Then She Was Gone

It's not very often that a book almost reduces me to tears but the ending of this heart strings pulling story was just so heart breakingly sad for a couple of reasons.

Ten years ago Laurel`s fifteen year old daughter Ellie went to the library to study and never came home,she just completely vanished without a trace.The rest of her family have moved on and are trying to repair their shattered lives but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

Then one day Laurel is swept off her feet by a charming stranger called Floyd and is eventually introduced to his nine year old daughter Poppy.

Pretty,perfect Poppy who is a spitting image of Ellie when she was that age.

Now all the unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go? Who still has hidden secrets?

This riveting part family drama part thriller is split into five parts with chapters interspersed throughout the book that are set in the past.The story is voiced mostly by Laurel but there are also some chapters that are voiced by Ellie and some that are voiced by a couple of other characters.To be honest I didn't really like Laurel that much and struggled to feel any sympathy for her.The rest of the characters are well thought out and believable.Ellie`s chapters where heart breaking and I felt that the author`s portrayal of a scared fifteen year old girl was very realistic.One character was so truly twisted and evil it gave me chills everytime they appeared in the book,this person really was a sick individual.

It's not a fast paced story but it does contain a couple of unexpected twists and some heart breaking moments towards the end.I really enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well written,engrossing drama/thriller

What a gripping read, had me on the edge of my seat for most of the book. Such a great read which I will recommend to everyone. So well written I can totally empathise with Laurel you feel her grief at the start and you totally become invested in the outcome.

Darkly disturbing, this is a slow burning psychological thriller that twists and turns through a wonderful series of plot reveals. Narrative changes throughout give a really well rounded feel to the characters, and there is just the right amount of gruesome detail. The whole thing jumped off of the page.
Compelling reading and definitely one of Lisa Jewell's best novels to date. I shall definitely be recommending this.

Thank you Lisa Jewell and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I sat in my favourite reading chair and did not move (well except for food and drink) until I had read this book from start to finish. I cannot give a better review than that. Why?, Why? Why, has it taken me so long to get reading Lisa's books.
I highly recommend you read this author.

I've read all of Lisa Jewell's books and have enjoyed them all. This one did not disappoint. There were so many twists and turns throughout this book and I really enjoyed how the story grew and developed. I didn't want to put it down until I got to the end.

I thought this book was fantastic, it's the first I've read from Jewell and I will be seeking her out from now on. The creeping sense of dread and disturbing twists and turns made this a thoroughly enjoyable- and at times devastating- read, I will be recommending this to everyone!

Wow, this book really packed an emotional punch. Some of it was quite hard to read, especially the basement scenes and Ellie's story. I've been a fan of Lisa Jewell for some time, and this book was another triumph from her. I felt that it was more hard hitting that her previous works, in a good way though. The pain experienced by the family really came off the page and made for feel it for them. The characters were in depth and relatable. I really enjoyed this book, and even though I completed it yesterday, today it is still with me. A great work.

Wow, what can I say about Then She Was Gone that will give the book and the fabulous Lisa Jewell some justice. The short answer is I can't. There's so much I want to say about this book but I can't in fear of spoiling it for somebody.

It was disturbing, bizarre and truly shocking that made me love every second of every page. I've been a huge fan of Lisa's writing since I first read Ralph's Party several years ago but this was my first read of a psychological thriller she has written. I am so glad she has ventured into this genre as she is brilliant at writing a thriller.

Ellie Mack is a fifteen year old who has a bright future, she's about to study for her GCSE exams but she struggles with Maths. Her mum, Laurel hires a Maths tutor, Noelle who helps Ellie to study. However Noelle starts to become a bit weird and Ellie doesn't want her to come around anymore. A few weeks later Ellie disappears.

Laurel Mack struggles with Ellie's disappearance and distances away from her other children and her husband. She later meets Floyd in a coffee shop. She has so many questions - where is Ellie? What happened to her?

I loved the characters in the book - Laurel was just fabulous and I adored Ellie. At times I guessed where the book was going and then Lisa threw a spanner in the works and completely twisted it on its head. I loved all the twists and turns throughout and I was so sad when the book came to an end.

I highly recommend this book - you'll go on an emotional journey but my word it is worth it. The ending was perfect - I feared it would disappoint like some endings but not at all. It's well worth a read!

Then She Was Gone is a masterful blend of chilling human cruelty, suspense, tenderness, sadness and even hope. It's fresh, in that it isn't gory or violent, but gripping in a shockingly horrible way yet still shows signs of redemption too. Completely unexpected. I was touched by the ending and cried. Ok, that may sound pretty random but I've just finished the book and feel very close to it, so let's start from the beginning...

