Then She Was Gone

By Lisa Jewell

Book Overview

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Family Upstairs and None of This Is True comes an "acutely observed family drama" (People) about the lingering aftermath of a young girl's disappearance.

Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was fifteen, beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her.

And then she was gone.

Now, her mother, Laurel Mack, is trying to put her life back together. It's been ten years since her youngest child disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie's case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a caf , no one is more surprised than Laurel at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she's meeting Floyd's daughters--and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel's breath away.

Because looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie.

Laurel is haunted by her long unanswered questions. What happened to Ellie? Did she run away from home, as the police have long suspected? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1501154656
• ISBN13: 9781501154652
• Release Date: November 2018
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

A book you won’t want to put down!

I give this book a 10/10! It’s a book you can’t stop reading. It is a mystery that could actually happen!

Amazing

This book kept me on my toes . Totally unexpected but was a phenomenal book and story line.

Wow

Was so good wasn't expecting the ending

Good read but a little predictable

Enjoyed this book and read it rather quickly, as I was very interested in the storyline. However, several things made it kind of predictable to me so plot twists were not as extreme surprises as I would’ve liked.

Then she was gone is a great book, addicting really enjoyed reading.

I couldn't put it down, excellent read

Simply could not put it down!

Addicting page turner. Drama, suspense, motherhood tragedy, excellent read. Lisa Jewell really paints a vivid picture in your mind while reading. Going back for her other books now. May be my new favorite author.

Captivating

I was very impressed. I thought it was slow at first but by the middle I was hooked. It was so beautifully thought out and written! It’s one of those books you wish you could forget just so you could read it again!

Lisa Jewell: saboteur of my weekend

The laundry didn't get done ... the dishes didn't get washed ... the checkbook didn't get balanced. Why? That pushy book of yours kept whispering, "Just read one more chapter." (Kind of like one more potato chip - or "crisp," as the case may be.) Compelling story. All but one of many questions got answered. (Other readers will know what I'm referring to.) Story moves along at a nice clip.

Couldn’t put it down

I just wish it was LONGER! This had a lot of potential to really dig into the characters more, BUT I couldn’t put it down. I loved this book and will be looking at the other books of this author as well. It was captivating.

Buy it!

Lots of twists and turns, great weekend read.

A decent mystery thriller. A bit dark and bizarre.

I'll avoid delving too much into the plot because of what it can expose. All I can say is that the first twist is relatively predictable, but the second caught me off guard. Lisa Jewell writes with a certain clarity and smoothness. Yet, most of the book is "fluffy." It's more of a slow-burn novel. If the book was cut in half, almost nothing would be lost in the plot. Many obvious plot points were foreshadowed ahead of time in almost high school-esque writing. And the characters are a bit one-dimensional I'll admit. Nothing really jump off the pages. 2.5/5. Rounded to 3/5. Overly predictable, slow-paced, and not something that will stick with me. A bit dated and unsurprising.

Wow!

As a mom of three with two under two books are hard to complete in a “timely manner”, however, this book was so hard to put down! It just kept bringing you more and more into it. Would def recommend.

Kept me reading!

I loved this book. The only reason I give it 4 stars is because the plot is fairly predictable if you put any thought into it or ask questions as you read. I think it’s meant to be predictable and be more about the characters missing all the clues, but it left that little bit to be desired. The story is pretty intense and compelling, but it would be so so so much better if the twists were completely out of nowhere rather than being on your face the whole time.

Absolutely a great read!

This is such a great book!! I purchased this because of a TikTok recommendation and it was definitely a great idea!

Recommend

I loved this book. It's not my normal go to for books but I most definitely recommend. I have already given out a copy of this book for another to enjoy as well. If you can get use to the bounce back and forth between time periods you'll get along just fine with it.

It’s an okay book

First, the beginning of the book is actually not too bad it is boring the first part of the book. Part two is when the book actually picks up and is actually written really well and less boring than part one. From Part two all through till the end the book is actually great. I didn’t like that I knew what happened from gathering everything from part one and part two and had it all figured out. However, the rest of the book after Part two gives in more details and information of the event of why it happened and how which was nice to have an explanation. I really enjoyed the ending of the book the most, it was a bittersweet ending which was actually perfectly written.

Mysterious, chilling, easy to read..

Twist and turns. Just when you think you’ve figured out the story line, it takes a turn on you! Loved every minute. Just ordered a couple more books from the author. She knows what she’s doing!

A Gripping, Intricate Tale

At first, I wasn't sure if I was even going to like this book, but oh my, it definitely draws you into the story! You will find yourself thinking one thing, only to find yourself second guessing what really happened.

Good Read

I had the plot figured out close to the beginning, but I love the author's writing style (it's the first book I've ever read by Jewell) and still found it a really enjoyable read. The characters developed well and I could picture the scenario (even the parts I didn't want to picture) vividly. I look forward to checking out more of her work.

Thorough background checks on tutors

Another colossal mistake based on NY Times "bestseller" designation. Did my speed reading training throughout most of the book!! Another female lacking self worth and poor parenting skills throughout. And she's rewarded in the end. Thumbs down!

