This is the first book I have read by Lisa Jewell and it certainly won't be the last. Why it has took me so long to read anything by this author I will never know. Hooked from the start. The disappearance of Ellie Mack, daughter of Laurel and Paul Mack contributes to the breakup of their marriage. Laurel meets Floyd Dunn, in a chance meeting in a coffee shop. What developed from this chance meeting, I had no idea where this storyline was going and was astounded as to where it went!
Very creepy psychological thriller.

I could not get enough of this book and I'm pretty devastated that I've finished it. I'm new to Lisa Jewell books but I definitely will be seeking out more after reading "Then She was Gone".

Laurel is a mum who is grieving over the disappearance of her daughter ten years ago. Her life has been stagnant and full of sadness until the arrival of the mysterious Floyd who sweeps her off her feet but a mystery is about to be unravelled. Upon meeting his daughter, Poppy, she cannot help but see the resemblance between Poppy and her missing daughter Ellie. Poppy is so like Ellie is so many ways and initially Laurel does not see this a problem but as the true facts of Poppy and Floyd's home life come to light a very sinister turn starts to emerge. How is it linked to her daughter's disappearance? Is she just being paranoid? How is Poppy's mother involved with this?

As I previously mentioned I could not get enough of this book. I just wanted to know what had happened to Ellie and if Laurel would get her happy ending. The ending was truly astounding and heartbreaking at the same time.

Would I recommend this to anyone else? Absolutely.

I really enjoyed this, Jewel has a real flair for writing and storytelling that always pleases. At one point i did feel that she was showing too plainly where the novel was going but realised that there were many layers still to be revealed. I liked the mix of characters and felt that the author really captured their emotions and personalities. There is so much in this book and i would happily recommend it to friends

Laurel hasn’t come to terms with the sudden disappearance of her daughter, Ellie, ten years ago, but when she meets Floyd and his young daughter, Poppy, she finally feels able to start living again. However, as her relationship with them develops, she increasingly senses that something isn’t quite right... The plot twists, of which there are plenty, are pretty clearly telegraphed and by the end your credulity is slightly stretched, but that really doesn’t matter because are completely drawn in by the believable characters – you feel Laurel’s pain acutely – and the realistic setting. Then She Was Gone is a well-written and gripping thriller.

Well, this is page-turner for sure. I was absolutely hooked for the first two thirds of the book, enjoying the story, intrigued as to where it was going. Then it became a bit daft. However I carried on and still enjoyed the ride and whilst I could point to gaping holes in the plot line and unrealistic characters, it all comes together as a very entertaining read. I would read another one, its well written, gripping and total escapism.

I have to confess to never having read a Lisa Jewell book before, not sure why.
This was a very pleasant surprise. Laurel's daughter goes missing just before her GCSE's. No trace of her has been found in 10 years and the police believe that she was a runaway but Laurel has never accepted this. The effect on her family is devastating, a broken marriage, troubled relationships with her two remaining children and a fear of ever getting close to someone again.
The events that follow the 10 year anniversary make for a taut, well written thriller as Laurel tries to find out what really happened to her daughter.
You have to suspend belief at times but I thought this had a well thought out plot with believable characters. Without giving away the story, I found myself at times thinking this couldn't happen in real life but actually it has.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and Lisa for this copy.

I loved this book it dragged me in and I couldn't put it down, plenty of twists and turns

I started reading Lisa Jewell's novel thinking that I was going to be reading a thriller, but was happily surprised with a book that turned out to be much more.
The story essentially, but not quite completely, is told from the perspective of 3 different women, all closely involved with the gone girl of the title. Ms. Jewell leads you through the unfolding riddle of the disappearance with a satisfying hint of dread that sits on the top of your stomach, that evaporates with still a quarter of the book left in your right hand.
At this juncture the author effectively changes gear and direction to wind up the loose ends tidily, while creating an emotional maelstrom. I laughed and cried with with joy and sadness as our protagonists all accepted their new circumstances. Very satisfying all round.

