Then She Was Gone

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Mystery

2018

Finished on September 23, 2026

Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher’s Blurb:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Family Upstairs and None of This Is True comes an “acutely observed family drama” (People) about the lingering aftermath of a young girl’s disappearance.

Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was fifteen, beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her.

And then she was gone.

Now, her mother, Laurel Mack, is trying to put her life back together. It’s been ten years since her youngest child disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a café, no one is more surprised than Laurel at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters—and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie.

Laurel is haunted by her long unanswered questions. What happened to Ellie? Did she run away from home, as the police have long suspected? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl?

Then She Was Gone is my first encounter with Lisa Jewell’s mysteries. Divided into five parts, and told from four perspectives, this sinister tale kept me guessing. I truly thought I knew what was going on, but was surprised by some of the revelations at the end of the book. I have to admit that this story made me feel anxious as I read late at night, not really sure I wanted to continue. It’s a story of obsession and deceit. The conclusion was satisfying, so I may give this new-to-me author another read.