In Then She Was Gone, Ellie is the all around golden girl when she disappears without a trace at the age of fifteen. She leaves behind her adoring family, and in particular her mom Laurel, who falls apart with shock and grief following her disappearance. Ten years later, Laurel meets a charming man at a cafe, but his daughter bears the most striking resemblance to Ellie. What follows is the slow unraveling of what really happened to Ellie.
For me, the characters are what really shines and puts this book a cut above the rest in the crowded field of domestic thrillers. The characters are complex and interesting, going through tough times, but learning and emerging stronger. Whereas I find most domestic thrillers to be rather over-the-top, with paranoid characters doing unfathomable things and scaring themselves silly, the characters in this book--their actions and their behaviors--make sense to me. Laurel, in particular, keeps her head and acts calmly, even when evidence starts to appear that some things may not be what they appear. These are characters I can relate to and cheer for.
I did find the actual mystery in this book to be its weakest part. I pretty much figured out the gist of where the book was going early on. But to the honest, that didn't diminish my enjoyment of it. It was still interesting to read the details and see why things happened the way they did. And not focusing on the big mystery allowed me to enjoy the story more for what it was than if I were turning the pages solely for the big reveal, if that makes sense.
I found this book to be riveting and unputdownable from beginning to end. Jewell weaves the most compelling tale with likable and strong characters. This is my first read by Lisa Jewell, and I look forward to checking out more of her books
Readaroo Rating: 4 stars
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