Lisa Gardner introduces us to a new tough, intriguing character Frankie who has found her way by searching and finding forgotten missing persons.

“So many of our children have vanished. Too many will never be found, often based solely on the color of their skin” ~ Frankie.

Things I loved

While it took me a bit into the book to warm up to Frankie, I liked that her demons were her regrets and guilt, and she used that to drive her to search for the lost. I felt this gave that broken, tough side a little something different from your typical “broken women” trope. Gardner brilliantly and realistically illustrates Frankie’s struggles with her addiction to alcohol. I loved that Frankie doesn’t fall into those overused tropes used for characters with addiction. While Frankie is an outsider and a loner, she uses that to her benefit to find out what she needs. She is a wise-ass but not cringy, broken but not self-destructive, and tough as nails but not invincible.

“average, middle-aged white woman with more regrets than belongings, more sad stories than happy ones.” ~Frankie

Frankie travels the world searching for missing people cold cases. At first, I questioned who would do that for no money, no recognition, and most of the time with no help. Gardner has taken inspiration from real-life people and shows us through Frankie why.

Frankie searches for teenager Angelique, who doesn’t fit the profile of a typical runaway or type of character often used while relying on the girl missing trope to drive the story forward.

The use of the setting in and around Mattapan. We get a strong sense of community, the streets and what I loved the most is the food. I like to see what and hear what characters are eating and enjoying.

What I didn’t love as much

Here the mystery is solid, something a little different, unpredictable, engaging, and I have no idea how realistic it could be. However, the mystery overshadows the developing characters and their dynamics. I would have preferred a stronger connection to the characters. Often I become more focused on the characters and find them the most appealing part of the story, and the crime becomes second to them.

At times the crime blogged down the story and felt repetitive as Frankie and Lotham hash out what they learn, the clues, and their theories. I wanted to see more into Frankie’s past and what drives her demons of regret and guilt. The pace picks up with the story’s climax, and I enjoy the race against time, and we see Frankie relive some of what drives her guilt

Reason to read this one.

For a solid unpredictable, not what you might expect mystery that even a seasoned reader could be left guessing while trying to figure out the clues as Frankie does. The twists and turns are not shocking or rely on out of the blue didn’t see that coming. It’s a go with the flow and figure out the clues along with Frankie.

This is another well written book by Lisa Gardner. I do not think this is a book I would have picked up if not for who the author was. The story pulls you in right away and is very enjoyable.

4 stars

Wow, this mystery packed a punch... but the true star of the show was the complexity of the main character/amateur detective, Frankie Elkin. Very strong opener for a woman I hope we see in more sequels.

Writing: ★★★★
Pacing: ★★★
Mystery(s)/Reveal(s): ★★★
Characters: ★★★★★

A woman with a haunted past, Frankie Elkin has carved out a space within empty spaces for herself as a traveling amateur investigator. No home, no possessions, no family to encourage her to settle down and keep her roots.

She follows the trails of the missing. And she's found 14 of them so far. None were alive, but that's not what Frankie promised their family in the first place—Frankie promised to find them. And she does.

In Before She Disappeared, Frankie arrives in Boston with her nose to the ground on a missing persons case that's spent 11 months gathering dust by the local investigators. Angelique Badeau, a promising young Haitian immigrant attending Boston Academy high school, went missing after school one day. The leads dried up fast.

Her younger brother, Emmanuel, is convinced that she's still alive somewhere.

The cops, including the brooding Detective Lotham in charge of the case, don't think that's the case.

Frankie doesn't know who is right just yet, but she's determined to find out.

If there's one thing Frankie is good at, it's asking the right questions. And being such a pain in cops' ass that they begrudgingly ignore her tactics and let her stumble around the fringes of the case. With one begrudging Detective Lotham at her side, Frankie's ready to roll...

I thought this was one heck of a good mystery/thriller. There was just enough of a pacing issue to keep it from being an all-time favorite for me, personally, but it came close. Before She Disappeared is a tightly plotted, atmospheric, and memorable thriller with a rock-solid core in its protagonist, Frankie.

Frankie and her singular sense of drive really carried this novel for me, even when I struggled to engage with the plot at the beginning. I wanted to know more about this woman—why was she doing this? What in her past made her this way, and what would it take for her to recover?

Other elements that really worked for me was the setting and side characters. I've never been to Boston, and I'm definitely not plugged in to the Haitian immigrant population and their day-to-day flow, but in this novel the author breathed life into that scenario and I could almost believe that I was there and knew what the heck I was talking about (obviously I don't, but it speaks to the author's research and/or ability to convey a particular geographic imprint that I felt that "sold" onto the worldbuilding).

