to tell us the story of how Ellie went missing. It was more of a study of personalities and families as well as lies.

If you enjoy a turn-around, revealing ending with a few creepy characters, you will enjoy THEN SHE WAS GONE. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Dark, depressing and disturbing. And this is not a new release, contrary to what NetGalley led me to believe. This book was released on paper back in October. The only thing new is the ebook. I thought I should make that clear in case someone wants it now...it’s available in both hardback and paperback.

This is my first...and last...book by this author. Not because it isn’t very well written, because it is. I just feel sorry for an author who has this dark material running around in their heads wanting to get out, and I don’t like being pulled into their dark places. There is a smidgen of a tenuous happy ending, but too many bad things happen to make it a comfortable read.

I can’t, in good conscience, recommend this book. It’s too dark. I like a dark read now and then, but I expect to be entertained at some point, not wanting to jump off a cliff. Sheesh. Instead of this one, go find a good horror story, you’ll feel better at the end.

2shay

ARC graciously provided by the publisher and NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell is an intriguing yet dark thriller. The suspense killed me. It started off okay but then I was not as surprised anymore. This book is a journey of a mother who lost her young daughter. Now, after so much time has passed, she meets someone who has a daughter that looks like the duplicate of her lost daughter. From there things get darker fast...and the emotional rollercoaster will be crazy. Overall, it was good.