Then She Was Gone was written by Lisa Jewell and published by Century in 2017. This thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat thanks to Jewell’s entrancing writing intertwined with never-ending suspense, making you turn each page with more anticipation than the last. Jewell uses a family’s traumatic incident to suggest how every person deals with grief differently than the other and that we shouldn’t let it blind us from reality; if you do, it can be more traumatic for your loved ones going through the same difficulties as you. Although it is fictional, the book and its character’s come to life as you learn about the heartbreaking tragedy of a mother and her family’s lives ten years after her youngest daughter, Ellie, goes missing. Most of the family has learned to accept her disappearance as they have had time to deal with their trauma; all except for Laurel, Ellie’s mother. Ellie was always Laurel’s favorite, though she would never admit it. She was the golden child: perfect grades, perfect looks, and a perfect boyfriend. Although she was slightly spoiled, Laurel couldn’t ask for a better daughter and hoped to always have a fantastic relationship with her. However, one night Ellie leaves to study for her upcoming exams at the local library but never returns. After calling the police, hosting search parties, and reaching out to all of Ellie’s friends and acquaintances, they come to a dead end and give up. Once Laurel finally tries to accept the truth following years of denial, she starts to date someone new after her divorce from Paul, the father of Ellie and her siblings. The new suitor, Floyd, is a charming author who instantly draws in Laurel and they start seeing each other more and more. However, when Laurel meets Floyd’s youngest daughter, she realizes she is the striking image of Ellie, from her golden blonde hair to her sweet smile. As the book continues, the story dives deeper into the mystery of Ellie and what really happened on that sorrowful night ten years ago. While I read this book, I was able to relate to each character as I read more about their struggles and emotions relating to the aftermaths of Ellie’s vanishment, even in their darkest and most disturbing moments. Every twist and turn was memorable and, at some points, on the verge of deranging. Jewell uses different characters’ points of view in certain chapters to allow the reader to see into the thought process of the most gruesome and psychotic people you could imagine and more. Although the book was challenging to finish due to the heavy topics addressed, such as kidnapping and stalking, it helped me realize how often problems like these go unaddressed and unnoticed. Jewell draws attention to all these issues in a way that hasn’t been explored before and brings light to the situation. However, the situation she wrote about was extravagant at times and slightly unbelievable. I enjoyed and agreed with Jewell’s opinion of these types of problems, but I feel as though it would have been more effective if she had incorporated less drama and relationships to add to the problem at hand. Apart from this, I sincerely took pleasure in reading this book and wasn’t able to put it down because of how intriguing it was. This phycological thriller had me thinking about it weeks after I finished because of how much it affected me and made me look at the world differently than before, both for the worse and the better. I would definitely recommend this book for avid readers, as long as they’re prepared for a rollercoaster of emotions and heartbreak.
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