Review by: Madeline Hobbs

I always know I’m in for an equal parts terrifying and thrilling experience when I pick up anything by Lisa Jewell. She’s an author whose books I enjoy reading immensely, and Then She was Gone was no exception. Full of dual timelines, multiple POV’s, and an ending that will leave you staring at a wall for hours, this book had me enthralled. Let’s see if it’s your cup of tea, shall we?

Synopsis: Ten years after her daughter disappeared, Laurel Mack has tried to move on—but evil doesn’t stay buried. When she meets a man whose child looks disturbingly like her missing Ellie, Laurel is dragged into a nightmare of obsession, lies, and devastating truths.

TW: Themes of kidnapping, child loss, grief, murder, and forced impregnation are present throughout.

Plot Twists: ****/*****

Sexual Content: **/*****

Profanity: **/*****

Character Development: *****/*****

Political Agenda: */*****

Overall Rating: ****/*****

My Thoughts: I finished Then She Was Gone in just over forty-eight hours while I lounged in my pool, and every minute I spent tucked between these pages was captivating. I won’t lie, the premise of this book is heavy, and the ending doesn’t sugarcoat that by any means. The experience of losing your child was conveyed so intricately in this book that it really got my emotions going. I spent the last ten or fifteen pages of the book actually sobbing. Don’t worry though, the ending is very full circle and happy, which made some of those tears joyful ones for me.

If you love a story where nothing is as it seems, a twist lies around every corner, and the characters are just as in the dark as you are, this is one you’ll want to add to your TBR stat.