One of my favorite books

I really enjoyed this book. After probably the first chapter I was invested. The ending was close to what I thought but I was still over all shocked. It was a great book. Lisa jewell is a great writer.

The best book!!!

I literally read this book in three days it’s so good i couldn’t put it down

THEN SHE WAS GONE- loved it

This book had me guessing the entire time- very well written. You really get to know the characters- I would definitely recommend

Finished in one day!!!

This was hands down a novel that sucks you in. I could not put this down with all of the twists and turns it offered!

Fascinating and thrilling

This twisted story had me flipping through pages so quickly. Jewell breadcrumbs her way through the plot and, even if you expect what’s happening, she writes it so flawlessly that it doesn’t even matter.

Horrible book!!

It was so slow that I was beyond ready for it to be over! I def don’t plan on buying anymore of her books. I think it was written in third person which I don’t like.

Best ending with a twist!

I haven't had a book that keeps me nose deep in the pages in so long! def a must read!

Then She Was Gone

4.5 star. Fast paced and captivating, this book is broken down into very short chapters (often a couple pages or less) which made it a quick read. One of the few thrillers that I have recently read where the author takes some of the guess work out and clues the reader in on some of the specifics early on; I enjoyed this difference from a typical mystery/thriller. The narrators are also more honest than in other books; if they make a bad decision they admit it in real time, not chapters down the line. Definitely alleviated some of the frustrations that I have from time to time with this genre while simultaneously offering a good read. Overall would recommend!

Amazing read

Such an amazing book. Couldn't put it down!!!

Good read

Good read and would recommend it to friends. Interesting plot twists - not horribly shocking, but not entirely predictable either. I will definitely read other books by this author based on this one.

Absolutely hauntingly addictive!

This book was so beautifully written, with each twist and turn. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who loves suspense

Can’t wait to read more from this author

I haven’t really read a book in three years and I finished this in 2 days. It’s suspenseful and intriguing with twists and turns and bombshells. You’ll definitely enjoy if you enjoy things like true crime and mysteries

Awesome read!!

I really loved this book!!! One of my favorites ever!!! The plot line is so different from any other book I've read. After 2 months, i had to read it again. I love this author. She's one of the best!!

The hearts emotions live on...

Lisa Jewel shares with us a suspension filled drama of family loss. Then She was Gone has a lot of twists and turns and is indeed a good read. This is a first of her books I have read, but won’t be the last.

great thrill ride

Great edge of your seat, can't put down, superbly written psychological thrill ride. What this poor girl went through was horrific and she had so much to live for before fate dealt her a tragic blow. You will want to read other books by Lisa jewel as she is one of the best thriller novelist's out there. Lori A. Meyers

Twists and Turns!

Started a little slow but by page 80 I didn’t want to put it down! This would make a great movie.

Couldn't put it down

It's hard for me to pick up and read a book voluntarily. Paying attention to clues makes the reading more fun to see whether you were right or how different the result actually was. I finished the ending so interested and happy on how close / accurate my theories were.

Amazing! Couldn’t put it down

Amazing book, I was reading it every chance I got and finished it in only a couple of weeks. First book I’ve read by this author can’t wait to pick up the next

WOW what a story line!

This author wrote THE HOUSE WE GREW UP IN. Good book but THIS book is great! I selected it just by the title. I haven't finished it yet and keep trying to guess the ending. I pick it up at every spare minute to see what's going to happen next. Even when I must put it down my mind is going over the story line again and again. I can't wait to see how it turns out!! Very suspenseful and very well written.

Great read!

I honestly could not believe what went down in this book. It was a real page turner that I could not put down. i highly recommend this book if you're into scary real life type kidnapping stories.

Finished it quickly, kept my interest

Was it a little predictable? Yes. However, I really enjoyed this book and have recommended it to several people.

Unexpected

I thought I had the entire book figured out well before I actually figured out what happened. This book was fanastic, a page turner for sure.

I loved it!

If you like thrillers with a tight twist this one's for you!

Good read!

It starts with a very interesting plot that will make you wonder and will make you curious as what happened to the lost girl but then it got slow and dragging in the middle but once it started to give out clues, it became interesting and exciting again! So many twists and turns happening (started in the middle chapters) that glued me in to this book. I recommend it.

A Good Beach Read

A good beach read. Twists, turns and a crazy ex-girlfriend.

You will be twisted up in knots and taken on a roller coaster!

When I sat down to read this, it was in a room full of noisy dispatchers, taking 911 calls, dispatching med units and fire trucks, and my environment couldn't have been a worse one to start a book in, but right from the beginning, the details grabbed me. The details weren't the only part that dropped me right into what is sure to be addictive read. You will be twisted in to knots and then dropped onto a roller coaster than will do all the spins and loops. When it is over, there may be a tear or two to fall. The only thing I did not like was how quick paced the book moved after all the secrets were divulged. I feel like there were missing pieces that weren't expounded upon. Outside of that, it was an amazing read and I will definitely be reading it again. You know, in case I missed something. ;)