This is my first book by Sarah Foster and man did it not disappoint! Former cop turned DV advocate Rose goes to Australia to help find her estranged daughter Lou and two kids she’s nannying after they all go missing. The twists and turns and accurate depiction of difficult relationships kept me hooked until the end!

"When She Was Gone" offers a compelling premise that definitely kept me turning the pages, though it didn't quite reach that five-star, stay-up-all-night level. The setup is intriguing: a mother estranged from her daughter suddenly thrust into a desperate search when Lou disappears and is suspected of kidnapping. Sara Foster does a solid job of building suspense around Lou's disappearance and the mystery of the missing children.
I appreciated the dual perspectives of Rose, the determined mother, and DSS Mal Blackwood, the seasoned detective on his final case. Their parallel investigations and eventual convergence added layers to the narrative. Foster skillfully weaves in the pressure from the wealthy Fisher family and the relentless media attention, highlighting the complexities of the case.
However, at times, the pacing felt a little uneven. Some plot threads took a while to develop, and I occasionally found myself wanting a bit more urgency. While the secrets surrounding the Fisher family and Rose's past were interesting, some of the reveals felt a tad predictable.
Overall, "When She Was Gone" is a decent psychological thriller with a strong emotional core driven by a mother's love. It's a solid read if you enjoy suspenseful mysteries with family drama, just be prepared for a few lulls along the way.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook and print format.

Sara Foster’s "When She Was Gone" is a gripping psychological thriller that plunges listeners into a tangled web of family secrets, power struggles, and the desperate search for truth. The story follows former London police officer Rose Campbell, who is forced to confront her past when her estranged daughter, Lou, vanishes from a remote Australian beach—along with the two children she was nannying. As the investigation unfolds, layers of deception, privilege, and misogyny are revealed, and this is an addictive read / listen

Sophie Loughran’s narration plays a crucial role in amplifying the suspense and emotional depth of the novel. Her ability to shift between perspectives—whether embodying Rose’s quiet determination, DSS Mal Blackwood’s weary skepticism, or the chilling arrogance of the Fisher family—adds a compelling dimension to the storytelling.

Foster’s writing is sharp and evocative, weaving a narrative that is both intricate and deeply unsettling. The Australian setting is vividly rendered, from the isolated beach where Lou disappears to the suffocating wealth and influence of the Fisher family. The novel explores themes of parental guilt, systemic power imbalances, and the lengths people will go to protect their own. This is a 5 star mystery in print format, the audiobook format elevates it even further, making it a truly excellent psychological thriller and police procedural.

"When She Was Gone" is a masterfully crafted thriller that thrives in its audiobook format. The combination of Foster’s taut storytelling and Loughran’s compelling delivery makes for an unforgettable listening experience. Whether you’re drawn to psychological thrillers, police procedurals, or you enjoy audiobooks that elevate the tension through voice performance, this one is well worth your time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest thriller by Sara Foster., beautifully narrated by Sophie Loughran. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Former London police officer Rose Campbell has been estranged from her daughter, Lou, for almost a decade. But when Lou disappears from a remote beach in Western Australian-and the police suspect her of kidnapping the two young children in her care-Rose is asked to help bring Lou home. Detective Senior Sargent Mal Blackwood is getting ready to retire when he is called in to head this last case. The missing children are heirs to the Fisher property empire, and their multimillionaire grandfather is breathing hard down Blackwood's neck. What has happened to Lou and the children? And can Rose and Blackwood find them in time?

This was a fast-moving thriller, made even better with short chapters from many different POV, giving us insight into the characters. There was a lot of emotion in this book and all well-played - not too much, but enough that I was invested into the characters. I loved Mal, trying to do the best job possible while simultaneously trying to save his marriage; Ruth was driven to save domestic abuse victims and was trying so hard to do the right thing for her daughter. I couldn't put this one down and loved it!

When She Was Gone is an engaging mystery that kept my interest throughout. The pacing was steady, and the unfolding investigation had enough twists to keep me curious about what would happen next.

The use of multiple points of view worked well for the story. It added some complexity and allowed the narrative to explore different angles of the mystery.

Rose was by far the most compelling character for me. As both a mother and a determined investigator, she brought a lot of emotional weight to the story. Her drive felt believable and grounded.

Overall, When She Was Gone is a solid mystery with a strong central character. It might not break new ground in the genre, but it’s definitely worth picking up if you’re looking for a thoughtful, character-driven story.

Good narration and pacing. Likeable characters. Tenuous family connections and manipulation. Reconnection with the past and moving forward. Interesting story and a look at how families can manipulate each other.

This novel centers around rich people behaving badly, told through the lens of an unreliable narrator—a combination that held promise but didn’t quite deliver. While the setup was intriguing, the twist and ending lacked surprise, which dulled the impact of what should have been pivotal moments. As someone who enjoys police procedurals on screen but not as much in book form, I found some of the investigative elements dragged and detracted from the overall momentum. That said, the narration was a highlight, lending a compelling voice to an otherwise uneven story. Worth a read if you enjoy psychological drama with a touch of mystery, but temper your expectations

🎧 Review – When She Was Gone by Leah Mercer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
Audiobook ARC provided by NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing – thank you!

Lou is working as a nanny for a wealthy family in Australia when she disappears during what should’ve been an innocent beach outing with the two children. Her sudden vanishing shocks everyone — and her estranged mother, Rose, jumps on the first flight from the UK to Sydney.

Rose and Lou haven’t spoken in decades, but that doesn’t matter now. With her background in law enforcement and a mother’s fierce instinct, Rose is determined to find her daughter — no matter what it takes. Enter Detective Mal Blackwood, recently returned from medical leave, hoping to ease back into work... but this case drags him straight into deep waters, both professionally and personally.

