It has been a while since I read a Lisa Gardner book and I have no clue why! I have loved all her earlier books and Before She Disappeared brought me back to my love of her mysteries. Lisa just gets better and better.

This book will have youur mind all over the place. Frankie is a middle age woman on a mission to help find missing people. Her current case is trying to find missing teenager Angelique. During this mission, there are so many twist and turns, your heads will be trying to keep up with all the information and clues.

The story was twisty and heart pounding but it also had a heartfelt touch it. You can't help but want the best for Frankie and for her to find Angelique. When I got to the ending, my heart was so full and yet missing a piece of it. You will understand this when you read it.

I know this is a standalone novel BUT I would love to see more of Frankie. I love her character. She is so strong and I love her will and determination to never give up. I won't complain to much if she stayed in touch with all of her new friends. Especially one in particular. Maybe one day we will see Frankie again. Fingers crossed!!

I’m a big fan of Lisa Gardner and have read every single book she’s written. Unfortunately this one left me a little disappointed. The wit and character development is still there and it’s suspenseful. However I found the story to be someone implausible and found it difficult to believe. I would still recommended that Gardner fans read it.

This book started out strong for me, but dragged a bit at the middle and end. I do feel as though it is one of Gardner's strongest books in quite some time. The characters had a lot of depth and I was very intrigued to find out who the "bad guy" was.

Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner is a superb read with well-defined characters and plotline. Definitely a page turner and well worth a read!

I love a great armchair sleuth 🕵️‍♀️
Frankie has SKILLZ 🔍 and determination. She and Pippa, from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, need to form a detective team. They would be unstoppable. 😌

Frankie seeks out cold cases, especially those involving minorities, and she puts all of her effort into solving them. She’s just an average woman who is fulfilled from doing this work. The story begins with a missing girl who’s case has gone cold over the past 11 months and Frankie is on it.

We truly do live in an era where ordinary people can use their computer and research skills to actually solve cold case crimes. It really happens! (has anyone seen the documentary Don’t F*ck with Cats in Netflix?!) I think this was such a cool concept to read about in fiction.

What I loved most about this book was Frankie. She was a fully developed character - goofy, awkward, and witty. She had her own internal battles and overcame her struggles daily. I loved that her past wasn’t straight and narrow but she was so devoted to helping others and good at what she does.

I want to see this made into a movie and pick Julia Roberts to star as Frankie and The Rock to be Officer Lotham. That would be great!

Lisa Gardner comes thru with her continuation of strong female characters. Haunted by her past, recovering alcoholic Frankie Elkin travels all over the country trying to solve missing person cases. I The case is intriguing and travels in unexpected directions. Fast moving, believable characters - a great read. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

DD Warren fan here, (thanks for all of those, Gardner), so I was really looking forward to this one. I was not disappointed!

Frankie is such an empathetic character that you just can’t get enough of. I really enjoyed getting to know her and learn of the Paul backstory. Come on...the last phone call? Double thumbs up. I could have done without the cliche connection with Lotham, but I’ll overlook that one.

Great pace, great characters (I want more Viv and Stoney!), interesting setting. I called the mastermind pretty quickly but that didn’t take away from the story.

We need more Frankie in our lives, Ms Gardner. I’m expecting another entry soon?

P.s. Why is this book titled the way it is? I must be missing something.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was invited to view this title by a publicity manager right before Thanksgiving and it honestly made me jump for joy. As a disclosure, I've read probably all of Gardner's published books. Please note this is a standalone, so no need to be familiar with previous recurring characters.

Frankie Elkin doesn't have a home or a family, and she keeps her belongings to a single suitcase. She's a recovering alcoholic who works as a bartender in towns wherever she goes to locate missing people She's drawn to find, mostly minorities and women/girls. She recently wrapped a case of her 14th missing woman, found on the bottom of a lake, which gives her nightmares. Frankie is also haunted by the loss of the man she loved although the exact nature of their past relationship isn't clear at first.

Frankie sets her sights on Boston, Mass and an immigrant, working class neighborhood of Mattapan, with an influx of Haitian immigrants some of which have a special visa due to the earthquake. Frankie's self imposed mission, or calling, is to find Angelique Badeau, a 16 year old Haitian girl living with her aunt and younger brother Emmanuel. Angel or Lili as her brother calls her, disappeared 11 months ago and it appears to have gone cold, with no new leads. Enter Frankie, who persuasively convinces the family to let her help and work with the police to follow the breadcrumbs Angelique leaves her brother. Frankie comes across some very well described, interesting characters in Mattapan. While Frankie cooperates with BPD Detective Loman and there's a chemistry between them, the main focus is the urgent investigation to save Angelique. I enjoyed Frankie's thought process and unconventional ways of finding missing people. While she found 14 missing people, she hasn't yet had a happy ending. Not because she's bad at what she does, just that statistics are against people after they've been missing 48 hours. Frankie puts herself in danger to save the young bright woman who plans for her future and for her family. Mostly because of her own scars of her past. I think if you enjoy Gardner's books, or mysteries in general you will like this book quite a lot.