A story of loss, angst and obsession. A happy family, mum, dad and three children, living the good life, until the day 15 year old Ellie doesn't come home. Ten years later and Laurel meets the handsome Floyd and his daughter Poppy who looks familiar. Told from the points of view of the main characters the reader discovers exactly what happened and why. Another fantastic book from this author, which kept me engrossed the whole way through - without any skimming! Descriptions of loss intermingled with happier moments as we go through Laurel's ups and downs as she tries to find out what happened to her beautiful daughter. Loved this story and didn't want it to end!

Loved this fast moving thriller couldn't put it down!
Laurel and Paul's marriage disintegrated following the disappearance of their youngest daughter ten years previously. The investigation has come to a grinding halt and there seems to be no hope of discovering what happened. Ellie has simply gone and there are no leads to follow.
Laurel has barely been coping, her relationship with her other daughter Hanna and her son Jake and his partner is not good. She then has a chance meeting with Floyd, he's good looking, excellent company and has a delightful daughter called Poppy who looks remarkably like the missing Ellie. As their relationship develops events begin spiralling and there seem to be to many coincidences that can't be explained.
I found this compelling reading, a few unanswered questions perhaps but highly recommend it

DNF at 34%

I don't even know how to rate this one so I'm leaving it blank for now (on goodreads- I've gone with 2 here because ultimately I think there may be a decent story in here, I'm just unwilling to suffer through the romance for it). I was expecting this to an exciting mystery about a woman who's child went missing 10 years ago, how she's coped and the wider effect on her family. For the first part it was just this and I was enjoying it. From part 2 (13% if my memory serves me correctly) this turned into a cheesy romance complete with an incredibly precocious 9 year old stepchild.

It's a no from me unfortunately.

Fabulous! I couldn't put this book down. Well described characters and a good plot. Thoroughly recommend.

"Then She Was Gone," is a big departure from Lisa Jewell's earlier chick lit books and sits more comfortably in the psychological thriller genre.

Ellie disappeared as a school girl and 10 years after her disappearance her mother Laurel hasn't given up hope of finding out just what happened. The mystery surrounding Ellie's sudden departure is rapidly revealed in this page turner through past and present narratives to see the perspectives of both Ellie and her mother. Although there is no big twist due to how the story unfolds, it is still an enjoyable read.

If you've read any of Lisa Jewells books before and loved them well here she goes again. Fantastic plot, charachters you can completely empathise with and a lot of gut wrenching twists and turns.
Ellie disappeared when she was just 15 years old, just like that, gone. Her parents struggle to come to terms with the loss of their daughter.
Flash forward in time ten years. Laurel plods along day to day still hanging under the cloud of her daughters dissapearace. Them one day she meets a handsome mam that sweeps her off her feet. She finds herself going to net his daughter Poppy who she immediately realises bears more than a passing resemblance to her missing girl Ellie.
Once more she is thrown into turmoil as she tries to discover what happened to ellie5 all those years ago.
This book kept me in the edge of my seat the whole way through and on more than one occasion I found myself willing Lisa Jewell to give Laurel a break. But then it wouldn't be half as good!!!
Fantastic book by the ever fantastic Lisa Jewell

This was my first book by Lisa Jewell but certainly won't be my last. I really enjoyed this book and it kept my attention all the way through.

As a huge fan of Lisa Jewell's previous novels, I couldn't wait to get my hands on her latest book, Then She Was Gone! I was eager to find out whether the authors new book ended up being as fantastic as her previous work. Only time would tell!

Ellie disappeared. Vanished into thin air. Where did she go? Nobody knows. Her mother, Laurel, forever in a state of devastation. Can Laurel's marriage survive such heartache?

Ten years after Ellie's disappearance, Laurel is still none the wiser as to where her daughter disappeared to. No longer married to Ellie's dad, Laurel finds herself trying to repair the relationships with her two remaining children; whilst also having the past come back to haunt her thanks to a random man entering her life.

I've been mulling over this book for a long time now, trying to make sense of what I read and how I absorbed it. At first, my gut instinct of 'Then She Was Gone' was 'what the hell?'. I struggled with it. However, after putting the book down for several hours, I picked it back up again with more of an open mind. I guess part of me was expecting Lisa Jewell's novel to follow in the same vein as her previous work, so when this book ended up taking a different route, it came out of nowhere and took me aback.