🧩 Told from multiple POVs, including Rose, Mal, and Lou, the story unfolds in short, tension-filled chapters that had me hooked from the start. The pacing was just right, and the audiobook narration kept the stakes high and emotions raw.

What I enjoyed:
✔️ The layered perspectives added depth and mystery.
✔️ Rose is such a compelling character — fierce, flawed, and relentless.
✔️ The setting (Sydney’s coastlines, urban tension) was vivid and atmospheric.
✔️ It felt like a grounded, emotional thriller rather than an over-the-top drama.

What didn’t quite land for me:
➖ I didn’t feel fully connected to all the characters — some felt more sketched than fleshed out.
➖ At times, it relied more on telling than showing, especially in emotional scenes.

🎧 Audiobook note: The narration was excellent — each voice distinct and engaging. If you enjoy thrillers in audio format, this one’s a great pick.

📚 Final thoughts:
A solid, character-driven mystery about motherhood, second chances, and the lengths we go to for the people we love. Fast-paced without being chaotic — perfect for fans of domestic thrillers that focus more on heart than shock value.

this was actually my first book by sara foster and honestly? definitely not the last. it started off a little slow but once it got going i was all in.

the story’s set in australia and follows some seriously flawed characters . there’s a dual investigation going on, one more official and the other low-key which kept things interesting.

it’s emotional, suspenseful and gets darker and twistier as you go. if you like slow burns that build into a gripping ride this one’s worth your time

also the audio book was reallyyyy good!!

I am a huge fan of this author, even though I don't understand Australia and I don't like like cop stories. This was perfect! I also loved the narration. I felt for the losses in this one.

I honestly liked it so much more than I expected! I went into it thinking it would be a pretty standard thriller, but it ended up pulling me in way deeper than I thought. The pacing was great, the tension kept building, and I found myself really invested in the characters. I also have to say, the narrator was a really good choice — they captured the tone of the story perfectly and made it easy to stay hooked. Overall, a really solid read. Not quite a full 5 stars for me, but definitely one I’d recommend if you’re looking for something gripping!

When a nanny employed by the affluent Fisher family, goes missing with the family’s two young children on the beaches of Western Australia, a media frenzy and intense scrutiny ensue. The author’s writing gradually captivates readers, maintaining their attention until the middle of the narrative. Sara Foster introduces a novel twist to this time-of-the-essence thriller.

Review: Occasionally a bit wordy, multiple POV that may be hard to follow for some. Overall I would recommend this book and Author to friends.

Narration: great rhythm and expressive tone.

Rating: 3.5 rounded to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone for this Advanced Audio Copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an interesting crime thriller. I liked the different characters and points of view, and having the mother (Rose) of one of the missing persons being a former detective herself. This didn’t get me completely committed to the book until about halfway through, and then I couldn’t stop. I honestly had no clue where this was going and couldn’t predict the ending, either, so bonus points for that!

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Crime fiction/thriller/mystery lovers.

𝑨 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
I loved the narrator’s voice, although it was almost so relaxing that I fell into lulls while listening.

This one was seriously addictive—dark, emotional, and packed with characters you’ll love to hate.

Told from multiple POVs, it follows the frantic search for a missing nanny who vanishes from her wealthy employers’ vacation home—along with their two kids. Did she run off with them? Or is something more sinister going on?

It’s suspenseful and layered with just the right amount of emotional weight. I flew through it in one sitting because I had to know how it ended.

When She Was Gone is a race against the clock type thriller. It started off strong and I had high hopes for it. Unfortunately, it was short lived for me. I felt like the pace started to become unbearably slow, there was a lot of telling instead of showing, things were overly descriptive to the point where it lost my interest on multiple occasions.

I am very sad, I wanted to love this one. The whole idea of the book was very well thought out, but some of the execution just fell flat for me. The characters were hard to root for or care for. There was just also not any major twist that really caught me off guard, so that was another miss for me.

Overall, this was just not the book for me, but I am in the minority and it might work for you. Give it a shot if this one sounds like your jam !

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @blackstone & Sara Foster for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you partner Bibliolifestyle and Blackstone Publishing for having me on this tour.

This was a little slow to start for me but once I got into it I was vested and could not stop listening, the audio was fantastic. This was very well done, full of unlikeable characters but I loved to hate them. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and cannot recommend it enough.

When She Was Gone was not quite what I expected. It is a good read--fast paced, short chapter, forward momentum story--but not a great read. So many characters were involved, which would have been okay if we got to know them in some detail, but the book lacked character development, and even toward the end of the book I had to remind myself of who was who. I really wanted to get to know the characters better, and we didn't have that opportunity. I didn't find anything surprising in the plotline, either. In this day and age of twisty suspense, I guess I just expected more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ALC. I really enjoyed the narrator and back and forth in the story. Different POV's are my favorites. This one really makes you wonder what happen and has plenty of suspense.

it's sad that the question of whether the nanny kidnapped the children in her care is an option, but here we are. it is fun to peak inside the life of the super rich, but sad to see how broken it is. Being missing in Australia, a world away from everything you know and with new predators of all sizes would be terrifying! Foster took all of these thoughts and wrote an engaging story about betrayal and love that captivated my brain. the broken relationship between the missing nanny and her mother made me so sad, particularly because it was her father's fault. I also loved seeing the character of the DCI adapting to become less of a work- automaton and realize that there is so much more to life.

thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and the author Sara Foster for my ARC of this book.

The book is suspenseful and character driven. Lou vanishes from a remote beach in Australia and becomes suspect of kidnapping Fisher Family’s children. The mystery gets deep. Rose, Former London police officer must get to the bottom of the mystery. Author slowly unravels the mystery with some twists and surprising truth. Narrator did a good job.

Many Thanks to the Publisher.