I'd strongly recommend this one to fans of Louisa Luna, Jane Harper, and other moody mystery/thrillers with killer writing and unbelievably real main characters.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Before She Disappeared is Lisa Gardners
first standalone since The Survivors Club was released in 2002 and third standalone over all. My long standing love for her books holds true once again! In this amazing book we meet Frankie Elkin, a woman who searches for those who have gone missing, the ones who the world stopped looking for.

Gardner weaves a perfect mystery with a character driven plot. The research that must have gone into this story is incredible and you truly feel like your walking the streets of Boston.

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙪𝙥, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜.

Now this is what I want when I read a thriller!! Lisa Gardner blew me away with this one!! As a lover of all things true crime, Frankie does exactly what I would love to do, but I’m too afraid to do!! I did not see any of the twists or surprises coming in this one. Frankie’s backstory is so well presented and I can’t wait to get to know her in future installments!! It’s been so long since I couldn’t put a thriller down and I’m so glad to have read this one!! I will say the only thing I don’t love about the book is that Frankie is a drifter which means she’ll more than likely be the only consistent character. Otherwise this one would have gotten 5 stars!! 4.5 stars!!

I have enjoyed previous books by Lisa Gardner that featured Detective D. D. Warren so I was looking forward to the new series about Frankie Elkin. The story is well written and the characters well developed. The main character, Frankie, is an amazing individual despite the fact that she is an alcoholic. Her willingness and dedication to pick up where the police investigations fail is admirable. The supportive characters are a plus. This is a good read and a good new series to get lost in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Before She Disappeared was easy to devour. Frankie Elkin is a very flawed yet inherently likable character. The pacing was fast, and the plot was absorbing. Even though the ending wrapped the novel up nicely, I was thrilled to discover this will be a series.

This book was so good. I adored it cover to cover. I loved how Gardner really brought the main character to life on the page. She was flawed, damaged, but was tough and had the hugest heart. I loved her quest to find the missing and the way her brain worked while working the case. She was an unapologetic lady boss on a mission. I loved that so much. The story was heartbreaking and hopeful in equal measure. I gobbled it up! I must read more by this very gifted writer. She is beyond gifted and a must read!!!

Definitely a different feel for the author, and something that might not work for the fans of her suburban locales. The main character, a gritty PI type, is a good match for people who think V.I Warshawski is too soft. I never really understood the protagonist's motivation, but I enjoyed the mystery.

This was such a great thriller! The author does as great job at character building and creating a great story. This book will have you hooked right from the start. I recommend checking it out!

Before She Disappeared (Frankie Elkin #1) by Lisa Gardner
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Frankie Elkin has changed her life around. She is a recovering alcoholic on a mission to search for missing people where the cases have gone cold and the media has stopped caring. She will stop at nothing in order to either give the family peace or reunite them with their loved one. Her latest quest brings her to a Boston neighborhood with a scary reputation. Frankie integrates herself into the neighborhood where a local teen went missing after school. She begins asking questions and soon realizes this is a highly volatile and scary situation. Frankie is on a mission and won’t stop until she gets answers.
I really enjoyed this suspense novel. The author did a great job setting the scene with very descriptive writing. Frankie’s character was depicted in a way you can’t help but feel for her and all she’s been through. I admired her courage and bravery. She never gave up and was able to think outside the box in order to get answers. The sequel to this book, One Step Too Far, is set to come out January 18, 2022. I’m excited to follow this series. Also, it’s going to become a series featuring Hillary Swank in the starring role and as executive producer!

Turn off your phone and place the do not disturb sign on your door!

Lisa Gardner has created Frankie Elkin, a deeply flawed character, an addict who is struggling to be useful and self-aware. She is tragic, yet still so easy to love. How can you not empathize with someone so honest in their quest to stay sober with an unassailable hope of saving others from heartbreak?

This novel is a steady-paced adventure as Frankie shakes things up in a tight-lipped Boston community, re-igniting interest in a case about a missing teen that has gone cold. She had my full attention from page one. Well done . . .  I'll be adding more titles by this author to my reading list.

I'd like to thank the author, NetGalley, and Dutton for allowing me to read a copy of Before She Disappeared for an honest review. 4 stars.

Such an exciting mystery. I love a bit of amateur sleuth so that was awesome to me. I loved that the main character had depth and she was just interesting and had her own demons. I felt connected to the character having dealt with some of the same issues she was dealing with.