Having a several hour break from the novel was the best move I made because I became more focused on the actual storyline, instead of everything else. Don't get me wrong, I still found parts of the storyline a bit confusing and not as straightforward as I would have hoped but, regardless of that, I still found myself oddly addicted to the book, refusing to put it down to do adult things. I was engrossed in Laurel's situation, as well as the ulterior motive of the man who suddenly came into her life ticking all the 'right' boxes. Throughout the storyline I knew I was missing a vital piece of information, I just couldn't put my finger on what it was, which began to bug me haha. I kept shouting at the book 'WHAT DOES FLOYD KNOW?' 'WHY IS HE THERE?' 'WHY NOW?!'. I just had to know!

Personally, I didn't think that 'Then She Was Gone' was one of Lisa Jewell's better novels, however, I love how the author is trying her hand at more of a darker type storyline. I was addicted to the storyline for sure. I was addicted to reading about the characters. I was addicted to finding that missing jigsaw piece to make the storyline complete. There was just something about Lisa Jewell's novel that grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. Granted I didn't manage to follow the entire storyline due to a lot of confusion, but that didn't seem to stop my mind from wanting to complete the novel. I have to say, I found the tying of loose ends to be exactly that; loose, and I finished the novel with a lot of questions.

Overall, I was genuinely hooked on this book with its dark and deceitful tendencies, as well as its rather questionable characters and twisted components. Lisa Jewell is an excellent author who certainly knows her craft, and she definitely manages to showcase her talent in 'Then She Was Gone'.

Roll on the next book!!

I have alwas loved Lisa Jewell' books and have read all of them. This was another brilliantly written book - I could not stop reading and raced through it.
I could imagine this as a film too ass it was so descriptive and engaging. Many thanks I loved it!!,

A fabulous book. Don't be deceived - you will ot be able to put this book down until the very end. I really enjoyed this book - Original concept.

A really good book from Lisa Jewell. I've read a few of this authors books over the years, and this one seems to be a little darker from some of the others that I have read of hers.

The story line of this book has me gripped throughout, and although I found a little lull midway through, by the end I simply could not put it down.

The story was gripping and had me on the edge of my seat more and more as more details were uncovered and revelations were made. Full of emotions, twists, turns and supposes, this book had it all.

Written from Laurel's PoV and also from Ellie's, we do get snippets from other characters involved in this storyline which added another dimension and worked really well.

A brilliant psychological thriller which just proves the authors ability to cover different genres.

A great read!

4 Solid Stars

This was my first book by Lisa Jewell.
The story of a child suddenly gone missing is always eye catching and such books are on trend too. 
Ellie on the way to library disappears and is not found for 10 years till some traces are found. Her mother Laurel does not give up searching for her ever. Ultimately due to evidence found, she finds some sort of closure regarding her lost daughter. She soon meets a man whose daughter Poppy looks just like her daughter Ellie. What's the connection between the two? Who is Poppy?  Where is Ellie? 
This is the gist of the story. And the author Lisa Jewellery has revolved all the characters around this plot. The book, at the beginning itself, tells us the mystery behind Ellie's disappearance. So there is no further intrigue, just the dots getting connected together. 
The book on the whole is written well with its usual suspects and story line. Laurel and Ellie have undergone great trials and tribulations during this phase till both achieve some kind of freedom and their story is well depicted by Lisa Jewell. 
There are various characters who are an eclectic colorful group who make up the main character's family but the author has not gone in depth into their stories. This book revolves around 5 characters the mom Laurel, her daughter Ellie, the kidnapper, the new man Floyd, his daughter Poppy. The entire story is a fast read with a good pace - 

Spoiler alert
The main reason I am angry
I am amazed that a well known writer along her team of editors and publisher could not see this fact. In fact in the acknowledgement, this lopsided solution of immaculate conception has been called a bizarre radical solution to the plot, making a mockery of the medical procedure and doctors and nurses who work hard for the couple who are trying for a kid.