Then She Was Gone follows two tracks; current day happenings in the life of Laurel, mother to Ellie who disappeared without a trace 10 years ago, and the events that unfolded 10 years ago that brought us to Ellie's vanishing act. The dynamic between the characters is presented in a wholly authentic way and makes the reader really appreciate the family structure and the struggles they face. All characters are thoroughly likeable (ah, excluding the baddie, that is!) but earnest Laurel is my favorite. She's a lovely lady who carries more pain than any one person should bear having never really recovered from her daughter's disappearance. Laurel's life changes when she meets Floyd. She comes back to life but soon realizes things may not be as they seem and starts to question what happened 10 years ago and what that means in current day for her and her family.

I really don't want to say anything more as the story, and how it unfolds, needs no spoiling from me. It is a roller coaster ride of suspicion and intrigue that will lead you to guess at the whos, hows, whys and whats behind it all. It's great stuff and I eagerly look forward to more books from this writer.

Thank goodness I can always rely on Lisa Jewell. I have been in a reading slump, not really enjoying anything I am reading for a while. Knew I could pick up Lisa's latest and get straight into it and I was right. Fantastic read that gripped me from the first page and did not stop until I had devoured the whole thing. I have always loved this author and she never disappoints. Every book is better than the last!

This is the first Lisa Jewell book I have read – and it was rather good.

Laurel's 15 year old daughter Ellie had disappeared between her home and the library some 10 years earlier. Laurel's perfect life was never the same after that. She never believed that Ellie had simply run away just before her exams. Ellie was a good student, seemed happy.

She now lived alone, her grown up children living their own lives, her husband had moved out and was now living with a new partner. Ellie's disappearance had a devastating effect on the whole family and Laurel's relationships with her husband and remaining children.

However one day a man enters a cafe where Laurel is having lunch. They exchange a few words and eventually Laurel goes on a date with Floyd. He's polite, clever and charming and Laurel finds herself swept off her feet by him. He seems just perfect and Laurel is starting to enjoy life again. However when she eventually meets his young, rather precocious and unusual daughter Poppy she is struck by how much Poppy resembles Ellie at that age and she starts to question her daughter's disappearance again.

But is the charming Floyd just too perfect. Is he hiding something? Laurel's son's girlfriend thinks he is. She says she gets bad vibes from him and that there is something dark and hidden. But Laurel doesn't really approve of Jake's girlfriend.

The story is told by several characters, including Ellie at the time she disappeared, and the person who was involved in that disappearance (who is revealed quite early on in the book).

It's a pretty good psychological thriller/ family drama. It got quite 'dark' in parts and there are some very good twists. Although it jumps from past to present and between characters, it is well written and isn't difficult to follow. The characters are good although you might not like all of them.

I really enjoyed it and got very engrossed. I found it hard to put down.

A gripping psychological thriller that will have you reeling at the end. I couldn't put this one down and I loved the dark sinister tone of the book. If you are a fan of Gone Girl then this book is definitely for you.

So gripping! Really enjoyed this book and have recommended it to lots of people already. Kept me guessing all the way through and I whizzed through it very quickly. Looking forward to the next book from Lisa...

A sneaky story that that starts off normally and gradually gets more twisted in both the story-line and the characters' behaviour.
It takes some elements from news stories and uses them to great advantage by turning them into something different.
Loved it!

Loved this fast moving thriller couldn't put it down!
Laurel and Paul's marriage disintegrated following the disappearance of their youngest daughter ten years previously. The investigation has come to a grinding halt and there seems to be no hope of discovering what happened. Ellie has simply gone and there are no leads to follow.
Laurel has barely been coping, her relationship with her other daughter Hanna and her son Jake and his partner is not good. She then has a chance meeting with Floyd, he's good looking, excellent company and has a delightful daughter called Poppy who looks remarkably like the missing Ellie. As their relationship develops events begin spiralling and there seem to be to many coincidences that can't be explained.
I found this compelling reading, a few unanswered questions perhaps but highly recommend it

If you've read any of Lisa Jewells books before and loved them well here she goes again. Fantastic plot, charachters you can completely empathise with and a lot of gut wrenching twists and turns.
Ellie disappeared when she was just 15 years old, just like that, gone. Her parents struggle to come to terms with the loss of their daughter.
Flash forward in time ten years. Laurel plods along day to day still hanging under the cloud of her daughters dissapearace. Them one day she meets a handsome mam that sweeps her off her feet. She finds herself going to net his daughter Poppy who she immediately realises bears more than a passing resemblance to her missing girl Ellie.
Once more she is thrown into turmoil as she tries to discover what happened to ellie5 all those years ago.
This book kept me in the edge of my seat the whole way through and on more than one occasion I found myself willing Lisa Jewell to give Laurel a break. But then it wouldn't be half as good!!!
Fantastic book by the ever fantastic Lisa Jewell

I have alwas loved Lisa Jewell' books and have read all of them. This was another brilliantly written book - I could not stop reading and raced through it.
I could imagine this as a film too ass it was so descriptive and engaging. Many thanks I loved it!!,

This book was incredible. Dark, twisty and sometimes horrifying, but incredible. I loved reading it and flew through it in a single day. My heart was thumping in my chest throughout and I'd absolutely recommend it to everyone – the fact that it's so believable makes it all the more shocking.