4⭐️
This is Lisa Gardners first stand alone novel in a long time! As one of my auto read authors, I was so excited for this one!
I love Frankies honest mess. She owned it and fought to do better. I was really curious as to why she traveled the country alone to find the missing.
Angelique and Livia are Haitian teenagers that go missing just shortly one after the other. How are the connected? I loved the family side of the story one with strong connections and other not. Angeliques brother Emmanuel was such a strong character his fight and love for his sister was the best!
I loved the way it ended, great way to wrap up the story!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
{Thank you @duttonbooks , @lisagardnerbks @netgalley for my review copy}

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.  Before She Disappeared is available January 19, 2021.

Frankie Elkin is a recovering alcoholic, a little bit of a murderino, and a transient.  She might be rough around the edges but you have to be for what she does for a living.  Since becoming sober she's traveled between towns searching for the missing that the police easily forget.  That's what leads her to Boston and the search for missing teenager  Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teen who went missing over a year ago.  The trail seems to be cold but Frankie finds some new leads that may lead to bringing Angelique home.  As an outsider in the Mattapan community, Frankie will risk anything, including her own life, to find Angelique.  

It has been awhile since I've read a Lisa Gardner book.  This one seemed different from her previous novels.  It's  a slower paced crime novel than one that's a faster paced thriller.  In the rollercoaster year that 2020 has become, this slower paced crime novel is exactly what I needed to end the year.  

Frankie is a complex character but one I easily fell in love with.  Reading the description of the novel I was afraid Frankie would be an unreliable narrator but she's anything but.  Frankie is honest to a fault letting others know exactly what she thinks.  She's also smart as a whip, which she needs to be given her chosen path in life.  As a white reader, Before She Disappeared gave me a glimpse into the Haitian community than I know little about.  Frankie is also learning as she goes with that's customary within their social networks.  Although this easily could be a standalone novel I'm hoping Lisa will write more novels in the future with Frankie.

Lisa Gardner hits up the January 2020 releases with a standalone thriller that I wouldn't be surprised if she expands into a series. Haunted by her past, recovering alcoholic Frankie Elkin travels all over the country trying to solve missing person cases. In the Boston neighborhood of Mattapan, she searches for a Haitian teenager who vanished from her high school, teaming up with a tough local detective. The case is intriguing and travels in refreshingly unexpected directions. If you like that gritty detective feel so popular among New York Times bestsellers, you're highly likely to enjoy this one.

Lisa Gardner is a genius at creating strong female leads, who are also flawed and incredibly human. Frankie Elkins is no exception. I actually connected with her deeply, being a recovering addict myself. I empathize with that desperate drive to prove to yourself that you have some kind of worth. Frankie is a rolling stone, traveling from place to place finding lost girls of color, that the authorities have long given up on, if they even investigated to begin with. The latest one is Angelique Badeau, a young Haitian teen missing from her Boston neighborhood. Frankie is sucked headfirst into the search for Angel, after unexpectedly bonding with her family, and absolutely nothing in this investigation resembles anything she's handled before. I adored this book. It was taut and smart, with a sense of danger so real, I found myself saying "no, oh no, don't do that" out loud several times. After unraveling all the twisted knots of this story, everything clicked into place. I had one small gripe with the ending, but that is a personal preference and I don't want to spoil anything. If you are looking for a thriller that you can devour in one sitting, grab Before She Disappeared and buckle up, buttercup.
4.5 stars

*I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to Dutton and Netgalley.*

Frankie Elkin searches for people after everyone else has given up. She is a former alcoholic with no ties. Her latest case is a teen age immigrant which puts her in danger. Someone doesn’t want her to solve the case. Frankie has plenty of personal demons which make her difficult to like sometimes. There is plenty of suspense that will keep you turning the pages with an ending that I didn’t see coming. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Lisa Gardner's stand alone Before She Disappeared is a fast paced, gritty mystery set in Boston, MA. The protagonist, Frankie Elkin is a complicated former alcoholic with no family or friends who is committed to searching for missing persons all across the country. She focuses on cases that have gone cold and those who seem to have been forgotten. With no training at all, just her people skills and quick thinking she sets out to find missing 15 year old Haitian immigrant Angelique Badeau.
What I loved: I loved the depth of the main character. She has been through a devastating loss that she seems to be punishing herself for through the whole book. Will finding the missing teen alive will somehow redeem her? The supporting characters were also wonderful, Stoney, the stone cold bar owner, Viv the vivacious cook and Emmanuel the techy brother of the missing teen are some of my favorites.
What I liked: I liked the fast pace and humor in this one. I found myself chuckling at the witty banter between Frankie and the lead detective. Don't get me wrong, this book is not fluffy. There are some intense scenes.
What fell flat: The mystery of the missing teen felt a little forced and unbelievable even though it was a unique enterprise it wasn't dangerous and didn't require captives. That is all I can say without spoilers.
Overall, a great quick read with deep characters and setting. A touch of humor and nice neat ending.

