Then She Was Gone
By Lisa Jewell
Reviewed by Rachel - Grade 8
Rating: 5/5
11/06/21
It’s been ten years since the disappearance of her teenage daughter Ellie, and Laurel Mack is still trying to piece her life back together. So when a well-dressed, middle-aged man named Floyd charms her with his smarts and character, Laurel’s intrigued. Soon enough, Laurel and Floyd are in a close relationship, and Laurel is meeting Floyd’s nine-year-old daughter, Poppy. And Poppy looks exactly like Laurel’s long-lost daughter Ellie. Overwhelmed by the irony of the two girls’ near-identical appearance, Laurel digs deeper into her relationship with Floyd, desperate to find out what happened to Ellie.
Reading this book, I was shocked, and even a little terrified, by the torture one person can think to put another through. I felt the pain of these characters, understood their hurt, cried with them under the covers in the middle of the night, quickly turning pages to skim through what happens next. To everyone looking for a book that seems too real to be fiction, a book with characters too lifelike to be fake, and a plot too heartbreaking even to imagine- this book is for you.
On top of the stunning lifelike qualities this book carries, it is also a great read for people who are just getting into mystery novels. I’ve never been big on mystery reads, but I very well might be now. Lisa Jewell created an intriguing storyline that left me wondering not if there would be a plot twist but when it was coming. And while I’ve heard many say this book was too predictable for them, my guesses on what was coming couldn’t have been further from the truth.
On the whole, this was a great read, and I struggled to put it down at night to go to sleep. I love that this book was fast-paced, as it meant I didn’t have to read through chapters of unnecessary details. Quick and easy to read, I can guarantee that anyone interested in lifelike characters and intriguing mysteries will love reading “Then She Was Gone” by Lisa Jewell.