Then She Was Gone: A Novel

Lisa Jewell

Apr 2018 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From the New York Times bestselling author of Invisible Girl and None of This Is True comes a “riveting” (PopSugar) and “acutely observed family drama” (People) that delves into the lingering aftermath of a young girl’s disappearance.

Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was fifteen, the youngest of three. Beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers, and half of a teenaged golden couple. Ellie was days away from an idyllic post-exams 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 daughter 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 café, 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. And now, the unanswered questions she’s tried so hard to put to rest begin to haunt Laurel anew. Where did Ellie go? Did she really run away from home, as the police have long suspected, or was there a more sinister reason for her disappearance? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl?

Ratings and reviews

Lisa Jewell is a prolific author of gripping contemporary thriller and suspense novels, and her loyal fans have become accustomed to a high caliber of character development and innovative plot twists in her work. They might be slightly disappointed in picking up Jewell’s Then She Was Gone, a novel published by Atria in 2017. The book alternates from the time when Ellie-a young intelligent teen admired by all- mysteriously disappears to ten years later after a retrospective televised reenactment is broadcast. Even though what could be her remains are discovered, the chronology of what occurred long ago remains unclear. The emotional scars from that day are still close to the surface for Laurel Mack, Ellie’s mother. Over the intervening years, Laurel has become a shell of her former self and continues to be unconvinced by the hasty conclusion made by the initial investigation that Ellie simply ran away from home. Estranged from the remainder of her family, Laurel clings to an idealized image of the daughter she lost. Just when she is beginning to accept a lack of resolution and is ready to move on with her life, she encounters a new man who may not turn out to be the Prince Charming he appears. Questions start to arise about the man’s past, possible motives and ties to a woman who was Ellie’s tutor before she went missing. Then She Was Gone does have numerous moments that strain credulity and border on the implausible, still, it is a compelling enough story for the reader to forgive these faults. Jewell reliably unspools a twisty tale that will keep even veteran mystery readers gasping with the revelations as the chapters pass. This title would make a decent choice for a book club or quick read, but those new to Jewell might be better served to begin with Watching You or The Family Upstairs.

It was written horribly. She wrote it like everything was being described. It finally got good at about chapter 60. SO not reading it again:(

Excellent! Couldn't put it down. Even if the basic story was laid out in the beginning there was still plenty of suspense in seeing the different versions of the story told by its characters in their differing perspectives. Sad; creepy; humbling.

About the author

Lisa Jewell is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-three novels, including None of This Is True, The Family Upstairs, and Then She Was Gone, as well as Invisible Girl and Watching You. Her novels have sold over ten million copies internationally, and her work has also been translated into twenty-nine languages. Connect with her on X @LisaJewellUK, on Instagram @LisaJewellUK, and on Facebook @LisaJewellOfficial.