This was a great stand alone missing persons novel from the queen of suspense novels Lisa Gardner. Frankie the main character was full of demons and secrets but came across as likeable while broken. The story was enough to keep the reader engaged and the ending was definitely not what I saw coming, great read.

Frankie investigates missing cases of minorities who often slip through the cracks. She always finds her missing person... but the outcomes are never what she hopes they will be. After a particularly devastating case of a young mother found in her hidden car in a body of water, Frankie choses her next case from the various message boards that she follows, moves to the area, and begins her investigation into the disappearance of stellar student, Angelique Badeau. This case proves to be far more complicated and sinister than she had anticipated. It will take the collaboration of Frankie, the detective assigned to the case, the liaison officer, and Angelique's friends and family to find out what happened to this mild mannered teenager before it's too late.
Gardner has a unique talent of grabbing you attention from the very beginning and weaving two seemingly unrelated stories together seamlessly. While I wished that Frankie could find the peace that she desperately needs, her thoughts and actions are far more realistic and relatable than a story with a predictable conclusion. Frankie would make for an interesting sequel or series.

This book will hook you from the first chapter! So, I was excited to read Gardner's first stand-alone novel. Now that I have read it, I don't want it to end!! I want to see more of Frankie and her dysfunctional yet functional self! She has hit this book out of the park. I do not by any means read fast and I had this book done in two day! Preorder this NOW! Its out January 19, you need this!

Thank you Netgalley for this advance copy.

I’ve been hearing about Lisa Gardner for ages. She’s been on my TBR for a while. I even own some of her books, but I’ve never gotten around to reading them. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher letting me have this book, she’s moved to the top of my “must-read” list. Holy smokes, this book was excellent. If you haven’t read any of her books, this one will be a great place to start.

From Goodreads: Frankie Elkin is an average middle-aged woman, a recovering alcoholic with more regrets than belongings. But she spends her life doing what no one else will–searching for missing people the world has stopped looking for. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never paid attention, Frankie starts looking.

A new case brings her to Mattapan, a Boston neighborhood with a rough reputation. She is searching for Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teenager who vanished from her high school months earlier. Resistance from the Boston PD and the victim’s wary family tells Frankie she’s on her own–and she soon learns she’s asking questions someone doesn’t want to be answered. But Frankie will stop at nothing to discover the truth, even if it means the next person to go missing could be her.

First of all, Frankie is awesome. She’s funny and can stand her ground and is passionate about helping people. She makes no apologies for being an alcoholic and doesn’t use it as an excuse but as motivation. Her charm makes her friends, even when she’s an outsider in every way. The plot itself was tightly-written with no annoying tropes. It’s easy to root for Frankie, even if she’s not perfect. She’s a realistic character, which is endearing. The storyline was clever and left me guessing until the end. When this one comes out in January, make a point to grab it.

This book had me from page one. Frankie's unusual "hobby" is something I've not heard of before, and it was especially interesting since there are people who do this in real life.

I was fascinated by how the plot played out via the questions Frankie asked, and it kept me guessing to the very end. I was pleased to be surprised at the end!

In addition to Frankie, several other characters come to life in interesting ways, and the author's descriptions of Haitian food had me drooling.

It was a genuine pleasure to read this book. I think I've found a new favorite author!

4.5 stars

I read something after I finished reading this book that I thought was interesting. Apparently, this is the first stand alone book written by Lisa Gardner in twenty something years. That is saying something. I personally have enjoyed many of her books and am a fan of her series. It is always nice to come back to a world that we are familiar with and characters that we have already met. After saying that, I have no other information, but I would not be surprised if this becomes the first book in a new series.

We get to meet Frankie. Frankie is a very troubled and difficult to like main character. I struggled with this the entire book. She is aware of her faults, yet that self awareness really doesn't help to make things any better. She is a recovering alcoholic bartender whose entire life is kept in one suitcase. She is on a self appointed mission to help find missing people and is a traveling nomad, going from place to place when she finds information on a person who has been listed as missing, that society - or law enforcement - has given up on. We get to travel along on this "case" that involves a missing 16 year old girl from a part of Boston that is filled with Haitian immigrants. The story is very well written and keeps up a fast pace as Frankie's actions start things moving in a previously "cold" case. There is also the mystery of her past with "Paul" that is sprinkled in to the present with snippets here and there, revealing a story by very small bits and pieces.

As I mentioned before, she is a difficult to like character and I found that I was frustrated with her often. But, I still was rooting for her and hoping that she might be able to grow and move past some of her issues as we learned more about the tragedies in her life. That is why I think there is more for us to see with Frankie (more books to come???). She was able to pull me in, even though she was a challenge to like. I WANTED her to succeed and I want to see her feel the validation that comes with being good and successful at what she does.

So...very enjoyable book. I liked it and whether this is a one and done or the beginning of more, I am along for the ride.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. The opinions expressed are completely my own.