Then She Was Gone was another fab book by Lisa.
I could not put it down, great holiday book that will hook you in until several hours have passed, you will just want to keep on reading.
Lots of twists and turns and although I guessed one of them it did not spoil the rest of the story and I was still hooked.
Laurels 15 year old daughter Ellie disappeared 10 years ago, her marriage then breaks down and Laurel meets Floyd, she is then introduced to his 10 year old daughter Poppy who is the image of Ellie........
Have a read you will not be disappointed.

I loved this dark, creepy, latest novel from one of my favourite authors. I was hooked from the first page right through to the last.

What I love about Lisa Jewell’s books is the way she writes and develops such believable characters and scenarios. I feel that I could be reading about my neighbours, ordinary people that I past on the street everyday who I know nothing about. Her world building is so strong that I can see everything so clearly in my mind’s eye as I get slowly absorbed into her books.

Then She Was Gone, was slightly different in that I got into this book so fast that I was quite surprised by the speed of the plot. I enjoyed the telling of the story from the different characters, and the flitting between the past and present definitely added to the tension throughout. The mystery of what happened to Ellie is slowly but surely revealed with a such a force that I felt emotionally overwhelmed by the last page.

It’s a book that will definitely stay with me for sometime and I will be reading again in the future.

If you like a creepy, dark read that’ll you make your flesh creep, then this is a book for you.

I received an Arc through NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone but actually read my own copy that I’d pre-ordered from Waterstones.

Ellie was a happy bright teenager, a golden girl, expecting to get all A's in her GCSEs, happy with a lovely boyfriend and the apple of her mother's eye.....until one day aged 15 she just disappeared without trace.

Ten years on Laurel has never come to terms with the loss of her daughter - she has split up with her husband Paul as she had nothing to give to him and has not had the best relationship with her two remaining children - but then sitting in a café minding her own business she meets Floyd.

Suddenly life seems worth living again, especially when she gets to meet his nine year old daughter Poppy and she is the spitting image of Ellie....can this really be coincidence!

As the story unfolds between then and now we gradually hear the full story of what happened to Ellie and it is quite spine chilling in places but the book is one that you cannot put down, and will Laurel ever find peace and more importantly make peace with the family that she has left behind - another great book by Lisa Jewell

I knew this book wouldn't disappoint as I'm a big fan of Lisa Jewells novels. This is one of her best. From the first page I got into the story and it had me guessing at every corner. A bizarre storyline but fantastic , I could not have foreseen the twists and turns it had in store.
As a mother myself it made difficult reading at times but was also equally touching.
I will be recommending this book to friends and family. An excellent read.

It's been a few years since I last read a Lisa Jewell book, and the previous ones were very different to this. However, 'Then she was gone' was a totally thrilling read which kept me reading into the early hours (not wise with a small child!) I would highly recommend.

The characters really came alive in this unusual cold case thriller. Dark and dangerous protagonists moved the story swiftly on, surprising and shocking the reader at every turn. Trying to outwit the author by guessing the next turn became a cat and mouse game. Thankfully, all the loose ends were tied up unlike a lot books so it was a satisfactory end to a carefully crafted plot. Lisa Jewell is added to my favourite authors

Then She Was Gone is my first Lisa Jewell read. I know, I know, how have I not read any of her works before? But I’m telling you this, it will not be my last for sure. The missing person trope never fails to catch my interest, especially those that involved mysterious disappearances. It fascinated me how authors spin the story of how a person goes missing and add a surprising twist and turn to keep the readers engrossed. Such is the case for Then She Was Gone, at least for me. I am hooked from start to finish. The mystery surrounding Ellie’s disappearance is enough to keep me awake for a few nights and turn page after page to answer all the questions I have in mind.

Early on, it is easy to work out the plot twist as there’s a lot of clues thrown in the way. It is just the question as to what happened that leads to such twist that remains a mystery. Which I am okay with, as revelation time, things still come as a surprise and just…sad. The pacing is just right though told in the point of view of different characters, but mostly Laurel. The story switches from the past to present, and paired with changes of narrator, it can be confusing at times. But it is what makes everything work in this book.

Then She Was Gone is one well-written and enthralling read about obsession, lies and deceit, betrayal, and mother’s hope of finding her lost kid. Heartbreaking, at the same time disturbing. Something that will stay with you for a while after finishing it. A brilliant work from Lisa Jewell that I recommend for those who are looking for a good mystery novel.

This book was impossible to put down. It had suspense from the first page and with plenty of emotional moments plus a scattering of romance I'm giving this book a well deserved 5 star review. I would highly recommend this easy read book.

I held my breath almost the whole way through. Read it in two settings and absolutely loved it!