THEN
She was fifteen, her mother’s golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.
NOW
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up
hope of finding her daughter. And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet.
Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter. Poppy is precocious and pretty – and meeting her completely takes Laurel’s breath away.
Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age.And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.
What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?
Who still has secrets to hide?
Review
I read I Found you by Lisa Jewell a while back and absolutely loved it. Needless to say, I was excited to find out that the author has a new book. Then She Was Gone tells the story of Laurel who lost her daughter 10 years ago. Laurel’s life has since changed then. She is no longer married and is now distant with her two other kids. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is her longing to find her missing girl or at least get answers on what happened to Ellie.
Unlike the previous book, this wasn’t fast paced with lots of action. I thought it was much slower though the pace worked out well for the story. There was something unsettling about the story that had me turning pages to find answers. I kept trying to solve the mystery of Ellie’s disappearance. Throughout the book, there were hints but I couldn’t connect the dots until the final chapters.
The book is told through multiple POVs. Laurel’s is the prominent voice though as a character, she is the one that I didn’t like very much. She was sympathetic but there were instances when she got on my nerve. There are other chapters told by Ellie that give details of what happened to her. There are also a few chapters narrated by a really twisted villain. Other characters also help in putting the pieces together though the chapters. I think my favorite character was little Poppy. She was sweet, awkward and quite endearing at the same time. Her words fascinated me and I wish we could have seen her more in the book.
As I have already mentioned, the pace was slower although that doesn’t mean that it dragged. There were twists along the way that kept the story moving. In addition, this ended up being quite an emotive read. I found myself going through different emotions. I didn’t expect it to be that poignant but it was, especially towards the end. If you like domestic noirs, suspenseful reads then I think that you will enjoy Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell.
A Haven for Book Lovers 
This is the second review where I’m reading it’s totally different than I Found You… I like how it became an emotional read in the end but I’m also interested in the fast-paced novel.. I guess depending on the mood you’re in, both are enjoyable. Best not to expect the same kind of read and I’ll be fine :-). Great review!
I usually prefer fast paced books but I think this worked out well because of the mystery. The author starts by the reveal. We get to find out what happened to Ellie and then the rest of the book sort of reveals the events that took place leading to the present. The mystery and writing is what made it an interesting read. Thank you 🙂
I’m surprised she’d write something so different from I Found You which I really think everyone who’s read it has loved. I’m not sure about this one but you’re review is great Diana!
The two books were very different and I guess reading the first one makes this one a bit of a let down due to the comparison. It was still a good read though. However, if you haven’t read I Found You then that is the one that I would recommend.
Oh yes, I read that last winter and loved it!
Mixed reviews on this one!! I have read I Found You. Great review Diana.
Yeah I have seen them especially on goodreads. I think most people are comparing it to I Found You hence the disappointment for some. Thank you 🙂
I Found You is at the top of my ARCs list now 🙂 I’m glad this one was slow but without dragging, it’s hell when a book struggles to move on! Great review!
Thank you Meggy and yes, you need to read I Found You 🙂 I hope that you will like it as much as I did.
I’ve listed it as one of my reads for next week! I’ve put it off for too long!
Awesome review Diana! I loved I Found You, and the only reason why I didn’t request this is because I’m trying to curb my NetGalley addiction. Hopefully my library will have this.
I get you on the NetGalley addiction. I have been minimizing my requests. I am almost down to 10 books on the shelf which is great progress for me:-) All the best with your ARCs. Fingers crossed, you will get the book 🙂
Excellent review! Sounds like this one is a lot more similar to one of her other titles (The Girls) in terms of page and a more domestic feel. Good to hear you still enjoyed it!
Thank you. I haven’t read The Girls. I will look out for it.
I’ve never tried Lisa Jewell before but this one sounds compelling. I don’t mind a slower pace. as long as the characters and story are good.
I usually prefer faster paces but in this case, the slow pace was okay for the story-line. You should try her books some time especially her last book, I Found You..
I have this coming up soon and can’t wait to read it. I really enjoyed “I Found You” and have been looking forward to this book for quite some time. I appreciate you letting us know that it is a bit slower paced. Sometimes that works really well for a book and from what you’ve said it sounds like it worked for this one. Excellent review!