At some points it got a little slow tho but it would pick back up. I loved the character development. It added so much to the story and made it more interesting. Such a great book, I’d definitely read any following titles

The first book I read by Lisa Gardner was The Survivors' Club. Since then, I've known that I would enjoy any book that Lisa Gardener writes, and Before She Disappeared was no exception. Lisa Gardner is the master of thrillers and her books keep you turning the pages until the very end.

I love Lisa Gardner and here she comes with another great novel. The main character of the book, Frankie Elkin is middle aged woman who is looking for missing people, usually cold cases. Fast past with twists and turns novel that I read in two days.

Sadly this book was a disappointment. For me this book was a struggle. It was sad from every angle. I finished this book feeling sad and that’s not why I read. The MC is a very annoying alcoholic and rather deranged.

Lisa Gardner is one of my top authors, her novels are "drop what you're doing and read ASAP" books for me. So I was beyond thrilled to read an advance copy of her latest courtesy of Penguin and NetGalley, and this story certainly did not disappoint! Frankie is a compelling main character, and I can't wait to learn more of her backstory in future novels. Before She Disappeared is the kind of story that raises your heart rate and keeps you devouring the pages as quickly as you can. Any Gardner fan will not be disappointed, and if your new to her books, grab this one and clear your day!

Frankie Elkin is a very dark, edgy character. While she is trying to find missing people, she is also battling with herself and sobriety. I think I like the character but she never lightens up. I think I would like to see the character have some happy moments.

A recovering alcoholic, Frankie Elkin carries more regrets than possessions. To atone, she’s become a nomad who searches for those the world has forgotten. When the police label a case cold, the public has moved on, and media has latched on to the next big headline, Frankie steps in. Her latest search lands her in a rough Boston neighborhood.

Months ago, Haitian teenager, Angelique Badeau vanished from her school. With little help from the police or the community, Frankie can only rely on herself to uncover what happened to the young girl. She quickly discovers that the questions she’s asking, some don’t want answered. She must decide whether the truth is worth possibly becoming the next person to disappear.

I have been known to devour Lisa Gardner’s books, sometimes more than one in a row. Unfortunately, When She Disappeared was not one such book. For the first time ever, I found myself setting aside a Gardner novel multiple times and not invested in the characters nor caring about the end. Yes, it contains a tough female lead. Yes, the characters come with closets-full of proverbial skeletons and bad choices. Still, I was bored.

The writing was okay, but not the snatch-my-breath-right-out-of-my-throat kind I’ve come to expect from the author. The novel also tended to go around in circles — in motion but never going anywhere or advancing. In addition, When She Disappeared carried a very heavy agenda. While writing should address difficult issues, regardless of what side of the fence you are on, this tale wasn’t subtle but a sledge-hammer to the head. In a time where the world has gone crazy and the news headlines are often scary, I needed an escape, a respite, and not another way of being bashed with the insanity plaguing the world. The issues didn’t feel natural or intrinsic to the story, but a marketing ploy.

For fans of gripping suspense who are new to Gardner’s work, I’d recommend skipping this one and picking up one of her D.D. Warren or FBI Profiler stories instead.

Gardner is one of my favorite mystery authors because I love her D.D. Warren series so much! I started smack dab in the middle of that one and haven't looked back since. So I jumped at the opportunity to read this one as soon as I heard about it. Let me just say that this is an author who writes books that are not to be missed if you are a mystery reader! From the very beginning, I found myself pulled into this new story with new characters. Frankie Elkin is one of those characters that I couldn't help but root for despite all of her perceived flaws. She is a recovering alcoholic who searches for women who have been gone missing for so long that no one is really looking for them any longer. As the reader, you know that she has more of a darker history that hasn't yet been shared with us. It just made her feel so darn real to me! The book was one that I just flew through the pages of. I couldn't put it down because I was so sucked into the story. And honestly I just really loved this book. I was so excited to hear after finishing this one that it is now going to be the first book in a new series. I cannot wait to read more about Frankie and see what types of trouble she finds herself in next.

Overall, this is a book and author that you definitely to check out if you are a mystery reader! I cannot recommend her D.D. Warren series enough - start with Find Her like I did and you will be in for a treat especially if you like darker mysteries. Now, I can also highly recommend this book for those readers who want to start at the beginning of a series because this one is really just as good. This book will easily be on my top reads list of the year and Gardner has become a must read author for me. Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. I ended up reading a print copy from my local library.