Then She Was Gone: A Novel

As someone who loves all kinds of books from the many fascinating sciences to the often strange esoteric. I also like unusual thrillers that force you to turn the page to hurry and find out what happens next. While browsing on Amazon I came across this unusual and interesting 384-page soft cover book (Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell) book. This story takes place in Great Britain, but it could have been anywhere.

I admit to finding this to be a page turning compelling read that was difficult to put down once I started the book. As someone with a law enforcement (many years ago) background I immediately suspected the person who is mentioned early in this thriller; however, I also found this book disturbing for reasons I am not going to reveal in this review. You will find out soon enough if you read this book.

Unlike some reviewers who seem to enjoy giving too much information, which in my opinion may spoil it for those who are thinking of reading the book, I will just say, that if you like mysteries with an unusual theme with some strange and sometimes disturbing results, you may want to read this book. This is also a book about family who must deal with various issues.

Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Use of the Monadnock Straight Baton).

Lisa Jewell’s Then She Was Gone is a fast-moving book with a compelling story. The tale of a woman whose daughter vanished ten years before is an examination of grief and the changes that a catastrophic personal event can bring to families. Told from several viewpoints, we not only get the backstory, but we also hear everything that intervened in the daughter’s life without the mother, the main character, knowing any of it until the very end. This is a mystery that takes a long time unraveling, but, whether through the author’s intent or whether I was just in crack-solving mode, I figured out every major plot point long before the reveal. What made for continued reading was the fact that I had to find out if I was right plus all the little details that jumped on me, things I hadn’t known, had wondered about, and hadn’t figured out. Jewell is a good writer—evidenced by her many best-selling novels—but I’m not sure I would read another of her books. Why? I don’t really know. What I do know is that this one is well worth reading, and it might lead you to continue with her other books.